《My Wife is an Aloof Beauty》 Chapter 1 Until We Meet Again (Cold and Elegant) FX International Group, a leadingpany in S City, had a number of businesses from many sectors; from hotel chains, construction industry,rge department stores, entertainment firms to amusement parks. People who lived in S City might not know their mayor, but they had surely heard of Edward Mu, the leader of his big family businesses and one of the most sought-after business giants. Mr. Mu was not only sessful and rich, but he was also an absolutely fascinating man who looked more gorgeous than most women. It sounds unreal, but one should see him say this was true. In addition, he was so smart and intelligent that he could defeat hispetitors without them noticing. People tagged him as a "yboy" because he appeared in many various magazines. Not many knew about his secrets but rumors had it that Jessica Lin is Mr. Mu''s favorite girl. The hall of FX International Group wasvishly furnished with statues, colorful iid marble, and a gilded bronze ceiling. A female officer with a five-year-old boy stood at the front desk. The woman with good features looked very cold and serious. She wanted to meet the CEO without an appointment. Thepany had a regtion that no one could meet the CEO without an appointment. This situation had never happened before and this caused the staff member serious trouble because the female officer insisted on meeting the CEO at once. After she convinced the visitor about their policy, the staff member finally called the CEO''s secretary on the 88th floor for help. "Mr. Qiao, there is a female officer who wants to see our boss. May I let her in?" The staff member said. "What? A female officer?" Aaron Qiao quipped to his surprise. ''Oh God, What''s going on? I know boss has a lot of girlfriends, but when did he have a girlfriend that worked for the military? It''s too hard to be an assistant. Why should I be responsible for both the daily work and the private life of my boss?'' Heined silently. Although hesitant, Mr. Qiao still walked into the CEO''s office to ask his boss. "Boss, there is a female officer who wants to see you urgently, but she hasn''t got an appointment. Do you want to see her or not?" Aaron Qiao smiled. His bright eyes were brilliant with delight. "A female officer?" Edward Mu raised his head from the papers he was reading. He could not seem to remember any female officer in his past. "What does she want here?" He said as he focused on the papers again. "She didn''t say anything but she wants to see you immediately." Aaron Qiao grinned at his boss teasingly. "Really? She must be very confident to demand to see me with such short notice. Let here in." Edward Mu started to be curious about this woman. The female officer whose name is Daisy Ouyang, was actually a little nervous as she tried to pacify herself. She was not sure whether Edward Mu still remembered her or not. She was already nervously rubbing her palms together as she waited for the CEO. Nervous as she was, Daisy never forgot the words that he shouted to her on their wedding night. "You won''t have me even if you married me. You are just my wife as stated on a piece of paper. My heart and my love will never belong to you. You drugged me in order to have sex with me. How dare you! I promise I''ll never let such a thing happen again!" The man said angrily. He left with the sound of mming doors. Daisy Ouyang feltpletely lost and embarrassed at the same time as she didn''t know anything about giving drugs. She just remembered that she slept in his arms without any clothes, body aching. The man used her of these things she knew nothing about. What happened then was unclear in her thoughts. What happened that night was too blurry for her. She could only remember feeling hot and helpless, unable to move. Maybe she was drugged too. Over the past six years, Daisy Ouyang had to deal with hearing gossips and rumors about Edward Mu including his affairs with his many girlfriends and female stars. Worst, she would hear from the news whom he was dating or sleeping with. Despite all these, she never contacted him. His words were forever stuck in her head, she could not forget when Edward said that she was only a nominal wife. Whatever happened to him was none of her business. Actually, it seemed as if he had already forgotten her for a long time. She would not find him if there was no unexpected situation like this one. Both of them were victims of their family interests. It seemed that this marriage had a price to pay. "Mommy, you''re hurting me." The little boy interrupted his mommy''s thoughts as he tried to squirm out from the tight grip of his mommy''s hand. Daisy Ouyang got lost in her thoughts for a while and didn''t realize she held her boy''s hand too tightly. "I''m sorry, Justin. I was thinking about something that happened before." Daisy squatted in front of the boy and whispered to him. This little boy was her son. She never thought that she would get pregnant after that night. Thanks to his genes and excellent skills, she now had this charming baby boy. Justin was Daisy''s life and she would not know what to do if she ever lost this boy. "It''s all right, I''m fine, mommy. What''s wrong? Is it my Daddy? Did he refuse to meet us?" Justin asked with a soft voice. He looked at his mommy with bright eyes. "No, honey, your daddy is a little busy so we will wait here until he is ready." She exined patiently. She hid nothing from her son about his father. Although he always asked why daddy does not live with them, he never really asked his mommy to find him. "Madam, our boss is waiting for you." The staff member treated her with respect. She thought that there was something so familiar with the boy. But she couldn''t remember whether she had seen him before. "OK, thank you!" Daisy Ouyang politely replied. Then she quietly left. Daisy looked very serious and stern wearing army uniform but she also looked even more charming in it. She could hardly hold back her excitement. Over the past six years, she tried to pacify her feelings and gave up on this rtionship, however, she still felt nervous whenever she would see Edward. Daisy was getting everyone''s attention because people had never seen a female officer in this building. Dressy celebrities and famous female stars were regrs. "Madam, this way please." Edward Mu''s secretary ushered her in. Daisy was evidently nervous as little beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She clenched her hands tightly while she held his son''s hand. Justin felt her mommy''s emotions, he didn''t remind her although he felt the pain as his mommy tightly held on his tiny hand. He had the same feeling as his mommy. He was not sure if his daddy, the man he always saw on the Inte, loved him too. The secretary knocked on the door and a deep voice answered,"Come in." Daisy Ouyang initially thought that she would panic if she heard this deep, familiar voice. Much to her disbelief, she was unexpectedly calm but she still tried her best to not look intimidated by the man in front of her. Edward looked at her with a straight face. He thought that Daisy looked stiff and pale but definitely looked every inch a charmingdy. "I''m sorry to bother you, but I can''t find better ways. Please take care of my son for 3 months. I will pick him up as soon as I finish my mission." Daisy Ouyang said as a matter of fact. She uttered these words without looking at him. "Wait a minute, Who are you? What are you talking about?" Edward Mu was so confused thinking why he would take care of a little boy whom he did not even know. He noticed the woman in front of him could not look him in the eye. Edward was still so confused. Although Daisy didn''t really expect him to remember her, she was still hurt that Edward did not even have a clue. She remained still and handed him a marriage license. "I will answer all your questions when Ie back, but I''m in a hurry right now." She exined. Before she left, her mobile phone rang with a loud military song that echoed throughout the big office. She picked up the phone quickly. "Hello, Mark. I know. I will be back soon. You can contact the army to get their location." She hung up the phone. Her words were firm and clear as much as her feelings. Edward Mu froze for an instant. ''Why? Why was this woman ignoring me? No one can resist my charm, am I not that attractive?'' he thought to himself. "Justin, I should go now. Please behave and do not give your daddy a hard time." Daisy gently touched her son''s face. Her son''s nanny resigned at a time when she needed to go for her military training at the army. She could not find someone to look after her son in a short time. Otherwise, she would not have sent the boy to his daddy. Justin looked at his mommy and wanted to say something tofort her. "Mommy, don''t worry! I will be a good boy." He replied with a sweet smile. But Justin was up to something. He already made a n to teach his daddy how to be a good husband. After saying goodbye to her son. Daisy ran out quickly without even waiting for Edward to even respond. Edward Mu still was not able to recover from the fact that the boy was his son. Edward only stared at the marriage license on the table. "Daisy Ouyang," he murmured. She was the woman who was married to him for six years. She was the wife that he never missed. She came and went, just like the wind, leaving the little boy with him. Chapter 2 Father And Son Edward Mu sat still on his chair as he watched the little boy in front of him. His little face resembling Edward''s had the calmness beyond his years and the little dark eyes looked coldly at him as if he was about to see something from him. He would not take action before his opponent did. Justin grew up in the army. All he was exposed to were military rted things, so he knew this rule well. This was his father. Was he looking at him this way because he was stunned or was it that he just didn''t like his existence? "Little guy, what''s your name?" Edward Mu initiated as he squatted next to Justin and whispered. So was this his son? It should be! Otherwise, that woman wouldn''t have brought him here. "I''m not little guy. I have my own name." Justin looked annoyingly at the man in front of him. "Well. What''s your name?" Edward Mu smiled yfully. "Justin Mu." The little boy looked at him in such a way that Edward would feel embarrassed. The little guy''s arrogant expression was so cute. ''Justin Mu.'' It seemed that the woman did not want to conceal it from him all his life. His anger faded. Who could ever imagine that they had a baby in only one night? "Do you know that I''m your daddy?" "Yes, mommy has told me before." Justin shifted position. He was a little bit tired. He hade here early in the morning from the army. It was almost noon and he was a little hungry. "Then why didn''t youe here for me before?" That was what Edward was curious about. He was also interested in how Daisy Ouyang became a military officer. Was there anything he didn''t know? At this moment, Edward realized that he knew so little about his so-called wife. He didn''t even know what she did. "Mommy says you''re busy and it''s not convenient for us to bother you." Justin expressed earnestly, still with that cool expression on his face. Despite his cute demeanor, his face looked sad beyond his years. "Was it what your mommy told you? I''m busy." Edward became unsettled. Yes, he was really busy, busy with flirting with different women. He had never thought that he would have a baby with his one -night-only wife. She had never contacted him and he had forgotten all about her existence. He even left the next morning after they got married. All he had done was demanding his secretary to send money to her every year. If she had not appeared unexpectedly today, he would have forgotten the existence of such a person in his life and his identity as a married man. "Yes, we can see your affairs on TV every day." Justin started to warm up but was also tactless and a bit straightforward with his daddy. Although his mommy told him that there were reasons why his daddy did not live together with them, he still couldn''t understand why he had not seen them even once. "Err¡­ It seemed that you cared about me a lot." Edward looked at his angry and sarcastic face, he couldn''t help butugh. Edward''s charming looks even stunned Justin. "Who cares about you? If you were not there every day with that silly smile, we wouldn''t bother to see you." Justin was angry because every time he showed up with different women, he saw his mommy''s eyes turn red and he knew that his mommy was sad then. "What? Silly smile?" How could his extremely charming smile that can attract countless beauties became a silly smile in this little boy''s eyes? Justin ignored his daddy as he yfully threw himself into the soft sofa. After all, he was just a little boy who just wanted to y. "Are you hungry?" Edward checked on his hand to look at his watch. His every action seemed so elegant and no doubt he could attract so many different women. "Let''s go! Daddy will take you to have lunch." Edward Mu picked up his coat from the chair, cuddled Justine and walked out of the door. He tried to reconcile the thought that he had a son. The woman he was married to didn''t even give him the opportunity to say no and ran away. Although, he must admit that the boy was adorable. He could not believe he can be good-tempered despite the turn of events. Three months? He looked forward to seeing if the woman would dare to ignore him again after three months. Edward was challenged. He definitely loved the chasing game. Chapter 3 The CEOs Love Child "Mr. Mu, are you going out?" Aaron Qiao came up in a hurry with a stack of documents and almost ran into them. "Don''t you look at the road when you walk?" Edward moved his fine eyebrows together. If he hadn''t dodged quickly, the little guy in his arms might have been hurt. "I''m sorry. There are so many documents and I didn''t pay attention. Who is that boy?" Aaron tried to evade what happened just now and responded casually. "My son," Edward said it just like he was talking about the weather today. He didn''t realize how stunned other people might be on hearing his words. His arrogant attitude drove Aaron crazy. "What? Your son?" Poor Aaron reeled and almost fell on the ground. The former female military officer had already surprised him that much. So this news was not supposed to be too weird. Hadn''t he just left for a while? Why was there even a son here? It seemed that the world was changing every minute. This was perfectly reflected in their CEO. "Why? Is it weird for me to have a son?" Edward was getting angry and his voice rose a little. It seemed that he was so nice to this guy and he even dared to talk to him in this way. "Err¡­ It''s a little bit weird." It was really weird, wasn''t it? Nobody knew that he had a son. "Uh-huh!" Mr. Mu! Did you know how much curiosity would be killed by your cold snort? "Oh! Not weird. Not at all." Come on. He was not that stupid. How did he dare to be suspicious? Who didn''t know that their CEO was such a devil? No matter how many questions he had in his mind, Aaron didn''t dare to ask anymore. He didn''t want to work overtime or else he would have no time to date his girlfriend. "That''s good. We''ll go out for lunch and do not bother us if it''s nothing important. And help me to cancel the appointment in the noon." Then he turned and walked away, ignoring his beautiful secretaries in the secretarial room who were all shocked. He went smartly and left the heart-broken beauties. How could their CEO have a love child? Who was the mother of the child? Was it the cool female military officer or Jessica Lin who had an ambiguous rtionship with their CEO? "Was CEO joking, was it true?" One of them was lost in thought. It seemed that they had no chance with the CEO at all. He already had a child. "It can be a godson. Who knows?" Somebody wasforting herself. They were not to me! It was really unexpected. "But the child resembled our CEO closely, didn''t he?" eximed one of the staff. The reality was always so cruel. "Are you too idle? Go with your own business quickly," eximed Aaron although he was also curious. All he could do now was to restrain everybody else''s curiosity so that all went back to work. His boss canceled the appointment just like that and left. However, he was the poor assistant who had to deal with this matter. He wanted to cry! His CEO once said,"Your value was good as a servant who needed to just obey all mymands. I don''t hire you for your good-looking appearance. Besides, because of my strong presence as the handsome CEO, you are not good-looking at all." Damn, wasn''t Edward looking down on Aaron? Did Aaron really look that bad? s! It was not that he looked bad. It was just that the CEO was so handsome that nobody could be as equally as good looking as him. Edward walked all the way down, holding Justin in his arms. He knew that there were gossips about him again. He didn''t care about it. Anyway, he himself couldn''t believe that he had a so n at this age. It seemed that he had been dreaming. Justin looked curiously at the man who was said to be his daddy. He was so handsome. No wonder a cool woman like his mommy would like this guy, his daddy. Justin was more curious about the cuddle. He could now tell what it was like to be held by his daddy. Different from her mommy''s cuddle, it was a little bit harder but stillfortable. "Uncle, shall we go to KFC?" The little boy raised his innocent face to look at Edward. He didn''t know that calling Edward his uncle would startle his daddy. Edward nearly fell to the ground when he heard the little guy called him uncle. "Justin, I am your daddy, not uncle." Edward became unsettled. Why didn''t Justin call him daddy? Justin knew that he was his daddy but still called him uncle. "You are my uncle! Other children''s daddy lives together with their mommy, but you are not with my mommy which means you are not my daddy. So I have to call you uncle." ''Hmm'' Justin thought to himself, ''I will not call you daddy. Now it is just the beginning. There will be more surprises for youter. Uncle.'' ¡­ OK. It seemed that it was his fault. But how could he have known that he would have a son in only one night? So maybe, it didn''t seem to be all his fault. He hadn''t known about Justin before now. "Little boy, I didn''t know you were there, so I was not with you," Edward exined weakly. ''Damn it!'' When did he need to care about other''s opinion on his behavior? "Would you have been with us if you knew?" Justin tilted his head and asked. He wanted to see his daddy defend himself. He never asked her mommy to find daddy for him, because he often saw mommy look at his daddy''s photos in the newspaper for one hour or two, lost in thought. Sometimes her eyes were red. He did not understand the adults'' world, but he could see that his mommy liked his daddy. Otherwise, she would not have told him that the man who often appeared in newspapers and magazines was his daddy. His mommy also told him not to hate his daddy and the reason why they did not live together was that they had a misunderstanding right after their wedding. Actually, it''s impossible for Justin not to resent or care. He also envied those who had a daddy who apanied them ying, running or swimming. Only mommy was there for him. At school, his ssmatesughed at him and said that he didn''t have a daddy. He was so angry that he often fought with them and told them that he had a daddy but his daddy was too busy to live together with them. He didn''t dare to tell his mommy about it, because she would ask him to do push-ups as punishment. "Err¡­" Well. Unfortunately, Edward had never thought about this question, so he didn''t know how to answer it at the moment. Edward was good at delivering speeches. But why couldn''t he answer the questions of his son? "Justin, you want to eat KFC, yes? Daddy will take you there and you can eat as much as you want." How could Edward be so shameless? How could he change the topic with KFC? "Yes! I want to have chicken legs, French fries, and coke." How could Justin have forgotten to torture his daddy so soon? It was easy for the little boy topromise. He must have forgotten to take a firm stand! "Well, if you can have them all, daddy will buy you." Edward caressed Justin''s hair dotingly. He got unexpected satisfaction in his heart. This little boy was his son, who resembled him very much not only in appearance but also in his manners. Chapter 4 I Dont Like A Useless Girl The father and son were getting along well with each other. Sitting in the military Humvee, Daisy had sunk into deep thoughts. She always remembered that on a warm afternoon, the handsome man came into her life, directly walked into her heart. But he might not remember her anymore. What did she ever mean to him? She was very quiet then because she knew she was redundant in the family. Once upon a time, she was also secure and happy like a little princess. But everything had turned differently since her mother unfortunately died and her father remarried. She turned into a position even lower than a servant girl. Every day she watched her stepmother made up her own daughter elegant and beautiful. She had to ept the truth that all her beautiful pasts belonged to others now, and her father also became someone else''s father. She also cried and struggled, but every time she did, her stepmother, Yakira Mo just gave her a good beating. From then on, she cried no more but carefully lived every day. Because she understood her situation, and knew she was no longer the proud princess she used to be. The father who used to love her so much seemed to forget about her since the stepmother gave birth to her little brother. Unfortunately, Yakira Mo and her daughter didn''t forget her existence. They tortured her every day in many ways. Once when she was 16 years old, she identally tore her sister Yvonne Ouyang''s clothes while washing, and her stepsister pped her on the face. She ached so bad and hid under a big tree in the garden and silently shed tears. "I hate the crybabies, they always deal with problems with crying. And I don''t like a useless girl, either." Suddenly she heard a voice and raised her head with tears on the face. At that moment, her tears stopped from falling, ''what a beautiful boy!'' she thought, as she saw this boy standing against the sun. The rays of light that lit his face made him look so proud but with so much grace just like a true prince. At that moment she was stunned by him. Looking at him with tears on the face, she dared not make a sound so as not to disturb the sleeping prince. She worried that this was just a dream. With just one noise, she would wake up from it. "Useless girl!" The body seemed a little angry and left unpredictably, like the way he appeared. Then she learnt that he was the eldest son of Mu family, the legend in S City. She heard that he had a remarkable talent in the business. He was only 22 when he became the acting CEO of FX International Group. The two of them were so different with their life situation. They would never have any chance to get to know each other well or to even cross paths, she thought. But she inadvertently began to pay close attention to everything that had to do with him. Her heart also slowly fell for him. Although she knew that there was no chance to be with him, she was still strongly attracted to him. In the end, she fled out of the country and entered the military academy she never liked because of what this boy told her "I don''t like a useless girl". She became the only foreign female graduate who finished military training early within four years. She initially thought that she was to stay longer at the academy but she returned to S City as she was missing him so badly all those years. However, they still had no chance of meeting each other even if she went home to S city. He was so far from her reach as usual. He was no longer the young boy she first saw four years ago, but was now, surely a morous man. In order to distract herself from thinking of him, she had worked very hard with her training and evaluations and took some very dangerous missions. She made continuous contributions to the army, and became a major at a very young age. Unfortunately, she still couldn''t ignore the love that was growing like a weed in her heart. Although she lived in the same city with him again, they were still like two parallel lines that would never intersect. However, her love for him had grown into the bone so deep, and permeated into the blood. She thought that maybe she would spend all her lif e just watching him from afar. She had to bury the love which had not even started but already died. But God still favored her and made her be his wife. Thanks to her father, if she wasn''t his only biological daughter, then it would have not been made possible. She still remembered that Yvonne''s eyes were full of anger because the Mu family only wanted to marry the real daughter of the Ouyang family, while Yvonne was just a favored stepdaughter. She could still feel her heart pounding in her chest at that moment. She couldn''t forget her ecstatic sobs of joy, finally she was rescued from desperation. Although she knew she wasn''t his favorite woman and that he would never fall in love with her, she still was not able to control her heart to approach him. She could only secretly cheer for herself deep in the heart. It didn''t matter that he didn''t like her, she would still love him, only if he allowed her to stand by his side. But she still overestimated herself. After getting so close to each other all night long, she became a scheming woman in his eyes. She tried to defend herself but he didn''t even give her any chance to exin before he mmed the door as he left her. No one knew how sad she was. No matter how bad she was injured in the army missions, she never felt anything as painful as this. When Edward turned his back on her, she felt that she wanted to flee. His words embarrassed her. She smiled with self-mockery while thinking. Though he didn''t belong to her, he still gave her such a cute son, a living image of him. She should be satisfied, shouldn''t she? "Colonel, Staff Gu informed us to meet at the next intersection." The report of the apanying official Mark Du pulled her back from her thoughts. She shook her head in frustration and med herself for missing him unconsciously. "Okay! Copy that." Daisy repliedzily. She felt so exhausted. She suddenly felt her surroundings turned warm. "Colonel, are you sick? You look pale." Mark started apanying her since he joined the army, so he knew if there was something wrong with her. "Don''t worry, maybe it''s too hot, I just feel a little bitzy." Daisy knew she was physically healthy, she felt sad and tired emotionally. She loved him for so many years, but she still couldn''t get any closer to him, and he had finally forgotten about her. "Will you sleep for a while? There is still one hour left before meeting Staff Gu." Mark felt worried, as he seldom saw his colonel looking so weak. She was always sharp and tough in his eyes. "Okay! Wake me up when we arrive." Daisy realized that a good sleep was exactly what she needed. She didn''t sleep wellst night as she thought about the meeting with him today. She also felt too nervous in front of him. She indeed needed to close her eyes and clear up her mind. "Yes, Colonel. Sleep tight!" Mark nced at her quickly, he knew there was something bothering his colonel. She looked suddenly different after walking out of the highmercial building. Mark sometimes sympathized with the colonel who raised her son on her own. He heard that she was married, but her husband hadn''t shown up even once after the marriage. So the young soldiers always secretly talked about her. There were many versions; someone said her husband went abroad and hadn''te back for a long time, there was one who said her husband had a mistress, another one said her husband was scared of such a strong woman, and so he stayed away from her and there was someone who even said her husband was too ugly to be brought out to the public. But Mark wanted to say, Justin looked so handsome and cute, how could he have an ugly dad? Mark just thought this way in his heart, he never joined in their gossip. Normally he just listened silently but nevermented. He also knew the reason why they were grumbling. The colonel trained them so hard. Mark slightly turned up the temperature in the car, so that she won''t catch a cold while sleeping. She couldn''t get sick at this kind of crucial moment, as the following training would be fully enclosed and even more severe than ever. Chapter 5 Junk Food Edward was always boasted about himself. Justin looked at his daddy''s red sports car and couldn''t help rolling his eyes, ''Why couldn''t this man keep a lower profile?'', he thought His car shined in bright red, like his own gorgeous appearance. His daddy was a totally different person than her low-key mommy. No wonder that, so far these two people hadn''t lived together. Edward''s bodyguard opened the car door, Edward put Justin into the car and fastened the seat belt for him. It seemed that this was not the first time for him to do such a thing. "Do not follow me, I''ll drive by myself, " Edward ordered coolly while keeping his eyes on the little boy. "Master, please let me follow you!", Luke Luo requested in a low voice. His life was destined to protect his master. He had trained himself extremely well to do this job. He knew there were many people who were eyeing his master. He needed to be very careful with each step. "Well, Follow me if you wish!" Edward didn''t disappoint him. He knew Luke would be worried if he is not around. He always treated Luke as his brother, and never regarded him as a bodyguard. So sometimes he would listen to his advice. There weren''t many people in KFC, maybe because this wasn''t weekend, but the elegant appearance and figure of Edward still captured lots of eyes. Edward ignored the eyes staring at him, found a table and sat his son in the chair carefully. "Sweet, could you wait for me in the chair? Daddy needs to order the food." Edward bent his slender body and consulted with his son. "Okay, I''m not scared." He was far away from being scared, but felt a little excited. Mommy normally didn''t take him to eat this food, because she said this was a junk food. But his daddy didn''t know this. So after a long time, when Edward remembered his own words, he had to smile with self-mockery, yep, his son was even stronger than him. The food was ready soon, most of it was Justin''s favourite. Of course, there was a little surprise -- the waiter was still staring at Edward, which made him very angry, but he controlled his anger with good manners. "Is it yummy?" Edward smiled at his son while he was enjoying the food. The gentle smile immediately captured so many eyes. "Yummy! Mommy never brought me here, she said this was a junk food." Justin mumbled. "Uh! ..." Edward was choked by his sons words. Knowing this was a junk food, Justin still asked for KFC. Was he joking on him? Well! He didn''t mind as Justin looked so happy to be here. He became more and more curious about his little wife, ''What kind of woman was she? How did she be so cold and indifferent? And why she gave birth to this child without asking anything from him? Just because of his words at that moment?'' He was forced by his parents to get married, so he wasn''t happy with the marriage. He was never against her personally, but unfortunately she became the target of his anger. Later he thought if he was too arbitrary? He knew his parents well. Maybe he had misunderstood Daisy. But he was too proud. Even if he knew that he was wrong, he still wouldn''t admit it. He just ignored it as he didn''t want to face it. He hadn''t cared about his nominal wife for so many years. He even didn''t remember her face. Was she pretty or ordinary? He just lived his own life. There was no woman who walked into his heart, and attracted him to learn more about her. "U ncle, don''t you eat?" Hmm, Uncle, a good title for him! Justin didn''t want to call him Daddy. He was good at acting. That was also why his mommy didn''t find that he was such an evil boy. "Enjoy your meal, I don''t like kids'' food, " Edward said to himself and frowned, maybe that woman was right, indeed these were junk food. How could adults understand kids'' world? That was just the same as that kids didn''t understand the way adults think. The yummy food in kids'' eyes was junk food for adults. But Justin wouldn''t care, anyway he was enjoying the food now. When mommy came back, he had to say goodbye to this delicious food. What if Edward knew what Justin was thinking? Would he be stunned again or just smiled at it? No matter what, there wouldn''t be anything funnier than the following ident. As soon as they walked out of the KFC, Luke had driven the car near. Suddenly Edward''s phone rang, he checked the caller ID, hesitated for a second but finally picked up the call. "Hello! Hey, Jessica, what''s up?" He put Justin into the car and got in. "Edward, I miss you, let''s have a dinner tonight?" The voice was so coquettish, but Edward was thedy-killer, so it didn''t work on him. "Tonight?" Edward nced at his son, suddenly he felt a bit awkward, although he didn''t realize why. Justin seemed so calm in the car. It looked like he didn''t hear the phone. Actually, Justin''s little ears stood up as soon as he heard the woman''s name. Oh, don''t me him! The woman''s name was always rted to his daddy''s. It was too hard for him to ignore. If his mommy liked him, he would help his mommy to get him back. He didn''t care if this man would be his daddy or not or how many women he was involved with. "You promised mest night, have you forgotten?" Jessica asked coquettishly, as she knew how charming her sweet voice was. "Well! I''ll pick you up tonight." Edward was enamored by her. She had her own way to deal with men. "Master, where shall we go? To thepany or vi?" Luke asked him as soon as he hung up the phone. Although he was wondering that when his master got a son at Justin''s age, he chose to be silent. He knew that he would know it at the right moment. "Drive me to thepany first! Then take our little master to the vi. I''ll be backter tonight. Ask Mrs. Wu to take care of him, and pick two reliable bodyguards to protect him." Originally he wanted toe back after work to be with Justin as he might not adapt to the new environment. But he promised Jessicast night, so he had to leave Justin to Luke. "Yes, Master. I''ll arrange, don''t worry." Actually Luke was a silent man, he never talked if others didn''t start the topic first. "Okay! I always trust you. By the way, get a designer to prepare a kids'' bedroom. And use the best material!" Edwardmanded. He slightly loosed his tie. Today was too hot. "Okay, but which room will be the one for the kid?" Luke dared not decide for him, as he knew his master was so profligate! He always brought different women back. If Luke arranged a wrong room, what if Justin saw his doings? "The one next to my study! That room is sunny!" Edward nced at him and did not say a word. Finally Luke understood. The main reason was that the room was far away from his bedroom! But these were just his thoughts in mind, he dared not to say it aloud. Anyway, Edward was his master, wasn''t he? Chapter 6 Lets See Whos The Boss They arrived at thepany early. Justin was listening to their conversations silently. He didn''tment but he was carefully following every single word they uttered. "Sweetie, why don''t you go home with Uncle Luke. I have a meeting tonight. I wille backter." ''What kind of meeting could it be? Hmm!'' thought the little boy. The truth was Edward just wanted to meet the beautifuldies. But Edward better be careful and he shouldn''t regard him as a kid just because he was five years old. He had secretly determined that he would get Edward back for his mommy. So he would be beside him all the time, defending his mommy''s position. "No, I don''t want to go back, I haven''t gotten myptop yet." Justin found an excuse to stay with him. "Why don''t you want to go back? I can call my secretary to get theptop for you right now." Edward was a little annoyed by him. "Anyway, I don''t want to go back yet. Since my mommy brought me to you, you can''t just leave me behind." Jesus, that was too guilt-tripping. He was just asking the boy to go home first. How can he abandon the little boy anyway? "I didn''t say I would leave you behind! Daddy just has some more work to do, so just go home with Uncle Luke first, okay? I promise I''ll go back as soon as I''m done with my work." That was it! God knew how long he could finish his work. With all the women that Edward needed to apany, when would he be able to finish? Oh well, Justin Mu wasn''t that easy to deal with. "But I don''t want to go back alone! Just please let me go with you! I promise I''ll behave and won''t disturb your work!" Justin blinked pitifully looking at him Anybody can try to act cute like so. Although normally he was beyond such a thing. Edward was totally confused, what in the world did Justin want? Firstly Justin looked very cool and demanding, but now he was acting so cute. Why couldn''t he catch up with his mind? But who could refuse such cute little being like Justin? ''Fine! Follow me! But only if he will not go with me tonight'', Edward certainly could not refuse the boy. "Okay, sweetie, as you wish, let''s go!" This time Edward didn''t hold him. He got out of the car first, and was immediately shocked by the hot weather outside. He grasped the little fleshy hand and took him inside of the building quickly. He was afraid to be melted by the heat and be all sweaty if he stayed outside one more minute. Justin looked at Edward with such awe, ''Why the need to be so scared of the hot weather?'' the kid thought. Justin didn''t care about such hot weather, as he had gotten used to it. In the army, all the soldiers trained in the sun every day. Edward looked so effeminate. Was he indeed a man? It seemed that Edward was not perfect either! "Why are you looking at me this way?" He could tell the banter in his son''s eyes. Yes, he hated the hot weather most, as the feeling of sweating really bothered him. So he always took a bath after he returned from outside during summer. Frankly, it seemed that Edward had a "prince''s syndrome". Justin shook his head without saying anything. He didn''t seem to answer Edward''s question as they walked directly out of the elevator. He had no time for him in front of theptop. Justin thought it was not worth it to think about his daddy''s behavior. Edward didn''t care about Justin''s attitude either. The most important thing for him at the moment was to take a shower at once. Justin ran to theptop directly as soon as he walked into the CEO''s office. At this moment, he cared about nothing except for the gadget, so he also ignored his daddy''sints. Well! in Justin''s eyes he was less useful than theptop. But was it necessary to act so obviously? Justin started theptop quickly to check if there were some updated features with thisptop. He focused on it and enjoyed a lot. The happiness was shining on his little face. Anyway, he looked like he would stay there to y. Edward saw the picture when he walked out of the bathroom. He was surprised but soon understood that the boy was so engrossed. He didn''t disturb him and sat down to work instead. Actually was really busy, he had got tremendous work managing such a bigpany. But he didn''t need to handle everything. Many things could be handled by the Deputy CEO. That guy was good at dealing with pressure. The Deputy CEO was on a business trip abroad at that time. The weather was hot! But the Deputy CEO was suddenly so chill. Maybe because Edward was thinking of him. The time quietly passed, only the sound of repeated tapping on the keyboard and the QQ message prompt tone could be heard. But these sounds bothered Edward. Edward neededplete silence whenever he was working on something. Normally no one dare disturb him without his permission. Everyone in thepany knew this, so they acted very carefully, kept away from him as far as possible, in case they made any a sound. These rules werepletely broken today. Justin said he won''t disturb him, but why was he hearing the QQ message prompt again and again. Who on earth was chatting with the little boy? How many words could he possibly know? How could he be typing in so many things? Edward was curious, so he put down the pen and watched him. Justin had big eyes. At that moment his eyes were full of little tricks. The small red lips were pursed together tightly, and the little face was bright with excitement. The delicate short hair fell on his forehead, which made him look gentler and less indifferent. His appearance was s o much like that of Edward''s, but there was something to his face beyond that of his father''s. He did take something from his mother''s beauty too. Justin seemed to notice someone was staring at him. Suddenly he lifted his head and met Edward''s eyes. But he didn''t look too surprised as he continued to focus on typing. Actually, his flustered breath and shivering hands exposed his thoughts at that moment. Edward pretended not to notice that. He kept watching him, as he couldn''t focus on work anymore. He would like to see how long the little guy could pretend. While thinking of this, he showed a smile, which was evil but damn sexy. Under such gaze, Justin turned nervous. Edward didn''t seem to stop. His eyes kept staring at the little boy. Justin admitted that he wasn''t so strong as Edward in this aspect. He was not at that level yet! "Could you stop staring at me with that erotic look in your eyes?" He shook his shoulders as he said this. Then it was Edward''s turn to be awkward. How fatherly his eyes were! How did they be scary and erotic in this little guy''s eyes? Did he actually know what the word erotic means? How could a little boy use such a word? "Sweet, do you know what the word erotic means? Don''t use it if you don''t know the real meaning." Children mature so early nowadays. "Hmm! It''s easy to look it up on the Inte, of course, I know! Justin suddenly turned back to a cool boy and told his daddy, "Edward, you''re out of style." "Don''t tell me you are here to check things like that." Edward squinted his deep eyes, looking dangerous, "Did your mommy allow you to behave in this manner?" "Boss Mu, don''t talk bad about my mommy, even if you are my daddy. I''m not that bad as you imagined." No matter what they said about him, Justin didn''t care. His basis for all things was his mommy. No one would surpass his mommy, not even this man in front of him. Well, Edward realized that Justin was angry, as his little white face turned red somehow. Edward smiled. "Uhm, is your mommy so good to you? That''s why you are defending her like this." Edward never saw Justin cared so much about him. He felt jealous. But how could Edwardpare himself with Justin''s mommy? He just stayed with him for half a day, while Justin and his mommy had already lived together for so many years. There was nothing topare. "I''m the only male in our family, of course I need to protect my mommy." Justin rolled his eyes expressing that Edward was too stupid to even ask. Edward''s heart was stung by these words. That was supposed to be his responsibility, but his son took it for him. It seemed that the woman educated his son well. He felt more interested in her. "Knock, knock." Suddenly someone knocked at the door, which saved him from embarrassment, otherwise he didn''t know how to face Justin. "Pleasee in!" Edward never felt so thankful to the one who knocked at his door. "Mr. Mu, this is the next schedule, please have a look if there are any amendments needed." The executive secretary, Anna, put the itinerary in front of him carefully. "Some simple issues, I need you to ask Aaron to attend for me. I need to reserve this evening." It seemed that Mr. Mu woulde to the date in the evening for sure. "Well, how about the invitation from the Leng family? Also pass to Aaron?" Could Aaron handle so many things at the same time? Anna felt it was unfair for Aaron. No matter how efficient he was, he only had two arms and two legs. Uh! Edward almost forgot that today was Mr. Leng''s birthday banquet. He had to attend without any excuses. Otherwise, the Leng family wouldin about him for a long time. Hmm, but he had only one body, where would he go? "No need, I''ll go to the Leng family by myself." Well, he can just go there to show up, no need to stay long. Anyway, he and the Leng family had known each other for a long time. It would be no problem to leave if he needed to. "Okay! If there is nothing else, I am leaving now." She nced at Justin curiously, and then she left the room. Apparently, the little boy was just ying on theptop, but his ears were always on standby, so he won''t miss any details of his daddy''s conversations. Otherwise, how would he proceed to his next n? It waste, Edward would like to ensure Justin was all set first, otherwise he would me him again. "Sweetie, let''s go home now!" "Will you go out again?" the boy asked. Nonsense! Of course he would. If he won''t go out, how could he go to the date? Edward thought annoyingly. "I have a meeting to attend, I promise I''ll go home early." He said. "Daddy, bring me with you!" Justin said sweetly, his ck eyes were full of excitement. He needs his daddy to bring him but first he would need to be nice to him. So he called him "Daddy" in a sweet voice. Edward was indeed shocked by him, as he kept calling him "Boss Mu" and "Uncle" for a whole day. He never expected that he would call him "Daddy". So he was satisfied finally. And when he came to himself, they were already on the way to the Leng family. Edward was so frustrated! How was he spun by a little boy? Just by calling him "Daddy"... He sacrificed so much! So, would he date a woman with his son? Justin ignored his father''s bitter expression. Anyway, he was so happy. He won the first battle. And the next...Mr. Mu would better have to wait for what''s toe. ''Just enjoy the sumptuous meal I will prepare for you! You will never forget it.'' quipped the little boy in his head. Chapter 7 Mini Mr. Mu Leng''s house was located in the famous scenic area of S City. Lloyd Leng liked the quiet environment, so it was the best ce for him. The enterprise of Leng family was one of the best in S City. It was not as big as FX International Group, but it was also a big enterprise in general. Especially after Duke Leng, Lloyd Leng''s son, was on power, their enterprise got bigger and kept growing. So the ability of the new homeowner of Leng family was not to be underestimated. At seven o ''clock in the evening, the normally quiet house of Leng became very lively. All kinds of fancy cars, beautiful men and women all appeared here at once. It seemed that there were a lot of people who gave a face to Lloyd Leng. Duke Leng shuttled through the crowd and looked at the door from time to time. ''Shit! Edward waste again. I won''t let him go easilyter.'' Duke thought to himself. Duke Leng who was as handsome as Edward was also kind of wealthy. Tonight he wore a well-cut silver suit with a simple design. The sharp lines showed his perfect body proportion. Duke Leng nodded to the guests coldly, not seeing much emotion on his face. A few strands of short hair on his forehead curled up at random, gave him a spontaneous look and lessened his coldness. Lloyd Leng didn''t really advocate a banquet at first, but he couldn''t ignore his son''s insistence. The party had not really begun yet, so he was not in a hurry to show up, for his son could handle all the things. All of a sudden, Duke noted themotion at the door. ''That guy came finally'', he thought. He knew that no one could make such a grand entrance except for Edward. The women who were elegantly sitting there one minute ago, move out of the way desperately as Edward Mu entered. It was obvious how attractive Edward was. Duke was as handsome as Edward. Why did the women treat them so differently? Mr. Leng, despite his fine appearance, was sure as cold as ice. It was not easy to approach him. His coldness could not bepared with the gentleness and elegance of Mr. Mu. Everyone would be frozen before approaching him. The fact was that Duke was wrong. Because the chaos was caused by the little cool boy who was pulling by Edward. Edward Mu who always brought a femalepanion did not tag along with a woman tonight and brought a mini-version of him instead. Even the woman with the greatestposure was out of control by seeing this scene. Everybody was trying to figure out who this little guy was. Although they hated to admit, that boy looked like Mr. Mu very much. No one would believe that the child had nothing to do with him! But who was the child''s mother? Mr. Mu was always in perfect control over this. What kind of woman could have this chance to give birth to his son? She must be gorgeous. Yeah! It was right. Daily Ouyang was gorgeous! Everyone knew that Mr. Mu was the ideal lover for all nobledies in S City. Although he had a long history of love affairs, his excellent appearance and extraordinary family background had attracted many beautiful women like flying to the fire. All of a sudden, a boy who looked like him appeared. Although he had not exined it, the answer was obvious. As the wedding was done quietly, few people knew he was married. It was no wonder that everyone wanted to be Mrs. Mu, but they did not know that it had been upied for a long time. It was nominal, but it was there. Justin shook his head looking at the throng of women who hade up in fancy attire. It seemed that his father was so attractive to all of them! He knew that they were eager to swallow him up if they could. B ut he was innocent since he did nothing at all! Oh, little Justin! You did not just offend them. Your appearance broke all their dreams! Edward ignored the vast resentful women, and entered in with his son. He never cared about what others thought. He just did what he thought was right. Mr. Mu also wore matching outfits with his son tonight. The deep purple color made him more enchanting. He was born to be a clotheshorse, and any clothes seemed to fit him as though they had been made for him. At this time, he showed some emotion. Maybe it was because the light or it could really be for some other reasons. His beautiful deep eyes had turned a little blue. People who knew him well would realize that he was dangerous now. Evil lurked in his heart. This group of women had offended him. It didn''t matter what people said about him or looked at him, but they should never bother the people he cared about. He could not bear their venomous nces at his son and their low aggressive words towards him. When Duke saw Justin, he was shocked. But when he saw his friend''s angry face, he hastened to take them away. Because he wasn''t sure whether this guy was going to blow up the next minute. He didn''t want to ruin his father''s birthday party. "Dude, won''t you introduce me?" Duke gave him a sign by looking at Justin. "My son, Justin Mu." Leaning against the bar casually, he answered. He didn''t care how much shock his words would bring to Duke. It was his style, as always. He just mentioned such an important thing so casually as if it was known to many that he had a child, which really made people want to p him. "Mr. Mu, are you sure this is your son? You must be kidding, right? Which woman is so capable of keeping your child?" Even Duke couldn''t bear this news. Assumption was one thing, but his acknowledgment was another thing. "Do I have any reason to lie to you?" Okay, he was above doing this little trick. But how could he just be so indifferent? "Then who is his mother? Do I know her?" Duke thought over and over which woman around Edward was most likely to be the child''s mother. "Yes. You do." Edward didn''t care about the negative impact of the sudden appearance of his son and he never intended to conceal this thing. Crap! Was he serious? He must be kidding! Hearing his answer, Duke Leng, who had known him for many years, was totally shocked. As his best friend, Duke attended Edward''s wedding. But because of the awkward situation, he hadn''t seen the bride''s face clearly. What''s more, he knew that his best friend had been forced toplete the wedding, and this couple showed nothing afterwards. He had forgotten that this guy had a wife. Mr. Leng could not be med. Mr. Mu also forgot this himself! ''His wife must be pregnant at that night, '' Duke guessed. Justin was absolutely his son! "Howe you never mentioned that you had a son?" Duke looked at him in disbelief, and also held little Justin up. The little boy was more handsome than his father! Edward cast a nce at him, with no reply. He didn''t know he had a son until that morning! "Boy, are you hungry? Let''s go find something to eat." Although Duke really wanted to know the reason, it was not good to ask too many details in front of the child. There would be plenty of opportunities to figure outter, but not at this time. So he didn''t wait for the answer and carried the little boy to find delicious food. Since the little one was very nice and sweet, he thought he must be a good baby. So he couldn''t believe what happened next had anything to do with this harmless little Justin. Chapter 8 You Cant Take My Father From My Mother A woman with a good figure showed up just after Duke Leng left. She was very beautiful, her eyebrows were naturally curved without being penciled, and the lips were red without being rouged. She was such a goddess that attracted every man''s attention once she appeared. Now the goddess with a delicate face was looking around for a familiar figure with her beautiful eyes. Finally she saw the person she was looking for and smiled even sweeter, making the other men take a deep breath. This woman was really a stunner! However, even though they were tempted by the beautiful woman, nobody dared to talk with her. After all, everyone knew that she was Mr. Mu''s lover. Yes, this woman is Jessica. No matter how many girlfriends Mr. Mu had before, he never broke up with her. Therefore, she must be special to Mr. Mu. This fact made Jessica feel a little smug. It seemed that she would be Mrs. Mu in the future. "Edward." Jessica fell into Edward''s arms naturally. At the same time, she proudly nced at the women who were covetously eyeing on Edward and wanted to show them she was special to Mr. Mu. "Why are you here?" Mr. Mu was a little surprised by Jessica''s sudden appearance. He couldn''t help but frown his pretty dashing eyebrows. Didn''t he just call her to cancel the appointment? "Today is Uncle Leng''s birthday, my father can''te, so I came instead. Aren''t you happy to see me?" Jessica exined in a pleasing voice while in his arms. "No, I am just a little surprised." Edward didn''t push her away, but he didn''t seem interested as well. However, someone in a distance burst into anger after seeing the scene and ran to Edward without eating anything, which surprised Duke Leng. ''What happened?'' Thought Duke. Justin didn''t think too much. He just remembered that it was his task to help mummy drive away any woman around his daddy. Now here''s this shameless woman hanging on his daddy''s arms, ''Doesn''t daddy feel hot on such a hot day?'' he thought. "Daddy, who is this olddy? Is she too old to stand herself so that she needs you to hold her?" He climbed into his father''s arms with a cute look and drove Jessica away. ''Humph! My daddy belongs to my mummy and can''t be hugged by any other women except my mummy.'' Justin thought. ''What? Olddy?'' Edward spurted out the sip of champagne which he just drank after hearing Justin''s words. And his face turned red because he almost choked, This kid always said something out of surprise! Jessica got the shock of her life not because she was taken as an olddy but by hearing how the little boy called Edward. The boy called Edward daddy and Edward didn''t deny it. "Edward, who is this child? Did he mistakenly called you daddy?" Jessica was convincing herself, ''No, it can''t be Edward''s son. How could it be possible? This can''t be true. But if not, why do the kid and Edward look so much alike?'' she thought quietly. Jessica was not sure then, and be nervous. "This is my son, he didn''t call me that by mistake." Edward didn''t give Jessica the answer she wanted. He didn''t notice how pale her face was. After hearing what Edward said, Jessica took a few steps back. She looked so weak that she would faint anytime. Any man seeing this scene may want tofort her, but Edward won''t do that because he didn''t love anyone. A few minutes ago, Jessica felt that she was special to Edward. But now the man let her plunge into the bottom of the valley. He had been with her for so many years although he was fickle in love. Therefore she always felt that she was the one who would finally be Mrs. Mu. However, at this moment he didn''t exin anything to her for the kid. Did it mean she was not as important to him just as any other woman? Jessica''s face turned pale as she clenched her teeth. But she did not dare to just go away because if she left, there would be no chance for her anymore. Jessica knew what kind of man Edward was after being with him for so many years. At least she knew how to cater to him. Edward observed Jessica''s expression while still remaining his elegance. There was even a subtle sneer on his face. He sipped the champagne slowly, while his son still stayed in his arms. Edward didn''t dump Jessica. But was it because of love? Edward thought it was more of a habit. Jessica had always behaved very thoughtful, so he had always kept an ambiguous rtionship with her. He didn''t like being entangled with women. Considering her response just now, Edward found Jessica want something more from him. Given this, he would not allow her to stay with him anymore. Jessica calmed down quickly. She went forward and touched the little face of Justin, "Hey, you little cutie, what is your name?" ''Humph!'' She silently thought. Even though Edward had a child, Jessica did not think he could already be married and thought that she may still have her chance with him. The most important thing was to let the little guy ept her first. Justin snorted and turned away, escaping Jessica''s touch. It made Jessica a little embarrassed. She didn''t know what to say for a moment but cursed the kid quietly in her head. ''Hmm, we''ll see how I teach you a lesson after I marry your father.'' Thinking so, Jessica shed her signature fake smile. ''My gosh! This woman can put on such a fake smile. Undoubtedly, even my mother''s poker face is more beautiful than hers!'' Justin thought. "Justin, you can''t be impolite like this." Although Edward was determined to cut off his rtionship with Jessica, he didn''t allow his son to behave so impolitely. "Daddy, I''m hungry." Justin changed the topic and looked at Edward with a pitiful face. He didn''t want to talk to Jessica anymore. "Fine! Let''s get something to eat." At the same time, Lloyd Leng came out and was happy to see Edward. The Leng fa mily and the Mu family had been an acquaintance for a generation, so he treated Edward like his own son. "Uncle Lloyd, happy birthday!" Edward hugged Lloyd as Luke Luo appeared suddenly and gave Lloyd a gift. "Edward, who is the little guy?" With his eyes fixed on Justin, Lloyd did not have the time to look at the gift. "Justin, say hello to grandfather Lloyd." Edward pulled Justin''s hands. "Grandfather Lloyd, happy birthday! Wish you a long life!" Justin said gently in a childish voice with a sweet smile on his face, which made him even cuter. "Okay, okay. Thank you. Edward, the little guy is so sweet! Where did you find such a cute kid!" Lloyd Leng''s own son hadn''t married so he couldn''t have a grandson which he wanted so eagerly. He was very pleased to see such a cute kid. But how would Edward''s parents react when they knew they had a grandson? They had been traveling for many years out of their anger for Edward''s rebellious behavior. They had not been back since. "Uncle Lloyd, this is my son Justin who I just met today. I know you like kids so I brought him to see you." Justin was confused because it was him who insisted oning. Jessica did not want to be disregarded so she came over to greet Loyd Leng. "Uncle Lloyd, I wish you a happy birthday. My father also sent his good wishes." "Oh, Jessica! You are bing more and more beautiful." Jessica nced at Edward shyly. ''Who are you looking at! My daddy belongs to my mummy!'' Justin red at Jessica with hostility but no one noticed that except Jessica. Jessica was awkward. When did she offend this kid? She didn''t even show any satisfaction by his appearance yet. But he had started provoking her? Jessica''s family were also wealthy and in the limelight, so Lloyd Leng knew Jessica as well as her rtionship with Edward. "Justin, can you apany with me tonight?" The more Lloyd Leng looked at Justin, the more he liked him. He even wanted to take him as his own grandson. Justin looked at his father and hesitated. Although he liked this amiable grandfather, he was worried that the woman would get close to his father when he left. Of course, Edward knew what Justin was thinking. Justin was unwilling to call him daddy before, but when Jessica appeared, Justin called him daddy again and again. Edward knew exactly that Justin did that deliberately. he knew Justin was up to something and he was still trying to figure it out. Justin nodded reluctantly for his father didn''t say anything. Jessica was pleased with the situation as no one could stop her from being intimate with Edward. When Lloyd and Justin left, she held Edward arm in arm as naturally as nothing had happened before. Edward smirked as usual and his beautiful appearance was even more charming under the projection of the light. "Edward, would you like me to go to your ce tonight?" Jessica asked softly with her mouth nearly sticking to his earlobe and touched his body with hers. She made sure her bosom touched Edward. "I have something to do tonight. Maybe another day." Edward kissed Jessica gently and teased her with his slender fingertips. An enchanting smile appeared on his good-looking thin lips. Jessica rested in Edward''s arms, barely standing herself. Her cheeky face was full of lust, wanting toy on the man''s body. However, Justin seemed irritated from a distance. The boy''s look seemed to warn Jessica that she would be embarrassedter. Although Justin followed Lloyd, his attention had been fixed on the two people. Seeing this scene, he poked the ice cream in front of him hardly as if he had a hatred with it. Suddenly, Justin reced his cold face with a naughty smile. Determined to do something, he picked up arge cup of ice cream in front of him and ran to the two people. When Justin was approaching, he pretended to be tripped over and the ice cream in his hand flew to Jessica. Then, he heard a scream, a loud scream. Of course, the sound could not be from Justin. Justin admired himself so much that he could hit the goal precisely, with the ice-cream just falling on Jessica''s low-cut dress. No wonder Jessica shouted so loudly. She was just immersed in the enthusiasm with Edward and would never predicted be hit by a cold ice-cream. ''Humph! You deserve it! How dare you take my daddy from my mummy!'' Justin said angrily in his head. Edward was also shocked by what happened in just a minute. For a moment, he even forgot how to respond. Now, Jessica was so embarrassed, losing all her charm a few minutes ago. Quickly, Edward took the action, but not to help the princess. He picked up the little guy who was still on the ground at the moment. His enchanting smiles were reced by a frozen face. "Justin, did you hurt?" Edward got so worried and checked whether the little guy got an injury. "It''s hurting, " Justin said with tears. In order to make his performance more reliable, he let himself fall down hard, so it was really painful. Ouch! His father was the only one to me. If Edward did not flirt with women, Justin would not have to hurt himself to attract his daddy''s attention. The boy was hurt so much and for such an unworthy reason. Jessica stared at the scene, even forgetting to cover her revealing body. ''Shouldn''t Edwarde tofort me first as I endure such a shame? Why did he just care about the little bastard?'' She angrily thought. Jessica stared at Justin who was in the arms of Edward and she could not help but hate the little boy in her heart. "Miss Lin,e upstairs with me and clean yourself up." Duke Leng came over at an appropriate time. In fact, he didn''t like the woman very much, but he had to show some etiquette as the host. Jessica left indignantly. Justin was finally satisfied as he drove the woman away. Chapter 9 Independent Little Boy The car had just driven into Edward''s grand vi. Before it stopped steadily, a pleasant ringtone came ying. It was a beautiful military song. Edward was a little bit helpless. When was he ever so close to the military? Justin smiled happily when he heard the ringtone. It was a special ring tone assigned to his mum. He quickly took out his cell phone from the small bag which he had brought with him. "Mommy, have you arrived yet?" Edward was slightly stunned and he pricked up his ears as soon as he heard the word "mommy". "I''ve been here for a while. How are you doing today? Did you behave well?" Her cold and clear voice came from the other side. It sounded a little tired, perhaps because of the long trip. "Mommy, I listen to my daddy all the time", Justin assured her. "Are you tired?" Justin had always been obedient in front of his mommy. He also heard the slight weariness in his mummy''s voice. "It''s all right. It''s just that it''s ufortably hot here." Daisy buried herself deep in the chair. Mark didn''t wake her up on the way, so she didn''t wake up until they had reached the destination. When she opened her eyes, she saw the beautiful sunset. Then she was busy with the arrangement of the entourage and worked with the local force leaders to discuss the following arrangement and then had dinner. She was really tired after doing a series of things. She usually would not feel so tired no matter how much work she had done. It seemed that the man still had such a great impact on her. She thought that she would not be so affected by him again. However, she had underestimated his position in her heart. Daisy just could not admit it. She could never efface him from her heart. "Mommy, Justin is not with you. You have to take good care of yourself." The little boy said seriously. It was easy to tell how worried he was when he said it. Edward quietly listened to their conversation. Because it was in the car, he was able to hear what they were talking about, although it was not very clear. There was an inexplicable feeling in his heart which he did not know why. "OK, I''ll take good care of myself. From tomorrow onwards, mommy will start the totally enclosed training and my phone has to be handed in, which means I cannot call you then. You must go to be kindergarten obediently and don''t fight with others. Clear?" Daisy rubbed her temples with her fingers, trying to alleviate some fatigue. "Yes. Mommy! I''ll have my daddy drive me there." But the kindergarten was a little far away from here! He didn''t know whether Edward had time to drive him or not. "Well, mommy''s going to sleep. Time for bed." Daisy didn''t mention Edward at all, as if she had nothing to do with him. "Goodbye, mommy." Edward was shocked to see his son hang up the phone directly. So didn''t that woman have anything to talk with him since she had just thrown her son to him? Mr. Mu expected her to say something about him. He must have forgotten that he was the one who wanted to be done with her. "So, that''s all? Didn''t your mommy mention me?" Edward asked with a little expectancy, an emotion he didn''t even notice. "What for?" Justin asked him strangely. ''Why should my mommy mention him? Does he have a mental problem?'' The boy thought. Edward wanted to say something but he finally gave it up. He opened the door and stepped out of the car. It seemed that that woman really took seriously what he had said to her after the wedding. For him, she was nobody and for her, he was nobody too. Justin got off the car following Edward. He looked curiously at the vi in front of them. ''What''s wrong with that man? Why is he so capricious? Who has offended him? Oh, God! I should not trust this beautiful man'', Justin said to himself. Luke Luo also felt strange, he thought, ''What is wrong with Mr. Mu today? Wasn''t he nice to Justin just now? Why did he be angry suddenly? It seemed so hard for them to understand what their boss was thinking about.'' "Let''s go! I''ll show you in, Young Master Justin." His boss was really naive sometimes! Why should he bother arguing with a child? "Uncle Luke, what do you think is wrong with Mr. Mu?" Luke was stunned by his words. Well, it seemed that the father and the son were both not ok now. Justin called his dad Mr. Mu instead of daddy. How unlucky Luke was to meet persons like them! "Well, I don''t know!" Justin hadn''t expected that Luke would give him an answer. He shook his head and followed Edward. Who knew whether Edward had a mental problem or not? This was his house. What if Edward did not allow him to enter the house? "Why are you following me?" As he undressed, Edward asked the little boy curiously, who had followed him into his bedroom. Wasn''t his room on the other side? ''Mr. Mu, it was the first time that I had been to your house OK? Whom else should I follow?'' Justin thought, speechless. "Then whom should I follow?" Edward stopped unbuttoning his shirt for a minute. He was so angry that he had forgotten that this little guy was not familiar here. It was not his fault. Luke was the one who should have followed the little guy! Luke felt wronged. In his mind, he thought, ''Boss, you are all masters. Justin kept on following you. What do you expect me to do? Stop him? Mrs. Wu was also ignored by you two, wasn''t she?'' Edward was brought up by Mrs. Wu. And she had always lived with him. She was so happy when she received the call from Luke and got the news that Edward had a five-year-old son. She waited and waited, but when they finally came back, she saw them go upstairs suddenly. At that moment, she didn''t know what she should do. "Let''s go! I''ll take you there and I''ll ask Mrs. Wu to bathe you. Have a good night and I''ll drive you to kindergarten tomorrow." Mr. Mu could only stop undressing and take him to the study room. He had not forgotten that he was asked to drive Justin to the kindergarten tomorrow. Justin didn''t say anything more to him. He was really tired after one day outside. Although he was energetic, he was still only a child. All he wanted to do now was to sleep. Although the child''s room had just been decorated today, it was all made of best materials and there was no toxic pollution. Edward could be assured to have the little guy live in it. Justin''s eyes brightened on entering the room. ''Wow! What a gorgeous room!'' He said in his head. There were a small sky blue bed and a soft light purple curtain swinging with the wind gently; a green desk with all kinds of cartoon designs on it and a rice white wardrobe thatplemented the orange walls. The atmosphere looked so tranquil. Edward was also a little surprised. The former room in cold hue waspletely changed to another style, which was more child-friendly. At the same time, the active atmosphere here eased his dissatisfaction. He had to say this design concept was good. Justin threw his bag away, rushed to the bed and jumped on it. Then he touched the things he was interested in one by one. He was so excited and was really into them. Leaning against the door, Edward looked at his son dotingly. He had gotten a sense of satisfaction in his heart. At least his son was satisfied with what he had done. Nothing else could please him like this. "I''ll ask Mrs. Wu toe up and bathe you." "No. I''ll bathe myself. Mommy tells me that I''m a little man now and I can''t have anyone else do it for me." With these words, he went to open the wardrobe. He was startled by the clothes inside. His daddy seemed to have bought the whole clothing shop. It was summer now. Edward had prepared all his clothes for the whole year. He didn''t think Justin would live here forever, did he? Did he forget that Justin''s mommy said he would be here for only three months? It looked like he wanted to keep his son for himself. He knew he couldn''t. What a luxurious man! Edward led such an extravagant lifestyle. No wonder Justin''s mommy asked him to only take his bag with him. "Well, do you like them? They are all new styles for this year." Mr. Mu must have forgotten that his son was just a little boy and he could not care less about the new fad or style. Justin just ignored the yboy. All he wanted to do was to take a bath and go to bed. So he took his pajamas and went to the bathroom directly. Ignored by his son, Edward touched his nose helplessly and followed him to the bathroom. The bathroom did not change too much. Only some children''s items were added. "Son, are you sure that you don''t need any help? Can you do it alone?" Justin suddenly turned his head and looked at him coldly, as if Edward was such a nuisance. "I can do it by myself, would you please go out? Mr. Mu, I''m going to take a shower." Seriously?! The little guy was so fickle, wasn''t he? Who called him daddy just now? And then "Mr. Mu" again in such a short time? At this moment he found the child to be not cute at all! Edward began to feel sad. "Well, then! I''m going to take a shower too. Call me if you need anything." In such hot weather, usually the first thing for Edward to do when he arrived home was to take a shower. So what happened today was really an exemption from his usual routine. After hanging up the phone, Daisy kept still as she satzily on the chair. The coldness on her delicate face faded away. It looked soft at the moment. Her fine lips were bitten tenderly by her white teeth. The long eyshes covered her beautiful eyes. She looked so charming under the gleaming moonlight. She was undoubtedly beautiful. But her beauty was different from Jessica''s. It might be because she stayed in the army all year round, both her shape and her body showed a heroic spirit. The daily military training did not damage her glittering and translucent skin because of her inborn beauty. At the moment, her skin appeared more delicate in the moonlight. When Kevin Gu entered the room, he saw this beautiful scene. It was so beautiful that he couldn''t bear to interrupt it. He quietly turned and walked away. He knew that there was something bothering her today, so he asked Mark not to wake her up at the destination. Strong as she was, he hadn''t expected to see her vulnerable side today. Did her unusual behavior have anything to do with the man she met today? Did the man have anything to do with Justin? Having thought of this, he couldn''t control the pain in his heart which came overwhelmingly and went away quickly. Chapter 10 Im His Daddy It was a brand a new day. The morning of the Mu family was undoubtedly busy. Mrs. Wu had people prepare more than 20 kinds of breakfast due to theing of the new young master whose taste she did not know, which obviouslyplicated everything up. Justin was excited today becausest night Edward said that he would send him to kindergarten in person. He wanted those who said that he had no daddy to know that he did have a daddy. Therefore he had a happy time during the breakfast and finished eating quickly. Seeing this, Edward wondered what the little boy was thinking about. "Hurry up, daddy. We are gonna bete." There must be something fishy behind this, Edward thought. He now understood that this little boy would only call him ''daddy'' with his sweet voice when he had a trick on him. He''d like to know what was going on next. Edward raised his hand and looked at his expensive watch. It was only seven o''clock, why was he so anxious! He ignored him and continued to eat his breakfast slowly, acting as elegantly aspleting a piece of art. ''An evildoer is an evildoer.'' Justin thought. He was so pissed at him. ''Humph! You will pay for that!'' "Don''t worry. It''s still early. We have time." Edward was still taking it slow. "Daddy, are you sure we are notte? Do you know where my kindergarten is? " Uh! He really forgot to ask about it. His hands paused for a while. Alright! He made a mistake again. But even if he didn''t know, they still had enough time, except that the kindergarten was on the other side of the city. "Okay. Where is it?" Edward asked casually, continuing his movement. He never forgot to show his charm. "Star Kindergarten on GH Road." ''Hey, man. Let me see if you can still be so calm.'', he quipped. "Well." s! Edward was speechless again. He seemed to be shocked by this little boy all the time in the past two days. GH Road was exactly on the other side of the city. Why did they choose such a far ce! It took almost an hour to get there driving fast. "Why did you choose a far away kindergarten!" He remembered that the vi used as their matrimonial home at that time was only a twenty-minute drive from here. Why was the kindergarten so far? It seemed that Edward thought Daisy Ouyang lived in that ce all along. "It''s not far. It''s close to mommy''s army." Why did he think it was far. It was a rtively good kindergarten closest to the army. Well. He was sent to such a far ce because it was convenient for pick ups and drop offs. Edward started to imagine again. "Who will pick you up when your mommy is not free?" He remembered that the vi there was arranged with drivers and nannies, but he still asked unconsciously. "Uncle Mark! Sometimes when Uncle Mark and mommy go to other armies to study, Uncle Kevin will pick me up." Justin looked at his daddy with his head tilted, and blinked his eyes from time to time. Wait, if he still can''t understand the underlying meaning so far, he would not be the Edward Mu who was famous in S City. He knew their driver could not go into the army. However who was Uncle Mark? Who was Uncle Kevin? Edward spoke out his mind. "Uncle Mark is the apanying officer of mommy, and Uncle Kevin is the chief of staff of mommy''s army!" Justin looked strangely at the man in front of him. He was so stupid that he asked him for such simple questions. Edward was not all-knowing. He couldn''t predict that. "Don''t you live in Maple Night?" Edward''s stomach knotted a bit. He was afraid that the answer was exactly what he thought. "Who said that we lived there. I lived in the dormitory building of the army with mommy when I was little! And what is Maple Night?" Justin was curious. Why should he live there with mommy? He didn''t know that ce at all. At first, Edward thought he was well-prepared for what he heard, but he was stunned again when he heard this. He should have known that Daisy Ouyang, just like him, did not want to go back to that ce. He should have met her if she lived there for all these years, and the people in the vi should have told him that he had a son. However, even if they would have met each other, it was not sure that Edward would have recognized them. Edward must have forgotten that Daisy was just standing so close to him yesterday and he did not remember her until she gave him the marriage certificate. "Alright, let''s hurry up!" Edward hid his true feelings, picked up the briefcase and his coat and walked out. He was so used to copping out. It could be seen from his assistant. After all, he thatys down with dogs, will rise up with fleas. Justin secretly despised his daddy. This evildoer was dishonest and temperamental all day. Why did his mommy have such poor taste and like this guy? Justin wanted to shed tears. Getting to the door, Justin twitched the corners of his mouth slightly when he saw the Lamborghini driven by Luke approached them. The Ferrari limited edition sports car he saw yesterday already made him feel that this man was extravagant. He didn''t expect to see a Lamborghini Hermes today. How many of these world-ss cars on earth were in his garage! It seemed that he had to re-examine the man in front of him. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up, or we will really bete." What''s wrong with this boy? Why was he so surprised to see this car? Did he know the value of the car? Well, Edward, Justin did know the value of the car. Otherwise what do you think was he out for in the news on the inte. Justin got into the car without a word, ignoring the questioning sight from his dad. Hey! He had a temper. Edward carefully adjusted the seat belt for him, stepped on the clutch, and drove away. He did this at one go without interruption. Justin didn''t talk all the way. Compared with his daddy''s extravagance, Justin and his mommy grew up in the slums but Justin never really realized it now. After all, he and mommy were already well offpared to ordinary people. Butpared with Edward Mu, he immediately knew the gap between them. Edward ignored him too because he was deep in his thoughts. He never thought that his nominal wife did not live in the vi. So, did she ever use the money he gave her every year? He always thought that he had given her the best life, so even if he never appeared, he was fair for her. After all, the position of Mrs. Mu was always there for her. But her unexpected behavior made him feel frustrated and a bit guilty. She was just an innocent young girl six years ago! How did she survive in the army under such a tough condition with their son? The father and son had different ideas. Fortunately, there were not many cars in the morning, so it was not toote when they got to the kindergarten. Edward''s eye-catching sports car caught the attention of many people because it was close to the suburbs, not as bustling as downtown. Edward was ustomed to being the focus of people so he took his time. But Justin was depressed. He knew that it would make a stir, so he was so reluctant to get into the car at first. Now, look, they are being talked about! But his daddy still smiled charmingly. He now forgot how to show his ssmates that he had a daddy. How he wishes he could bury himself! He really did not want to be talked about. He was not that kind of person. Edward followed Justin into the kindergarten. Looking at the serious face of his son, he didn''t know how he had annoyed him. Heughed at himself, without knowing that this smile attracted many women who were here to send their children, and humbled many men. Hey! It seemed that Edward was insensible! "Justin Mu, stop!" Suddenly a young voice sounded, and it stopped the awkward father and son at the same time. A chubby boy ran over and pushed Justin with his chubby hand. Edward''s eyes changed immediately, bing cold and hard. He quickly stretched out his hand and grabbed the falling body. "Fitch Lu, why did you push me?" Justin was pissed. This boy liked to bully him with his big body, but he couldn''t beat him every time. Seriously, Justin had learned how to fight well with the uncles from the army since he was young. It would be odd if Fitch won. "Justin Mu, my mum told me that you are a bastard. You don''t have a dad. Stop lying that you have a dad." It seemed that the little boy didn''t notice the darkening face of Edward so he did not stop talking nonsense. "Who said that? I have a daddy. I''m not a bastard!" Crap! He''s actually not bastard! Don''t they see the man on the edge of rage beside them? "Get your dad here to prove then! We''ll not call you a bastard any more if it''s true. My mum said that your mum is a bitch. That''s why you don''t have a dad." OMG! What are these parents! How could they teach a child this? s! Justin really lost his temper. He punched Fitch before Edward could react. He could bear the malicious remarks against himself, but never against his mother. Like father like son, Justin never let others hurt the people he cared about. "Justin Mu, you hurt my nose again!" Flitch ran back covering his nose. What luck! He was hurt on the nose by Justin every time. Edward could not stay calm anymore about the situation! "Justin hit that boy before I could react. He is really something." But he realized that his son would never suffer any kind of tormenting or bullying from anyone. He can fight for himself. Thinking of that, Edward became less cold and began to smile slightly. "You little bastard, how ill-bred you are! Who told you to beat my son? Didn''t your mother teach you how to behave?" Edward said to the boy. A woman in heavy makeup came forward. She was Fitch Lu''s mother. Her words made the smile on Edward''s face disappear again. He targeted the woman with his piercing eyes. "Old woman, who is the bastard you talk about? The one in your hand?" Edward is so evil! Justin took his sharp tongue after him. Cursing even without dirty words. In fact, the woman was not really old. She just had heavy makeup, fancy clothes, a sharp tongue and bad behavior. Alright, maybe she was an old woman. "Eh! Who are you?" This evil woman finally noticed that there was such a handsome man nearby. Her loud voice was immediately lowered. It seemed that Edward was less charming than before as he was always ignored this morning, "Sorry to tell you that I am his daddy, the husband of the bitch you are referring to. So, old woman, who do you think I am? huh!" There was a hint of coldness and gnashing in Edward''s tone. He stopped smiling, bursting out of anger. Showing his temper. Even his eyes were bing cold. Justin could not help but shiver because of this, let alone that woman whom he was staring at. She finally found out how dangerous this man was. Her legs went weak when she saw his flinty face. Her boldness was gone. The bad is afraid of the ruthless, and the ruthless is afraid of the demon. "Remember to brush your teeth before you go out next time, so as not to pollute the air. I don''t want to see you again. Otherwise I will let you know the consequence of annoying me." It seemed that Edward was really furious. He evenmitted a threat. What could the consequences actually be? Mrs. Lu was so scared that her face became paler. In fact, she did not have much hatred towards Daisy Ouyang. She just did not like her loftiness which attracted her husband every time in the parent-child games. She hated to bepared with her. Daisy Ouyang was so innocent! This was who she was. It was not her fault to be so attractive. Chapter 11 Transfer To Another School Edward drove back to FX International Group angrily. When his staff saw him, they all made a conscious effort to avoid him because they didn''t want to be his next cannon fodder. "Let Aarone see me at once, " ordered Mr. CEO. He mmed the door with a frozen look on his face. His intensity scared the group of secretaries as they wondered what happened to their boss. Edward loosened his tie a little to release his tension. If it wasn''t for the wrong asion, he would make the wicked woman die in a miserable way. How dare she say his son was a bastard! "Boss, were you looking for me?" Aaron tidied up his messy clothes. He was told by the executive secretary, Anna that amotion happened that morning. "Contact the best nearby kindergartens now, I will have to transfer to another school." ''Those in Justin''s kindergarten are a low-ss group of people!'' He angrily thought. He didn''t want his son to stay there for a day. His woman was regarded as a bitch, and their son became a bastard in the eyes of others all these years. Then what did that make of him? The irresponsible wild guy? "Pooh! Pooh!" When did he be an irresponsible wild guy? Edward was extremely angry, fuming mad. He didn''t even notice that he had just unconsciously referred to Daisy as his woman. "What? Transfer to another school?" Aaron was confused. ''When did boss start schooling again?'' It seemed that he had forgotten about the little handsome boy he was curious about yesterday. "Any problem?" Edward raised eyebrows at him. It seemed as if he would tear him apart and swallow him up if he dares to have opinions. "No problem. But why kindergarten? You wanna to study from the beginning?" Aaron felt helpless. He should have known who needs to transfer? What if Boss asks him to go to school? God knows that he''s graduated for years! "Aaron, it seems that you really want to go back to kindergarten and learn something there." Edward smiled coldly. He couldn''t understand Aaron''s strange ideas. Did he forget to bring his brain to work this morning? "No, I''m done. I don''t need to study again." See! He just knew it! That was exactly what his boss thought! Fortunately, he asked clearly. He would never think about being back to kindergarten and study again! "Then don''t talk so much nonsense. Let me know about the result in a while." He began to work leaving the poor Aaron aside. Aaron opened his mouth but said nothing finally, and turned to look for the kindergarten Edward was referring to. Edward looked up at his back and smiled, then continued with his work. He will let the guy struggle with this problem! Aaron figured it out in a moment. "Edward, you teased me again." ''Hmpf! Just find a kindergarten, ha?'' He was annoyed obviously. How could this possibly bring him, the all-powerful Aaron down? It was an easy task, Aaron thought. He only needed to make a few calls and check the Inte. The problem would be solved easily! Mr. CEO underestimated him and did not take him seriously as a Harvard graduate. So he turned around and went into the CEO''s office. He also finally remembered the little beautiful boy their boss was holding yesterday! He worried about it in vain. "Boss, these are the kindergartens with great levels around here. You can choose one from this list. By the way, can you give me a clear order next time, please? It''s very misleading to say only half of the words." This guy was always asking people to read his mind. It was not funny. Aaron muttered, but nobody responded to him. Edward quickly selected a kindergarten from the chart, "This one!" He threw the document back to him. Aaron picked up the document. It was absolutely his style! He chose the most expensive school. His wealth was beyond much. He really had so much money! "Well, I''ll arrange all the admissions, " Aaron replied. It was not his money so why was he so concerned? Well, he was just doing his job which was the only right thing. He wasn''t the Boss, was he? "Come, and take the development of W Garden to ren." As he said this, he threw a pile of documents to him. Without raising his head, he continued to read the papers on the table. Aaron protested, "This is the vice CEO''s case. Why give it to me?" He wasn''t superman! He already had many other developments in hand. "The Vice CEO is abroad. Or do you want to go abroad instead of him?" Edward squinted at him with interest. "Ah! No, I don''t want to go abroad! I''ll do this case!" Aaron fled with panic. He must flee as soon as he could. What country was the vice CEO in now? R Country! He never wanted to be there! It was deserted there. Their talking behind vice CEO''S back caused him to sneeze. This time Edward was speechless. Was R Country that horrible? Coward! If Aaron had known what he was thinking, he would mock him! Not horrible?! You could go there in person. You wouldn''t be calm as usual! In fact, his boss is a freak. So he would be calm wherever he went. There''s no answer! Haha! "Anna, give me a cup of coffee, please." Edward pressed the inte. There was a knocking on the door. Then Anna opened the door and came in, "Boss, your coffee." She put the coffee where he could get it easily and not hampering his work. "Okay. Thank you." Anna was the only secretary out there who had no personal feelings about him. She was so professional so he respected her, and everybody knew that he would not fall in love with his secretary. "If there''s no other order, then I''ll go out first." Actually, Anna also adored him. But she knew she can''t have this man. So she never thought of anything that could not belong to her. "Wait, help me check the cost of the Maple Night over the years." Edward decided to verify by himself. "The staff expenses of Maple Night are paid by thepany. Is there anything wrong?" Anna wondered why her boss suddenly thinks of checking this out. "Emmm.... I know. I mean the use of one of the credit cards." Edward was a little embarrassed. What he said seemed as if he didn''t believe in Anna. "Well, I''ll check it now." Anna turned away. She never went into anything she shouldn''t meddle in. Edward picked up the coffee and took a sip. He felt so bored. Did he pay too much attention to the woman these days? Why did he always want to know everything about her? Shaking his head helplessly, he kept saying to himself, he was not interested in the woman at all. It was only because she was his son''s mother that he wanted to know her. There was a knocking on the door again. "Come in." Anna always had high efficiency. "Boss, this is the ount information for that credit card. It''s only paid in and it''s never been used." Anna didn''t know who owned this card, and she didn''t want to know either. "What? Show me." Edward frowned. This woman was really different. She didn''t use this card. Suddenly Edward felt powerless. Things were getting more and more unexpected for him. He thought she''d take his card though she didn''t live in the Maple Night. That was why he didn''t feel so much guilt. Therefore, he still couldn''t underestimate that woman! He forgot she was thedy of the Ouyang family. Although the Ouyang family was not as good as before, her life also could be guaranteed. Edward felt a little better when he thought of this. If Edward knew that Daisy hadn''t had any contact with the Ouyang family since she married him, would he still think so? "What''s wrong with you, boss?" Seeing him suddenly turned so pale, Anna became a little worried. "Oh. Nothing. Go back to your work." Edward has just recovered from the thought that Daisy didn''t even touch a single amount from what he has been sending for the past years. His nce was fixed on the money transfer records Anna brought in and he started feeling ufortably distressed. After a moment''s thought, he took out the phone and pressed a list of familiar numbers. "Duke, are you free tonight? Let''s have a drink!" "Great! Where?" A brief tone came from the other end of the phone. "Sexy World." That''s the best bar in town! No one could get in without a VIP membership. "See you." Then he hung up. Damn it, just like that woman, never lingering. Edward raised his hands to his temple. He stopped thinking about those things and went on with his work. Chapter 12 You Got A Crush On Me The night at S City was colorful and charming. The soft and misted light of streetlights shone on the street which hustled and bustled the whole day. Edward parked the car smoothly to his special parking space in Sexy World. He stepped off the car and his long legs seemed uninhabited in the light outside the bar. He walked into the bar like nobody was around. His deep blue eyes found his fellow in an instant. He smiled and walked up to him quickly. "I''m sorry! I''mte." Although he was apologizing, no regret could be found in his tone. Duke smiled helplessly, but the smile disappeared so fast that hardly anyone even noticed. The icy coldness on his face was still that outstanding. "It''s all right. Anyway I''m used to it." It was this guy who asked him to meet here, but he himself camete. "Am I that bad? As if I amte every time." Edward refused to admit it. He picked up the wine ss in front of him, swirled the wine gently and took a sip. The cold icy liquid slid down his throat and immediately infiltrated all his senses. "You are not alwayste, but everyone else alwayses earlier, " Duke said crossly. Did he need to be this charming when drinking? Didn''t he know how many women were drooling over him? Those women''s eyes were so greedy that it seemed that they wanted to throw him on the floor and have sex with him at once. "Are you sure that you want to spend the whole night toin about myingte? You never know how hard it is for me to get out." Edward looked at his friend pitifully. Duke shivered. Oh God! Luckily this guy was not a gay, or he must be the bottom one. If Edward knew what Duke was thinking about, he must be mad. What the hell Duke was thinking about? Even if he were a guy, he should absolutely be the top one. Damn it! Shit! His sexual preference was normal. It was not expected he woulde out. "Who has the power to influence your going out or staying?" It was a rare opportunity to make fun of him. "My son! I wonder if that woman wants to revenge on me since I had ignored her for so many years and that was why she threw that little guy to me." He had got a headache at the thought of his little son''s skills in torturing him. If he had known it, he would have not picked him up from school by himself. "Why? Is Justin that naughty?" Duke gloated over Edward. He was happy to see that someone could control him. "s! He kept on asking me to go out together with him. Do you know how hard it is for me to go out alone?" Jesus. He went to the bar! How could he take him? He could not understand why Justin wanted to follow him wherever he went. He would not think it was because his son liked him. After all, in most cases, his son didn''t like him at all. Well. Maybe it was because of his yboy image. Justin wanted to train him to meet the requirement of a good husband. The first priority for Justin was to prevent him from dating with other women. If not how could Justin get him back for his mother? This was Little Mr. Mu''s strategy. "So what''s happening between you and your wife?" Mr. Leng! Were you sure a gossiper like you could match your icy face? "If only I know it." Shit! Duke was speechless. Mr. Mu! That was your wife. If you didn''t know, who should know? Duke didn''t interrupt him and leaned himself against the sofa. It might be because of the drink, his face was softer and not that cold. "What kind of woman do you think she is?" Edward seemed to be asking questions, but more like asking himself. He didn''t care whether Duke answered him or not. "To tell you the truth, I really did not want to know her before yesterday, but she just appeared suddenly in such a shocking way." After taking a sip of the spirits in his hand again and feeling the coldness and hotness at the tip of the tongue, he continued with that unknown depression. Yes, depression. But he should not be. He, Edward Mu, was the man, whom millions of women wanted to sleep with and who was the ideal husband o f all daughters of the eminent family. He would never be confused by a woman and didn''t need to please any woman. However, he was tempted by a woman, whom he could not remember clearly until now and he even had the desire to know more about her. He was frightened by himself. "So do you want to know her now?" Duke twirled his ss. The light blue liquid rotated in the ss silently. He squinted at Edward. So this guy was finally willing to confront his wife whom he had never paid any attention to? "I don''t know. And that''s why I''m upset." He clinked sses with Duke and tiled his head to drink the rest of the spirits. The atmosphere suddenly became very quiet. "Hey! Isn''t this Mr. Mu?" A sudden coquettish voice broke the silence, and both of the men who were lost in thought frowned. "Go away!" It was the cold Mr. Leng who spoke out. He had always led an honest and clean lifestyle and had never had anything to do with those women. So it was not possible that he would be nice to them. "Mr. Mu." The woman looked at Edward in embarrassment. She was a popr model of FX International Group. Being treated like this, she felt wronged and was biting her red lips tenderly. "Duke, you have frightened this beautiful youngdy!" Looking at his friend''s angry face, he started to make fun of him. Duke nced away and ignored him. He should have entered the private room. Edward was so attractive to all kinds of women. Edward waved his hand and asked her to leave first. The woman stamped her foot reluctantly, turned and walked away angrily. "Duke, do you really get a crush on me?" Edward''s jocose voice came again, which made Mr. Leng gush out the vintage wine that he had just drunk and the target was Edward. You could imagine the consequences. "You are so damn dirty." Although he moved quickly, there was still some liquid sprayed on Edward. "Who made you say that?" With these words, he still did not forget to hand over him a paper towel. So this could be called "Harm set, harm get." Just now Duke was thinking secretly of Edward as the bottom one, but now he was hit back so quickly by that guy. "Don''t you? I''ve never seen you with a woman." It was said that the head of Leng''s enterprise did not like women and he was a gay. The reason why he was so close to Mr. Mu was that he liked him. However, Mr. Mu''s sexual orientation was normal, so his face always looked cold and icy. It seemed that if you wanted to be cool, you needed to pay for it. "Shit. You are the one who has a sexual orientation problem." Duke was very angry and his cold face became colder and colder. Should everyone be as promiscuous as Mr. Mu was? What the hell! Was it abnormal to keep cold? "Do I have a problem? Haven''t you seen my son?" Edward continued to make fun of him fearlessly with his questioning eyebrows. ''Were you kidding me? If I had a problem, how could I have a five years old son?'' Mr. Leng! Your evil level was too low topete with Mr. Mu. Well, you were the gentleman. You didn''t want to bother yourself arguing with the likes of him. "Who says that it is impossible for a gay to have a son?" Duke said, gnashing his teeth in hatred. His bitterly cold face became more vivid. Well, Mr. Leng! You were actually not a pushover. "Am I? Let''s find a ce and have a try. Then you can figure out whether my sexual orientation is normal or not." With these ambiguous flirtatious words, his heady eyes stared straightly at Duke, which made Duke want to say goodbye to him immediately and break with him ever since. "In fact, you can be more shameless. I''m leaving. Please enjoy yourself!" Duke burst into anger. He took his coat from the back of the chair and left elegantly. He could not guarantee that he would not hit him on his handsome face in the next second. Edward could not helpughing on seeing him like that, which attracted a lot of attention. He did not care about it at all and left following Duke with a free and unrestrained manner. Chapter 13 Mr. Paranoid Changing of the kindergarten didn''t upset Justin, since he was not that into his former one. The only reason he was there was that it was near to the army. So he didn''t care about it. Besides, he also knew that it was a little far from here and what happened yesterday made Edward very angry, so he didn''t dare to have anyment on it. S City was scorching in the summer. Although it was not noon, the heat wave had been everywhere. The hot weather made fewer people walk in the street. Edward focused on driving. His sexy thin lips were pressed, his eyes were filled with deep feelings and his slender fingertips flicked the steering wheel unconsciously. He was like a tired lion withziness, who confused other people''s mind. The raucous ringtone broke the beautiful scene, which made him feel disappointed. Edward pressed the car phone. "Speaking! Okay, I see. I''ll be right there." With these words, he turned the steering wheel and the car made a neat sharp turn. The wheels rolled up some dust from the ground and the car drove away like a running horse. Before Edward stopped the car steadily, Aaron had quickly walked up to them. Aaron was frustrated, which was rare to see. "My dearest boss, finally you are here." When he saw his boss, Aaron gave a sigh of relief. Edward looked at him coldly in exchange. How dared he hasten his boss going? What happened? Even Aaron lost his usual calm and got nervous. "What''s wrong? Wasn''t the case passed? Why do we have to redesign the n?" Edward looked up at the Kate Hotel in front of him and walked quickly in with Aaron trotting behind him. "It is the new CEO of YS Group. This new CEO rejected our creative ideas one by one and asked to talk with you directly." Aaron said carefully. It was because of his bad performance that made his boss handle it by himself. "When did YS Group change their CEO? Why didn''t I know?" Edward''s pace stopped a bit. Why did so many people want to see him in person these days? "It is said to be the daughter of the former CEO, who returned from abroad recently, " Aaron exined in a low voice. "What? The current CEO is a woman." Edward could not help rubbing his eyebrows. Mr. Mu seemed to have such discrimination against women. What was wrong with women? Wasn''t his mother a woman? Wasn''t his wife a woman too? He was not a gay, right? As the exclusive elevator reached the top floor of the hotel, the luxurious meeting room was just in the front. This hotel belonged to FX International Group too, so there was also a special office area here. At the moment, a beautiful and capable woman was focused on the material in her hands. Her shapely figure was wrapped tightly in the well-tailored suits. Her soft hair was meticulously coiled. Her frown showed her dissatisfaction. She was Belinda Shangguan, the new CEO of YS Group. Edward had thought he would see a woman dressed in a seductive and fascinating way. Seeing a picture like this, he got a good impression on her. "Hello! I''m Edward Mu of FX International Group." He said and held out his hand. "Belinda Shangguan. Nice to meet you." She had a quick and gentle handshake with Edward, as if his hand was not clean. Edward didn''t care about it and sat elegantly on a chair. He always respected businesswomen a lot, especially for those young and beautiful ones. "So you are not satisfied with our project proposal. Could we discuss it in details?" Edward said softly and slowly and did not mind her curious looking at him. Yes, she was looking at him. Finally she got the answer why that woman was so infatuated with the man in front of her. The skin of his amazing face was so perfect that no woman was equal to it. His thin lips were cold and seductive. And his deep s mart eyes were looking at her with banter, which made her blush. Belinda quietly took her mind off from the thought, "So you are Mr. Edward Mu. Nice to see you in the flesh." The unintelligible remark puzzled Edward. Aaron felt confused too. Did this woman ask Edward toe on purpose? Hey! Maybe Aaron was totally right this time. Belinda was really here to see the CEO. "Miss Shangguan, tell me your request." Mr. Mu directly ssified Belinda into his fans group ording to her reaction and he curled his lip. "Actually, I don''t have too much opinion on yourpany''s project n." What Belinda said shocked Aaron very much. Damn it! Who kept on picking holes on their n just now? And who said she would not talk with anyone except their CEO? What did she mean now? Not only Aaron, but also Edward nced at her. "But I''m interested in your CEO." What? Aaron was so angry that he couldn''t help rolling his eyes. Damn! Even if you were interested in our boss, you should not torture the assistant. Why didn''t you find their boss directly? Why did you keep on picking holes on the project n? He had thought that all their half a month''s effort was in vain. Mr. Qiao''s heart was really hurt. "So? Does Miss Shangguan have a crush on me?" Edward said in an ironic tone. He hated so much that others took business as an excuse to approach him. There was no doubt that he thought Belinda as that kind of women. So his good feelings of her deducted a lot. "No." Belinda shook her index finger gently. "I just want to see what kind of man deserves to be loved for so many years. Seeing is believing." She said and looked at him with disdain. Edward''s face became dark at once, and it seemed that the air around him turned cold and icy. "Miss Shangguan, are you arousing my interest? If so, you seed, but unfortunately I have no interest in you at all." With these words, he wanted to leave at once. Belinda chuckled and shook her head. She totally ignored Edward''s anger, "Mr. Mu, are you kidding me? Is there anything wrong with me to arouse your interest? I don''t think so. So you have thought too much." Wow! This woman was so cool. There was not a woman ever who dared to speak to Mr. Mu in this manner. Aaron peeked at his boss. He hoped that he would not be embroiled in the argument. Why did he want to escape now? Aaron was almost in tears. Miss Shangguan, please be nice. Didn''t you see the anger in Edward''s eyes? "Then I want to ask Miss Shangguan why you do so? Are you ying hard to get?" He regained hisposure. How could he be upset by a woman? "Mr. Mu, are you a paranoid? If not, why are you so easy to misunderstand others? Please, rest assured. One day, you will know. I''m leaving now." Before Edward could say anything, she walked away quickly. She was another woman who dared to ignore him. The former one was Daisy Ouyang and now there was a Belinda Shangguan. When did he look so weak? He was eager to see what tricks she could y. She did impress him! Edward looked sullenly at Belinda who walked away in her high heels and asked in a casual way, "What do you think that woman means?" Edward looked at Aaron nkly, trying to find the answer from him. Aaron was helpless. He opened his lips but failed to say anything. ''Boss, please do not look at me like that. How could I possibly understand what you do not know?'', he thought. Fortunately, Edward did not expect him to give the answer. He left alone. It made Aaron feel very terrible. Belinda was smiling while driving. She was very pleased with herself, because she had not expected to win so big in the first round. It seemed that the man''s determination was just so-so. Now, she was looking forward to the next meeting with Mr. Mu. Chapter 14 I Miss Mommy "Mr. Mu, quickly, get up." It was early in the morning, a small figure appeared in front of Edward''s bed and grabbed by Edward''s arm, trying to pull him out of bed. Edward did not want to let go his sweet dream, so he rolled over, but the little guy kept on pulling him. Edward had no choice but to sit up, annoyed scratching his hair. He looked at the little guy in front of him. He hade at 3 a.m. in the morning and fell asleep as soon as he went to bed. And now he was being woken up by this little fellow. He checked the time reluctantly, ''Oh my god! It was just 6 a.m!'' Immediately, Edward burst into fury. "Justin Mu, you''d better give me a good reason for waking me up so early in the morning." Edward''s teeth were clenched. It seemed that Edward''s "prince''s syndrome" was showing up again. He hated to be disturbed when he was sleeping. So, he did not even notice that Justin called him "Mr. Mu". He was still in his grumpy mood. "Daddy, today is the weekend, How about going out together?" Feeling his daddy was going to be angry, Justin immediately trimmed his sails by changing his attitude and put his little face on his daddy''s arm. Edward felt his life was so tragic! He drank tillte night yesterday with those people because he didn''t need to go to thepany on weekends. But how could he forget that there still was a little guy who needed him? Edward pressed his temples without a word. ''My God, even if you want to y, you don''t have to get up so early!'' he thought annoyingly. "Just tell me, Where do you want to go? Is it necessary to get up so early?" As Edward said, he got off the bed and walked to the bathroom nearly naked, making Justin roll his eyes behind. Ow! His father was showing his abdominal muscles in front of him. Actually, Justin was used to seeing this when he was with his mother in the military troops. His daddy''s figure though was not bad. There wasn''t a trace of fat or even a scar on his body, it was surprisingly smooth. "Daddy, let''s go to the beach for swimming." Justin used to go to beaches with his mother and had always envied other children who could swim and y with their fathers. Now that he was with his father, he was eager to go there with him. "Swimming?" Edward stopped in his tracks. He didn''t want to be tan at the beach in such a hot weather. "Isn''t there a swimming pool at home?" "But it''s no fun to swim at home, " Justin replied. There was disappointment in Justin''s eyes. He frowned at what his father said. He knew Edward couldn''t stand the heat. He woke him up early in the morning so that it would not be hot on the beach. Fine! This little guy must be sent by God to torture him. However, Edward couldn''t refuse him on seeing his disappointment. Justin was very excited on the way to the beach and kept talking. The earlier disappointment and cold face had vanished and he was buoyant. It made Edward even be more pleased. "Mr. Mu, shall we go to the amusement park after swimming?" Edward almost lost control of the steering wheel. The car slipped a little. His well-maintained brow turned into a frown. See! Daisy must have deliberately sent this cute little devil to toss him. "Dear, how about going to the amusement park next week?" He begged Justin for he could not imagine himself ying in the amusement park. How could he survive in the amusement park in such a hot day? It is too terrible to even think about it. "Okay, then! Keep your promise!" Justin didn''t insist on it as he knew that this is already the biggest concession of Edward so he quit asking. Beach was a ce favored by everyone, except Edward of course. The waves were as blue as the sky which shone under the radiant sunlight. Edward''s eyes squinted slightly. He wished to escape after seeing the huge crowd. "Justin, can we go back?" Edward had never swum in the domestic sea. One of the main reasons was that he was afraid of being squeezed by the others in the crowd. He didn''t even change to his swimsuit yet. The sight of others stripped Edward away. He was ustomed to the attention pa id by others, but that didn''t include this kind of naked gaze. "No. I can go down myself and you can watch by the seaside." Justin couldn''t wait to change to his swimsuit. It was now impossible to persuade him to go back. It was by no means easy for him to ask his father toe here. Edward gave a look at his own beachwear and surrendered. At least he could choose not to change into the swimsuit. Then he pulled Justin and ran into the sea. Luke still maintained his usual cool face. He had to be alert to any unexpected situation, because there were too many people here, so his sight never left the father and son even for a moment. Luke''s extreme focus and his outfit that moment made him more eye-catching. The passers-by couldn''t help to look back at him. They seemed to be thinking if there was something wrong with this guy! Why was he dressed so formally at the beach? Luke was innocently charged by others. After ying a while in the water, Justin finally let Edward go and decided toe back home. Considering the convenience of changing clothes, Edward let Luke drive the expensive motorhome out today. When Justin saw the car driving out of the garage in the morning, he was so surprised and opened his mouth wide in awe. On the way back, Justin was obviously quieter. He missed his mommy. He was very jealous of children who yed with their daddy and mommy together. He didn''t have a daddy around when he was with mommy before. Now, finally his daddy was with him but not his mommy. Why couldn''t he y with his parents together like other children? Edward looked at his son curiously. ''Why was he upset after going to the beach? Didn''t he enjoy to the fullest?'' "Dear son, what''s wrong? Why are you upset? We cane here again next time if you like." Although Edward was so afraid to go to the beach, he could bear his son''s sadness. "Daddy, I miss Mommy. How long before we can see her?" Justin looked Edward with expectation. Edward did not expect this question. So he coughed. That''s right! She did not even call him. It was almost half a month since Justin came here, he wondered. ''Mr. Mu, are you sure that the woman knows your phone number? She only knows Justin''s number.'' "Dear son, if you miss your mother, you can call her up." Hearing that, Justin despised Edward once again. "Mommy is participating in a closed training and phones are not allowed there." If phones were allowed, she wouldn''t have sent him to his father! Edward touched his straight nose boringly. Okay, he was despised by his own son once again. "Then where did you stay when your mother went to the training before?" Edward was curious about everything knowing they didn''t live in Maple Night. "I could stay with Julia. However, Julia was now back in the country. Mommy has never gone for such a long time, and she could call before." Justin said without any vitality with the little face full of sadness which was no match to his age. His face made Edward distressed. He did not know how tofort the little boy. He sped up consciously. At the same time, Daisy Ouyang who was in a certain group army was also missing her son. She wondered if he was good. Although they had been separated before, she had never missed Justin so much. Maybe because he was with Edward. Edward''s figure appeared in her mind every time she thought of Justin. She loved Edward, but it didn''t matter, she did not want to disturb his happy life as long as he didn''te to dismantle her. So she could quietly indulge in obsessing him and leave quietly as she''d nevere before. "Colonel, there is an assessment meeting half an hourter, do you want to go now?" Mark Du whispered to remind the colonel who was more frequently lost in her mind recently. "Let''s go. Prepare the materials first." As Daisy said, she stood up from the ground and beat the dust off her clothes. This kind of training was undoubtedly the most tiring. There were always a variety ofpetitions and endless meetings. Here was another assessment just after a short break from thest one. Chapter 15 You Have No Place Here Edward Mu saw Jessica Lin as soon as he went inside the Cafe. He would have preferred not to see her, but in considering their rtionship in the past, he eventually came here. Jessica Lin never got to know why Edward Mu became apathetic to her. Since the party in Mr. Leng''s house, he avoided her all the time. She was afraid of his attitude. Today was a rare chance to meet him, so she dressed up well for the visit. She looked very attractive and charming in that attire. "Edward, it''s good to see you again." Jessica Lin stood up and said, looking d, shy and surprised ¡ª all the three at the same time. Hearing her words, Edward Mu nodded without expression. With the same poker face, he caught a glimpse of her when he was lolling in the soft sofa. Then he asked, "what can I do for you?" Edward Mu was a person who always made firm decisions. He would never get attached to his former lover. He didn''t need the love from the woman he did not love. "Edward, Why don''t you answer my phone? I miss you so much." Jessica Lin used her words carefully. The man in front of her was an ideal boyfriend, but he never made amitment to her. Still, she didn''t worry about that because she believed that Edward Mu would belong to her sooner orter. She knew that he would fell for considerate women, so she tried to be a person of generosity, tolerance and love. She tried everything to stay with him. She was very proud to be the only woman who spent the longest time staying with him. But all of a sudden his son returned. She could not possibly imagine this to happen. Even worse, he became disenchanted with her. She began to feel frightened and hopeless, as she didn''t know what''s wrong with him. "Jessica, I thought you knew me. But I was wrong." Edward Mu said these words in a calm voice. He avoided her because he knew what she thought of him. He didn''t like maniptive women and the one who considered herself as the special girl to him. "What did I do? Why did you break up with me? I want to know the reason. You know I can change myself for you, you know I will do anything for you." said Jessica Lin, her eyes grew moist and her lower lip trembled as she listened to his words. Her pale and shining looks attracted everyone but Edward Mu. He still maintained his poker face without any expression. Although he was a passionate man, he was also a cold on the other side. Managing such a person would only hurt herself. "You didn''t do anything wrong. You are still beautiful and charming. I just lost interest in you." Such cruel words came out from his thin lips. He didn''t care about her feelings at all. His words came like a thunderbolt. Jessica Lin held on to her dress with unbelievable feelings, her face went very pale. It was difficult to ept the fact that she was not the special one for him. Still thinking about what Edward just said, she caught her breath as tears filled her eyes. "Why? Did you fall in love with your son''s mother?" said Jessica Lin, in a shaky voice. She wanted to know which woman reced her. Upon hearing these words, Edward Mu quickly turned serious, he looked at her with stony, silent face. He sat very straight and said the cruel words again, "Jessica, you have no ce here. Don''t think you are the only one for me. You don''t deserve my love." These harsh words made her pale face pa ler. Imbued with jealousy and hatred, she would cogitate upon some means of revenge. If she couldn''t get his love, no one could receive his love too. She stumbled backward at once with a terrified look on her beautiful face. But that facial expression disappeared soon after it appeared. "Edward, I will remember this! You''ll regret the decisions you made." Jessica said angrily. After saying these words, she ran out and soon lost in the crowds. Edward Mu felt powerless as he rested his head on the sofa. Looking back on their rtionship, he actually had a little thing for her. But he couldn''t give her all she wanted. He had to destroy all her illusions about their rtionship. They had a deal and each took what was needed. They were not responsible for each other as they could break up at any time, that was the deal. But she still fell in love with him. "Hello, Mr. Mu. Nice to see you again. Is it destined?" A sweet voice interrupted Edward Mu''s thought. He raised his head and saw a woman with a sweet and smiling face. There was a softness in her fine and dark eyes. "Ms. Shangguan. What are you talking about?" He was a little puzzled. He didn''t know why this woman always said these disparaging words every time when they met with each other. "Huh? What do you think, Mr. Mu?" Belinda Shangguan said with a sweet smile, avoiding his provocation. "I think you are trying to trap me. I don''t remember that you have such interests, have you?" Edward Mu caught a glimpse of her. "Mr. Mu, you are good at making jokes. Although I don''t have a boyfriend, I will never have a crush on you." Belinda Shangguan said with a mocking smile. ''Fall in love with him? Are you kidding me? What a narcissistic person!'' She thought to herself. "Ms. Shangguan, you are lying." Ignoring her provocative words, he said to her with a sneer. "Edward, you are a narcissistic man." Belinda Shangguan defied him with anger. She was fed up with this kind of person. "But you have to recognize that I''m the attractive one." He said slowly with a half smile. It was impossible for him to make concessions. Belinda Shangguan gave him a sweet smile and fought back, "Mr. Mu, I don''t doubt your charm. That''s why you be a seducer." As a strong girl, she would fight with anyone who tried to bully her. Edward Mu didn''t get angry but smiled, "Ms. Shangguan, don''t be jealous. Although you don''t have a chance to sleep with me, I can satisfy your sexual desire if you want." He said with a rakish and debonair look. Belinda Shangguan couldn''t calm down. She thought to herself, ''Unlike other men, Edward Mu is a strong self-controlled person. He can say rude words with elegance. He''s Satan in a smock!'' She bit her lip and smiled prettily. "I''m afraid that you can''t meet my expectation. You know I''m strict about this thing." After saying these words, she quickly left the Cafe without seeing his face. Belinda walked as she thought to herself, ''It''s wise to leave there. I questioned his sexuality. He must be angry about this. It''s too dangerous to stay with him. I don''t know if he will do something bad.'' Edward Mu was incensed at Belinda''s words. How dare she question his ability? He was never denigrated by other people. Although he was angry, he smiled as he saw Belinda Shangguan running out in a hurry. ''A paper tiger, '' he thought. Chapter 16 The Freak Justin''s fingers moved quickly on the keyboard. He was deciphering the firewalls one by one. "Damn it! Which freak programmed these with so muchplexity?" At FX International Group, there was an air of anxiety in the cyber security department. Since morning, someone was attacking thepany''s system. The programmers were trying their best to defend the attack. They were sessful in blocking all the attacks but they could not trace the IP of the attacker. It was quite normal for FX International though to be attacked by hackers, but those were all small temptations. This was the first time for them to meet a sustained attack like this one. Yes. Justin was attacking the system program of his father''spany. He did not like that his father brought a woman to their house, even though she did not stay back. The incident made him furious. He thought Edward would find something to make him busy so that he could flirt with other woman and sleep with them discreetly. Edward was very depressed. Since this little guy came here, his whereabouts had always been found by him. He wondered who leaked his whereabouts to his son. No matter which women he was dating, Justin would call him again and again and find an excuse to fool him back. Finally he managed to bring back a beauty, but she was driven away by this little guy again. He was about to be a monk. He hadn''t expected that having a son would lose so much welfare. Justin was very proud of himself. ''You are my mother''s man. If other women want to be with you, they should first ask for my consent. Humph! Why are you such a yboy? You have no eye for beauty at all. How could you ignore my mommy who is such a beauty and instead flirt with other women?'' Justin''s fingers moved faster and faster. His forehead was covered with sweat. Shit! ''Who was that freak?'', he wondered. He was not let in and was fought out all the way back. The firewall he had breached was re-locked by a new set of instructions again. Well! It was not someone else. It was his father. Like father like son! Why didn''t you realize that you inherited his genes? How could you beat him? Although you were clever and talented, you were still young and naive in front of Edward who was a big bad wolf. You could just be the little red riding hood. Ever since the programmers reported that someone was attacking their internal program system, Edward had been retreating step by step. On one hand, he asked the programmers to search for the IP address and on the other hand, he made the hacker think that he seeded and he fought back to breach his defense. Justin looked at hisputer screen in disbelief. ''Damn it! Who''s that? Why is he so powerful?'' "Boss, we have found it. But the IP address is in our building and in Mr. Qiao''s office." The programmer looked at Aaron in disbelief. "What? Are you sure?" Aaron became uneasy. Who was that? He was lucky that he had always been here, or he could not have proved his own innocence. So who could that be? Aaron had no idea, either. "Aaron, who was in your office?" Edward squinted. He hardly doubted Aron. But he found that someone was in his office who did not appear yet. ''Who? Your son, of course!'' Aaron said to himself. Suddenly his mouth was wide open and he looked at his boss in surprise. It couldn''t be what he thought, could it? His boss'' expression indicated that it was exactly as what he had thought. Aaron was furious on Justin''s betrayal, ''Justin, I have already told you the boss'' whereabouts. How could you do this to me?'' So the one who leaked the boss'' whereabouts was not anyone else but you Mr. Qiao. Well. The evil we bring on ourselves is the hardest to bear. Aaron felt trapped in this situation. Justin was still struggling. He could not ept his failure. He was so immersed that he even didn''t notice that there was a person standing behind him. ''Eh? Why didn''t he fought back? Would there be any conspiracy?'' "It''s strange that you get in so easily, isn''t it?." "Yes! But there was a freak this time who chased me all the way just now." He answered promptly without even realizing what was happening. "What? Freak? Justin Mu, do you know what you are saying?" Justin suddenly realized what was happening. He was frightened by the gloomy voice near his ear. He turned back immediately and saw Mr. Mu''s handsome face. ''Oh, my God! When did this guy appear?'' he tho ught. He quickly covered the screen and said with a ttering smile. "Daddy, are you done here with your work?" ''God! I am caught red-handed!'' "What do you think? Am I done or not?" Edward''s voice sounded serious. As Edward came to know that Justin was attacking the system, he did not stop him. He let him in; he was keen to know what this little fe wanted to do. No one who attacked the system was spared by Edward. Justin did not have the faintest idea about what happened to them. Edward could overlook his pranks butpany''s interest? Never! He tolerated his tricks on him and his dates, but he could not tolerate hisck of sense of priorities. "Daddy, I''m sorry." Looking at Edward''s gloomy face, Justin knew that he was really angry now. He never saw his father so serious even when he ruined his dates with other women. "Go ahead! Tell me why did you do this?" He would do it again if he didn''t know the seriousness. There was a sense of authority in Edward''s voice. "I shouldn''t have attacked your system willfully just for fun knowing its consequences. I swear I won''t do it again." Looking at his father''s handsome face which was very serious, Justin feeling wronged and started weeping immediately. He knew that Edward had always been very nice to him and if he had not crossed the limits, he wouldn''t have said a word. However, he forgot that Edward was famous for his evil side. Looking at his little white face, Edward melted. He wanted to hold him in his arms. But he did not move and just looked at him quietly. How time flew! Justin had been with him for almost two months now. ''Justin has been busy with contesting me these days. This indocile little guy is around me all the time. He portraits his liking for me very much but I know what his real intentions are. And this little guy does seed in driving all the other women away from me. I wonder if his age can match his IQ.'' "Now that you know you are wrong, what should be your punishment?" Edward''s tone mellowed. "I know what to do." With these words, Justinid on his stomach and started to do push-ups. It startled Edward. He reached down his hands and picked him up. "Justin, what are you doing?" He had no interest in physical punishment of a child. "Didn''t you ask me to do it?" Justin asked, puzzled. "When did I ask you to do that?" Mr. Mu didn''t remember saying that. "But when I do something wrong, mommy always asks me to do fifty push-ups as a punishment!" Justin nibbled the lip and said under his breath. Edward was shocked. ''What a horrible woman! That is her son, not her soldier! Can such a little guy do fifty push-ups?'' Well. Mr. Mu. You underestimated your son too much. Who was Justin? He was Colonel Ouyang''s son and had been trained in this way from childhood. It was a barely a punishment for him to do fifty push-ups. "Do you often do something wrong?" A flow of sadness appeared in Edward''s eyes. "Yes! Everyone teased me that I was a child without father. And I fought with them for it every-time. Whenever the teacher told about my fights to mommy, she would punish me." ''Err! It seems that I am to me for his punishment.'' Edward lifted up the little guy and gently rubbed his little face with a paper towel. His heart twitched. It was his cruelty to that woman made his son suffer so much. ''But why did they never contact me even though they know my whereabouts? Am I really that untrustworthy for them? If there hadn''t been anything urgent this time, that stubborn woman would not have asked my help.'' The thought made Edward hold Justin tightly in his arms. He thought if that woman deliberately let Justin torture him, he must be thankful to her now. Presence of Justin made him so happy and equally hurt for not being able to be with him till now. He kissed gently on his son''s head, and his heart filled with mixed emotions of gratitude regret. Aaron closed the door gently. He had stood there listening silently. Seeing his boss in such a situation, he knew it was better not to bother him. He had worked with his boss for many years, but never seen his vulnerable side like this. He knew that Edward cared for his son who visited frequently nowadays. Edward would drive Justin by himself, if there was nothing too important. He would not care, no matter how many women were driven away from him. He was angry today, because Justin had really crossed the limits. Chapter 17 Who Is This Devil A beautiful red Maybach sports car stopped at the underground parking of FX International Group, eye-catching. A man with a huge pair of sunsses which blocked half of his face stepped down from the car with a wicked smile. He had charming eyes. A bright sapphire stud earring twinkled with dazzling light in his ear. Justin surely would have asked who this devil was if he would have seen this sight. He was very eye-catching and drove the red colored car. He was just as flirty as Mr. Mu. If Belinda saw him, she would have eximed," Wow! Where does this devile from? He is mine." As usual, in the lobby of FX International Group he greeted the beautiful girls all the way. The typical phndering style fascinated arge number of female employees. Rain Xia -- he was the vice CEO of FX International Group and a well-known yboy. He went to the top floor swiftly. He was well known for his mboyant personality. "Hi! Ladies, long time no see, do you miss me? Anna, you are prettier!" After winking at Anna, he entered CEO office directly, without knocking at the door. Mr. Mu gave him a sharp nce. "Edward, I miss you so much!" He ignored Edward''s sharp stare and jumped straight ahead. Rain Xia was junior to Edward when he was studying abroad. But they did not like each other, maybe it was because they were both young and brilliant. One day they fought for trifles. As the old saying goes, no discord, no concord. Since then, they became best friends. It seemed as if Edward had known his action. He moved a little and avoided his hug. Rain almost hit the ground. "Oh, Edward! You humiliated me again." He used. Edward twitched his mouth. Rain would always behave like a boy. Didn''t he feel awkward? Every time he jumped at Edward in that way. Not a little change at all! "You have gone to R Country for a long time. Why can''t you behave yourself? Believe it or not, I will kick your ass." Ok! This was Mr. Mu''s style! He was good at threatening the other. Rain stopped for a while. Edward was always sharp-tongued. He didn''t want to go to R Country himself. He was forced by Edward! Now, he was sickened by him! "Boss, you are such a beauty. I believe you won''t do that to me." Edward didn''t like to be described as "beauty". But Rain Xia said that on purpose. "Rain, I would like to send you to E Country and you could learn etiquette there." These two guys were birds of a feather. Everyone knew that Rain was most afraid of going to E Country. Because Annie An was there in E Country. If he went there, he would end in tragedy. As expected, Rain''s face turned pale at once. "You must be kidding, boss!" Oops. Poor Rain. He must be out of your mind. He should not have provoked Mr. Mu. The reason why Rain worked for Edward was that he lost a bet. But it seemed as if he hadn''t learnt a lesson. "Annie is not a tiger. Why are you afraid of her?" Edward looked at him scornfully and asked. Rain had had so many women. Why was he only scared of Annie? "She is Annie! Do you understand?" Rain said loudly. Annie was the daughter of the CEO of C Financial Group. Everyone knew that she was unruly and cap ricious. But she loved Rain and showed much interest in him. She chased after him all day long and announced that she wanted to be his wife. He was so frightened that he ran away from E Country and never dared to set foot there again. "Hey. Why can''t you let it go? She may have fallen in love with someone else." "It would be the best, and I should be d for it. That poor guy should fix her!" Although Rain said so, he didn''t feel relieved. Instead, he felt a little ufortable. "Annie is a good girl. Why don''t you like her?" Although she was a little capricious, she was beautiful! She was also very tough at times, but she was lively! "If you think so highly of her, why don''t you marry her?" Xia confronted Edward. He thought that Edward was talking big as it was none of his business. "She doesn''t like me. She only likes you! I can do nothing." Edward said firmly. He was a man of rank and wouldn''t waste his time on a little girl who was not interested in him. "If you want someone to go there, then you go yourself. Or you can send Aaron there. Just leave me alone." It was none of Aaron''s business, either! Edward shook his head, feeling helpless. What he said next almost exasperated Rain. "Well, remember it is you who choose to stay here. Don''te and ask for my help. It is said that next month the C Financial Group wille to S City for a joint venture and Annie will alsoe." Poor Rain. How did you feel now? Rain was so frightened that he had to support himself by the table. He almost burst out tears. He shot a cold nce at Mr. Mu. Damn it! How could Edward do that? Edward ignored him. At the moment, the phone rang. He picked up the phone. "Hello. What''s up, Duke?" This cool guy seldom called him. Duke looked at Lloyd Leng helplessly. ''Why don''t you call Edward and tell him you miss Justin? Why do you force me to do that for you?'' Duke thought. "Emm.... Nothing. Is Justin on summer vacation? Could you please send him here and apany my father for a few days?" "I can''t promise you. Maybe you can ask Justin." Edward answered. The little guy was clingy. He was not sure whether he would like to leave him and go there. "Well, l will go to your house and ask him myself! If he agrees, I will take him home immediately." If Lloyd Leng didn''t insist on seeing Justin, Duke wouldn''t do that. "Well, did Edward agree?" Once Duke hung up his phone, Lloyd Leng asked. Duke rolled his eyes, picked up the car keys and drove away. Receiving no reply, Lloyd got furious. "What is with all this attitude? What''s the result? Can you give me a grandson, if you can at all, ha? Don''t put on your poker face all day." Unfortunately, Duke did not say a word. He drove away soon. Lloyd Leng was too angry to say anything. Edward hung up the phone and saw that Rain was still there," Why are you still here?" Rain couldn''t control his anger. Why couldn''t he be here? Was he so unpopr? He took a deep breath, gnashed his teeth, looked at this inhuman man, and stormed out. Edward didn''t think he had offended Rain. He scratched his head with a puzzled look. Edward was sometimes not sensible. Chapter 18 Fall Down With Me Rain Xia came back to her office in a fury and mmed the door violently, which shocked the beautiful secretaries. Their deputy director always grinned cheekily and rarely be so angry. It was amazing that their CEO could turn a tamed white mouse into an angry jaguar. Actually, Rain was not really angry with Edward. He panicked thinking about what was going to happen. And the damn subtle change he had just now made him unconsciously upset. It was clear to Rain what his identity was. He had a family he felt he did not belong to because he was such a shame there. After all, he was an illegitimate child in that family. How can a person like him whom nobody cares about have a warm home? Rain buried himself into the sofa with his head buried to his hands as his fair fingers touched his short hair. Instantly, the sunny man turned into a helpless boy. Because of inferiority, Rain would smile to cover up his own spiritual weakness. He did not dare love anyone, so he became a libertine who would not fall in love with anyone or let anyone love him. He didn''t dare give a promise because his mother was the best example who only got endless lies for the sake of one man''s promise and finally died in depression, leaving him live alone. Did he hate his mother? No, Rain didn''t hate her but was sad for her. Did he me her? No, he just thought it wasn''t worthwhile for her to sacrifice so much. For Rain, it was an ident to meet Annie An. She is a warm and sunny little princess, who had all the favor granted by God. She was very pure and simple. Although Annie was proud and unpredictable, she was kind and sunny enough to clearly shine on the darkness of his heart, but he took a back step for fearing that he would pollute her with his evil. Also, he was afraid that things won''t turn out well if he got used to the warmth. Rain grasped his hair annoyingly and threw all the old memories away. Anyway, he was very good now. He had left the rich and powerful family, leading a life he wanted with his own freedom. "What''s up? It seems beauties in R country had trapped your soul there, why do you look so dissatisfied?" Rain heard a familiar, yful voice that touched his heart. Rain looked up at the uninvited guy. It was Aaron Qiao. s! It seemed that he didn''t know anything about being polite so as to behave so rampantly. "What do you think? Do you want to be like one of those beauties? I am willing to satisfy you by doing that for you myself." Rain''s brute personality presented obviously when he rolled his star-like eyes. As they were almost at the same age, the two talked more casually with less sense of restraint. "Forget it! How can I dare topete with the beauties with this kind of look! Don''t tter me." He must be kidding. His family will kill him if he was a transgender as he was the only boy in his generation. And even a beauty from R Country could not be as beautiful as Rain and Edward! "Dear Aaron, I heard you were talking bad about the CEO! Do you think it is your turn to go to R Country next time?" Aaron''s face showed his emotions obviously so it was not hard to guess what he was thinking. "Er... Mr. Xia, you must have mistaken something. I remember I have something to deal with, you can continue what you were doing." Oh god! Does the man have the magic to read others'' minds? He just thought that and Rain guessed it. Oh, R Country, how could you be my Achilles'' heel? Why could anyone threaten him by mentioning R Country? Rain smiled with his hand on the forehead. It seemed that he could threaten Aaron using R Countryter. Rain felt better after Aaron visited him. This guy was very funny and had always brought more happiness to him. Dear Aaron! You were not as shrewd as those people. Why didn''t you believe that? See? Sold yourself out again. "Why are you behaving so imprudently again?" Edward frowned and stared at the daredevil who had mmed into his arms. "Hahaha." Rainughed, not bothering to maintain his image. Dear Aaron! You are really so cute. How could you rush to the boss so quickly? Can''t you wait? Aaron was embarrassed. Was he between a rock and a hard ce now? How could things be so tragic today? Edward took Aaron to the side, walked in quickly and threw a piece of file to Rain. "It''s the material of C Financial Group. You should be familiar with it in advance." Just a few simple words changed Rain''s smiling face. "Why me? Can''t you find anyone else?" There was a sort of emotions brewing in Rain. "Because this was designated by them, or why do you think I called you back?" Edward Just looked at Rain without giving him the opportunity to escape. He knew what Rain had been escaping and what he was troubling with. But this time, Edward did not intend to let him escape again for it would only make things moreplex. "I need time to prepare, and this time, I am not going to escape." He knew that Edward''s intention was for his good. He couldn''t avoid it for a lifetime. Although he didn''t know if Annie would chase him forever, she still hasn''t let him go currently. Then, fine! In this case, he should go through it before knowing it was a blessing or a curse. As no one could give him the answer, he should just rise to the challenge! Edward patted Rain''s shoulder and then walked out. Suddenly, he stopped for a minute and said," Let''s go to Sexy World for a drink tonight." Aaron couldn''t help but think secretly at the side, ''Drink? Are you sure? Have y ou got your cute boy taken good care of yet?'' Aaron didn''t know that Edward had already received a phone call from Duke Leng who said that Justin has finally agreed to visit their home. Although Justin would only stay for one night, Duke could finally satisfy his father. The night in each city has its side of the game, and S City is no exception, especially for some casinos. In an elegant box, the light revealed the subtle darkness. Edward gently sipped the wine, letting the women titite him. His mouth slightly raised, and his fingertips unconsciously flicked the ss of wine with a tiny click. And he just squinted at the man and woman in front of him kissing passionately. Feeling Edward''s losing his own thoughts, the woman in his arms worked harder to tease every inch of his skin. Edward''s shirt had been unbuttoned slightly, revealing a charming corbone, which made him more intoxicating. The woman''s sexy red lips kissed along his body but were pushed away whenever it came to reach his lips. He never let women kiss his lips which were kept as his purend no matter how passionate the moment he was in. The woman remembered Edward''s taboo and turned to bite his earlobe. This action made Edward cover her chest with one hand and squeeze it hard, inciting the woman''s low moan. The woman''s little hand moved even more unscrupulously and touched all the way down. With the temperature between them getting higher and higher, Edward suddenly looked at his mobile phone on the desk and thought ''should it ring as usual at this time?'' Why was it so quiet tonight? Had the little guy forgotten his original intention? Thinking of that, Edward couldn''t help but gently hold and stop the small hands that were teasing his body. Edward felt that he had almost changed his characteristics. When had he given up half-way having sex with a beauty? However, this kind of thing often happened after Justin showed up. Would this leave him any psychological impact in the future? Edward nced at the men and women who were bing increasingly passionate. He knew that Rain was venting his emotions. There was something Edward didn''t want to say clearly to Rain because he knew that if Rain would not let himself go, then no one could help him. There was something which Rain had to discover and face himself. What Edward could do was to drink with him. Tonight, Rain was really irritating. Without his usual hippy smile, Rain was rude to the beauty in his arms that night, which scared the woman who leaned on him. Rain acted so strange to her and even made her want to escape as if she would fall down into hell with him the next moment. As if knowing what the woman was thinking, Edward finally made a sound hoarsely, which was more enchanting in such a passionate moment. "Okay, stop, Rain. You have frightened the little girl. A beautiful woman needs care not scare." It turned out that this guy was not as harmless as what he looks! Rain let the woman go and drank the bottle of wine on the table fiercely. He knew he did not behave himself tonight. Edward waved to ask the beauties to leave," Rain, if you really don''t want to do the partnership deal, don''t force yourself. I can ask someone else to take charge of it or give it up at worst." Edward was not willing to force Rain, and he was more reluctant to see him indulge himself," Don''t worry, I can handle it. As for Annie, I should face her anyway." Who was he? A famous yboy. How could he be afraid of a woman? ''Annie, since you are eager to enter my world, then you must be prepared to be destroyed. You have lost the chance to go away, then just fall down with me!'' He thought. "Okay, it''s good that you finally figure it out. It''ste, let''s go back!" Edward was pulled by Rain as he was about to leave. "Boss, are you okay? The night is still early! You just came here again, shouldn''t you look for one or two girls to have some fun with tonight? Or are you going to find Miss Lin?" Rain asked so because he didn''t know what had happened between Edward and Jessica. "I have broken up with her. Don''t mention her again." Edward''s words shocked Rain a lot. Seriously? How long had he left for business? Why had everything changed after he came back? Noticing that Edward had never discarded Jessica in the past years, Rain had thought she was someone special for Edward. Now it seemed that she was just one of the many girls! Although Rain himself also didn''t like that feigned woman, Edward''s change shocked him. And weren''t there any women other than Jessica? Why did Edward want no woman now? s! Mr. Rain, did he know he was working against Justin? He would get to pay if Justin knew that. "You really broke up with her? Why!" From Duke to Rain, it seemed that the men around Edward had the potential to be gossipers, who were very interested in poking their noses into his privacy. "Why do you have so many questions? Are you going to leave or not?" Edward became angry and was going to leave. ''Must I need a reason for discarding a woman?'' Undoubtedly, Edward was still so ruthless! "Go! Why not! But there must be a reason for you to break up with her!" Rain said as he caught up with Edward quickly. Rain got after Edward all the way out of the Sexy World as if he was going to hang on him, which made Luke twisted his mouth. Now he wondered if the newspaper of tomorrow would report that the reason why CEO Edward was not involved with women recently was that he fell in love with a man. Chapter 19 Shaming Each Other Rain followed Edward all the way out of Sexy World. He was really going crazy. When did this guy be so obsessed with the root of the matter? "Hey! Isn''t that Mr. Mu? Since when did your sexual orientation change and became fond of the bottom one?" Their dispute was interrupted by a woman''s tenderughter. Edward knew at once who wasughing without even looking at her. The only woman who dared to challenge him was that damned woman, Belinda Shangguan. Luke''s mouth twitched harder this time. ''I knew it would be misunderstood. Haven''t it just happened?'' "Miss Shangguan is really in the mood! It''s surprising that you can find me here. It seems that you are getting more and more obsessed with me." It was not Edward''s style not to fight back after being challenged. "Mr. Mu, your self-righteousness is really surprising. I have to work hard to keep up with you." ''Hmm! but I am really good at making fun of others too. And where has that damn Daisy gone? I tried to contact her when I returned. However, her cell phone seemed always turned off and could not be reached. Anyway, It''s so lucky to meet Edward so that I can vent my anger on him.'' Belinda thought. "In that case, there''s no need for us to wait any longer. Let''s do as you expected. Well, Miss Shangguan, where do you like it best, in the car, in the wild or by the sea?" Edward looked at her with a sly smile. He was sure that he could win this woman. Belinda was shocked! This man was bing more and more shameless. All the ces he suggested were well suited to having an affair. "It seems that you can have sex anywhere. Are you the beast''s brother? If not, why are you so alike?" How dauntless Belinda was! She was the devil killer. How could she be defeated by a few words? However, Rain who was standing on the other side became uneasy. He nced at Luke and asked him who the woman was. What a fearless woman! She dared to discuss the embarrassing topic with his boss in public. And when did his boss be so evil? Luke rolled his eyes. He was used to things like this. It would happen from time to time. Both of them were bing more and more shameless. "If you do not try me, how would you know whether I''m the beast''s brother or not? Or maybe you don''t have the guts." His smile broadened and his deep charming alluring eyes looked directly at her, which made Belinda shudder. "Mr. Mu, you must be kidding me! How could I not have the guts? It''s just that I''m not interested in the beast. Also, I won''t bother to have a try." ''Hmm! I must win a round. How could I make him be so pleased with himself?'' Belinda thought. Rain couldn''t help but burst intoughter. At the same time, he got a haughty look from Edward. He touched his own nose innocently with a dazzling smile. Edward wanted to p him on his face to see if he could smile any longer. "I just wonder if you, can be so slick when you are under me, Miss Shangguan? Or maybe, you are just preparing for the forey, so everything wille on itself. I really underestimate your dissoluteness, Miss Shangguan." Edward said cheekily. The three of them were all star tled. They responded differently afterwards. Belinda blushed with shame. She opened her mouth but failed to utter a word. ''You are the one who is dissolute! Your whole family is dissolute! How can you use that word to describe me? Don''t impose your own shame on others!'' She thought angrily. Rain burst intoughter and thought ''Mr. Mu is really a beast. No wonder that woman kept on repeating the word. It seems that such boring days areing to an end. This woman is really hot.'' Luke''s mouth twitched even harder. If there was the highest level of shamelessness, this was it! Edward ignored all of them and walked away. ''Why did that damn woman walk away first every time? It seemed as if I was disgusting. It was my turn to go first.'' However, a small figure passed him quickly and got on the car. She drove away as fast as she could. Edward was angry. That damn woman ran away in front of him once again. Who would calm down when listening to such shameless words? If she had not run away, she might have been surrounded and watched. She didn''t want to be that humiliated. Rainughed more loudly this time. He had not expected to see such a woman here. His boss'' true color was exposed. This woman was really tough. Few people could make his boss so crazy. "Is it that funny?" said Edward gloomily. It seemed that if he dared to give a positive answer, he would be beaten up at once. "Well! It''s not funny at all." ''Damn it! This guy is so insidious. Who knows what he will do to me if I say yes?'' Rain thought. "Since it''s not funny, why are you standing here and attracting other''s attention like an idiot?" Edward felt very angry at seeing passersby''s inquiring eyes. Rain curled his lip. ''Who would regard a handsome man like me as an idiot? Edward must be angry with shame!'' He still could not give up gossiping. He ran all the way to ask the answer he wanted to know most. "Mr. Mu, who is that woman? Your new target?" ''It is not surprising that Jessica was evicted out of the game. This woman is really special.'' "She is the CEO of Yongsheng Group, Belinda Shangguan," Edward said sourly. "What? When did Yongsheng Group change their CEO? Why didn''t I know?" ''It seems that things changed a lot when he was absent.'' "Now you know it. Remember to be careful when you work with herpany in the future. It is not easy to get along well with her." ''When did I offend that woman? Why was she so offensive to me? What she had done only proved that she is not interested in me. Is she ying cat and mouse with me?'' "Is she that scary? I think she is only a little glib." ''Few women have made my boss so defensive, it seems that I needed to think about it.'' "I don''t know if she is scared or not. I just know that every time I see her, all my hair stands up and I''m ready to fight. I don''t know why she has all these messy thoughts." Well, he had thought that Mr. Mu was really calm. So Belinda left just because Edward teased her every time. Rain remained silent. ''The two contended with each other and it didn''t matter me. Belinda''s opponent was Edward, not me.'' he thought. Chapter 20 Fruitless Love Edward drove all the way home as fast as he could. He walked to the children''s room as usual. He didn''t realize that Justin had gone away with Duke until he saw the empty room. It seemed that this habit was something frightening. He threw himself into the little bed and smelt the quilt which had the smell of milk. He couldn''t help smiling. When did he be so sensitive? When he turned over, he felt something hard under him. It turned out to be a tiny cell phone. Now he found the reason why Justin didn''t call him. He gently unlocked the cell phone screen, a magnified photo leaped to his eyes. In the photo was a woman in a military uniform. Her tiny lips were tightlypacted; her dark shining eyes looked cold; her two delicate eyebrows gently wrinkled and her tiny face was with deep sadness. Edward suddenly felt a prick in his heart. It was the first time that he had seen the little woman so clearly. She was so petite and beautiful. Then he started to browse the photos in the phone album. In almost all the pictures were Justin and his mom. The woman was always that cold. Only when she looked at Justin would she be warm and tender. Edward felt that there was something missing in the pictures. He was in serious thoughts until he finally saw a picture of three people. In this photograph, that woman was still looking cold while Justin was held by a handsome man, who was looking at the woman beside him with so much love. It seemed as if she was the only one he could see. Edward closed his eyes for a while. Finally he got to know what was missing in the preceding pictures. It turned out that a man was missing in the picture. But who was that handsome man in the other picture? Was Daisy in love with the handsome man in the picture? If yes, why didn''t shee and divorce him? He threw the cellphone away and he didn''t want to have too many feelings on the picture he had just seen. After all, he didn''t love that woman. If she loved someone else, why didn''t he mind letting her go? However, there was a small wave in his heart which he had not even noticed. The phone fell into the soft quilt. Edward stood up and was ready to leave. Suddenly, the cell phone vibrated. After thinking for a while, he picked it up and checked it. After he clicked the message button, a line of warm words showed on the screen," Justin, do you miss mommy? Mommy missed you so much. The training has ended ahead of schedule. Mommy wanted to call you, but it was toote, so I sent you this message instead. I need to finish some more work, then I can pick you up in a few days. Remember to be obedient, mommy will be back soon." There was not a single word that mentioned him in the message. It seemed that that woman ignored him thoroughly. In the meeting room of X army group of C City, Daisy frowned. There was not a trace of being exposed to the sun for a long time on her delicate face. Her nice fingers gently turned the pages of the evaluation reports. It didn''t indicate that the performance was bad, just not that good. "What'' wrong, Colonel Ouyang? Are you dissatisfied with the result?" The query made Daisy raise her head suddenly. She didn''t say anything before she could see clearly who was in front of her. "Oh! Hello, Mr. Gu." She deliberately ignored his question and greeted him. Kevin Gu picked up the papers in front of her. He nodded while checking the results. Atst, he put down the papers in front of her," They all performed well. With such a training result and your daily performance, you will be promoted for sure." "I don''t care whether I will be promoted or not. There are so many people who are more excellent than me. I just feel that it has not reached my expectations and it''s a little sad for me." In fact, Daisy also knew the real purpose of the training. However, there were a lot of elites who would also be evaluated and most of them had powerful backers. She didn''t have any backer at all and she relied on her own effort to reach her current position. She had tried her best and was too tired to strive for a higher one. "Daisy, don''t be so harsh on yourself. We all see how hard you worked." Kevin Gu pitied Daisy very much. He had never seen her rtives or friends except Justin. As to Justin''s father, there were many versions of the rumor, but he knew none of them was true. Four years ago he had been transferred to his current army. At first, he thought she was some high-ranking official''s daughter, because she had achieved so great at such a young age and lived alone with a boy. He looked down on those who relied on their backers. Although he was from a high-ranking official''s family, he relied on himself to get his current position. So he despised Daisy at the very beginning. When they became familiar with each other, he found that she was really excellent and she didn''t have the backer. She did well in each task and her professionalism and tenacity were beyond any men. She had always been cold from the deep bottom of her heart. He had always been curious why she was so cold and who hurt her. Slowly, he was deeply attracted to her. He didn''t know if it was because of his pity on her or because he admired her hard work and effort. "Forget about it. Don''t talk about me any longer. Mr. Gu, you will win the honor of major general this time." Daisy knew that the background of Kevin was not simple, but she didn''t like to explore others'' private affairs because of her cold natural disposition. It was just her guess. "It''s hard to say. As you just said, there were so many elites this time. I don''t have too much hope." Actually, Kevin was handsome and because he was from a well-off family, he had an aristocratic temperament. His beauty was different from Edward''s. Edward was enchanting and charming while Kevin was distinguished with a heroic spirit. "I think if you cannot be promoted this time, there is little hope for others too." She had always thought that Kevin was good and he didn''t get the arrogance as most second-generation officials. "Do you really think so? Actually, I don''t really value this promotion, either. It''s good to be promoted and it''s good to stay in the same position, too." At least, he could stay here with her. If he seeded in being promoted to the major general, he must be transferred back to B City. He didn''t want to go back. There was no woman called Daisy Ouyang there. "Don''t I know your capability? Just rest assured. It is pretty solid." She always unconsciously rxed in front of Kevin, so her tone was casual. Kevin nced at her with no expression on his face, but he feltplicated, ''Daisy, why do you want me to be promoted that much? Won''t you feel upset about my leaving after so many years ofpanionship? Couldn''t you really feel my love?'' Thinking of this, he became angry. "It is not what I want!" He left the meeting room before Daisy could react. The night wind blew across the corner of his coat and at the same time brought about his sadness. He knew that he shouldn''t have been like this, but he couldn''t help bursting into anger. He knew his father''s opinions well. If he went back this time, he would be asked to go on a blind date. After all, he was not young, but he could not let go of the love in his heart, but he also knew that it was a fruitless love. Although Daisy had never mentioned her husband, he knew that there was such a man. Her constant self-reflection and asional slight smile showed that that man must have a very important ce in her heart. If he had not been a soldier, he would have pulled her under his wings. He wished to be her support when she felt tired and he wished to be the one she loved. But it was just his own wish. Daisy was puzzled by the sudden leaving of Kevin. Did she say something wrong? Why was he so angry? Chapter 21 Hiding A Woman Early in the morning, FX International Group was in a busy state. Not long after he entered the office, he heard a gentle knock on the door. "Come in." "Boss, good morning! This is your schedule for today." Anna gave the well-arranged work schedule to him. "Is there anything special?" Edward read it for a while. It was his daily work. "Yes, the CEO of Ouyang Foreign Trade has an appointment with you, but we have no business rtionship with them." Thispany was very strange. Why did they suddenly want to meet with their boss? "Since we don''t have a business rtionship, then refuse them." He did not want to waste his time on such useless things. "Alright, I''ll do it." Anna was always calm, and it was hard to find too much emotion on her face. "Do it now!" He browsed the schedule again, and suddenly remembered that Ouyang Foreign Trade was thepany of Daisy''s father. They had never seen each other for so many years. Why did both of theme to him recently? "Wait, Anna. When is the appointment with them?" Okay! Since he was his nominal father-inw, whatever his purpose was, he must have a meet with him. "7 p.m. at Mochan Restaurant." Anna looked at him doubtfully. Her boss was strange today. But she did not ask the reason. "I see. Tell them I''ll be there on time." What does Leo Ouyang want to do? Would hee to me his attitude towards his daughter? They had been married for so many years. Why did hee at this moment? Or was it the recent foreign economic crisis that had affected his foreign trade. Maybe his sudden visit should have something to do with it. He would never waste his mind on anything he could not guess. So he picked up the documents in front of him. All the answers would be revealed tonight. It was better to do more work than to wrestle with the issue. Duke''s car was as cool as himself. The shiny ck body of the car was even more awe-inspiring in the sunlight. Justin wondered how could he be a good friend with Edward. Did they feel weird when they yed together? "Uncle Duke, could you send me to Daddy''spany? I''ll go back home with himter." He needed to check whether he was with a beauty or not. "Should we make a phone call first? I''m afraid your father won''t be there." Duke turned around and looked at him. His father liked this little boy very much. They had so many topics to talk about. He was very jealous of him. "No, I can wait for him in the office if he is not there." It would not be a raid if they called him firstly. "Okay! As you wish." He turned to another direction after saying that. "Uncle Duke, are there many people who owe you money?" Justin asked with his head tilted slightly and wondered why Duke always kept a poker face. "Of course not! Why do you ask?" Duke nced, sideways, at him and kept driving with concentration. "If not, why do you always keep a poker face? It seems that someone owes you a lot of money." The world of adults was so strange. Duke stepped on the brake and the car hopped lightly when he heard what Justin said. Justin bent forward suddenly. Fortunately, Duke reached out with one hand and pulled him in time. Otherwise, he would be med by Edward if Justin got hurt. "Uncle Duke, you gonna murder me! Just for my question? I didn''t ask it on purpose. You want to kill me for this? I was so scared." Justin patted his chest, andined to Duke. Duke was embarrassed. ''It should be me who was first scared by your remarks.'' His words shocked him. So he suddenly applied the brakes. Even murder charges had been put on him now. This little boy was really difficult to deal with! Kids were horrible now! It was no wonder that Edward had be a lot quiet now, since there was a "wolf child" at home! "Sorry. I''ll watch out and be careful next time." Duke would love to correct his mistakes. He was proud of this character. They arrived at FX International Group soon. When he was about to get off the car, he got an urgent call from thepany. He looked at Justin with embarrassment and then looked at his watch. "Uncle Duke, if you have something urgent, you can go first. I can go upstairs by myself, and besides, it''s not my first time here, so you don''t have to worry about me." Justin was a master of observation. Although he was young, he knew a lot. "Really? I can call your father and ask him toe down and pick you up." Duke worried about him, but business in thepany was really urgent. "No, Uncle Duke. Bye-bye, I will go upstairs now." Justin got out of the car and ran into FX International Group. Duke drove off after seeing Justin went into the building. Then he called Edward. "Hello. Duke, what''s up?" "Are you in the office? I sent Justin to yourpany. But I have something urgent to deal with. He went upstairs by himself. Let someone pick him up." "Well, I am here. I''ll let someone pick him up." Ignoring the crowd of executives waiting for him to speak, Edward waved at Aaron. With a puzzled face, Aaron leaned to him and listened to his whisper, then left the meeting room. What the hell was going on? Rain was puzzled. He looked at Edward and wanted to get some hint, but Edward didn''t look at him at all. "Go on," Edward ordered. His curiosity was decreased by Edward''s attitude and he got really angry, but couldn''t say a word during the meeting. When Aaron just walked out of the meeting room, he saw little Justin went out of the elevator jumping. He couldn''t help smiling. Justin was so clever! His boss needn''t worry about him. Justin didn''t need other''s help! He could take good care of himself! "Uncle Aaron, where''s my daddy?" He trotted all the way into Aaron''s arms. "He was in a meeting. It may be a while before it ends. Will you go in and wait or would you rather wait in my office?" Aaron pinched his pink face lovingly. "Don''t you need to participate in the meeting?" "I should have to, but since you are here, I don''t need to now." Rare benefit! "Then uncle Aaron, I''ll go to your office!" At least it would be better than being alone. He smiled sweetly, which was so different from his cool expression before. The environment can really alter a person''s mood. "Don''t you think about it again?" He still remembered thestputer incident. He wouldn''t me him again, would he? "Uncle Aaron, look at that nervous look on your face. Are you hiding someone in your office?" Justin looked at him with a sly expression. "Who says I am hiding a woman in my office?" Aaron defended himself immediately. "I didn''t say you had hidden a woman. You said it by yourself." Gosh! Sometimes it was really fun to tease Aaron. Aaron wanted to p himself. How could he be so stupid! ''Haha.... Aaron, you are really funny! And you are a typical fool! You can''t take advantage of those two evils in the conference room. Now you are even teased by a child. Don''t you feel ashamed of yourself?'' Chapter 22 Justin Has A Fever As soon as the meeting was over, Rain came towards Edward and started to gossip. He was in a casual suit today and he wore a pink and purple stud earring, which matched the color scheme of his suit and made him more eye-catching. Now he was looking tteringly at Edward. He really looked like the bottom one with that charming face. "What did you ask Aaron to do, Mr. Mu?" He asked and ogled at Edward. Edward nced at him disdainfully with his fine lipspacted. He picked up the documents and left. Edward wondered when Rain became such ackey. He even tried to ogle at him, but unluckily he was Edward, who was so charming himself that he would not be possibly seduced by anyone else. "My dear elder brother, Boss, Mr. Mu, Beautiful Mu, could you please just tell me?" He followed him all the way out without any fear. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in the nose. It turned out that he hit his nose hard on Edward''s back, when Edward stopped unexpectedly. "Damn you, Rain!" Edward turned his head abruptly and red coldly at him. Rain shrunk his neck. ''Damn it! Have I offended him? I should stop talking immediately. He was born beautiful. Why doesn''t he let others talk about it? If he were a gay, he should be the bottom one. I just cannot imagine what he will be like when he is under somebody else.'' "You''d better stop thinking the dirty thoughts now." Edward''s gloomy voice suddenly sounded near his ear, Rain retreated a few steps out of fear. Was this guy a ghost? When did hee so close? Was he trying to tempt him? His sexual orientation was normal and he had no interest in him at all. "Do you want me to make your messy thoughtse true?" Edward''s voice became colder. It made Rain want to escape at once. The guy knew exactly what he was thinking. When did Edward learn mind reading? "I''m not thinking of anything. You have thought too much yourself, boss." Uttering these words, Rain gave up gossiping and ran away at once. Hey! He was just like Belinda who dared to challenge Edward but could not bear the consequences. Both of them were good at running away. Rain''s wretched expression had already betrayed him. How could he deceive Edward? Rain trotted away, but he did not go to his own office. Instead, he went straight to Aaron''s. He could not find the answer from Edward. Wasn''t it easier for him to get the answer from Aaron? Aaron was so innocent. He was always the one to be bullied. The office door burst open while Aaron was drinking coffee. He was frightened by the loud sound and the coffee had split all over him. He red at the man who had juste in. He was so angry that he wanted to kill Rain. The door was used to be knocked on instead of being hit. It seemed that Aaron had forgotten what good manners were. "Rain, you''d better give me a good reason which will save your life. If not, you''d better disappear from my office at once." It was rare to see a gentleman like Aaron became so furious. As he wiped up the coffee stains on his clothes, he red at the man who was to me. Seeing how hapless Aaron was, Rain must haveughed out as before. But now he wanted to cry instead. Why was his luck so bad today? He first pissed off his boss and then offended Aaron. Aaron was so angry that he wouldn''t tell him the answer. Could it be true that the evils we bring on ourselves are the hardest to bear? "Hey! Aaron, I didn''t know that you were drinking coffee, did I? Besides, Why did you pour your coffee on yourself? If you want to take a shower, you should first walk into the bathroom and then take off your clothes." Before he could finish his words, a folder was flying towards him and he dodged out of the way at once. "Oh, God! Are you serious? Do you want to kill me?" Rain pretended that he was scared and he patted on his own chest. He challenged Aaron again without any fear. Aaron''s face became darker and his eyes became colder. "Rain, do you want to roll out by yourself or not? I don''t mind carrying you out." The wet clothes stuck to his body, made him feel very ufortable. He really wanted to go into the bathroom and take a shower. However, that guy kept on talking with ame apology. "I''ll walk out instead of rolling out. I don''t know how to roll out. If you can set me an example, maybe I will think it twice." It was not a good start, he should have stopped for the moment. When Aaron was calm, he woulde back again. He was sure that he would get the answer he wanted. So before the next folder was thrown to him, Rain quickly dodged out of the door. Then he heard the sound of something falling on the ground. ''Damn it. He was really mad.'' Edward walked into his office. He looked around and did not find that little guy. He frowned and thought that he may be with Aaron. He walked up to his desk and sat down. When he found that little guy sleeping on the sofa, he smiled. He must have been waiting for a long time. It took him a rtively long time to have the meeting today. He picked up his coat and walked quietly up to his son. He looked at his son dotingly and covered him gently with his coat. He smoothed away a wisp of hair from the little guy''s forehead and found that his hair was a little longer. It had been almost three months since he came here. It was time to have his hair cut. He caressed his little pink face. Noticing the unusual red on his face, he put his hand on Justin''s forehead at once. Damn it. It was so hot. It seemed that he had gotten a fever. No wonder his face was so red. Edward was in a great panic. He had never experienced anything like this before. The little guy had always been in a good health since he came here. Edward was frightened by his illness. He held Justin in his arms and rushed out. "Anna, Anna, call Luke and ask him to get the car ready." Edward''s voice was full of tension. His shouting also attracted the attention of Rain who had just escaped from Aaron''s office. He walked up to him quickly and asked what had happened. But when he saw the little guy in Edward''s arms, he was stunned. "Rain, go down and get the car ready. Justin has a fever." Edward was a little distracted. The little guy in his arms was so scorching hot that he felt that he was almost burned. So when he saw Rain, he asked him to get his car ready at once. "OK! I''ll be right there." With these words, Rain ran downstairs at once. Although he was very gossipy and he wanted to know who that little guy was, he could tell that it was not the right time to ask. Rain hadn''t parked his car into the underground parking lot today, so when Edward and Justin came downstairs, he had already started the car waiting for them at the doorway. He drove as fast as he could and nced at Edward in the rearview mirror from time to time. Seldom did he see his boss in such a nervous state. It seemed that this little guy was of great importance to his boss. He didn''t have the chance to see Justin''s face clearly, so he didn''t know how much Justin resembled Edward. They soon arrived at the hospital. After having a series of tests and the antipyretic injection, Justin was put on a drip soon. Edward''s face, which had been in a state of tension, finally rxed a little. Edward asked for a VIP room. As soon as the doctor left, the room suddenly became very quiet. Rain went to go through the formalities. And now all could Edward hear was his own fast and irregr heartbeat. Edward walked to the bed and sat near his son. He gently held Justin''s hand which was not put on a drip. He didn''t know what other fathers felt when their children were ill. He was scared. Yes, scared. Edward had never felt this scared, even when he was facing an assassination attempt. But now he was scared only because his son got a fever. He bent down and kissed the little boy gently on his forehead. The little boy''s forehead was still a little hot and he hadn''t thoroughly recovered from the fever yet. "Mr. Mu, the formalities have beenpleted." Rain walked in and spoke softly. In the meantime, he stared at Justin''s little face hesitantly. "Ask whatever you want to." Edward knew that Rain had been curious for a long time. "Mr. Mu, whose child is this? Rain looked at Edward and then Justin. He felt that he almost got the answer. "He is my son, Justin Mu." With these words, he turned to look at Rain. "What? Your son? Why didn''t I know?" Although he guessed the answer when he saw Justin''s face, he was still stunned on hearing Edward''s words. "It''s notte for you to know now." Why did everyone react violently when they knew that he had a son? "But, when did you have a son at this age? Where is his mother? Who is she?" Rain began to gossip again. He was just as gossipy as Duke. "My wife." Edward gave him the same answer as he had given Duke, which stunned Rain too. "Boss, I''m already very surprised that you have a son. How could you have a wife? Are you kidding me? When did you get married?" Everything was in a mess. It seemed that a lot of changes had taken ce during his business trip. "Six years ago." His words became more and more concise. No wonder that Rain knew nothing about it. He hadn''t graduated from school when Edward was married. Chapter 23 You Are A Miracle "No way! You got married six years ago. Why didn''t I ever meet your wife?" It turned out that one of the best bachelors was not single already at an earlier time. Beauties who came for him like moths to a me were worthless! However, it was not their fault for being ignorant. People close to him like Rain only knew it today. "I have just met her twice. It''s normal for you not to meet her." It was unsure if he could recognize her on the street. "Er! Man, you are a miracle. You two only met each other twice but have a big boy already." It seemed that he would not be surprised again if Edward told him more astonishing stories after a series of blows. Edward gave him a stare when Aaron hurriedly walked in. His face was covered with thin sweat. "Mr. Mu, what''s wrong with Justin?" He rushed over when he heard from Anna that Justin was ill. "Nothing serious, just a fever caused by the cold." It might be that the temperature of the air conditioner was a bit low and he was not covered with a quilt. And that''s why he caught a cold. "Sorry, he said he was back to your office so I didn''t stop him. It''s my fault for forgetting to take a look at him." Aaron was very annoyed. Why didn''t he think about it? Things went worse now. "It''s not your fault. I have an appointment tonight. You two stay here and help me look at my little boy! I wille back as soon as I finish it." Edward had nned to ask Anna to appoint another time with Leo because Justin was still with fever and he worried about him. But Leo was his nominal father-inw and it was not good to postpone it. So he asked them to take care of Justin. He was also curious about what Leo Ouyang was going to talk with him about. "You may rest assured we will look after him." Aaron was still feeling guilty now! He felt that It was his fault to make Justin suffer. "Mommy, it hurts! Mommy..." A small voice softly cried, grabbing the attention of everybody. They looked at the small figure on the bed and Edward held his delicate hand again. "Justin, daddy is here. Where does it hurt, Justin?" Edward said in an anxious voice. "Mommy, I miss you. Mommy, my head hurts." Justin muttered these words deliriously, making Edward panic. "Rain, call the doctor. Hurry up!" What kind of hospital was this! .Why didn''t Justin get better after the injection! s! Edward, it was not a miracle cure! It wouldn''t take effect immediately. Rain quickly pulled the doctor over. It was not difficult to see how worried Rain was from the doctor''s messy clothes. "Doctor. Why does he still feel hurt? Is there any other problem not checked out?" Edward''s voice was shaking. How he wish he could take the pain for him! The doctor quickly checked Justin and soon got the result. "Mr. Mu, your boy has no other problems. The pain is caused by high fever. I''ll ask the nurse to send two ice packs over. Put the ice packs on his head and it will make him feel better." The doctor said cautiously because the man in front of himmanded a powerful presence. "Why didn''t you just say it just now if this was a good method?" Rain spit out in a cold voice, his eyes smouldering with anger. The doctor was so scared that he wanted to run away. How he wish he was not on duty today! "Go get it!" Edward was more gentlepared to him. "Okay! I''ll do it right away." Speaking of it, he quickly turned away, afraid that he would be killed by the eyes of the beautiful guy the next second. If Rain knew the doctor''s thoughts, the doctor would never get out of the room, because he hated to hear people say he was beautiful. The ice packs were quickly sent over. The nurse told them how to use it, blushing. She sneaked at the men who looked distinguished in front of her from time to time, and two of them were so beautiful. "Mommy, mommy." The sudden coldness of the ice pack on his forehead made Justin frown slightly, and his unconscious words spilled out again from his red lips caused by fever. "Edward, Justin has been calling his mommy all the time. Why don''t you ask her toe over?" Seeing Justin, Rain couldn''t help but feel the same. He used to mi ss his mother every time he was sick, but she never appeared at all, so he hoped that Justin can see his mommy. "His mommy isn''t in S City," Edward said tly. ording to the text messagest night, that woman would be back in a few days! "What! Where is she? Abroad?" Rain was surprised. "I don''t know where she is either!" He really had no idea. He had asked Justin, but he said that he didn''t know cuz Mommy never told him about her work. Sometimes her work needed to be kept confidential. "What? No way! You don''t know where your wife is, how can you be a husband?" Rain really didn''t understand this couple. They had just met twice in their six-year marriage, but they had such a big boy. And now he didn''t know where the other person was. "Should I know?" Edward never bothered to think about those who he didn''t care. This time, because of his son, his curiosity about that woman was a little beyond his consideration. "Er! Shouldn''t you know?" Rain was confused. "Aren''t you too curious?" Edward was on the edge of anger. How could he hold on to this topic? Compared with Aaron who was quiet, Rain was too noisy. Actually, Aaron also wanted to know the reason. He was carefully listening to their conversation. He was a little disappointed when his boss stopped talking about his wife. Seeing Edward like this, Rain knew he didn''t want to continue this topic, therefore he stopped speaking, but looking at Edward with a sad expression. Edward took away the ice pack on Justin''s forehead and touched it with his hand. He gently breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, it was not so hot. Maybe the medicine also worked! At this moment, Justin''s eyshes quivered, and then his eyes opened slightly. Seeing this, Edward smiled, with his deep eyes full of tenderness. "My boy, how do you feel now? Do you still have a headache?" He touched Justin''s forehead with his hand again. The fever was relieved. "Daddy, what happened to me? Why am I here? And why do I ache all over?" Justin''s voice was soft and hoarse. "You have a fever and you are in the hospital. You freaked me out, my son." He hoped that his little boy would never get sick and always be healthy. "Sorry daddy. I didn''t mean to scare you. I used to have a fever, and mommy would give me medicine. It''s alright." Justin said in a soft voice. He was too sensible for a child at his age. Hearing his words, Edward spaced out a little. If Justin used to have a fever, how did that woman get through this? Was she as scared as he was? "Hi! Boy, you are awake finally." Rain, not willing to be neglected, stepped up, but in return, Justin gave him a small sigh. "s! I must be dazed with fever. Why do I see adyboy?" Saying that, he winked his eyes with uncertainty. Aaron burst outughing. He felt joyful now. His mouth was wide open. Everyone could tell how happy he was. ''Rain Xia, now do you believe that you look like adyboy?'' he thought. Rain stunned. He opened his mouth but didn''t say anything. Even Edward also twitched his mouth slightly. He looked at Justin lovingly. Justin was right. Rain did look like adyboy. "Justin, my cute boy! How did I offend you that you diss me like this?" Rain felt like weeping but had no tears. Why did he always hurt! "Sorry. I don''t likedyboys so it''s not only for you." Although Justin was still weak, he would like to tease him when it came to the topic of his interest. Edward was speechless. He was included too ording to Justin''s words. Why was he aimed at? Rain felt happy this time because he was not the onlydyboy! Edward was one of them too! "Justin, you are so cute." He kissed Justin on the cheek. Rain deserved a good spanking! Justin looked at his daddy with a grimace, hoping that he could help him wipe the saliva of thisdyboy left on his face. But Edward pretended not to see it. He knew that Justin was afraid of being kissed by others. To put it bluntly, he was a neat freak, ha! Who made you tease me! I won''t help you this time! Edward, you were an adult, no need to fuss with him. Besides, he was your child! Didn''t you feel ashamed? Chapter 24 We Will See Edward was a man of wealth and status. He was supposed to meet Leo Ouyang at Mochan Restaurant at 7, but he arrived at 7:15. He never felt the need to arrive early, and no one ever challenged him over his penchant for tardiness. The waiter ushered Edward to the room booked by Leo Ouyang and knocked on the door. A deep voice came from within. "Come in." Edward entered the room, and his eyes were drawn to Leo Ouyang''s smile. "Boss Mu! Nice to meet you." Leo said. "Please..e in." Leo stood up as Edward approached. His behavior confused Edward. Why did his father-inw call him "Boss Mu?" Why so formal? Edward decided to y along, also adopting a formal tone. "Mr. Ouyang. It''s been too long. Sorry, I''mte." "It''s alright. I know you are very busy. I''m so d you could find the time to be here." Leo''s voice was unctuous, his smile too big by half. Edward regarded his father-inw. Leo''s daughter, Daisy, was truly a beautiful woman, and Edward could see where she got her looks. "Nothing is more important than our rtionship, sir," Edward replied. He could be tactful too, though his suspicion was raised. Something was definitely not right. "Edward! d to see you." a sweet voice rang out. Edward looked around for the source of the voice. He found it: a pretty woman, sitting at a table. "Mr. Ouyang, who is she?" She seemed familiar, and she knew who he was. But who was she? Edward was at a loss. "Oh, This is my daughter. Edward, meet Mary." Leo''s hands moved, indicating who was who. "Mary...Edward. She just returned from abroad but she can''t wait to see you. That''s why I arranged this little soir¨¦e." Leo Ouyang said with a smile. That smile again. The I-want-something-from-you smile. Edward was more than a little confused. And suspicious. There''s more to this meeting than just a social asion, he thought. And why didn''t the old man invite Daisy? Surely Mary would like to see her sister. "Oh. Please forgive me. I didn''t know that she was your daughter." Remembering his manners, he looked at Mary and said," Nice to meet you." Although questions were written on his face, he still remained polite. "Boss Mu, that''s very kind of you. Let''s have dinner." Leo waited for his daughter to sit, and then took a chair. Leo Ouyang was a shrewd man. He worked many years inmercial circles, and was quite sessful. ''He wants something.'' Edward thought. ''But what?'' "Edward, sit here please." Mary indicated the chair next to her. Edward sat and said," Thank you." He still thought formality might be wise. He smiled and said," Far be it for me to refuse a beautiful woman." "You''re wee." Mary blushed a little. Mary was infatuated with Edward, and had been since they first met. But Edward''s grandfather insisted that only Leo Ouyang''s flesh and blood daughter could marry Edward. Mary was his stepdaughter, and therefore not eligible. So he got Daisy. But Mary had heard that Edward wasn''t in love with Daisy at all, so she returned from abroad. She was going to get as close to him as possib le. ''Daisy, you lost!'' she thought. ''He''s mine.'' And a sweetly mischievous smile crept across her face. She knew Daisy wouldn''t take this lying down. ''We''ll see, Daisy.'' she thought to herself. ''We''ll see...'' Edward quietly took in his surroundings. "Boss Mu. I know your business is thriving. I am hoping you could teach Mary some business skills in your spare time." Leo said humbly. ''Daisy would be incensed if she heard this.'' Edward thought. Daisy''s father loved his stepdaughter more than his own kin. He would do everything for Mary, including debasing himself. "Mr. Ouyang, don''t be humble. You''re a sessful businessman. I''m only a journeyman. There''s a lot I could learn from you." Edward politely replied. It was crazy. Leo didn''te for business, but for his stepdaughter instead of his biological daughter. "Boss Mu, I''m getting old. I can''t keep up with young people anymore. You''re still young, and might be able to talk to Mary more easily." "Well, sir, how about a toast first?" Edward said. Leo Ouyang smiled brightly. "Cheers, Edward!" Mary was getting annoyed. ''Doesn''t he like me?'' she thought. ''I am neither underdressed nor overdressed today. Why is he paying so much attention to Dad?'' Her reverie was broken by Edward''s perfect pitch. "Ms. Ouyang...Cheers." Edward clinked his ss with hers and drank the wine with a gorgeous smile. Mary seemed older than Daisy, more mature. She must be Daisy''s elder sister. She made such strenuous efforts to get close to Edward, but why? Jealousy. She was jealous of Daisy. She wanted to rece her sister as Edward''s wife. Although people tagged him as a yboy, Edward would not stray. He was a man of principle. He knew it was not appropriate to be with his wife''s sister. Edward grew up abroad, and knew nothing about Daisy''s family. He didn''t know Mary was not Leo Ouyang''s biological daughter, nor how his wife had suffered growing up. Mary was spellbound by the handsome man sitting next to her. She wanted him, so much. So much! But Edward showed little interest. "Edward, Can I work at yourpany? I''m not real business-savvy, but Dad wants me to manage hispany. I hope I can learn from you." said Mary in a timid whisper. She looked at Edward and imagined kissing his sexy lips. Edward noticed her zing expression but he ignored it. His mouth became firm, his visage stern. "Miss Ouyang, I''m sorry. I can''t evene close to your profits. Not only that, we''re in different industries. I don''t think I can do this." Edward said. His finger tapped the table. His finger kept tapping the table. This movement indicated that he had grown impatient. "You''ll find I''m an eager student." Mary Ouyang insisted. Six years ago, he slipped through her fingers. She wouldn''t let this happen again. ''This is my one chance to get close to him.'' she thought. "Well, in that case, how can I say no? Wee to mypany." Edward''s words were careful, measured. ''But, '' heined silently, ''this won''t be easy. This woman doesn''t even know herself.'' Chapter 25 Who Is Justin "Thank you for the opportunity, Edward. I''ll study hard." Mary was beaming with pride. She could get anything she wanted. "Well, then I''ll go first. Justin is still in the hospital." Then he stood up. "Who''s Justin?" Leo asked curiously. ''Am I supposed to know Justin? Why does he mention that name?'' he wondered. "You don''t remember Justin?" Edward couldn''t believe his ears. It felt like he''d been pped. Leo didn''t remember Justin! How did the man not remember his own grandson? Leo''s confusion stunned Edward. "No, I don''t. Is it someone I should know?" Leo was more confused. Mary looked at Edward with a puzzled expression as well. It was like he said something they couldn''t understand. Was there something wrong? Leo never mentioned Daisy at all. He thought it was because Leo knew Daisy was off at training, so he didn''t mention it. But it seemed different now. Leo should at least know basic things. Edward felt like things were spiraling out of control. Edward tried his best to recover. "Got you!" he said. "I was joking." Since the old man seemed genuinely confused, Edward had to figure out why. But now was not the time to get into it. Initially caught off guard, Leo visibly rxed. "I wondered if I''d forgotten. I''m not getting any younger, and my mind is not what it used to be. Just a joke, then?" Leo was fairly sure that Edward wasn''t joking. But who was Justin? And why can''t he remember him? He needed to figure that out. Edward turned to leave. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Ouyang. See youter." He paused. ''It was a fantastic meal, really! And he even wanted to give his other daughter to me.'' Edward thought. "I understand, Boss Mu. You are busy. Be seeing you." Leo said with a smile. "Goodbye, Mr. Ouyang." Edward didn''t say a word to Mary, not even goodbye. Indeed, he didn''t acknowledge her at all. Mary was embarrassed. ''Edward, '' she thought, ''I will make you fall in love with me. Just wait and see! You''ll be begging for my love!'' But how could Mary be so confident? She was as beautiful as Edward was handsome. He was the dream lover of every woman, and there was no beauty that Edward had not seen. He wasn''t interested in Mary at all! Edward drove quietly, but there was a bee in his bo. The luxury car sped by and captivated everyone. The paint shone and chrome glittered. The driver must be an extraordinary man, since few people could afford such an expensive car. Why did Leo not know Justin? Was it because Daisy didn''t tell him, or some other reason? This whole thing was strange, almost as if Leo were rejecting him as a son-inw. And what did that me an for him and Daisy? Why did he introduce Mary Ouyang to him? As he pulled into the parking garage, he put all that out of his mind. The ward was quiet. When he saw the little figure asleep on the bed, he breathed a sigh of relief. He looked around. Where were Rain and Aaron? The flush of a toilet gave him his answer. Rain burst out of the bathroom. "That was quick!" No one knew how long Edward would be. He was gone less than two hours. "Rain, I came back as soon as I could." He walked over to the bed, and gently touched the forehead of Justin. Much better. His fever had broken. "Don''t worry. I talked to the doctors. They''re keeping him overnight. If he feels better tomorrow, we can discharge him from the hospital." Rain was really good at dealing with these kinds of things. "Great! Thanks, Rain." Rain strode quickly to his side and put his hand on Edward''s forehead. Edward took a step back," What are you doing?" He looked at Rain as if he were a fool. "Checking for a fever!" Edward never thanked him before! But he suddenly thanked him today. That was unlike the proud man that he knew. "Very funny," said Edward. Edward knew exactly what he was thinking. They knew each other too well. "Aaron went back to the office. The YS group is giving us fits. She''s demanding new terms." Rain smiled. That gal was tough. She could make Edward so angry, and Rain never failed to find it amusing. "Again?" Edward''s brow wrinkled. ''Why is this woman so difficult to get along with?'' "I don''t know. When Aarones back, we''ll know more. Are you sure she''s not one of your exes?" Rain got that look in his eyes. He wanted Edward to dish. "Her? She''s way too crazy for me." Edward had suffered a lot because of that woman. He tried to push the hurt down inside him. "Edward, could it be that she''s mad at you for dumping her?" It was entirely possible. "Come on. Do you think I''m you? Do you have to work at not thinking, Rain, or does ite naturally?" Edward red at him coldly. "Alright, Edward! You made your point!" Edward made him look like a fool again! He''d never won when they argued. Why couldn''t he be shameless as Edward? "It''s possible, I guess. You can''t remember everyone you''ve been with." Rain added. He hoped that Edward could suddenly recall something. "Don''t you go home now?" Edward just ignored him and changed the subject. "I need to prepare something for Justin to eat. He didn''t eat much just now. He''ll probably be hungry when he wakes up." Edward had called Mrs. Wu before he met with Leo. She agreed to prepare some food, so he left, worried about one less thing. Chapter 26 The Desolation Of Edward "Didn''t he eat anything?" Edward''s handsome eyebrows were knitted with worry. "Only a few bites. He didn''t feel good." Rain Xia was anxious. He wanted to prepare some food for Justin. It was easier to recuperate with food in his belly. "I''ll call Mrs. Wu. She''ll cook up some supper. And then you can go bring it here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his mobile phone. He did so organically; it was a seamless, smooth maneuver. "You can go back and get the food." Rain said. "I think you have time to take a bath. Justin will probably be asleep for a while." He knew that Edward did not like being hot and sweaty. It was very ufortable for him. Edward had nned to ask Mrs. Wu to arrange clothes for him and have Rain bring them to him. If he just went there himself, he wouldn''t need to ask Rain. He could also catch a shower while he was there. "I''m headed back. Call me if something happens." He bent down to kiss Justin''s forehead, Then he was gone. "Go!" said Rain. "You''ve wasted enough time!" Rain Xia was confused. Why didn''t he know that his boss was so long-winded? When Edward arrived, he saw that Mrs. Wu had made porridge and appetizers. He also got the chance to shower, and felt much fresher afterward. After he toweled himself dry, it suddenly struck him that Justin was whispering something when he had a high fever. He then went to Justin''s room to get his phone. Justin could get through to his mother now. He took the phone and unlocked the screen to check the battery life. He found several missed calls. He clicked one and the screen disyed "Mommy". There was also a text message waiting for the phone''s owner. Edward looked at the message and hesitated. Finally, he decided to click it. It showed "Justin, what''s the matter with you? Why didn''t you answer? Didn''t you see the message I sent to youst night? I''m really worried about you. Call me back when you see this message." What he read was warm, like a tender spring breeze on his face. It was in direct contrast to the coldness she showed whenst they were together. Edward took the phone and went down the stairs. Luke called to him when Edward was about to take the food. "Sir, let me take it!" Luke took the supper and put them into the car. Edward knew that Luke would worry about his safety and follow him as it waste. He said nothing but follow Luke. "Luke, why are you doing this?" Edward was confused by Luke''s behavior. "Sir, Let me drive for you tonight!" Luke opened the car door grimly, deliberately. Edward looked at Luke''s face, and understood that he was being helpful, as always. Trying to anticipate Edward''s needs. Luke needed to learn to rx. He took his orders very seriously. Edward was merely a little tired today, Luke even didn''t allow him to drive. Luke drove the car sm oothly. But his cold face always had Edward doubting whether Luke was truly Duke''s brother. Why were both of them so stone cold? Edward looked through the car window, watching the rush of light and color that heralded the city''s nightlife. His chiseled face showed he was weary and jaded, yet he didn''t understand why. Watching lovers on the street, their hands sped and faces smiling, he couldn''t help but sigh. He hoped and dreamed he could also love someone deeply, hold her hands, age with her, smiling the whole time. Luke observed Edward quietly, seeing his destion, and felt sorry for him. Only Luke knew how lonely Edward was. Edward had been sent away from his parents to study abroad since childhood. Upon his return, his parents traveled the world. Despite his riches, he lived alone in therge vi. It was really lonely. So he dated different women in the past years. Once his son came here, he came home on time dutifully after work, eschewing the nightlife, not flirting with other women. He didn''t even make headlines in the Entertainment section anymore. Luke was happy to see him settle down, but didn''t know why he was so lonely tonight. Daisy Ouyang called Justin many times, but there was no answer. She worried a lot, trying to call him again even though it was sote. She wouldn''t be able to sleep until she talked to him. Edward entered the ward, and he heard the military song that served as the phone''s ringtone. "Why is it so loud?" he wondered. He recalled the ringtone being more mellow. Edward looked at the phone and saw the screen showed "mommy". Without a second thought, he answered, and heard the cold voice on the other end. "Justin, why didn''t you answer my call? Do you know how worried I am?" Daisy was rushed, immediately starting to chatter when Edward picked up. "Hello?" The masculine voice shocked Daisy. She almost dropped the phone. Things were tense, the atmosphere oppressive. Taking a deep breath, patting her own beautiful face, she started to say "hello! Can you tell me where Justin is, please!" Her tone was cold and distant, which matched her appearance. "Hold on a sec," Edward replied. He stepped into the ward quickly, passing the mobile phone to Justin, who was talking andughing with Rain. "It''s for you." Justin was confused to see his phone, the one he left at home. He smiled sweetly, since only his mother could call this phone. "Hi, Mommy! I miss you a lot. When are youing back?" He said. His voice went soft and high. It was obvious he was emotional. "Oh, Mommy misses you a lot too. Why didn''t you answer, though? Anything wrong?" She was still worried, though hearing Justin''s voice helped a little. "No. I just forgot my phone when I went out with Daddy." he lied. Justin didn''t want Daisy to know he was ill. Chapter 27 Why Cant You Like My Mommy "That''s good, but you sound strange." Daisy wrinkled her smooth forehead. "Haha! Mommy, you got me! I yelled a lot with my friends. My throat feels funny." Justin knew his mom was sharp. He wasn''t going to be able to get away with lying that easily. Edward and Rain looked at him in surprise. Why didn''t he tell his mother he was ill? "Oh! Be careful next time. And try not to use your voice a lot till it heals up. I''ll be back in a few days. It''ste, and I''ve got a bedtime with my name on it. Good night. Mommy loves you." There was a faint smile on Daisy''s face. She was never stingy with her patience and love for her son. But she never gave an inch to anyone else. "OK! Mommy, I love you, too. I''ll wait for you toe back! Bye!" When Justin hung up, his face was as rosy as usual. "Justin, your mother ising back." Rain was excited. ''Finally, I get to meet the mystery woman!'' Edward was quiet as he went about setting out the food. You might have told him an insurance agent wasing, for all the emotion he showed. But he was growing more curious about that woman by the minute. "Yes!" Justin''s voice cracked as his voice rose. "Mommy will be back in a few days, Uncle Rain. She is very beautiful. You''ll love her!" Justin said proudly. But he didn''t know that his words embarrassed both men. "Er -- Little one, I don''t really care if your mom is attractive or not." He nced at Edward secretly. She was his boss''s wife. There was no way. He would have a bad death if he dared to like his boss''s woman. Edward rxed. She was his wife. He didn''t need any rival for her affections. What was Justin thinking? "Why not? Although mommy is a cold beauty, she really has a kind heart. Don''t worry. She would never let you do push-ups." Justin looked at Rain innocently. Rain''s jaw dropped. Edward''s face showed concern as well. Jesus! ''Justin! You can''t talk about your mom and other men that way! Don''t you see the expression in your father''s eyes?'' The conversation brought some unfamiliar feelings to the fore. Edward felt pure jealousy the way Justin talked about his mom. Especially the sexual hints. He was totally caught off-guard. "Justin." Rain continued. "Let''s not talk about this, okay? It''s more than a little weird, and I don''t think about your mom like that." Rain needed to put his foot down. Edward was staring at him so intently as if it might burn a hole in his face. "Uncle Rain, why can''t you like my mommy?" Justin pouted. Edward almost spilled the porridge as he stared at Justin. Rain was visibly nervous. "All right. You tell me first. Why do I have to like her?" Rain indulged this little guy. He was hoping to shut this down before it got him in trouble. But why was Justin pushing so hard? "Because no one likes mommy except me! Many people like me. But no one likes mommy." he repeated. Justin was going to cry. Rain raised his head and cast a nce at Edward. Edward was astonished and couldn''t say a word. He just stood there. Edward felt a pain in his heart. Was it because of what Justin said, or the fact that his son was crying? "Justin, are you hungry?" Edward said atst. "Let''s eat!" Edward ignored Rain''s quizzical expression. "Yes. Justin, you need to eat. I need to get back. I''ll visit tomorrow." Rain said. ''Oh, no!'' Rain thought. He had to get out of there. Who knew what problems were waiting for him next? "Okay! Goodbye, Uncle Rain. Think about it when you''re back home, please." Rain thought he would make a quick exit. What Justin added almost made him trip. Edward looked at Rain. The man was red-faced and eager to get away from Justin and the topic his son insisted on talking about. Rain disappeared quickly. However, Justin smiled slyly. He wasn''t sad anymore! "Daddy, do you think Uncle Rain is funny?" Justin said those words deliberately. Mommy wasing back, and he wanted to see whether Edward liked his mother or not. So he yed with Rain to test his father. He only had to add some fuel to the fire. Then he would get the answer. "Justin, it''s impolite to make fun of your uncle Rain!" He realized that Justin was just teasing Rain. But he couldn''t shake the feeling that there was more than a little truth behind his words. He always felt that the little guy was up to something. Daisy was always quiet. At this moment, sitting quietly and looking into the distance, she fiddled with the phone there. Her cold face was full of mncholy. Missing him was like a rose. The thorns might cause pain, but the rose, like love, still smelled as sweet as ever. She was used to missing him, chasing him and waiting for him. Sometimes she felt too weary to love someone again, afraid that she could not help throwing herself into his arms, but she knew that the person in his arms could never be her. She missed him a lot, but she couldn''t see him. Oh, he appeared in newspapers and magazines, and she would quickly snatch up an issue in which he appeared. He smiled gently to the lovelydies around him. But this tenderness did not belong to her. She was his wife, but he was never concerned about her. No, he didn''t know. He never understood how painful it was when she missed him! He had even forgotten that there was such a woman in his life. He would never know how many sleepless nights she spent looking at Justin''s face for his shadow, trying to pick out all the things in Justin that reminded her of Edward. He would never know how much she wanted to throw herself into his arms when Justin was sick. She was a soldier, but she was also a woman. Like anyone, she wanted to be loved. But he was always an unreachable dream to her, and the only thing left was the endless pain when she woke up. Who said that secret love was beautiful, that it was happy? They were wrong. She never felt that way. Chapter 28 He Was Going Mad Today It was alreadyte at night, but Edward still couldn''t sleep. He couldn''t stop thinking about Leo''s strange behavior as well as Justin''s love towards his mommy. He admitted to himself that he had always been ruthless to women, especially for those who were totally irrelevant. But this was his legal wife. The mother of his child. There''s no way he could stay emotionless and uncaring anymore. She never asked about him on the phone, nor did she want to talk to him. But he wanted to learn more about her. This drove him nuts. They didn''t know about each other and didn''t even stand to be around each other for a long time. So why was he drawn to her? Panic rose in him and wrested for control. He needed to escape. Next morning, Rain and Luke arrived at the hospital at almost exactly the same time. They couldn''t be more different. Luke was introverted and calm, and Rain was outgoing and thought he was the bee''s knees. Luke hoped that Rain wouldn''t see him and quickened his pace. He felt embarrassed to be around the man. But Rain yelled after him. "Luke, stop! Wait up! Why are you running? There are no girls chasing you!" Luke thought to himself, ''I wouldn''t run if there were beautiful women behind me. But instead, it''s this clown!'' Thinking about this, Luke picked up the pace. ''Maybe he didn''t hear me.'' Rain thought. ''No way! He heard me!'' He remembered that Luke looked back at him, then sped up. "Go as fast as you like, Luke! I will chase you to the ends of the earth!" Rain yelled. People began to stare at them, which was exactly what Luke wanted to avoid. Luke felt tears well up inside. How could he have forgotten to burn incense this morning? He regretted that bitterly. If he had, he wouldn''t be in this mess. Rain was a devil, and Luke missed his chance to protect himself from evil. Rain got all dressed up that day. No one who came to the hospital would dress in that way. What''s more, he was holding a nice bouquet of red roses. Anyone who knew him, knew he was here to visit Justin. For those who didn''t, they might think the roses were gifts for Luke. How could they think anything else, as he chased after and screamed after Luke? ''Man, they''re going to think we''re a couple! Argh! I want to m that idiot into the wall!'' Luke thought. ''What kind of man would visit the hospital with roses as gifts? Especially for a little boy.'' They made noise all the way to the patient''s room. Luke quite calmly put away the things he brought along. However, Rain was angry. You could hear him before you saw him. "Damn it, Luke! Why did you run away from me?" Shit, you don''t deserve any response, Luke thought. Edward was already there. He looked at Luke and inquired silently about the matter. What was wrong with that dude, shouting and yelling so early in the morning? Luke was just about to answer Edward''s unspoken question when Rain rushed in. "Uncle Rain, are you going to take part in the peacocking contest? If not, why are you dressed all pretty like a flower?" Justin curiously stared at Rain, with his eyes smiling l ike a crescent moon. Looking at his outfit, Rain wondered if he were too ostentatious. Well, he admitted that his shirt was flowery, and his trousers were super loud. Yet, he was still far from as pretty like a flower, wasn''t he? "Dear boy, this is thetest trend! ept no imitations, and don''t be one of the sheeple!" Edward smiled in amusement. Luke was alsoughing. That outfit was ridiculous! "Uncle Rain, are you sure these are thetest fashions, instead of thetestdyboy costume?" Justin was in a good mood today. He wouldn''t miss the chance to tease Rain, especially in that getup. Rain had been asking for it. He had left in a hurryst night, when Justin wanted to use him to make his daddy jealous. "That''s in poor taste. Taking revenge now?" With clenched teeth, Rain looked at the little boy helplessly, who was smiling brightly in front of him. He regretted leaving suddenlyst night. Otherwise, Justin wouldn''t tease him like this. "How could an innocent boy like me know anything about revenge?" Rain had no idea that he would soon be dragged into the mire by Justin a second time. "Edward, your son''s bullying me. Shouldn''t you teach him a lesson?" That boy was far away from innocent. He was no better than a little devil. "Don''t you have better things to do?" Edward said coldly, with his thin lips moving slightly. However old he was, he still couldn''t get out of the habit of acting cute. "Ah! Uncle Rain, aboutst night''s question... Are you going to like my mommy or not?" Justin would never forget his original intention, which was to make Edward love his mommy again. "Um -- that is, you see -- Edward, I''m rather busy today. Lots of business proposals waiting for me! I gotta go now." He just won''t stop! The little guy was so persistent! He started thisst night, and Justin still fixated on this issue. Rain must be getting tired of living if he naively answered this tricky question. Did they really think he was an idiot to say that he liked his boss'' wife in front of Edward? "Uncle Rain, don''t rush off! At least, not before I get an answer!" Rain just flew out of the room. Damn! The little guy was just like his father, setting traps and waiting for him to jump in. "Wow!" Justin eximed. He turned to his father. "Mr. Mu, are my words scary?" Edwardughed. Not scary at all. Your uncle Rain was afraid of your daddy. "Leave him alone, he was going mad today." Edward was already used to the fact that his son would call him ''Mr. Mu'' now and then. So, he didn''t pay much attention to it. Luke found himself wondering what Rain would be like. Not surprisingly, Justin wouldn''t miss any chance to humiliate those who irritated him. He counted himself lucky that it wasn''t him who offended father and son. That would end badly for him. Justin was happy. He got the answer he wanted, that Daddy cared for Mommy at least a little. Otherwise, he wouldn''t humiliate Rain like that. Rain had no idea that he had been the sacrificialmb for Justin to mess with his Daddy''s head. Chapter 29 Mommy Cried Justin soon recovered from his illness. In only two days, he was alive and well again. He had no sign of sickness at all. "Mrs. Wu, shall we have c chicken wings today?" Justin was drooling over the chicken wings cooked by Mrs. Wu. They didn''t taste like those cooked by his mommy, but they tasted better. "Well, if you want to eat, I will cook them for you." Mrs. Wu was very fond of this little guy. He was not as spoiled as other children and he was so clever and thoughtful. Although he had always pissed Edward off, she still liked him very much. Anyway, she was not the one to be tricked. "Yeah! Mrs. Wu, I always know that you are the best to me." Justin was really good at pleasing people. "Justin, is Mrs. Wu the only one who is good to you?" Another servant -- Sunny -- said in a teasing way. "Well! I know that Sunny is good to me too, but you don''t know how to cook c chicken wings, do you? So Mrs. Wu is the best." ''Well, this little guy is a foodie, and whoever cooks something delicious for him is the best one.'' Sunny thought sourly. "Sunny, take Justin upstairs to y. I''ll call you when the meal is ready." Although the kitchen was big, she was still worried that Justin might be bumped. "Let''s go! Justin, if you keep saying those sweet words, the c chicken wings will not taste of c." Sunny smirked. "Sunny, why would they not taste like c?" If he didn''t understand, he had to ask. Every child knew this rule. "Because they would only taste of sweets! Don''t you know that how sweet your words are?" "Ah! Sunny, how could you make fun of me? I''m not ying with you anymore." Uttering these words, he ran upstairs. He was a little embarrassed. Mrs. Wu and Sunny burst intoughter. Justin was such an interesting boy. When he ran into his bedroom, his cell phone was ringing. He ran over happily to pick it up, Sunny''s teasing totally forgotten. "Hello! Mommy, when will you be back? I want to taste your cooking." The reason why he asked Mrs. Wu to cook c chicken wings was that he missed his mother''s culinary style. "OK! You are such a foodie. If nothing happens, I''ll be back tomorrow. I''ll cook delicious food for you." Daisy stared at thetest position report in front of her. Although she knew the result, she was still a little disappointed. That was why she was eager to seek thefort of her son. "Mommy, are you unhappy? Are you crying?" Justin could tell that Daisy''s voice was unusual. "No, Mommy just misses you so much." Daisy stopped talking, choked with sobs. Actually, she had an overwhelming urge to cry. The physical exhaustion and mental pressure pushed her further into the depths of depression. But she knew that she couldn''t cry and she could only endure with the dogged will. "Mommy, I miss you so much too. Don''t be sad. OK? I''ll make everything better." Justin''s eyes got red. He knew that his mom must be unhappy. He couldn''t cry because he was the only on e his mom could rely on. If he cried first, what should his mom do? "OK. Mommy doesn''t feel sad. I have my Justin with me." Daisy''s tears finally cascaded down her face. Her heart was fragile now. She just let the tears silently cover her delicate face. "Yes! Justin is always the guardian angel of mommy. So mommy, you have to be brave and you can see me tomorrow." Justin bit his delicate pink lips, so as not to let Daisy hear the tremble in his voice. "Well, Justin, I''ll see you tomorrow." She hung up the phone quickly and her tears ran faster over her face. She didn''t know what was wrong with her and why she became so emotional all of a sudden. This was not like her at all. Was it because she failed in the promotion? ''No. That''s just covering it up. I''ve bottled everything up so much that it finally poured out of me.'' Justin slowly set the phone down. He could not help bursting into tears. He wished he could be with mom now, so he could support her. He knew exactly how weary his mom had been for all these years, so he tried his best to obey. He never asked his mom to find his dad, nor did he mention him in front of her. Sometimes, when he saw other children ying with their dads, he envied them. He just had to endure. When Edward opened the door, he saw Justin was sitting on the ground with the phone in his hand, sobbing silently. His unusual behavior frightened him. He strode to him and scooped Justin into his arms quickly, holding him tight. "Justin, what''s wrong with you? Who upset you? Tell daddy." He picked up a tissue and tenderly wiped the tears from his face. "Daddy, what should I do? Mommy cried. She had never cried before. She must be very sad now." Edward stopped for a moment. His heart skipped a beat. "Did your mommy really cry?" ''What happened to that aloof woman? Why should she be so emotional in front of his son?'' Edward thought. "Yes! I heard it. Daddy, do you think mommy will be all right? I''m not with her. What should she do all by herself?" Thinking of this, Justin cried even more, sobs rocking his body. "Please don''t cry. I think your mom will be all right. Maybe she just missed you so much that she couldn''t help crying." Edward knew the reason was far-fetched, but he couldn''t find a better reason tofort his son, because his heart was in turmoil. "Daddy, really?" Justin looked at his dad in anticipation with tears in his eyes. He was uncertain. "Yes! I promise. Let''s wash your face and get some dinner." Edward took Justin to the bathroom and wetted a washcloth. He frowned and his dark eyes became darker. ''Isn''t she in the army?'' he thought. ''Was she hurt, so she became so emotional?'' Distracted by this, Edward dabbed too hard at Justin''s face. "Ouch!" Justin cried out and he looked at his father, his eyes asking "why?" "Oh! I''m sorry. Dad is distracted." Edward was out of sorts. ''What was happening to me? Why do I lose it where that woman is concerned?'' Chapter 30 Its Me, Edward Kevin Gu stood quietly, looking at the woman who was crying her heart out in the corner. He thought she was strong, but he was so wrong. She definitely had times where she broke down, crying hard, giving in to feelings of loneliness and helplessness. His heart felt tight in his chest. How he wished he could just let go, hold her in his arms, feel her heartache, and never let her go. But he was not the one she wanted. He never envied anyone before, but now he longed to be the one she cried for. Because that would prove how important he was to her. His love withered before it had bloomed. Edward kept flipping the phone in his hand, hesitant to press the green key. He didn''t know what he was going to say when he finally got through. ''Will she answer?'' He got her number from Justin after the meal because he worried about her. However, he was not brave enough to call her. Daisy did not know how long she had been crying, but she knew that her eyes must be red and swollen. How embarrassing! How could she go out in public tomorrow? They would definitely think that she cried because she did not get the promotion. What a shame! She gently patted her face and tried to reduce the embarrassment. Suddenly the phone rang in this quiet room, shattering the silence. She picked up the phone and saw an unfamiliar number. Who would call at this hour? She frowned. She pressed the answer key unconsciously and slowly moved the phone close to her ear. "Hello? Daisy speaking." She resumed her cold voice. "It''s me, Edward." Regardless of how he felt, she was still his wife. The reason was that simple. He wanted to know why she had cried. Daisy''s jaw dropped. She went stiff and her hands started shaking. This was the first time he had called for so many years following a good cry. She dared not think of it before. For the moment she was speechless. "Hello? Are you okay? Talk to me, please." The coldness had left his voice, now possessing a maism that tickled her eardrum and sent that tingle right through her heart. "Yes. I''m all right. Anything happens to Justin?" Why had he called her sote? Her son was the only reason she could think of. "Justin is fine. I heard that you were crying. What happened?" Edward''s words hit a nerve with her. Her eyes were filled with tears again. Did she dare think that he cared for her? Could it be? "Is that why you called?" Though she knew it was impossible, she could not resist asking. "Justin said you were sad. He was afraid something bad happened." He wanted to tell her so badly that he was also worried about her. "No, really. I''m okay. I''m just missing Justin. Really." Daisyughed at herself. She still took herself too seriously. If it wasn''t for Justin, he would never call. "Okay then. I''m d to hear you''re alright. Get some sleep, okay? Good night." Without waiting for her response, he hurriedly hung up th e phone and threw himself into the big soft bed, grabbing his hair with annoyance. It was not his original intent, but why did it change when he heard her voice? Was it because of her indifference and alienation? So he didn''t want to show that he was concerned for her. Daisy was still in a state of shock, too confused to know whether she had had a call. Shaking her head, she sighed. She was too proud to be vulnerable in front of him. She walked, deliberately keeping away from the crowds She didn''t want people to find her in this state, preferring to be alone. But someone did not let her do so. "Colonel, you''re here. I''ve been looking for you for a while." Mark Du was panting and out of breath. It''s obvious he had run to meet her. "What''s up?" She didn''t want Mark to see her red eyes, and deliberately shielded her gaze with her military cap. "There''s a campfire tonight on the training grounds. And we''re gonna leave tomorrow. Mr. Gu wanted you to join them." Mark was excited. He was looking forward to the party. "I''m not going. I still have a lot of things to do. And it''s not appropriate, as I am the only woman here." All Daisy wished for at the moment was to take a shower, and then slip into aa. She felt like she could sleep for a week. "Colonel, let''s go together. You said yourself that there''s no distinction between men and women in the army, only the difference between the weak and the strong." Mark secretly nced at Daisy''s red eyes, and grew worried. "Mark, just go. Have fun. I''m not in a partying mood." All she wanted at that moment was to be alone. "But Mr. Gu said you have to go." Mark murmured. Daisy put a hand to her forehead helplessly, and she paled. Why would Kevinmand her to go? "Alright. Give me a minute. Let me wash up first. Then we can go and have a look." "Yes, Colonel. I''ll wait here for you." Mark knew that she needed to change. They could hear bursts ofughter before they reached the training ground. The pleasant atmosphere rxed Daisy somewhat. It was a truism that soldiers in the army were enthusiastic. "Daisy! You''re finally here!" Kevin approached Daisy as soon as he saw her. "Soldiers cannot disobey their orders!" she said stiffly. "You havemanded that I attend this party, and I dare not disobey you." Sometimes Daisy would be naughty to tease Kevin. She adopted an exaggerated pose, standing at attention. "There is no other way. I know you won''te if I don''t give an order. I had to pull rank." He knew Daisy was teasing him. He was d to indulge her as long as she was happy. "Aren''t you afraid to go to Grand Council due to the abuse of your power?" She always felt at ease in front of Kevin, though she didn''t know why. Being with him was like having a big brother next door. She never felt she had to keep him at arm''s length. She could drop the act and just be herself. Chapter 31 I Dont Mind for You "I don''t mind going to the Grand Council for you." Kevin Gu stared at her with his blue eyes. His gaze smoldered with so much passion that Daisy could not make eye contact. "Mr. Gu, don''t fool me. I don''t want to be murdered by your admirers." Kevin was acting strangely, which raised her stress level. That had never happened before. "Are you scared?" Kevin, acutely aware of her reaction, could not help but feel depressed. ''Daisy, is there only room for one in your heart?'' "What''s on the agenda tonight? I haven''t been to such a lively party for a long time." Daisy deliberately changed the topic. Her heart was beating fast at the moment. She was not familiar with this side of Kevin. She wanted to keep her distance, and she didn''t know why. "Well, let''s go and have fun. I''m sure you''ll have a good time." He knew that she was trying to pull away, so he stopped flirting. He didn''t want her to be ufortable and withdraw into herself, so he gave Mark an order toe over. But she still didn''t notice his tender love. "Let''s go then!" Daisy felt defeated. Kevin''s words were full of suggestions, and his eyes were so weird. He was fixated on her. What would she do now? Kevin was dejected. He sadly watched her join the rest of the group. Was he a dreadful monster in her eyes? Why did she run off so fast? Although Daisy was ying with them, she still squinted at him from time to time, with puzzlement in her eyes. He was so casually leaning on the tree, looking a bit lonely. He just got a promotion. Major General, now. So why did he look so unhappy? Kevin was destined to be a reticence. He had never been so depressed like this before. Edward snorted and emptied the ss. He didn''t stop to savor the cool liquid. "When did you be so interested in me? Or are the rumors true?" Edward had an evil glint in his eye. Edward would never forget how bent out of shape Duke got when he pretended to flirt with him. He figured he might poke that old wound. "Edward, the more yoush out, the harder it will be to help you. I''m not going to force the issue. You don''t want to talk about it, fine!" Duke kept his own counsel. It made no sense to force Edward to talk. His friend would talk about it when he was ready. "What game are you ying?" Rain looked at them, lost for the moment. "No game. Drink your wine!" Edward nced at him irritably, poured some wine into his own ss, and then leaned back into the sofa, gracefully swinging his long legs. "Alright. Don''t tell me then. I don''t want to know. No need to be so mysterious." Rain looked at them, annoyed. This was between Edward and Duke, and no one else would understand. Chapter 32 Lothario Chapter 32: Lothario "What''s it like to fall in love?" Edward''s slender fingers flipped his wine ss rhythmically. He slouched back in his chair and squinted at them with a faint smile. "Are you serious? Who are you in love with, boss?" Rain was so shocked that he lost his grip on his ss and spilled some cognac, staining his shirt. He wiped it off and stared in disbelief at Edward. Duke didn''t overreact, although he was also shocked by Edward''s words. His cold eyes glistened and his mind started turning gears. "Who can I fall in love with? I''m just curious about it." Edward apparently knew how stunned they were upon hearing his words. He could easily tell from their reaction. And he wanted to keep things light, and maybe not delved too deeply, but the topic was so astonishing that no one would let him go that easily. "Edward, Just say it. Who are you in love with? Tell us and we can give you some suggestions." Rain was always so interested in that kind of gossip. He would not give up until he got an answer. "Look at the women around me. What kind of woman do you think I''d fall in love with?" Edward would never let them know his heart, before he knew exactly what kind of feeling it really was. It was impossible for him to expose his feelings to them, even they were his best friend, at least not now. "Now that you ask this question, I''m sure that you have someone in mind. But I don''t know if she''s the same one I''m thinking of." Duke said casually and cast a nce at him. "Well then. It seems that Mr. Duke knows me so well that you even know wh ou are the first woman who dared to hit me. You''d better give me a good excuse, or else!" She felt his hot breath and shivered. She was Belinda Shangguan. How dare this evil man threaten her? "I just hit you, Lothario, so what?" And moreover, where was Edward? He was just here. She saw him. How could he disappear as soon as she got here? Did he have an invisibility cloak? Haha! He didn''t have an invisibility cloak but he had a flying car, so Belinda could not find him. "What? I''m Lothario? If I remember correctly, you are the one who fell into my arms." Duke looked at the woman in front of him furiously and fought the urge to kill her. Why didn''t she look at herself in the mirror? What made her so confident? "Even if I ran into you, you shouldn''t have assaulted me." Belinda wore heavy makeup, arge shirt and a pair of old fashioned ck frame sses. Any good looks she might have had were covered thoroughly. She was as attractive as a middle-aged woman -- which is to say not at all. No wonder Duke would be so angry. Chapter 33 You Know Each Other "What? You think I flirted with you? Look at you, do you think I have any interest in you?" Duke looked at her with utter contempt and shook his head to show how terrible she was. "I look terrible. So what? You still hugged me!" Belinda exploded with anger. This jerk was judging her by her appearance. If her dad hadn''t forced her into a blind date with a man, she wouldn''t have needed to scare him away with such wretched looks. It was not that she loved to look terrible. However, she was afraid that her dad would nag about what she had done, so she didn''t dare to go home, although it was quitete now. "Ha! Are you kidding me? Do you think I wanted to do that? I was just kind enough to help you when you were falling, or I wouldn''t have touched you at all." Duke looked coldly at the chick who turned on him. If his eyes could shootser beams, she would have been incinerated. Only he knew how hard she had pped him as his cheek was still burning. Belinda hesitated for a while without a word. It appeared that what he had said was actually right. She knew she shouldn''t have pped him, but she wouldn''t apologize for that. Even if she had been wrong then, that didn''t mean he was a good guy. Look how fierce he was now. "Anyway, you shouldn''t have hugged me." Belinda argued and insisted that she did nothing wrong. We could already tell howpetitive she was from her arguments with Edward. She would never admit that she was wrong. His face clouded, and his fists were so tight that blue veins stood out on them. Thanks to his ability to control himself, Duke didn''t punch her. He had never known an unreasonable woman like her. Damn it! He should leave now and stop arguing with her like an idiot. With that, Duke took a deep breath, trying to calm down. He flicked at the ces that Belinda had touched on his coat, as if there were something dirty to remove. Then he gl ink I need to check it in person? Anyone who isn''t blind can tell you''re adyboy." So those who couldn''t were all blind. With his lips curving in a masculine smile, Duke nced at the girl who looked bold and different now. He was wondering what kind of a beauty she would be without her makeup. "Are you always sopetitive, Miss Belinda?" Rain smiled instead of getting angry. Life was too boring. Sometimes he could have some fun fighting with a hot-tempered chick like her. "Nope, just around guys like you." ''Humph! I don''t like you. So what?'' "With all due respect, could you please tell me when guys like me offended you, Miss Belinda?" Rain was curious, and when he was curious, he would ask any questions he had. He would definitely get to the bottom of the stuff that he didn''t understand. "Birds of a feather flock together. Do you know the saying? It means that you guys are not any better. You hang about with that bastard Edward all day." With that, she stalked off. Rain wondered why Belinda had to leave before them every time. Duke watched her, lost in thought. ''Coteral damage.'' he thought. ''I think our reputations just suffered coteral damage. We''re not any better? Because of Edward? What does it have to do with Edward?'' Chapter 34 Can You Teach Me FX International Group was always jumping in the morning. Staff shuffled from ce to ce, some carrying files, others the mail, and still others their morning coffee. The clicks of keyboards and beeps of freshly bootedputers filled the air. There was the unmistakable smell of clean carpets and printer dust. Yet no matter how busy they were, thepany was never messy nor noisy -- a unique working atmosphere. Mary Ouyang showed up in the lobby of FX International Group in a sexy outfit. Her mini-skirt perfectly disyed her long legs; the low-cut top revealed the curve of herrge breasts; the curly hair cascading to her shoulders added more charm; and the make-up ttered her overall. "Hello. I''m Mary of Ouyang Foreign Trade. I have an appointment with your CEO." Her voice was clear and flirtatious. Her face wore a sweet smile. "Hello, Miss Mary. I need to report to the secretary division first." Receptionists always fawned over these richdies. After all, maybe one day one of them would be the CEO''s wife. Mary nodded with a smile, behaving perfectly as the daughter of a well-to-do family. Furthermore, she needed to make a good impression on the employees of FX International Group so that she would have free ess to thepany. The Knocking on the door disrupted Edward''s work. He slightly frowned, leaned back, then said with some discontent. "Come in." he said, his voice thick with consternation. Then he took the coffee from the table and gave it a sip. "Mr. CEO, Miss Mary is here to see you." Anna cast a nce at Edward and whispered,"What? Mary?" Edward knew she woulde, but he never expected that she woulde so soon. "Yes, it''s Miss Mary. Should we let her in?" Anna replied calmly. That poise reflected her professionalism as a secretary. "Fine. Let her in." talking more normally. "Anna,e inside." he ordered coldly. He didn''t even look at Mary. "Mr. CEO, what''s the matter?" Anna walked in speedily, just like the way she worked. "Anna, Miss Mary will learn the corporate management procedures from you. You need to teach her patiently." "I understand, Mr. CEO. Miss Mary, let''s go." Anna would do everything Edward told her without asking why. That''s also why he gave Mary to her. If it is Mr. Qiao or Mr. Xia, they would get to the bottom of it. He didn''t want to waste the time. "Em. You can go now. Miss Mary, I wish you a happy stay with ourpany." Edward said with a smile. He looked seriously at Mary, making her heart racing fast. She wanted him even more eagerly. "Thank you, Edward." Mary coyly walked out behind Anna. She was happy to stay here. Edward looked at Mary''s figure quite confusedly. He didn''t know what Mary really wanted. If what she wanted was him, she should give up the idea already, because he was her brother-inw. And It was also unbelievable that Leo sent another daughter here. Had Leo forgotten that he was already the husband of one of his daughters? Or how else should Edward interpret all his unusual and absurd moves? Chapter 35 The Persian With Curly Hair Where there are women, there are gossips. It''s like smoke and fire. They go well together. Mary believed in this truism as well, so she bonded with her co-workers quickly. All women. All willing to whisper the juiciest tidbit of gossip into the ears of their friends. The moment Justin and Luke came in, they saw Mary talking andughing happily with the other women. ''Edward, why is that woman working here?'' Justin was very angry and burst into the CEO''s office, taking Edward aback. Other secretaries flooded out of their offices to see what the ruckus was. "Justin, why are you here?" Edward was more curious about why he hade, rather than his intrusion. "Edward, why is that gossipy woman working here?" Justin said. ''Darn it! I thought that he''d changed the way he operated! But apparently he changed on the surface to fool everyone, and then took beautiful women to hispany on the sly.'' "Who?" Edward looked at his angry son with confusion. Oh! Edward had forgotten about Mary, who was an incredible beauty. "Don''t y dumb. That woman out there. The exotic one that looks like a Persian with curly hair!" Justin said angrily with hands on his hips. "Oh! You''re talking about Mary!" Edward finally understood who Justin was referring to. "You don''t know her?" Edward asked. He was confused that Leo didn''t know Justin, and now he was even more confused to find Justin didn''t know about Mary. "Why should I know such a kittenish woman?" Justin rolled his eyes. ''Unli st enough." ''It doesn''t matter if we''rete. I won''t y around with our lives.'' "Yes ma''am." Mark said. Mark drove the car silently, and nced at her through the rear view mirror in the car asionally. He had got used to her silence, a silence which often made people ignore her. Despite her silence, Daisy was not calm at all. She was thinking about how to exin the situation with Justin to Edward, since she had promised that she would when she came back. She touched her face nervously, pouting her lips, looking at the phone and nning to call Justin and take him away secretly. But she soon gave up the idea when she nced at her military uniform. That uniform meant duty. She had a duty to meet hermitment. Mark looked at her, surprised at his own feelings. She could be shy like any woman, which belied her cold demeanor while on duty. But he had to say she was much lovelier than before. ''These feelings are going to get me into trouble.'' he thought to himself. Chapter 36 How Poor You Are Mary stared at the little guy who suddenly appeared in front of her. She pointed at him with a frightened look. This little guy resembled Edward so much. She was too shocked to say a thing. Since Mary had only recently returned from abroad, she had no clue Edward had a son. "Auntie, you must be poor!" Justin said to her with a sly smile on his face. He ignored her shocked expression. "Listen! Just who the hell are you to say a thing like that, brat?" How could Mary know that the little guy in front of him had been the lead story in newspapers and magazines for almost two months? They couldn''t figure out who Justin''s mother was. The mystery became the exclusive scoop that all newspapers and magazines wanted to get. They couldn''t even track anyone down who had been involved with Edward. It seemed that Edward had changed from a yboy to a family man all in one night. They all believed that the woman who changed Edward was out there somewhere, but they had zero leads on how to find her. "You must be poor, though! The temperature is so low here, but your skirt is so short. Don''t you feel cold? Auntie, don''t you have any money to buy clothes? Do you want me to lend you some money? I don''t have much, but I think it''s enough for you to buy a decent dress. And I''m not called brat. I have my own name. Please remember that. I''m Justin Mu." Of course it was cold now. He specifically asked the man in the temperature-control room to turn the dial down to around ten degrees. He even put an extra coat on so he wouldn''t be cold. Anna smiled slightly. Justin was such an evil little boy. How could he make fun of others and look so in s office, he heard Mary''s words which made him very unhappy. Daisy taught him well. That was why sometimes he just let him y pranks. He knew that Justin just wanted to revenge on him for being absent so many years. "I didn''t mean that, Edward. I was just surprised." Mary wore a forced smile in embarrassment. "I think Miss Ouyang just surprised me instead." What did Edward mean? Her own nephew was standing in front of her, but she did not know him. ''I''m guessing that would be surprising to Edward.'' she thought. "What, Edward? I don''t know what you mean." Mary would not meet Edward''s gaze. She thought Edward was surprised because she scolded the little guy. Instead she was upset that she hadn''t stayed calm just now. She would have a lot of chances to bully the little guy in the future, she thought. "You don''t need to know, Miss Ouyang." Edward was immediately dismissive. Besides, he was more concerned by the fact that Daisy wasing for a visit. "Justin, let''s go. Daddy''s taking you to lunch." He took his son''s little hand and walked away without looking at Mary at all. Chapter 37 Offended Mr. Mu "God! I''m freezing! Who was the jerk that messed with the air conditioner?" Rain Xia yelled and rushed out of the office. It seemed that he was eager to find out who did this and was going to kill him. Edward stopped and gave Rain a cold eye. Rain was confused and wondered if he had done something that offended him. Of course! Of course he had offended him! Because that so-called ''jerk'' was Edward''s son, so how could Edward not be angry? "Edward, you''re here! Wow! And with Justin too! When did Justine here? Why didn''t youe see me?" Rain put on a sharine smile. Everyone could tell that he was buttering them up. Justin rolled his eyes, thinking why couldn''t this man act like a normal person? Why did he behave so oddly every time Justin showed up? "Uncle Rain, do you have a problem with daddy? If not, howe you just noticed him? He was there a long time!" What he said would affect both Edward and Rain. How dare Edward hire that woman? How dare Rain call him jerk? Killing two birds with one stone, that was his favorite thing to do. "Justin, Did I offend you today? Don''t start with me again!" Rain was pissed off. He couldn''t figure out how he had offended both of them. Could anyone give him a reason? He was always left out. This time he wouldn''t stand for it. He would know what was going on. "You didn''t offend me. But you offended Mr. Mu." Justin wore a bright smile on his face. His smile was as beautiful as a blooming flower. Rain scratched his head. Did he really offend him? Why didn''t he realize it? "Edward, I didn''t even talk to you today, so how did I offend you? I just..." Rain almost cried! He finally knew what was going on here. Justin was all dressed up. He should have known that only Mr. Mu and his son had the right to adjust the air conditioner however they wanted! No wonder that Mr. Mu stared him with th pester his daddy, everything was OK, because Mr. Mu could only belong to his mommy. If other women wanted to get close to his daddy, they should get his permission first. Mr. Mu! Did you know your kid already has your future nned out? He had you wrapped around his little finger. As soon as they entered the private room, Rain checked the menu. He was going to make up for being stuck with the billst night. Justin rolled his eyes for the second time. ''Uncle Rain was so disrespectful!'' Because Justin was hungry, and he should order first! "Miss Ouyang, please have a seat! Order whatever you like." Mr. Mu! You finally noticed her this time. She was beginning to wonder if she were invisible. "Sure. Edward, you can call me Mary! You don''t have to be so formal." Mary was annoyed when Mr. Mu called her Miss Ouyang. It felt like they were strangers and she really didn''t like this feeling. The truth was that because of Daisy, Mary and Edward were absolute strangers. It would be awkward if Edward didn''t give her the cold shoulder. "Daddy, could I have an ice cream?" Justin interrupted this exchange deliberately. ''Daddy only belongs to mommy, and not to this woman who was obviously starting to flirt.'' Saved by the boy! Chapter 38 Refugee "No, you need to eat dinner first. You''ll get a tummy ache." Edward was very stubborn about certain things, like now -- when he said no, he meant no. He would not budge. "Okay." The little boy never really wanted any ice cream. He just wanted to vent his anger and divert Edward''s attention away from Mary. Rain, on the other hand,pletely ignored what was happening around. He was too busy finding all the expensive, delicate and light food on the menu. The bar tab had cost him plentyst night! He was going to make sure that he ate well enough to make up for that. Edward surely knew what Rain was thinking. But he kept quiet and just let Rain keep grinding his ax. He had more money than patience, after all. But when all the dishes were served, he was shocked. It was far too much. There was no way they could finish all of the food. He may be rich, but waste was no good virtue. "Uncle Rain, are you sure you can eat all of this?" Justin looked at him excitedly. He really expected Rain to answer. He was still young, and believed the world revolved around him. "No, I can''t eat them all. But I want to try a little of everything." Rain said in a careless way. He just wanted to taste them all. Anyway there was no rule that whoever ordered had to finish the dishes. Unbelievable! ''Rain, if you can''t eat that much, why did you order them? Don''t you know waste is a vice? I want to try them as well, but I won''t order that much.'' Justin protested in his mind. "Uncle Rain, you are shameless. Wasting food is a bad thing." Justin stared at him sarcastically as if he was some convicted criminal. "I am not as brazen as Edward." Who could be more brazen than Edward?! Edward was embarrassed. He did nothing. Why did Rain get him involved? Rain was too focused on one upmanship. He let ." Mark was Daisy''s entourage, so he need to help manage her life as well. "Okay. You can go now. You won''t be needed for the meeting." Then she turned around and walked to the office building. Her shadow elongated under the sun. Before even entering, Daisy heard themander''s boisterousughter. He seemed to be in good mood today. "Daisy! Finally you''re here. Come in. We''re all waiting for you." Themander said happily at the sight of Daisy. He loved the fact that she waspetent and no-nonsense. She was as good as a man. All her grades were excellent. "Commander, sorry to keep you waiting." Daisy said with a smile. She and themander were more like friends than leader and subordinate. Usually, he didn''t think of her as amander, but an intimate friend. "That''s all right. You are the only woman here after all. That''s your privilege, right?" Themanderughed generously, setting the whole crowd bursting intoughter. Daisy instantly blushed. She was too coy and embarrassed to say anything. So she just lowered her head timidly, sat beside Kevin and nodded at him in greeting. The crowd knew she was quite introverted, so they wouldn''t mind her cold response. Chapter 39 Shell Come Tomorrow Kevin hadn''t taken his eyes off of Daisy since she hade in. He had been kind of upset at her attitudest night. That was why he had decided to leave without her this morning. Actually, he had been trying to avoid her for fear that he would say something stupid to her again. Daisy knew nothing about his concerns. She just wondered why he was acting so weird today, not realizing it had anything to do with what happenedst night. "What took you so long?" Kevin frowned and asked. He wasn''t angry, but worried. "Because I had to deal with something." Daisy answered simply. She knew what he had been talking about. If the Hummer hadn''t broken down on the way, she wouldn''t have been sote. Just as Mark had expected, It was quite a long meeting -- it went till 5 pm. Daisy was really worried that she wouldn''t be able to pick up Justin before Edward left his office. "Mrs. Daisy, hold on. Just a minute." Daisy heard that as she was rushing to leave. She frowned and stopped there, wondering ''what now?'' "Anything else, sir?" Daisy sounded anxious. "Did you hear what I said?" The girl had gone too far. She hadn''t heard a thing he said. "What? You said the meeting was over, didn''t you?" Daisy was confused. She looked at themander with her head tilted. "Ha! You weren''t actually listening, then. I said we''re having a party to celebrate your victory. I''m ordering everyone to attend." With that, he turned and walked out of the meeting room before Daisy could say anything. Her mood darkened. She couldn''t go and pick up Justin now! ''I want to see you, Justin. But mymander won''t let me go.'' J now the boy was staring at her with a smile. "Got it. Mr. Su, please go and tell him I''ll be there soon." She needed a bath after that long journey. Themander would have to wait. "Yes, madam. Pleasee ASAP, or he will send someone else for you." Everyone here knew that theirmander was an impatient man, but Daisy always kept him waiting, which annoyed him. "Okay! I will. Thank you, Mr. Su." Daisy knew what hermander was like. Sometimes she just tried to annoy him on purpose, because most of time he didn''t have any good reason she should be there. "No problem. Madam, I gotta go." With that, he ran off. Daisyughed at herself and shook her head. She walked to the dorm in ten minutes time. Firth floor. Her ce. It was not a big space, but the atmosphere inside was so warm that you wouldn''t imagine a cool girl like her was living here. After a quick shower, Daisy slipped into a summer uniform withoutbing her hair. Just then, she heard a knock on her door. ''Who?'' she thought, and opened the door. She was surprised to see Kevin standing there. Chapter 40 Are You Enchanted By Me "Mr. Kevin, what brings you here?" Daisy Ouyang didn''t expect to see him here. "Well, I have been sent by the Commander. He told me that you wouldn''t obey themand Unless we use special power," Kevin jested. His robust body leaned against the door and his face wore a sly smile. Kevin''s charming appearance reminded Daisy of Edward. She had seen Edward smile with a simr slyness on lots of magazines, a smile that could allure people without their realization. At this moment, Kevin was giving Daisy Ouyang the same feeling, a feeling that made her blush. Kevin noticed her looking at him with a vacant look and his heart was mercilessly crushed by something. He knew that she was thinking of someone else then. "Daisy Ouyang, why are you being so mean to me? It''s one thing to not recognize my love for you but thinking of another man when you are looking at me is just... just torturous. Am I really a man to be ridiculed, for you?" Kevin''s face became pale with anger and he clenched his fists tight. However, he still managed to keep the sly smile and the smile became even brighter. If someone was to end up hurt Chasing the one they loved, he hoped that it would never be her. "What, are you enchanted by me?" Kevin mocked. Kevin''s deep eyes were full of tenderness. Daisy couldn''t tell if he was being serious or just joking. Daisy panicked for a while but managed to calm down. She put a beautiful smile on her face and her awkwardness shed away without either of them noticing. "Yeah! You are good-looking and any girl could be attracted to the charms of a handsome man. I am no exception." Since he had seen through her mind anyway, it would be better to admit, she thought to herself. "Well, I am wondering if I am lucky to have you go with me." Kevin chuckled and tried to seem pleasant. "You are, indeed very handsome, after all, so I am thinking - why not?" she said in a coquettish tone. If he wanted to y word games, she was more than willing to join him. "Miss Daisy, since you are doing me the honor of going with me, I think it''s best that I am obedient to you." It was rare to see this rocess was and he admired and respected her for this. He knew that she had got married. Because if she got pregnant before marriage, she would be expelled from the military. He never asked her who the father of her child was. He wasn''t going to let himself be involved in this affair, for he respected her privacy. Daisy Ouyang drank a lot that night, as many officers kept proposing toasts to her. She epted all their toasts because she did not want to be thought of as cold and distant. As a result, she got a little drunk and her face became more and more fascinating as she blushed. Seeing her drunk, slightly hurt Kevin''s heart. He had helped her drink lots of wine, but he did Not dare to help her much fearing people may figure out that he liked her. At any rate, she continued to drink more. Mark Du kept looking at her and he seemed to be worried about Daisy, judging by the look on his face. The reason was that he knew Daisy Ouyang would get drunk easily. These officers were going too far. As soon as the Commander left, they started to propose toasts to her. Obviously, they did this on purpose to spite her because they were not happy with the special treatment she received from the Commander. Little did they know that this was not the case. The Commander gave her no special treatment. She had achieved all her sess through her own determination and hard word. They couldn''t treat her this way. Chapter 41 I Am Her Husband Daisy stumbled and missed her footing in her state of inebriation when Mark held her and propped her up. All Kevin could do was wear a cold look and frown inwardly. He wanted to be the one standing next to her, the one to hold her steady when she was unstable. s, he couldn''t. After all, they were in the military now, where a person''s demeanor and maintaining the decorum mattered a lot. He didn''t care much for his reputation, but he could never risk hers. Kevin cast a sharp and disdainful nce at the crowd at the table before gracefully standing Up. As he quietly walked out, his cold look was quite perplexing. Daisy kept stumbling along the family building on their way back, but Mark held her steady and helped her onto the sofa. All the while, deep down he still felt indignant. ''Why didn''t colonel get promoted?'' He brewed some tea for her hangover, lest she wake up with a terrible headache the next morning. "Mark, where is my phone?" She was too busy following Kevin along and had forgotten about her phone. With that question, Daisy began groping around for her phone. She nearly fell on the floor from being too drunk. This startled Mark and he stopped brewing the tea and came over to put her on the bed. "Colonel, you stay there. I will help you find the phone." Mark found her phone on the table and went back to brew his tea. When the phone rang, Edward was dealing with the files in his study room. Without looking at the caller ID, he answered the phone, because that was his personal phone and only few rtives knew this number. "Hi. Justin, are you awake? Justin?" A dazed and slurring voice came when the call got through. Edward checked the caller ID in confusion. Surprisingly, it turned out to be Daisy. "Justin is asleep. It''s Edward." Edward was a bit angry. Daisy had called him, but asked for their son. He didn''t know that Daisy was so drunk that she had dialed Edward''s number by ident. "He is sleeping? Hmmm... Even I should sleep now." Delirious as she was, she dozed off on the couch, without even hanging up the phone. Edward looked at the phone in bewilderment uburb. Luke trailed him perplexedly. He wondered why Edward hade to the suburb. At full speed, the car soon arrived at the dorm in the base. But Edward was stopped by a soldier on duty. That was when Edward realized the abnormality of his action. He hadn''t even noticed that the address was in the military base. He scratched his head in despondency, upset with his strange and unreasonable behavior. However, since he was already here, he did not want to go back without his doubts rified. So, he took out the phone and dialed Daisy''s number. "I can''t get in. Come and get me, I''m downstairs," he said. Mark had just answered the call when he heard Edward ordering him right away. His voice was even colder than the Colonel''s. Edward hung up without waiting for Mark''s answer. Actually, he hung up so quickly because he was afraid of being refused. Mark rolled his eyes at the phone angrily. This man was bossy. He wondered what he would look like. Daisy had awoken and thrown up. Mark let her drink the tea to help her sober-up. She didn''t Seem to be able to sleep well. Mark looked at her worriedly, then, slowly went downstairs. His dy was purposeful. After all, her husband hadn''t appeared for ages. He meant to y rough to this man. He meant to keep him waiting anxiously downstairs to teach him a lesson. Besides, he was not even certain that this man was indeed the Colonel''s husband. Chapter 42 My Wife Edward had been waiting for a long time, leaning against the car door. He sighed in relief when he saw a man, dressed like an officer,ing out, because he was not the man that Edward had seen in the photo. The moment Mark Du reached the gate, he noticed Edward, because of the dazzling car Edward was standing next to. Mark Du looked him up and down and noticed that this man had a fair skin and an angr face with ck eyes, bushy eyebrows, high nose and beautiful lips, which showed grace and nobility. ''Oh! No wonder he is so arrogant! He turns out to be qualified to behave like this. His temperament does overwhelm everyone around, let alone the fact that he drove this irrationally expensive car. But why do I feel like I have met him before?'' Mark thought. "Hello, I am Edward Mu." Edward introduced himself first, looking at Mark Du''s dull expression. "Well. Hello, Mr. Mu! I''m the apanying officer for Colonel Daisy. you can call me Mark. Could you show me your credentials before I can let you in?" Mark Du came to himself and asked professionally. Edward was prepared. He handed over all the required documents, including the marriage licence that he had picked up in the spur of the moment. Mark Du looked them over and was shocked by his identity. ''This man is the renowned CEO of FX International Group in S City! No wonder he seems familiar.'' Mark had always seen the man''s photographs in the newspapers at the Colonel''s home. He didn''t remember him distinctly because he seldom paid much attention to the finance section. The credentials reminded him of who Edward was. ''No wonder the Colonel took Justin to that tallmercial building that day. It turns out to be FX International Group. I thought the Colonel entrusted Just delicate and even more beautiful when she was drunk and no longer cold. Edward picked her up and took her out of the room and closed the door with difficulty. Daisy Ouyang slept soundly and didn''t have a clue of anything. Edward began to anticipate her reaction the next morning when she found out that she wasn''t in her room. Luke saw Edward embracing someone and walking out. He walked towards him. The soldiers saluted to Daisy Ouyang, despite the fact that she was sleeping. They passed unobstructed by anyone as Mark had instructed the soldiers in the regard. Edward nodded to them in gratitude. "Who is she?" Luke was confused about the identity of the woman in Edward''s arms. He didn''t realize it was his wife since he hadn''t seen her in several years. "My wife. Open the door, we are going home in your car, then, call someone and have them drive my car home." Edward said. Luke was perplexed by what Edward said, but soon he came to himself and walked out to open the car door. Edward carefully put Daisy Ouyang in the car and cupping his hands under her head. He put her head on hisp as Luke made arrangements for the other car to be driven home. Chapter 43 Lets Go Home "Master, she is Justin''s mother, isn''t she?" Luke Luo asked, although he felt that he shouldn''t have. He hadn''t seen Daisy Ouyang thest time, so he didn''t exactly know that she was Justin''s mother. What surprised him even more was that she was an officer. He needed some time to reconcile with the fact that she was a female officer. "Yes! Come on! Let''s go home." Edward Mu shifted a little to make Daisyfortable. Luke started the car. He nced backward and tried to ask something. "She is drunk, isn''t she?" he couldn''t help but ask. He could tell from the smell in the car. It seemed she had had quite a bit to drink. "If she wasn''t, she would have never allowed me to carry her out like that." Edward stared at Luke as if to say that he had asked a very stupid question. Luke was a little upset. It, indeed, was stupid of him to ask that. She was obviously drunk. The car ran fast, but smoothly. Luke was a great driver. Daisy had fallen into a sound sleep, her hands touching Edward now and then. Edward was having a hard time. Actually, Daisy was resting her head on his thighs. This aroused him, which he somehow managed to control, and her hands, on him, made him even more excited. Edward clutched her hands in his and smiled with desire in his eyes. His lips slowly came closer and finally, touched hers, just the way he had dreamed to. Her lips were soft and sweet, he couldn''t resist licking them slightly. He started running his tongue over her lips. Daisy moaned and startled him. Edward chuckled and took his lips away. He began to feel her lips with his fingers. They looked redder now from his kiss. Seeing this, he couldn''t he ssed her in the car or let her sleep in his bed. People thought he was a yboy. In fact, he was a man who had principles. Even Luke, who was with him all day, though he had slept with many girls in his bed. Edward only entertained the women in the other bedroom. Besides, he never allowed them to stay with him overnight, because they were simply used for gratifying his sexual desire. They said he was a fickle and heartless guy. Actually, what he wanted was quite simple. He had been waiting for his Miss. Right. Hopefully, a girl like her would be the one. Edward went back to his bed. He just stood there, staring at that girl with mixed feelings. Just then, she suddenly licked her lips and groaned,"Mark, I''m thirsty." Her voice was soft and charming. She looked very attractive now. Edward thought it was a good thing that he had brought her back and nobody would see her in this state. He brought some warm water for her to drink before he climbed onto the bed, feeling tired after all the events of the day. He let her rest in his arms and went to sleep without thinking about anything. Chapter 44 I Cant Take It Summer was a scorching season, but the mornings were cool andfortable. The morning sun shone on the quiet world, where the bustle was yet to begin. It was peaceful and pleasant. Daisy Ouyang woke up to such a morning. She suffered from a hangover. With her eyshes moving up, she slowly opened her beautiful eyes. The sunlight shone through the curtain and made her squint. She looked lethargic, confused but lovely. When she rubbed her eyes and opened them again, Daisy suddenly saw a handsome face beside her. She looked around in panic, only to find that it was not her sweet home in the dormitory building. She gave herself a pinch on the cheek. ''Ouch!'' It hurt, so she wasn''t dreaming. Daisy panicked. She didn''t know why she had woken up again in this man''s arms after six years. How would he humiliate her this time? Maybe he would think she yed some tricks on him again. If so, how was she supposed to tell him the truth, which she knew nothing about? He might be mad at her again when he woke up. She took his arm away from her waist carefully, trying to run away while he was still asleep. However, he put it back around her before she could get out of his arms. Daisy was so scared that she froze. Her face flushed. Actually, Edward Mu had woken up when she moved. He just wanted to see what she would do, only to find that she was so different and lovely. He pulled her back into his arms, murmuring,"Be good. Don''t get up now. It''s still early." Edward had a problem. He got mad easily when ''t take it." She had loved him for twelve years, more than four thousand days. He had never looked back at her. Now, he suddenly said he would give her the chance. How stupid would she be to believe him? "Oh! If you don''t deserve it, why did you call me while you were drunkst night? Why did you have a good night''s sleep in my arms?" Edward looked at her and smiled with his eyebrow raised. He knew she hadn''t forgotten what he had said that morning six years ago. If she had, she wouldn''t have responded like that. "What? I called youst night?" Daisy got crazy. How could she have called him? She didn''t have his number. "Yes, you really did call me." Edward put on a charming face and stared at her with his smiling eyes. She really wanted to run away for fear that she would be enchanted by him. "No way. I don''t have your number. How could I have called you? You''re lying." Daisy was confused. "Well, My Colonel! Actually, you didn''t have my number until I had once called you. Remember?" Chapter 45 Close Your Eyes When I Kiss You "You don''t trust me? Let''s check your phone''s call history." Seeing her puzzled expression, Edward started to look for her mobile phone around the room. "Okay, I trust you. But why did I call you? Why did Ie here? Why did I even sleep in your bed?" Daisy asked a long list of questions. All of this made no sense to her. Edward''s house was far away from her workce, she would note to his house unless she had a good reason. "Do you want to know? I picked you up from your workce and you slept in my arms all the way home." A smile appeared on Edward''s lips. All of her subordinates saw him taking her in his arms. He was so deep in his thought that he did not notice the surprised expression on her face. "What? What are you talking about? You took me in your arms? At my workce, the military base?" Daisy could not believe this. Oh, God. What a shock! What a shame! "Yes. I held you in my arms at that time. Is there anything wrong in that?" Edward wondered. He could feel unaffected by other people''s views. He did not think of it as a big deal. Daisy fell silent for a moment. She realized that Edward was incapable of understanding the gravity of this matter. "How many? How many people saw you hold me?" Daisy asked, taking a deep breath. She tried to control her anger and forced a smile on her face. The smile looked quite painful. "Oh. You can take a guess. What would you do if I say that a lot of people saw you with me and sleeping in my arms?" Edward deliberately said these words. He wanted to y with her. "Edward Mu. I''m not kidding. It''s a serious thing!" Daisy blurted out. She used to call him "Mr. ard would not tell her that he had a crush on her. Her face was flushed as she struggled back to her feet. She didn''t even have the courage to look him in the eye. "Where is Justin? I miss him so much." Daisy tried to change the subject. The fact was that she was still immersed in that kiss. "I suggest you change into your clothes first." Edward reminded her as he looked at her tangled hair. "But I don''t have other clothes here." Daisy said helplessly. Looking at her innocent and beautiful face, no one could say that she was a Colonel. "Don''t worry. I have an idea. You can freshen up before you change. I have prepared new toiletries for you. Just for you. Not for other women." Edward stressed that he didn''t have a girlfriend. He called for somebody to buy some new clothes. He changed into his clothes and left the room. After washing up, Daisy stepped out of the bathroom. She found her crumpled uniform in the corner. She wanted to pick up the clothes, but, suddenly the door of the room opened. Justin rushed in. He could not wait any longer and ran into Daisy''s arms. Chapter 46 Edward Mu, You Are Shameless "Mom, you''re really here! So dad wasn''t lying!" Justin grinned from ear to ear, and hugged Daisy tight, arms around her neck. "Yes, I''m here. You''re getting so big! I almost couldn''t lift you." Sheughed. "Probably means you''re eating well." Daisy nuzzled Justin''s forehead gently and lovingly. "Mom, when did you get here? How do you know where we live?" Justin asked eagerly. He didn''t expect his mom till evening, but when he woke up, his mother was right there by his bedside. When Edward told him she would be there, he thought Edward was lying. But it turned out he was telling the truth. Daisy stuttered and didn''t know how to answer. "I...that is..." She didn''t know when she got here, not to mention where she was. She was taken here by Edward, but she couldn''t tell him that. It was too embarrassing. "Justin, where is your father?" Daisy tried to change the topic. "You are so reliant on me. I leave the room and you miss me already." That arrogant and teasing tone was so Edward. Daisy regretted asking. She dodged Justin''s harsh questions, but now Edward was skewering her with his razor sharp wit. So embarrassing! Edward leaned against the door gracefully. The grey gym outfit made him seemzier and more approachable. He stared at Daisy and Justin, smiling the whole time. The scene was so sweet, so Norman Rockwell, with his beautiful wife and adorable son. "No. I just asked randomly. Don''t overthink it." ''Why do I lose it every time I''m around Edward?'' she wondered. "I didn''t overthink anything. Or is it that you want me to overthink about you?" Edward was having fun. She was more vibrant this time --st time she was just a cold and aloof officer. "Mr. Edward, the staff of MY Mall are waiting downstairs. They said you called them here." Daisy was saved by the abr ld and rude as when I first met you. Now you remember that I''m your wife. Where have you been before?'' Daisy thought to herself. "As I recall, I''m your wife in name only. Isn''t that what you said?" Daisy retorted coldly. It always got on her nerves whenever the topic came up. It was like Edward was making fun of her feelings for him. So she would hide behind an icy demeanor. "You really know how to hold a grudge. Okay, I''ll head downstairs and wait for you. Find an outfit you like. I''d like to eat breakfast together." Edward noticed her mood and stopped flirting. He shouldn''t press her too hard. He knew far too well what kind of hell that would bring him. Daily copsed on the bed. She was weak -- that morning was too much for her. She didn''t know what was real. She didn''t understand why all of a sudden Edward acted like he cared about her. He told her they wouldn''t sleep together anymore, and that she would never have his heart. But then how could she exin this morning? Was he ying catch-me-if-you-can? Maybe it was a trick. He would entice her and she would fall in love with him all over again. Then he''d dump her. Like he did before. She resolved to never let that happen again. Chapter 47 You Cant Eat Dad Daisy finally made an appearance which shocked both the maids -- and even normally unppable Edward. She wore a white trailing dress, simple but trendy. Her raven hair cascaded to her shoulders and her eyes looked coy and bright, her cheeks blushed. Her skin was fair and smooth, her footsteps light and enchanting. She was a fairy from heaven, and hot enough to captivate any man. It was the first time that Edward had seen her dressed like that. He never imagined that she looked like that under the boxy military attire. She was incredibly, unbelievably gorgeous. The perfect marriage of coldness and grace. Daisy saw them all staring at her, pulled her dress a bit and looked at Edward helplessly. She didn''t know what she had done wrong. "Mom, you are so pretty today." Justin rushed over, but not into her arms. He didn''t want to ruin Daisy''s white dress with his greasy hands. "Something wrong?" Daisy asked. She was still a little unsure. This gown was thest resort. Every other dress was either too short or too revealing. After careful deliberation, she chose the long conservative gown she wore now. "No no! You look stunning in that dress." Edward extended his hand to hold Daisy''s waist and escorted her to the table. The maid, as well as Justin, were shocked seeing that. Daisy''s face went even redder. She was embarrassed by this public disy of affection. How could Edward embrace her in front of so many people, especially around Justin? "Mrs. Wu, bring my wife her breakfast, and get the sober-up soup I just told you to make." Edward was back in fine form, giving orders. He didn''t see anything inappropriate in what he was doing. "Okay, Master." Mrs. Wu nodded ''t sure what he was up to. There was a calcting look in his eyes. Daisy was at a loss for words. Since when had she be the butt of their jokes? "You don''t need to go to work today, Dad?" Everyone was getting along, and Justin was thrilled. Now to step up his efforts -- he needed to strike while the iron was hot. "Why do you ask? What are you up to?" Edward knew his sophisticated son far too well. Maybe Daisy didn''t understand Justin''s calcting nature, but he did. He was Edward Mu, after all. "No reason, Dad. You always think I''m up to something. I''m not that bad. Besides, when ites to plotting, I can never beat you." Justin tried to y innocent, but Edward knew better. "Just tell me. What do you really want?" Edward nced at Justin, cleaned his mouth and leaned against the chair gracefully. "Dad, can we go to the beach again?" Justin said eagerly. "Well, I have too much work to do today. So we can''t go to the beach." It was burning hot outside. They would be grilled under the hot sun. He didn''t want to squeeze into the overcrowded beach on a day like this. They could go another time. Chapter 48 Dont Leave Daisy shot Edward a confused look. Why did he suddenly need to leave? "Just stay here. Make yourself at home. I''ll take you out to dinner tonight." Edward whispered in her ear. His warm breath made her stiffen. "But I want to take Justin back to the base. I don''t want to impose." Daisy lowered her lead and said in a low voice. Edward was a bit taken aback. His demeanor turned cold and mysterious. "You want to leave me that much? After all I have done for you?" His lips were sexy, but his words were evil. Daisy trembled in fear. "That''s what you want, isn''t it? You have your life and I have mine. Isn''t that what you told me?" Daisy said angrily. That was not what she thought or meant. But she couldn''t let him know what he meant to her. She didn''t want to see his disdainful look. "But you are here now. You''re in my life. Now what? You want to back down? Or are you just ying hard-to-get?" Edward roared. He was too full of rage to understand how cruel he was being. His hurtful remarks turned Daisy''s face pale. She bit her lips tightly. She never thought that Edward still regarded her as a calcting bitch. She fumbled for words, but in the end, she said nothing. What could she say anyway? He really believed what he was saying. It was partially her fault anyway, for creating that cold identity. There was no exining it away. When he saw Daisy''s ashen face, Edward realized how cruel his words were. But he was too proud to take back his words. Full of regret, hebed his hair and went upstairs. Justin worrie em a go. After all, she had loved him for too long. He didn''t love her, and she knew that. But at least she had some good memories with him. Besides, she was his nominal wife. "Done. But you must promise me as well -- no sleeping around. You''re mine. You can''t say no when I want it, either." Edward stared at her. He looked forward to being with her so much. "I promise. And I will meet a wife''s responsibility. I will help you with all your social engagements, but on one condition -- all of this can''t hinder my work. I hope you understand that." Daisy was no sentimental woman. They were a couple in the first ce. Yes, they didn''t sleep together, but they were legally married. That was a fact. Edward smiled happily. He''d thought he''d need to try harder, but this was easier than he thought. "Okay, but you have to live here with me. You''ll still have your career." Living together was a given. That way he''d be able to treat her as well as she deserved. They couldn''t just talk the talk without walking the walk. Chapter 49 See Me Out "Aren''t you going to work?" Daisy cast him a confused nce. Wasn''t he anxious to leave? "Will you stay?" It''s not that Edward didn''t believe her, but after all, he was so cruel before. "Don''t worry! I promised, remember?" Daisy avoided his stare, and her pretty face turned red. "OK, do what you want. But remember toe back, or I''ll tear the base apart to find you." It was the way Edward was. Once he decided what he wanted, he would do everything in his power to make it happen. If he really fell in love with someone, he would love her with all his heart. "You can go now! I''ll go to see Justin." Daisy believed that he would keep his word. But she was not afraid of him. She was just tired of loving him for so many years. She did not want to avoid it again. Since he was willing to try and love her too, then how could she give up this chance? "See me out." Edward hugged her from behind, and put his chin against her head. How could she say no? Daisy just stood there, taking in the moment, hardly daring to believe that happiness hade so fast! Turning around, she adjusted his tie carefully with her slender fingers. She trembled. She wanted to do this for him for so long, imagining her seeing him off to work. This was also some of the happiness she wanted. "Let''s go! I''ll walk you out." Her voice was still icy, but she tried to sound as gentle as she could. She would not shirk her duties as a wife. Luke had already prepared the car. Seeing Daisy, he was shocked, arrange it. You have a meeting in ten minutes. Do you want to host it yourself?" Anna waited for his reply, and her hands kept turning the schedule book. "I''ll do it myself! Is Mr. Rain in? Ask him toe by here first." Edward didn''t look up. He was busy signing the documents on the desk. And he looked so charming when he was busy. "Mr. Rain is out of the office. There is something wrong with the project he''s on, and he may not return today." Anna frowned. She almost forgot to tell him this. She didn''t like to make mistakes. "I see. Tell Aaron to host the meeting in ten minutes. I will just listen." This was an unimportant meeting, so he did not have to host it in person. Aaron was a capable man. He needed to train him more so that he could work more efficiently. Aaron was frustrated! He already had enough to do. The documents on his desk were piling up. They were almost taller than him! OMG! He wanted to quit and join anotherpany! Why did his boss have to be so demanding? Chapter 50 Im Talking To You Belinda Shangguan was just about to park her car but a luxury Spyker C8 pulled into the spot ahead of her. She had to m on her brakes to avoid it. She lost her temper, bursting from the car in a rage as she cursed Edward hundreds of times in her heart. She wouldn''t have even had to be here if he hadn''t insisted on discussing the contract outside. Duke picked up the file on the assistant seat and opened the door. He heard a woman scream,"You asshole, do you know how to drive? I found that parking spot first! Move your car now!" She advanced on him, before she could even see him. Belinda really had a hot-temper! "Are you yelling at me?" Duke retained his poker face and red daggers at the woman. He had to admit, she lookedpetent and sexy. "Yeah, I''m talking to you! Are you showing off your money? No wonder you drive a car that way!" Belinda forgot that she too was rich. Duke''s face darkened even more. He thought to himself, ''Shit, what''s wrong with me? Why do I always run into these crazy chicks?'' "What do you against rich people? And I didn''t hit you, so what''s your problem?" Duke asked with his teeth clenched, fire in his eyes. Who wouldn''t be unhappy outside where the sun''s heat baked you? "Yeah, you didn''t hit anyone, but you grabbed my parking spot." Belinda suddenly looked up at the man. Why would she be afraid of him? Then, suddenly, she recognized him. Oh my god! Was he the guy she ran into in front of Sexy World? He was worse than Edward! "Tell you what: stay off the road till you get better at driving." Duke nced at Belinda''s Lotus Evora 400 behind hi ter him would be loyal as always. "If Miss Shangguan could spend time working rather than fighting with me, I believe that would be more efficient. Why do you waste time flirting with me? Or is this how you treat all your clients?" Edward was never willing to lose in a war of words, especially to a woman. "Mr. Mu just put forth a good suggestion. Maybe I can consider itter." ''Such a jerk! Who does he think I am?'' Belinda cursed secretly. "d to hear it. So, what are you nitpicking about this time?" Edward crossed his legs and sipped his coffee with an indifferent look. "My request is very simple. I hope that you will reduce the required share by two percentage points." Belinda showed her professionalism with a serious look. Work always brought out this side of her. "Does Miss Shangguan think ourpany is a charity, or that I am really such a nice person to agree to this?" Edward lifted his brows and looked at Belinda. His eyes showed something sharp and hard to read. He was a shrewd businessman, and this time Belinda had met her match. Chapter 51 Who Is She "Do we look like dumb cattle in a butcher''s shop waiting for you to ughter?" Belinda wasn''t deterred. She wasn''t as experienced as Edward was, but she had studied Commercial Management for a good number of years, she knew how to handle this kind of a situation. Edward broke intoughter when he heard the metaphor. She was indeed a tough woman! "So what would you suggest? What''s your counter-offer?" Edward knew the market price. He had done his homework before seeing her. Compared to current market price, his price was a bit higher. As long as there was a profit margin, he could give the partner a proper cut. "Cut down your price by two percent, or at least one. Then, we have a deal." Belinda was a smart woman. She knew that the way forward is through diplomacy and negotiation. So she didn''t ask too much or say anything definitive, fearing they might not reach an agreement if she did. "You''re a good negotiator, Miss Shangguan. You''re really sincere, it would be stupid for me not to do business with you. So, we have a deal. It''s a great experience negotiating with a beauty like you. I can smell the sweetness in the air now." Edward said with a grin on his face. Belinda rolled her eyes. What a yboy! He never forgot to show his tant allure whenever he spoke. "Okay, I''ll have my secretary prepare a new agreement soon. Happy partnership, Mr. Mu!" Belinda Shangguan stretched out her delicate hand and gently touched his, and smiled back. "Well, as long as you no longer ask me out for tea, I think we''ll be very happy." Edward said. At that moment, he remembered Daisy. He suddenly missed her. What was she doing? Was she out or was she home? "As long as you st returned home from abroad." Since Duke didn''t have business with YS Group, he didn''t really know her. "What? Are you kidding me?" She seemed like a spoiled girl, not at all like a CEO. "Don''t underestimate her. She has her way when ites to business." In fact, he himself had initially underestimated her. "Really? If you say so, it must be true." Edward''s words aroused Duke''s interest in her. He was curious of what was hiding behind that furious face. "You will know. Oh, what''re you doing here?" It was unusual for him to be here. "Well, I''m here to meet a client, what about you? Same reason?" Duke always spoke in a soft tone when he was in front of Edward, his good friend. "Yeah, here she is! Always giving me trouble." Edward sighed. "Well, I have forgotten that you have business with them. God, how can she be so fierce? She''s always so aggressive." Duke remembered the quarrel with her in the parking lot earlier that day, he shook his head in disgust. "Yeah, I know. She''s a tough woman. Maybe you could take her home and spare everyone else on her way the trouble ." Edward snickered at him. Chapter 52 I Couldnt Answer Your Calls "No, that girl is way out of my league and not the kind I like, " said Duke. It was impossible for him to hook up with a woman like Belinda; a woman who was like a volcano ready to erupt any time. "Really? Since then, tell me what kind of girl you like? A woman who is cool like you?" said Edward. As he said this, Edward thought of his distant and cold wife. "Don''t change the subject. In fact, I think both of you would make a great couple, given that both of you have such sharp tongues, " Duke said giving voice to his true feelings. "But I don''t know what horrible things would happen if two such people actually got together, " he inwardly thought. "Don''t forget that I am married, Duke. But you, you have a chance. You are still single. How do you know that she is not your types without even giving it a shot?" Edward teased Duke. "Oh yeah! When did you be such a staid and moral man, Edward? Have you always refused the women who have tempted you at innumerable asions?" he said turning the tables on Edward. ''When did being married stop you? s! Belinda Shangguan, You are disliked and rejected by both of us! Neither of us are unwilling to chase you!'' Duke thought to himself. Edward smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "I am not as bad as you make me out to be, " he said. ''After all, I have high expectations from the women I choose to date.'' he thought to himself. "Forget about all this. Let''s meet tonight!" said Duke. He knew that Edward was just joking. "I need to go home early tonight. Let''s catch up some other time!" Edward replied. He remembered that someone was waiting for him at home. And the feeling of being waited for by someone was veryforting for him. "Howe? It seems that you are in a hurry to hatch eggs!" Duke joked with Edward, though he had his doubts. ''He used to be a party animal who stayed up and drank all night. Why is he acting like this now?'' Duke wondered. eaking like this today?'' she wondered. "I missed you every day! If you don''t believe me, ask Justin." Daisy smiled as she tried to convince Belinda. She was lying on the bed and smelling Edward''s fragrant perfume. "And how''s Justin? I want to see him also as soon as possible." Though Belinda had talked to him on the phone, she still wanted to see him with her own eyes. "He is fine. I am on a vacation and if you are free, I can pick him and we cane visit you, " said Daisy. She really wanted to see Belinda. "How about tomorrow? Let''s go shopping together just like we used to. I haven''t done this since I came back to S City." Belinda loved shopping, but had not indulged in it recently as she was busy administrating her own business after having taken over thepany. "Sure! See you tomorrow. And don''t stand me up again!" chided Daisy lovingly. She was really looking forward to meeting Belinda. She was back to her lively and lovely self. "Oh really! And when did I stand you up? You are not supposed to do that. I won''t ept your apology if you do, " retorted Belinda. Before this, Daisy always stood her up because she was asked to serve Yakira Mo and her daughter. Belinda detested them but could do nothing because she was young. She had been helpless. Chapter 53 What Are You Doing "No, I''m afraid I have to let you down again." ''She is so bad-tempered.'' thought Daisy. "Come on! You think I''d provoke the youngest woman colonel in the city? I actually value my life." Belinda Shangguan said and smiled, arranging the files with her right hand. "Haha, So there is something you won''t do." she said,ughing. "I thought you were invincible." Daisy Ouyang seized this opportunity to tease her. "Ok, now I know you are quick-witted! I have something to do, let''s talk tomorrow." Belinda Shangguan raised her head and nced at her secretarying into the room. "Ok, See you tomorrow." Daisy hung up the phone. Shey on the bed silently, as beautiful as an Egyptian statue. Edward opened the door and saw her lying on the bed. He walked over to her, and found that she slept soundly. ''Why is she still asleep? It''ste afternoon.'' Edward thought. Edward moved the strands of hair on her face away from her eyes, smiling at her. She stirred sleepily, and he felt peaceful, staring at her beauty. He kissed her gently on the cheek and prepared to take a bath. He usually did this when arriving home. Daisy opened her eyes. She''d been awake the whole time, but pretended to sleep. She didn''t know how to get along with him, and he wouldn''t interrupt her slumber to talk with her. She heard the hiss of the shower, and started to tense up. She''d agreed not to refuse his touch, but she was still afraid. She sat up suddenly, her mind e hot and heavy, but we''re fine now. Though I think mommy''s heart is racing." Edward said. Hearing this, Daisy raised her head and shot him an angry look. ''How could he say such suggestive things to their child?'' "Oh! Daddy, why is mommy''s heart racing?" An innocent question, though Justin was hardly innocent. "You should ask your mommy, How should I know?" Edward said. He wanted to know how she dealt with the boy''s ufortable questions. "Just tell me, mommy!" Justin shook Daisy''s hand hard with every word and stared at her in anticipation. She was embarrassed, looking at Edward for help. She didn''t know why Justin would ask these things. Edward smiled. ''Is it a hard question?'' He thought. But he still came to her rescue. He knew his teasing had gone too far. "Don''t put your mommy on the spot like that. Maybe she doesn''t know." Edward winked at Daisy, which didn''t make her feel any better about the exchange. This would be tougher than she thought. Chapter 54 Is There Another Car Daisy looked at Edward with surprise, because she really didn''t know why. Yes, she was the mother of a five-year-old, but she was still pretty naive about sex. Unlike Edward. "What are you waiting for? Let''s go!" Edward took her hand lightly. ''She is so lovely!'' He thought. "Well, you go down first! You must be hungry. I''ll go and freshen up." Her face was still burning. "Ok, Don''t be too long!" Edward knew that she needed to switch gears emotionally, so he gave her room to be alone. "Ok." Daisy nced at him shyly. "Hey Justin!" said Edward. "Let''s go down to see what Mrs. Wu has prepared for you." Justin was a typical foodie. Sometimes Edward got embarrassed to see how much he ate. Daisy looked at herself in the mirror. Her little face had turned red, her clear eyes were full of happiness. Her lips were still tingling from Edward''s kiss. She sshed cold water on her face until she felt calm. Then she toweled off. She walked out of the bathroom, when her ringtone, a military jingle, sounded loud and clear. Checking the caller ID, she saw it was Mark Du. Daisy frowned and pressed the answer button. "This is Daisy Ouyang." Her tone was dignified as usual. "It''s Mark. Your leave''s been canceled, colonel. They have a special mission for you. Themander wants you back immediately." Mark said urgently. "What happened?" Daisy Ouyang asked while walking down the stairs. Her pace was anxious. "I don''t have details, but I don''t think it''s a good thing." Mark said. ''Too bad! I know she was looking forward to her vac hicle! What''s she going to do? Sleep in it?'' "I''m sure." Daisy Ouyang was firm. "Well. Luke, ready the Rolls Royce Phantom VIII." Although Edward was curious about the reason why she wanted that car, he still gave the order. Daisy wouldn''t like this one either. She had no idea what a Phantom was before, but when the 19 foot gleaming monster came rolling up, she knew. "Wait. Is this a Phantom?" Daisy was embarrassed. ''Uh-oh! It isn''t what I thought.'' It was not what she wanted. "Yes! Didn''t you say you were going to take it?" Edward was more confused, ''So there''s nothing here she likes?'' Daisy Ouyang thought to herself, ''Can you be a little less extravagant? Don''t you have a normal car worth $20k or $30k? I can''t drive this. It''s too expensive! They''ll think I''m corrupt!'' "Do you have a less expensive car? I don''t feelfortable driving a million dor car." Daisy had to ask. "Try a half mile. And no." Edward answered neatly. Daisy looked at him with a disgusted expression. What was she supposed to drive? Chapter 55 Let Me Serve You Today Daisy was deted! Well! She shouldn''t have expected so much from Edward, nor should she have asked the question. Daisy finally took a look at the dazzling Ferrari. She finally understood. This was the only car that was suitable for her. No wonder Edward was willing to loan her this car. "Could you please drive me there?" It was better for him to drive the car and drop her off at the base. It would look better that way. Edward was stunned for second, and then he got it and smiled. So it was hard for Daisy to decide on a car because she cared about how much they cost. "Why not? Of course! Let me serve you today, my darling!" Edward looked at her with a cheeky grin. Daisy got into the car, dragged the long skirt, and scolded him in her heart. ''How could this guy be so ostentatious? Everything he has is a luxury. Doesn''t he feel embarrassed attracting so much attention every day?'' Edward drove like lightning, so it took them less than an hour to get there. Daisy was busy taking various reports on the phone on the way. Edward did not disturb her and focused on driving. "Colonel! You''re finally here! Please go to the conference room at once. Themander and the others are all waiting for you there." Mark came to meet Daisy as soon as he saw her getting out of the car. Her dress stunned him momentarily. "Well! Let''s go! I''m going to change my clothes first." She walked over to Mark''s Humvee. She did not even say goodbye to Edward, as if she hadpletely forgotten he existed. Mark took a look at the shiny Ferrari. Edward didn''t get out, so Mark couldn''t figure out who was in the car. He shook his head in bewildermen ce, they would spring the trap tomorrow night. They would monitor his whereabouts during the day. Kevin would team up with Daisy and protect. It was almost the wee hours when Daisy left the meeting room. She looked at her phone and wondered if she should call Edward. It was rude for her to leave without a word. She wouldn''t me him for being angry. "Colonel Ouyang, are you going back downtown or to the dorm now?" Mark asked as he saw hering out. "Back to the dorm. There''s work to be done tomorrow." ''Forget it. I''m not going to call. I''ll exin to him when the mission is over.'' Daisy thought. Edward sat at his desk, going through paperwork. He frowned from time to time, and his eyes strayed to the phone on the desk. He hoped Daisy would call, but no dice. Anger suddenly rose in him. He threw his pen across the room. ''How could that woman treat me like this? Why doesn''t she call me? Who on earth does she take me for?'' He thought angrily. Well! Edward finally knew what it was like to be ignored. Now he knew how Daisy felt. She had been ignored by him for so many years. Chapter 56 Do You Have Nothing To Do Even then, Belinda admired that she had a really strange but powerful predictive skills. As was expected, Daisy stood her up again! Belinda couldn''t be more upset after reading the message from Daisy which said she had to call off their shopping ns. Everything seemed so wrong to her at that moment. "Miss CEO, the contract with FX International Group has been drafted. Should it be sent to them now?" The secretary asked cautiously while carrying a pile of files in her hands. She noticed her boss looked very horrible today and it seemed that she was about to explode in anger. "Just let theme and take it. We have no obligation to send it by ourselves." Belinda felt she treated Daisy far too nicely so that she was stood up again and again. Now that she couldn''t do anything on Daisy, she thought she might take it out on the people she was in love with. "But would that be all right?" Her boss didn''t even care about the FX International Group! "It''s not a big deal. Just do it as I said so!" Then Belinda waved off the secretary out of the office. Actually, there was another person as mad as her this summer morning and that was just the person whom Belinda was going to start a war with. It was Edward. Besides, their madness was because of the same person -- our great Colonel Daisy. "Mr. Huang, is this the new deal you''re offering me? Do you think it is worth the money I''ll pay for you?" Edward said with disdain as his cold fierce eyes could kill every executive in this room with just one nce. All the executives were chilled and scared with his anger and were too frightened to say anything. "Boss, we will fix it immediately!" Said the director of the nning Department as he wiped his forehead and smiled nervously. Everybody knew how horrible it was when the CEO got angry. "I want to see a proposal that will satisfy me before the end of the day. You can go now." Edward said, then stood up and walked away without any eye contact with the people in the meeting room. Later, the people left the room all relieved and thought that they''d better avoid to get near to the CEO''s office. Edward touched the screen of his phone for like tho r. What he wanted was just to appreciate her beauty from afar. Then he picked up his phone again and finally dialed a familiar number. "Hey! Duke, are you avable tonight?" It was not the one he really wanted to call. "Yes. I am! Why?" Duke paused from his work, sitting back leisurely. "Let''s grab a drink tonight!" Edward thought he needed the alcohol to make the pain temporarily go away. Otherwise, he could not exin to himself why he could not get that woman out of his mind. He was bing crazy about her. "What? Why don''t you stay at home and be a good man?" Duke made fun of him, knowing that there must be something that bothered him. It was always like that when Edward asked to apany him to have a drink. "None of your nonsense. Are you going or not?" Edward was getting a little annoyed. "How could I say no since you have said so? Just name it. The old ce?" Duke didn''t make fun of him anymore. Edward''s tone was kind of serious. "Let''s go to the City of Night Romance. It''s boring to go to just one ce over and over again." He said so because he wanted to rx himself and release his emotions there. The music and the effects there were perfect. "All right. See you tonight." Although Duke did not like the noise in the City of Night Romance, as long as Edward liked to be there, he was good with it. "All right. See you tonight." Edward hung up the phone slowly. He was not getting any better. Chapter 57 Someone You Cannot Mess With City of Night Romance was the most luxurious and erotic club in town. It was even patronized by some of the famous dignitaries and billionaires. Handsome boys and beauties found themselves presented with many opportunities to stray. Not to mention the waitresses, who would provide any services one wanted. Pounding music, dancing crowd, and loud yells seemed to attract most people here. But the noble and handsome guest standing in the corner, did not seem to enjoy any of these. Duke frowned upon the woman who approached him and gently pushed her away. He loathed noisy ces like this and disliked the women here for the thirsty look on their faces. Edward swirled the ss around a little, leisurely crossing his legs. He nced at the women dancing on stage in revealing dresses with an evil smile on his face. A lot of women were giving him "the looks" and trying to catch his attention. Rain was observing him closely. He speechlessly rolled his eyes, wondering what was exciting him so much and causing this abnormal behavior since early morning. "Why didn''t Justine with you today?" inquired Duke. He was surprised that Edward hade to the clubte in the night. After all, Justin was clingy and always wanted to keep an eye on him. "Well! I don''t need to tell Justin where I go every time, okay?" Edward casually smiled and sipped the wine. He was immensely enjoying the soft touches from the girls sitting beside him. He had promised Daisy that he would stay away from women. But he had conveniently forgotten the promise in the wake of the gratifying attention he was receiving. "Edward, don''t pretend to be cool! I heard that you couldn''t even pitch a tent earlier because of her existence." The bright smile on Rain''s face made the girl sitting on the other side move closer to him. Edward did not get angry and just squinted at him. As time passed by, Edward suddenly became impatient and lost all interest in the women around him. He stopped the hands that kept reaching down and at the same time adjusted his sitting p s master. "Do you know who I am?" Kevin asked again. He was getting impatient and irritable. Normally he would be more calm, but this was about Daisy. "Edward! What happened?" Duke and Rain hade to check the reason for the chaos created by Luke and Kevin''s fight. But, now they could not stop staring at the woman in Edward''s arms. "No way! Edward, did you just grab somebody else''s girlfriend!" Rain asked in surprise while watching the fight. Edward did not have the time to answer their questions. He just tightly held the drunk woman in his arms and ruthlessly stared at Kevin. Daisy, drugged, felt that the room was sweltering hot and her body was on fire so she kept rubbing Edward to feel the coolness of his skin. She knew the wine had been drugged but she had still drained the ss along with several shots in order to eliminate their suspicion. As Daisy got drunk easily, her mind wentpletely nk at first. However, all this chaos sobered her a little. "Edward, why are you here?" Daisy asked him with a sweet smile and tried to pinch his face to prove that this was not a dream. "I will settle this with youter." Edward warned her as he caught her hands and put them firmly by her side to stop them from torturing his face. Although she wore thick make-up and revealing clothes, he had recognized her at once and thus grabbed her. Chapter 58 But I Am Her Husband "Staff Gu! How did you get involved in a fight?" Mark called out approaching the crowd already gathered. He almost ran to see if he could help Kevin. He had been waiting for Kevin for a long time outside. He could have expected everything, but not that he would be busy fighting other men. "Mark, you know him?" Edward noticed Mark''s anxiety. It seemed that he knew the man with Daisy. "Mr. Mu! You''re here too! Is that man with you? Please stop him. The man he''s fighting is Mr. Gu, the staff officer in our military base, " implored Mark while exining Kevin''s position. The circumstances had be a little critical since Daisy was roofied. Mark had been waiting in the car for them after the secret capture of the munition merchants. But when no one hade out, he went in to search for them, and noticed the fighting. "Stand aside, Luke, " ordered Edward. Luke was a skillful warrior, but he didn''t get the best in his fight with Kevin. This meant that Staff Gu was no ordinary man. He must be as good as Luke, if not better. Edward had imagined him full of malicious intent at the beginning. That was why he had not stopped Luke from fighting him. But since Mark had exined Kevin''s position, he understood that he could no longer connive in a fight with a military officer. Luke readily obeyed, stopped his attack and retreated to Edward''s side. While walking back to him, he nced at the woman in Edward''s arms, and was startled when he recognized her. She was Mrs. Daisy, his master''s wife. No wonder his master wanted her back. As Luke stepped back, Kevin walked to them, indignant eyes fixed on the giggling woman, who was happily cuddling in Edward''s arms. He wondered who this handsome man was, and what was his deal with Daisy. Did he know her? And more importantly, did Daisy know him? "What do you want? Give her back to me, "manded Kevin, fixing Edward with an unblinking stare. Kevin felt a little upset. It was all his fault. If he hadn''t been so ck, the man could have never taken Daisy from him. But he couldn''t let Daisy go with him, as he had no idea what his rtionship with her was. "For what?" Edward dryly asked. His eyes turned cold as he looked at Kevin. He had remembered who he was. Wasn''t he the man Justin had shown him? He did not forget how affectionate an tle hoarse. Since Daisy was squirming in his arms, it was difficult for him to resist her. Despite his struggles to keep her away, Daisy was pressing her body into Edward''s. She hugged and caressed him, moaning softly in a mixture of pain and pleasure. She felt like she was burning from the inside, and he was the only source to quench her thirst. "Daisy Ouyang, get your hands off me. Or I will have you right here, " said Edward, gritting his teeth. He was still angry. What if he hadn''t gone to the club tonight? What if he hadn''t run into her? As he thought of the possible consequences, his face and mood turned darker. As the car rushed towards the mansion, an atmosphere of romance spread inside. Daisy had reached inside Edward''s shirt again, groping for her onlyfort. The burning heat had taken over. Knowing not what to do, she simply followed her instinct. She climbed on top, and rubbed her knees along his inner thighs, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She trembled as her lips touched his skin. And finally, her lips met his. She moaned with pleasure. "Hm... Huh..uh!" She gasped, and deepened the kiss. Although angry, Edward was almost amused. He smiled as he watched Daisy pressing her whole body against him, kissing him as deep and long as she could. He could almost imagine how ashamed she would be of her actions after tonight. Her kisses were as innocent and furious as her. Somehow, she had turned him on, too. As soon as the car arrived at the mansion, he pushed the door open, and got off with her. Chapter 59 Give Me Your Phone As he scrambled up the stairs, Edward could no longer repress his aroused passion. He carefully put her on the bed, his lean figure pressing closer to hers. His cold lips touched her sexual, cherry lips. The night was delicate and misty. Edward had no idea how long he had been entangled with her. It was not until the potency of love-philter had faded that he realized he was too tired to move. By that time, a satiated Daisy did not seek anymore release for her desires and finally fell asleep. The intense sexual experience had been the result of the strong effectiveness of the philter. Tired as he was, Edward took Daisy to the bathroom and gave her a bath. Finally, he carried her to the bedroom, as she settled down with a vivid satisfaction on her face. The sunlight of the morning prated through the curtains, falling over the lovers sleeping deeply on therge-sized bed. Daisy opened her eyes slowly, only to find her body tired and aching, even more than what she felt after a long day of training. As she turned over softly, she found herself shocked at the sight of Edward''s handsome face, as he slept soundly beside her. Daisy was going insane. Why did she feel like she was waking up from a hangover and why did she find herself lying on his bed every time? Annoyed, she shook her head and was jolted into an embrace by the sleeping Edward. As she rubbed over her eyebrows, furious at her rising headache, memories fromst night shed in her mind. She recalled all of her initiat said briefly. Edward gave a wry smile, and thought of Daisy as slightly stupid. Why couldn''t she understand such a simple question? Daisy replied, "I have no idea what you will do with the phone." "Of course, I''m making a call on the phone. Do you think I will eat it?" Edward asked. "But I don''t know where my phone is?" Daisy waved around her hands and looked troubled. "All right." Edward gave in on her, stooped down, picked up his phone and handed it to her. "Ok. Make that call." Edward maintained his calm despite seeing Daisy covered under the sheets, her eyes beaming yfully. "Can this be done properly?" Daisy thought in bewilderment. How could she do this? Could she tell a lie that she over-exercisedst night and couldn''t get out of bed now, or, that she was bullied by a lecherous wolfst night? She was frustrated. She wondered what Edward''s response to her thoughts would be. After all, it was him who took advantage of herst night and got her too tired to walk. Chapter 60 What Are You Going To Do "Just call! What are you waiting for?" Edwardughed and pinched her nose. Her pink face was so lovely and inviting! Daisy gathered her nerve, and finally dialed Mark Du''s number. She was still nervous about facing her colleagues at the base. Everyone knew she had been drugged yesterday. "Hello! Who''s calling, please?" Mark Du''s energetic voice came through loud and clear. It was obvious the young man was on duty. "Mark, it''s me -- Daisy." She adjusted the sheet to better cover herself. It felt weird being on the phone and naked at the same time. She resolved to get dressed after she was done on the phone. "Oh! Colonel, I was about to call you. I''m d you called me first!" Mark eximed. Even Edward could hear his exhration. "Why did you call?" Daisy was a little nervous when she heard that Mark Du had intended to call her. She worried that something might have happened after she left. "It''s nothing important. Themander said that you can continue to take off for several days. So you don''t have toe to the base today. And you can deliver the report after youe back to work. He sent his regards and hoped you have a good rest!" Mark Du''s words meant something amusing by implication. Daisy became very embarrassed. What did themander mean? Did everyone at the base know what happened yesterday? "Okay, thanks." She hung up the phone hurriedly and buried herself in the sheet. But when she saw what was under the sheet, she yanked it down again, exposing her head. Wow! Edward waspletely naked under there! "What are you doing?" asked Edward. He now realized that she was only calm in uniform. But she was easily flustered in her private life. "Well... Could you find some pajamas for me?" Daisy said in a low voice. She lowered her head to avoid looking at him. "Just sleep!" Edward gathered her naked body into his arms. He closed his eyes and continued to sleep. He had overheard that hermander had asked her to take a few days off. Daisy regretted Mark''s enthusiasm and his clearly audible voice. She rested in his y in the living room. Luke had already instructed her not to disturb their young master. She felt very strange this morning when she was told that. So Mrs. Daisy was back, that''s why! "Well... Just a quick meal for me, thanks." Daisy''s face blushed more deeply. She felt ashamed to get up sote. Everyone could guess what they didst night. "Okay! Please make yourself at home. I''ll fix a meal for you and Mr. Edward." Mrs. Wu smiled broadly. This house was different with a hostess in it. The mere mention of Edward set her heart fluttering and stirred passions she thought long buried. Her face turned the shade of a red apple. "What are you thinking? You seem lost in thought." Edward walked briskly down the stairs. ''She''s blushing.'' he thought. ''She does that so easily these days. I thought she was calm and collected, but now...'' "Uh... Nothing. Where''s Justin? I didn''t see him inside." She had already peeked in Justin''s bedroom, but to her surprise he wasn''t there. Edward raised his head and cast his nce around the house to see if he could find Luke. He didn''t see him in the house either. "Justin must be with Luke. He''s learning tae kwon do from him." Every time Edward couldn''t find Justin, he always found that Luke had taken him somewhere. Justin had been pestering Luke to teach him how to fight. It seems that Justin had finally found a trainer. Chapter 61 I Will Sort You Out After I Come Back "Oh, I see. Aren''t you supposed to be at work today?" Daisy squinted at Edward and was dazzled by his bright smile. "I''m not only your husband, but also the boss. Mypany won''t go out of business if I''m gone for a day." Edward pulled out a chair and sat down, watching her yfully. "Rain is capable. I don''t need to worry about it." And, in the office of FX International, Rain shivered at his desk suddenly, as if he had heard what Edward said. The word "husband" sent Daisy deep into thought. She frowned slightly but soon felt relieved. Edward was right. He was her husband. Although they had been out of contact for so many years, they were a married couple. Mrs. Wu served them some small salmon-cakes with ginger-sesame sauce, perfect for such hot days. "I need to get back to the base to at least pack some necessities." Daisy thought that she should bring some essentials and clothing here since she would be living here. She didn''t like the things upstairs at all. "Okay. I will go with you after lunch." Edward had also thought of it, so he agreed delightedly. "I can do it myself. I don''t have much. Well. I don''t intend to move. Don''t bother." Daisy didn''t want Edward to be on base. Those who took part in the missionst night knew that she had downed the love drugs by mistake. If they saw Edward there, they would gossip. "What if I insist?" Edward nced at her unhappily, wondering, ''Does she even like me? I''m not presentable? She actually refused me!'' "Well¡­" Daisy didn''t know what to say. She knew how overbearing Edward was. She frowned. She had no idea what to do. Suddenly, Edward''s phone rang. Daisy felt relieved when he a piece, Edward strode out of the elevator, while Rain stood there in anger. "Mr. Edward, you look happy." Aaron stared at Edward in confusion. He heard Edward chuckling just when he came out of his office. "You can ask Rain about it. Is it time to hold the meeting? Prepare the documents that can shut those old men up." Edward did not answer Aaron''s question directly. Instead, he let Aaron be the object of Rain''s anger. "I have prepared all the documents, except for the financial statements that you need to personally check." Aaron looked around and finally noticed that Rain wasing over with a gloomy face. He was purple-faced with rage, ready to bite the head off of anybody who tangled with him. Why did Edward keep doing this? Aaron broke into a sweat with fright and hoped Edward wouldn''t make fun of him next time. "I''ll sort them out now. Get ready. I wonder whether they will present something new this time." Edward stepped into his office, ignoring Aaron who was lost in thought. It was not his duty to entertain them. They had to settle it by themselves. It wasn''t his problem at all. Chapter 62 He Has Been Acting Strangely Daisy ultimately chose to drive the Ferrari sports car to the base. It wasn''t the least ostentatious among all the others, just a 2-seater silver model. But, of course, it was a limited edition luxury sports car, prized by collectors all over the world. It was still obviously a ssic. But she had no other choice: Edward Mu''s garage was filled with the most recognizable cars in the world, so it was difficult for her to be low key. Since she wasn''t wearing her military uniform today but instead her fashionable clothes with a pair of huge sunsses, the gate sentry didn''t recognize her at first. Naturally she was stopped. "Ma''am. I''m sorry but this is high-security area. I need your ID please." As soon as Daisy rolled down the window, the soldier gave her a perfect military solute. "It''s me, Daisy Ouyang." She took off her sunsses and revealed her cold petite face. "Ah!" The soldier struggled to contain himself. Colonel Ouyang, I''m sorry. I didn''t know it was you." The soldier looked at her and then checked out her sports car. He seemed very confused. This was not the Colonel Ouyang he was used to. These new threads were so chic, so trendy, a far cry from the military fatigues she usually wore. And when did she get a new car? Didn''t she always drive her VW POLO? "It''s alright. At ease, soldier. Carry on." Daisy nodded at him and started her car. When her car appeared in front the soldiers, she caused quite a stir. Some of the car aficionados knew exactly what she was driving, but they didn''t know Daisy was the driver. Some even whistled at the car. Indeed, they rarely saw a famous car like this at the base. It was better suited to car shows. Daisy parked her car, took a deep breath, and finally exited the vehicle. When they saw who was driving, the soldiers scattered. Who wouldn''t run away? That was Colonel Ouyang! Who would want to be caned so hard that he couldn''t get out of bed? "Colonel, what brings you here? Didn''t they tell you that you could extend your vacation?" Although he was happy to see her, Mark was still confused. And ar actress. His hand was all over the woman''s slim waist. His smile was intoxicating, but his eyes were fixated on the gorgeous woman in his embrace. That passionate look made Daisy jealous. She turned another page and saw another beautiful woman beside his tall and dashing figure. The buzz was that this woman was close to him. He was around many women, yet that one was always there. Rumor had it that she was his favorite. Daisy knew that she shouldn''t be thinking about these. They had grown way too distant now. Daisy sighed and put down the papers. She didn''t want the past to haunt her anymore. She was willing to try to believe that he truly felt for her and that it wasn''t just a fling. She had nowhere else to turn now, as she was just hopelessly in love with him. She was so subservient in her love, so undignified, so painful, and so unconditional. "Colonel, this is the phone you droppedst night. I packed the rest of your things into the car. Do you have anything else you want to take?" Mark interrupted her thoughts and handed her the exquisite cellphone. She snapped back to reality in an instant. "Oh! I think that''s it. Thank you. I''ll be going then. Call me if anythinges up." Daisy looked around one more time to see if she needed anything else. She made sure that everything was taken care of and turned to leave. She quietly bade the ce goodbye. Chapter 63 You Are Full Of Empty Threats Noisy music, drunk crowd, passionate dancing, and dim light. Kevin nced around the bar, bought another shot, and downed the liquor in one swallow. However much alcohol he had, he was unable to dull the pain in his heart. He shook his head, as if he wanted to shake off the pain inside him. Proud as he was, he never thought he would be drowning his sorrows. Perhaps he was the dumbest man in the world. And his love affair had ended before it could start... Kevin looked more attractive when he was sad. His woeful smile lent a certain charm to him, and his handsome face and slim build had gotten him attention. The coldness in his gaze kept women away, however. His eyes were like icyke water. In a vodka induced haze, pain and hatred surged under the rippling surface. No one in their right mind would actually try and talk to him. However, the drunk were more courageous than the sane. "Hey! Handsome, buy me a drink?" Suddenly, a pretty woman was there, talking to him. The drunken girl sat in hisp, giggling, and nuzzled his neck. "Go find someone else. I''m not in the mood." Kevin shot her a cold stare, and answered with indifference. He pulled her hands off him, and pushed her away. "What? Are you scared? I need a man, and what a man you are! Come on, I thought men were supposed to take advantage of a pretty girl." Leena Leng giggled, and teased in a sweet and girlish tone. Her lips almost touched his earlobe when she whispered. "Do you always ask other men to take advantage of you? Sorry, Miss, not in the mood. And you aren''t exactly my type." Kevin sneered. His eyes turned colder as he spoke. through her belongings and yed with their child, trying to ignore him. But now she had used up all her excuses. ''I don''t think she can avoid me anymore.'' he thought. "Um... I... I''m not ignoring you!" Well... She was actually fending him off. Not only because of his warning, but also because of what she read in these newspapers. She felt revulsed by it when she saw, though she always told herself to have more confidence in him, and in herself. She couldn''t stop thinking of his romantic affairs with other women. She wanted to stay away from him, to avoid his gaze, his touch... "Are you not? Have you noticed the time?" Edward gritted his teeth, and red at her as he spoke. "Um... Well, I have a lot of things to pack." Daisy was a little frustrated. She was fine talking to other people. But when it came to Edward, she stuttered. "Really? Show me. I''d like to see what''s taking you so long." Edward scoffed. His face darkened in anger. He nibbled on her earlobe as he spoke, warm breath blowing into her ear. Daisy shuddered. There might be no getting away from this. Chapter 64 Remember To Breathe Next Time Daisy was so embarrassed! Edward was indeed seducing her again! She was like a little animal in front of him. It was easy for her to fall into his traps. She would certainly surrender to every of his love attacks. She just couldn''t help it. "Uh... Well... I will go and take a shower. You enjoy yourself." When she finished saying these words, she hurriedly ran into the bathroom. She quickly bolted the door and sighed with relief. She did all these without even a pause. Edward snorted. She was not here in the bed anymore. What was left to enjoy? But he felt it was really amusing when he saw her nervously run away. She was just like a rat that saw his trap. ''Very good. I will wait and watch how youe out.'' He thought. Daisy patted her pale and embarrassed face with her hands. ''Oh, my God! Lucky for me, I ran quickly enough. Otherwise, I would have been devoured by that monster of a man.'' She calmed herself down and took off her clothes slowly. The cold water spread all over her, cooling her senses. The coolness of the water swept away her restlessness. She was no longer feeling agitated. Edward leaned on the bed and waited patiently for her toe out. He heard her sigh deeply. He waited for a while but still didn''t see here out. He was now feeling anxious. Was he wrong when he guessed that she wille out quickly? If the hand of time could be turned back, Daisy would not have gone to the bathroom first. She would have gone to the wardrobe to fetch some clothes before she had entered the bathroom. Now, the situation was so embarrassing for her. She took a deep sigh of dismay. She looked at the clothes she had just taken off. No, it was impossible for her to put them on again. What would she do then? She hesitated for a while and didn''t know what to do. She could ask Edward to bring some clothes for her. But she felt too ashamed to speak to him now. ''Oh, my God! This is driving me nuts! I have done nothing vicious and malicious to people. I only want to escape from this cunning pervert!'' Daisy eximed in her heart. The sound of the knocking on the door brought her back to her senses. She was shocked as she heard his familiar booming voice from outside. "Damn! Are you staying there until tomorrow morning? What''s taking so long?" Edward got too drowsy and bored when he was waiting for Daisy on the bed. But when he realized that Daisy still didn''te se she could clearly feel that the hot part of his body was sticking out at her. "Well... Can you put me down?" Daisy asked in a low voice. She lowered her head to try to avoid looking into his eyes. Her face was more attractive when she blushed. "Why? Do you feel shy?" Edward gently swept over her nose with his fingers and left a gentle kiss on her lips. He raised her chin up with his fingers and made her look directly into his glowing eyes. "I want to sleep." Daisy moved her neck aside and broke free from his grip. She pursed her sexy lips and murmured. "You can sleep as you want. Nobody has forbidden you to sleep." They were already lying on the bed. Edward looked at her leisurely with a tempting smile. Daisy stared at him, and felt speechless. This guy was so cunning! But he was really charming... He was holding her waist tightly and was putting his nasty thing on her body. She didn''t dare to move. How could she sleep? Edward decided not to tease her again. He gently put her beside him. He knew that they were both exhausted after aboring night yesterday. He decided not to torture her tonight. He just wanted to simply hold her in his arms right now. Daisy didn''t expect that he would cave in that easily. She secretly raised her head to look at him doubtfully. "Don''t look at me like that, or I will change my mind and make you regret it. It will be hard for you to stand up tomorrow morning. Just think about that!" Edward threatened. Daisy became so scared. She immediately buried herself in his arms and stayed motionless. Gradually, she fell into a sound sleep. Chapter 65 Miss Daisy The night was short but was indeed beautiful. When the morning sunlight broke the darkness of dawn, crossed the horizon line and brightened the sky, Kevin finally opened his slightly intoxicated eyes. He raised his hands and tenderly massaged his aching temple. He was shocked as he nced at the naked body lying beside him. He scratched his head in frustration and regretted his crazy behaviorst night. How could he meet and y with a virgin? He should have been more careful. Kevin got out of bed, and walked into the bathroom naked. Not until the cold water fell over his body did the sense of reality came to him. The water curtain freely patted his face as he considered what to do with the woman sleeping on his bed. If this woman wasn''t a virgin, the passionate sex they didst night would do no harm to him. However, the woman seemed to be warm to him. She seemed to want it although she knew she had no sexual experience before. Because of this, he made the wrong choice. He wiped the water off his face, brushed his hair, wore a bath towel around his waist and walked out. He had a superb, lean,pact and athletic body, possibly caused by the long-term training he experienced. He got dressed and looked at the beautiful woman sleeping soundly on the bed. After a moment of thinking, he took a pencil and paper, wrote something and then left abruptly. Leena slept well through the night. She woke up at noon and looked around in astonishment at the room. It was totally unfamiliar to her. She moved her body and realized that everything in her was aching. She lowered her head and looked at her body in bewilderment. Her body was naked under the bed sheet. Love bites were still obvious. Leena looked flurried and wondered what really happenedst night. When she closed her eyes and tried to remember, the memories astonished her and made her jump up. Leena, how could you get so drunk and seduce other men to have sex with you? She hurriedly put on the clothes which had been arranged nicely for her. A piece of paper on the nearby table drew her attention. She picked up the sheet and read the handwritten note. "Hello! I'' ve now." Anna never learned how to fawn rich and powerful people. Therefore, the identity of Mary meant nothing to her because she was an employee of FX International Group, rather than Ouyang Foreign Trade. "Thank you. Anna." Mary was so angry that her facial expression looked like it was distorted. As clever as herself, Mary knew that her message would not be delivered. Even so, she wore a false smile, which draw Anna''s attention. Anna suddenly realized that Mary wasn''t so innocent and naive. Anna tapped at the door of Rain''s office and rushed inside. Her expression did not change at all. "Rain, Edward asked you to go to the YS Group and sign the new agreement for this quarter." With those words, Anna gave him a quick nce and wondered how he would react. Edward acted in a fury when he heard the YS group. So, she was curious about Rain''s response. "Why me? He can do it personally. Besides, that woman requests to speak to him every time. Has she changed her mind?!" Busy in a pile of documents, Rain raised his head and shouted angrily. Right now, he totally dedicated himself to the next month''s business n for the C Financial Group. He didn''t want to waste his time and bicker with that rude woman. "This time, Miss Belinda didn''t appoint anybody to sign the agreement. Thus, Edward wanted you to get it done." Rain''s response was also unusual and strange. It seemed that both of them disliked Miss Belinda. Chapter 66 You Should Have Knocked At The Door Rain was utterly speechless. Why was he appointed when Belinda actually designated no one? For God''s sake, he was already busy and upied. But he couldn''t refuse. He had to obey Edward unconditionally. "I see. Please tell them that I''ll go there in the afternoon." Massaging the acupuncture point between his eyebrows, Rain tried to calm himself down. "Okay. Mr. Rain, is it really difficult to deal with Belinda?" Anna asked in curiosity. It seemed like everyone was trying to avoid that woman. "Ha! Ha! Anna, you are also unexpectedly gossipy." Rain smirked. As far as he knew, Anna was always meticulous and would never ask anything other than work. He was very surprised at her sudden question. "Forget it." Rain''sughter made Anna angry. She turned and strode away, but Rainughed even more heartily. Anna was embarrassed. She shouldn''t have asked him about it. Instead of getting the answer, she made a shameful show of herself. She had forgotten that this guy was as mean and shameless as Mr. Mu. Edward sneezed as if he knew what Anna was thinking. Why did he always get into trouble? Daisy moved her sore body to pick up her ringing phone on the bed. At the sight of the caller''s name, she threw the phone back and covered herself with the quilt, ignoring the call. Edward took the phone down to check the number and was sure that it was Daisy''s. This woman was ying hard-to-get again. ''She is still sleeping? Or she has been out without taking her phone?'' At this thought, he called another number. Knock. Knock. Daisy was immediat e again. He had told her this morning that she couldn''t hang up the phone first no matter what, but obviously, she had forgotten itpletely. Or maybe she just didn''t care. Looking up at Rain in anger, Edward said coldly, "It''s very rude of you to break in here. You should have knocked at the door. I''ll punish you if you don''t knock next time." After stating this with a fiery tone, Edward looked down at the document on the table. "Well¡­" Rain was confused. Edward didn''t care whether he knocked at the door before, but he was provoked today. Indeed, Rain shouldn''t have broken in, but most importantly, he came at the wrong time. "Edward, why are you so angry? Are you at the change of life? Why are you so swollen with rage?" Rain always acted shamelessly in front of Edward, so he didn''t care about Edward''s warning. "Shut up! Men won''t enter upon the change of life!" Edward rolled his eyes, and immediately became mncholic. For the record, men will also enter upon the change of life, but it''s not as obvious as women. Chapter 67 Keeping Quite Busy These Days "Or your desire was not satisfiedst night? What I mean to ask is, didn''t Daisy give you physicalfort?" Rain made a bold assumption and it seemed that he wouldn''t stop until he got the right answers. "You think I am like you, don''t you?" Yes. He admitted his desires weren''t satisfiedst night, but this morning he had taken back more than he had lost. "What''s wrong with me?" There had never been a shortage of beautiful woman around him. "Annie has note here yet." Said Edward with an evil smile on his face, while rolling a luxury pen with his long fingers. "What''s any of this got to do with Annie?" Rain was confused. "I have no one to offer you for fun." Edward always felt better after making fun of Rain. It felt good to have Rain around so he could amuse himself. "Damn it! Edward. You are being wicked again. Does Daisy know about this shameless side of you?" Rain was curious about Daisy. Daisy was wearing heavy make-up when they met at the bar. He wasn''t able to see her clearly through the quick nce. "It''s between me and my wife. Why should I tell you?" Edward nced at him but gave no response. "So what? By the way, when are you nning to introduce Daisy to us, Edward?" Asked Rain, expectantly. It was rare to see Edward care so much about a woman. "Some other day. She has been keeping quite busy these days." It was true that she wasn''t avable. Because she was trapped in someone''s bed these days and she couldn''t even get off from it. "No way. Edward, why do I get the feeling that you have done something brutal to her and that''s why she has no time?" Rain leaned closer to Edward and studied him, trying to dig out some secrets from him. "Isn''t it normal to be brutal to my own wife?" Edward said calmly while neglec red about her was for the sake of Daisy, not her. Rain stood there bored. He secretly rolled his eyes, watching them talk in such a friendly way. Moreover, was Mary despising him? Even worse, she ignored him as is he did not exist. "Edward, why don''t we get out of here? I am starving to death." Rain couldn''t bear this anymore eventually. Why did Edward care about Mary so much suddenly? He remembered that Edward was cold and indifferent to Maryst time. Soon after he changed his mind. "Mr. Rain, there you are! So sorry that I didn''t notice you were here." Mary looked at Rain with an apologetic look, acting like she just noticed him. "That''s ok. Miss Mary. I also noticed you just now. So no need to be sorry." Hmmm! Rain had never given anyone a chance to disrespect him. Besides, he was not bad at acting either. Who did Mary think she was! Mary felt a little awkward. She thought she had made Rain feel insignificant, instead, she became the one. "We were just about to go for lunch. Since Miss Mary has made a cordial invitation, it would be a good idea for us to ept it." Edward proposed this at the right time. It helped break the ice between Rain and Mary. Chapter 68 Which Unlucky Man Is Your Prey Today They started driving towards the restaurant. They had picked a ce far away from the office. Usually, Luke drove behind Edward on the way. But Luke was sent to prepare Daisy''s desk. Before he left, he arranged for other bodyguards to follow Edward. It almost looked like a motorcade. Arranging so many people in his ce, Luke seemed not trust anyone but himself, on the off chance any mishaps urred with Edward in his absence. Edward steadily held the steering wheel. When he looked in the rear-view mirror, he was speechless. He felt Luke had overreacted. Who did he think Edward was, the President of the country? With so many cars following him, the passersby might assume him to be a mobster. Edward felt he must talk to Luke. Suddenly, a slender figure caught Edward''s attention. Unconsciously, he slowed down the car. But he then shook his head with self-mockery. The girl he was thinking of couldn''t be here. She would still be in Paris, the romantic capital of France. How could she possibly appear in the streets of S City? Before long, they arrived at their destination, a famous Spanish restaurant named Can Maj¨®. Mary was depressed. She intended to sit beside Edward, but to her dismay, Rain took the seat, and she had to drive behind them in her car. As an old saying goes, some were sad but the others were happy. Rain was in a pretty good mood, giggling along the way. As mboyant as he was, he usually didn''t share a car with other men. But today, he had abandoned his dazzling Maybach just to annoy Mary. As they got off the car and walked towards the restaurant, they met Belinda at the entrance, who also came for lunch. Edward was a little frustrated to see her. He felt that luck was not on his side, as he kept running into people who he didn''t want to meet. "Huh! Mr. Mu, nice seeing you again!" Belinda shed him a coquettish smile, and shot a nce at Mary. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss Shangguan. What a nice surprise." Edward''s ary was vexed. The more people dining with them, the less chance she had to be alone with Edward. Rain smiled before he spoke. He fiddled with his gleaming ear stud with one hand. Eyebrows raised, thin lips parted, he spoke in a low, sensuous voice. "Miss Shangguan, you are magnificent; indeed it is aplimentary dinner. But today''s dinner is on Miss Ouyang. ording to your theory, she is the one who''s desperate to be taken advantage of by the charming Miss Shangguan." Rain shed a smug grin. It felt great to ridicule other people. No wonder Edward always mocked him. That said, he thought, ''Huh. Mary Ouyang, you''ve been ignoring me this whole time. Now you''ll know what happens to people who ignore me.'' "Oh? The lunch is on Miss Ouyang? I''m sorry, Miss Ouyang, I didn''t expect you to be a person without self-respect. You know, a girl should always know better than to sell herself short. And in fact, very few women demean themselves by paying for futile love. My spection is cliched but reasonable. Don''t take it personally." Not a single word of Belinda''s apology sounded remorseful. Mary''s face fell when she heard the sarcastic tone of Belinda''s speech. Her lips parted, but she couldn''t utter a word. Her hands clenched into fists, so tight that the blue veins protruded under her skin. Chapter 69 Do You Miss Me To ease the growing tension in the atmosphere, Edward intentionally coughed, while covering his mouth with his fist. "Let''s just go inside. Or do you all want to be grilled outside?" Edward knitted his bushy brows and took the lead to move inside----he detested hot weather. The others followed him inside. Edward''s handsome face and voguish charm inevitably attracted everyone''s attention. But he simply ignored everyone and found a table near the window. There he sat elegantly with his legs crossed. Belinda nced at Mary, and she intentionally sat beside Edward. She knew Mary wanted to get close to Edward, but she wouldn''t let her fulfill this wish. When Mary saw Belinda''s gimmick, she bit her lip and unwillingly sat beside Rain. She couldn''t figure out why Belinda was constantly trying to give her a hard time. She didn''t recall having displeased her. Why was Belinda so ungracious to her the first time they met? Had she eyed Belinda''s boyfriend? Maybe that was the reason behind her behavior. After all, she had dated quite a few men, most of whom she had seduced by different means. So there was an off chance that she had stolen Belinda''s boyfriend without knowing it. "Miss Mary, are you okay? You don''t look so good." Belinda was not easy to deal with. She had agitated Mary by taking her seat, but now she was pretending to care for her. Rain and Edward exchanged looks and decided not to get involved. The atmosphere was quite intense. Who knows, perhaps the next minute Belinda would turn on them, so they decided to let the two women fight with each other. They were mere audiences. "I am alright. Thank you for your concern." Mary twitched her lips and faked a smile. Deep down she wanted to tear apart Belinda''s smug little face. "Of course, I must show my concern towards the host. After all, we just met for the first time , his lips unconsciously spread into a smile. With a swipe, Edward took the call. Then he spoke in a soft and gentle voice. "What''s going on? Did you have your lunch?" Edward was quite surprised that Daisy called him. "Yes. How about you?" Daisy''s distinct voice came through the phone. It was like a gurgling stream flowing across Edward''s parched heart. "I am having lunch. Did you miss me?" Edward said gently. His voice was so sweet that the people around him almost had goosebumps. "No, not really. I just wanted to ask you if I could use yourputer in the study room. I forgot to bring mine." Daisy answered hesitantly, her face blushed at Edward''s words. "Of course you can use it. I didn''t set any passwords, so you can log into it freely. You don''t need to ask me for all these things; you have full control over everything in the house." She didn''t say she missed him, but he was still happy that she called as he had been moping about her hanging up his call earlier. Belinda''s looked a bit angry now. ''See, Daisy. That''s the man you loved so much for so many years. He is sweet talking with another woman. And what about you? Did he love you? Did you even have a ce in his heart?'' Belinda thought to herself. Chapter 70 Damn You Jealous "Oh, I see. Have a nice meal! I''m sorry if I disturbed you." She didn''t hang up the phone. Because during the call this morning, she had hung up the phone first. Butter she remembered that he had forbidden her from hanging up the phone before him,e what may. So she waited for him to end the call first. "Okay! I''ll ask Luke to arrange aputer for you, and I''ll try toe home early today." Edward''s charismatic smile had Mary spellbound. She was wondering who Edward was talking to because he was kind and gentle on the phone. But that didn''t matter, because one day that tenderness would only belong to her, thought Mary. "Mr. Edward is a quite thedies man! You probably has many lovers! You already have one beside you. It seems that you have one hidden in your house too. I wonder where you get the time and energy to deal with them all." Seeing that Edward has hung up the phone, Belinda began to sneer at him. Her tone was a little harsh. She didn''t know that Daisy was already living with Edward, so naturally, she took it that Edward had another woman in his house. She felt pity for Daisy, so she gave a crude reaction without much consideration. "Miss Belinda, you seem to care a lot about my private life. Are you feel jealous? Or have you fallen in love with me?" Edward joked. He already knew that Belinda was not interested in him. He had met her several times, yet he didn''t spot any trace of admiration in her eyes, perhaps that''s why he could joke with her intrepidly. Belinda stared at him and remained silent. "Damn you jealous!" Belinda cursed him in her heart. The day she felt jealous for this deceitful scoundrel, the sun would rise from the west. Only inane women would make the mistake of falling in love with him and feeling jealous! No! She reminded herself to stop thinking like this because the inane woman she was thinking of, was none other than her best friend Daisy. "Mr. Mu, can''t you stop being so narcissistic? I wish you''d change your ways because I''m sick of hearing your self-absorbed, egotistical babble." Belinda stared at him with contempt. Is being creative on me again. Don''t expect that I will forgive you this time." After Belinda had vented out, she realized that her voice had been too loud. She looked around and found that Edward didn''t notice her. He was on another table speaking softly with Mary. She instantly felt relieved. Rain was sitting quite close to Belinda as they were discussing the contract. He had heard Belinda''s offensivenguage. But he did not know the Daisy whom Belinda was talking to. He merely frowned when Belinda cursed and then continued to scan the contract. "My dear friend Belinda, just spare me this time, please! I promise it will never happen again." Daisy said. Daisy only revealed her lovely side when she was with Belinda. Judging from her cute voice, no one could imagine that she was a stern and cold female colonel. "Get away from me! I will not be the daughter of my mother if I trust you again!" When Belinda heard how Daisy was trying to make peace with her, she felt delighted. Yet, her reply came out in a firm tone. "Oh! Belinda. If you are not the daughter of your mother, then who calls you daughter?" Daisy smiled when she heard Belinda had brought up her dearest mother. It seemed that Belinda was really angry with her this time. "I''m still my father''s daughter. You''re so stupid!" Belinda said nonchntly. At the same time, she nced at the contract, took a pen and signed her name on the contract. Chapter 71 Who Said That I Have A Boyfriend Belinda was as quick-witted as ever. Daisy felt speechless. She changed her expression. If she is her father''s daughter, she would still be her mom''s daughter. What is the difference? ''Emmm... Ok, I ept that you are smart. Now tell me, are you free this weekend?'' Belinda and Daisy haven''t seen each other for years. Daisy missed her very much. "Are you nning on standing me up again?'' Belindained sourly while putting the contract away. "I want to go shopping with you if you''ve got time, but I am fine if you don''t want toe with me. There are many other things I''d rather do." Daisy knew Belinda couldn''t resist the temptation of a shopping spree. ''Daisy! I dare you! You must go shopping with me.'' Belinda''s booming voice caught Edward and Mary''s attention. No..., Belinda immediately regretted uttering Daisy''s name aloud. Although Mary was familiar with Daisy, she wasn''t sure whether Daisy''s name would ring a bell to Edward. Belinda''s shout definitely caught Mary''s attention, and the reason behind her hostility became clear. ''Aren''t you afraid of being hunted down anymore?'' Daisy didn''t realize what an unfavorable situation Belinda had put herself into. ''I feel like I am being hunting down now.'' Belinda grumbled. Edward, why were you staring at me? Am I doing something illegal? Edward was staring at Belinda because he heard Belinda call Daisy''s name, so he was trying to figure out what was going on. ''What? Someone is hunting you right now? Where are you? I am on my way!'' Daisy jumped to her feet, taking Belinda''s words seriously. Belinda was the only heir of an affluent family. There were many people out there who wanted her dead. ''Take it easy. It was ings." Edward said casually, trying to piss Belinda off so that she''ll tell him what he wants to know. He wondered why Belinda was so hostile towards him all the time. "I am free to do whatever I choose. You have no right to judge me." "Your problem is that you overthink things. You are wee to think freely and speak your mind but insulting me is not an option. Don''t impose your opinions on me. I am not going to ept any foolish remarks." Belinda couldn''t forget Edward''s gentle and loving tone on the phone, and she was angry that he did not offer the same affection to Daisy. Edward didn''t say much, but Belinda continued to contradict him with a long list of arguments. He found Belinda very irritable, and it made him smile gently. "Miss Belinda, we do not have the right to interfere in your personal life, but it is your fault to mislead us. Please don''t me us for overthinking. Your behavior lead us to the wrong assumptions." Edward stood up coolly and replied in a sharp tone. Not arguing didn''t mean that he had a good temper. It''s just that, he didn''t want to argue with a woman, but Belinda was too aggressive. Chapter 72 Do You Often Go To Daddy’s Office Mary quietly listened to Belinda and the others. She felt that they got along well with each other but in a strange way. They were neither lovers nor friends, but she could perceive their unusual chemistry. Belinda felt perturbed, realizing how rude she had been. However, she felt embarrassed to make an apology, because she didn''t know what to say. Belinda intended to defend Daisy, but in doing so, she had offended Edward who was a big shot of the City. She knew Edward would mind. "Excuse me. I have to leave. Good day everyone." With these words, she left hurriedly. Belinda had the ability to admit and correct her mistakes. Whenever she lost her temper, she would leave the room. She would never invite humiliation her way. Though, she always escaped from Edward in a flurried haste. Edward didn''t mind her leaving abruptly as he was used to it. Rain concealed his smirk. Edward was the most brute man in the world who had a sharp tongue. Rain was no match for him when it came to debate and discussions, let alone Belinda. "Let''s go back." Edward nced at the expensive watch on his wrist and stepped out. After hanging up the phone, Daisy went upstairs to look for Justin, wondering what the little guy was up to. She gently pushed the door, only to find that it was locked. Daisy knocked on the door and waited for the door to be opened. "Mummy, what''s wrong?" Justin gaped at Daisy, pretending to be sleepy. "What were you doing? Why was the door locked?" Daisy popped her head inside and examined the room. "I wasn''t doing anything. I was just sleeping." Justin stuttered, giving no definite r of things had happened when she was absent. Justin''s world had changed immensely. s! If Daisy knew how Justin dealt with those women who flirted with Edward, she would be shocked. "Uncle Aaron is dad''s assistant. He knows dad''s schedule very well." Justin grinned wickedly. "Do you often go to dad''s office?" Daisy asked casually while unconsciously tapping the table, and making a soft, melodious tune. "Yeah. Dad often takes me there. It''s really fun." Justin smiled innocently. It was indeed fun. He drove a woman mad just a few days ago. Daisy was lost in her thoughts. When she''d take Justin to Edward, she didn''t expect that Edward would be very weing towards Justin as Edward wasn''t too fond of either one of them. She still remembered how scared she was about Edward refusing to ept Justin, so she left hurriedly before he was ready that day. She didn''t want anything bad to happen. But it seemed that now Edward was very nice to Justin, or else he wouldn''t take him to his office. No one would allow someone he didn''t like to stay too close to him. Chapter 73 Miss Ouyang Is Here The condescending woman held the hands of a lovely boy in front of the grand building of FX International Group. However, the differences were obvious. The woman had taken off her military uniform, which, as a result, reduced her sternness, giving her an amiable disposition. Several months had passed since Daisy had entered this luxurious and grand building. She still felt a little nervous, and involuntarily her steps slowed. Her cold hands started sweating and she grabbed Justin''s soft hands more firmly. Justin''s distinguished face allowed them to enter the building unstopped. However, many curious nces followed them, wondering who Daisy was and why Justin, who always refused any woman who approached his father, was personally walking this woman inside. They couldn''t associate this delicate and beautiful woman with the aloof female military officer they had seen three months ago. They took the dedicated elevator to the CEO''s office on the 88th floor, which consequently and inevitably drew greater attention. Daisy felt embarrassed, possibly due to the intense nces from the others. As soon as they came to the 88th floor, Justin let go of Daisy''s cold hand and headed for Rain''s office. He still remembered how badly he had hoped that Rain would love his mother. But to his great disappointment, Rain had refused. Now, he wanted Rain to see his beautiful and charming mother so that he could see the regretful expression on Rain''s face. The moment Anna saw Daisy and Justin approaching, she walked forward. She already knew that Daisy was the female military officer who had brought Justin inst time, because it was Anna who had led the way for them. However, at that time, Anna had no idea who this woman was. The re-appearance of Justin and this woman in the building, answered her question. "Nice to meet you, " Anna offered. "I''m Anna, chief secretary of FX International Group. Mr. nd his face was full of anticipation at the prospect of something. Was she the woman who had been disturbing his thoughts all day? "She is in your office." Anna was suspicious of Edward''s reaction. Was he delighted or discontented? With these words, Edward rushed to his office. He desperately needed to know if the Miss Ouyang sitting in his office was his wife that he had wanted so much to meet. Anna misunderstood his reaction and thought that he was angry. So, she also closely followed him and considered it her duty to clear up the mess she had created as a result of her own fault. Rain shook his head when he saw both of them rushing towards Edward''s office. He turned and unhurriedly walked to his own office, wondering why this Miss Ouyang was so important. Why am I so nervous? Edward wondered as he reached for the door to his office. He steadied himself and took a deep breath before he slowly opened the door. When the door creaked open, Daisy turned her head and smiled at Edward. Her smile was so sweet and full of grace. She outshone the fairest faces in the world. Edward''s heart finally settled down. It really was her, the woman he had missed so much. It never urred to him that Daisy, as aloof as ice water, could surprise him in this way. Chapter 74 Hey, You Forgot to Breathe Again "Honey, it''s really you!" Edward quickly walked up to Daisy. Grinning from ear to ear, he stretched out his hand to scoop her into his arms and kissed her on the lips. Anna could not hide her surprise at Edward using the endearment "honey". She silently closed the door and left the duo with a gentle smile ying on her lips. "Oh¡­" Daisy lost her head and once again forgot to breathe. With her hands around Edward''s neck, her whole body became soft and weak. "Hey, you forgot to breathe again." Edward let go of her and propped his forehead against her forehead, smiling yfully. "Are you still busy? Did I bother you?" asked Daisy shyly. Such an intimate touch made her nervous. "No. What brings you here? Were you missing me?" Edward took a step back and lovingly looked at her blushing face. He found that this woman always blushed. "Well, Justin wanted to eat out, so¡­ eh, we came to pick you up from work." Daisy unconsciously stammered as she was still not used to such close proximity with Edward. "Oh? What does he want to eat this time?" Edward knew his son well. Justin was interested in trying different kinds of food and wouldn''t yield to the temptation of tasty food. "Does he always ask to eat out?" Daisy frowned as she felt embarrassed for her son. Justin was not fussy about his food and ate whatever she cooked. And as they lived in the army, they rarely ate out. "It''s understandable. Children like new things, right?" Edward sat down on the sofa, and made Daisy sit in hisp, his hands resting on her waist. With his chin on her shoulder, his warm breath caressed her sexy neck. Daisy tried to wriggle free from his mmonce women, loved her so dearly. Rain excitedly stretched out his hand, wanting to shake hands with Daisy. But Edward smartly smacked his hand away. "Come on. I just wanted to shake hands with Daisy. This is very mean of you, Edward, "ined Rain. However, from his behavior, Rain realized that this woman was very special for Edward. Daisy, embarrassed, looked at Rain apologetically. She hadn''t expected Edward to suddenly stop him from shaking hands with her. As a female officer, she often shook hands with others, which was necessary social etiquette to express her friendliness. Rain looked at the big red welt on the back of his hand and red at Edward, but Edward didn''t apologize or look at him. ''Damn! He actually hit me hard. How cruel is he? Here is this beautifuldy, totally different from the woman in heavy makeup and garish clothes, that I had seen in the club the other day. And I just wanted to shake her hand, '' Rain thought to himself. ''However, one thing is clear. The sophisticated makeup techniques used today can both beautify a person or make them look ugly.'' Chapter 75 Will You Really Like Mommy "Uncle Rain, have you decided yet?" Justin wouldn''t let go. He kept holding Rain Xia''s hand. When Edward heard this, he was struck speechless. This little fellow was basically selling his wife to another man. It seemed the kid had grown ballsy. In the past, Edward didn''t care what other women did, mainly because he didn''t care for them. But Daisy was not one of those women. Daisy was someone he wanted to fall in love with. Wow! There was no point in fighting it anymore. Edward has already fallen in love. "Um... Hey, Justin! I''vee to a decision. Your mommy and Mr. Mu are in love. We''re done talking." Rain thought, ''Little boy! Stop pulling my leg! I already got pped for just trying to be friendly to your mom. What do you think would happen if I said anything about liking her?'' "Uncle Rain, have you really made up your mind? This is yourst chance! My mom is really really beautiful!" Little Justin gave Rain a look of pity as if Rain had made some terrible decision. "Justin Mu! You''re itching for a beating, aren''t you? Or were the fifty push-ups too easy for you? Wanna make it a hundred?" Daisy said, harshly. Daisy finally realized what was going on. Her own son was trying to persuade another guy to romance her. She thought that she looked good enough. Why would her son go around selling her? Edward''s handsome face darkened. When he heard Daisy''s words, he finally rxed a little. When he was at the hospital, he thought that Justin was just joking around, so he didn''t really care. Who knew he was serious? Now that he thought about it, it seemed he was really determined to find a guy for Daisy. "Uhhhh... Mom, are y Edward was a little lost because of Justin''s abrupt kiss. This was the first time the kid ever acted so affectionately. Usually, he would either be pulling pranks, or simply y it cool, like he didn''t care. Daisy was a little uneasy, since Rain was still in the room. She scanned the room, but she couldn''t find Rain anymore. She gasped, and thought, ''When did he leave? Why didn''t I know?'' Edward knew who she was looking for. But Rain was not dumb. He didn''t want to be in the middle of this, so he bailed on them while they were distracted. Justin wriggled out of Edward''s embrace and ran to Daisy,ughing. He took her hands and put them to his face. "Mommy, you''re not angry with me anymore, right?" "As long as you listen to me, I won''t be angry at you. Remember, kids shouldn''t get involved in grown up business." Daisy said seriously. That was non-negotiable. "Yes! I understand, mommy. I''ll listen in the future." ''The cute kid gets the candy, '' to paraphrase a well-known saying. Justin yed the role well. That was how he was able to hide his cunning from Daisy for so long. Chapter 76 Honey, What Would You Like to Eat The spectacr sunset was always followed by the twilight just around the corner. Holding hands with Daisy and Justin, Edward walked out of his office. Everyone was just getting off work, and they stopped and stared. They didn''t daree any closer than that. Daisy was used to attention, conducting meetings in the military. But with Edward it was a different story. Their gaze made her nervous, but she didn''t know why. Feeling her hand tense up, Edward turned to look at her and found her pretty face as calm as usual in spite of her sweating hand. She took pride in her stoicism as a soldier. Edward nodded to the employees who greeted him. He walked out FX International Group confidently, leaving his co-workers to talk and gossip. "Daddy, can we have Western food tonight?" Justin looked at his father, waiting for an answer. Out of all the meals they could have chosen, Western food was the most romantic. But it reminded Edward of what Belinda had ordered at noon. He lost his appetite immediately. Who would eat Western food all day? "Honey, what would you like for dinner?" Edward used the term "honey" naturally, like he''d called her that millions of times. He hadn''t. Hearing the word, Daisy became uneasy again. Their eyes met. Her moist lips moved a little, but nothing came out of her mouth. Looking into his bright eyes, she had forgotten everything but love. "What is it? Are you OK?" Edward asked. Noticing that something was wrong, he was worried an ''t. Please don''t be it. It will kill me. Mom won''t do that to me. I''m her son.'' "I''m not thinking of anything." Daisy acted innocent. Justin had always been afraid to eat Szechuan dishes. The sight of a hot pepper scared him every time, not to mention the taste. However, they were his mom''s favorite. She loved the spicy taste lingering on the tip of her tongue, which released all the tension in her body and mind. "Daddy, you don''t like them, either." Justin thought it wise to have an ally in this. He would soon find out he was the odd man out. Oh, my Goodness! "What are you two talking about? just tell me." Edward was clueless. He had no idea what they were talking about. "The hottest Szechuan dishes. Daddy, you don''t like them either, do you?" Justin had ced hisst wager on his father. But he lost, as Edward didn''t mind spicy food. He knew his mother loved Edward very much, and that she would defer to him. But Justin didn''t know the odds always favored the house. Chapter 77 Can I Help "Szechuan cuisine? It''s not my favorite, but I don''t hate it either. Why did you bring it up? Do you want Szechuan?" Edward turned round, and gazed at Daisy. He was surprised. Why would a woman like her enjoy spicy foods? How many hiddenyers did she have? Oh, she was almost like a book. The more he read, the more he was intrigued by the plot. "Just teasing. The weather is so hot now. The Szechuan cuisine fits winter." Daisy preferred spicy food, but she had to consider what was best for Justin. "You naughty girl." Edward chuckled when he heard the answer. He rubbed the tip of her nose, and gazed meaningfully into her eyes. Edward always liked to rub the tip of her nose. Daisy wasn''t sure she liked that. While it could be an innocent sign of affection, she felt that he treated her like a little girl. Suddenly, Edward''s phone rang, ying a popr love song. Before answering, he helped Daisy fix her hair, which was blown wild by the wind. Without missing a beat, he took out his phone. "Yes? What''s up, Duke?" Edward frowned when he saw Duke on the caller ID. Duke didn''te to him for help often, and when he did it was something big. "Edward, have you heard from Leena recently?" Duke''s sounded anxious. "No. Isn''t she in Paris? What happened?" Edward was puzzled. Was she in trouble? Or had she caused any? "She''s not in Paris. I haven''t heard from her since yesterday. I called her hotel, but she had checked out. And she''s not home yet. I thought she might be in contact with you somehow..." Duke''s heart was torn. No one but his little sister could do this to him. "Calm down, man. I''ll get my men right on it. If w nd Miss Leng soon." Luke had worked for Edward for many years. He knew Leena was important to Duke and Edward. Edward nodded, and turned to Daisy. She was looking at him too, with a worried expression on her face. "Let''s go. You must be hungry." When he took her hand, he frowned at the cold touch. Why was she so cold in hot weather? He hoped it was not because of indifference. "Aren''t you busy? I can take Justin to lunch, so you can deal with this." Although Daisy was not sure exactly what was going on, she could sense that he was about worried for someone important to him. She had served in the army for many years, and had learnt to observe other people''s subtle moods. She knew when something was urgent. "No, nothing to worry about. Luke can handle it. And if there''s an emergency, he can call me. Besides, you''ve never asked me out to dinner before. How can I let you down?" Edward never allowed idents to wreak havoc on his ns. What was more, he had people doing the digging. He didn''t need to lift a finger, and rarely got involved himself. That''s what other people were for. Chapter 78 I Might Have Stumbled Into A Time Machine Leena Leng stroked her t belly. She''d been wandering all day without the slightest intention of going home. She snuck back here without telling anyone. But now her big brother might have figured it out. Well, screw it. She was not ready to face his anger yet. All of this was because of that bloody foreigner. Indeed, he was handsome. He was wealthy. He was a romantic Frenchman. But she was also pretty. She was also born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She was no worse than the Frenchman. She kicked the little garden along the road. And stubbed her toes! Of all the rotten luck! The first day she came back, she slept with a man whose face she hardly remembered. She only knew that the man had eyes full of sorrow. That''s why she was drawn to him. She was sad and lovelorn too. She sat down on the bench beside the road, wondering whether she was really lovelorn. Did she love the Frenchman? If she loved him, why did her heart not race when holding his hands? Besides, she said "no" to him several times, when he pressured her for sex. Her conservatism drove him away. But she was heartbroken the moment they broke up. After all, the French man was the first big boy type she fell in love with. He was bright, handsome and, most of all, romantic like any Frenchman. That''s what captivated her. Leena shook her head. She knew it was toote to think about it again. But why was having sex the only way to show love? Her rejection was the reason he left. He said what he wanted was no tonic love, but sex. Oh, e up, I was here. Edward, I might have stumbled into a time machine. Leena acted mysterious, then pressed close to Edward and plunged into his arms. Meanwhile, she burst intoughter. "That''s so you. You are still so mischievous. That''s themest excuse!" Edward knew Leena was very eloquent. She could always conjure up various excuses. Daisy''s face went pale. At first, she was just curious why Edward parked the car aside and ran out without saying anything. As a soldier, she sensed something had happened, so she followed Edward out of the car. When she saw him running to that pretty girl... She could tell that girl meant a lot to him. Anyone could see that he looked at this girl with caring and loving eyes. Daisy stood there quietly and watched them...at least until that girl fell into Edward''s arms. She kept consoling herself that the hug was just a signal of friendship. It represented nothing else. She told herself again and again, ''Daisy, you should trust Edward. He will keep his promise.'' Chapter 79 When Did You Get Married Daisy saw Edward and that woman locked in an embrace, and immediately lost herposure. She turned around so she wouldn''t see them. Her cold face became even paler, if that were possible. She deliberated whether she should stick around. She took a deep breath and sighed. ''You''ve outdone yourself this time, Daisy.'' she thought. ''You''re dreaming! This noble and handsome man can''t be true to you.'' Daisy said to herself, to her heart. "Mommy, what''s up?" Justin followed Daisy out of the car. He looked at Daisy''s pale face, followed her gaze, and then knew why she was pale. Tears formed in his eyes. He thought, ''Mr. Edward, you hurt my mom again. I was stupid to trust you.'' "Nothing. Let''s go." Daisy replied. She held his tender little hand and left without hesitation. Her hair and dress flowed behind her, billowing with the speed of her steps. She was done. There was nothing left here for her to hold on to. Edward was totally unaware of what Daisy was doing. He called Duke. Leena freed herself, standing between him and the car. "Duke, it''s all good. Leena''s with me. You''ll see her soon." Edward looked at Leena. She leaned towards him andughed. He felt helpless. "What? You found her? Where is she? I''ll be right there!" Duke couldn''t stand waiting any longer. He was very angry and eager to teach a lesson to Leena, the little runaway. "Nah Duke. We''re getting fed. I''ll give you the address of the restaurant. You can meet us there." Edward read off the address and then immediately hung up before Duke could object. "Was Mr. Cold very a kay. Leena. Change of ns, sorry. Your brother can pick you up here." Edward regained his calmness. He knew he should be able to clear this up with Daisy if he didn''t lose his head. He dialed up Luke. "Hello, Luke. I found Leena. Find Miss Daisy and Justin. Tell Aaron too." Edward finally regained his shrewd business acumen. "Okay, Mr. Edward. But isn''t Miss Daisy with you now? What happened?" Luke was a little confused. He wondered why Daisy would suddenly disappear. "Well... It''s difficult to exin. Just do as I ask." Edward''s eyes shed, he felt a little embarrassed. So he would be med for Daisy''s disappearance. "Gotcha. Will do." Luke was helpless. He couldn''t think of any other ce Daisy could go besides the military base. He could go there and wait for her. Edward was in no mood to ask Luke about it. He called Duke and requested he pick up Leena. He was eager to go home to see whether Daisy and Justin were already there. Or so he hoped. He wasn''t sure what to do if they weren''t. This was not his day. Chapter 80 Its Not What You Think Daisy Ouyang had shut her emotions down and be cold again. She was used to it. For years she was in love with a man who would never love her back. His affair meant nothing to her. She would just carry on quietly as she always had. She would paint a picture of him when she missed him so much she couldn''t sleep, and bury herself in training during the day so she wouldn''t miss him then. She would endure. "Where are we going, mommy?" Justin looked at Daisy, suddenly worried. "Oh! Sorry, Justin, mommy was thinking about something. Are you hungry?" Daisy sighed. Her hair was a little messy in the wind. Shebed it with her fingers and looked around, only to find that there wasn''t a restaurant among the stores nearby. "No, I''m not hungry. What about you, mommy?" Justin asked. He felt bad for his mom. "Me neither. Let''s go back to the base! Mommy will cook some noodles for you." Daisy said and tried to take her phone out of her pocket, only to find that she was wearing a dress with no pockets. She had left the phone in Edward''s car, and had no money on her now. "I need to borrow your phone, Justin. Let''s call Uncle Mark. He''lle and drive us back." Daisy chastised herself. ''That was careless, Daisy. You keep doing stupid things.'' "Okay, mommy." His phone started ringing loudly as he reached into his bag. Justin took it out and saw it was Edward. He looked at Daisy, not knowing what to do. "What? Who is it?" Daisy looked at him, wondering why he didn''t answer it. "It''s daddy. Mommy, do you want me to answer it?" Justin asked haltingly. He stared at Daisy, waiting for he em while driving. He pulled up to say hello. "Uncle Kevin, I miss you so much!" Justin jumped into Kevin''s arms as soon as he saw the man. He looked relieved, thinking Kevin would help them. "What do you need, Justin?" Kevin knew what Justin was like. He didn''t think the boy would have said that for nothing. "What are you doing here, Mr. Kevin?" Daisy asked, looking at him. Kevin had been acting weird recently. She was afraid that he would say something she didn''t understand. "Nothing really. I was just out for a drive and here you are. Where are you headed? Maybe I can give you a lift?" In fact, Kevin just came back from the bar where he had slept with Leena Lengst night. He had left in a hurry this morning before she woke up, so he went back to see her as soon as his work was finished. As an officer, he felt that he should be responsible and do something for what he had done to her. But when he reached the bar, he found that the girl had gone. It looked like she wanted nothing from him, which didn''t make him feel any better about his behavior. Chapter 81 Its Daddy And Uncle Luke "We''re headed for the base. We were about to call Mark, have him meet us here. But we saw you first." Evidently, Kevin was surprised at seeing them there. Daisy lowered her head to avoid his gaze. "No need to call Mark. We can take my car back." Kevin was curious why she was reporting for duty before the end of her holiday. Wasn''t her husband the CEO of FX International Group? Why didn''t her husband send a car for her to go back to the base in? "Major Kevin, are you busy now? I don''t want to impose." Daisy had a thought: this might interfere with his duties. "Nothing important or urgent. I was just hanging out when I saw you." Kevin was out of sorts. He didn''t like the distance between them, or her coldness. "Ok. Thank you." Daisy, as aloof as she was, could feel that something was wrong. She felt the tension when Kevin looked at her. She thought it was better if she brushed him off and was only cordial to him. Kevin was about to say something and thought better of it. He closed his eyes briefly. Then, he picked up Justin in his arms and headed for his car. He looked like a man defeated. "Have you eaten?" Kevin said before he pulled away from the curb. He turned his head and could see that Daisy and Justin looked dispirited. "No, and Uncle Kevin, Mommy said we could eat after we got back on base." Justin answered before Daisy could say anything. Sometimes his bluntness surprised and embarrassed her. Kevin looked at his watch. He frown o he couldn''t keep his emotions in check. Although he was angry at Edward a moment ago, Edward was still Daddy. Kevin turned his head and looked at Daisy. What really happened between her and Edward? She mostly sat in silence, picked at her food. He couldn''t stop thinking about her. Edward stared at the car heading for the base intently, like a cheetah stalking his prey, ready to pounce. He frowned when he saw the driver''s face. Why was he here? Kevin pulled up near Edward''s car, turned his head and looked at Daisy. She only had eyes for Edward. Kevin decided to live with his heartbreak, and not pursue her any further. The best man had won. Edward was a bit surprised when he saw those two familiar figures in the backseat. He gave a sardonic smile. ''Daisy, do you have any idea how long I''ve been waiting for you? Do you know how worried I am? Do you know how anxious and scared I am?'' Even if she did, Edward thought, he would let Daisy know exactly how he felt. Chapter 82 So Youre Planning On Running No. You had no idea that I was hanging out here waiting, worrying while you were out with this guy; that I was full of regrets, while you ignored everything I''ve done for you. The smile on Edward''s face was cold, but also flirtatious and breathtaking, like a blossoming mandragora. Daisy was too enchanted by Edward''s smile to remember to respond, sitting there and gazing at him through the car window. It was Justin who opened the door, then got out of the car and threw his tiny body into Edward''s arms. "Daddy. Why are you here?" Asked Justin, with his arms around Edward''s neck and his cheek against Edward''s enchanting face. He was so pleased to see Edward that he had totally forgotten everything Edward did to make his mom angry. "Um! Where have you been?" Asked Edward, with his eyes fixed on Daisy to see how long she would stay in the car. "We met Uncle Kevin in the street and had dinner with him." Justin said with a bright smile. He had no idea anything awkward had happened. "How are you? Mr. Edward. We meet again." Kevin got out of the car and gave Edward a gentle handshake, his handsome face showing no signs of sadness. "Yes! What a coincidence! It seems you have plenty of time. I feel very guilty to bother you to take care of my wife every time." Edward said and looked at Kevin with cold smile on his face. Every word he said to Kevin was full of sarcasm. "You''re joking. Not even worth mentioning. I can''t take any credit for it." Kevin said with an easy smile and held Edward''s gaze. He didn''t intend to back down, but didn''t care about the was in the wrong, but she still behaved like the obedient little wife. "Do you want me to carry you to the car? Huh?" Edward said, his teeth clenched, face twisted into an evil re. Daisy was speechless. She looked at the gate of the military base and looked at Edward. She measured the distance between the two, and calcted her chances of escape. "So you''re nning on running?" Edward stopped her with his cold words and fierce re, making Daisy shuffle towards him. Was he a mind reader? How could he know what she was thinking? Edward mmed the door after she got in the car. He started it without a word then sped to the city. Daisy stole a nce at Edward''s beautiful face and then looked away quickly. She had no idea why Edward was so mad. Could she stay with this guy and still enjoy a sweet moment? She didn''t think she could do that, so she decided they needed some space. She knew that she couldn''t demand anything that didn''t belong to her. So why didn''t she just let it go? She didn''t have the answers herself. Chapter 83 Why Dont You Believe Me Edward intentionally neglected her. He didn''t give her a chance to speak either. During the drive home, he always looked tough and cold, like a messenger from Hell. "So... Can you pull over?" Daisy said weakly. She needed time to gather her strength. The oppressive atmosphere was keeping her from the normally stoicposure that fitted her rank as a colonel. Edward finally turned to look at her, but his cold eyes only made her squirm even more. All of a sudden, her nose felt stuffy. She bit her lip and tore at the corner of her mouth. If she weren''t worried about her reputation in the military, she wouldn''t be in his car right now. "Something''s up." While Daisy already gave up hope on getting his attention, she heard a few words quietly drift past her ears. The car slowly pulled over. "Give me some money." Daisy reached out her fair hand in front of Edward as if he was supposed to offer something. In fact, she felt terribly embarrassed that she brought Justin to the store without even taking her wallet along. Now things were awkward. Edward pulled out his wallet in confusion and passed it to her. Why did she suddenly start asking him for money? ''Quite unusual, '' Edward thought. ''She''s not trying to calm me down, she''s asking for cash.'' It was a good way to change the topic, he admitted to himself. Daisy opened the wallet. ''This guy has so many cards, but there are no bills.'' It seemed that he always paid with cards. Things like cash were inconsequential to him. "Um... You don''t have any money!" Daisy said reluctantly. She furrowed her brows, hoping that the shops would take the cards. "Woman -- are you speaking to me? When have I ever been broke? Any one of the cards here can buy you an t go of me. You were the one who broke our rules. I told you to stay away from other women in the first ce, but you held her in your arms for such a long time." Daisy shook off his hands, looking exasperated. ''He''s not the only one with a temper! I have a temper, too!'' Edward was taken aback, but instead of feeling angry, he was somehow amused. He stroked her lips, pursed in anger. "So you were jealous? Edward smiled temptingly, casting amorous nces at Daisy. "Humph! I wasn''t jealous at all. I just didn''t want to interrupt you -- you were so intimate with each other." ''Yes, she was jealous. But she would never reveal it to him.'' "Oh dear! You''re so cute. She''s only my friend''s sister. Not even worth your jealousy." Edward teasingly patted her on the head. Her jealousy only proved that she still cared about him. "Um..." Daisy was quite speechless. Why did he always embarrass her? "Cat got your tongue? Why aren''t you saying anything?" His anger gone, he began tapping the steering wheel rhythmically with his slim fingers. Daisy rolled her eyes: Yes, the cat has my tongue. ''A big, amorous cat in a rut, '' she thought. Chapter 84 Are You Worrying About Me "Give me a moment. I''ll just be back..." Daisy got out of the car without finishing the sentence and trotted towards the bakery down the street. Edward wondered where she was headed, as it was quite possible that she would run away from him. Daisy began to select some cakes and beverages, after she confirmed that she could pay the bill by card. She picked out several pieces of mousse cakes, a cup of coffee and a carton of milk. When Daisy reached back at the car, loaded with the supplies, she beckoned Edward to open the front door. Edward nced at her with a strange look. He was genuinely surprised that she had not run away. "Here, take this. And now, I will drive." Daisy ordered him while stuffing all the things she had bought, and his wallet, in his hands. "What are you doing?" Edward frowned, reluctantly taking the stuff while getting out of the driving seat. "I''ve brought you food, I am sure that you have not had dinner yet." replied Daisy raising her perfect eyebrows. Edward shed his trademark grin and innocently asked, "My love, are you worrying about me? And how did you know that I had not had my dinner yet?" ... "If you had had your dinner, you wouldn''t be so angry." Daisyined while getting in the car. She reckoned that Edward had immediately rushed to the military district while still talking to Justin on the phone. And then he had waited there for three hours, during which he had not eaten anything as there was nothing there to eat. Edward looked at her shopping and was surprised to see the cakes. He selected one and took a dainty little bite. Although he was not a big fan of matcha mousse cakes, he found that he could tolerate this one. "Do you like it? Justin loves this vor, so I thought you''d find it ? "Your young master is on his way. Please prepare some food for him." Daisy knew that Edward had eaten only a small piece of cake and a cup of coffee, without touching the milk. "Yes, Mrs. Mu. I will immediately go and get some food." The stewardess was pleased that Daisy cared about Mr. Mu. "I''m d that you were running that fast to get me food." Edward said as he entered the vi. He felt good knowing that Daisy was concerned about him. "Hardly. I just don''t want you to get mad at me again!" Daisy retorted. She would never admit that she cared about him. "You are lying. When did I get angry with you?" Avoiding direct conflicts with him and being gentle were the best ways to calm him down. Edward was satisfied with her actions. He took her into his arms. She squirmed and got out of his arms. Why did Edward like hugs so much! He did not mind the maids watching their intimate interactions but she did! "I need to check whether Justin has slept or not." she said quickly running to the stairs. Edward followed her steps and headed to his room to take a shower. It was the first thing he needed to do whenever he got back home, to keep his mind sane. Chapter 85 Till Death Do Us Apart Daisy found Justin asleep when she walked in. She sat beside the bed, looking at Justin with a loving smile on her face. She had always thought that her little boy had never asked about his dad because it didn''t matter to him. But when she saw how excited, and eager Justin got to spend time with Edward tonight, she realized how wrong she had been. She realized that Justin had always wanted his dad. But he hid his desire for a father deep inside his heart to avoid letting her down. Being so considerate at such a young age truly moved Daisy. Justin was the only and most precious gift that God had sent to her. Daisy extended her hand to stroke his peacefully sleeping face. Her heart filled with a flood of emotions. She was d to have Justin''spany in the lonely life she had been leading for many years. Daisy bent down to kiss his forehead. She adjusted the temperature of the air conditioner before leaving the room. As she quietly closed the door, she ran into a pair of dark deep-set eyes. Daisy felt disconcerted for a second, and she quickly turned away to avoid the enquiring eyes. Edward was shocked to see her ignoring him and bypassing him like he didn''t even exist. He found her growingly unpredictable. Was she ying hard-to-get with him again? The truth is, Daisy wasn''t as aloof as she appeared. She ignored him only because me speechless. Edward kissed her gently on the lips and slowly perfected her unique beauty. Daisy didn''t expect the sudden kiss as she was still shocked by his words. She came back to her senses when his hand swiftly sneaked into her clothes. "Edward¡­ No¡­" Daisy held back his hand that had lit a fire in her body. She was panting and begging him to stop. They were still in the study, what if someone opened the door. "Fine." Edward picked her up without warning and hurried to their bedroom. He knew she''s shy, so he respected her request. When the bedroom door closed, the hot kisses fell on her body like rain. Daisy found it hard to embrace his neck as she was savoring the waves of passion he brought. The moonlight outside the window was flushed by the heat of their room, and it secretly hid behind the dark clouds. The passion in the room went on as if only death could do them apart. Chapter 86 Who Am I Supposed To Be Leena found the constant nagging by his brother very annoying. He had been lecturing her all night, and Leena still had a chafed feeling in her ears as she recalled. She wondered why his behavior was so different from his appearance. No wonder he was single for all these years. No one could bear his constant nagging. Leena sighed, everyone believed she had great potential as she was studying fashion designing in Paris. But her brother Mr. Cold always saw her as a naive little girl. She looked down at her bosom proudly. Maybe she was not in shape for a D-cup, but she was at least a B. Leena quietly opened the door and looked outside. When she saw the bodyguard standing at the door with a poker face, she rolled her eyes and felt speechless about her brother''s actions. Imprisonment was for convicts, and she is his sister. Why would he do this? Leenained about the inappropriate time her father had chosen to visit his colleagues. Because that left no ally to help her out. Leena helplessly threw herself into the queen-sized bed while scouring through her bag. She was lucky that he did not confiscate her phone as she couldn''t imagine how bored she would be without it. Leena picked up the piece of paper that came out with her phone. She wondered where the paper came from, as she saw what was written on it, she jumped out of panic. How could she forget about Kevin? She would be doomed if Mr. Cold saw this note. However, Leena calmed down soon. She decided to ignore what Kevin had written in the note. He wanted to be responsible for Leena, but this thought never crossed her mind. She scratched her hair and began to regret what had happened. It was stupid of her to have a one-night-stand with a stranger. Just a However, he had responsibilities and a duty to fulfill his family''s wishes. "No thanks. This topic is not fitting for me. I don''t need any further consideration. Please ignore my call. Bye!" Leena quickly hung up the phone. And she wasn''t happy with the oue. It wasn''t as enjoyable as she had thought! Leena could not imagine what punishment she would receive from Mr. Cold if she married a stranger. "Hello... Are you there?..." Kevin shook his head while he heard Leena hang up the phone so quickly. She must have freaked out by his proposal. He wanted an end to his obsession with Daisy so that he won''t care about Daisy''s whereabouts anymore. Leena tried to calm down after she hung up the phone. She thought the joke had gone a bit too far, whether he was serious or not. But she was surprised that he would agree to such a ludicrous request. Love, at first sight, was unreal. She didn''t believe in it. Kevin fiddled with his phone and wondered why she behaved like this. He thought that the phone call was to force him into marriage, and he didn''t mind to have her as his bride. However, he didn''t expect that she would be the one to freak out. Chapter 87 Honey, What Are You Doing Today, Edward was delighted because of the wonderful time he had spent with Daisy yesterday night. He couldn''t help smiling the whole morning, thinking aboutst night. "Aaron, our CEO seems very happy today. Look, he is constantly smiling in the office. Do you have any clue what''s making him so happy? Did something special happen yesterday night?" Rain elbowed Aaron who was sitting beside him and whispered to him. Aaron turned his head and stared at Rain in contempt. ''If you want to know the answer, why don''t you ask for yourself? ''How could I know what the CEO did yesterday night? I don''t live with him. Besides, I''m not a Peeping Tom who likes to poke his nose into other people''s private lives.'' Aaron thought. Aaron''s stare embarrassed Rain, and he touched his handsome nose in regret. ''I am being despised by Aaron yet again. But Edward is acting very suspicious. I have never seen him in such a good mood as today, especially during a meeting. He even ignored the blunders made by the nning department! He is always in an aggressive and daunting mood just like a tiger. It''s unusual that he is acting as easygoing as a cat today.'' Rain thought. ''Mr. Rain, please let us know about your proposal for the C Financial Group." Asked Edward. Edward noticed that Rain was prying into his private affairs during the meeting. He could make out from Rain''s dubious expression that he was lost in his thoughts. Rain felt flustered! He suddenly remembered the saying "what goes aroundes around". It applied to him now. And he knew his boss wouldn''t let it pass. He realized that he has already earned his punishment for his bbering. Rain shot an intrusive look to Edward and reluctantly opened the report in front of him. He began to discuss the n. He immediately conceded that Edward was still a tiger in the disguise of a cat. He considered himself stupid. He had fooled himself into believing that Edward would not catch his words. Other colleagues in the meeting were wise to keep silent. Only he was dumb enough to bring up this sensitive topic. No wonder that Aaron overlooked him moments ago. Edward was still smiling coolly, in a yful way. He ignored Rain''s ling. She replied while cing the phone between her ear and shoulder. She was still gazing at the screen of theputer, her hands continually tapping the keyboard. "Honey, what are you doing?" asked Edward. He was standing by the window, overlooking the hustle and bustle on the street. As he in the high-rise building, the cars and people on the road seemed like little dots to him. "Um! I am writing a report. What''s up?" Daisy didn''t expect that Edward would call her. She was a little surprised. She paused and lifted her hands from the keyboard to hold the phone. "Well, Rain suggested that we hang out together tonight, and he wants you toe. What do you say?" asked Edward. He could imagine that she must be feeling confused because he knew that she didn''t like the idea of so many people buzzing with excitement. "How many people areing?" Daisy frowned and asked. Just as Edward had expected, she was a little annoyed. "Not too many, just some intimate friends." Edward didn''t tell him that Leena would also join in, he feared that she would feel abashed. "Okay, you decide. I''m fine either way." Since she had decided that she would be a good wife, she thought that it was necessary for her to fit into his life and his social circle. "Okay! I will pick you up after work." Edward said with a gentle smile. He wondered how she would react when she met Leena there. It would be interesting to see what would happen tonight! Chapter 88 Dare You Touch Her The scorching sun was setting down, and the sky looked beautiful with the soft evening glow. The whole city looked gorgeous in the bright glow of the sun. Daisy looked at herself in the mirror, a little depressed. ''Why is that every dress which Edward chooses for me is so grand and exorbitant? Why couldn''t I find any regr clothes in the wardrobe? Daisy wondered. Usually, Daisy wore uniforms. She had a few informal suits, but they''re all too casual if she wore them to go to somece fancy. But the ce Edward would bring her to must be some opulent restaurant or hotel, so she nned to wear the dress Edward hadid out for her. The dress she nned to wear tonight looked good on her. The chiffon fabric was very light. It billowed with the wind, adding a touch of softness and gentleness to her calm personality. The frill sleeves softened her firm demeanor, making her look more attractive with femininity. Edward continually turned around to look at Daisy when they were in the car. He smiled gently, making his thin lips look sexier. "Dad, what are you looking at?" Justin had noticed his father''s unusual movement, he raised his head and asked Edward doubtfully. "I''m looking at you!" Edward didn''t feel embarrassed when his son caught him. His broad smile looked more attractive now. While Daisy was in a state of bewilderment, she was not naive. Edward''s intentions were too obvious when he frequently turned around and gazed at them. The reason why she ignored his gaze was that she didn''t want to make everyone feel embarrassed. But Justin''s innocent question made her blush. "Oh! I got it! Dad, you''re looking at mom!" Justin teased Edward and eximed as if he had found a new lease of life. He rolled his eyes slyly and made fun of Edward. "Justin, that''s nonsense." Daisy pulled a long face. She didn''t expect Justin to say this out. She became more bewildered. She looked around with her bright eyes and didn''t know where to look. "Justin, you''re my clever son! Don''t you think that sy''s arm. She seemed very determined. Daisy was ustomed to being alone and indifferent. She was overwhelmed by Leena''s warm hospitality. "Okay, suit yourself." Daisy smiled and said. She quite like Leena''s quality of being frank and upright. It seemed that she was the apple of the eye of her family, like a princess under proper security. Thinking of princesses, Daisy got lost in her thoughts. She remembered that once she was also the apple of the eye of her parents. But an incident stripped her off all the love she had enjoyed and her longing for a bright future. All of a sudden she had fallen from heaven to hell. When she was Leena''s age, she was already living on her own, managing different critical tasks, while Leena was lucky enough to maintain her innocence and stay unaffected by worldly affairs. "Okay!" Thank you, Sis. Now tell me who is this cute boy?" Leena noticed Justin who was standing beside Daisy. She asked while pinching Justin''s handsome face, something she simply couldn''t resist. "Hello, Miss. I''m Justin Mu." Justin volunteered to introduce himself to Leena before Daisy could answer. He felt ignored by everyone present. Their gaze was focused on Daisy. Finally, there was a beautifuldy who had asked about him, and he felt very excited. He seized the opportunity to leave a good impression on them. Chapter 89 You Are Too Thin "Oh! You''re Justin!" Hi! You''re really sweet. Why don''t you call me sister?" Leena said while taking the opportunity to kiss his cheeks. He was such a handsome boy. Another Edward when he grew up! Leena''s words made Rainugh. He said, "Leena, you''re too old to be his sister! Do you still consider yourself young? If it had been the olden times, you would have already mothered a bunch of children!" Leena stared at Rain but chose to ignore him. She knew how much he enjoyed making fun of her. She had be immune to his mockery. Her focus was on Justin now. He was such a lovely boy! Justin moved Leena''s hands from his face; he looked at Edward helplessly. He desperately hoped that Edward would save him from Leena''s warm wee. He regretted that he had drawn this on himself! He was tasting his own bitter fruit now. He didn''t expect that Leena would be so obsessed with him. Edward chose to ignore Justin''s signal. He held Daisy''s hand and helped her sit down, leaving Justin in Leena''s hands. ''Poor Justin. Hope he realizes that it''s unwise to reveal oneself to anyone without understanding that person''s true character. It is a good lesson for him. It''s one of the biggest mistakes that one can make, especially in the business world. As my son, if he can''t manage the mess that he caused himself, he''s probably unfit to take over my business in the future.'' Edward thought. "Justin, let''s sit down. You can sit next to me!" Leena asked, she had finally found someone she could y with. She felt that she made the right decision toe back. Many exciting things had transpired since she had been back. Edward suddenly got married and had a son too. It seemed there would be more fun ining days! "Eh! Well... Miss Leena. Sorry, But I''d rather sit next to Mr. Rain. I need to discuss something with him." ''Oh my God! She seemed obstinate! Her cunning looks are scary! Seems like she''s plotting an attack on someone. I wonder who is her prey. Sitting next to her would mean walking right into her trap.'' Justin thought. "Hey, Justin, what do you want to discu . "Daisy, what happened?" Rain asked. He observed Edward''s sinister smile and Daisy''s crimsoned face. He felt that they were a suspicious couple. He wondered what Edward had said to Daisy to prompt such a reaction. "Oh! Nothing. The chopsticks just slipped." Daisy replied. She was really embarrassed. She felt that now her image had been ruined for good. She didn''t expect Edward to say something like this to her suddenly. He was such a crude man. He was flirting with her with so many people present. Although his voice was low, Daisy was really mad about this! "Mom, your face is red. Are you feeling hot?" Justin asked Daisy with concern. "Yes! Sis, are you all right?" Leena noticed Daisy''s odd behavior and asked curiously. "..." Daisy was very embarrassed. It was all because of Edward. She stared bitterly at Edward. But Edward felt at ease, and it seemed that he was not going to help her out. "Why are you looking at me? Is it because you suddenly realize your husband is looking very handsome today?" Everybody felt sick to hear his words. The man was too self-absorbed! Duke didn''t say anything. He had been watching Edward all this time. He wanted to find out whether Edward was serious about this rtionship. It surprised him that the proud Mr. Edward would be considerate enough to serve food for Daisy. And his gaze upon her was filled with intense love. Chapter 90 Youre Such A Rogue Daisy waspletely speechless about Edward''s question. She didn''t expect Edward would be so shameless. "Haha! Edward, handsome is not the right word for you. You are actually very beautiful!" Leenaughed with the joke. She didn''t care about Edward''s angry look directed at her. She knew that Edward hated to hear others refer to him as beautiful. But Leenapletely ignored him. She wasn''t at all afraid. Edward really couldn''t do anything to Leena in response to this. There would only be the Leena who dared to test his breaking point. If this were someone else who had dared to say the same thing, they would be doomed! "Leena, you''re right this time. Edward is a gorgeous beauty." Rain was finally satisfied. Leena had helped him exact revenge on Edward. He had felt aggrieved when everyone called him sissy. He hadpany now. "A gorgeous beauty? It seems that someone has some nerve!" Edward said this with an evil smile. His voice was very cold. He squinted at Rain, with eyes as sharp as an eagle''s. That sharp look sent a shiver down to Rain''s spine. ''Oh! Why? It was Leena who started this! Why am I always the one to be med?'' Rain bitterly thought. "Haha! I''m joking! I think Mr. Duke is more beautiful. Look at his handsome appearance, perfect figure and cool... demeanor..." Rain faltered when he received a cold look from Duke. He fell silent. ''Oh my God! I had forgotten that Duke was even more frightening than Edward! I have made a fool of myself again.'' Rain thought. "Continue. Why have you stopped?" Duke gazed at Rain haughtily. There was no other expression on his handsome face apart from coldness. Rain has really be bolder like Edward had said. He had dared ruffle Duke''s feathers. "I''m done with words." Rain replied with a downcast look. He couldn''t afford to offend anyone present here. He looked around. He felt that he was the only one destined to be bu e rest went to the Sexy World. At night, the Sexy World lived up to its name. It was sexy and fascinating. As Daisy rarely came to such ces, she was not used to the dim light inside. She extended her hand to Edward and followed him. They walked inside. "Hay. Edward, look at that girl." As soon as they walked in, Rain raised his eyebrow at Edward. It was so good to meet this girl again. He wondered if she would hang out with themter. He was eager to see how Daisy would react if that happened. Edward followed Rain''s gaze and looked. He pursed his lips when he saw the girl who was wearing a sexy dress. He wondered why he would meet her here. But he was in no mood to quarrel with her today. As Daisy was behind Edward, she didn''t see the girl. She looked around this ce which was full of luxury and decadence everywhere, with couples who were intimately holding each other She frowned and nced furtively at Edward. She guessed that Edward was quite used to this voluptuous life. When Duke saw that sexy girl, he also pursed his lips. Why have they run into her again? He wondered. Were they being stalked by her? "Who?" Leena was very curious about the girl Rain had mentioned. She looked around but didn''t know which girl they referred to. Chapter 91 Honey, You Are Finally Here Belinda really wanted to pour her ss of wine on the egocentric man sitting in front of her. Honestly, she would have already left if the man were not the son of her father''s friend. But the truth was that she was trapped here and condemned to listen to him ramble on. "Well, in my view, women should just stay home and tend their husbands and children, instead of working outside like some women do. Do you agree, Miss Belinda?" The arrogant man continued his monologue, spittle flying out from his mouth. "Um.. Maybe." Belinda answered mechanically as if she had done this a thousand times before. How miserable her life was! She was actually thinking, ''Fuck you. We are not primitive people. Fuck the idea of women doing only house chores, never any real work. If I were home-bound, how could I be on a blind date here with you?'' But instead of voicing her thoughts, she could only echo the man''s words because her father had warned that if Belinda ruined another blind date, he would marry her off next month to any random man. She rolled her eyes helplessly. Was she really that old now? Why was her father always worried about her marriage? In fact, she had enough number of men pursuing her. She had to stop listening to the man''s bullshit about male superiority. "Miss Belinda, I will help you run thepany after we get married. You don''t need to worry about that." The man continued,pletely ignoring Belinda''s cold response. ''What the hell! I will be worried if thepany is in your hands. It turns out all you are interested in is mypany.'' Belindained to herself. She should show the man her true colors. She was not a submissive woman. "I don''t think I am your type. You want a meek wife cum housekeeper. But I am not interested in house chores. You sh cheek. Edward looked at his now-vacant hands and was totally confused. What was going on? Did Belinda have a penchant for hugging people? One moment she was calling Duke honey and embracing him tightly, and the next moment she was hugging and kissing Daisy. By now, Leena was staring intently at Duke, her big brother. Wow, since when did Mr. Cold have such a hot girlfriend? Howe she had never heard of it? It seemed that she would soon have a sister-inw. Duke still wore a cold look and red at Leena. He knew what Leena was thinking about. But even he himself did not know what was going on. Only God knew why Belinda suddenly jumped into his arms. Rain stroked his chin contemtively. He believed something was going on between Duke and Belinda. But when did they hook up together? Why did he hear nothing about it? It was so rare to hear gossip about Duke. Maybe he could earn some bonus by selling the news to the media. Edward looked at the two women hugging each other. Finally, he understood why Belinda always gave him a hard time... she was Daisy''s bestie. No wonder she always had harsh words for him every time they talked. It turned out she was defending Daisy. Chapter 92 This Is My Future Sister-in-law "First, let''s just go inside the box." Edward didn''t like the way other men were looking at Daisy. So he pulled Daisy back in his arms, disregarding Belinda''s intive look. Well, Daisy was his wife. Of course, he should be the one holding her. He had loaned Daisy to Belinda just because of carelessness. Belinda didn''t notice Edward''s action until he grabbed Daisy back. Her eyes widened in surprise. She couldn''t believe that Edward was together with Daisy. How had she not heard of it? Edward had addressed another woman intimately just several days ago. Maybe he was ying the dangerous game of two-timing? "Miss Belinda, wait." The man, after being invisible all this while, finally found his chance to chip in. "What''s the matter?" Belinda had almost forgotten about the man. She frowned and asked with a voiceced with boredom. "Do you really have a boyfriend?" The man asked diffidently, because the men besides Belinda were all so above-average and handsome. "Of course. I don''t need to find a fake boyfriend. Right? Duke." Then she nudged Duke, who was standing close to her, and kept winking at him. Well, she was faking it, but so what? There was now against getting a fake boyfriend. Then Duke saw a live example of tantly lying through one''s teeth. That was exactly what Belinda was doing. It turned out that she was just using him as an excuse to get out of a date. He threw a cold look at the man. Then, without a word, he grabbed Belinda''s hand, turned around and walked away, giving the man no chance to ask any more questions. Belinda didn''t see thising, so the moment Duke grabbed her hand, she was a bit at loss. That was the first time she had interlocked her fingers with a man''s. Till she felt the warmth from his p y thought in her mind, ''It''s just a misunderstanding. Leena shouldn''t overthink it." If she continues to ask and fantasize about it, she could even get Belinda pregnant in her mind.'' "Leena,e here and sit with me." Daisy didn''t know what was going on between Belinda and Duke. But since Belinda needed her help, she would give her a hand. Besides, she may not know much about Leena, but she was aware of how curious Leena could be. She would ask Belinda even more intrusive questions if she was allowed to continue. "Belinda, my sister-inw. Let''s go and sit with Daisy." Then, without waiting for her consent, she dragged Belinda over to where Daisy was. Rain was thest toe inside. He nced around and found the atmosphere to be quite strange. Edward wore a gloomy and dark expression, sullenly sipping the wine alone. He seemed angry. He exuded coldness. On the other hand, Icy Duke wore a poker face as always. But the three women seemed quite harmonious together. It seemed they hadn''t noticed the weird atmosphere there. Confused, he walked to Duke, sat down, nudged him and gestured towards Edward, asking silently what the matter was with him. Chapter 93 Dont Call Me Sister-in-law Duke returned from his reverie and looked in the direction Rain was staring. He saw Edward''s gloomy look, and was quite puzzled by what was happening. "My dear sister-inw, I am Leena. So tell me how did you meet my big brother." Leena hadn''t forgotten about her interrogation and continued to ask Belinda questions. Whether Belinda was Duke''s girlfriend or not, she felt she had to help him get her. Then Duke would be too busy dating his girlfriend to lecture her. Hah! It appeared that Leena was looking out for Duke, but the truth was that she was thinking about her own interests. What a foxy girl Leena was. "Well... Leena. I am not your brother''s girlfriend, just an ordinary acquaintance. You can call me Belinda. But please don''t call me sister-inw ever again, okay?" Belinda knew now what was digging her own grave felt like. Gosh. She was literally living the consequences of her little white lie. And nobody had let her exin her side of the story. "Okay, my sister-inw. Can I hang out with youter?" Leena said and gave a ttering smile. Saying okay was one thing, but actually doing so was another. Now she just needed to spend more time with Belinda. Belinda was speechless after hearing Leena''s words. Belinda became so upset that she huddled on the couch. ''Well, Leena had said okay and promised never to call her sister-inw, but then she just did it again. No one should promise not to do something but then do it anyway. And why hadn''t Icy Duke exined the situation to his sister Leena? There is nothing going on between us.'' Belinda protested deep down. Rain now saw through Leena. She had turned out to be a match-maker for Duke. But really, Be at Edward defiantly, without caring about the racket she had created. What the hell! How dare he suddenly be angry at her and, more importantly, drink so much alcohol. She did not vent her anger easily, but that also did not mean that she had no temper. She was usually hard on others. For him, the man she loved so much, she always made concessions. But it didn''t mean that she would tolerate him for creating trouble for no reason. Edward should feel lucky that he was not her soldier, or she would have imposed severe punishment on him. Edward was astonished by Daisy''s actions. He squinted and looked directly into her eyes, his face putting on an evil smile, his fingers rhythmically tapping the table. Just when everyone thought he would be angry, he smiled and pulled her into his arms. Without the slightest care for what others would think, he passionately kissed Daisy. Then he released his big hands that were holding her. Edward''s kiss did not surprise Duke and Rain, for they knew that he had never cared about etiquette. He always did things as he pleased. The opinions of others meant nothing to him. Chapter 94 Old Lady Daisy had not expected this whimsical action at all. She was so embarrassed that she buried her face in his chest. She thought that there was no way for her to show her face in public again. She didn''t have to look to know that people around them were all staring at her. Her reputation was again ruined by Edward Mu. Belinda looked at Daisy curiously, thinking, ''She finally got what she worked so hard for. From the way that Edward had treated her, did it mean her 12-year-long one-sided obsession for him was finally going to be requited?'' If that was the case, Belinda would be so happy for Daisy, because she knew how difficult Daisy''s life was, and she was the only one who knew how persistent and dedicated Daisy''s love was. "Edward, you''re so amazing! You''re my idol!" Leena started to rile up the crowd. She liked assertive men. "Girl, you trying to fall in love or what?" Rain asked her humorously, thinking that if this was enough to make someone her idol, then she would have gone crazy if she had seen how Mr. Mu flirted with other women in public. "What? How old do you think I am? Why can''t I fall in love?" The truth was, not only had she fallen in love, but she also had an one night stand with someone after some drinks. But could she just say that aloud? Certainly not, unless she had a death wish. "You fell for somebody?" Duke furrowed his brows and asked Leena seriously. How on earth did he forget that this youngdy over here has already reached the age for love and romance? But when he thought about some other man in her life, a bitterness arose in his heart. "No, brother, I was just joking." Leena tried to change the subject. As for someone she fell for... There could be one! How about the handsome foreign boy? And because of an exciting moment with him, she had lost her most precious virginity. "Leena, do you want me to introduce you to some fine young men?" Edward knew that Daisy was still feeling too embarrassed at the moment, so he just let her lean on his chest. He then started t actually you two seem connected in some way! Weren''t you two hugging each other so tightly outside this barst time? Only today, it happened indoors." Rain joked about the two apparent enemies. It was likely that they could actually get together! "What? You''re saying that olddy fromst time was her?" Duke couldn''t stay calm any longer. He hadn''t forgotten how that woman had given him a vicious p, or how she had nastily called him a pervert. Now he realized that that woman was actually Belinda. ''Okay, calling me a perv, huh? One day, I''ll live up to that name with her. Otherwise, I won''t be worthy of that "title" she has bestowed on me.'' "Who is the olddy you were referring to? Me? Or your sister? Have you ever met an olddy who looked as pretty and charming as me?" Belinda got angry, as well, ''Shit! I have the body and the looks. What makes me an olddy?'' "Sister-inw, I''m not an olddy either." Leena answered feebly, wondering why she had been dragged into this. Why did Belinda call her out? "Uh..." Belinda couldn''te up with an answer. She didn''t mean that. What was more horrifying was that Leena was sitting right next to her! "Cough, " now it was Rain''s turn to spit out his wine! What a funny family! And they sure were a family! It appeared that things were indeed getting even more interesting! Chapter 95 Is Mrs. Mu Drunk Again The enjoyable evening passed quickly. When they stepped out of Sexy World, it was already past midnight. Thanks to extra drinks with Belinda and her friends, Daisy was seriously drunk. She was now leaning on Edward''s arms, and the alcohol painted a pink hue on her cold face. Leena was not a good drinker, but she only had a little, so at most she was tipsy. She held Belinda''s arm tightly, determined to take her home as her real sister-inw. "Miss Shangguan, can you still drive?" Since Daisy was drunk, Edward thought he should take care of her wife''s good friend. After all, Belinda had drunk quite a bit as well. "I''m fine. I''ll get a cab home." Belinda was not someone eager to prove herself. She would not fool around with her own life and others'' safety when she had consumed alcohol. "Rain, you take Leena home." As Duke spoke, he pulled Leena away from Belinda and pushed her towards Rain. "Why am I taking her? You''re not going back?" Rain was confused, ''Where the hell was he going?'' "Let''s go! Let me take you home." Duke didn''t answer Rain. Instead, he took Belinda''s hand and walked to his own car. "Duke, really, I can get a cab on my own. You don''t need to take me home." Belinda wanted to pull back her hand, but she realized that Duke was holding it tightly, leaving her with no chance of getting away. "Shut up, I said I am going to take you home, so I''m going to do just that. What are you so afraid of?" He forcefully opened the passenger side door of the car and pushed Belinda in. Duke felt that he had been acting weirdly enough tonight, and that he was too impatient to listen to her. "Tsk! What should I be afraid of? I''ll let you drive. You don''t bite, anyway." Belinda coldly muttered. Someone had volunteered to be her chauffeur for free, so there was no point in making a fuss about it. "If you aren''t afraid, then just , somehow, she managed to piss off the other party every time. "What do you mean by what happened? Nothing happened! No earthquakes, no tsunamis. Your wife is still safe and sound asleep at home. What could have happened?" But Belinda knew something was wrong, ''That arrogant man has surely ratted on me to my dad. This is just so miserable! What time was it now? And father was still up, waiting for me! What''s the point of all this?'' "Belinda Shangguan, stop with the nonsense. Tell me, in details, where did this boyfriend of yourse from?" Zachary suddenly shouted, his face stern and upromising. How could he not know how good this girl was at deflecting questions? But he wouldn''t let her seed tonight. She had to confess. "Dad, you have slept too much. Who has a boyfriend? Don''t tell me mom has a man behind your back." Belinda smiled obsequiously, but her words were aggravating enough to make the dead spin in their graves. "You brat, now cracking jokes at the expense of your own mother! If some people were to walk in now, they might even believe it!" Sherry Ai was drawn in by their argument. She looked drowsy and one could tell that she was indeed asleep, but her sleep might not be as sound as Belinda had imed. Chapter 96 Take A Shower First, And Then Go To Bed "Mom, please, just take your darling to bed! Don''t let him stand here thiste." Belinda was relieved when she finally saw her mother, Sherry. Everyone knew that her father loved her mother very much and Belinda''s mother doted on her profusely, which was why she was so wayward. "Hey little girl, don''t annoy your father, or I won''t ever take your side. By the way, who was that boy tonight? Your boyfriend? How about asking him to have dinner with us next time? Why don''t you introduce him to us? That way, your father wouldn''t try to set you up on blind dates all day long." Sherry pretended to be angry and poked Belinda''s head with her finger, but her voice was very tender. Sherry was middle-aged, but she was still very attractive. "My lovely mother, it''ste. I want to sleep now. I don''t want to wake up with dark circles tomorrow morning." Belinda grabbed Sherry''s arm like a little kid and kissed her. Sherry smelt the booze on her breath. " Oh my! How much wine did you have?" Sherry pushed Belinda away in disgust, and thought, howe the older she gets, the more bothersome she bes? "Not much. I didn''t get drunk. Daisy was the one who got drunk. I got her drunk on purpose." Belinda huped. She was mad at Daisy because Daisy was dishonest with her. That''s why Belinda deliberately got Daisy drunk. She knew Daisy couldn''t drink too much, but her husband was also there. Didn''t they realize that alcohol can be an aphrodisiac? She was trying to help them, and let them have a chance to getid! "What? Are you still in touch with Daisy? How''s she doing now? We haven''t seen her for the longest time. How about asking her to have dinner with us next time?" Sherry felt sorry, thinking about Daisy. No one could imagine that Daisy, a girl wh drinking until he was totally drunk, trying tofort himself with alcohol. Edward wanted to find out if Daisy loved him or not, but he didn''t know how to say that out loud. He was afraid to hear the answer, so he forced himself not to think about it. Edward ruffled his short-hair, trying to quit thinking about all this. He turned off the tap and wrapped a bath towel around his waist. Then, he walked to the bathtub and poured water into it. By the time Edward got back, Daisy was sound asleep, with no sign of waking up any time soon. "Babe, wake up, let''s take a shower before you go to bed." Edward gently held her up and smoothed her messy long-hair. "No... I want to sleep. I... I feel so dizzy!" Daisy murmured. Her cold voice turned soft now. "No, take a shower first, and then go to bed." Edward insisted, and held her up again. "But I don''t want to move" After Edward''s long and persistent efforts, Daisy finally woke up a little bit but she wasn''t sober because she had too much to drink tonight. Her soft body leaned on his bare chest. Smelling a familiar fragrance of jasmine, Daisy took a deep breath and held afortable position in his arms. Chapter 97 Call Me Baby Edward couldn''t help smiling when he saw Daisy behave like this. He wondered why she acted less aloof when she got drunk. "I don''t want to move!" Edward sized her up carefully and gave her a sly grin. "Yep, I don''t want to..." Daisy didn''t want to talk to him. She felt so dizzy. "Oh... What are you doing?" Suddenly Edward lifted Daisy, which sobered her up a bit. And then, she put her hands around his neck unconsciously. "Didn''t you say you don''t want to move? Then I have to bath you." Edward sniggered, he carried her into the bathroom and put her into the bathtub without taking off her clothes. She grabbed him inadvertently when he put her in the bathtub. Suddenly, she screamed as she identally touched his bare body. "Oh... You pervert, why are you naked?" Although it wasn''t the first time she saw him naked, she still blushed. "Pervert? But you are the one who took my clothes off." Edward said with a yful smile. Brazenly standing in front of her, he pointed at the bath towel et what I have said? Close your eyes." Edward could not stand her staring at him like this. It made him feel like the bad guy. Daisy didn''t close her eyes. She tried to push him away, but he held her even tighter. He slipped his tongue inside Daisy''s mouth and kissed her passionately. She tasted so sweet, like a ss of wine. It drove him insane. "Call me baby, hmm?" Edward eagerly said in a low murmur. "No! You are such a baby." Daisy tried to resist him, unwilling to give in. "A baby? I''ll show you how manly I am." Edward said with a yful smile and gave her a resolute nce. It felt like he would eat her alive, which made her look at him in fright. Chapter 98 This Is Acceptable "Edward... my... baby..." Daisy surrendered, wondering whether he was on some sort of a drug, or else what could have made himst that long. "This is eptable." The night was still unveiling its intoxicating charm. Edward held her tightly in his arms with a smile. He parted the hair falling on her face and gave her a long kiss on the forehead before he was satisfied and then he went to sleep. The light of the dawn uncovered the veils of night. The bright morning light that pouring out of the clouds marked the fresh beginning of a day. The early morning sunshine that brought people tranquility prated through the curtains and scattered on the two sleeping figures lying on the fancy bed. The air inevitably flowed with a strong aura of lust, which showed how passionate they had beenst night. The tranquility of this beautiful morning was broken by a ringing sound, Edward frowned and opened his sleepy eyes. He was annoyed with the person who had disturbed his dreams so early in the morning. Edward carefully withdrew the arm that held by Daisy and reached out his hand to grab the mobile phone that was making this annoying noise. He then slid it open and answered the call without noticing where the call wasing from. He did not expect to hear an outraged and active voice first thing in the morning. "Daisy, quickly get out of your bed! Are you going to stand me up again? Belinda called Daisy while she was still in her bed. "Miss Belinda, you enjoy calling your friends early in the morning to wake them up, don''t you loud scream came out of the bathroom and woke him up. "What happened my love?" Edward hurried towards the bathroom naked. "Go and get dressed first!" Daisy shouted furiously. Daisy couldn''t stand his cavalier persona anymore, for instance, pacing around the room ''naked''. "You should use the magic word ''please'' more often." Edward ignored herints about the dress code but corrected her on her choice of words. "I am not a saint." Daisy deliberately ignored the fact that he wasn''t wearing any clothes. She admitted that her way of talking could be improved. "Well. It is hard for me to imagine that such an elegant beauty like you can be so rude at times." Edward picked up a bath towel from the cab and wrapped himself with it. "Do you regret that you married me? Daisy turned around and gave him a spiteful look. "No, I love everything about you." Edward looked at her with a wicked smile. He loved to be surprised by her every day. This was making her more alive and real while not being too indifferent. Chapter 99 Dont Mess With A Colonel "Edward Mu, are you trying to distract me?" Daisy red at him as she remembered why she screamed at the first ce. "Damn it. My full name. Really?" Edward didn''t like it when she called him by his full name. It made him feel like a chastised child. "So you''ve changed your name?" Daisy looked at Edward with a questioning nce, not realizing why he was pissed off. "Don''t push it. Or do you want a repeat of what happenedst night?" Edward''s eyes narrowed dangerously as he stared at Daisy. Since when was she able to drive him mad so easily? Daisy closed her eyes and tried to recall how many things she agreed tost night. She blushed when certain scenes ran in her mind. ''He set me up again.'' "Well. You didn''t say that I need to call you husband every day." Daisy wasn''t willing topromise. He only asked her to say it once. It''s his fault he didn''t make the rules clear. "Good. It''s time for me to rey what happenedst night and make the rules clear this time." Edward moved to grab Daisy but she was not there. In a sh, she was by the door and out of his reach. "Don''te near me. I will pound you if youe any closer." Daisy threatened him, hoping that would be enough. She knew that if she were caught by him, she wouldn''t be able to go out for a whole day. Edward was stunned for a second, but he recovered quickly. ''She wants to y with me'' he thought. ''I haven''t exercised for a while. Bring it, woman!'' He tried to conceal his anticipation. "You star yers of darkness to reach his heart. She wanted to see if he was telling the truth. Daisy touched his handsome face, gently brushed his heavy ck knife-shaped eyebrows, his straight nose, and stopped when she reached his attractive thin lips. He saw the deep affection in her eyes again. He was confused by her gentle touch. He didn''t know whether her love was for him or someone else. Just as Edward wondered why Daisy stopped, she kissed him. When he tried to wrest control of the exchange, she withdrew coldly. It was a power y, and she would win. "Edward, I will always be your loyal wife, until you say otherwise." She looked at him firmly. Edward was stunned for a while after hearing her promise, then he bowed his head and kissed her until both of them were out of breath. "Thank you. My wife. I''ll remember what you said. And I want to tell you I have your back. I''ll support you, always and forever." Edward touched her forehead gently and made his firstmitment ever. Chapter 100 Do You Think That I’m Silly Belinda examined Daisy closely, smirking. She was hard to read at this moment. "Is there anything wrong with me? Why are you staring at me?" Daisy said while pulling up the cor of her blouse, trying to hide the love marks that Edward gave her. She wondered what Belinda possibly saw. "It''s toote. You can''t hide those, anyway. Uh-huh! So how many times did you do itst night?" Belinda asked in a low voice, suddenly leaning close to Daisy. Her evil smile clearly showed what was on her mind. She blushed immediately. She was hoping to hide her love bites with a high-cored blouse, but it was to little avail. Belinda noticed them right away. "Belinda, you''re so obscene!" Daisy was speechless. What a dirty mind! "Huh! Why do you simply criticize me? Your Edward is a brute. Do you know what time it is?" Belinda sipped her coffee. Huh! She remembered Edward had hung up her. She hoped Daisy would call back. She waited a long time for Daisy to give her a ring. "It''s not even 1 pm. Still early." Daisy blurted out theme remark, but she tried to make light of it with her tone. "Yes! Of course! Early, if you like exercisingte at night!" Belinda sneered at Daisy. She found Daisy much more attractive than before. ''Maybe the magic power of love?'' she thought. ''If she could be more enthusiastic she''d be the perfect woman.'' ''What''s wrong with Belinda? Why is she all of sudden mocking me? Was it something she ate? Why is she so harsh to me today?'' Daisy wondered. "Just go ahead andugh. You won''t be so full ofughter when it''s your turn." Daisy squinted at Belinda and took a sip of coffee, rather rxed. "Huh! Unlikely!" Belinda said, disapproval coloring her voice. ''I''m to r in painting because of a casual word from Edward. And she loved painting! And her irresponsible father agreed to finance her overseas study, as long as she never returned to the house. "Belinda, do you think that I''m silly? I desperately fell in love with Edward, even though I was sure nothing woulde of it. But all these years, loving him has be a habit. If I stopped loving him one day, it''s only because my heart stopped beating." Daisy said these words to Belinda very calmly. Her gaze was hollow and distant. "Does Edward know how you feel?" Belinda felt very sad now. A lump formed in her throat, her eyes burned from tears that started forming. If it were her, she''d just let the man know her feelings, and see what he had to say. "I don''t know. I never thought about telling him. But if he doesn''t love me, then hope would die in me, along with my pride and self-esteem." Daisy said. She thought if one day Edward really fell in love with her, she would tell him that there was a girl who grew up with secret love for him. She grew stronger in her firm belief, and matured with the passing days, missing him the whole time. Chapter 101 There Are Only Lazy Mistresses "How does Edward truly feel about you? Is he with you because of Justin, or is it because he has fallen for you?" At that moment, Belinda vividly remembered the woman who made an intimate call to Edward. Could that be Daisy? Belinda recalled his affection for Daisy yesterday and figured that it was quite likely. "I''m not sure. He said he would try to love me, and I just dropped all my defenses and jumped into his seductive trap without looking back." Daisy closed her eyes, thinking that at least Edward was sincere to her now. She decided to give him a chance despite the uncertainty. She decided to work for it no matter what the oue. Perhaps by that time, she would finally lose all hope! "I suppose he''s serious! In the past few months, I haven''t once read about any of his scandals. Is it possible that you are the woman who made the CEO of FX International reject all the other girls?" Belinda paid attention to the papers. Stories about Edward''s secret son had been quite the scoop, but nothing came of it because none of the involved parties gave a reaction to the rumor. Belinda didn''t know it was Justin, so she always thought the stories involved another woman. "I don''t think they meant me! I''ve only been with him for the past few days. I sent Justin to his ce and went straight to drills a while ago." Daisy was a bit concerned, worrying that he might have another woman he loved profoundly. "Really? Then who else could it be?" The memory of the phone call again surfaced in Belinda''s brain. She was doubtful, too. "Nevermind, stop thinking about it. Let''s go! Didn''t you say we will go shopping? My time is in your hands today." Daisy didn''t want to question the sincerity of Edward''s ims. She would rather trust him than specte infidelity. "Yes, you should offer me some advice. Speaking of, recently I have been f ''t a hint of any emotions. She carefully examined the racks, discreetly making choices for Belinda. A woman wearing heavy makeup walked in, her high-heel shoes knocking loudly on the floor. Her stunning curves frivolously glorified her beautiful body, drawing the attention of many bystanders. "Miss Ouyang, you''re here. The new collection you wanted a few days ago has arrived. Do you want to try it on?" The name ''Miss Ouyang'' gave Daisy a brief pause in her search for clothes, but she didn''t react and continued searching. "Sure, bring it out!" Mary Ouyang arrogantly raised her head, ncing at Daisy. Mary acted with an expression of contempt and bewilderment, thinking how could a woman dressed like that can afford the clothes here. And the woman seemed so focused. Since Daisy''s back was towards Mary, Mary had no way of knowing that this was the very same Daisy whom she had arduously tried to banish from her family. Mary thought that the woman was just a nobody. "Miss Ouyang, here is your garment." The clerk attentively handed the garment to Mary who was as wealthy as it got. Common people could not think of crossing her. "Yes!" Mary gave Daisy another disparaging look and walked towards the changing room. Chapter 102 Your Despicable Acts Make You Invincible "Daisy, look, is this one OK? Ouch..."screamed Belinda. She wasing out of the fitting room in a hurry, and she identally bumped into a woman. "Ouch... What the fuck! Are you blind?" cursed Mary. She took a few steps backward to regain bnce and immediately blurted out offensive words without noticing who she was talking to. Belinda didn''t answer back because she knew it was her fault. However, when she recognized the woman, she couldn''t suppress her rage anymore. "Hey, look, who it is? It''s Miss Ouyang! Thank you for your generous hospitalityst time! I truly enjoyed the dinner. How about you pay the bills again today?" said Belinda in a defiant tone. She smiled and thought, ''I did have funst time. I guess she must have maxed out her credit card!'' "Belinda, it''s you. Are you fleeing from somewhere again?" asked Mary. She frowned and her eyes sparked with anger. She wanted to settle the score with Belinda right away. "You''re wrong, Mary. You are the one who needs to flee. After all, you have tried to steal another woman''s man." answered Belinda. She arrogantly looked at Mary and thought, ''Humph! You always act weak and innocent in Edward''s presence. Now you are revealing your true character?'' "Who has tried to steal another woman''s man? I don''t know what you are talking about." denied Mary. Her face darkened when she heard the word ''steal'' because that was in fact what she had been doing. "You know the answer. I am not going to say her name." said Belinda. She gave?Mary a hostile stare. Humph! No one had ever been able to ovee her imposing manner. "Belinda, I''m not afraid of you. Who cares if y your parting with the Ouyang''s Family!" said Mary. Mary arrogantly lifted her chin and thought, ''What I hate most about her is her aloof demeanor. I have tried to act like her, but it doesn''t resemble her at all. Years have passed but she still looks nobler and more refined than me.'' "The Ouyang''s family? I''m so d that I''ve escaped from that ce. Mary, without me there, you must feel like a fish in water!" said Daisy. ''Well! Family? It wasn''t my family anymore after my mother died.'' thought Daisy. "What are you implying, Daisy? Do you think you were disowned because of me?"asked Mary. ''I didin about her in the presence of Leo. But it was my mother who decided to cast her out. Not me.'' thought Mary. "Miss Ouyang, I don''t want to y me games. Bygones are bygones. Anyway, I have nothing to do with the Ouyang''s now. So, please remember, I don''t want to be linked with you again. Because the very thought makes me sick." said Daisy ruthlessly. She thought, ''When I stepped out of the family that year, I told myself that from now on, I''m just an orphan without parents.'' Chapter 103 You Dared To Slap Me "Haha... Daisy, do you think you are important because you''re the wife of the CEO of FX International Group? Look at you. Even a wage earner wears better clothes than you! Do you think Edward married you because he loves you? Absolutely not. Edward was forced by his parents; otherwise, you would be nobody to him." Mary smiled with much pride. Why did Daisy get all the good things in the world? She was born in a good family; even when she left home, she was fortunate enough to get married to a nobleman. She didn''t deserve it! Mary thought. "Doesn''t matter if he loves me or not, I''m his wife now. Other women can only dream about him and look at him from a distance." Daisy''s face grew a little pale because Mary had struck a raw nerve. Edward was, in fact, reluctant about their marriage. His parents forced him, so he felt repulsive and angry with her. "Really? It seems that you don''t know! He had a child with another woman. Do you still think you will be his wife for good?" Mary said with a wicked expression. She enjoyed seeing Daisy''s misery. She waited to see how Daisy would lose her feignedposure. "Miss Mary, if you are saying such things to embarrass me, let me tell you, it''s useless. I don''t care about his matters. And I don''t have time to care." Daisy sneered and said. If she was concerned about everything Edward did, it wouldn''t be possible for her to remain so calm andposed and lead such a peaceful life. "Daisy, it is because you are not worthy. Do you really think you deserve to have an excellent man like Edward in your life? He should be with apetent woman like me." Mary looked at Daisy in contempt. She despised her. "So you think only you deserve to have an excellent man like Edward? Don''t you feel shameless saying these things?" Belinda smiled lightly. She was surprised by Mary''s brazenness. Last time when she met her, she had observed what was on Mary''s mind. But still, she felt surprised that Mary dared to say it out loud. "Belinda, don''t think that I''ll always stand silently and take your offensive words. I often wondered why y ntinue to try the clothes. Don''t let her spoil our good mood." Daisy said with a smile. She didn''t want to be bothered by Mary. That would be asking for trouble herself. "Yes. It''s unnecessary to argue with such a shallow woman. By the way, did you find any clothes you like in the store?" Belinda asked while smiling softly at Daisy. She quickly forgot the unpleasant matter that urred moments ago. "I''m okay. You just pick some clothes for yourself." Daisy looked at the dress Belinda was wearing. It looked good on her. Daisy nodded with satisfaction. Speaking of clothes, she thought of her wardrobe which was full of designer clothes that Edward had bought for her. She already had too many clothes. Daisy thought. "Why not? It''s my treat. Get all the clothes you like here." Belinda said while tapping on her chest to show her generosity. But at the same time, she stuck out her tongue when she hurt her chest. She had used too much strength on herself. "I don''t need you to pay. I can pay for myself If I want to buy clothes. Huh! Do you think I can''t afford these clothes?" Her sry was nothingpared to Belinda''s wealth, but she certainly could afford to buy some clothes for herself. Daisy thought. "I didn''t say that you can''t afford them. I just want to buy some clothes for you." Belinda said while making a face. Then sheughed and walked into the changing room. Chapter 104 My Brother Will Definitely Marry You Daisy pursed her lips. She fully understood what Belinda was trying to say. They had been friends for years! "Sis, is that you?" Leena dashed in. She couldn''t believe her eyes. As it turned out it really was Daisy. "Hi, Leena. Are you here by yourself?" Daisy was surprised to meet Leena here. But she liked her because Leena always seemed cheerful and lively as if nothing in the world could upset her. "No, I came here with a friend. But she left earlier because of some urgent work. I didn''t expect to run into you here. Did youe here alone sis?" Leena held Daisy''s arm fondly. It was clear that Leena also admired Daisy. "Oh, I came here with Belinda." Daisy replied. She was looking forward to seeing how Belinda would react when she saw Leena. "What? My sister-inw is also here!" Wow! That''s great. I will ask her when she''ll be free and invite her to my house." Leena smiled snappily. It was a rare opportunity, and she knew she must seize it. "To your house? Why?" Feeling confused, Daisy raised her eyebrows. "To meet my father! The daughter-inw must meet her prospective parents-inw officially, don''t you agree?." Just this morning Leena had mentioned Belinda to her father, and Duke didn''t seem to have any issues with this. So that could be counted as an implied consent. Daisy couldn''t helpughing out when she heard Leena''s words. It was the first time that she behaved so improper in front of people. It was all because Leena was extremely funny. "Leena, are you sure Belinda is going to marry your brother? What did Duke say?" Daisy calmed herself and asked while looking at Leena who seemed quite excited now. "Are you asking about Mr. Cold? What else can he say?" Leena wrinkled her beautiful nose and looked at Daisy with confusion in her eyes. Fine! Daisy was speechless. Was Duke hoping to ask Belinda out? Or the whole thing was made up by Leena? Daisy wondered. perfect match for Duke''s cold demeanor. She knew her brother wasn''t cold and distant from the inside. He acted like this because he needed to protect her from being bullied by others. And gradually, he became as cold as ice in people''s eyes. She sympathized with her brother. Because their mother died early and their father had to take care of the business, her brother took up the responsibility of looking after her. But, in doing so, he forgot that he was also a child who needed care and love. So she felt guilty that her brother had be such a cold person. "Emm... I am not sure if I have said that..." Daisy replied. She has received Belinda''s angry stare. She didn''t dare to say anything further to agitate Belinda who was like a wildcat and was about to re up. She''d better y safe. Belinda sighed with relief and gently smoothed her lovely curly hair. Then she raised her eyebrows at Leena, indicating her to release the grip on her arms. ''Oh, now she will give up.'' Belinda thought. But Lenna would not be herself if she behaved as Belinda had expected. What she said afterward made Belinda and Daisy''s jaw drop. "Sister-inw, when are you free to meet my father?" Leena took her hands away from Belinda, but she was still gazing firmly at her. Chapter 105 Just A Public Servant "Why should I go visit your daddy?" Belinda was surprised. What was going on? Why did Leena suddenly bring that up? "To discuss wedding ns, of course!" Leena shrugged as if she were talking about the weather. Belinda sighed deeply. She turned to Daisy for help, but she was also stunned by Leena''s unexpected speech. Could it be any worse than this? Belinda could not recall a time when she and Leena''s brother got along well enough to get married with each other. Leena couldn''t be serious about this. Or could she? "Leena. You''re not yourself. Are you sick? Feverish, maybe?" Belinda pressed her forehead weakly. If only she was fainted! "No. Fit as a fiddle!" Leena smiled sweetly. She even took Belinda''s hand and put it on her forehead to assure her that she was fine. Daisy couldn''t help giggling. The thought came to her that Leena would be the bane of Belinda. "Daisy, do you have your gun? Just shoot me!" If Leena kept it up, it would only be a matter of time that Belinda married into the Leng n. Belinda thought she might as well finish herself off before that day came. "Alright, Leena. Quit making fun of Belinda. You''re driving her crazy." Daisy had to smile and interrupted them before Belinda exploded. She took Leena away from Belinda immediately. Belinda gave Daisy a grateful look. She really didn''t know what to do with Leena. That girl was so whimsical, so unpredictable. Were she and that cool man really brother and sister? Belinda doubted it. They couldn''t be more different. "No, Daisy. I''m not making fun of her! I''m one hundred percent serious. Why don''t you believe me?" Leena was depressed. It seemed that she had to work harder before Bel o say no. He hung up and sped up towards the MY Mall. Daisy was speechless. Couldn''t he just hear her out? How could he just hang up on her as he had told her not to do that to him before? "Daisy? What''s wrong?" asked Belinda, noticing that Daisy didn''t look well. "Nothing. It''s Edward. He''sing with Justin to pick me up." Daisy smiled, embarrassed. They had to call it a day. "What? Justin''sing? Really? I''m so excited! I''ve never met him before! Should I prepare a present? What does he like?" Belinda''s face lit up when she heard Justin''s name. She was sputtering excitedly like a little girl waiting to open her Christmas gifts. "Justin''sing here? Wow! Cute little boy! I wanna y with him!" Leena loved Justin. She especially liked the contrast between his chubby face and indifferent expressions. Daisy didn''t know what to say. Was her son simply a life-sized doll to Leena? "Yeah. Edward''s bringing him here." In the end, Justin would go shopping with them. Daisy''s phone buzzed again. She answered and heard Edward on the other end. His words came at her in a deep and anxious voice. Chapter 106 But With Who "Which floor? And which storefront?" Edward was holding his son''s hand while on the phone. Luke Luo followed closely behind him. Daisy replied and hung up, surprised at Edward''s speed. He came here so fast, as if he''d driven a rocket! Edward was immediately the center of attention. He was handsome and tall, elegant and noble. A king among men. "Daddy, is mommy done shopping yet? She''s not going to ask us to shop with her, right?" Justin really disliked going shopping. "Um... I actually don''t know. I think she''s done!" Edward paused for a second. He wasn''t actually sure about the answer. He had never gone shopping with a woman. He just supplied the money -- anything else was too much trouble for him. Justin rolled his eyes, annoyed at his father''s fib. Didn''t he know how tiring it was to shop with a woman? "Hm! You''re killing me dad!" Edward always lost all sense of reason when it came to his mom. Justin would end up a coteral victim. "Hey! It''s not that bad kiddo." Edward said, smiling at his son''s pouty face. "You wish! Don''t say I didn''t warn you! Women are insane when they go shopping." Justin spoke as if he had seasoned knowledge of women. "How do you know that? Do you always go shopping with mommy?" Edward was genuinely curious. "Not really. Mommy doesn''t like going shopping. But you see it all the time on TV. The men have it bad in those shows. They have to carry bags and pay for everything. It''s scary just thinking about it." Justin shivered yfully. Hi s all of a sudden? "Rx, my sister-inw. Mr. Cold''s fantastic genes are still avable! He can give you a kid even more adorable than Justin." Leena''s grin was even wider now, considering that Belinda was going along with her ribbing. Edward didn''t expect to see Leena here. He could see what Leena was doing a mile away, and Belinda fell into it. He thought the woman was smarter than that. Who''d have thought that she would fall into Leena''s trap? "Mr. Cold, huh? Doesn''t sound bad." Belinda tilted her head and thought for a second. Then she thought of Duke''s cold face and she snapped out of it. "Hey! Leena, you little punk! You dug me into a hole when I was distracted. Do you want to get whipped?" Belinda scowled at Leena as if she wanted to cut her into little pieces. Edward burst outughing. How could she be so slow? Mr. Cold had no fear of a boring life definitely. He saw how Duke looked when he stared at Belindast night. He looked like a fox who just spotted its prey... Chapter 107 Keep Them Even If You Dont Get A Chance To Wear Them Justin finally figured out it was not wise to piss off Leena. She had many ways to retaliate. He was relieved that he was not her target. The shop assistants looked at Edward with trepidation. How could they know that this inly-dressed woman was the CEO''s wife? And they certainly didn''t expect that the CEO would pay them a visit. Edward had his designers, so he never went shopping. His daily outfits were bespoke suits, not something you could just buy off the rack. "You are free to go. Leave us alone." Edward knew that they were shocked by his visit. But he wasn''t here for them. He didn''t need to be waited on hand and foot. "Yes, boss." The assistants went back into the shop immediately. Although their CEO was handsome and attractive, he would not hesitate to fire them if they didn''t keep their distance. Daisy looked at Edward in doubt and wondered why he was recognized here. Edward whispered in Daisy''s ear and cleared her doubts. "Are you saying that this super expensive department store is owned by FX International Group?" Daisy asked in surprise. "You are such a profiteer!" She eximed. Daisy still remembered some of the prices. All the clothes were insanely expensive and she could only afford one with her whole month''s sry. ''Why couldn''t he make the department store affordable for everyone?'' Daisy thought. "If I am a profiteer, you would be the wife of a profiteer." Edward pinched her small nose gently. Did she forget whose wife she was? "We are not the same. I am a h o have Luke look into how she used to live. "Edward, I don''t need so many clothes. I wear uniforms at work." Daisy wondered why he suddenly got mad. "Keep them even if you don''t get a chance to wear them." Even Edward had no idea where his outburst came from. He just needed to explode, and he did so at that moment. As a soldier, she felt obliged to live humbly, not extravagantly. Daisy raised her eyebrows in anger. As a soldier she learned to be frugal, modest, and honest. What Edward did was a wasteful act. Why didn''t he donate the money to welfare institutions? "Don''t listen to him and stop packing." Daisy nced at Edward''s gloomy face, wondering why he did everything of his own will. He never asked anyone else''s opinion. The assistant was nonplussed -- she didn''t know whose orders to follow. Edward didn''t think Daisy would withdraw his orders. His eyes narrowed dangerously, and shot an angry look at Daisy. But what Daisy said next immediately drain the rage from himpletely. Chapter 108 Are You Uncle Dukes Wife "Honey, I''m hungry. Let''s go out to eat something, " said Daisy gently in Edward''s ear in a sweet and natural voice. Her breath blowing over his skin, his body stiffened for several seconds, and the feeling made him smile. Daisy knew he had a right to be angry. She had countermanded his orders in front of the employees. So she talked to him in the way he liked, and calmed him down. Hearing Daisy call him "honey" made him pretty happy. ''Daisy knows this works for me every time. I underestimated her.'' he thought. "OK, honey. Let''s go." Edward waved his hand, dismissing the employees. "Yes, Mr. Edward." Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. They were now more impressed with Daisy. They would never again mistake her for an ordinary woman. She was the wife of the CEO, and they resolved to remember that. When they stepped out of MY Mall, the sun was setting and the sky was me-red. The morous city began to quiet down. Belinda was holding Justin''s hand, smiling and looking at him. She liked him very much and wondered when she could have a lovely son like him. "Justin, what would you like for dinner? Whatever you want. My treat, " said Belinda gently, still looking at Justin. "OK. Really?" Asked Justin excitedly. His eyes sparkled happily. "Sure. Would I ever lie to you?" r trying to get Duke and Belinda together. "Yes. You must be tired." Looking at Leena, Duke smiled and stroked her disorderly hair lovingly. "Er... Duke, That''s not what I meant. But we''re not dating, are we? I meant nothing by it." Belinda wondered why Duke was staring at her like that. She had just asked him once to pretend to be her boyfriend. That was all. She did nothing evil. How could he wear that gloomy expression in front of her? "Duke, no wonder you can find us so easily. You have amazing ears!" Edward smiled at him, and put his hand around Daisy''s waist. It was crystal clear to him that it was Leena''s idea. It couldn''t be a coincidence. Duke nced at Edward and ignored him, but nodded at Daisy and said, "Sister-inw, nice to see you again." Duke respected Daisy a lot. Maybe it was because she was Edward''s wife, and he liked her just for that. Chapter 109 Could I Have Your Promise "Hello" Daisy nodded at Duke with a gentle smile. She didn''t mind that Edward put his arm around her waist. Just let it be, she thought. She realized that she loved him, and it was unnecessary to hide it. Besides, she also enjoyed the tender feeling of being held by him. "Mr Duke, when did you get married? Why didn''t you ask me to be the flower boy at your wedding ceremony?" Justin was determined to know the answer. He shoved Leena aside and jumped into Duke''s arms. Leena was displeased when Justin pushed her. But she decided to forgive him as she felt Justin had asked an excellent question. It was important to bring Belinda and Duke together. "Do you want to be a flower boy? Well, when I get married, I will ask you to be my flower boy. You have my word." Duke didn''t answer Justin''s question urately. He was smart to skip the main point. He only replied to the part that concerned Justin. "Okay! Mr. Duke, you''d better get married as soon as possible. I can''t wait any longer to be your flower boy. In a few years, I would be too old to be a flower boy." Justin said in an innocent voice with his head tilted gracefully. "Justin, you don''t have to worry about this. Because your wish wille true very soon!" Leena said. Her eyes were glowing with evasive looks. She insured Justin with full confidence. She felt that Belinda and Duke just needed a little push. But she didn''t know what would happen to her if they came to know about her n. Would Belinda boil her in a pan if her n was brought to light? Leena thought. Justin helplessly sighed in his heart. ''Ah! Who would be Miss Leena''s prey this time? I''m sure this time it won''t be me.'' Duke squinted at Belinda. There was a sneaky expression in his eyes. Daisy looked at Edward dubiously; she was wondering what Leena was implying. Maybe Edward rd like you didst time. Believe me that I will never break my promise to you. Okay?" Edward said gently with a husky voice. His tone was heavy as if he was begging. He worried that something might happen to them, but he didn''t know what. This feeling kept bothering him constantly. Daisy stroked his handsome face with her tender fingers. She didn''t know why Edward suddenly became so sentimental. But she could feel that he was serious with his words. "Edward, does this mean you have started caring about me? Are you asking for my promise? Or are you assuming that you will do something that will break my heart?" Daisy looked firmly at him. She was impressed by his tenderness. Edward didn''t say anything. He slowly kissed her red lips. His movement was so gentle that she couldn''t even feel his breath. While savoring her sweet kiss, he was setting up a tender trap, making her irresistible to his seduction and having her fall in passionate love. "Could I have your promise?" Edward stopped kissing and gasped slightly. He murmured in her ear, with his forehead against hers. Daisy''s face blushed. Although it wasn''t the first time they kissed, it still made her face blush, and her heart beat faster. Chapter 110 I Promise You "Edward, I promise you. No matter what happens in the future, I''ll choose you over everything. I''ll wait for your exnation, and I''ll believe you. But I have only one condition. I''ll keep my promise only when I know that Justin is safe and sound. Would you do that for me?" Murmured Daisy while gently touching Edward''s handsome face. Only God knew how many times she wanted to tell him honestly how much she loved him. But she couldn''t until she knew that he felt the same way for her. She''d rather die than know that he wouldn''t fall for her. Edward smiled tenderly, and Daisy froze. She couldn''t think nor move. His smile was like a spring breeze that swept over her skin. She quivered unconsciously and leaned forward to press her rosy lips against his. She was unable to resist his charm. She missed him so much. And she had been waiting for this kiss for a long time. All she wanted now was to drown in that kiss. At least he was hers for now. His smile, his gentleness, his kiss and he himself belonged to her now. Why should she run away when she could indulge herself? Daisy flung her arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. He always seemed distant and elusive to her. She had worshiped him for decades. He was the love of her life, the hope that sustained her. She was a survivor because of her love for him. She couldn''t bear losing him again. She had decided that she would never let go of him. It wouldn''t hurt so much if she didn''t know what it felt like to be loved by him. And she wouldn''t be so desperate if he didn''t give her any hope. Edward was surprised by her sudden move. Her lips were trembling slightly, and so was her whole body. She was warm and tender in his arms. He could feel her intense passion for him. Was that love? He had no idea. He could only hold her tighter and kiss her back. Whatever she had in mind, he just wanted to feel every bit of her. As a result, they werete in reaching the restaurant. Edward grabbed Daisy''s shoulder and gave a tacit smile as an answer to the inquisitive looks from the other im what exactly did she want him to do. What if she asked him to do something illegal? "I really don''t think so. Haven''t you heard the advertisement say ''Scoot over, and everything gets better''?" Leena was stuttering. She would say or do anything so long as Justin was willing to help her. "Nonsense! It''s ''Wash over, and everything gets better.'' I''m sure you know that." Justin rolled his eyes at Leena. She seemed so adorable and lovely, but how could she be so evil in nature? "Well, well. Whatever it is. As long as it makes sense." She hardly watched television. How was she supposed to know the specifics of the advertisement? Besides, she had been abroad for years, and she just returned. She had more important things to do than memorizing advertisement lines. Helping her brother to marry Belinda was now the priority on her agenda. Everything seemed meaningless to her until Belinda became her sister-inw officially. "Alright, alright. Both of you. Here''s the menu. What do you want? Order anything you like." Edward got exasperated by the childish quarrel between Leena and his son. He hurried to hand over the menu to interrupt them. "Whatever you like. We can eat anything. But Edward, don''t forget to order drinks for me." Leena paused and squinted at Justin with a wicked smile. She didn''t even give Justin the chance to order his favorite dish. Chapter 111 You Two Can Make A Good Couple "You want drinks?" Edward frowned. Thest thing he wanted tonight was to be with a drunken woman again. "No! It''s just that my brother wants to have a drink with you." Leena managed a smile and gave a quick nce at Duke, hoping he didn''t notice what was going on here. Anyway, he had been staring at Belinda all the time. He wouldn''t notice anything. Edward nced at Duke, and found that he was lost in his thoughts, his face grew thoughtful. Then Edward looked at Leena with a knowing smile. It was evident that she was nning something. That was fine by him. He was just curious about what she was up to. "Justin, you must make sure that your aunt Belinda is going to drinkter. OK?" Leena whispered in Justin''s ear, "Make it or break it, everything depends on tonight." "Why me?" Justin rolled his eyes in despair. He rolled his eyes more frequently than ever since he met this terrible woman. "Ha ha! Because with you, she will let all her defences down!" The drug she prepared wasn''t too strong. If they didn''t have any feelings for each other, nothing would happen. She got it just this morning from a friend who worked in a bar, knowing it mighte in handy sometime. It didn''t ur to her that the opportunity woulde this soon. "You don''t mean to drug both of them, do you?" Justin asked her uncertainly. He could almost figure it out just by the way Leena stared at aunt Belinda. He knew about these little tricks all too well. All the time he had spent on the Inte paid off. "Bingo. You got it. But we won''t drug Mr. Cold." If one of them is sober, there''s still a chance to save the situation. Belinda felt a sudden chill and shivered. She looked around, but everything seemed all right! "Belinda, bad." Leena was holding a ss of wine, her hand trembling slightly. Her pretty face looked extremely nervous. Justin, the little traitor, chickened out at thest minute, so she had to do it herself. Belinda looked at Leena doubtfully, wondering why she changed the tack and suddenly started making a toast. She was not going to drink the wine Leena handed her. But when she saw Duke watching her, Daisy''s words came to her mind. In her panic, she took the ss and gulped the wine in one go. She almost choked. Leena was amazed at how everything went so well. She had expected it to be a challenging task. She didn''t think it would be so easy. Justin sighed as Belinda gulped down the drugged wine. ''Poor aunt Belinda! Being the sister-inw of this horrible woman would be your only choice.'' Anyway, he washed his hands of the whole affair. He thought everything would be fine if he didn''t make a move. But Leena got her way after all. Perhaps this was God''s will, and everything had worked out the way it was supposed to. "Slow down, Belinda." Daisy patted her back. Belinda could be impulsive sometimes. Even drinking could get her to choke. Chapter 112 I Am Feeling A Little Strange "No big deal. Just out of carelessness." Belinda avoided Duke''s sharp eyes and wondered why he suddenly became interested in her. She distinctly remembered that he used to dislike her. What made him change his mind about her now? "Well. My dear sister-inw, you shouldn''t be too hasty in drinking. Yes, I asked you to drink it up, but I didn''t tell you to gulp it down like that." Leena mumbled as her heart continued to race rapidly. Belinda gave an angry re to Leena. In her opinion, it was exactly Leena''s expectation. After all, it was Leena who got her in such an embarrassing situation. "Son, why don''t you eat? You don''t like the food?" Edward asked when he saw the disconcerted Justin. He remembered how Justin loved gourmet food. So why didn''t he have any appetite tonight? The food at this restaurant was not bad. It was ptable! "I''m alright, dad. I''m just not hungry." Justin raised his head and smiled. But his smile was even bitter than a crying face. Of course, he had no appetite----there was a time bomb right in front of him, Belinda. He really wished to go home and stay with Luke. He would rather not see what would follow next. In spite of Duke''s tight watch, Belinda poured herself another ss of wine and began sipping in order to evade his overly intent staring. Leena, on the other hand, looked at her quite hesitantly. Was the drug too strong and effective? She wished that Belinda would drink more, that way nobody would notice that she had drugged Belinda through alcohol. "Daisy, you should have a drink as well." After saying so, Belinda poured half a ss of wine for Daisy, but just before she handed it to her, the ss was taken away by Edward eena, and pulled Belinda up. "Duke... Belinda... Will she be okay?" Leena asked timidly. She was both concerned and scared now. "I will deal with you when Ie back." Duke wondered if he had doted on Leena too much and perhaps that''s why she was behaving recklessly and improperly. Now she even dared to drug others. "Duke, I''m okay. I can drive home myself." Belinda felt weird but she didn''t want to take his favor, yet she liked his cold body. She wanted to get closer to him and take in more coolness from him. "If you don''t want to make a fool of yourself in public, you''d bettere with me." Duke''s eyes grew darker and colder. Maybe it was due to her rejection, or maybe his care for her. "Duke, what do you mean? What''s the matter with Belinda?" Daisy was totally confused. She held one of Belinda''s hands and wouldn''t let go of it. Duke gestured at Edward and let him exin to Daisy. Then Edward gracefully and slowly stood up and whispered in Daisy''s ears. Even at this urgent moment, he intentionally let his warm breath caress her cheek and curl her heart. He knew how to make good use of his charm. Chapter 113 Do You Have Any Idea What You Are Doing Surprised, Daisy looked at Belinda''s unusually red face. She then said to Duke determinedly: "Duke, I have a request. Don''t hurt her if you don''t really like her." "Don''t worry, Daisy. I know what I''m doing." Duke looked at Belinda, only to find she was breathing heavily. He nodded at Daisy and wrapped his arm around Belinda''s waist to carry her towards the door. Belinda stumbled because of the drug. Duke had to hold her tighter in case she tripped. When they finally made it to the door, he stopped abruptly and red at Leena again. "You''re grounded till I decide what to do with you." His cold voice froze Leena. He didn''t say anything else; he just carried Belinda out of the room. Duke was furious. As much as he loved his sister, he couldn''t forgive her for hurting others. Startled by his threatening looks, Leena stepped backward out of fear. He must have known what she had done, and he wanted to punish her for that. Did she regret it? No, she didn''t. She convinced herself that she did what she did for her brother''s sake. Things wouldn''t work out between Duke and Belinda if she didn''t intervene. What would happen if Belinda decided to be with someone else before her brother started to ask her out? Edward once told her that Duke had someone in his heart, someone so special that he could never let anyone else in. But Leena knew that Belinda was different. She was special to him too. Otherwise, he wouldn''t tolerate Leena calling Belinda her sister-inw. Maybe he had already epted her, but he chose to ignore his true feelings deliberately. "You''ve gone too far, missy. Even I can''t save you this time." Edward cast a look at the two cuddled figures and slightly shook his head. Hope Duke knew what he was doing. "Edward, I..." Leena lowered her head and bit her lip nervously. Had she actually done something inexcusable? Daisy sighed heavily. What''s done was done. They could only wait to see how things his body was screaming and shouting out of pain. "But... I feel painful..." Belinda pouted with a sob. Duke''s hand slightly twitched and he shower sprinkler he''s holding identally sshed water spouts all over himself. He then mumbled, ''I gave you the chance to run away from me, but you didn''t take it. me yourself for what''sing to you.'' "Do you have any idea what you are doing right now? humm?" With his eyes fixed on her rosy lips, Duke asked her onest time. "I know... Give it to me..." Belinda couldn''t wait any longer. She ripped his shirt off and eagerly ran her hands all over his skin. What on earth was he hesitating for? "Very well. Look at me. Do you know who I am?" He gently clutched her jaw with his slender fingers, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Duke..." Meekly, Belinda answered in a hoarse whisper. She shook her head to break free from his grip and grabbed his cor to kiss him. Once again, she was lost in the tenderness of his thin lips. Duke decided not to hold back anymore. He held Belinda in his arms and kissed her back aggressively. ''I hope you won''t regret thister.'' He thought. Duke tossed the shower sprinkler aside and carried Belinda out of the bathroom. He threw her into the king-sized bed and gentlyy on top of her. Chapter 114 Ill Be Responsible For You The first beam of morning sunshine shone through the half-open curtains. Belinda rubbed her eyes and looked around nkly. She turned and saw the handsome man lying right next to her. All her memories aboutst night suddenly came back to her. She hit her head in remorse. What happenedst night kept shing through her mind frame by frame. She couldn''t believe that bold and active woman was herself! Why couldn''t everything be just a crazy dream? It was so humiliated. How could things end up like this? One minute ago she cried that he wasn''t her type, the next minute she crawled into bed with him. "You''ll get even dumber if you keep hitting your head like that." The first thing Duke saw after he woke up was Belinda frowning and hitting herself. He squinted at her for a while. Eventually, he smiled and couldn''t help teasing her. To be honest, he was quite surprised that he was her first man. After all, she''d lived abroad for years -- she must have had quite a few boyfriends during that time. But he wasn''t bothered by it. On the contrary, he was thrilled that she was still a virgin beforest night. "Well... Aboutst night... I..." Startled by him, Belinda wrapped herself in the sheet and stammered. She couldn''t look him in the eye. "What... aboutst night? Remember, you slept with me, so you should be responsible for me." Duke looked at her and said sternly. He then got up, revealing his glorious body. He took the towel from the chair and tied i hat are you doing?" With a new towel around his waist, Duke emerged from the shower, and his hair was still wet. Belinda could see water slide down his muscr body and vanish into the towel. He looked so deliciously seductive. Immersed in her own thoughts, Belinda was startled by Duke''s sudden appearance. She screamed and unconsciously flung her hands over her eyes. However, the sheet covering her slipped. She let out an even more louder scream and crouched down to grab the sheet. "Ahhhhh!! Turn around! Now!" Belinda tried her best to grab the sheet as quickly as she could and wrapped it around herself firmly. "Belinda, is that how you try to turn me on?" Duke narrowed his eyes and curled his lips. He then slowly advanced on Belinda. "No... Duke, don''te any closer." Panicked, Belinda backed up as Duke walked to her. She widened her eyes and clenched the sheet nervously as Duke approached closer and closer. She wanted desperately to run away, but she couldn''t. Chapter 115 What If I Want To Be "Don''t move! One more step and you''ll..." Duke couldn''t finish his sentence. Belinda''s howl of pain drowned out his voice. "Ouch!" Belinda tripped on the couch and fell to the ground. The sheet fell off her body and once again, Duke saw her sexy curves. "I told you to stand still." With a small gloating smile, Duke stepped forward to pick her up. "Let go of me! It''s all your fault." Belinda shook his hand off. She grabbed the sheet and then dashed into the bathroom, face still burning. That was so humiliating. Duke looked at his hand held out for her. Did she really need to run from him like that? He was no monster and he wouldn''t bite. Shaking his head, he cast ast nce at the closed bathroom door before getting dressed. The hotel was the property of the FX International Group, so it was natural that he had his own suite here. Although he seldom stayed the night, the room was always reserved for him in case he needed it for emergencies likest night. Right as Duke fastened thest button on his outfit, he heard a knock on the door. His assistant arrived more quickly than he had expected. He smiled to himself. "Boss, I brought what you asked for." Outside of the door, there stood a pretty young woman, slightly panting. There were beads of sweat all over her forehead. She must have run all the way here. She handed over the bag and looked curiously through the half-open door. "Well done. Thank you. You may go now." Without any hesitation, Duke took the bag and banged the door closed. He couldn''t care less what his assistant thought of him. He turned around just in time to see Belinda walk out of the bathroom. She rep s man. "What if I want to be?" Duke''s eyes darkened when she calledst night as an ''One-night stand''. Didn''t she care that he was her first man? Or maybe she was indifferent because she didn''t even mind? Any man would be fine for herst night, as long as her longings were being taken care of? "Mr. Cold, it''s not funny at all. Do you really think that it would work out between us?" Duke was furious. Belinda knew it and she wanted to make it worse. "I think it worked out quite wellst night." He knew what she was up to. "In my bed. Don''t you think so?" Although he was emotionless, every word he uttered somehow sounded so inviting to Belinda. "Looking for a friend with benefits?" Belinda retorted sourly. Why did he imply that the sex was greatst night? She was not a call girl! "Friends... with benefits?" Duke looked up and down at her body again before slowly replying, "Fair proposal. I can deal with that." "Well, I can''t. I''m not that desperate. So go find someone else and leave me alone." This wasn''t a game to Belinda. She was offended and mad. She didn''t like this one bit. Chapter 116 The Choice "Belinda, do you still think you have a choice? From the moment you crossed my path, you lost your say in this matter. So I''m telling you now. You, Belinda Shangguan, are going to be mywful wedded wife as soon as possible." Duke told Belinda his decision, forcefully putting his wine ss onto the tea table. He then stood up and coldly exited the luxurious presidential suite. Belinda was shocked, and could only watch him leave. Her heart was bitter, her eyes clouded with sparkling tears. She couldn''t tell whether it was from his merciless exit, or his vow. She took a deep breath, confused about her own feelings. But she couldn''t marry someone just because of a one night stand. Belinda stood up and wiped her forehead, then gave up the idea of standing and threw herself onto therge soft bed. She abruptly got up when she saw the specks of scarlet. Damn! What was that asshole Duke so angry about? It was her who lost her virginity. Howe he acted as if he lost something? Bing his wife? She never agreed to this! She''d never met a man more unreasonable than Duke. "You want to stay?" His cold voice suddenly rang across the room. Belinda dropped down onto the bed again, staring in a panic at the icy figure at the door. "You... I thought you left." Belinda said apprehensively. Howe he always showed up like a ghost? "I''m not as terrible as you think." When Duke walked out of the suite earlier, he thought that she was going to follow him. nd and began to walk out, as if nothing had happened. "Duke, let go of me." Belinda tried very hard to wrest herself from his grasp. She didn''t want others to see hering out of a hotel with a man in the morning. Her reputation! "Stop. Just stop. Otherwise I''ll carry you on my back." Duke said without turning back. He didn''t mind at all the burning pain of her nails piercing through his skin. His hand was still locked on hers. Belinda stopped fighting and turned into a docile kitten, her head down, not looking anywhere but the ground. Duke let out a gentle chuckle which dissipated within a second. His tough face turned gentle. Even a wild cat was afraid of something. His future life wouldn''t be boring then, since this woman was full of surprises. Belinda once again felt a rush of desire. She nced at Duke, who was even hotter from the side view. He was a handsome man, able to drive all the girls crazy. But then his coldness drove everyone away immediately. Chapter 117 Im Pregnant In an office of FX International Group Edward Mu wasmenting on various documents, his pen moving like lightning. His calm and steady face exuded wisdom. His eyebrows furrowed when difficult problems arose, which made him pause here and there. There was a series of gentle, rhythmic knocks. "Knock knock, " Anna swiftly entered. "Something up?" Edward''s eyebrows furrowed again as he asked without looking up. She sounded like it was urgent. "Mr. Mu, Miss Jessica Lin is here for you. She said it''s something important." Anna waited for Edward''s reaction, uncertain what his answer would be. "What did you say?" Edward finally looked up from the paperwork and stared straight at Anna. "Miss Jessica Lin is here. She said she wanted to see you. Do you want me to show her in?" Anna now wondered if this interruption was a good idea. "Jessica Lin, what''s she doing here? What''s so important that she needs to talk to me in person?" Ever since she had made her threats to Edwardst time, she hadn''t turned up again till now. He didn''t know why she reappeared after two months. Hasn''t she given up yet? "I''m not sure, Mr. Mu. But she said she must see you today. Do you want to meet with her?" This visit was unexpected. Even Anna was a little surprised. "Bring her up!" Edward thought for a moment and made the decision. He hoped that Jessica would know her ce and not cause him any more trouble. Otherwise she would never be wee again. "Yes, Mr. Mu." Anna deferentially exited the office. Edward leaned back into his chair and rubbed between his eyes to rx his exhausted nerves. He promised Daisy that y to deal with anything. "Edward, don''t push it. As you well know, you are the only man I''ve been with all these years. Why couldn''t it be yours?" Jessica bit her lip, tears slowly welled up. Aggrieved, she stare at the man who was as still as a divine statue. "Jessica, are you certain that I''m the only man you''ve been with?" Edward''s face grew dark. He red at her intensely, turning the atmosphere into a breathless hell ruled by a merciless devil. "Of course I''m certain." A memory shed through her head, but she rejected it in an instant. It couldn''t be from that encounter. "Then go ahead and give birth to it! I do want to see if it''s actually mine. If it''s not -- then you should know what would happen next." Edward was confident. He was not to be fooled so easily. If he hadn''t used protection all these years, there would be many pregnant women at his door. Of course, Daisy was an exception. With her, it happened when he was not entirely conscious, so that didn''t count. ''Jessica Lin, pregnant, huh? This time you''re really going to pay for your stupidity.'' Chapter 118 So I Can Have The Baby "So, I can have the baby?" Jessica''s future looked brighter and happier. She was ted. "Sure. If that''s what you want." Edward teased and said coldly as if he were talking about the weather. "Then will you marry me?" Jessica spat out the question she wanted to ask most. "Marry you? So that''s what you want. But Jessica, you? How dare you think you''re good enough for me?" The cruel words jumped out of Edward''s mouth, a look of arrogance and disgust contorted his face. He wouldn''t let anyone he disliked have any fantasies about him. He wouldn''t even flirt with them. People might think he''s cruel, but he never cared about what others thought. "But shouldn''t our child have both father and mother?" Jessica panicked. If he didn''t marry her, how could she trust that he''d support her, and how to deal with the baby inside her? She didn''t want to be a single mom. "That''s not my concern." Edward looked sideways while he spun the pen in his hand. He was teasing her, but his face was full of amused contempt. "Edward, you can''t do this to me. You know how much I love you. What am I supposed to do without you? What about your kid?" Then Jessica pounced forward and grasped his arm, her tears dripping into Edward''s big hand. "Jessica, get off me. Any feelings I had for you are fading away fast." Edward squinted his eagle eyes and looked coldly at Jessica''s hands. His distaste was growing more and more obvious. "I..." Jessica released him. Her heart was torn apart. He couldn''t let her stay even though s e room to her quickly, deliberately. He encircled her fragile neck with his hands, squeezing tighter and tighter. He stared at her viciously. His evil eyes made her tremble. She saw his gentle demeanor, but forgot the demon inside. Now she tasted the bitter fruit of that mistake. "Justin is no bastard. Get that through your thick skull." "I..." Jessica tried to remove his hands, but he only tightened his grip. Terror overwhelmed her. If she could start all over again, she hoped never to meet Edward. He was demon. He could love no one, only himself. "Mr. Edward..." Anna said, hesitantly. Anna was quite worried to see him choking Jessica. She had to remind Edward of what was going on, stopping him from doing something he might regret. "Jessica, you''re lucky you''re pregnant, or you''d pay the price for what you just said." Everyone knew that Justin was his favorite, his son. And Jessica was stupid enough to call him a "bastard." That mistake could have cost her. She would have thrown away her life. Chapter 119 Honey, I Miss You Too Jessica stroked her fair neck in fear. She could hardly believe that Edward had just tried to kill her. She still didn''t know enough about Edward. "Anna, see her out." Edward ordered without another look at Jessica. The coldness continued to emanate from him. "Miss Jessica,e with me, please." Anna knew Edward''s temper. He loved Justin, and Jessica called Justin names. Of course Edward would lose his temper. Jessica took ast look at the man she loved so much. She knew he''d never belong to herpletely. But she didn''t mind sharing him with other women as long as she could be by his side. Edward shattered that wish. The longer she looked at him, the more she wanted him. ''Edward, I will make you marry me and ept our child by all means. Only I am the perfect match for you.'' she thought. Edward gracefully returned to his desk and sat down. He took the call, and Jessica disappeared from his mind. "Hey, what''s up? Do you miss me?" He said gently, smiling broadly. One could hardly link his affectionate look to his coldness and cruelty just moments before. Jessica could hear him. His gentleness made Jessica''s feet soft. Her face grew pale. ''Ah, Edward, you used to be so gentle and caring to me as well. But not now. What about this woman? How long will it take you to dump her? We''ll all end up deserted.'' "Edward, don''t be so childlike. Will you be home on time?" Daisy said, flipping through the files she had just copied. "Do you want me home early? I''ll think about it." Edward a miss you." Edward couldn''t hide his feelings anymore. He missed Daisy after having to deal with Jessica. To be honest, he couldn''t be sure that he wasn''t the father of Jessica''s baby. He only knew that the possibility was remote. He felt pressured. He didn''t want to hurt Daisy with that just when their rtionship was getting better. "Um. Honey, I miss you too." Finally Daisy admitted it. Maybe it was his loneliness. Maybe his affection. She liked being close to him emotionally. Edward could hardly believe what he just heard. In fact, Daisy had never said any sweet words to him or called him honey. "Honey, thank you. I feel better now. Just stay home and wait for me. I''ll be there soon." To hell with Jessica! He would not let her disrupt what he had with Daisy. "Okay, I''ll be waiting. Drive safe." Daisy''s heart was filled with softness and affection. To hell with coldness. She was done burying her feelings. She loved Edward. She would say it out loud. And she didn''t care who heard her. Chapter 120 Ill Fix Dinner "Mrs. Wu, I''ll fix dinner. Get some rest." Daisy said to Mrs. Wu, who was gathering ingredients for the next meal. "Well. Mrs. Mu, it''s our job. We can''t let you do this." Mrs. Wu was shocked. She couldn''t rest while her mistress was preparing the dinner. Besides, did Daisy even know how to cook? She doubted it. Edward was quite fastidious when it came to food. "That''s alright. I am not as good as you, but I''m not terrible. Don''t worry. Edward will have a proper meal." Daisy promised as if she knew what Mrs. Wu was thinking. "Okay, then. I will help you with dinner, Mrs. Mu." Mrs. Wu rxed a bit. Not many young people knew how to cook now. But Mrs. Mu did. What a good wife! "Thank you, Mrs. Wu. I need your help anyway." She''d only lived with Edward for just a short time, so she didn''t know what food or vors he liked, but Mrs. Wu could tell her. "Mrs. Mu, that''s exactly what I should do." Mrs. Wu liked Daisy more with every passing day. She felt so lucky that Edward had brought Daisy home and made the luxurious vi like a home, not just an empty house. Hopefully, they could live happily ever after. May there be no more idents. The city never slept. The closer it got to night time, the busier the roads became, especially during rush hour. Commuters, just off work, now crowded the streets. Edward was annoyed. He tapped the wheel impatiently, his handsome face disyed his anger. ''Usually the road is less busy. Why is there a traffic jam now? So both Jess inda for the embarrassment. One more strike against her. "Well... Actually I don''t have it." Aaron handled all themunications for work. Edward showed up only when a major decision was to be made, for example, he called Belinda only when she demanded to talk to him personally. Since he didn''t quite see eye-to-eye with Belinda, he didn''t bother to keep her number on hand. "But YS and FX are partners, right? Howe you don''t have her number?" Duke retorted angrily. He shouldn''t have expected solutions from Edward. It was a waste of time. "Yes, we are partnerpanies, but you are partners in bed. Still... you don''t know her number." There was no way Duke could win in a war of words with Edward. The CEO was too silver-tongued to be beaten. "Okay, okay. Just find someone who knows and get back to me." Duke stood outside his car in a heatwave, and all these women stared at him. Every woman except the right one. He''d had enough. Duke''sst frayed thread of patience snapped. Chapter 121 Honey, Its So Good To Have You "Why don''t you just ask Leena? She likes Belinda a lot." Atst, he was able to travel at a good clip -- the rest of cars were speeding up as well. Traffic was beginning to clear. "Let''s not talk about Leena. I haven''t dealt with her yet. She ran off before I came back." That gave Duke a headache. He could hardly believe Leena drugged Belinda. "Running away from her problems is so like her. Where''d she go this time?" Edward giggled. His luxurious car zoomed through the city, making the night more fabulous. "Where else? Grandpa''s. Running away timely seems to be her main talent." Duke joked. ''Every time Leena does something wrong, she flees. When it blows over, shees back, and shes you that puppy dog look, so you can''t stay mad.'' "By the way, why did she suddenlye back from Paris? Wasn''t she studying design there?" Edward was too busy dealing with Daisy to ask Leena what was up. "I don''t know for sure. I''ve heard she established her own brand, quite popr in France." Duke spoke to her butler in Paris, which is the only way he knew. "What? She is so talented! It seems that she has a knack for it, creating her own brand in such a short time. No wonder she wasn''t concerned about school. She has acquired achievements already." Edward was quite happy for her, you could tell by his tone. "Just forget about Leena now. I''m focused on Belinda''s number." Then Duke sat down inside his car, weary of waiting idly outside. "Hold on a sec. I''ll have Aaron text you." ''Duke must have fallen in love with Belinda this time, or he wo why. Daisy stared at his dark eyes intently. She wanted to see through him, to his soul. Edward held her tightly and kissed her forehead. It seemed that Daisy had felt his anxiety, thanks to Jessica. That was thest thing he wanted to see. "Honey, do you still remember what you said? No matter what happens, you will give me a chance to exin." Jessica made him lose his coolness. He was scared to lose Daisy. "Yes. I remember my words and will keep my promise." Daisy tried to smooth his frown with her fingers. She hated his frown for it made her heart ache and sink. She wanted him happy forever. Edward couldn''t help lowering his head and covering Daisy''s lips with his own. He kissed her so intensely and affectionately. Daisy responded clumsily. Her hands embraced him around his well-built waist. She had no idea why he was afraid, but she would ept it. She didn''t know why he brought up her promise again, but she would go through thick and thin with him. Together they would handle whatever got thrown in their way. Chapter 122 I Dont Know If Youll Like Them "Wow! You cooked all of these dishes?" Edward said excitedly while looking at the food in disbelief. Most of the dishes were his favorites. "Yes, but I don''t know if you''ll like Them." Daisy said with a stammer. Though Edward assured her that nothing had happened, she was still a bit worried. "Wow! Mom, my favorite coca-chicken. Love you!" Then Justin jumped into Daisy''s arms and gave her a big kiss. The way he spoke was quite simr to Edward. "I thought what you really love is coca-chicken, not me!" Daisy said jokingly. Justin seemed to be so preupied with his studies that she hardly saw him all day. "No. I love Coca-chicken. But what I love most has always been you, mom." Justin hugged her tteringly as if to prove what he said was true. "Really? But I think you love coca-chicken more than me." Daisy quipped, joking about his ttery. "LOL. Mom, are you jealous of coca-chicken? Cheeky!" Justin stroked Daisy''s face with his small hands. "Yes. Yes, I''m jealous. I am not as important as coca-chicken to Justin. I''m heartbroken." Daisy said yfully. She knew how silver-tongued and yful Justin could be. But she chose to ignore it because she liked the way he held her. "Mom, you are the most important person to dad. Right, Dad?" Justin looked up at Edward who was smiling happily, his eyes shining slyly. His words struck Edward dumbfound. How was he suddenly involved in their joke? "Yes. You and your mom are equally important to me. You both are indispensable f to the fire. Now Edward got more jealous. "Commander-in-chief? Who is he?" Edwardpletely lost his poise. Howe there are Kevin and another man? Is it because that the man Daisy loved was themander, she didn''t reciprocate to Kevin''s love? "Commander ismander. Who else can he be?" Justin stared disdainfully at Edward as if he were looking at some dumb person. "Okay, Justin. Just eat your meal and stop talking." Daisy put on an angry expression and scolded him. She found Justin to be more snobbish now. He used to y cool and talk less, whereas now he was too casual. "Okay. Mom." Justin replied with sadness. What he had said was in Daisy''s interest. He purposefully said so to make Edward jealous. Yet, instead of showing gratitude, Daisy scolded him. On the other hand, Edward just sat there with a lonesome look. If that was what Justin was going for, he undoubtedly seeded. Edward''s jealousy didn''t dissipate till night when he taught Daisy a good lesson in the bed. Chapter 123 Its Mrs. Mu When the first morning rays came out of the horizon, Daisy was woken by the rm clock. She moved her exhausted body and reluctantly turned off the rm clock. She looked at Edward''s handsome face with her sleepy eyes. She instantly felt the impulse to kick him off the bed. Daisy got up hesitantly. The room was flooded with a sensual vibe. Edward was quite vigorous recently. Daisy wondered why he was soscivious; there was no sign of sexual restraint in him. She had told himst night that she needed to go to work today. But he seemed indifferent and followed his own will. He had tortured her nearly till the sun rose. As tired as she was, her stoic nature forbade her to indulge herself. As she was a little far from the military base, she had to move fast to get there on time. She wore her uniform after she was done cleaning up. But when she looked at herself in the mirror, she couldn''t help letting out a scream. She walked towards Edward who still sounded asleep and gave him a firm kick without reluctance. "Ah..." Edward was kicked off the bed by Daisy. He opened his misted eyes and looked at her, who was standing in front of him dressed in her uniform and ring at him with rage. Edward was very confused, he wondered why she kicked him all of a sudden. "Honey, are you going to work?" asked Edward. He didn''t seem to mind her kick. He looked outside. It was still dark. "Edward, don''t try to change the subject this time." She distinctly remembered that he got away with the same trickst time. "What? I am not averting from the topic." Edward said, bbergasted. He didn''t know what he had done wrong. "Look what you have done to me." Daisy pointed at the love bites on her neck and shouted. The marks were so distinct that the uniform could barely cover them. It would be really embarrassing for her to face herrades like this. "What? I don''t see anything!" Edward seemed oblivious to her im. But his sly smile revealed his wickedness. H w. Bye." While saying this, Daisy put her cap on and quickly walked out of the room. Edward pursed his lips.''Okay, let her go.'' Edward thought. Then he went back to bed and continued to sleep after calling Luke. Mrs. Wu rubbed her eyes when she saw a woman walk down the stairs. ''It''s strange, Who''s this female officer?'' Mrs. Wu thought. "Mrs. Wu, good morning!" Daisy found that Mrs. Wu was looking at her in a stupor. So she greeted her first. "Oh... It''s Mrs. Mu! I was just wondering who''s the female officer." Last time when Edward brought Daisy home, Mrs. Wu was already asleep. So except for Luke and the safeguard who was on duty that day, nobody knew that Mrs. Mu was a female officer. "Sorry, I haven''t introduced myself. Did I scare you?" Daisy apologized with a soft smile. "That''s all right. Mrs. Mu, you''re too kind. Are you going to work?" Mrs. Wu looked at the darkness outside and asked doubtfully. "Yes. The military base is a bit far from here." While saying this, Daisy looked at the time again. She frowned. "I will go to fetch breakfast for you." Mrs. Wu turned around and ran to the kitchen. "Thanks, Mrs. Wu. But I don''t want to be toote; I will eat breakfast at the military base. I''m going. Good bye." After Daisy finished herment, she quickly walked out of the house. Chapter 124 He Is Actually Very Lonely "Mrs. Mu, good morning. Mr. Mu asked me to send you to work." Luke greeted Daisy as soon as he saw her walk out. Mrs. Mu looked sharp in uniforms. Luke thought. "Good morning. Sorry for troubling you." Daisy nodded and said to Luke. She didn''t refuse to go with him because he had been to the military base before. Besides, Luke was an experienced driver, that could save her a lot of time. "It''s my duty, Mrs. Mu." Luke ran to open the car door for Daisy, exhibiting great respect for her. "Thanks, " Daisy said to him gently. She bent down and got into the car. As there were no traffic jam in the morning, The car moved quite fast. Soon they were out of downtown and near the suburb. The morning in the suburb was filled up with the chirping of all kinds of birds and insects. Daisy pulled down the window and enjoyed the gentle breeze blowing over her face. She had been thinking about Edward''s strange behavior yesterday. Since he didn''t bring it up, she had to let it pass. Maybe it was because she wasn''t the women he loved deeply in his heart. Therefore he didn''t want to talk about it with her. Daisy thought. "Luke, did anything happen to Mr. Mu yesterday? He acted rather strangely yesterday." asked Daisy in a calm voice. Luke was focusing on driving the car. But Daisy couldn''t help speaking out what was on her mind. Her question made Luke hesitate for a bit. "You mean yesterday? No, nothing special happened yesterday. He has kept a patient profiletely. So I don''t think anything would bother him." Luke replied. He tilted his head and thought for a while. He remembered that Mr. Mu was in the office all day long yesterday. He didn''t go out to meet any clients. Only Jessica came by yesterday. Thinking of Jessica, Luke turned his head to take a quick look at Daisy. It seemed that Daisy had been looking outside and didn''t notice his nervousness. Did Jessica and walked away quickly. Daisy shook her head and sighed. Mark was still very imprudent. She wondered when he would be mature and calm at work. Mark was very efficient. As soon as Daisy sat down, Mark walked in with a stack of files in his hands. "Colonel, These are all the files you need to sign, and there is a meeting at 9 a.m. concerning military weapons. This is the file for the meeting, you must take a look at it first." Mark handed the pile of files to her. "Okay. I see." Daisy said and reached out to pick the files. She opened the file and began to browse it. When she saw the pictures of the new type of weapons disyed in the file, she felt excited. She had always been interested in military equipment. So her eyes were filled with excitement now. "Colonel, will many big BOSSes show up this time?" Marked asked. They liked to name the powerful weapons as BOSS, It sounded more exciting and challenging to them "Yes! They are good. But some of them are not suitable for marine force; they are more applicable to naval operations." Daisy had been paying attention to the new weapons of every country in the recent past. Hence she could quickly analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the weapons in different operations. Chapter 125 You Caught Me Again "Colonel, do you think we can nail down several weapons this time?" Mark asked with great interest. As a soldier, anyone would like to touch this kind of hi-tech equipment, and Mark was no exception. "I''m not sure right now. But, I think we won''t take many this time as we are facing a great budget problem." Daisy replied. Her attention was still focused on the file. "Colonel, why can''t we request sponsorship for this program?" Mark asked with a frown. He was not as cheerful now as he was moments ago. "This is a matter the leaders should worry about. It would be better if you just do your own job." Daisy raised her head and nced at him. Then she continued to review the file. "Okay, Colonel, let me find out what the other leaders think about this. You take your time, and I''ll take your leave now." Mark said. Then he walked out of the office quickly. He was such a spirited young man! Daisy felt speechless by his words. Mark had the knack for spying. He got his hands on all kinds of rumor and gossip. Daisy wondered how he got them. Maybe it was just like what he said, ''Knowing this and that ensures victory''. Daisy continued to sift through the file. She didn''t have the time to think where Mark go to get his dose of gossip. But right at that moment, she was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. "Come in, please, " Daisy answered without raising her head. But she knew it wasn''t Mark. Mark never knocked on the door before entering. He was very unceremonious like an impudent boy. "Daisy, I heard from Mark that you are back to work. Ie by to see you." Kevin walked in with quick steps. There was a delighted smile on his face. He didn''t like to call Daisy Colonel in private. He felt that the appetion would make them feel estranged. "Mark is really fast. Has he already been to your office? He must have gone there to get advice from the oth p of the tea. The hot tea made him frown a bit. Daisy didn''t know what to say after she heard Kevin''s words. She stared at him helplessly. She knew he was not taking her seriously. "Have you checked the files for today''s meeting?" Daisy asked. She knew she wouldn''t get any answer on the health issue, so she stopped bothering him. "Yes. Do you have any suggestions?" asked Kevin. He took back his frivolous expression and returned to his calm demeanor. "I''m not qualified to give any suggestion on it. In front of a learned man like you, I ''m only qualified to listen to your opinions." Daisy knew she wasn''t well-versed with equipment knowledge, so she didn''t offer any suggestion on this. "You know what? Sometimes you are too modest. In fact, you know more about weapons than me. Your good shooting technique is well-known in the military. You are number one. And I am not as good as you when ites to shooting. Said Kevin. It was not ttery. Daisy''s familiarity with guns was astonishing. She could make out the type of the weapon by listening to the sound when it was getting loaded. She was able to disassemble the gun and resume it in 20 seconds. Nobody could break this record. So Daisy earned her current position with her efforts. Chapter 126 Mrs. Mu Is Her Sister "That''s because you purposely gave way to me. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have be the best." Daisy sneered with self-mockery. She knew there were a lot of people in the military who felt jealous of her. If she didn''t have so many achievements, she would have lost this position a long time ago. "Don''t try to deceive me. I know you like I know myself. Let''s go! The meeting is about to start." Kevin said and stood up. He waited while Daisy was gathering the files. "Okay. Let''s go! There will be a lot of arguments during the meeting." Daisy shrugged and smiled. She straightened her clothes and nodded at Kevin, indicating that she was ready. "Colonel, I''m back!" As soon as they walked to the door, they bumped into Mark. Kevin swiftly pulled Daisy into his arms and protected her from being hurt. If it weren''t for Kevin''s quick action, her beautiful nose would be broken. "Mark, what are you doing? You''re always in such a rush!" Daisy said with a blushing face. She released herself from Kevin''s arms and looked at Mark who made her feel humiliated. "Colonel, I''m sorry. I didn''t do it on purpose." Mark mumbled. He lowered his head and didn''t dare to look at Daisy. Ah! He felt that he was innocent. He didn''t expect that they would step out at the same moment. Kevin looked at his empty arms in a state of trance. The moments ago Daisy was in his arms. And the next second, she was gone, leaving a memory of the warmth of her body there. "Next time, if you forget to knock the door before entering, I will punish you to practice on sandbags. Then you won''t forget this ever." Daisy said in a cold voice. It was not a big deal in her office. But Daisy worried that Mark would also behave like this in the leaders'' office. So to prevent him from making more significant mistakes, Daisy decided to help him change this bad habit. If he didn''t change, he would suffer for his mistakes. "I know, Colonel. I won''t make the sam y experienced in reading people, and he could see the strong desire of materialistic things in Mary''s eyes. "This is the agenda for you today. I have marked some important things for you." Anna said and kept the schedule in front of him. Then she nodded and walked out. Edward took out his phone and dialed a call. "Mr. Mu, what''s the matter?" Luke''s cold voice clearly came from the other end of the line. "Luke, I want you to look into Mrs. Mu and gather all the information about her past." As nobody answered his questions, he thought he would find the answers himself. "Mr. Mu, are you going to investigate Mrs. Mu? What if she finds out? She will be displeased." Luke asked doubtfully. He wondered why his boss would suddenly be so interested in Mrs. Mu''s past. "I didn''t ask you to let her know. You must do it covertly." Edward stared at the phone, speechless. Although he could not see Luke''s expression, he wondered why the smart Luke would ask such a silly question. "Okay, I get it. Mr. Mu. I will do it right away." Luke said. He shook his head and felt confused. This morning, Mrs. Mu had asked him about his boss. But now his boss was asking him to investigate Mrs. Mu. What was happening between them? Luke wondered. As an outsider, he was very perplexed. Chapter 127 How Dare You Ignore My Call Belinda found that she had chosen the wrong guy to mess with. He wouldn''t let her go after they shared the most intimate connection. What was more shocking? Duke standing on her front porch at the crack of dawn. She massaged her temples, feeling a headacheing on. She remembered what he said to her that morning. ''I need to be prepared? Why? Does he think I''m y to be molded as he wishes? It was just a one-night-stand. And hanging up on him should not be a big deal. He did not have the right to threaten me.'' Belinda thought. The secretary''s touch jolted her out of her reverie. "Miss Belinda. Are you listening? What''s wrong?" the secretary asked in a low voice, wondering what diverted her attention in the middle of a meeting. The expression on Belinda''s face told the secretary what she needed to know. She was not paying attention at all. "Umm...Nothing. Have you all finished reporting?" If that''s it, then you''re dismissed." Belinda came back to her senses and nced at them. Her imposing manner was back. "Miss Belinda, Just now the sales manager asked if we should step up the advertising campaign." The secretary again whispered in her ear, feeling embarrassed by her reactions. Didn''t she notice that everyone was waiting? Instead of responding to the manager, Belinda adjourned the meeting. Again, she wasn''t listening. "Oh... I''ll talk to FX International Group about the advertising campaign. But I want you to know the advertisement can only be a supplement to our products. It''s the quality of our products that matters." Belinda flipped through the documents in f mportant contractter." His assistant reminded him. This was the same girl who delivered the clothes to the hotel. "Tell them to postpone it. I''ve got more important things to do." Duke left the office with all speed. His long legs allowed him to walk so fast that the assistant found it difficult to keep up with. "But Mr Duke... Our clients might be on their way already, so changing the time is impossible." The assistant said with concern. She was following Duke so closely she bumped into him when he stopped walking. "Listen, I didn''t hire you to question my orders. I need you to help me solve problems. If you don''t understand your job description, then tell me now so I can find someone else." Duke warned the assistant. "Yes, sir! I''ll negotiate with our clients to change the time right now. Do you need me to hold your following events as well?" The assistant asked, bowing her head. She did not dare to look at him. She felt helpless -- she could not disobey his orders. He was the boss. And he took great pride in letting everyone know it. Chapter 128 Lets Go Register for Marriage Tomorrow Belinda silently put her phone down. She had an uneasy sense of foreboding. What was Duke going to do? Duke sped through the busy downtown streets. His anger had been building all night. Aaron came through for him and got Belinda''s number, though too slow for his tastes. And then Belinda hung up on him! Not only that, but she turned her phone off afterward. Then Duke visited her vi this morning, and forced her into his car. He didn''t expect her to try and hit him. He dodged most of the hits, but he was still pissed because of her rude attitude. "Duke, you are such a pervert! What are you doing here so early?" Belinda stopped trying to inflict physical pain, and tried to shame him with her angry re. "Belinda Shangguan, why did you hang up on me yesterday?" She tried to make herself as small as possible. She put up a brave front, but she was really afraid of his rage. "Umm... I didn''t recognize your voice?" Belinda defended herself. It would be foolish to say she was on a blind date arranged by her father. Belinda remembered Duke''s threats about keeping her in bed for 3 days if she went out with other guys. She was not interested in more torture. "Belinda, I don''t believe you. I wasn''t born yesterday. I waited forever for you at yourpanyst night. And then you had the arrogance to hang up on me!" Duke g e was not sure about the answer. After being dumped, he was determined not to fall in love again. What he felt for Belinda now was not love. "See. Duke, you couldn''t answer the question yourself." "I couldn''t answer either. Therefore, there is no point for us to discuss marriage at this stage." Belinda didn''t expect that she would feel a little sad when he gave in so easily. "But I am confident that you will fall in love with me, so Let''s go register for marriage tomorrow." Duke couldn''t answer her question, but that didn''t stop him from his obsession with marriage. "Are you out of your mind? Register for marriage? Hell, no." Belinda found that it was aplete waste of time arguing with him. He wasn''t listening, and she wasn''t in love. "I didn''t ask for your permission. I am just telling you my decision." Duke replied with a evil smile. Belinda felt a migraineing on. Chapter 129 We Are In A Relationship "Duke! You need to stop being so unreasonable and learn to take no for answer." Belinda found that her life had been absolute chaos since she met Leena and Duke. "Only my wife can reason with me, but you don''t want to be my wife." Duke responded. A smile crept across his face. He had never been so mischievous before, but now he found that bullying Belinda was so much fun. "Umm..." Normally Belinda was good at verbal battles, but she had little experience dealing with a shameless man like Duke. There was nothing she could say to fight back. "I don''t want to talk about this anymore. I need to go to work." Belinda said. Duke locked the car door before she could open it. "I''ll drive you to the office." Duke said and started the engine. He didn''t give Belinda a chance to say no. "I have my own car, you know." Belindained as he drove away from her house. She rolled her eyes and wondered why he was always so bossy. He wouldn''t let anyone tell him what to do. "I know." Duke ignored herints and focused on the drive. He was not in a good mood. Duke was as unpredictable as the weather. ''Probably best not to argue with him again, '' Belinda thought. Wheels were turning in both their heads, as th dn''t like this at all. And she wasn''t going to go easy on him. "I''m not busy. Where do you want to eat?" Duke wasn''t dumb. He knew that Belinda asked that question to suggest that his time might be better spent working. "Duke, you''re acting like we''re in a rtionship." Belinda said miserably. "We ARE in a rtionship now. Can''t you see? I''m serious." Duke stared at her. He was unhappy that she didn''t take this as seriously as he did. "Umm... Fine. Ignore me." Belinda figured the less she talked, the less trouble she''d be in. "If you don''t have a better choice. how about the Mochan Restaurant?" Duke asked for her opinion this time. He didn''t want to be thought of as a tyrant. "That''s fine." Belinda answered and buried herself in the seat. At least if she was silent he wouldn''t twist her words. Chapter 130 Hi! Beauty! "Ahhh... It''s boiling out there!" Rain shouted loudly while rushing into Edward''s office. He snatched the bottle of water Edward had just taken out of the refrigerator and downed it. "You''re early. I didn''t expect you till after noon." Edward grabbed another bottle of water from the fridge. He frowned at Rain''s messy hair. "Edward. I''m risking heatstroke out there. It''s too hot. We''re not enemies. Why are you being so cruel to me?" Rain felt cooler after his drinking. He threw himself down on the big sofa. "Your hard work pays off. This month''s bonus will be nothing to sneeze at. Quitining, or you won''t get that bonus." Edward nced at himzily and sat down in front of the desk. He didn''t particrly care that Rain wasining, but he liked giving him hell. "No! How can you go after my tiny bonus, boss? You''re the CEO. You make so much more money than I do. How can you be so stingy?" Now that Rain recovered from the heat, he started teasing Edward. "Mr Rain, I am sure that the bonus is just a drop in the bucket to you. If you don''t need it, you can donate the money to kids in need. They would be happy to see a new school." Edward thought that hundreds of thousands of dors was a fair offer for a monthly bonus, and it was greedy of Rain to say it was a tiny bonus. "Cut it out Edward. If you want to show your kindness, please use your own money." FX International Group spent millions of dors on charity elinda and Duke. Last time, they were at each others'' throats. But now they''re having lunch together? Rain was convinced he''d missed a plot twist somewhere. "Hey girl!" Belinda greeted him back sarcastically. She always teased him about his extravagant clothing. "What a lovely coincidence!" Edward winked at Duke. Since when was Duke good at picking up hot girls? It seemed that he won Belinda''s heart after all. Duke snorted as he knew exactly what Edward meant by winking. He and Edward were old friends. They couldmunicate with just a nce. Mary was surprised at the top-tier people hanging around Edward. But she knew Duke was different -- he didn''t make friends easily, and seemed to push people away with his attitude always. Belinda noticed Mary staring at Duke, so she intentionally moved between them, even as she tried to make it look natural. She simply didn''t like anyone paying attention to Duke. Maybe she cared more than she realized. Chapter 131 You Have Got Yourself A New Boyfriend "Miss Mary, it seems that we keep running into each other a lot recently, " sneered Belinda. She didn''t understand why Edward still kept her around. "You''re right. Miss Belinda. It appears that you have got yourself a new boyfriend." Mary raised her eyebrows. Belinda nervously stood in front of the man apanying her. As soon as Mary saw them, she instantly knew that their rtionship was not that simple, so she purposely said those words to cause differences between them. As expected, on hearing Mary''s words Duke gave Belinda an unfriendly look from behind. A minute ago, Duke was d as he thought that Belinda stood in front of him to stop another woman from staring at him. But now he realized that she didn''t do it out of jealousy but to prevent Mary from telling about the other man''s existence. He was heartbroken. Belinda didn''t perceive the frosty look from behind and continued to sneer at Mary. "Yes. What? You don''t want me to change my boyfriend? Or do you wish to get pped again?" "Belinda, you are out of line!" Mary got angry. Every time she saw this woman, she got whacked. "Am I? I don''t think so. After all, I''m not the one who has a thing for her sister''s husband!" When Belinda got mad, she didn''t spare the other person''s feelings. Mary''s n was exposed now. Rain quickly glimpsed at Mary. Any rational person could see that Mary admired Edward. It was clear to him that the husband Belinda referred to was Edward. Now, he realized that Mary was Daisy''s sister and thought, ''A girl ad be invisible to her. She was preparing herself for anything to happen next. He couldn''t help wondering, ''What kind of grudge can be so big that she is willing to disregard her dignity?'' Observing the icy look Duke had in his eyes for Belinda, Mary stopped pretending and decided to make the situation worse for them by saying, "Since you care about so many people, how would I know who you are referring to?" Belinda stared at her with hateful eyes, and said, "Stay away from Daisy! Otherwise, I will let you know the consequences of messing with me!" ''Starting a ring contest with me? Game on! I''m way better than you!'' Belinda thought. Hearing Belinda''s words, everyone present looked at her, with different thoughts. Edward was wondering how close Belinda and Daisy were So that she was willing to protect her at the cost of her own image. Duke was relieved to know that Daisy was the one Belinda cared about. He couldn''t exin it. He just felt that his anxious heart was finally rxed. Chapter 132 We Were Being Impulsive Rain looked at Belinda in appreciation and smiled charmingly. Seeing how much she valued friendship, he realized that he had underestimated her before. He had considered her as a bossy and self-centered girl from a wealthy family. What he saw today was unexpected. He cheered her on in heart, ''Bravo Belinda! I like Daisy too.'' "When did I offend Daisy?" said Mary as she looked at Edward as if to check if he still remembered her existence. "Didn''t you? Then why did she p you?" responded Belinda, without considering the oue of what she said. "No way! Belinda, are you sure you are talking about Daisy?" Rain was surprised that a calm person like Daisy would p someone. "So, you two have seen each other, " said Edward, sounding irresistible. His handsome face darkened, as he nced at Mary and Belinda. Mary had thought that Daisy had disappeared since her wedding night. They had been out of touch with each other, and the private detective failed to find her whereabouts. But now she sensed that wasn''t the case. Hearing Edward''s words, she looked at the group in panic. Moreover, Edward seemed concerned about her. Mary wondered whether there was something that she didn''t know. "What? Has everyone gone dumb suddenly?" said Edward, brows raised. "Weren''t you all speaking continually just now?" Something serious must have happened if Daisy got furious enough to p someone. He was worried, although he knew she could take care of herself. Belinda turned to Duke for help. She had forgotten that Daisy fought with Mar ause I care about you. Besides, I am swamped. I had been in the meeting room the whole morning. I have to do my work even during my holidays. I haven''t eaten my breakfast yet!" Daisy was telling the truth. All the battalions had applied to buy new equipment to enhance their position in the army. The whole morning they had been discussing which battalion should be granted. When the n had finally been decided, she was given piles of files to deal with, which had kept her so upied that she wasn''t able to squeeze out time for the breakfast Mark brought for her from the canteen. "What?! It''s sote and you haven''t had breakfast yet?" shouted Belinda after looking at her watch. "Why are you working so hard?" As soon as she finished that sentence, her mobile was taken away. "I can''t take a break yet. It seems that I will be too upied to go home tonight, let alone eat." Daisy was still busy with the files while she was talking until she heard the bitter words from the other side of the phone. She was shocked. Chapter 133 Shameless Edward "Daisy, since you have time to make a phone call, howe you don''t have time to eat?" Edward scolded her over the phone. He was worried. ''Is this how she takes care of herself? Doesn''t she know what time it is?'' "Er... Edward! I think there is something wrong with the phone. I was talking to Belinda. How did you get through?" Daisy checked her phone to ensure that she had dialed the right number. The number was right. Then howe her despicable husband was speaking on the phone? She didn''t get it. ''Haha, sounds like somebody is still mad about this morning''s hickey'' he gloated secretly. "If I tell you I can hide underground, will you believe it?" Edward answered sulkily, disregarding the spectators. Belinda tried to snatch her phone back, but Duke stopped her. She stood there, looking at him furiously. "Can you? If you say you can, I''ll believe you." Daisy couldn''t help but think, ''Damn, what''s making him angry this time? And how did he get Belinda''s phone?'' "Do you think you would still be able to talk to me so calmly if I could?" Edward replied coldly. He was unhappy, but his wife wasn''t afraid of him, and she continued to provoke him. "Then what?" Daisy stopped working and leaned back in the chair to rx. "I will throw you on the bed and fiercely teach you a lesson." Edward was indeed atrocious and brazen to say something like that in front of so many people. Mary raised her head resentfully and thought, ''How can he love Daisy so much when they haven''t seen each other since their wedding night? Why are they so intimate?'' want me to disturb Daisy, for fear that she won''t be able to finish her work and will stay in the office all night. That''s all he cared about. What a noble excuse!'' Mary felt sad and frustrated. She wished that Edward had said those words to her instead of Daisy. ''Daisy, why do you get everything? You have wealth, and you are beautiful. Isn''t that enough? How could you marry the most amazing man in the city so easily while I have to rack my brains to get an ounce of his attention?'' Duke held Belinda''s hand and followed Edward with a vicious smile. He ignored Rain whose jaw had dropped with surprise. Belinda red at Duke and tried to break free but to no avail. She had to give up. Rain didn''t know about Leena drugging Belinda. He sensed something fishy was going on with Duke and Belinda. Heughed weirdly, watching them leave hand in hand. Daisy looked at the cold food. A smile appeared on her face when she thought of Edward''s concern. She reached for the food and decided to eat. Or someone would be unhappy again. Chapter 134 You Are Here Under the summer sunset, the suburb looked like a beautifulndscape painting. Even the strong features of Edward''s face were blending in the bright colors. With the soft and thin lips lightly closed and the deep eyes looking at the spiraling road, his figure seemed distinguished and elegant. The posh Lamborghini drew a curve and stopped at the gate of the military base. Edward looked at his watch. His timing was perfect. He wondered whether Daisy had finished her work. He had exhausted her the night before. She slept quitete in the night, and she woke up at the break of dawn. She had been too busy to eat at the office. She must be exhausted by now. He had left his office early to pick up Daisy, worrying that she might doze off while driving. "Colonel, time to go home, " Mark said to Daisy. She should have left for home hours ago. He wondered what was keeping her. Themander was ruthless. How could he assign so much work to her on the first day after vacations? "Well, soon. You may go now." Daisy''s head was still buried in the files. The tiredness was evident on her beautiful face. Maybe it was because of the vacations; she didn''t seem to be as motivated as before. "Colonel, please let me drive you home today.'' Mark was worried. Her tired face made him feel more resentful towards themander. "No, thanks. I''m fine. You please go home." Earlier, she used to manage to stay awake day and night while on a task. This was a piece of cake for her. "OK, Colonel. Take care of yourself." Although she had scolded him just this morning, he still worried about her. He knew she was right. "O ept Edward waiting, he might get angry again. "Never mind. I was just teasing you. Are you all set for the uing war game? Your performance will be a deciding factor in your promotion next year. And a good performance will save you from worrying about being reced by someone with a stronger background." He looked at her thoughtfully. She was the best he had ever seen in the army. But sadly, she came from an ordinary family and hence tended to fail in the assessments no matter how well she did. "Thank you, Commander. I''ll do my best. It doesn''t matter whether I get promoted or not. I just hope to do my job well." Daisy knew that themander meant well. But she also knew that she would have to work much harder to get promoted. "Good. I''m d you think that way. I assumed you were still unhappy about your failurest time." Although she had more achievements than any of her peers in the army, she had to give up opportunities just because of her unfavorable background. Knowing how hard it had been for her, themander patted her on the shoulder in approval. Chapter 135 But Why Do I Need To Take The Medicine "Not really. I was prepared for the worst. So it''s not such a big deal to me. Besides, I am used to it." Daisy smiled with self-mockery. It was hard for her to figure out the rules of the official circles. "I''m sorry for this. Nevertheless, you still have to do your best in this military exercise. The score will be an essential part of your assessment. What''s more, a lot of top leaders will be present on that day. So you must put your best foot forward. There''s no room for mistakes. Everyone knows that you''re the best!" Themander heaved a sigh. Daisy always seemed calm about everything. She didn''t worry about profit or loss. Probably that''s why she had missed a lot of opportunities. "Yes, Commander. I promise I won''t disappoint you." Daisy said with a salute. She felt grateful for themander''s encouragement. His care wasforting to her since she had been estranged from her father. "Okay. You can go home now. I know you''re in a rush. By the way, where is Justin? I haven''t seen him for a long time. I miss him." Themander asked. ''Justin is such a smart boy. Whenever we meet, he bargains with me to assign less work to his mother. He is a considerate boy, who share his mother''s problems and responsibilities at a such a young age. That''s really impressive.'' Themander thought. "I will bring him to meet you after the military exercise is over. These days you''re busy with the military exercise preparations." Daisy said with a gentle smile. Talking about her son always made her feel emotional. "Okay! That''s good! Then I will arrange for lots of delicious food for Justin. Otherwise, he wouldin." Themander said with heartyughter. The deep and strongughter revealed hismanding manner. "If there''s nothing else, I will take your leave now." Daisy said l her in the car, yet he didn''tin. On the contrary, he was making jokes to please her. "No. But why do I need to take the medicine?" asked Edward. He looked at Daisy doubtfully, who was smiling slyly at him. He wondered why she asked this question. "Haha. Honey, you''re so amusing!" Daisyughed. It was the first time that she hadughed so heartily. She unwittingly called him ''honey'', which sounded very intimate. Edward was affected by her happiness. Although he didn''t know exactly what made herugh so loudly, he loved seeing her bright smiling face. At least, she did not look aloof and intimidating as she used to be. "I am delighted that my stupidity makes youugh. As you called me so intimately, I have decided to forgive you." At first, he hadn''t figured out what she was implying to. But he quickly realized that she had said that to mock him. Usually, Daisy wouldn''t call him ''honey'' no matter how hard Edward seduced or intimidated her. She always took him by surprise, and he seemed to like it. "Emm.." Daisy was very embarrassed. She didn''t call him ''honey'' on purpose. She was too excited, so she blurted it out spontaneously. There were no special intentions behind it. Chapter 136 You Slept Like A Log As the fancy sports car drove smoothly on the road, Edward extended one arm and snuggled sleeping Daisy closer to him, his eyes were shining with affection. He had assumed that Daisy would be too tired, so he got off work early to pick her up. On hearing the Commander''s voice he grasped that the Commander was an elderly man, he also realized that he was terribly misled by Justin the other day. There was no way that Daisy would be attracted to this old man. All this time he had been wondering whom Daisy loved. Thinking about this drove him mad. This is why Justin was able to take advantage of him with his vague words. Luke followed Edward''s car. He noticed that Edward''s care for Daisy was growing day by day. He had never seen Edward go to such trouble for a woman. But he had to admit that Daisy was worth all his efforts. It was dark when they reached home. Edward smiled lovingly looking at Daisy who was drowned in sound-sleep. The hand against which Daisy was leaning went numb, but he wished she would lean on him like this forever. He bowed down and kissed Daisy''s red lips. He woke her up in such an affectionate way so she could feel his affection for her. "Well... Are we home?" Daisy opened her lovely eyes and looked around drowsily. She didn''t know she was kissed awake by Edward. "Yes, we''re home. You slept like a log. Come on, let''s get out of the car." Edward giggled and caressed her nose. He felt the same kind of pleasure that sex brought. "Howe I fell asleep?" Daisy felt quite embarrassed. She had just shown another one of her antics to Edward. "Perhaps becaus e he was naked upstairs? She blushed at the thought of the word "naked". She started picturing Edward''s well-built body. ''Wow, Daisy, since when did you be so bad? Why are you thinking about his naked body?'' Daisy patted her face in embarrassment. Thank goodness no one could read her mind, or she would be mortified. "Mom, why do your face turn red all of a sudden?" Justin saw Daisy''s blushing face when he came downstairs. "Well. It''s because I am in a hurry. Has your dad finished showering?" Daisy stuttered, trying to cover her "sinful" thoughts. "Not yet. That''s what he always does. He has to take a good, thorough shower before dinner. He''s like a germ-phobic prince." After spending several months here, Justin knew Edward''s every habit. He used to question the source of his own germ-phobia. Now he knew that it was inherited from Edward. "Justin, are you speaking ill of me?" Edward heard Justin''s wisecrack when he was walking down all clean. He found that Justin was bing bolder and more fearless. Now he even dared to joke about his own dad. Chapter 137: You shouldnt be fake, right "Hehe, daddy, you have washed it, it smells good!" Xiao Xuanxuan said as he rubbed his head on Mu Gongzi and took a deep breath to show the truthfulness of what he said. Suspicion. wind and rain "Little guy, this trick doesn''t work anymore. You have to know if it has changed, and how can you take over Popr International before that time." Mu Jiyun decided not to be confused by him. Can he still be unclear about his careful thinking? Ouyang Ruixi heard this sentence from Young Master Mu, but quickly looked up at him. What did he mean by what he said now? Did he believe that Xuan Xuan was his only heir? "Wife, what are you doing looking at me like this, haven''t your face been cleaned?" As he said, Young Master Mu reached out and touched his handsome face, really thinking that he hadn''t washed it well. "Oh! No, you go down first, I''ll wash your face." Although Ouyang Ruixi was puzzled, she didn''t ask him why he gave Fengxing International to Xuanxuan. Could it be that he really only agreed Is Xuan Xuan his only son? So can she think that she will be his only wife? "Okay, hurry up, we''ll wait for you toe down and have a meal together." Mu Jiyun didn''t understand why she was absent at this moment. Many of her actions were often confusing for him. Sometimes he felt that they were iprehensible. The room is very close, as warm as a lover who has been in love for a long time, but sometimes he feels that they are very strange between them, and no one can walk into each other¡¯s heart, just like now he can¡¯t see her clearly. What is the reason for the sudden sadness. "Yeah! I see." Ouyang Ruixi smiled slightly, and walked upstairs over the father and son. Mu Jiyun looked at her slender waist with a small touch. Although the straight military uniform on her body is indeed very imposing, but it takes a lot of effort to get what she is today. Where are you standing? Ouyang Ruixi didn''t know that a back figure of her could attract Mu Jiyun''s feelings, but she frowned unconsciously when she saw the clothes that were thrown on the ground, perhaps because she had been in the army for a long time. Her eyes couldn''t contain the mess, she sighed, helplessly picked up someone''s clothes and put them on the chair. It seems that she has to tell him to take it offter. Put his clothes in a fixed ce instead of throwing them around like they are now. When Ouyang Ruixi packed up and walked downstairs, she never thought that an unexpected guest was weed downstairs, and that person happened to be a certain girl who had done bad things and fled home because of what Mr. Leng said--Leng Jiajia was and also. Xuan Xuan looked at the evil woman sitting in front of her with an annoyed look, wondering why she suddenly came to her house? Looking at herrge suitcase, it''s impossible to move here for a long time, but don''t tell him it''s true. If you live with this woman, he must copse. "Why, I have taken refuge here." Mu Jiyun looked at the charming little girl in front of him yfully. Every time hemitted a crime, he would only run away, and he would run around just those ces. "Big Brother Ji Yun, you are wrong to say this. Who said I was fleeing, I just passed by, and then came in by the way to see Xiao Zhengtai." Leng Jiaya snorted, isn''t he just a Leng son? She was also afraid that he would not be sessful, but she just went to a fashion show and was too tired, so she didn''t want to run back and talk to him, so she hid here for a few days. "Auntie Bibi, did you really go back just bying in and taking a look?" Xiaoxuanxuan was coke, as long as he didn''t live in their house, he didn''t want to suffer the trouble she caused. "Originally-I thought so, but ah-I have changed my mind now, first take a look, and then live-live, why, are you not wee?" Leng Jiaya paused intentionally. After a few times, a sly smile appeared in his eyes, hum! Boy, do you think grandma, I don¡¯t know what you are ying with? I was wrong with you, anyway, you don''t kiss me, and you''ve been hiding from thisdy all day. Wouldn''t it be unreasonable if I didn''t tease you. When Xiao Xuanxuan heard this, his entire face was stunned, and he looked at Young Master Mu with a sad expression, thinking that he could make Leng Jiaya change his mind, don¡¯t stay overnight at their house, Zhengtai¡¯s heart is true. Can''t afford to hurt! "Queen, you are here." As soon as Ouyang Ruixi walked down, he saw them chatting happily? Unexpectedly, she just went up and down, and this little Nizi appeared. "You are---Sister Ruixi." Leng Jiaya opened his eyes wide and looked at Ouyang Ruixi, who was still dressed in military uniform in front of him, and asked hesitantly, eyes full of disbelief. "Yeah! But am I that weird?" Ouyang Ruixi was so shocked to see her, she couldn''t help but look at herself, but found nothing wrong! "Sister Ruixi, you are more than weird! You are simply too shocked, saying that you should not be fake!" Leng Jiaya quickly walked to Ouyang Ruixi''s side, looking at her with blinding eyes. The dazzling military uniform on me, wow! It''s really amazing. It seems that her idol has added another person. "Hey! I am ignorant." Xiao Xuanxuan rolled his eyes unbearably and snorted coldly. Who would walk around in a fake military uniform without fear of being caught by the picket! "Excuse me, this one is really not fake." Ouyang Ruixi looked at the fussing girl in front of her embarrassedly, raised a faint smile with regret, it was pretty good to tease this girl. "Oh! Buy! Come and stun me with a thunder!" Leng Jiaya was in a state that he couldn''t stand it anymore, and he leaned on Ouyang Ruixi, but he never wanted to be stunned by Mr. Mu. Lance stepped forward and pulled her away. "Big Brother Ji Yun, what are you doing!" Leng Jiaya was pulled away from Ouyang Ruixi''s side and was very angry, ring at Master Mu angrily. "Going to eat! What can you do?" Young Master Mu pretended to be very innocent. In fact, he did it on purpose. The little woman has been tired for a day, and he doesn''t want to let her suffer from it. The weight of Leng Ni Ya, that''s why she wouldn''t let that little girl lean on her. "Cut! Being stingy, it won''t be too fast for people to hug them." Leng Yajia believes that what he said is not Leng Yajia, isn''t he just not letting himself drill into Sister Ruixi''s arms? I have to find such a high-sounding excuse to justify my stinginess. "Girl, where there is so much nonsense, let me call Aofeng to catch you back here." Mu Gongzi was not upset when she broke his mind, just a little embarrassment. Chapter 138 You Have No Idea How Shameless I Can Be Belinda was in misery. Her father had set her up on another blind date. If she didn''t get herself married soon, her father wouldn''t let her off easily. "Miss Belinda, what do you like to do for fun?" Her date was obviously taken with her. No surprise, since she was a great beauty. He stared at her constantly, like he was trying to take it all in. "Go to work,e back home, normal life. Nothing special." Belinda answered him coldly. It was a short, clipped answer. She was bored and distracted, and didn''t care if he knew it. "Oh. Then you must be a quiet person." He continued the talk enthusiastically, not even the least bit troubled by her cold apathy. "I -- a quiet person, who told you that?" She was never a quiet person. She''s quiet now because the blind date was boring. She wondered what Duke was doing right now. Shit! Shit! Why on earth would she think of that horrible man? Could it be that she finally got used to being bossed around by him? "Didn''t you say that? Staying home except to go to work, isn''t that a quiet person?" The man frowned. ''What''s wrong with her? She''s gorgeous, and yet still goes on blind dates.'' Belinda rested her head in her hand and sighed. Rotten luck! Why was the man so stubborn? "Can you exin what you are doing here, Belinda!" The voice was so cold, and so familiar. Her heart jumped in her chest. Duke! "D¡­ Duke, you¡­ Why are you here?" Belinda stared at Duke, trembling in shock, and finally she managed to spit out a few words. This was th while for her blind date to regain his voice. He caught Belinda''s other hand. "Let go! And don''t make me tell you again." Duke nced at her hand, now in the other man''s. He was disgusted and impatient. He fixed his dark icy eye on the man, who was trying to take Belinda from him. This man needed to know his ce. Duke didn''t do interviews, so only a few people knew he was the head of Leng Group, a sessful enterprise. He had made outstanding achievements in a short time after he assumed the post. The man let go of Belinda''s hand reluctantly. He wasn''t about to pick a fight with this imposing figure. Besides that, Duke didn''t seem to be an ordinary man. Belinda''s eyes were filled with anger. Why did he always drive her to this point? And why did she always cave to his wishes? Why couldn''t she do what she wanted? All Duke wanted was to pin Belinda on the bed and teach her a hard lesson. He would make it clear that he meant what he said. Duke couldn''t think about anything else. Chapter 139 Losing Her Focus "Duke! Let! Me! Go! Why do you bring me here?" Belinda punctuated each word with dramatic pauses. She wanted each word to count. Belinda panicked as she was led away from the restaurant. Straightway she was practically thrown into the presidential suite of the luxury hotel. Her anxiety grew stronger by the second. Duke did not answer. His handsome face reflected a mesmerizing evil under the colorful lights. A smile swept across his face. ''Are you afraid now? A bitte, isn''t it?'' Thought Duke. "What do you think?" Duke chuckled yfully, suddenly pushing Belinda up against the wall. Hisnky body closed in as he slowly touched her soft lips with his fingers. It was all so dangerous yet so delightful. "Well... How would I know?" Belinda answered hesitantly. Inside, though, she was thinking ''My God! The man is a force of nature! How can he be so sinister and sexy at the same time?'' "No rush. You''ll know very soon." He whispered. The hot air warming her ear was soon felt by her whole body. Belinda felt her knees get weak. "I... I don''t want to know, is that okay?" Belinda felt like crying, unsure what Duke''s motives were. Whatever his motives were, she just wanted to run away. Yet she was already locked in his arms. She couldn''t get loose no matter how har ho was in charge. "Hm..." Duke''s kiss wasced with a hint of anger. He toyed with her tiny tongue mercilessly, leaving no way out. She had crossed him, and he would punish her for it. Belinda had never kissed anyone. Her conservative beliefs kept her from taking that final step. But she gave in to Duke. If she had her way, she would have wanted her first time to be with someone who loved her deeply. But fate had other ns. Belinda was caught up in Leena''s scheming. She thought she would be devastated, but she wasn''t. It was Duke. Maybe Belinda had finally epted what Leena kept pushing for with the "sister-inw" moniker? Maybe that''s why whenever Leena called her that she was embarrassed, and not disgusted. "Ahh! It hurts..." Her thoughts wandered, so Duke bit her lip forcefully. That was what she got for losing her focus. Chapter 140 Did I Scare You The first rays of dawn drew back the veils of night, and gently settled on the sleeping beauty lying on the fancy bed. Duke, who was sitting beside the bed smiled gently, looking at the signed paper in his hands. He was not joking when he told Belinda that she would be his wife eventually. With this document, she belonged to him,pletely, legally. Duke was eager to see Belinda''s reaction. She would be annoyed to find out they were already registered for marriage. Daisy got up early today as usual, and headed to the military base in the dazzling red Ferrari. Daisy had no time to sort out the documents she brought backst night. Leena dropped in unannounced, and visited her for too long. She had to head out early to finish her work. Suddenly, she mmed on the brakes and the car screeched to a halt. There was a woman in the middle of the road. Daisy quickly got out of the car and walked over to the woman. "I''m so sorry. Are you alright? Did I scare you?" Daisy believed in her own a long look at the road, and it was the same as it ever was, as if nothing had happened. She pulled into the base, and the soldiers immediately saluted. They recognized the red Ferrari and her uniform. It was not Daisy''s intention to drive the Ferrari to work. It was because that Edward came to pick her up yesterday, and she left her own car in the military district. Daisy didn''t intend to drive the Ferrari, but her own car was still on base. She knew that the luxurious car would attract undue attention. Certainly it was not an officer''s car. But she ignored the notion that she might have gotten the car illegally -- she''d never broken thew in her life. Chapter 141 Are You in Love with Daisy At the office of FX International Group, Rain was tearing his hair out. "Why are you telling me now?" asked Rain. He lowered his head to hide the look on his face. "If I told you earlier, would you have a better idea?" replied Edward. He cast a cold nce at him. Rain''s reaction was typical for him. "At least I have time to get ready!" said Rain. He yed with his shiny ear stud. The grin had fled his face. "You''ll never be ready. Or do you just want time to run off?" asked Edward. He suddenly looked up and fixed his gaze on Rain. "Edward, you wound me! I''m not that type of guy. I won''t run off!" replied Rain. ''I might hide, though.'' thought Rain. "Chill out. And don''t embarrass yourself!" said Edward. He knew how much Annie meant to Rain. Rain always tried to pretend he didn''t care. But deep in his heart, she was the only one. No one could rece her. "Her flight is arriving this afternoon? Why is sheing in so early? I didn''t expect her so soon." asked Rain He was asking himself, not Edward. "I don''t know. Maybe someone can''t wait to see you!" replied Edward. He shed a meaningful smile and thought ''I haven''t seen her in years. I wonder what she looks like now.'' "So I''m the only one going to the airport? How many am I supposed to pick up?" asked Rain. The C Financial Group and the FX International Grouppeted in the same industries. And both of their strength could not be underestimated. ''t stare at me. People will be as shocked as I am if they know love is all Greek to you!" giggled Rain. He totally ignored Edward''s sullen face. "Is it that funny?" asked Edward. He gritted his teeth and red at Rain who was lying down on the sofa andughing. "Well... It''s not that funny." replied Rain. He stopped teasing when he saw Edward''s angry face. He would be damned if he stillughed at him. Edward gradually calmed down, and thought, ''I need to teach him a lesson.'' "You''d better get ready to meet Annie instead ofughing at me!" said Edward. ''Humph! It''s my turn to make fun of you'' thought Edward. "Edward, you''re evil. Don''t rub it in. You''re ruining my good mood."ined Rain. He lost his smiling face again. "That''s the only way to make you reveal your true feelings, is that right?" asked Edward. He put on a wicked smile and thought, ''It''s not my style to tolerate the jokes on me. I''ll get back if I''m teased.'' Chapter 142 Honey, Did You Skip Breakfast Again Daisy had been busy all morning writing out the exercise programs, training, and investigating the field -- all urgent. She got some water and breathed a sigh of relief, happy to take a break. She was about to sit down to do more work when her phone rang. She picked it up, without checking the caller''s ID. "Hello, Daisy speaking." She thought it polite to identify herself first when on the phone. "Honey, did you skip breakfast again?" Edward frowned and asked. "Hi Edward. I haven''t eaten yet. Is something wrong?" Daisy wondered why he called her at this hour. "Why not? Have you checked the time?" ''The woman has no idea how to take care of herself. She often misses meals. How busy can she be?'' "I have been too busy to eat." Mark was organizing the equipment for the war game, so nobody brought her food. "You make it seem like you''re even busier than I am." Resigned to the situation, Edward sighed. He couldn''t help thinking of her at every meal. What was she doing? Had she eaten a decent meal? He was no longer the carefree yboy. "Do you mean you have too much time?" she asked. Daisy liked to tease him, but she knew her time in the army wasn''t all war games, assessments, or field tasks. She might be busy one day, and just doing meaningless work th Don''t worry. Have I ever lied to you?" Kevin rolled his eyes. She used to be so uptight, and only let down her hair in private. She''d changed a lot. "Then I will get started, " She ate quickly. There were lots of things to deal with. She had to finish up early and get home and deal with her angry husband. "Slow down. You''ll choke." Kevin said thoughtfully. His warning was oddly prophetic, as she began to cough, eyes watering. Daisy covered her mouth with her hand. She felt embarrassed. Luckily, she was not choking in front of Edward. He would have kept nagging about it. "Told you so." Kevin poured a ss of water for her and patted her back. "Thanks. I''m fine now." She felt better after drinking some water. Daisy shed Kevin an awkward smile, so faint it was almost unnoticeable. Sometimes being too busy to eat was a bad thing. Chapter 143 Is He Good To You "You''re usually on the ball. Why are you so careless today?" Kevin asked with concern. He sat back down, looking at her, smiling. He was with her, and that was all he wanted. "Maybe I''m too hungry." Daisy said uneasily. Although they often had meals together, she was never so rash as today. "Did you n to eat at all? Don''t get yourself so tired. You should treat your body well." Kevin was worried. She was usually after him to take care of himself. Now their roles were reversed. "Yes. I was nning on eating something anyway. You saved me from having to go to the canteen." Kevin was like a brother to her, so she didn''t mind him doing things for her. And she always felt she could say or do anything in front of him. "How are the military exercise going? You ready?" Kevin was also busy, but he never missed a chance to see her. She still had a special ce in his heart. He knew there was no way they could be together, but he wouldn''t give up on the idea. He was high on the feeling he got when they were together. He just couldn''t snap out of it. "Kevin, are you trying to pry ssified info out of me?" Daisy tilted her head and smiled gracefully. Her charm took his breath away. This was the first time he''d seen her smile so sweetly -- it seemed that the man she loved was good for her. She looked happier than she ever had been. "Is he...good to you?" Kevin blurted out what was on his mind. His voice was clear and distant. He was absent-minded,pletely unaware of what Daisy had asked him. The w please bring some clothes for me?" Belinda asked with a lovely smile. Thest time she had sex with him, it was because she was drugged. But what about this time? She didn''t take any drug beforehand. It just happened naturally. Didn''t she like it? She didn''t resist. On the contrary, she was enamored by his seduction and she lost herself in his passionate love. Duke gazed deeply into her eyes and then handed her a robe. "Shower. You''ll feel morefortable." He said. He knew that he wore her outst night. He was very angry yesterday, so he had been tirelessly, savagely making love to her the whole night. He ignored her begging and only wanted to vent his anger on her. He got really angry when he saw her out with another man. He got depressed, and then blew his top. "Ah..." Belinda put on the robe and tried to stand, but her body was too sore. She cried out, and fell back on the bed. "Careful" Duke walked over to her and lifted her up. But he was happy. She was exhausted fromst night. Chapter 144 My Lawful Wife "It''s all your fault." Belinda rolled her eyes. His smile was so annoying. Wasn''t he the whole reason that she ached all over? "Come on. Take my hand." Duke didn''t argue with her. It was all his fault. With a doting smile on his face, he gently helped Belinda up. Belinda didn''t push him away, for she couldn''t make it to the bathroom on her own. Now that he offered to help, she''d better ept it. Belinda took a long hot bath to soothe her aching joints and muscles. She felt better after freshening up, but her legs were still weak. "Come eat something." Noticing that she emerged from the bathroom, Duke put away the documents in his hands and seated her at the table. "What time is it?" Duke had closed all the curtains in the room, he didn''t want the sun to interrupt her rest. Belinda couldn''t find a clock -- she had no idea how long she had slept. "It''s one in the afternoon. What''s the matter?" Duke looked at her and kept filling the bowl with soup leisurely. He had put on his usual poker face. "What? One in the afternoon? OMG! What should I do now!" Belinda jumped to her feet in panic. She was to attend the board meeting that morning. Her father would definitely give her an earful. "Sit down. What''s the fuss all about?" Duke frowned and grabbed her arm to make her sit down again. The meeting was probably over now. "I had a very important meeting this morning." Belinda red at him. It was all because of him that she didn''t go homest night and missed the meeting. She was total e tossed a big envelope to her. Inside the envelope was the paper he had signed earlier. ''Nothing would happen between us?'' Duke thought. ''We have decades ahead of us, and anything is possible.'' "What is it?" Belinda asked hesitantly. Hands shaking, she looked at the envelope. "See for yourself." Duke raised his eyebrows and suggested her open the envelope. Belinda murmured in her mind, ''Humph! Trying to be mysterious? I''m not afraid of you.'' She shrugged and opened the envelope. Her eyes went wide and her hand flew to her mouth in terror as she saw what was inside. "What the hell... What is it, Duke? Is it real?" What was going on? How could she be married? Was she dreaming? She couldn''t recall signing anything. "What do you think? It''s all here in ck and white. Belinda, you are now officially my wedded wife. Aren''t you happy?" Duke knew her reaction would be quite interesting. It turned out he was right. He looked at her stunned face again and secretly curled his lips into a smile. Chapter 145 You Are My Wife Legally Anyway "Fuck you! I never signed that document. Duke, this is a marital fraud!" Belinda lost it. How did she be Duke''s legal wife without any knowledge of it? She had no idea how it happened. "Don''t get so mad. Leena likes you so much. You''ll get along with my family. I am not sure whether you signed it or not. But the fingerprint is definitely yours." Duke quipped. He was seldom in the mood to joke like today. ''I wonder where she learned to swear like that?'' he thought. Then Belinda flipped to thest page to check it. She spotted the mark on her finger during her bath. And the mark on the paper was in the same color. She was set up by Duke. He tired her outst night and then got her fingerprint when she passed out. "I will never recognize our marriage. It''s just your wishful thinking. That''s all." Belinda kept denying the validity of the document. "It doesn''t matter if you recognize it or not. You are my wife legally anyway." Duke was quite good-humored today. He was able to handle Belinda''s barbs well. "Duke, don''t y with thew. I havewyers as well. We have a legal team in YS Group." she said loudly. His calm demeanor irritated her. "Belinda, is it so embarrassing to marry me? Why do you fight it so badly?" Duke finally lost his temper. He was rich and influential, just like Edward. How could Belind o send me along. Hopefully, what follows next won''t let me down.'' Aaron thought. "I can give you some advice, if you want." Humph! Aaron was too green to get the truth out of him. That''s why Rain was the deputy CEO, and Aaron only a special assistant. Aaroncked experience. "I can get a girl myself." Rain knew Annie liked him, so he was sure that Aaron didn''t have a chance. "It''s out of care and love. I just don''t want to see you fail considering it will be your first time going after a girl." Rain said mischievously. He always liked joking around. That''s the reason why women loved him. As a Chinese saying goes, "Ladies always fall for bad boys." His bad-boy smile had won many hearts. "Don''t worry about me. Save it for yourself. Maybe she already has someone. It''s been a long time." ''Humph!'' Aaron cursed him. If Annie deserts you, we''ll see who gets thestugh.'' Chapter 146 Love Whoever She Wants Rain''s face changed on hearing Aaron''s words. He might be right. Who would wait for someone forever? It was expected for Annie to fall in love with someone else. As the saying goes, ''Time will tell''. "She can love whoever she wants. It''s her own choice, isn''t it?" Rain pretended that he didn''t care, but it was painful for him. "Hey, there they are." Aaron stopped talking as he saw employees of C Financial Group approaching them. He felt strange to discover that Annie was missing. ''Has she really met someone and decided to dump Rain?'' Aaron couldn''t help but wonder. "Nice to meet you! I''m Aaron Qiao, special assistant to the CEO of FX International Group. Wee to S City." Observing Rain was distracted, Aaron stepped up and introduced himself. His boss was wise to anticipate this, that''s probably why he had asked Aaron to apany Rain. "Nice to meet you, too. I''m Ferk, CFO of C Financial Group. This is my personal assistant, Bev." "Where is Annie? Won''t she be joining us today?" Rain asked broodingly. He had mixed feelings. He was nervous to see her, but when she didn''t show up, he was scared. The turmoil within him had driven him to such a strong sense of loss that he forgot his manners. "Mr. Rain, d to see you again. Miss Annie came here to see you yesterday. Haven''t you met her yet?" As a senior employee of C Financial Group, Ferk knew Rain well. He wasn''t upset about Rain''s unseemliness. "What? She was here yesterday? Howe I didn''t see her?" A figure sudd not as worried as Rain. He had noticed that Annie had changed a lot in recent years. She was not as innocent and sweet as before. She had be a totally different person. He thought it had something to do with the fact that Mr. Rain had left her without saying goodbye years ago. Rain''s posh sports car kept shiftingnes in the traffic. There was stiffness on his handsome face. The charming, tender eyes examined the road. The sensuous lips were tightly closed. The ear studs sparkled and shadowed as if to harmonize with his current state of mind, which was anxious and fretful. To him, Annie was still an innocent little girl, beautiful and always smiling. Perhaps he had forgotten that time changed many things. The car drew a sharp curve and parked in front of FX International Group''s building. Rain walked in grimly. The female employees were ustomed to Rain''s cheeky grins and flirtation; they had never seen him so disconcerted. They suspected something awful must have happened. Chapter 147 Where Are The Clients Youve Picked Up Rain took the elevator straight to the 88th floor and entered Edward''s office without knocking first. The sound of his abrupt entry shocked Edward, who was reading a file intently. Edward frowned and asked. "Why are you in such a hurry? Where are the clients you''ve picked up? You''re supposed to be with them right now." Edward saw Rain was unapanied. He gave him a confused look. "I didn''t pick them up. Where is Luke? Ask him toe over. I need a favor." demanded Rain. He walked towards the refrigerator, took out a bottle of water and drank like a fish. He spilled some water which trickled down his neck. He looked coquettish and unruly. "Why didn''t you pick them up? What happened? Was their flight dyed? " asked Edward. He called Luke simultaneously. He wondered, "Rain is in such a hurry. Something must be wrong, or he would never charge at me like that." "The flight was on time. I met them, but not all of them." replied Rain. After drinking water, he finally calmed down. "What are you talking about?" asked Edward. ''What is Rain talking about? Did he pick them up or not? I can''t understand him at all.'' wondered Edward. "I met them. But Annie wasn''t there." replied Rain. He took a seat on the sofa and waited for Luke. "You mean Annie didn''te?" asked Edward. ''That''s the point! No wonder he is in such a rush. If I remember right, Annie is in love with Rain! Why did she give up this opportunity to see him?'' thought Ed g unusual going on in the undergroundmunity, especially keep an eye on something about a kidnapped woman." demanded Edward. He thought, ''If she isn''t kidnapped, she must have her reasons for not showing up. In that case, there would be no need to look for her.'' "Sure, Mr. Mu. I''ll do it right away." replied Luke. He gave a meaningful look to Edward and walked out of the office. The only thing he needed to do was to follow orders from Edward. He never bothered to ask the reasons. "Edward, will we be able to find her?" asked Rain. Edward and Luke had just made the n to solve the problem without asking for his opinion. He felt anxious. "Rain, is Annie still a teenager in your eyes? She is a grown woman. If she isn''t kidnapped, it means she doesn''t want to see you. Give her some space! She will show up when she wants. Calm down." exined Edward. He was aware that Rain was worried about her. But, he knew, problems aren''t solved by just worrying. Chapter 148 Mrs. Mu, What Are You Doing Here Daisy managed to finish her work before time, so she decided to leave the military base earlier than usual and take a night off. The dazzling red Ferrari sped through the military district towards the bustling downtown streets. A smile appeared on Daisy''s face as she thought of Edward. He was the reason why Daisy left office before her assistant for the first time. She wondered whether Edward was still angry with her. Daisy rarely thought about anything unrted to work. As the car slowly halted at the traffic signal, Daisy was surprised to see the same woman who was almost hit by her in the morning wandering on the road. Daisy seldom got involved in mundane matters, but this woman had caught her attention. It was a strange coincidence toe across a stranger twice on the same day. She was caught by that woman''s elegance and serenity. A loud horn from the car behind Daisy''s interrupted her contemtion. She forgot that she was in the middle of a busy road. Without more dy, she started the engine and headed towards the FX International Group. Daisy drew a lot of attention when she turned up in the lobby in her uniform. However, she was detained because no one recognized her as the CEO''s wife. "Excuse me, may I know who you are looking for?" The receptionist looked at Daisy doubtfully, since when ted their assistants as ves. "No need. Thanks." Daisy knocked on the door gently. But to her surprise, no one responded. At the other side, Edward also wondered why no one entered after knocking. Anna and Rain usually walked straight in after knocking. Who''s that? Daisy sighed and knocked on the door a bit louder. "Pleasee in" Edward frowned and looked at Rain doubtfully, wondering who would visit him at this time. Daisy smiled when she heard his deep voice and then she opened the door. Edward was leaning on his chair leisurely. But when he saw the olive green uniform, he instantly sat up straight and stared at Daisy with deep affection in his eyes. "... Daisy is that you?..." Rain was shocked to see a female officer here. But as he gave her another look, he found the face familiar. Therefore, he wanted to make sure that the officer was in fact Daisy. Chapter 149 Rain Dare You Touch Her "Yes, it''s me. I hope I am not interrupting your work!" Daisy was ustomed to the surprised look people gave her when they saw her in uniform. Rain''s exaggerated expression was normal for her now. "Wow! I didn''t know that you are a female officer!" said Rain. He momentarily forgot about the disturbance that Annie had caused. He gazed at Daisy with admiration. She looked magnanimous in her uniform, he thought. When Edward saw Daisy appear in his office, he was very excited. But he stopped smiling and pretended to be busy with his work when he thought of her attitude towards him this afternoon. Still, he carefully listened to what she and Rain were talking about. "Sorry, I never mentioned my profession to you." Daisy apologized. She noticed that she had made many apologies for her identity recently. "That''s all right. I am curious, can I know your military rank?" When Rain met Daisy and Kevin in the barst time, they were wearing casual clothes. So no wonder Rain was very surprised when he realized that she was a female officer. "I am a Colonel." Daisy replied while secretly ncing at Edward, who wore a sullen look. ''Is he still angry with me? I have been in his office for a while now, but he hasn''t even looked at me.'' Daisy thought. "Miss Daisy, I heard there is a enigmatic young female officer in S City. Is that you? It is said that she is the only one who graduated from JC Military School overseas and she received many international medals. She was the kind of talent that JC Military School wanted to retain. But for some reason, she gave up the privilege and resolved toe back to S City. She worked hard all the way from amon soldier in S City to her current rank as a colonel. She has never epted any interviews, so she has remained a legendary persona in many hearts. Are you the female officer rd''s hint, and this made him angry. He still bore the grudge against Edward for not giving him the opportunity to shake hands with Daisy. "Didn''t you have ns to entertain the clients from C Financial Group? Or perhaps you don''t want to have any rtionship with Annie now?" Edward said with a cunning smile. ''Rain, you''re too naive to act against me. We are not on the same level.'' Edward thought. "Aaron is there. Besides, Annie is not with them now. It''s meaningless for me to be there." Rain replied. He seemed determined to stay. ''I won''t go! I will stay here no matter what you say. I want to piss you off!" Rain thought. "What if Annie has contacted them? Are you sure you still want to stay here?" Edward said. He was so confident that he could win this time and Rain would back off. "Really?" Rain began to?waver in his decision on Edward''s words. But he was not sure whether he could believe what Edward had said. He was a little resistant when he heard that Annie wasing. Rain had forced himself to forget about this matter. Now that he was sure Annie was here, he expected to see her as soon as possible. He was caught inplex emotions. He hesitated about Edward''s suggestion. He was really perplexed. Chapter 150 A Spot Check Daisy was quietly reading a magazine on the sofa. She acted casually, ignoring the man who had just chased Rain out the door. "Woman, do you think this damn magazine is better looking than me?" Edward finally gave up in this tug-of-war, yelling angrily at Daisy, who was cool as a cucumber. "Oh! Honey, you''re done?" Smiling, Daisy looked up, acting surprised. You could tell that something was amiss, a hint of a smile, a cunning glint in the eye. Something... She would not lose against Edward in a game of patience. "Where did you get the idea that I was busy?" Edward stared at her, irritated. All he had been focusing on earlier was her. Why was she giving him the silent treatment and ignoring him? "I get the idea from watching you. And you''ve been ignoring me." Daisy asionally would act like a pampered woman, and would tease Edward. After all such behavior would be unthinkable in the past. She had to make up for lost time. "Woman, you ignored me first. Now you''re using me?" Edward was at Daisy''s side in a sh. His hands pressed on the edge of the sofa, cornering her. His brooding eyes locked on hers. "Hm... I got off work early just toe here." Daisy began to lose her cool. She opened her palms and pushed against him, preventing him from closing in. "So? Does Colonel Ouyang know that she did something wrong? Is that why she''s here? To apologize?" Edward but now his heart softened. Though his actions were rough before, now they were gentle. His tongue reached past her lips and teeth, twirling with hers. In every touch there was his deep affection towards her. Edward, no longer satisfied with a kiss, moved his lips down to her beautiful corbone. He lingered there, gently, lovingly. The kiss descended while their desire rose. She felt a coldness on her chest suddenly. Daisy woke up from the mesmerizing passion. She held the big hands on her breasts and gently shook her head; her face was crimson. Frustrated, Edward kissed her again and lightly bit her lips, tightly holding her in his arms. It seemed that he underestimated her power over him. Her pause threatened to kill the mood. Daisy giggled, her smile pretty and enticing. The coldness was gone. In this moment, all of her grace was blooming ardently for the man. All of her infinite love was only for him. Chapter 151 Still Mad at Me Her cold slender fingers stroked his eyebrows, as if trying to tten the wrinkles around them. Her moist lips got closer and closer, and finally kissed the eyes gazing at her, gently and fervently burning each of his sense organs. Who will hold my hand, and keep me from going crazy in the rest of my life? Who will kiss my eyes, and end my drifting in the rest of my life. Who will caress my face, and soothe the sadness in the rest of my life? Who will warm my heart, and melt the frost and ice that have been there for half my life? Who will take me in his arms, and dispel the silence all my life? Who will awaken my heart, and shield me from a lifetime of pain? Who will abandon me, and leave me grieving for the rest of my life? Who can understand me, and make my life worthwhile? Who can help me, and make me unrivaled around the world for many years? Who will I fall for, and change my confined world into an immense happynd? Who will ease my grief,ugh at the absurd world? You sealed my lips with yours, and freed me from drifting. You held me close, and erased my craziness in the past life. I want to hold your hand, and jump into your crazy dream. I want to kiss your eyes, and be with you in all your lifetimes. I want to hold your hand, and bravely face hardships together with you. I want to kiss your eyes, and love you deeply forever. I want to hold your hand, and you will be mine thereafter. I want to stroke your neck, and shelter you from storms and wind. I want to caress your hair, and embrace your deepest feelings. I want to hold your hand, and let the world know how great we are together. I pray that you wil ed off. She hated the attention she and Edward were getting. Edward had to hurry to match her pace. He frowned. ''Hmm...I''ll have to introduce her formally sometime.'' He didn''t like the attention either. They bumped into Luke at the entrance of FX International Group. He was getting more and more efficient and had collected some information quickly. "Mr. and Mrs. Mu, are you going home?" In Edward''s presence, Luke always valued manners. "How''s it going? Any good news?" Edward was anxious to know the result. "ording to my investigation, no one prominent hase to the city. No kidnapping of females either." Luke studied Edward''s face, trying to figure out why he wanted to know any of this. "OK. Very good." If what Luke had said was true, Annie should be safe. Then nothing to worry about. "What''s the matter?" Daisy could sense that something was wrong. There was a reason she became a colonel in such a short time. "Oh, Nothing. We can handle it." Edward just didn''t want to worry Daisy, but she took it differently. She felt there would always be a wall between them, no matter how hard she tried. Chapter 152 Your Family Has Been My Family Belinda was standing outside her house; she had no intention of going in. She had been dawdling away her time at the office after finishing her work. She reluctantly headed downstairs because she knew that the oue wouldn''t be delightful. She had no idea what Duke had told her father. She met Duke the iceberg man over there, he brought a cool feeling to the hot day! "Belinda, those who know you would think you are going home, but those who don''t know you might think you are about to climb the wall." Duke looked at Belinda snidely, because he had never seen anyone hesitate to enter his or her own house. He thought, it''s okay for her to embarrass herself, but he shouldn''t waste his time standing outside the house like a fool. "What! Climb the wall? Duke, do you know what that means? Please, don''t judge me if you don''t know me. People wouldugh at me." Belinda said and rolled her eyes impatiently. If her father hadn''t said that she couldn''te back home unless she brought Duke with her, she wouldn''t have been trapped in this situation. "Standing outside like this was far more embarrassing than beingughed at by others." Duke gave Belinda a frigid nce, which made her frightened. Usually, Belinda wasn''t afraid of anything, but she was scared of his indifference. "Duke, are you sure you should go inside? Are you confident that my dad won''t chase you out ?" Belinda didn''t believe inpromising. Although she expected the answer she still had to give it a try. He might have changed his mind. Duke didn''t reply to her instead he went straight inside the vi. He decided not to waste his time standing there discussing the problem. It was much easier to just walk inside. He wondered, is it disgraceful for her to introduce Duke to her family? And hiding was the wor y daughter''s bad temper. You must have known about her temper, I presume. I''m afraid you''ll have to bear with her perpetually." Sherry carried herself with elegance and dignity. Inparison, her daughter Belinda was quite weird. Sometimes she felt helpless because of this, but she had to ept it since Sherry had spoiled Belinda herself. "Mom, what do you mean? Don''t you think I have a good personality? Don''t you see he put on that poker face all the time? The truth is it''s me who would bear with him!" At that moment Belinda had forgotten what she always insisted. Typically, she didn''t entertain the idea of putting herself and Duke together. Duke smiled slightly and thought Belinda was a hypocrite. The truth was that she had be aware of her new identity, but she still tried to mess up things. This was not like her at all. "Oh Belinda, just look at you. How could youin about Duke? You should feel lucky that Duke doesn''t disapprove of you." Everyone knew about Duke''s good reputation. He was the most eligible son-inw for the rich wives in S City. Sherry didn''t have any high hopes for her daughter. Now that Duke had be her son-inw, she was on cloud nine. Chapter 153 Who Is The Guest "What''s wrong with my manners? Do you have any issues with it? You are my mother. You can''t belittle your daughter!" Belinda was irritated. She med Duke. ''It is all his fault. Otherwise, my mother won''t rebuke me!'' Belinda thought. "Okay. Stop it. We have a guest here. Calm down!" said Zachary. He felt helpless when Belinda and Sherry fought with each other. Women prevailed in this family. he had little say in such matters. "Guest? Who is the guest?" Belinda said with a sneer. Didn''t Duke say that their families were one after the marriage contract came into effect? Then who was her father addressing as a guest? Duke gently smiled at Belinda''s words. As long as Belinda didn''t treat him as a guest, it would be easy to proceed. Duke thought. "Eh. Suit yourself. Certainly, I''m not the guest." After Duke spoke, everyone''s attention shifted to him. He felt a little embarrassed. "Let''s eat. The meal is ready." said Sherry. Her eyes got wet. Her daughter has all grown up and was about to leave her. She felt sad about this. But there was someone who would take care of her daughter. Thinking of this, Sherry became less depressed. "Sis Daisy, can Ie to visit the military base?" As soon as Leena finished her meal, she started pestering Daisy. She held Daisy''s arms firmly and asked with a soft smile. Daisy felt helpless. ''Oh, this girl is so annoying. She has asked me so many questions since I came back. She has known me for quite some time now, but its difficult to satisfy her curiosity. No wonder Belinda escaped every time she saw Leena. If Leena continued to be so troublesome, I would also want to escape! Let alone the hotheaded Belinda.'' Daisy thought. "Yes, but I wouldn''t have time to apany you." As she was preparing for the military exercises, there were a lot of tasks requiring her attention. So it was impossible for her to en ng slyly. Justin was a small boy; it was okay for him to be a little naughty. But why was Edward contributing to the fuss? Daisy wondered. "Sis Daisy, didn''t you see? They are mocking us!" Leena said. Her eyes shed with a cunning look. Justin was familiar with this look. He wondered what she was up to this time. "Well, what can I say?" Daisy became interested in the subject upon hearing Leena''s words. She wondered how she was involved in this matter. "Justin said that only vige girls would consider going to that ce. But sis Daisy, you go to the military base every day. Doesn''t that mean that you are also a vige girl in their eyes." Leena raised her eyebrows and said with pride.''Huh! You will regret mocking me. I will see how you exin yourself now.'' Leena thought. "Mom, She is stirring a dispute between us! Mom, you are the most beautiful female officer in the troop. How can anyone think you are a rural vige girl?" Justin realized Leena''s purpose as soon as she said it. He immediately exined himself. "Edward, what do you think? Do you also think that I''m a vige girl?" Initially, Daisy didn''t mind what they said about vige girls. But to satisfy Leena, she let herself get dragged into this fuss. Chapter 154 Daddy You Are Terrific Edward was shocked to hear what she said. He just came downstairs and found himself being med. "Who said that? Even if my wife is a vige girl, she is a beautiful, beautiful vige girl." Edward put Justin down and walked towards Daisy. He sat on the sofa beside her. He looked at her yfully and decided to y along with her little game. "ha ha¡­ But Edward, a beautiful vige girl is still a vige girl. What''s the difference?" Edward tried to get away with it, but Leena wasn''t going to buy it. "Let me tell you what the difference is. A beautiful vige girl, like Daisy, is a beauty with brains. And as for the others, they all just goof around and stir up trouble every day." Edward just wanted to coax his wife to end this topic, and he had no qualms about taking Leena as aparison. He didn''t mind that his argument was far-fetched. "Ha ha! Daddy, you are terrific! You''re my hero indeed!" Justin said with a broad smile; he was d about what had happened. Leena wanted to drag this debate further, little did she realize how cunning Edward was. "Edward, you honestly think I am that kind of girl?" Leena asked in a feeble voice, feeling guilty. The reason she was afraid of going home was that she had just got herself into trouble. "Exactly. Well, how long are you going to hide? You know what, I just got to know that someone and Belinda have register n''t promised that it was just a mild aphrodisiac. Her friend had insisted that everything would be fine. "Give her a break. Everything turned out fine, so let''s not get bogged down with the details!" Daisy couldn''t stand Leena''s weepy face, and she bailed her out. As for Belinda, she definitely had a thing for Duke, or how could she remain so calm after all this happened? "Sis, I knew you are the best!" Leena got so excited that she went forward and gave Daisy a big kiss, then she defiantly raised her eyebrows at Edward. The sudden kiss made Daisy''s face freeze a little. She felt slightly awkward. That was too intense! Ignoring Leena''s provocation, Edward frowned, he fetched a tissue and wiped Daisy''s face thoroughly. Justin was amused by this scene. Dad was getting more and more possessive about mom. Leena rolled her eyes at Edward. It was just a kiss from Leena, not a man. Could he be more dramatic? Chapter 155 No One Special After what happened earlier, Daisy realized she didn''t have much time to review the report. So she took a quick shower and headed to the study. To her surprise, Edward wasn''t there. She thought he had work to do. Where was he? Slightly shaking her head, Daisy thought she shouldn''t worry about his whereabouts right now. She had more important tasks at hand. She pulled her desk chair and sat down. She took out the report from her briefcase and started reading. Her eyes were fixed on the paper. She looked strikingly attractive when she was quiet and focused. There was a mild shade of pink on her face after the shower. She smelled delightful like a gentle night breeze. A song suddenly broke the silence. Daisy frowned and looked around the room, trying to find the source of the sound. She saw Edward''s phone on his desk. Daisy hesitated for a moment. Her gaze shifted between the phone and the report. The phone kept buzzing. Finally, Daisy sighed heavily and stood up. She reached for the buzzing phone. Just as she saw the name on the screen, her fingers twitched. She almost dropped the phone out of panic. The call was from Jessica, the woman who had been deemed as Edward''s girlfriend by the media for the longest time. Daisy had always envied her for staying by Edward''s side. However, she didn''t expect to see her name again someday. Suddenly, her legs became too feeble to stand. She sank into Edward''s chair while holding Edward''s phone. She hadn''t forgotten about Jessica. But Edward and Daisy were having such a good timetely that she chose to neglect the issue on purpose. What kind of rtionship did they share? Lovers? Friends? Or friends with benefits? All options terrified Daisy tremendously. Jessica and Edward had been togethe Noticing that Edward''s eyes didn''t leave his phone, Daisy suddenly felt like crying. He did care about Jessica, didn''t he? That''s why he had that look on his face. "Well. No one special." Having decided to keep it a secret from Daisy, for now, Edward smiled at her tenderly. He chose not to ask whether she checked his phone or not; he didn''t say anything about who was calling him. He knew that sometimes exnations sound like coverups. He would tell her everything after he had a n. Daisy froze. He didn''t say anything. Maybe he didn''t want her to find out that he was still involved with Jessica. She smiled bitterly and thought to herself, ''I am not as important to him as I thought. Maybe he just sees me as a new challenge. He has no feelings for me; therefore he doesn''t even care to exin anything to me.'' "Don''t you need to call back? Perhaps it''s an emergency." Daisy pulled herself together and asked calmly. She was too proud to let him see her tears. "It''s okay. Besides, it''s toote now. I''ll see to it tomorrow." Edward put his phone back on the desk and strode back to Daisy. He leaned against the desk and fixed his eyes on his beloved wife. Chapter 156 Throw Herself Into His Arms Or Run Away "Why are you staring at me like that?" Daisy was embarrassed at his gaze. Edward was looking at her with love and desire in his eyes. And staring hard. "Oh, I just found my wife so attractive, so hot." Edward touched the tip of her nose to show his affection. Actually he wanted toe clean and shared everything he knew with Daisy. But Edward worried that it would cause problems. He didn''t know everything himself yet. "Edward, I''ve got lots of work to do." Daisy told him. Daisy couldn''t control her feelings when she was near her charming husband. She didn''t know why. Was it because she loved him even more now? Or was it because she was girlish and giddy while with him? "Okay, get back to work. I''ll leave you alone. I have work to do, too." Edward had agreed to nevere between Daisy and her work. He was a man of his word, and did as asked. She put herself in work mode, not allowing her emotions to interfere. She nodded at him and got to it. Edward sat down at his desk and continued to stare at Daisy. Her face was cold as ice. Her aloofness was a wall preventing Edward from getting close. ''Why was she so cold to me just now? Did she know who called him? Or is there some other reason?'' Edward thought to himself. Even without looking up, Daisy could tell Edward was staring at her. But she had no time for him. Daisy was an officer, so she had to bear the respo ed in his arms, the moment when he belonged only to her. Maybe he''d make her sad. Maybe he would run away from her just like before. But all the torture didn''t matter, because this moment was worth it. If she had to be a single mom, so be it. Edward had never been a softie. He always got everything he wanted, whether it was a woman he desired or a deal he had to make. Edward never lost. He began to care for Daisy, though. He felt sad when Daisy ignored him, panicked when she was silent, and it was hard to breathe when she was cold as ice. Perhaps Edward didn''t know what love was. He was not an emotional man, and didn''t want to fall for any woman. But if she could possess his heart, she would be everything to him. He didn''t know why the aloof beauty kissed him, but Edward was a skilled kisser. He developed the kiss into a hot, passionate affair, a way to banish the sense of loss he''d felt the whole night. Chapter 157 A Happy Ending When Daisy came back to her senses, the sensual atmosphere had reached a climax. It was toote to get away now. Daisy cursed herself in her heart, ''Daisy, you''re such a dirty horny woman. Why are you always tempted by his sexy look?'' Edward didn''t care what was on Daisy''s mind. He waspletely turned on by her. He couldn''t wait to strip off her clothes. But when he reached inside her pajamas and put his hands on her soft breasts, he was surprised. Daisy didn''t wear underwear. "You came prepared." Edward murmured breathlessly in her ear with a cunning smile. ''That saves me the energy of taking them off.'' He thought. "Edward, let go." Daisy pushed hard on his strong chest. All that earned her was a tighter grip. "Hey, you got me all hot and bothered, and you want to stop?" Edward said while smiling slyly. It was impossible for him to give up this beautiful moment. "But... We are in the study room." Daisy was still struggling. Justin also lived on the same floor. If he were to walk in... And there was Leena who lived in the guest room downstairs. Leena had a curious mind and was dynamic, often capricious. Daisy was not sure whether she woulde upstairs suddenly. "Yes, I know we''re in the study. But what''s wrong with it?" Edward looked at her with a mischievous smile. He rested his gaze on her pretty pink face. "Don''t you fear that someone mighte in at any time?" Daisy thought herself too stupi the study was new and exciting. And he''d have to do it again. Daisy was not as energetic as he expected. She tired quickly. But Edward didn''t mind. He was her husband. Edward shook his head and sighed. He helped her get dressed and into the bedroom. If Daisy knew what was on his mind now, she would give him a good swift kick. Then he''d know her strength, and wouldn''tin about how weak she was. He should feel guilty. It was all his fault. But on Edward''s side, he thought he was very gentle to Daisy. He loved her and cared about her, so he could take what she dished out. He took her to the shower, and they fell asleep together. The night was beautiful -- stars dotted in the ck sky. Their tender love under the night moved heaven and earth. May all lovers be together and have a happy ending. What Daisy wanted most was to stay with the man she loved. This was all she had hoped for, she must grab it, and hold on for dear life. Chapter 158 Why Me Again At FX International Group "You tricked me yesterday. Annie has never contacted C Financial Group, " Rain glumly said to Edward. He was sitting on the sofa sluggishly. "Rx, nothing happened." Edward raised his head to nce at him. He then continued with his work. "Are you sure? Did Luke check everything?" Rain got thrilled to hear that. "Yes. Everything was clear yesterday." Edward frowned, looking at an application for financial assistance sent by an army group. They were asking a lot, but the amount was just a tip of the iceberg for him. "Unbelievable! Why didn''t you tell me about it til now? I thought about it all night yesterday. Look at the dark circles around my eyes!" Rain jumped off the sofa and stood close to Edward to show him his ck eyes. "You didn''t ask. I assumed you wasn''t interested." Edward looked at Rain and found that he seemed just a little tired. "That''s because I was too busy entertaining the people from C Financial Group. I didn''t have the time to call you and ask. Also, I was afraid to hear bad news." His voice went low with thest sentence. No news was still good news. So he had been avoiding any news concerning her. Edwardughed. He knew very well that Rain didn''t tend on the guests. He was too scared. With Annie''s incident, Edward got to know who Rain really was. "What''s your opinion on this matter?" Edward passed him the file and waited for his reply. "This is a sponsorship n from some army group. How are we connected to them? Did thise via Daisy?" Rain was con nditioned office? Moreover, I have to endure his torment too. He''s really a ruthless bully.'' "I don''t hate being in the sun. I just can''t bear the heat. OK?" Edward threw him a re. His schedule was already full in this month. He didn''t have the time for meaningless discussions. "Huh, what''s the difference? You are a hypocrite. You think you are some kind of a prince." Rain shook his head. He looked at Edward disdainfully and wondered how his skin was smoother and softer than women. "No difference? How about me also assigning you to the scandal of the entertainmentpany? It''s no different from the case you just took over. You are dealing with problems anyway." Edward had been stressed by the entertainmentpany. He wanted to assign it to Rain. "No. These are two different cases. You''re busy but I also have a lot of work. I need to go." s! That was scary. With the reporters and theints of the female stars, the gossip would be exhausting. He was smart enough to perceive it and run away from it. Chapter 159 Whats The Catch Edward burst intoughter to see Rain bolt from his office. ''Was that necessary? All he need to do is call a press conference, and ask representatives of the entertainmentpany to make a statement. All I asked was to find out the facts, but he just bolted like that.'' Edward noticed the file on the table again. His brows knitted more tightly. Rain had left it there. "Anna, can youe in, please." Edward had to ask the secretary to handle it. "Yes, Mr. Edward." Anna knocked on the door beforeing in and waited for his instructions respectfully. "Take this to Mr. Rain and tell him to work on it as soon as possible." Edward handed her the file. It had to be done fast because the war game was just a few days away. Themander had mentioned this was Daisy''s best opportunity, so she couldn''t afford to miss it. He didn''t know that she had lost many such opportunities before, but now that he knew, he wouldn''t let it happen again. "Mr. Edward. The CEO of Ouyang Foreign Trade called to invite you to dinner. What should I convey in reply?" Anna thought, ''Mary and Mrs. Mu are sisters, which means the CEO of Ouyang Foreign Trade is Mr. Edward''s father-inw. This implies that he is supposed to go.'' "No, I won''t go. Take a rain check. I''m busy today." Edward turned down the invitation decisively, which was unexpected for Anna. She was curious why he had decided so. "OK, Mr. Edward. Consider it done. Is there anything else that you''d like me to do?" She didn''t pry into i "Mr. Kevin, you wanted to see me?" Daisy had asked even before she walked in. She was anxious to know why she was summoned. "Am I only allowed to call you in when something''s up?" Kevin smiled wryly and admiringly looked at her beautiful face. "Of course not. You''re my superior. I have to follow your orders." Daisy sat in front of him and scoffed at him. "Great! Now I''m under the usation of power abuse. Any other charges? Bring it on!" Heughed abjectly and passed her the file he had been preparing all morning. "What''s this?" she asked, looking at the big file in her hands. "I know you haven''t set the n for the war game yet, so I did it for you. I hope it helps." He stood up and poured some water for her. "Mr. Kevin, what''s the catch?" Daisy suddenly lowered her voice and doubted. "What? What catch are you talking about?" Kevin didn''t mind her skepticism. If there were a catch, it would be that he wanted to be her only love, which seemed impossible already. Chapter 160 Is Someone Coming "People say no one offers help without any ulterior motive. That makes your act suspicious." Daisy looked at Kevin with her brows raised. There was a hint of slyness in her bright eyes. "Really? Am I that transparent?" Kevin smiled and thought, ''Since when did I be a cunning person in her eyes?'' "Aren''t you? As the chief of my rival unit, you are bribing me in this way. I wonder whether you are trying to mislead me or test me." Daisy knew he meant well. However, she resisted his goodwill, because she cared about her sense of fulfillment too much. "Colonel, can''t you consider this as a personal favor?" Kevin casually crossed his legs with a mischievous look. "Huh! A wise chief won''t be overly concerned about his rival unit. The concern is merely a bait. You are just feigning concern to realize your scheme." Daisy looked solemn as if she had proven that Kevin had an ulterior motive. "Bravo, Colonel! Your judgment is splendid." Kevin apuded her. "But as an officer, don''t you think it''s foolish to miss a chance to prate into the rival unit?" He continued with a smile. "If you keep baiting, I won''t be so cautious. But if you act like you are up to something at every step, I am not dumb enough to fall into your trap." Daisy sipped a mouthful of water. They seldom argued with each other. "Haha, "You''re much smarter than I thought. I had nned this for a lo Kevin asked. He wondered whether it was Edward. Kevin still remembered that Edward was quite wary of him. "Yes. I have to go outside. Can you please bring the food? One extra share. I''ll be right back." Daisy shrugged and walked towards the gate. She was worried that tonight she would have to take the files home again. Kevin looked at her back and wondered who made her leave in such a rush. He thought it must be Edward, as she cared so much about him only. "Sis, I''m here." Leena ran up to Daisy with a big smile. Soldiers passed by and saluted Daisy. She nodded and walked towards Leena. "How did youe?" Daisy wondered, seeing Leena alone at the entrance with no car. "Luke drove me here. He left, " Leena answered and then held Daisy''s arm. Looking at Daisy''s pretty face, she couldn''t help but think, ''How cool sis Daisy is! Other people like Luke are just ying cool. Nobody can be cooler than sis!'' Chapter 161 Perfect Man On their way, they didn''t see many soldiers. Leena was curious about everything. "Sis, this base is huge. There must be many people here, " Leena asked with her head tilted. "Yes, there are a few divisions." Daisy didn''t answer Leena''s question in detail. She thought Leena wouldn''t understand. "Well, how many soldiers are there in a division?" Leena pursued. "Normally, an army consists of three divisions, a division three brigades, a brigade three regiments, a regiment three battalions, and a battalion threepanies. But our army is special. There are four divisions in the army, four brigades in a division, four regiments in a brigade, four battalions in a regiment, and fourpanies in a battalion. Therefore, there are 16 brigades, 64 regiments, 256 battalions, and 1024panies all together in the army. Daisy didn''t understand why Leena was interested in the number of people. "Wow, that''s a lot of people! Howe we have only seen a few of them?" Leena stuck out her tongue and asked again. "Because it''s lunchtime. Most soldiers are having lunch in the canteen." Daisy walked quickly. Leena had to jog to catch up. "Sis, do you also eat in the canteen?" Picturing tens of thousands of people eating together, Leena got excited again. ''What a scene it will be!'' "Yes. We''re on the way to the canteen. My apanying official will show you around after lunc Kevinughed. Since she had forgotten all about that night, why should he care? "Um, I think I have heard it before, but I don''t remember where." Leena tried to recall. The longer she thought about it, the more familiar it seemed. ''How can I not remember such a handsome young officer?'' "Do you need a hint?" Kevin asked, looking at her mischievously. ''We spoke on the phone. Has she forgotten that too?'' "Have you two met?" Daisy looked at them perplexedly. ''That seems impossible. Leena was abroad for years. She has juste back. And Kevin has been in S City for the past few years only. They can''t possibly know each other.'' "Yes." "No." They gave two different answers at the same time. Daisy was confused. Leena raised her head to look at Kevin. ''Have we met? Howe I can''t recall this? I have an excellent memory. I wouldn''t have forgotten such a handsome man unless I was too drunk to remember.'' Chapter 162 I Can Show Her Around "Ugh." ''That drunken night, and Kevin Gu...'' Suddenly Leena''s eyes were wide open as she recognized Kevin. "You... You... You are the..." Leena was going insane. She couldn''t believe what she was seeing. The coincidence was absurd. ''He can''t be. It''s just the same name. That''s all.'' Leena keptforting herself. Her initial joy of visiting the base for the first time vanished abruptly. "Yeah, that was me indeed." Kevin saw the way she reacted. He knew that she recognized him. He smiled at her adorable expression. "Haha! So, we meet again!" Leena got to know what it meant to shoot one''s own foot. She felt she was doing that right now. She didn''t want to stay confined in the house and so she nned to visit the military base. Now her curiosity got her into big trouble. "Oh, you two know each other!" Daisy Ouyang listened to their quick exchange and got the idea. The world was full of surprises. One could run into all kinds of unexpected encounters. "Haha! We met just once. We don''t know each other very well. Sister Daisy, the food here is quite good!" Leena tried to change the subject. She wanted to distract Daisy. "Yes! It''s not bad. You can have more if you''d like." Daisy knew that Leena was purposely steering her away from the subject. But since Leena was reluctant, Daisy didn''t push her. After all, everyone was entitled to their privacy. Kevin smiled coldly. It was true that they met just once, but they were not total strangers. Why would she lie like that? They had already done the most intimate act reserved for husband and wife. And she was saying they didn''t know each other well. Leena waspletely focused on her food, but Kevin''s eyes asionally met hers. She was terrified. Leena regretted that she got involved with a major general. And it wasn''t just a brief encounter but a night of passionate sex. She didn''t even know who he was. ngly at the girl. It was quite different from her usual aloofness. "Leena, please go with the Chief of Staff Gu and take a tour! Rx, he''s very nice. And he''s still single!" Daisy whispered in Leena''s ear, giving her a sly look. "Um... Sis Daisy... What are you talking about?" Upon hearing Daisy''s words, Leena''s face turned red. She nced at Kevin in embarrassment, worrying that he might have heard Daisy. Kevin observed the exchange between the two women in bewilderment. He was curious why Leena suddenly blushed and looked at him so strangely. Daisy checked out Leena and Kevin once again, feeling that there must be some kind of secret between the two, yet she couldn''t figure out what it was exactly. She was baffled, but since she had work, she couldn''t get to the bottom of it. Therefore, Daisy decided to leave this matter for now. "OK, I must go now. You guys have a nice time. Chief of Staff Gu, please take good care of our little sweetheart!" Daisy yfully winked at them and left the canteen, leaving the surprised duo looking at each other in silence. They were both stunned by Daisy''s unusual demeanor. Her behavior was uncanny. What happened? Wasn''t she known for being cold and indifferent? When did she be so yful? Chapter 163 Would You Marry Me "What do you prefer to be called? Miss Leng? Leena Leng, or Leena?" Kevin teased Leena. They were both drunk the other night. They didn''t even bother getting to know each other before jumping into bed. If he hadn''t left that note the next morning, Leena would probably never know who she slept with! "Chief of Staff Gu, Leena Leng is fine." Leena answered reluctantly, curling her lips. ''Miss? Miss your ass! I just had sex with you once, and somehow I''m a "Miss" to you?'' "Chief of Staff Gu? So formal! That''s kind of a strange way to get acquainted. Leena... Don''t tell me you forgot that night already." Kevin deliberately drew each word out, teasing her. Heughed wickedly. His overly intimate address made Leena''s skin crawl. She couldn''t believe it! He was another one of those crooked men! Who said that military people were all serious and stern. Then how could they exin this mischievous, improper man before her? He wore the most solemn uniform in the world while saying the most shameless words. "Um... So... I had a little extra booze the other night. That''s why... That''s why I behaved so awfully. Besides, you wasn''t in your military uniform. How could I know that I got involved with a major general? You can''t hold that against me." Leena remembered that it was she who seduced him that night, and really wanted to cry... Why did he want her to discuss that here, with so many people around? "Let''s go for a walk! Come on! Let''s go!" Kevin tried to hold back hisughter, thoroughly amused by the girl. ''And I thought women had an advantage when it came to sex.'' And it was her first time, so how did she get it backwards? Why was she afraid that he was going to hold it against her? Kevin didn''t know whether she w y couldn''t it be Leena? "Chief of Staff Gu, um... You''re not serious, are you?" Leena asked. ''This can''t be real. He''s pretty easy on the eyes, and he''s got a great career in the military...but I don''t want to throw my youth away just for him.'' Besides, they just had a one night stand. There was nothing between them. Did he want that kind of shoddy marriage? "I would never joke about this. I need a wife now, and you lost your virginity to me, I''m willing to be responsible for you." Kevin said contemtively. A hint of pain appeared behind his eyes. Although he couldn''t promise that he could let Daisy go, he would make sure that he''d never hurt another woman. Once he got married, he would shove his love for Daisy aside. It wouldn''t be a disavowal of love, but he simply couldn''t afford to love her any more. As a soldier, he had to take responsibility for his actions. "Well... You really don''t have to be responsible for me. Remember who flirted first. It''s not your fault." As Leena spoke, she blushed a little. She kept going over it in her mind, but still couldn''t believe how bold she was that night. Why did she actively flirt with him? Chapter 164 Is There A Happy Ending For A Loveless Marriage "You don''t have to answer now. Take time to think about it. But don''t make me wait too long. Your reply will decide whether I stay or leave." Kevin said. His voice sounded serious. He wasn''t joking. He might have even let it go if they hadn''t met today. Maybe it was fate that arranged this meeting. "I don''t understand. Why is my reply the deciding factor?" Leena tilted her head and stared at him. She was confused. They barely knew each other. It was too early to talk about stuff like this. They slept together once, but it was just drunken sex. He was aplete stranger to her before today. It was a little weird for her to hear his sudden but serious proposal. "It doesn''t matter. Do you want to marry me? That''s all you need to worry about." Kevin''s eyes watched hers. He didn''t know a lot about this girl. Maybe this was a bad decision. She wore designer clothes and essories -- obviously she was from a wealthy family. His father would be happy about that. But she was very young. Could such a young girl endure the dull life of a soldier''s wife? To be honest, he wasn''t sure. "Why should I consider it? Do you really think there is a happy ending for a loveless marriage?" Leena said and wrinkled her little nose. Although joking andughing all the time, she was very serious when it came to the important stuff. "Look, give it some thought, okay? This matters a lot to me. Is there a happy ending for us? We can always figure that out after we spend enough time together, right?" Kevin had ulterior motives for this, though. If he and Leena got married, he''d have a good reason to stay in the city. His father would have to abandon h ust agreed to consider it, and then he set a deadline without her consent. "OK, the day after tomorrow. But when I get your answer, we marry at City Hall. Agreed?" Kevin asked, smiling wickedly. He was good at the cat and mouse game. Anyway, they would get married in the end. Leena was instantly petrified at how things had developed so far. This man was a fox! And she had been outfoxed by a fox. In such a short time! One moment she said she would think about it, the next moment he was going to register their marriage. Seriously? "So, have you decided? What''s it gonna be?" Kevin looked down at her face with azy smile. "Is it ok if I choose theter date?" Leena was just stalling for time. At worst if she backed out, he couldn''t bother her at home, right? "All right, I''ll be waiting at City Hall that day. Remember to bring all necessary documents with you and If you don''t show up, there is no second chance." Kevin deliberately tried to appear decisive and ruthless, cutting off her retreat. He was afraid Leena would get cold feet at thest minute. He would get what he wanted. Chapter 165 What Is Love Leena looked up in surprise, trapped in his words. No second chance? She nned to stall for time, but maybe she should re-think it. The afternoon sunshine streamed in through fluttering leaves and touched Kevin''s face. He looked even more dazzling in the radiant sunlight. He leaned back against the tree in silence, his cold eyes fastened on Leena''s tightly furrowed little face. He waited for her final answer. "OK. If I don''t show up that day, that means my answer is no. But If I do show up, we can be married, and I get all the freedom you promised." Leena wasn''t like other girls, who wanted a blissful married life. Instead what she wanted was what most people wouldn''t care about or even disdained: freedom. "You have my word on that." Kevin had no idea if she woulde or not, but he granted her request without hesitation. These two clinched a deal about their marriage in such a short time. Daisy would never have guessed it but when she saw them after work, she could sense there was something odd between them. "What happened between you two?" Daisy asked as soon as they got into the car. She wasn''t the gossiping type and just asked this out of concern. The looks on their faces were too weird. "Oh¡­ nothing. Sis, whose car is this?" Leena tried to change the subject. She didn''t mean to hide anything. She just didn''t know how to exin this. And if sis knew it, Edward was going to find out. Soon after that Mr. Cold would get wind of this and then she would be so busted. "My car. What''s wrong?" Daisy had her car sent here by her driver this morning. It ovely women, throwing them his captivating smile, hugging them passionately, her heart was torn apart and her pride was stripped from heryer byyer. He was her husband, but she had never received a tender look from him, let alone a fond embrace. She tried to ignore the reports on his yboy lifestyle, even denying she loved him. But she cast her resolution to the winds when she saw Justin, who resembled his father so much. Finally, she was by his side and caught his attention. She thought everything would be different. But she forgot about Jessica, a woman so stunning even Daisy couldn''t take her eyes off her. Jessica stayed by his side for years. Did Daisy even stand a chance? She pretended to know nothing, hoping he would tell her about Jessica of his own ord. She overestimated her ce in Edward''s heart. She panicked, and it came out during their lovey. She kissed him hopelessly like it was the only way to prove he was hers, indulging her every desire for him, making love all night as if only death could tear them apart. Chapter 166 Cruel Edward Edward left his office as soon as he finished his work. But as he walked out of the building, he saw thest person he wanted to meet in the world. "What are you doing here?" he asked in an icy voice. Edward fixed the woman in his cold gaze. "Edward, can we talk?" Jessica called out Edward''s name, tears welling up in her eyes. She had called him so many times, but he didn''t answer any of her calls. She tried to find him in his office, but instead, she was stopped by the receptionist. But she needed to see him, so she waited for him in the lobby. "There''s nothing we need to talk about." Staring indifferently at her, Edward was getting impatient. He hated it when women badgered him like this. "Edward, please. Just give me another chance." Jessica lowered her voice. She felt embarrassed as people passed by and cast inquisitive nces. "Another chance? Jessica, we''ve known each other for a long time. And you know that I never give chances to those I don''t need anymore." Edward replied calmly. His words were like daggers that stabbed into Jessica''s heart. Her face turned pale from embarrassment and shame. "But I''m not just any woman! I''m the mother of your child!" Jessica froze for a while, and argued as soon as she found her voice again. She couldn''t lose him, not while she had this kind of leverage. "Are you kidding me? Jessica, you are way too full of yourself. The mother of my child is Daisy, not you." Edwardughed out loud and then leaned forward to whisper in Jessica''s ear. There was a devilish look on his handsome face, mockery emanating from his cold eyes. "Wh not be angry? "What? Did you forget where youe from?" Jessica sneered. No matter how hard Mary tried to act like a well-borndy, she was, after all, a vulgar ordinary girl. And people could easily see through her. "Jessica, you canugh, for all I care! I thought I could give you some tips, but you don''t seem to need my help. Good luck with single motherhood!" Mary added viciously, eyes fixed on Jessica''s belly. How could this woman be pregnant with Edward''s child while she didn''t even get the chance to touch him? "Mary, how much did you hear?" Jessica was surprised that Mary knew about her pregnancy. But then she remembered that she practically screamed at Edward. It wouldn''t be hard to hear her. "How much? What if I say I heard everything?" She didn''t want Jessica to be her enemy at this point, but she had done too much damage, cutting her to the quick. She gave up the idea of Jessica as an ally. Mary''s lips curled into a sneer. Her nning to team up with Jessica to break up Edward and Daisy, and im Edward as her own was in tatters. Chapter 167 Good Luck With That "So what? Big deal! What kind of information can you possibly offer me? Even if you can, I don''t care." Jessica was born into a noble family. It was natural that she despised Mary, for she had stepped into the upper ss a while ago, and she was a country girl in nature. If she had a choice, she wouldn''t even talk to Mary. "Are you sure? Then don''t beg me to tell youter!" Jessica was so arrogant that Mary badly wanted to tear her apart. But for the time being there was nothing she could do about Jessica. She could only wish that Jessica would fall into her trap. "Me begging you? I''m not ying. Good bye." Jessica sneered, ''Mary, you are not equipped to y with me! Do you think I spent all those years with Edward doing nothing? How would I stand out if I''m not smart? I was the only woman by his side for a reason!'' "Jessica, it''s about the woman Edward loves. Aren''t you interested? Perhaps you have already given up and you don''t want to know who beat you after all!" Mary kept on provoking Jessica. She didn''t think that Jessica would still be indifferent after hearing what she said. "Whatever I want to know, I can find out on my own. I don''t need your help." Jessica didn''t even look at Mary as she replied dismissively. "Well, good luck with that! When you find nothing on your own, I hope you''d still be as arrogant as you are right now " Mary stroked her curly hair and smirked at Jessica. She then passed by her and left. Biting her lip in rage, Jessica seriously wanted to p Mary. She knew about Mary and her shabby behaviors. However, she didn''t do anything to her because Mary never messed r!" Justin ran out of the house as soon as he saw his parents. Smiling broadly, he threw himself into their arms. "Hey! Little champ! Don''t you see me here? Why didn''t you say hello to me?" Leena picked on Justin again. The more Justin ignored her, the more she wanted to tease him. "Why aren''t you home?" He was definitely Edward''s son. He asked her the same question his father did. He didn''t see Leena all morning and he thought she had gone back home. Why did shee back again? What did she want? "Hey! Why are you two treating me like this! You don''t like me? I was going to say that I''ll go home tomorrow, but I''ve changed my mind! I''ve decided to stay here for as long as I want to!" Leena grunted and nced at Edward and Justin, gloating. ''Don''t you dare drive me away!'' Leena thought. "Well! Auntie Leena, please don''t be serious! I was just joking. I didn''t see you all day. I really missed you." Hearing Leena''s n to extend her stay, Justin immediately changed his tone and started ttering her. She couldn''t stay here! It would be the living hell for him! Chapter 168 To Join The Party "Haha! Really? You missed me that much?" Leena was surprised at the little boy''s smartness. He surely knew what to say when needed. "Yes, I did! Auntie Leena, you look stunning today. Haven''t you noticed that? " Justin sighed in his mind. He had to tter Leena for his own sake. "Hmm! Too little toote! I''m not buying it at all." Leena smirked and walked straight into the house. Shepletely ignored Justin. "Wait up, auntie Leena! I really mean it!" Justin immediately broke free from his parent''s embrace and followed Leena into the house. To save himself from bing Leena''s lifesize doll, he had to change her mind. Edward and Daisy looked at each other and burst intoughter. With a doting smile, they saw Leena and Justin disappear behind the front door. "Honey, what happened to your car?" Edward finally noticed the VW POLO parked next to his fancy car. "This is my car. What''s wrong?" Puzzled, Daisy looked at her car and turned back to Edward, wondering why Edward asked the same question as Leena did earlier. "Is that the car you usually drive around?" Edward''s lips twitched. Hepared the worth of both cars. He imagined how difficult her life must have been before he came by. He felt sorry for everything she had been through all these years. Saying nothing, Edward just pulled Daisy into his arms and held her as firmly as he could. "Edward, what on earth are you doing right now?" Daisy tried to push him away. They were standing outside the vi, and Daisy felt embarrassed that people could see them cuddling like this. "Hold still. I just want to hug you." Pressing his face against her neck, Edward closed his eyes and avariciously sniffed the faint scent of jasmine oozing from her body. That was truly a love potion for him. Was she busy making ends meet when he drove around in his expensive cars and had fancy champagne at parties? Wa d desperately cried out in his mind. "Belinda! Why didn''t you tell me you''reing over?" As soon as Daisy saw Belinda and Duke get out of the car, she darted towards Belinda and held her hands excitedly. But then Daisy remembered the fact that Belinda didn''t even tell her about her wedding. She was still holding a grudge against Belinda. She shook off Belinda''s hands with a sullen face and walked inside without looking at her again. "Daisy, please wait up! I can exin everything!" Seeing the look on Daisy''s face, Belinda knew that Daisy was still mad at her. She knew it was her fault as she didn''t tell her best friend about her wedding. Belinda followed Daisy into the house. "What was that about?" Duke was confused. One minute they were happy to see each other, and the next minute they were mad? "Girl stuff, I guess. Speaking of which, I am truly impressed, dude! What did you do to win over Belinda?" Edward knew Daisy must be upset because her best friend had been keeping secrets from her. "What did I do? I''m too charming to do anything." Duke raised his eyebrows and answered arrogantly. He was not stupid. How could he tell others what really happened between him and Belinda? After all, pride mattered more than anything to men. Chapter 169 Call Her Mrs. Leng "Bullshit. As far as I know Belinda, she wouldn''t follow you willingly. I''m assuming you have yed some trick on her. You should be thankful to God that Belinda didn''t kick your ass." Edward knew very well that Duke was the kind of man who would go to any lengths in order to reach his goals! So how did he y his typical tricks on Belinda? "Is it so obvious?" Duke didn''t deny Edward''s im, he just gave an evil smile. Edward had seen through him and Duke knew that sometimes it seemed fishier when people try too hard to hide something. "What do you think?" Edward smiled nomittally and walked into the house, leaving Duke behind! Duke stroked his hair in anxiety, he wasn''t satisfied with Edward''s halfhearted reply. He had no option but to follow Edward to the house. Leena didn''t react much when she saw Raine in. In contrast, she overreacted when she saw Daisye in with Belinda chasing after her. Oh my god! She thought. ''Why does Belindae here? Does that mean Mr. Cold is also here?'' "Belinda, what brings you here?" Asked Leena, with a look of surprise. Belinda was trying to exin something to Daisy. "I will deal with youter." Belinda red at Leena and said, which made Leena tremble with fear. She thought: ''Oh my God! Belinda is so aggressive!'' "Daisy. I really wanted to tell you, but I was scared you''ll mock me, ok? And I was too embarrassed to tell you immediately. Don''t be angry with me, please." Belinda had no time for Leena the troublemaker. The first thing she needed to do was to make peace with Daisy who seemed as cold as an iceberg. "I am not angry with you. I am just disappointed." Daisy walked straight into the kitchen wi ld feel this strong cold air, like it wasing from hell. Leena was suffering because of his cold behavior. Her tender heart was hurting. "I didn''t run! I was just out of the country." Leena murmured, with her head down. She was too afraid to look at him. "Yes! So when you came back younded here! You couldn''t find your home, could you?" Duke snorted. In reality, he was pretending to be angry just to frighten her. His anger had evaporated a long time ago. Duke behaved like this in order to stop Leena from getting out of control in future. "Hehe! That was because I heard you had just married Belinda. I came here for a couple of days to give you and Belinda some space." Leena sure was a smart elf. From the way Duke spoke to her, she realized that Duke had forgiven her, so she took the golden chance and jumped into her brother''s arms. Leena acted like a spoiled child, which always worked on Duke. "Girl, are you that kindhearted? Huh! Don''t try to deceive me. I know all your tricks. Huh!" Duke poked Leena''s forehead. He couldn''t do anything about her. He could just ept that he had such a cute sister. Chapter 170 She Has Changed Her Heart Justin''s smirk froze when he saw the dramatic change in Duke''s attitude. Duke was smiling. ''What is happening? Shouldn''t Duke teach Leena a lesson? Why did he suddenly switch his expression to a smile? That''s quite unexpected.'' Justin thought to himself. Meanwhile, Edward and Rain were quite calm about Duke''s sudden transformation. They knew that Duke yielded to Leena every time. That was Duke----his bark was worse than his bite. "That''s all, uncle Duke? aren''t you going to punish Leena with 50 push-ups?" Justin lost hisposure. After all, he had tipped off Duke to see Leena get punished. But it was a totally different picture now. "Why are you concerned with this? Go fly a kite." Leena stared at Justin who was stirring up trouble. She started wondering why Justin was so displeased with her and why did he want to see her get scolded so badly. "Of course I am concerned with this. I am an impressionable child, if I see Leena get away without any consequences I will follow suit. Therefore, uncle Duke, you can''t spare Leena, or one day she would cause bigger problems." Justin said earnestly, his face exhibiting the coolness and poise inconsistent with his age. He gazed at Duke with his innocent eyes, trying to persuade him to punish Leena. "LOL." Rain giggled at Justin''s words. He was looking forward to seeing how Duke would deal with this problem. At the same time, Edward restrained his smile and looked at Justin with appreciation. He had never thought that Justin would be the curse of Leena''s life. He wondered who between the two wil decided to ignore Duke and Edward''s quips. He knew they were trying to irritate him. His loss of temper would only please them. He would not let them ruin his good mood. "Ew. You are also well-read man. So you would also be careful with your words? Come on, say something wise." Duke said slowly whileughing yfully. "The problem is that my wise words may go over your big head. If you don''t understand what I say, it''s just a wastage of my time." Rain changed his posture and taunted. "Keep up your battle of words. I will take a shower first." Edward had had enough. He didn''t want to listen to their squabble anymore. "No way. You still follow the habit of showering? You are a Germophobic, aren''t you?" Rain gazed at Edward and joked yfully, his eyes sparkled with curiosity. "You will never understand the lifestyle of hygienic people. You should focus on making yourself a bit hygienic. Perhaps then you won''t find us weird." Edward raised his thick brows at Rain, and then elegantly went upstairs like a true monarch. Chapter 171 He Meant What He Said "What does he mean?" Rain looked at Duke confusedly. He never said Edward was weird, only germ-phobic. Howe Edward pped back like that? "He meant what he said. Aren''t you an educated man? Howe you don''t understand what he meant?" Rain always seemed like a know-it-all. Duke delighted in his obliviousness just now. "I only understand what normal people think, not a weirdo like Edward." Rain didn''t like being beaten in anything, particrly when it came to intelligence. He would even pretend to win. "Ugh! Save your pride. You''ll admit defeat someday." Duke sneered and dropped it. "Auntie Leena, stop following me! I give, okay?" Justin ran downstairs, Leena close behind. It seemed they hadn''t sorted things out. "No way! You have to tell me why!" Leena kept riding Justin for an answer. Why did he dislike her? She was too stubborn to give up. She must know. "Okay, okay. You really wanna know?" Justin asked coolly. As he said this, he suddenly stopped and crossed his arms. He red at Leena and tried to act cool. "Yes. Yes I do." They''d forgotten all about Duke and Rain, who were silent witnesses to their conversation. "You made my mom sad. So I''ll make you sad." Justin''s reply made everyone blink in surprise. "When on earth did I make Daisy sad? I have no idea." Leena was surprised. She liked Daisy so much. She never wanted to make her sad. "Huh! That day you hugged dad. Mom and I saw you." Justin answered angrily, still glowering at Leena. Everyone had been onl that, have you?" Rain spat out the answer before Daisy could. And he couldn''t help his jab at Duke, either. Edward frowned in confusion. They all knew about it, but why had he never heard of any legendary officer? Had he been that closed off? "Yeah. It took me by surprise. It became such an urban legend that I wasn''t even sure it was real." Duke said, still in shock. "Howe I''ve never heard of it?" Finally Edward voiced his confusion. After all, he had never heard even the slightest hint of the legend. "Ha! It''s all because of your quirks. You want it dead quiet at FX, not even the bugs dare to make noise. Of course no one told you." Rain liked nothing more than to razz Edward. Everybody in thepany knew not to make small talk. You wouldn''t just get scolded, but fired. Edward couldn''t deny it. He didn''t want any noise at work, so the top floor was always the quietest floor. So it was normal he knew nothing about this. Maybe it was time to rx that rule, if only just a bit. Chapter 172 Youre Not Gonna Let Go of Her Finally everyone was at the table. Now they learned that Daisy was quite an excellent cook. She was a beauty in the hall and a chef in the kitchen. And they respected her even more. They all secretly envied Edward''s good luck for marrying such a perfect woman. Daisy excused herself after the meal and went upstairs to work. Edward knew she was quite busy with the uing military exercise. Her weary look made him heartbroken, yet he could do nothing to help. The only thing he could do was to give her a quiet working environment and not bother her. She only just walked into the study and had hardly taken out the files when her phone rang. She frowned. Hopefully nothing had gone wrong, or she would have to stay upte tonight. "Hello. This is Daisy." It was a strange number, yet still she answered the call. She was still confused, though. "Hi, this is the City of Night Romance. A female customer is drunk here, we found your card in her handbag. We need you toe pick her up." The voice sounded young and vibrant. "A female customer? How old is she?" Daisy was puzzled. The women she knew were all downstairs. Who was that woman? "She is twenty something. Pretty, quiet. And pickled." The young man on the phone said slowly, likely because he was looking at his guest as he described her. "Quiet and pretty?" Immediately Daisy thought of the girl on the road that morning. Could it be her? And she did give the girl her card. But was there no else to call? Well, she might as well go pick her up. She s You''re all sluts, so quit ying innocent. You''re lucky we''re paying attention to you. You should be fucking grateful!" With his threat, he also tightened his grip, his face disying an evil smile of victory. "Let the girl go. Or I can''t be responsible for what happens next." Her cold and cruel voice carried over the loud music and attracted the crowd''s attention. "Talk about luck, new girl''s even hotter than this bitch here." Thugs were called that for a reason. Even with a girl as ruthless as Daisy, they''d flirt. They never knew how to behave themselves. "What? You''re not gonna let go of her?" Daisy''s cold face turned impatient, scowling at the thug holding the girl. She had a devil''s aura -- the crowd shuddered and suddenly got goosebumps. "Wow. That hottie has a hot temper, huh? That''s okay. It''s better when they fight back." They moved in on her, hoping to at least frighten her. They wanted to be tigers, waiting to pounce on their prey. They didn''t know they were merely jackals instead. Chapter 173 Be Sensible And Fuck Off Now "Let''s see what you can do." Daisy saw them move to attack, and sneered disdainfully. She''d shed her uniform, allowing her to move more freely. "Huh. You sound quite hot-tempered, pretty. I wonder if you''re that hot in bed." There were several of them. There was no way they would have trouble dealing with a woman, he believed. If he was beaten by a woman, he would have no authority in the gang. "I don''t know if it''ll be hot, but I will definitely make you scream." Daisy was bing more vicious every minute. Her sneer shimmered on her face. Her eyes focused on the blowhard. Judging by the deference from the other thugs, he must be their boss. "No way. You like SM, huh? Then why do we wait? Let''s go enjoy ourselves." The lead thug tried to grab her waist, but she dodged, and with a beautiful suplex, she threw the man to the ground. "You like that?" Daisy looked at him scornfully. The man needed to be taken down a few notches. "Fuck! You know martial arts! Get her! I must have her in my bed tonight." The boss got up, spat on the floor hatefully, and charged Daisy again. "You started this. Okay, I''ll y with you. I need some ''exercise''." Daisy looked at them defiantly and took their threat as nothing at all. She didn''t think they could be tougher than ouws. After all, even ouws fell by her hand. "Don''t be too confident, pretty. We outnumber you. I *will* have you." His mouth twisted in an evil sneer. He was already picturing the happy moment ing de out of the way. A side kick dispatched thest thug. Pain surged through her. He still managed to cut her. She berated herself. Mercy for the enemy was cruelty to yourself. She should have kicked them harder, felt the glorious crunch of bone snapping. They wouldn''t have been able to fight back. "What? You still wanna fight? If that''s what you want,e on, all of you. If not, get the hell out of here." Daisy'' re made them flee, even the lead thug who attacked her. She seemed invincible. There was no way they could beat her. She managed to survive their boss'' lethal attack. And was still up and fighting! Daisy checked her injured arm. The cut seemed a bit deep. But it was nothingpared to the wound she got when conducting tasks. So she no longer cared about it and heaved that drunk woman into the car. After they were both in and buckled up, Daisy finally rxed. With a long gaze at that girl, she started her car and left the City of Night Romance. Chapter 174 Is That The Promise You Gave Me Daisy lowered the car window to let the stench of alcohol out. Drunken people could really stink up a car. A breeze blew softly, wafting the smell away. And she was very curious about her passenger. She thought, '' If I''m right, this must be the third time I''ve seen her! The first time, I almost ran her over; then, I saw her wandering lonely on the street. Now I''m picking her up. Every time I see her, she looks sad. She must have quite a story to tell.'' Daisy was driving carefully and smoothly. Then she felt the pain in her arm. She frowned and pondered, ''Is it worse than I thought?'' She then cast a nce at the wound which she bandaged in haste, and found that blood was beginning to flow past the rags. She hoped that the wound would not be so serious as to affect her performance in the military exercise. As the car entered the vi, Luke came to meet her before the car stopped. "Mrs. Mu, what happened? You''re hurt!" he screamed when he saw Daisy''s bleeding arm. ''How did that happen so quickly? She''s in the military and skilled in the martial arts. Was she hurt by someone really dangerous?'' thought Luke. "Well! Nothing. It''s not serious. Now help me get her out of the car." said Daisy casually. She was not worried about the wound now and she went to open the car door. "It''s her!" said Luke. He was shocked when he saw the woman on the car seat and wondered why she was in Daisy''s car. "What''s up? You know her?" asked Daisy eagerly. She wanted to figure out w fighter, get hurt in such a short time?'' "I''m good. It''s just a small cut. Chill out." said Daisy. She smiled apologetically, and thought, ''It''s not serious. Let''s not make a big thing out of it. I''m embarrassed.'' "Shut up. How can a small cut bleed so profusely?" shouted Edward. He red fiercely at Daisy who looked all nonchnt with her wound. And he frowned as if he was going to give her a good beating. "Gosh! Let me see!" said Justin. Instead of being shocked, he looked like he barely cared. He ambled over to Daisy. And he thought, ''Daddy is making a fuss! Mommy did first aid. The wound is not that serious. She''s been hurt like this before a dozen times, maybe more. I''m just d she''s home safe and sound.'' "Excuse me, kid! You''re not a doctor." said Leena. She now frowned on everything Justin said. Especially a moment ago when she knew that it was him who had reported her whereabouts to Mr. Cold. She decided it was time to y hardball with this little schemer. Chapter 175 Army Dagger NO 65 Justin ignored Leena''s sarcasm, and then carefully untied the in bandaging on Daisy''s arm. When he saw how the wound looked inside, he realized that the injury had been way more serious than he initially thought it was. He said, "Mommy, let''s go inside. I''ll disinfect your wound first." Justin was more organized, and was also calmer than an adult was. Although he worried about his mom very much, he showed no fear when he saw her deep wound. The rest of the people followed Justin and walked past Luke like he didn''t even exist. Luke shook his head speechlessly, and wondered whether the people were blind or not. Even Rain didn''t notice that Luke was holding a woman in his arms. It had tired Luke to hold an adult for such a long time! When he finally noticed that Luke was holding a woman in his arms, Rain asked, "Luke, who is that?" "Someone you know." Luke nced at Rain and left Annie to him, and then Luke turned around and walked towards the direction Daisy went. "Hey! Wait a minute! I don''t know her!" Rain took the unconscious woman in his arms. He didn''t recognize Annie at first, because her face had been covered by her long hair. But when he managed to see her face, Rain''s heart began to thump. Indeed, it was Annie! Although he hadn''t seen her for a while, he still remembered her face very clearly. He thought that it was strange for Annie to be here, and wondered if she had anything to do with Daisy''s injury. Rain frowned when he sensed the strong smell of alcoholing from Annie. It was obvious that she was unconscious because she was thoroughly drunk. Inside the room, Justin sat besides Daisy and you get to know each other?" Edward nced at Annie and frowned. Daisy exined to Edward, "I almost hit her on the street several days ago, so I gave her my name card. At the club, she didn''t know who to call, and she thought of me." "Daisy, thank you for bring Annie back. We were looking for her these past couple of days." Rain had always held a good impression towards Daisy, and after this, he respected her even more. "Why were you looking for her?" asked Daisy. She was doubtful, as she didn''t know that thest task that Edward had assigned to Luke was to find out where Annie was. "Emm... Annie had to represent the C Financial Group and to conduct some business meetings with FX International, but when Luke went to the airport to pick her up, there was no sign of her." Edward told Daisy what had happened, but he couldn''t stop looking outside impatiently, waiting for the doctor to arrive. "Oh! Why didn''t you tell me about this when you assigned the task to Luke?" Daisy frowned; she was not happy with the fact that Edward was still trying to hide things from her. Chapter 176 Stop Showing Off Your White Teeth "You''re always tied up everyday, and I don''t want to interrupt your work. Besides, it''s nothing serious. Are you angry with me?" While he was talking to Daisy, Edward fixed his eyes on her injured arm. Justin had done a great job with the bandage, and the blood had quickly stopped oozing out of the wound. He cast a deep look at Justin, who was bothered by Leena, and felt quite grateful to him. Justin had grown to be pretty outstanding, and that was all thanks to Daisy, who was an excellent mother. He wasn''t like the other boys of his age, unreasonable and mischievous. Daisy then remembered Edward furiously yelling at her, and while she slightly became upset, she said, "No, I''m not. I''m not you..." "Huh! So you''re saying now that I''m angry?" Edward stroked her nose, and then affectionately looked at her upset face. "Are you sure you aren''t angry? You shouted pretty loud; the others might think that I may be terminally ill." Daisy unsatisfactorily rolled her eyes, an act that she seldom did, but recently she seemed to be doing it quite often. What had happened to all of her poise and seriousness? "Daisy, that''s just how Edward is; you know he often makes a mountain out of a lousy mole hill. You''ll get used to it, " said Duke. He was relieved when he saw Daisy''s arm getting wrapped up, and when his mood lightened, he began to make fun of Edward. "Duke''s right. Daisy, don''t be afraid of him. Edward is just a paper tiger. His bark is worse than his bite." Rain also returned to his usual self, and as heughed about it, Annie suddenly mumbled in his arms. Edward mischievously squinted his eyes, and said, "Don''t you have to take Annie home? If you''re free, you should go and straighten things out with the entertainmentpany tomorrow." He might have given Rain a break if he had just remained silent, but Rain had to conti Daisy, she''s injured. And by the way, when did youe back from overseas?" Edward speechlessly rolled his eyes. Why did Tome here in person? Wasn''t he staying abroad and studying new subjects? "Just now. I had just put my luggage down, when Mrs. Wu called, and I decided toe over. What, you don''t want me here? Should I just go home and get you another doctor?" Tom didn''t mind Edward''s anger at all; he was still that graceful gentleman. "... Edward, your nemesis is here, and there will be a lot more drama in theing days." Rain smiled mischievously again, because he didn''t have to endure Duke''s cold stare any longer. All of the crowd cast a disdainful look at Rain, because he was gloating too much, and too obviously. "You must be Daisy. My name is Tom Qin, and it''s a pleasure to meet you!" Tom nced around and then fixed his eyes on Daisy, the one that needed his treatment, and then walked over to her. Daisy smiled apologetically, and said, "Hello, I''m Daisy, and thank you so much foring over here! I''m really sorry for having to trouble you!" Tom was another type of handsome man,pletely different from Edward and the others. He made people feelfortable, and happy, when they saw him. Chapter 177 Tom And Jerry "Aha! Tom, why do you always have sensible good manners?" Leena''s joy was immense, and Tom nced at her, spoiling her even more. "Daisy, that''s all right. Let me have a look at your wound first!" Tom bent over and skillfully undid the gauze; he frowned the moment he saw the wound. "The wound is a little bit too deep, and it need stitching. Do you want the local anesthesia? It may cause some adverse reactions, but you won''t feel any pain." Tom raised his head and stared at Daisy, and waited for her to answer. "No anaesthesia, thanks. Just close the wound." Daisy was aware of the risks caused by the local anaesthesia, and because the wound wasn''t that serious, she had to have only a few stitches done. She could handle the pain easily enough, because she had survived even more painful encounters over the years, both physical, and mental. "Jerry, can''t you give her the anaesthesia without the risks? *In the animated series "Tom and Jerry", one of the main characters is a mouse named Jerry. Edward calls Tom Qin Jerry. It''s painful without any!" said Edward. When he heard that she didn''t need the local anaesthesia, he began to feel nervous. His heart throbbed, as if he were the one who had to be stitched instead. "Aha! Jerry... this name sounds very domineering, but for a gentle and elegant person like you, this kind of name just sounds funny and ridiculous." Belinda couldn''t help but chuckle when she heard the nickname. Duke then pinched Belinda''s wrist, and said, "Stopughing, or he''ll get mad at you!" Tom wasn''t a weak person, and neither was he easy to be bullied. It was a disaster when he got mad, hence the nickname. "You thought I was omnipotent?" Tom nced at Belinda and slightly nodded his head, a gesture that could be regarded as a greeting. He then turned around, and roared at Edward, "Ignore him and let''s get started!" Daisy stared at Edward, and because she had no opinion on the matter, she didn''t know why Edward was so nervous. "Daisy, there will be a bit of pain, but I''m sure you''ll manage to get through it sister as soon as he had a wife. Daisy looked around the quiet living room, feeling uneasy. Hadn''t all of them left too fast? And all of a sudden? On the other hand, Edward didn''t have too many feelings or thoughts on them, because he had been already familiar with them. "Well, now that all people are gone,e my dear wife, and let''s deal with our own business!" Edward sluggishly yed with some of her lock of hair, and yfully stared at Daisy. "What business have to be dealt with?... I''m confused. Do we contradict on anything?" Daisy suspiciously frowned, and didn''t reply to his words for the moment. "Are you kidding me? Someone had given me absolute assurance. Do you need me to find a witness for you?" Edwardughed even more gracefully, and while he yfully stared at Daisy, the coldness of his eyes slowly began to seep into his stare. "Uh! So... Where is Justin going?" Daisy deliberately answered Edward with another question, and tried to guess whether he was angry or not. What trick did he want to y on her? "Please don''t bring Justin in this. He''s upstairs, taking a shower, to avoid Leena''s continuous harassment. So now you could figure out the reason why Leena was so quiet just now. Now, please don''t try to avoid my question again." Edward sped his hands together; it was clear that he was eager to hear her exnations. Chapter 178 You Lured Me "Emm... ... I need to take a shower." Daisy tried to get away with the situation as soon as possible, but her healthy arm was grabbed by Edward. "Well? What do you have to say now?" Edward could vividly remember the fear of losing her when he had seen her injured, and he tried to hide his painful feelings by talking with the others earlier. "Fine. Darling, I admit that it''s all my fault, and I swear that I will be more careful next time. Forgive me, please!" It was the first time that Daisy had yed coquetry with him, and her body was also clinging to him. Edward was stunned by her charming smile, and soft voice. She was very different from the time that they first met, and her aloofness had been reced by affection. Edward also didn''t believe that Daisy could act so coquettish, and he thought that something must be wrong. Did she have a fever? When he gently touched her forehead, he felt that her temperature was normal. If it wasn''t a fever, then what had caused her to act so abnormally? In the end, he didn''t care, because he loved her coquetry. Edward then showed his love in actions. He nted a wild and deep kiss on her delicate pink lips, and soon turned to suck on them. Edward only released Daisy when both of them had started to pant. Edward looked at her affectio fall for it this time!" Daisy smiled, because he was trying hard to fool her. "You''re the one who lured me in the first ce. It''s only been a while, and I suppose you still remember that." Edward leaned on the wall when he realized that he couldn''t get in, and decided to wait for her. "Edward, could you stop please? I need to take a shower now." Daisy began to regret about the coquetry she had yed with him, because Edward wouldn''t let it go anymore. Edward replied, "You can start at any time you like. I can''t see you anyway, " and then headed to the balcony. All that he could see was the endless starry night. Life was short, and Edward felt pretty lucky that he had gotten Daisy back after what they had been through. He didn''t know when he started to fall for her, but what he did know was that he loved to be in herpany all the time. Chapter 179 Reward The morning breeze gently swept over Daisy''s face. The soothing breath of wind had made her feel very delighted, and she gazed at Edward, who was driving the car attentively, and couldn''t help but disy a soft smile; she felt like she was the happiest woman in the world. "Why are you looking at me? Is there something dirty on my face?" asked Edward. When Edward turned his head and looked at Daisy, he met with her eyes, and saw that they had been already focused on him. "Yes, there is, " she replied. Daisy teased him with a joyful expression, and she found that it felt good to be cared and loved by someone. With a charming smile, Edward raised his eyebrows, and said, "Do you really think I believe you?" He knew that he was not that kind of sloppy man, and he was proud of maintaining his good looks perfect at any time. "You don''t have to drop me off to work, it''s only a small flesh wound; I can drive the car by myself. It''s not a big deal, so don''t make a big fuss about it. Did you forget that I''m a soldier in the army?" said Daisy. But her heart betrayed her words. She was very excited when Edward insisted on personally taking her to work, because she really enjoyed being with him. She cherished the beautiful moments when she raised her head, and she could see his handsome face. "Oh? Really? I remember someone saying the exact same thing when she went out yesterday night, but she got back with a wound. Do you really think that I''ll listen to your words now?" said Edward. He was upset because Daisy had brought up the topic. "It was only an ident, because I was too confident with myself, otherwise, they couldn''t have gotten the slightest chance to hurt me. Anyway, things like that don''t just happen everyday, " replied Daisy. It had been only a mishap, but now she was looked down upon by Edward. "That''s hard to say. I''d better be more cautious and send you there by myself." Edward didn''t want to experience the awful, frightening feelings that he had experienced yesterday. He was very distraught, and if this were to ever happen again, he would and for the moment he was totally unaware of his manner in public. "Oh! It''s not a big deal, it''s only a flesh wound with a couple of stitches. Don''t worry, it will heal soon enough, and I think it won''t affect the military exercises that we have to do in a couple of days, " said Daisy, with a gentle smile on her face. She walked with Kevin towards the office building, and their intimacy made someone''s heart sink. Edward had been looking at them for the whole time, and he hit the driving wheel with fury. His delighted mood had beenpletely spoiled by Kevin''s appearance. He thought, ''Why did I forget the fact that Kevin works with Daisy? Hmm, it seems that I have to win her heart as soon as possible. I can''t bear the thought of him getting Daisy, just because he has the advantage of a favored position...'' He had thought to wait in the parking lot for a while, and look at her until she entered the office building. He didn''t expect to see them being so close together, and although he watched them from a distance, he felt Kevin''s enthusiastic stare on Daisy. It made him feel jealous, and it made him have the urge to fight Kevin. He nced deeply at them until they disappeared inside the building, and then turned the key. The car started quickly, and soon disappeared from the ce, and the parking lot fell into silence again, as if the car had never parked there. Chapter 180 Why Am I Here Rain was such a lonely man when he remained calm in this solitude. He leisurelyid back in his chair on the balcony, with a cup of coffee in his hands, and looked at the beautiful sky above. His eyes seemed to be cold, and distant, but he seemed to be enjoying himself in the quiet of the morning, with the gentle warm breeze blowing over his face. A tender ray of sunshine touched the beautifuldy''s sleeping face, while a gentle breeze came flying through the silk curtain inside the room. Her eyshes suddenly started to tremble slightly, and her eyes gradually opened. She was unfamiliar with the room''s furnishing, but with the vibe in it, ustomed. She jumped out of the bed and immediately rubbed her forehead. She wasn''t feeling well because of her hangover, and curiously looked around her, barefoot. The ce was strange to her, but the scent in the air wasn''t. She had smelled it before on the man that she loved so deeply that she even sacrificed her individuality. The aromatic rose scent was as morous as his charming appearance was. She stepped forward, and saw the man that she had dreamed of for so long. She saw himying back in his chair on the balcony, charming her with hisziness. That was the character which attracted her most about him, but why was she really there, she wondered. She remembered that she had arrived in S City in a rush that night. To surprise him, she hadn''t contacted anyone in the FX International Group, and instead had gone straight to his cottage; what she saw there, broke her heart. She knew that it would be impossible for him to keep his celibacy for her during all these years, but she still couldn''t believe her eyes. She was standing outside his cottage, telling herself over and over again that the beautifuldy was just one of his close friends. When she didn''t see the womane out for the whole night, she realized that she was too naive. She didn''t know how she left the cottage; she thought that there were no reasons for her to appear in front of him. For all these past years, she had tried her best to change her personality and hobbie se it would have been unbearable to even think about the oue. "A name card? Oh! Do you mean that beautiful female officer?" Annie suddenly remembered what happened on that day. The world was pretty big, and what were the chances to meet the right person, at the right time? But, at the same time, the world was also pretty small, and what would have been the chances that a small ident would link two people together? ''Oh, she''s Edward''s wife; no wonder that she drove a luxury car. I had wondered if all the officers in the country have this privilege... No, I don''t think so, '' thought Annie. "Yes. You also know that she''s an officer?" Rain seemed a little surprised, probably because he had learned of Daisy''s identity just a few days ago. He wondered how Annie could know about this before him. "Yes, because she was wearing her uniform that day. And the name card she gave me showed that she is an officer, " said Annie. She remembered that she was very curious about Daisy after learning about her position. She didn''t know that she was Edward''s wife at that time. "Okay, let''s go. Put on your shoes and let''s go downstairs to have the breakfast. You can thank herter when you have the time, she got hurt because of youst night, " said Rain. He wondered why she had drunk so much alcohol, making her pass out like that. ''Doesn''t she know already that she can''t hold her drink?'' he thought. Chapter 181 Today Is My Birthday "What? She got hurt? Why don''t I remember anything about this? Is it serious?" Annie asked in a state of panic. She wondered what she had done yesterday. And how things got so serious. "Don''t worry, it''s a minor wound. It will recover soon. Don''t feel so guilty about it." Rain didn''t expect this reaction from her. He tried tofort her. But he didn''t intend to hide the facts. "Really? I don''t remember what happened yesterday. Howe Daisy was bringing me back?" Annie thought carefully but failed to remember anything. Was it a coincidence that they met in the recreational ce? But that was highly unlikely. Annie thought. "I heard that the bartender had called Daisy. You had her card with you." said Rain. He reached out his hands and held her cold hands with some hesitation. Annie turned stiff by his action. His big hands were quite warm. The warmth was like an electric current that shocked her into numbness. Her heart was beating faster. She nced furtively at his handsome face. She knew she would be mesmerized by his charming face under any circumstances. "Oh! Is Edward angry with me?" asked Annie Thinking of this attractive and handsome man, Annie seemed a little wavering with her question. "No, he''s not that mean." Rain pursed his lips and said. Edward was not angry with Annie, but that didn''t mean he was not angry with Daisy. He seemed furiousst night. It appeared that he would blow his top any second. Annie followed Rain downstairs, holding hands. Her long hair and dress swirled, bellowing with the speed of her steps as if she were dancing like an angel who had just fallen from the heaven. Rain wanted to ask her why she didn''t contact him. But when he thought of Aaron'' also invited you to dinner, right? Why don''t we take this chance to get together." In fact, Leo had invited Edward only because Mary had asked him to do so. Maryined that she never got the chance to be alone with Edward. So she came up with the idea of asking her father to invite him. She didn''t expect that Edward would refuse. Therefore she had to find another excuse to invite Edward. "Okay, let me check my schedule first. If I am free tonight, I wille." Edward replied. Since Luke hadn''te back with any information on the investigation. He decided to do the search himself. Nevertheless, their peculiar family intrigued him. "Okay, Edward, I will be waiting for the good news." Mary got excited because she had secretly checked Edward''s schedule beforehand. She knew there were no meetings on his schedule after 4 pm. She was thrilled to hear Edward''s words. "Okay. You can get to work now if there is nothing else. Anna,e in!" Edward said. Since Edward had be used to Daisy''s beautiful face without any makeup, he became repulsive to women wearing heavy makeup. It seemed that he had changed his taste in women. Chapter 182 Sounds Interesting "Sir, something happened in the entertainmentpany. The A-lister celebrity Coco wants to see you. She imed that she was cheated by some unknown rulesid down by the director. She wants an exnation." Anna said with a frown, she wondered why the entertainmentpany was getting into so much troubletely. Every issue was challenging in its own way. "What? When did it happen? Have you stopped the news from spreading? Summon the manager of thepany here and ask Aaron toe to my office immediately." Edward loosened his tie and calmly gave the orders. He could easily make sensible decisions and give orders in a systematic way even under such challenging circumstances. "It happened yesterday. I blocked the news as soon as I got to know about it. And the rted online videos have been blocked too. But still, it has caused some sensation. Today''s stock market is also getting affected by this." Anna said and raised her head to notice how he would react. "Okay. Don''t care about the stock market now. Do as I tell you. Organize a press conference about the nude pictures scandal to decrease the impact on the public. As for her request for seeing me, just ignore it. When everything bes clear after investigation, bring her contract to me, I need to consider well over its renewal." Edward sneered while twisting the pen in his hand. ''Did she want to see me? She probably thinks too highly of herself. The entertainmentpany would go well with or without her. There are many other top-tier celebrities out there. She wants to y hardball with us. It seems that she doesn''t want to stay with the FX International Group anymore. She is testing my patience.'' Edward thought. "Okay, sir. There is another piece of information that you should know about. Coco is Jessica''s cousin." Anna paused and said before she was about to leave. She thought it was n caught in a dilemma now. "Oh. You need to call Mr. Rain about this matter. Annie is at his ce now. You have to close this as quickly as possible. There are more important things waiting for your attention." Edward raised his eyebrows and looked at him with a cunning expression. ''Tit for tat is fair y. I will not attack unless I am attacked. If I am attacked, I will certainly counterstrike with double efforts. That''s my principle.'' Edward thought. "Important things? Sounds interesting. What''s so important?" Aaron was curious about his next assignment. He felt excited to know about it. He was looking for a fun and challenging assignment. "Just do as I told you. I will tell you everything when the time is right." Edward said and waved his hands at him, indicating that he would not reveal his n yet. Aaron stared at him thinking. ''Edward is so annoying. He aroused my curiosity intentionally. But he doesn''t want to reveal anything to me. It is painfully beguiling. He is so shameless!'' Edward ignored Aaron''s sad look and began to work on the files at his hands. ''The game would be spoiled if I have disclosed too much right now. Let Aaron stay curious for a few days. It''s a good thing to let him feel involved.'' Edward thought. Chapter 183 The Press Conference FX International Group was a wealthy and influentialpany. It had attracted many people. Many people wanted to hop on the FX bandwagon. The scandals had once served a lot of newspapers and magazines, but in thest few months, there had been no gossip because of the sudden change in their CEO''s lifestyle. Now that this incident surfaced, the media reporters wouldn''t let go of this golden opportunity. Aaron had anticipated that FX International Group''s press conference would be quite spectacr. Yet, he was sweating profusely at the sight of the thick crowd. No wonder the CEO didn''te himself. Aaron was being used as a cannon fodder. The opening remarks were some hollow words. Now that Aaron was Edward''s personal assistant, he needed to answer every question smartly at such an important asion. "Aaron, could you please tell us how yourpany manages the private lives of female artists." It was obvious that the reporter wasn''t professional, that''s why his question was superficial. "Ourpany ismitted to creating afortable working atmosphere for the artists, not their private lives. Everyone should have their own private space, and the stars are no exception." Aaron smiled faintly with the kind of wisdom and calmness that''s normally seen in the top management. Following Edward''smands, he deliberately yed tactics. "Is it true that Mr. Edward secretly keeps a woman in his vi? Does this woman have any rtionship with the entertainment industry?" The topic suddenly shifted from the pornographic incident to Edward''s private life. They had been probing about this for a few months, as it was rtively valuable news. They were eager to find more from the moment he was exposed as having an illegitimate child. But who knew that he would suddenly refuse to appear in the public, and they had no way to interview, so they too e. "What, how did this happen all of a sudden? Why did you mess up with him?" Daisy did not pick up her military cap and ran out quickly. Lieutenant Colonel Hank was quite opinionated. Hank always felt that he had not been rated as a colonel because of Daisy, so he held?a grudge and he kept making trouble for Daisy. "We did not mess up with him! It was only a friendly match between the two regiments. Who knew that Hank would start his own battle after they lost. There was no match for him! So we lost." The soldier ran beside Daisy and reported in a low voice. How could they know Hank would beat them so hard? They didn''t dare to fight with him because of his status. "How is the situation now, still fighting?" Daisy frowned, a wave of anxiousness appeared on her cold face, and her pace increased unconsciously. "Yes, he said that he wanted topete with you." The soldier said slyly and nced at her. He felt that Hank had provoked today''s incident deliberately and his purpose was to let their colonelpete with him. "What, he still hasn''t given up?" Daisy paused for a moment. Last time, Hank had a fight with him because he was not convinced. It was unexpected that Hank provoked the incident again after losingst time. Chapter 184 The Wound Opened "Colonel, what are you gonna do? Another game?" The soldier was hesitant when he saw her bandaged arm. "If that''s what he wants." Daisy always looked down on Hank, so she tried to minimize time spent with him. She just couldn''t understand how she had annoyed him, and why he made life difficult for her. Daisy and the soldier went to the training ground, and the other men were getting beaten by Hank, who challenged them to fight, screaming at them. Daisy was furious when she witnessed this, especially at his arrogant words. "Well, anyone else? How about your colonel? Think she can take me?" Hank was not that much older than Daisy, but he was insidious. He was intimidating for sure, which was why people thought he was much older. "Since Hank wants to fight me so bad, I''d look like a wuss if I don''t agree." Daisy said coldly with a hint of yfulness, and walked up to Hank. The soldiers immediately perked up. They were excited that theirmanding officer might put this bully in his ce. "Don''t be so arrogant! You won''t be so lucky this time." Hank quipped. He was big and strong, built like other soldiers. Compared to Hank, Daisy looked puny. "Hah! My victory wasn''t by luck. So, you wanna throw down?" Daisy smiled, but her smile was so cold it dropped the temperature in the area. "We''ll see if you were lucky or not." Hank sneered with a cold smile. He always hated this woman. She lived alone with her kid. Why was everyone on her side, even themander? Wasn''t that favoritism? He didn''t see anything remarkable about her. And she always pretended to be honorable and confident, which was so fucking disgusting. "So, how do you wanna do this? Fi nearly leapt from his chest. He came up to her immediately after the battle was finished. "OK! I found you. All done?" Daisy didn''t look at her wound at all, only caring about the task assigned to Mark this morning. "It''s all done. The military exercises will go well. But, your wound..." Mark said hesitantly, staring at the bloody gauze. There was a trace of worry on his face. "It''s OK. The wound just opened a little bit. I''ll let the medic handle itter. Send me home tonight. Get familiar with the route, by the way." Daisy went up to the soldiers. She felt sad when she saw them. They would suffer injuries in training anyway, but being beaten up by someone... It was as if her children had been bullied. Her annoyance at Hank rose like bile. "Those of you who are okay, back to training. If you got hurt, report to the infirmary. And next time, if you''re sparring with someone who wants to hurt you, like Hank, show no mercy." Daisy knew that her soldiers were awesome. But judging by their injuries, they didn''t try their best. They''d know not to let Hank intimidate them. They''d know better next time. Chapter 185 Edward, I Miss You "Colonel, what happened here?" Kevin asked, looking at the injured soldiers. Seeing Daisy was bleeding again, he felt sorry for her. "I''m fine. I just had apetition with Hank." Daisy answered him indifferently with a faint smile. The pain in her arm was reminding her how hard that punch was. "What''s wrong with him? Why is he so keen onpeting with you?" Kevin didn''t like Hank''s narrow-mindedness. ''A man holding a grudge against a woman. Who does that?'' "Who knows? He''s an odd duck, and always forces his will on others." Hank hadpeted with Daisy many times, but never won. Nheless, he kept trash talking her, saying she hadn''t obtained her military rank through hard work. Of course, it wasn''t true, but she didn''t know why he thought like that. "Ignore him. Let''s go! I''ll take you to the infirmary and have the wound bandaged again. If it keeps re-opening, the wound will never heal." Kevin knew that some people had problems with Daisy privately, but Hank was the first to make a public spectacle of his problems. "I can go by myself. It''s just a small injury. You go back to your work." Daisy didn''t want to bother him with such a small wound. With the war game approaching, he had to be as busy as she was. "Fine. Take care. Watch that. You don''t want it to get infected." Kevin didn''t insist, although he never stopped caring about her. He didn''t want to pressure her. "OK. Mark, let''s go." Daisy ney, I miss you too, very much. Are you OK?" His voice quavered. ''This isn''t her. Something must have happened.'' "Yes, I''m fine. I just wanted to hear your voice." They loved each other, true. But he cared too much about his pride to tell the truth; she hesitated while she was already deeply in love. So neither of them expressed just how much they meant to each other, their deepest love. That was a mistake that might cost them. "What happened? I know you. This isn''t like you." Edward didn''t believe her, although he was overjoyed to hear her sweet words. "Edward, do you have to kill the mood? I was trying to give you a feel of being a man. You just don''t understand it. Never mind. I have to work, you masochist!" Daisy hung up the phone angrily. She forgot that she was not allowed to hang up first. However, Edward was all smiles after the call. ''She''s herself again.'' That was what he wanted. It didn''t matter anymore who hung up first. Chapter 186 Why Are You Here Edward sank into his chair, rubbing between his eyebrows worriedly. He remembered the invitation from Mary, but he wasn''t sure whether Daisy woulde with him. Then he recalled what she said earlier. He became more anxious. After looking at the clock, Edward abruptly grabbed his car keys and strode toward the door. "Mr. Mu, are you leaving?" Anna almost bumped into Edward as she was about to knock on the door with a pile of paper in her arms. "Yes. Anything urgent?" Frowning, Edward stared at the papers Anna was holding. "No. But the C Financial Group signed the contract. Do you want to have a look?" Anna asked hesitantly. Edward seemed preupied, and she had never seen him like this. "No. I''ll look it over tomorrow. Call me if there''s anything earthshaking." Edward was a handsome man, and his every move or look was alluring. Women usually couldn''t pry their eyes away from him once they saw him. They adored him and longed for his touch. But Anna didn''t. She knew that there was no way she could handle Edward. "Yes, Mr. Mu. I''ll see you tomorrow." Anna stepped aside to let Edward pass. "Okay. Bye." Edward replied calmly. He was satisfied with Anna. She always finished her work, and the quality was top-notch. She was a hard worker. And she knew her ce -- she never tried to seduce Edward. It was afternoon, and it was hot. It felt like the ground was burning up. Edward hated it. He popped into his car and cranked the AC. After turning on the music, he loosened his tie and tossed it to the passenger side. He loosened the top two orning? Why does he show up then?'' Daisy was puzzled. Luke wasn''t too concerned when a vehicle drove out of the base. But he sprang into action as it rolled up next to Edward''s car. He didn''t know it was Daisy, so he immediately got out of his car and strode forward. It was his job to protect Edward. However, he wondered why Edward would be so uncaring when a strange car stopped near him. Daisy stepped out of the car as Luke approached. Surprised, Luke paused. He didn''t expect to see her. "Mrs. Mu, It''s you. Mr. Mu is..." Puzzled, Luke looked in the windows and only to find Edward was sound asleep, reclining in his car. No wonder he didn''t notice Daisy''s car. Little hard to do that with your eyes closed in sleep. "Why are you here?" asked Daisy with a furrowed brow. He must be tired. Edward got up extra early that morning in order to drive Daisy to work. And he drove all the way here again to see her. He didn''t call her because he was too tired; he wanted to take a nap before she got off work. At least he caught some z''s. Chapter 187 My Figure Is Super Hot "Mr. Mu came here on the spur of the moment. I really don''t know why." What Luke said was true. Wherever Edward went, he followed and never asked why. "Okay. "Luke, go with Mark. Show him the way to our house. Edward and I will be alongter." Even though Edward was there to pick her up, she still thought it important to show Mark where she lived. Something told her he might feel better knowing she lived in a beautiful house. "Okay, Mrs. Mu." Since Edward would be with Daisy, there was nothing for Luke to worry about. "Mark, go with Luke! Follow his car. Take it slow driving through that neighborhood. When you get there, rx. Just feel at home like you''re on base. And Justin''s there too. Let him know I''ll be home in a bit." said Daisy. Daisy worried that Mark would be overwhelmed when he saw Edward''s luxury house. He needed to be prepared. "Okay, Colonel." Mark replied. Mark grew up in a rural area. So it was rare for him to see rich people like Edward who drove luxury cars. He was excited to visit Daisy''s ce, but he was also nervous--he didn''t know what to expect. But Daisy just told him to chill, and he felt better. Daisy nodded at them, watching them leave. Then she turned her head to look at the man sleeping soundly in the car. She smiled softly and reached out her hands to see if the car door was unlocked. It was. Why? She frowned with doubt, and then she gently sat down in the car. She tilted her head to gaze at his handsome face. Her heart was full of happiness and sweetness. There were countless women who wanted him. But at this moment, he belonged only to her. She raised her hand and touched his forehead, and felt his delicate skin. She indulged herself in this moment. This was unimaginable for her. She had dreamed of this opportunity thousands of times and it was right here within reach. Edward was beside her. She felt free to touch his warm skin simply by raising her hand. This made her very emotional. ''He looks very charming. No wonder he''s alway e just made fun of him off the top of her head. She didn''t think Edward would have that reaction. So she decided to continue teasing him. "Daisy, how can youpare me with those rude soldiers? I''m a gentleman!" said Edward. He had the urge to strangle her now. He was so angry that his face went red. ''How could shepare me with a soldier? Are her soldiers as handsome as me? Are they as beautiful and talented as me? Or do they have the same handsome figure? Huh! How could she say they''re strong? They are all stocky and rough men. How dare shepare them with me?'' "Why are you so upset? Your voice is deafening. What''s wrong with my soldier boys? Do they annoy you? Then you shouldn''t despise them. I''m a soldier, you know. And I know they''re all better and hotter than you!" Daisy raised her eyebrows and smiled. It was better to make him irritated now. So she would not feel embarrassed. "Daisy! Are you trying to make me angry?" Edward said, narrowing his dangerous eyes. He gnashed his teeth and looked at Daisy. She was smiling gracefully. ''Do I really look so bad? So now I''m the one being teased. That''s fine. But she had the insolence, the arrogance to say that the soldiers are hotter than me. I need to teach her a good lesson. She''s constantly testing my limits.'' Edward thought. ''She needs to know when to stop.'' Chapter 188 A Tragic Couple Daisy smiled cleverly and pushed Edward''s slightly exposed chest. When the furious man fell into the chair, Daisy''s eyebrows curled, and she quickly pressed her soft lips onto Edward''s, which were still trembling out of anger. She softly bit on them as retribution for his cranky noisy yelling. Edward didn''t expect a 180 degree turn would suddenlye from her, and waspletely lost before he felt the sharp sting on his lips. He knew exactly what hisdy was doing, and it seemed that his wife had known his temperament pretty well. She knew what she had do to immediately calm him down. But what was she doing now? ''Is this woman''s Chinese zodiac a dog? Why would she bite me like this? Does she subconsciously consider this a kiss?'' Thought Edward. If that was the case, then he would have to teach her to do it properly. Edward changed from being passive, to being active. He held Daisy by the back of her head, and fire suddenly burned gleaming in his eyes. He chased after her delicate tongue, and absorbed every drop of her scent and taste. His kiss was forceful yet tender, and their initial passion had now be a romantic intertwining, a rush, a gentle savoring of the senses. He showed Daisy what a kiss should truly feel like, definitely not a frantic series of random bites. Their passion had quickly heated up, and Daisy was no longer biting Edward; instead, her tongue was forced to twirl with Edward''s, and her breath lost its rhythm. Her weakened body leaned against his, and for the moment, Daisy entirely forgot who and where she was. It was an abandonment of herself, and the perceptive Edward quickly and carefully exploit it. Following the extended kiss, Edward reluctantly pulled back from her fiery lips, but if they had been in a better ce, and at a better time, he would have never let her go so easily. For the time bein dy." Edwardughed wickedly, eager to see how Daisy would defend herself. "Screw you, don''t piece me in with you! Even if somehow I had the misfortune of indeed bing andy, I still would do my duty as a soldier, and still would fight dirty profiteers like you to the end." Daisy then smartly put on her military cap, mocking Edward. Edward was dumbfounded. The woman knew how to shut his naturally arrogant ass down. He had always been proud of his powerful position, yet in her words, it sounded worthless. "Haha! I''m not afraid. Even if I were dragged into a struggle session, you wouldn''t be spared. We''d then be a tragic couple!" Hopeless, Edward shook his head andughed. Everybody else would kill for any kind of connection with him, yet Daisy rejected him in the bluntest of ways. She said, "Who''d want to be a tragic couple with you? If you''re brought to a struggle session, I would be the one to report you. The goal is to draw a clear line between someone like me, and a profiteer like you." Daisy remembered the luxury cars in Edward''s garage, and automatically curled her lips out of resentment. She had had enough of this guy. Why did he have to buy so many luxury cars? Was he going to drive them all? Chapter 189 I Dont Know Them "Honey, c''mon, don''t be so cruel, I''m your husband. How can you have the heart to do that to me?" asked Edward. He fastened Daisy''s safety belt and then gently kissed her on her forehead. Then he buckled up himself, smiled at her, and slowly started the car. Daisy blushed a little, and thought, ''Is it really necessary to say so many sweet words?'' He did all kinds of thoughtful things for her as he joked. How could she not love such a tender man like him? "I told you that Mark would drive me home. Why did youe?" The question was eventually raised, the one that Daisy had been dying to ask. She now evaded his yful tone on purpose. "Didn''t somebody say she missed me? I rushed here to let you see me. Aren''t you moved?" While holding the steering wheel, Edward nced sidelong at her, half yful, and half serious. He looked both charming and mischievous. "Yes, I am. I''m so moved that I put myself in a perilous position, like a sheep falling straight into the tiger''s mouth." Although Daisy was happy inside, she acted otherwise. "Wait a second. Honey, didn''t you say that you were a dog? How did you be a sheep all of a sudden?" Edward was much more eloquent, and it seemed he had a reply ready for everything she was throwing at him. Daisy was annoyed. "Are you driving the damn car or correcting me?" Daisy cursed whenever she was pissed off. ''Why does this guy have to take everything so seriously? Can''t he just humor me for once?'' she thought. "Fine. Seriously now, are you going to see the Ouyangs tonight?" Edward asked cautiously, and observed her expression. This was the first time that he had with her. She had to leave him, and her heart broke every time she recalled his anger at her. Edward didn''t pursue the question. He looked sideways at Daisy. He didn''t know what had made her so sad, or what Daisy was thinking about. At that moment, she looked even colder than usual. Edward was worried that they might go back to square one. Why did the Ouyangs make her mood swing so abruptly? What had he missed? His heart ached to watch her like that, and he wished he would be able to work out all the puzzles and find out where her sadness hade from. The phone rang, and the silence broke. Edward frowned, and picked up his phone in the front of the car. It was an unknown number. It was weird, because unknown numbers had hardly called him until then. Who was it? Daisy turned around, and asked, "Won''t you answer it?" She was bothered, because the ringtone had interrupted her meditation. "Um, yeah, right away." Edward had thought to hang up, but he was afraid that it might produce a misunderstanding, and that Daisy might think he was hiding something from her. Chapter 190 Do You Mind About Them Edward hesitated for a moment, but answered the call with a frown. There was even a touch of irritation on his face. "Hello! Who''s it?" asked Edward. He had always spoken in amanding manner, and his tone sounded very unfriendly, and harsh. "Edward, it''s me, Mary. The party is just about to start, I called you to ask when will you be arriving." Mary held her breath and exchanged nces with Yakira, who was standing beside her. "Oh! Miss Ouyang, I''m sorry, but I''m caught with some other matters at home. It seems that I will be unable to attend to your party. I''m sorry for disappointing you." Edward took a nce at Daisy, and looked a little concerned. Daisy had shifted her attention from the scenery out of the window to Edward when she heard him say "Miss Ouyang." She curiously gazed at his face, trying to find some sort of clues. "Ah! That''s a pity! But really, don''t you have some time at all? My parents and I are looking forward to youring, " said Mary, with a downcast look. Even the exquisite makeup on her face couldn''t cover her sudden gloom. "Sorry, and please send my deepest apology to your parents, but I promise to visit them on another day." Although he didn''t know what had happened between her and Daisy, Mary was still Daisy''s family, and he acted very politely. "Okay. That''s fine then, " replied Mary. Her eyes raged with fury, and she thought, ''Some matters at home? I guess Daisy was the one who ruined my n. That damn maid! I was pped by herst time, but I haven''t gotten the chance to revenge myself on her, yet. I didn''t expect that she would offend me so soon. Let''s wait and see how long she can keep being socent. Now that Edward has a love child, and even better, that Jessica is also pregnant with his child. Does she really think she can stay Edward''s wife for good?'' thought Mary. As soon as Mary hung up the phone, Yakira eagerly asked her, "What''s going on? What did Edward say?" This woman was a timeserver, and she looked very cruel from her appearance. "He said that he won''te, because he has some matters to deal with at home. Mom, I don''t care what happens, you and dad must help me at all costs, I''m determined to marry Edward! e me, or otherwise she would have minded about my past affairs. Am I destined to be kept out of her heart and wait in agony?'' thought Edward. Daisy also was very surprised of Edward''s reply. ''What did he mean with that? Does he really think that I don''t mind?'' thought Daisy. Their conversation had gone into a verbal stalemate. They thought oppositely, and guessed how much they weighed in each others'' hearts. Nevertheless, they were reluctant to disclose their true feelings to each other. The exorbitant appearance of the car added color to the bustling city, making it look fancier and More sophisticated. The sunset glow fell on the car and reflected a radiant light. Their sweet and gentle moment had be a thing of the past, and now there was only silence between them. Meanwhile, in Edward''s cottage, the ce had been filled with Justin''s excitement for Mark''s arrival. In the military base, Mark was the one who had cared about him the most besides his mother. Justin was only a child, and his mind was very simple, and because of that he would often get close to the people who were nice to him. He and Mark were friends. Although Mark had been prepared to see the grandeur of the ce, when he actually saw the vastnd upied by Edward''s house, he was still overwhelmed, and not to mention his expression on his face when he saw that the garage was filled with famous luxury cars from all around the world. He was bbergasted by everything! Chapter 191 The Immortal Fighter Justin smiled delightedly, and said, "Uncle Mark, what takes you so long toe to see me?" He was always pleased to see his uncle Mark dressed in the olive green uniform. He began to miss the days he had spent with his uncles in the military base. He didn''t know if the old Commander had assigned too much work to his mom after his leave, but he was sure that she could prove to be a match for everything his cunning would throw at her. And about Lieutenant Colonel Hank, Justin also wondered whether he was still picking at his mother constantly. "I trained with your mom. And shortly after we returned from our training, we began to busy ourselves again with the military exercises. Haven''t you noticed that your mother was very busy thesest couple of days? Anyway, the worst thing was that Hank asked your mother to fight one-on-one with him, even though he knew that your mom was already wounded. It scared me half to death!" While he was talking, Mark was looking everywhere around the living room, and although Daisy had already asked him to feel at home, everything around him still seemed to be a little bit too luxurious for him to handle. He pretended to be calm and rxed, because, thanks to Daisy and the long periods of time that he had spent with her, over time, Mark had managed to learn some sort of indifference to everything from her. "What? That snakemitted some acts of hubris to mom again? Is my mom okay?" Justin was upset when he heard this. Although the wound wasn''t that serious, the stitches still could''ve split. "Um! The wound reopened, and your mom went to the infirmary to get new stitches..." Mark still felt frightened when he thought of this. The procedure involved pulling out the old sutures, reducing the inmmation and disinfecting it again, which all sounded to be very painful. The sweat t also on the inside, his heart was filled with an endless mncholy when he heard that she suffered again. "I''m okay, I just wasn''t careful with the wound. Lieutenant Colonel Hank is a hell of a guy!" Daisy didn''t want to see the morose look on Edward''s face, which made her feel somehow sad, and she made a joke to cheer up the people. Mark was shocked at her joke, and thought to himself, ''Is she really our colonel?'' He had never seen the wicked side of Daisy in the army, not until now. "Pff! Mom, judging from what he did to you, and dad''s reaction, I don''t think so. I don''t think he''s a bit nice." There were two reasons to exin why a soldier couldn''t be up for promotion in the army anymore. The first one was that he had reached the top, and the second was that he couldn''t live up to that standard of life. Lieutenant Colonel Hank couldn''t get promoted because of the second. "Justin, don''t discredit people! After all, he is much older than you., and you should respect him!" said Daisy, with a cold expression written on her face. No matter what Lieutenant Colonel Hank had done to her, she didn''t want it to affect Justin and stir up rancor deep inside him, because this was not helpful for his growing up. Chapter 192 The Anger of Colonel Ouyang Edward looked at his wife with curious eyes, because he didn''t know what her true character was truly like. Was she too kind, or maybe too rational, that she seldom lost her temper in every situation? Being kind was good, but sometimes it could also cause you trouble, because others would find you a softie, and begin to harass you. "Okay! Mom, I understand, and I''m very sorry. Please forgive me, " apologized Justin in a low voice. He instantly recognized his mother''s angry face, and Justin hastened to say sorry; otherwise, push-ups would wait for him as his punishment. "Justin, you''re a boy, and should be more broad-minded. Don''t hold grudges against others just because of a mere trifle, or otherwise, you''re just as bad as those who have hurt you." Daisy began to moderate her tone, but it was still harsh enough to show Justin that he did something wrong. "Okay, okay, cut it out! It''s the first time that Mark hase to visit us, and I''m sure that he''s not here for your criticism. Let''s leave, so that Justin and he can have some fun." Justin nced at Edward with sad eyes, a hint asking Edward to get him out of trouble, but Edward wasn''t sure whether his words would work or not. Daisy seemed to be in a really bad mood. She frowned, and stopped focusing on Justin. She then turned around and gave Mark a piercing stern look, because she was sure that Mark had told her son everything that had happened in the military base; otherwise, Justin wouldn''t have known so many details. Mark backed up a few steps, startled by the angry look Daisy projected on him. Whenever those angry eyes appeared, it meant that she was really mad at him, and that he would be severely punished during their drill training. ''Justin, you''re killing me!'' thought Mark to himself. It wasn''t the first time that Daisy had caught Mark red-handed. She squinted at him, and said, "Mark, I have no idea you could be such a gossip! You''ve been at my home for such a short time and have already talked something about m e daytime, she preferred to stay in the living room. Daisy frowned when she saw that his wet hair was dripping water on the floor, but she didn''t say anything about it, and instead walked into the bathroom, confusing him even more. Edward asked himself, ''Is she ignoring me on purpose to try to tell me that she''s angry?'' "Come here and sit down." Daisy took a bath towel and pointed at a chair, beckoning him to sit down. Edward was then at a loss for what to do next... Even though he didn''t know what she was getting at, he did what he was told. He knew that Daisy was in a pretty bad mood, and thought that for the moment it would be better not to do anything against her wishes. When the soft towel touched his skin, Edward finally learnt what his wife was trying to do all along. He was relieved when he felt her warm fingers running through his wet hair. Edward smiled, because he knew that Daisy really cared about him. She slowly dried his shiny hair. Edward was sought by every woman in the world, because he was very handsome. Daisy said, "Don''t leave your dirty clothes on the floor from now on, okay? I''ll be mad at you if that ever happens again." It was easy to dry his hair because he wore it short. Edward usually didn''t bother to dry it, and instead walked around with it soaking wet, dripping water everywhere. Chapter 193 It Feels Nice To Have You At My Side "Honey, you''re bribing me!" Edward turned and took her in his arms. Drops of water beaded on his naked skin. He looked hot and fascinating. "What if I am? Is it working?" Daisy blushed to see his bare chest, although she had seen it before. "Since my dear wife asked, consider it done." Edward teased her. She blushed readily. Every time they got intimate, her face reddened. "Edward, it feels nice to have you at my side, " Daisy said in a barely audible voice. Too embarrassed to meet his eyes, she buried her face in his arms, and immersed herself in the scent of jasmine on his body. Edward didn''t hear her. He embraced her with his chin on her head. He enjoyed it and loved her even more. Came evening, they had a nice dinner. As Daisy''s retinue, Mark had to stick around. He had already packed a travel bag (at Daisy''s suggestion) with a toothbrush, razor, etc. and slept in the guest room. Justin loved this arrangement, because he would have one more ymate. He had fun that evening, unlike Leena. The proposal was never far from her thoughts, and she kept turning it over and over again in her mind. Thinking of the next day''s arrangement, Leena sighed. Kevin''s proposal was tempting, but she was uncertain about marrying a stranger. She knew nothing about him, such as his family, his age; did he like someone? On the other hand, she was attracted to the personal space he had promise de a mistake with Belinda and him, what if it were someone else? Would they let it go easily? "If you keep pushing me, I''ll find someone and get married tomorrow!" Leena yelled. "Really? If you can, I won''t mind." Dukeughed. He thought she was bluffing. ''I''ll wait and see how you will find a man to marry you overnight.'' "Brother, remember what you just said! Promise me that you won''t send me to France if I get married tomorrow." Leena made up her mind to marry Kevin. Duke had driven her to it. ''Marrying a stranger is no big deal! Maybe it will be exciting. After all, he is a handsome young military officer.'' "A bargain is a bargain. But if you cheat, the deal is off." Duke smiled. Evidently, he didn''t believe she would be able to get married the next day. And he would never believe that it was his words that helped Leena make up her mind. How would he react when he found out? It would be interesting to find out! Chapter 194 Youre About My Uncles Age Kevin was dressed to kill, in full military uniform, with order insignias and full-size medals. This was the kind of thing typically worn at ceremonies, official receptions, and other special asions. Early this morning, he drove out of the military base. He had gotten everything ready yesterday. And the only thing he could do right now was to wait for Leena to tell him of her decision. He took a deep breath and waited for her expectantly. He thought, ''I know it''s moving too fast. We only know each others'' names. We don''t know each other well, nor have we been introduced to one another''s families. Is she the one for me? Am I the one for her? But who cares? I''ll leave it up to fate.'' It was still early when he arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau. There were several couples in line in front of him. And as he expected, no sign of Leena. He thought, ''I''m not sure if she''sing or not. But I promised that I''d wait for her the whole day. I intend to keep that promise.'' People came to the Civil Affairs Bureau in pairs, but he was alone. People stared at him curiously, but he didn''t care. He tried to ignore all the inquisitive nces, stared at a spot on the wall and lost himself in thought. Time was ticking away. He let other couples go ahead of him and smiled back when they expressed their gratitude. He stared at the entryway, as if waiting for Leena to appear. Leena overslept and totally forgot what she was supposed to do today. She took her time brushing her teeth, washing up and having breakfast. After that, she plopped herself down and began browsing the. She had sev of her from now on. My love for Daisy is in the past. It has to be. In fact, we need to learn to let go of someone sometimes for our own sake. Knowing that Daisy is happy with her family is enough for me.'' "Leena, is everything okay?" asked Kevin. Seeing her expression, he was amused. He caressed her fair face and brushed her hair away. "Ah! Kevin, you''re old! You''re about my uncle''s age.'''' said Leena. She frowned and thought, ''The difference in our ages might be a problem. Opinions, musical tastes, all of it. I hadn''t thought of that before...'' "I''m not old. Just look at my handsome face. Have you ever seen it on a middle-aged man?" asked Kevin. He was going crazy and thought, ''As a single, rich man, I''m just ten years older than her. And now she has a problem with my age? Why does she look desperate? Am I that old?'' "Well! Let me check. You have a good-looking face as well as a gorgeous body. But I''m concerned. Are you just eye candy, and useless in every other way?'''' asked Leena. She didn''t realize that her remarks got his imagination going. Chapter 195 Im Not Interested In Being A Widow "Useless? That''s not what you said the night we met. As I recall I was pretty good at it." Kevin said with a crooked smile, regarding Leena yfully. Leena was dumbstruck by his words. He was a devil in a suit. He couldn''t be more brazen, could he? "Er¡­ I want to go home now." Leena could feel her cheeks burning in embarrassment. If she were an ostrich, her head would be buried in the sand. How could all men be so wicked nowadays? "Let''s get lunch first. I''m starving. And we need to talk, don''t you think?" Kevin frowned. He was afraid he''d miss her, so he stayed where he promised he would be, waiting. Even during the lunch break he''d sit in his car, keeping an eye on the spot where she might appear. "What? Haven''t you had lunch yet?" Leena looked at him apologetically. It was all her fault. But she really didn''t mean it! "It''s fine. We can still get something to eat now. Let''s go." Kevin reached out and held her slender soft hand, so naturally, as if he had done it a thousand times before. His hand was thick and huge. Leena''s heart skipped a beat. It was the second time he took her hand and the feeling was so strange that she couldn''t put it into words. Her heart was warmed by the sensation. Kevin looked over Leena''s dazzling Porsche. He could see from the car that she was from a wealthy family. He was curious about the slings and arrows of the future. What kinds of problems mighte up? And would he be well-equipped to take up arms against a sea of troubles? They drove separately to the Mochan Restaurant. Kevin booked a private room where they could have a good talk. The suite was elegant and warm, as if to reflect their present mood. It was much e ill there be problems if they find out about your investment? Like suspensions or investigations?" Leena paused uncertainly, biting her lip. Investing was still counted as a business, right? "Good. You are worried about me already." Kevin teased her, smiling. "I''m not interested in being a widow." Leena curled her lips, suggesting that she was serious about this. "Don''t worry. You''re not going to be a widow. How could I leave my new bride?" Kevin leaned back in his chair, staring at her yfully. "I am d my ignorance amused you." Sly as Leena was, she soon realized he was teasing her. Kevin justughed and said nothing. He had mixed feelings about Leena and wasn''t sure how to act around her. It wasn''t about the age gap. It was more of a personality thing. How would she react to this or that? He wanted to proceed carefully until he knew. "Leena, tell me about your family. I want everything set up before the military exercise." As a soldier, Kevin never liked running away from problems. He was used to getting things done quick and clean. He was determined to meet her family as soon as possible. Chapter 196 What Should We Do Now "Ah! Well... What should we do now?" Leena felt flustered. If Mr. Cold knew that she got married today, what would happen to her? Probably he would strangle the life out of her! Leena thought. "Of course you should move to my apartment first. Pack up your things tonight when you get back. I''ll pick you up. And about the wedding ceremony, I don''t think we have time to hold it right now. Any issues with this?" asked Kevin. He raised his eyebrows and gazed at her perplexed face casually. He thought that she was really capricious, and that was lovely. "What? You want me to move to your ce? He''ll kill me!" Leena said, clearly upset. She had been wondering how to exin this to Mr. Cold. And moving in with Kevin? That meant problems. "Don''t worry about your family. I''ll handle it. Just follow me to my ce. Don''t worry about anything else." He didn''t know what her family was like, but it sounded like she was the apple of their eyes. Her innocence made that extremely likely. It might take a lot to bring her home. "It''s a deal then. If I''m sent back to Paris, it''s your loss, " said Leena. She felt delighted when she heard Kevin''s words. She finally found someone to face the angry storm from Mr. Cold. "Paris? Are you studying there?" Kevin asked with a frown. He had never considered it. "Yes. But I will graduate soon. The school doesn''t require us to stay there now. I only have to send homework to my adviser. But my brother is forcing me back to France." Leena said, sadly. She pouted. "So are you using me as the excuse for not going back?" Kevin sneered with self-mockery. It seemed that they were in this for the same reason. They were using each other to reach their goals. "Not really. I''ve always had a thing for soldiers. And you''re the first guy I slept with. I''m a very traditional girl, so I agreed to get the support from the most important person, the rest would be easy to deal with. Kevin thought. "In our family, Mr. Cold has the final say. His cold demeanor will freeze you solid. Stay strong, and don''t let him intimidate you. But don''t worry, my father will be on your side. He will certainly support you." said Leena. So now she''s helping others against Duke? Duke was her brother, she was betraying him now. There was another saying, ''A grown girl can''t be kept at home.'' She was proving that day by day. "How do you know your father will be on my side?" asked Kevin. Hearing Leena''s words, you''d think that he was not about to visit her family, but to fight a battle. "Because my father likes soldiers very much. He influenced my respect for soldiers. So he will be very happy to see you." Leena assured him. Her eyes shed with cunning. ''Wow! Two handsome men vying for me. That is exciting! I can''t wait to see what will happen.'' Leena thought. Her eyes glowed with eagerness as if the scene was happening before her eyes. She was so excited now. Looking at Leena''s expression, Kevin felt a shiver down his spine. He had an issue with how she talked. He really couldn''t help but wonder: ''Was she fooling me?'' Chapter 197 Miss Jessica, Please Have A Little Self-Respect It was dark. The streetmps flickered. A Lamborghini was whirling on the streets of S City. Edward sneered. ''Coco, huh? You are too raw to y dirty with me!'' The car turned and halted at Sexy World. Edward stepped out of the car like a tyrant. He raised his head to look at the enticing neonmp-lit bar and then frowned at it. The sneer remained on the corner of his lips. He walked in. Even the filthy ambiance of the ce couldn''t undermine his elegance. His shirt swirled in the summer wind, making him even more enchanting. He remained courteous till the time he stepped into the box. When he saw Jessica in the box, a frosty look crawled over his face. ''Jessica, you are really involved. You take yourself too seriously!'' "Hi, Edward." Jessica hurried toward Edward like a moth to a me. She couldn''t wait to throw herself into Edward''s arms. Edward pushed her away gently. He walked straight to the sofa and sat down. He looked at Coco grimly. Coco had demanded to see him and he was here now. He had nothing to hide. "Go ahead! Why did you want to see me?" He asked while sluggishly rocking his crossed legs. He didn''t look at Coco anymore but gazed at his phone''s screen which was a photo of Daisy clicked by him. "Mr. Edward, do you always dishonor the artists of your ownpany?" Although Coco was more attractive than Jessica, she failed to capture Edward''s interest. Edward des k justice. You just need to give her an exnation, " Jessica said softly as she put her slender hand on Edward''s chest. She liked getting intimate with him. She believed he would be hers sooner orter. "Miss Jessica, please have a little self-respect!" Disgusted by her brazenness, Edward pushed her hand away irritably. How many times did he have to tell her to stay away from him? "Huh! Where was your self-respect when you slept with my cousin? What a hypocrite!" Coco raised her beautiful eyebrows, trying to provoke Edward. However, she was disappointed. Edward didn''t fall. "Miss Coco, how do you know how I am in bed? Did you see it with your own eyes? Did you have a vision? Or do you love peeking?" Edward nced at her. He seemed grave and ruthless. "..." Coco hadn''t expected that Edward would retort so brutally, After all, she was a superstar of his entertainmentpany. She failed toe up with a response. Chapter 198 Your Wife Is Me Jessica was flustered. She knew the look on Edward''s face meant that he was aggravated. She knew that it would be difficult for her to reach her purpose now. She felt the need to break the ice. "Edward, I propose a toast to you. This is the Hennessy, your favorite drink." Jessica smiled in embarrassment and raised her trembling hand to propose a toast. But the ss of wine identally spilled because of Edward''s sudden movement. The wine spilled over Edward, he cursed bitterly. "Shit! Damn! What are you doing?" Edward ced his phone on the table and hurriedly retrieved some tissues to wipe his clothes. He frowned with disgust. "Sorry. I didn''t do it on purpose. Why don''t you go to the washroom to clean it up?" said Jessica. She looked at the phone kept on the table by Edward. A cunning smile shed over her face. Her trick worked. She noticed that Edward had been staring at his phone all the while. So she wondered what was up with his phone. Edward frowned and walked away. As soon as he disappeared from Jessica''s sight, she quickly picked up his phone and unlocked the screen. A graceful woman with a calm demeanor appeared on the screen. She looked gorgeous and divine, a rare beauty indeed. The woman in the photo wore a long white dress. Her hair was radiantly ck and thick, like a waterfall pouring down her shoulders. Her crystal eyes revealed her superior and domineering manner, yet not making people feel offended. ''She looks special. No wonder Edward is attracted to her. But she is nobody. I will wait and see how long their rtionship willst.'' Jessica thought. She sneered with ridicule and flipped through his phone records. When she saw that the most frequently dialed number was saved as ''Darling wife'', she tightened her grip on the phone and wondered, ''When did the handsome and flirtatious . They all insisted that they must meet with him in person. "Miss Coco. I think there''s nothing more to talk about. If you need anything else, you can go to Mr. Rain or Mr. Aaron. I won''t ept any threat from you and I certainly won''t help you y this tedious game." Edward didn''t want to sit down. He grabbed his phone from the table and looked frigidly at their delicate faces concealed with heavy makeup. He felt Daisy''s natural look with no makeup was more attractive to him. "Huh! You are in such a rush! You are a business tycoon. Are you afraid of me- a little woman?" said Coco. She was trying her best to retain Edward in order to help Jessica. "Huh! To tell you the truth, I really don''t fear you. I just don''t want to deal with you." Edward sneered. He ignored her provocation and turned around to leave. To his surprise, Jessica suddenly held his waist from behind. "Edward, don''t go! We can find a solution. Can we discuss this please?" said Jessica. She didn''t expect that Edward would leave so hurriedly, so she held him desperately. "Get your hand off me. We have nothing to discuss." Edward said in a cold voice. If she had not been pregnant, he would fling her off, rather than let her hold him. Chapter 199 Not For You "No. Not unless you promise me that you won''t leave me again." Jessica eagerly pressed her face against Edward''s back. She hadn''t touched him for a long time. God knew how much she missed him. She was delighted when Edward didn''t push her away. "Jessica, don''t push your luck. I don''t want to beat a pregnant woman." A chill crept over Jessica at Edward''s words. Instead of letting go of him, she held him tighter. "Edward, you do care about the baby inside me, don''t you?" Jessica deliberately filtered his words, and only paid attention to what she wanted to hear. "Yes, I do. But not in the way that you think. I won''t hurt any pregnant woman, because every child is to be cherished, even if it''s unborn." Edward tried to peel her hands off his waist. He remembered Daisy told him to keep other women at arm''s length. "No. You''re lying! You still love me; you just don''t realize it!" Desperately, Jessica gripped his waist tighter. She finally found a chance to fight for herself, and she wouldn''t let it slip through her fingers. Edward gritted his teeth in fury. He didn''t dare to push her, in fear of hurting the unborn baby. To break free from her grip, he suddenly turned around. Not expecting the movement, Jessica staggered backwards and almost fell to the ground. Edward grabbed her hand just in time. "Jessica, listen to me. I have never loved you; it was just a game between the two of us. As for the baby, I''m pretty sure it''s not mine. I don''t want to see you again. If you dare show your face to me again, I''ll personally show you how ruthless I can be." Edward gripped her shoulders tightly as he spoke coldly. "No, that''s not true! I''ve never been with anyone else! Edward, it''s your child!" Jessica didn''t understand why Edward was so certain that the baby wasn''t his. Jessica suddenly felt frightened at the possibili shudder and let out a low moan. "I need to read through these reports. How about you? Are you done with your work?" Daisy turned around to look into his eyes. When he got a call after dinner, he told her that he needed to go out for work. Daisy didn''t expect him to return so soon. "Yes. It wasn''t anything important. Don''t worry." Edward pulled her up from the chair. He sat on the chair and made Daisy sit on hisp. "Ah! What are you doing?" Daisy was puzzled as she leaned on his chest. Edward would behave strangely every now and then, startling her every time. "Keep still. I just want to hold you." Closing his eyes, Edward pressed his face against Daisy''s chest. Her warm body was afort to his anxiety. He just wished that everything could stop at this moment. He wouldn''t have to worry about Jessica or her unborn baby. It would just be him and Daisy, the love of his life. "Honey, is there something wrong? You seem troubled." Daisy gently stroked his hair with a frown. She could sense that Edward was feeling down tonight. She hadn''t seen him like this since they got together. Did it have anything to do with the business he had to deal with? It must be reallyplicated to make Edward so depressed. Chapter 200 Only Yours "Honey, do you remember your promise?" Edward looked up from her chest, staring at Daisy hopefully. He wasn''t sure if this counted as love, but all he wanted at this moment was Daisy''s trust. "Yes, of course. Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?" Daisy asked curiously, wrapping her arms around Edward''s neck. "Nothing. I was just afraid that you might have forgotten." Not wanting the matter to affect Daisy''s military exercises, Edward decided to lie about it. Because things have reached this point and his uncertainty grew. Jessica''s confidence made him panic. He had to get to the bottom of it carefully before he could know everything. Daisy made a face at him. "You''re treating me like a three-year-old kid! Rx, your colonel isn''t that forgetful." Daisy yfully pinched Edward''s face. She had to pinch a bit harder because his skin was so smooth. How could his skin be so delicate? "Ouch, are you trying to ruin my face?" Edward grabbed her hand, wondering if Daisy had something against his face. Why did she pinch him so hard? "Yes! After I disfigure you, you''ll only be mine." Daisy looked at him seriously with a sly look in her eyes. She was happy as long as Edward didn''t look as depressed as he did earlier. Seeing him like that only made her upset. "Don''t worry. Even if I''m not disfigured, I''m still only yours." Edward didn''t care if Daisy was serious or not. He was willing to believe everything she said, even if she was justforting him. He was willing to ept them all. "These are your words! Don''t flirt around behind my back, or I will destroy you." Daisy came closer, whispering the threat in his ear. "Honey, why don''t you just destroy me right now? I against him to press herself closer to him. She would give anything to this man without question. No matter how cruel he used to be, he was the only person that she loved. But Daisy didn''t let him know how she felt. Until she was certain that he belonged to her, this was herst line of defense. Without it, it would be the end for her. She couldn''t afford to lose him again. Edward obsessively provoked all the desire and lust out of Daisy, hoping that every one of her enticing expressions was because of him. Why would Jessica give him a problem now? Was it a calcted move, or was it just coincidence? He had to figure out these things. So he panicked and messed up. All of his unusual behaviors led him to face one unavoidable fact: Daisy was no longer just an obligation to him. There were a lot of emotions involved that he couldn''t understand. The night progressed with the lovemaking between the flushed woman and the intoxicating man. The bright moonlight shone through the windows andyers of silky curtains until the room was filled with warm light. The air grew heavier as their actions became more frantic... Chapter 201 The Lin Group At the FX International Group "Don''t you need to apany Annie?" Edward asked casually. He looked at Rain who was lounging on the couch and didn''t seem to have any ns of leaving. Didn''t Annie live in his house? Edward didn''t know why Rain seemed so morose. "Edward, what would make someone change so much?" Rain had been racking his brain trying to figure this out for days. "Are you talking about Annie? Is there anything different about her?" Edward asked with a raised eyebrow. Annie was drunk that night, so he didn''t notice anything unusual with her. "I''m not sure. But she''s been avoiding me and has been strangely silent around me." Rain felt frustrated. He didn''t know what the problem was. He kept fretting over Annie''s sudden change and avoidance. "Maybe she doesn''t love you anymore? Maybe she''s lost affection for you after these years, and she''s trying to distance herself from you." Actually, Edward knew very little about women. For instance, Daisy looked at him coldly sometimes, but unexpectedly treated him affectionately at times. "Is that so?" Rain suddenly felt bitter. He was the one trying to avoid her. He should be d that she finally stopped being so clingy. But why did he feel ufortable? It felt like someone had taken away one of his favorite things. "Rain, no one would wait for you forever. It''s possible for time to change someone''s mind, so it''s not surprising that she''s changed. What''s important is that you know what you want." Edward didn''t expect that he would go through something really shocking some day in the near future when he said this to Rain. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have put r today is in the notebook. If you have no further instructions, I''ll leave." Although Anna was also suspicious, it was none of her business. She had no intention of looking into it. "That''s all. You can go now. I''ll let you know if anything changes." Edward loosened his tie as he studied his schedule. He narrowed his eyes when he saw an appointment with the Lin Group. They never had a business contact together before. Why did they want to cooperate with him all of a sudden? Anna stood silently in the office for a while. Before she could leave, Edward called her attention. "Anna, why is the Lin Group here?" The Lin Group was thepany of Jessica''s family. Was this one of her new tricks? "Oh! It''s for the signing document delivered by the constructionpany. All the steel used for our new buildings was provided by the Lin Group." Anna was also a little astonished when she first saw the document. But she immediately calmed down afterwards. She pondered how strange things worked in the business world. One moment you''re enemies, and in the next instant, you''re partners. Chapter 202 He Was Heartbroken "What? The contract was signed? Why wasn''t I told?" Edward asked, staring at Anna. He didn''t want anything to do with Jessica. The Coco''s scandal wasn''t solved yet, and he had the troublesome Lin Group to deal with. He should have known this wouldn''t be so simple. It wasn''t just about business cooperation. "Sir, did you forget? You authorized the top management to sign contracts inmon cooperative cases. You didn''t really want to be bothered by the details, so you told me simple cases like this didn''t need your approval." Anna replied with a frown. Edward looked distracted -- maybe it was because of all the things happening recently. He normally didn''t forget things. "Oh! I must have forgotten. Okay, you can go back to work now, " said Edward. He furrowed his brows and narrowed his eyes to closely examine the file in his hands, trying to find some clues. Anna looked at him with concern. Then she turned around and left. FX International Group signed the contract with Lin Group, and that meant a lot of trouble for Edward. Jessica could get close to Edward, taking advantage of their working rtionship to do other things. And there would be no reason she couldn''t. Edward massaged his temples andy back in his chair. He silently picked up the phone and unlocked it. He gazed lovingly at the calm and beautiful woman on the screen. He''d taken the picture when Daisy first donned the delicate gown he gave her, gliding gracefully down the stairs. The photo made him feel at ease. She gave him the strength to pull himself together and deal with all the difficult tasks he faced now. He couldn''t get enough of her yesterday, making love constantly. He was so engrossed in the harmony when their bodies tangled together, as if he were desperate to absorb her into his body and let her be a part of him. He was enamored by the feeling of intimacy when she clung tightly t e gone all out to try and foist Mary on me. But have you considered what will happen to Daisy if you seed?'' Edward thought. Edward picked up the phone again, eyes rimmed with red. ''Daisy, what should I do? I can''t bear to hurt you again. You have already suffered too much!'' Edward thought. He was not in the mood to work right now. He gazed at her picture on the screen in a trance. ''A dark childhood, a cruel father, a shameless step mother and a step sister, you''ve achieved so much in spite of these people''s hurting, maybe they are the reason of your achievements. You havee a long way. I can''t say that you''re lucky to have grown up that way.'' He flipped through his phone, and her familiar number kept popping up. He smiled bitterly and finally gave up the idea of calling her. He was afraid that he couldn''t control himself, couldn''t hold back the urge to rush to her and hold her in his arms. And he feared losing himself in this love even more. He really didn''t know why he would have these deep feelings. He cared about her, everything she did, her joy, her pain. It was hard for him to give up his dignity and pride, to give his whole heart to her. The door to his heart was locked, and he couldn''t bring himself to hand her the key. Chapter 203 I Dont Want To Go To France Kevin left the army base early as yesterday. He didn''t head for the Leng''s house and instead went straight to his apartment. Kevin bought some cute gadgets on his way home -- he was going to decorate his apartment to make it look more cozy. After he was done, Kevin leaned against the door, admiring his masterpiece, afortable apartment with a facelift. He smiled as he began to imagine life in this little space. Before meeting Leena, he never nned to live here forever. He had always viewed this apartment as a temporary residence. As Kevin was enjoying his daydreams, what was happening at the Leng''s house was another story entirely. Leena had showed Duke the marriage certificate. He stared at it with open-mouthed incredulity. His hands, holding the luggage, began to tremble. Leena looked at him, trying to gauge his reaction. To her surprise, he burst outughing. That was typical of his sister, doing anything she had to in order to get what she wanted. She would even use the most serious things, like marriage, to avoid leaving home. "Leena, a fake marriage certificate won''t work. You hear me? This isn''t going to get you out of studying in France." Duke had no idea why Leena hated to go there so much that she even forged document. "Duke, we agreed that you wouldn''t ask me to go to France if I got married." Leena''s eyes filled with tears. Her brother was so fixated on sending her back to France that she didn''t get a chance to tell him Kevin wasing by for a visit. Leena started panicking as Duke began to take her luggage out. France was far away from home and she had no friends there. Going back there was the least thing Leena wanted to do. The marriage certificate was herst chance -- Duke wouldn''t go back on his word, would he? "Yes, we agreed on that now -- he had to protect her. He got in the car and his foot stamped down on the elerator as he recalled what Leena said in her text: Help! International Airport. He sounded the siren and hurtled onward to the airport. Maybe he should have gone to the Leng''s house instead of decorating his apartment. If he had done what he was supposed to do, Leena wouldn''t be on her way to the airport. Now he didn''t have the faintest idea of what happened to Leena. Why was she going to the airport? Was it her brother? Because they were married? Where was she headed? Oh right: France. Did Duke force her to leave before she could tell him they had got married? Kevin didn''t know anything and all he could do now was guessing. His Humvee was whizzing along the motorway with a loud siren. At the airport, Leena was restlessly waiting for Kevin. Boarding was in 15 minutes and he hadn''t appeared yet. Did he get the text? Or were his hands full with work right now? Duke was surprised to see Leena stop crying. Didn''t she just shout that she would rather be dead than in France? ''Okay, no matter the reason. It''s good to see her stop crying.'' Duke thought. ''Her tears might soften even my heart.'' Chapter 204 Preying On Innocent Girls As soon as Kevin parked his car, he dashed into the international airport terminal. He only hoped that it wasn''t toote to catch her; otherwise he had no idea what he should do. He knew it was a whirlwind romance and a rash decision -- he should have gotten their parents'' approval. He only did it because he knew they didn''t have enough time. However, he had never thought that Leena would be the daughter of the noble Leng family, and that her brother would take extraordinary measures to protect her. The hall was crowded. People talking,ughing and crying, together with flight info being broadcast over the P.A. system aggravated his anxiety. Kevin looked up at the departure timetable on screen, searching for the flight to France among other flights. His eyes lit up when he finally saw it. It wouldn''t take off for a few minutes. He still had time. He looked around anxiously for the figure that he had longed to see. There were beads of sweat on his forehead, and he didn''t bother to wipe them off. ''Where is she?'' He thought to himself. Kevin ran through the crowd and looked around, trying to find her. He became more nervous as time went by. He narrowed his eyes and tried to silence all the distracting thoughts in his mind. All of a sudden, he caught a glimpse of her standing nearby. He sighed in relief and darted towards her with a smile. Leena had given up on him. Immersed in her own sorrows, she thought maybe things wouldn''t work out between her and Kevin. That was why they had to separate right after getting married. ''Fine! I''ll go back to France myself. I''ll be back someday. Will he forget about me by then? No, I want him to remember me!'' Leena thought to herself. "Leena!" A low but eager voice called out. Leena paused in surprise. "Ke nch that Duke would totally give him a hard time in the future. "Leena, how long are you nning to hide behind this man? Come over here at once!" Duke gazed at his little sister, who had been burying her face in Kevin''s arms. Duke grew jealous. ''Is he more important than your own brother?'' He thought. "Hmmm... Brother, I don''t want to go to France." Leena stole a discreet nce at Duke. She heard every single word of their conversation. ''Kevin''s aura is no less imposing than Mr. Cold''s! I never thought that anyone could have so long a conversation with Mr. Cold without running away in terror. Maybe Kevin is the one for me!" Leena joyfully thought to herself. "You''re not going anywhere today, since you missed your flight." Duke felt distressed. When was thest time that he couldn''t handle Leena? Never! He had known her too long, and was always the responsible one. But today she found someone, who was not afraid of him at all. "Yeah! Really? Then I can stay here?" Leena nced at the timetable and jumped to her feet. It seemed that she didn''t notice the silentpetition between the two men next to her. Kevin versus Duke. It would be an interesting time. Chapter 205 You Never Are A Match For Me "Come here." Duke couldn''t ept the fact Leena was married, let alone the image of her in another man''s arms. She was his baby sister. He had taken care of her since she was a little girl. No one should be able to take her away from him! "But¡­ I said I''m going back with Kevin." Leena watched Duke''s face carefully, afraid he would get mad and drag her home. "What? Leena, say that again if you dare!" Duke''s anger red when he heard what Leena said. She married this man behind him and refused to go home. Where did she get the nerve? A sudden shiver of fear went through Leena. She tried to hide herself deeper in Kevin''s arms. What was she thinking, provoking Mr. Cold again? At this rate, she was going to pay a terrible price. "Chill, Mr. Duke. Leena is my wife. She''s no longer your responsibility." Kevin said slowly but firmly. Duke tried to keep his cool, yet he seemed aloof and intimidating. Kevin wasn''t daunted by Duke''s open hostility and made his point clear. "Leena, you agree with him?" Duke asked, ignoring Kevin''s words. He closed his dark cold eyes, and forced them open again. When he stared at Leena, his eyes were filled with disappointment and sadness. "Brother, I¡­" Leena looked at Kevin, then looked at Duke. She just didn''t know what to do. Whoever she chose, she would hurt the other guy. It pained her to make the choice. One was her favorite brother, and the other was her current husband. She wished there was some kind of middle groun t you can marry him this fast? You sure he is worth it?" Duke nced at Leena, his look restless. Before he knew it, his little sister who used to follow him around had grown up and reached marrying age. There would be another man in her life. Everything would be different and he wouldn''t be the only man she could rely on. The thoughts filled his heart with bitter sadness. He felt like he had been abandoned by her. "I¡­ I don''t know. I just have this feeling that I don''t want to let him slip away. Duke, you don''t like him?" Leena said with a puzzled frown. What''s so good about Kevin? She couldn''t put her finger on it. They barely knew each other. Kevin was still a stranger to her. "This man stole my only sister. You really think I''d like him? Now I just want to punch him. That''s what he deserves!" Duke meant it when he said this. Leena had juste back from abroad. How did she know Kevin? How could she get married secretly in such a short time? Of course he was mad! Chapter 206 Talk or Fight Leena was silent because she didn''t know what to say. Duke had always protected her since childhood. Now suddenly somebody else was trying to do that for him, he couldn''t adjust to the change. So his anger was understandable to her. Leena sighed. She didn''t know how to live together with Kevin yet. Married to a guy she didn''t even know, Leena was impressed by her own courage. She wasn''t even sure whether her decision was right or wrong. The two cars pulled into the Lengs'' garden residence. Kevin was a little nervous, but wasn''t pressured. Duke had some time to think during the drive. He understood that the situation was irreversible -- Kevin was a soldier. There was nothing Duke could do about Leena and Kevin''s marriage, he had to ept it. But his grudge against Kevin remained. Exiting the car, Duke ignored Kevin and went straight in the courtyard alone. He might have punched Kevin in the face. "Kevin, I''m sorry. Normally, my brother isn''t like this, " Leena apologized. She forced an embarrassed smile at Kevin. "That''s OK. I understand." Kevin stroked Leena''s long lustrous hair calmly. He had expected much worse of Duke. "Thank you for understanding. Let''s head inside." Leena took a deep breath. She wasn''t sure what her brother would do next. She hoped her father was home. Duke casually sat on the sofa, leaning back against the cushions. He watched Leena and Kevin walk in, one after the other, eyebrows raised. With Kevin''s charm and Leena''s beauty, he found that they made a perfect couple. "How do you want to settle the matter? Talk or fight? Go ahead. C t he had taken it so easily and calmly, not at all what Kevin had thought. "Dad, aren''t you mad?" Leena was a little worried. She had always known that her father liked soldiers, but it was unexpected to see her father handle the news so well. Lloyd watched Kevin with sparkling eyes. He liked Kevin so much. "Why should I be mad? You''ll get married sooner orter. It''s only a matter of time." Lloyd wasn''t old-fashioned. He was OK with a shotgun marriage. Duke was displeased with his father''s attitude. He went upstairs sullenly. ''They can do whatever they want. Out of sight, out of mind.'' He felt like an outsider. Noticing that Duke was leaving, Leena''s face darkened. She knew her brother still couldn''t ept their marriage. She wanted to know when he would. With Lloyd''s approval, Kevin took Leena with him when he left the house. Duke remained as cold as ice, but he didn''t stop them. The look in his eyes showed how sad he was, as well as angry. Duke wasn''t taking this well, but with everyone else ganging up on him what else could he do? Chapter 207 Youre Hiding Something From Me Kevin brought Leena back to his downtown apartment. He knew that his t was smallpared to the luxurious mansion of the Leng family. But it was better than most people''s houses. Leena looked around the apartment in curiosity. The ce was arranged with warm decorations. She was surprised that a rough man like Kevin would be so considerate and make the ce look so sweet and weing. "What do you think? Do you like it?" asked Kevin. He suddenly felt sad. Would he be really happy if this was the woman he loved the most? Namely, Daisy? He thought that might be why he felt that way. "Yes! It''s very sweet. Simple, but very tastefully done. You may have a future in this, " she joked. Obviously he wouldn''t give up his life as a soldier to be an interior decorator, but Leena was delighted. She looked around and every room looked beautiful. Fine art prints hung on the walls, decorative tes, matching bed sets with high thread counts, tapestries, fabric room dividers framed with different types of wood. It seemed that Kevin really had a good taste. He was an interesting man, Leena thought. Kevin looked at Leena, who was very excited to see everything in the house. But he was lost in thought. Mechanically, he took her luggage to the main bedroom upstairs. He began to think about something else. "Kevin, do you also live here?" Leena ran into the bedroom with excitement. She asked when she looked a little doubtful about the decorations. "Yes! Where do you think I live? The moon?" He looked at Leena with a smile. ''Did it scare her to know that I will live under the same roof with her from now on?'' Kevin thought. "No, I thought you lived on base, " replied Leena, blushing because of his teasing. She looked at her toes to hide her expression just now. "I usually live on base. But since we got married, I''ll move back here and live with you. So you won''t have to be alone, or afraid." ''She probably will be afraid. She is still a little girl. And this ce ispletely strange to her. There are no maids around her here.'' Kevin thought. "Who says I''ll in was annoyed and embarrassed. The woman who he had wanted to marry was right standing in front of him, while he was talking about getting married to another woman. That was really awkward. "The Commander told me that you were staying, but he didn''t tell me that you got married, " said Daisy. Daisy was always very calm. But today she was really surprised by the sudden news. It was such a rush, she thought. "Oh! But didn''t you ask me about this before?" asked Kevin. His eyes were wide open with regret. ''''What''s going on? I thought she knew about my marriage to Leena. I guess I really got that wrong. I just voluntarily unloaded this on her, '' Kevin thought. "Since you just told me, what''s happening between you and Leena? I don''t know anything about this. You don''t think it important to tell me?" asked Daisy. Daisy thought Kevin would tell her about important things like this, she was his close friend. Kevin should have told her, or at least Leena should have told Edward about this. But she didn''t hear Edward mention anything about it. So she assumed that he didn''t know about it either. "It just happened. We knew each other before she came to visit the base. The sh marriage is our decision and we think it''s the right time, " said Kevin. He smiled bitterly. He didn''t say too much, because he knew Daisy would know the real reason behind it. She was such a clever woman. Chapter 208 Consequences "Does her family know?" Daisy asked, lowering her head to her outstretched fingers. She thought Duke loved his sister so much that he wasn''t supposed to be quiet about things like this. "Yeah! I just left her home around noontime. It was not easy to handle." Kevin shuddered when thinking of Duke''s cold attitude towards him. "What about your family? Do they ept Leena?" Daisy knew Kevin''s background. His family had great prestige, like the noble rtives of the Emperor in ancient times. "Don''t worry! I will protect her from harm." Kevin thought what Daisy said made sense, but he wouldn''t be caught unprepared. If he hadn''t taken this into ount, he wouldn''t even think of marrying Leena. "Kev, you''re like a brother to me. I hope you can keep Leena safe. You should know how much Leena means to her family, even if you don''t have me around to tell you that. So you know the consequences if you do something wrong." Daisy''s warning was not an exaggeration. Because she had seen how those guys pampered and spoiled Leena when she was with Edward. It was almost appalling. "Um! I''ve seen it too, and I know how to deal. So don''t worry about me." From the way Daisy addressed him just now, Kevin knew she talked to him as a friend, not a college. "Good! Brother-inw, wee to our big family!" Daisy said teasingly, winking, and reached out a hand. Fate is a magic thing. Daisy had never thought anything dramatic would happen in her life. "Uh! Brother-inw? I think it''s a little inappropriate." Kevin said and smiled bitterly. So they were family, just not exactly how he hoped. "It''s not inappropriate. Leena is my sister, then you are my brother-inw since you married her, right?" Daisy sa stop his smugness. "I just got back. So how would I know more than you do? You are here anytime Edward needs you." Rain enjoyed the furious look on Aaron''s face. At least he could find life was full of color through it all. "You should ask Luke, then! He''s acting as secretary to Mr. Edward." Aaron found that he was just a tool for Rain to kill time. "No way. That guy''s secretive as all hell. You want me to ask him? It would be better if I asked Edward directly." Rain said and winked at Aaron without much enthusiasm, which still almost killed Aaron. "Do you think I am too easygoing to tell people to sod off? If you have a conscience you''d get off your butt and help me with my work." Aaron squinted at Rain, with one eyebrow raised. "There are files piling up on my desk too, okay? Why I always have so much work I''ll never know. Edward''s a typical capitalist, using us as vebor. He should stand behind us, cracking a whip." The mountain of files on his desk drove Rain crazy. But he tended to be like this: the more work he had, the more of a vacation he needed. In this way, he could double the result with half the effort. Chapter 209 Do You Think Im A Jerk "Did I hear you right? Did you just call me a capitalist? Just to prove it, you''re in charge of all the outstanding development programs from now on, and I want the results on my desk by the morning after tomorrow." Edward appeared at the door suddenly, which made Rain tremble with fear. Rain thought, ''is it necessary to be so cruel?'' All of the development programs? Did he know what he was saying? And he wanted to see the results by the morning after tomorrow? Why didn''t he just crush me to death?'' "Edward, are you sure you mean all of the development programs? You''re not just kidding me?" Rain wiped away his sweat secretly. He would rather see Luke''s face if he had known this. "What? Why are you questioning me? You''re the least busy person in thepany. So how can I be a qualified capitalist, as described, if I don''t give you enough work?" No wonder Rain''s office was empty. It was because Rain was trash talking him to his co-workers, Edward thought. "Bullshit! Who said I am not busy? I have mountains of files on my desk to be reviewed!" Now Rain had realized what the sentence "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" meant. He was bearing the brunt of Edward''s reaction. Rain skirted Edward''s office on purpose, giving him a wide berth. But Rain couldn''t understand why he still couldn''t avoid Edward and his bad mood! "Everyone''s busy but you. Even worse, you''re stopping other people from working! You tell me whether I should double your work to get my money''s worth out of you!" Edward said with an enchanting smile. Rain, who was as enchanting as Edward, also couldn''t resist his dazzling smile. "Boss, you can''t be that cruel? I can''t work without a break. It won''t be efficient if I put my nose to the grindstone all the time. I need to get up and walk around sometimes." Rain argued. He wasn''t stupid enough to take on the job Edward wanted him to do, which was definitely more work than the files already on his desk. "You talk too much. I gotta go deal with something. Don''t forget to take all the files on my desk with you when you go back to your office. Remember: I want to see the results the morning after tomorrow. I''d do it now, if I were you.." This time it seemed non negotiable, an ultimatum. Edward headed out of his office, without any eye contact with Rain. "Aaron, Edward wasn''t serious, right? He asked me to get all the development program files on his desk done in two days. That''s impossible!" Rain was flustered and he wondered if it was necessary for Edward to do him wrong like that. He had work to do already. He thought it was better for Edward to kill him directly than give him so much work. Then he didn''t need to sit here bitching about his life. "Yep! I am sure he was serious. No kidding. So you can choose to stay here being cute. But don''t say i didn''t warn you. You''ll be shipped off to Thai k what Daisy wants is just you." Luke calmly gave his analysis of what he''d seen the past few weeks. Everyone knew that Daisy was in love with Edward, that there was no one else except Edward in her heart. "How do you know what she wants? Don''t ce bets on a woman''s heart. It changes so fast that no one could know their thoughts from one minute to the next." Edward mbered to his feet. He stretched, feeling the muscles, then walked directly towards the bathroom, without turning around or waiting for Luke''s reply. As the bodyguard, Luke could do nothing but pick up the racquet he left behind and trot after Edward, thinking to himself secretly. ''Are women''s hearts really hard to guess?'' In his opinion, he thought Edward was much more unpredictable than women. At one moment, he was ming himself. But the next, he began toin about women. Had no idea about his train of thought. He jumped from one topic to another quickly. With the depression shaken off, Edward walked out of the fitness club, wearing a neatly pressed bespoke suit. This naturally attracted people''s attention, which he was already used to. Just one evil smile on his lips could easily win women''s hearts all around him. And he shed this to the gym bunnies. Then he jumped in his car and drove away. Luke moved his lips hard when he saw Edward''s attitude. His danger sense was tingling, and he wondered why. He asked himself, ''Is Mr. Mu going to do the yboy thing again?'' He''d seen it before. Edward was being seduced by his dark half. Otherwise, why did he begin to act all evil? Was he traumatized by the information in the file so severely that he couldn''t handle it well, then went insane? This thought shed through his mind for only a minute. He knew his mission was to protect Edward, not manage his behavior. So he started his car and kept pace with Edward''s, ignoring the change in his personality. Chapter 210 Picture That evening, the whole sky glowed beautifully as splendid rosy clouds could be seen from a distance. Edward was staring at the magnificent sea, which seemed to be connecting to the glowing sky above. After spending the whole afternoon calming himself down and looking for some peace of mind at the fitness club, he got into his car and sat there, with all his thoughts engulfing him. He was just like a stone statue in the shape of a man waiting for his wife. He was lonely and deste. He was desperate. He had no idea how long it had been since he had the opportunity to be alone like this. He believed it was probably from the moment he began to take over thispany. Ever since that day, he had endless meetings, document signings, and social activities. There was almost no chance for him to meditate like this. But suddenly, his phone rang with a beautiful English song. The song finally broke the peace and calmness. He''s back into the very reality of his life right now. He frowned before picking up the phone. But his dark eyes was instantly filled with tenderness when he saw the familiar number on his phone screen. "Hello! Honey, are you home now? How are you? I missed you!" Edward said while he casually looked up at the sky. It was already getting dark outside. He realized he had been here, sitting in the car for a very long time. "Yeah. Will you be homete tonight? Will you have dinner at home?" This was the first time that Daisy came back home without Edward already inside. So she felt a little ufortable as she was not used to it. "No. I am on my way now. Wait for me there, okay?" Edward gently assured her and started the car right away. The trip might take a while as the sea was actually far from their home. "Okay! Drive safe! We''ll wait for you before we at dinner! Please take care, Edward." Then Daisy put down her briefcase on the desk in the study room. She didn''t know that her sweet voice reached Edward''s heart. Knowing that he had such a loving and caring wife, Edward''s cold, icy heart began to melt. "You can eat if you''re already hungry! Don''t wait up for me. I am a little far from home right now. I think it will take a long while for me to arrive. I''m really sorry." A slight smile showed on Edward''s hands ons brimming on her mind right now. But not a single answer popped out of her mind. Daisy hesitantly dialed the unknown number. For whatever reasons or purpose he or she sent this picture, Daisy decided to figure it out. She would not back down from a person provoking her into anger. She believed in the saying, "Don''t offend people who didn''t offend you. But if they did, fight back." Daisy didn''t care too much before because Edward didn''t promise anything to her nor intended to live with her. Now that Edward had given her so much hope for a bright future filled with love, she would never keep silent on this issue anymore. Her man could be only touched by herself. Any other woman who wanted to touch Edward better ask for her fists'' permission first! She would not allow it! Daisy thought to herself right there and then, ''Edward, you''d better not disappoint me. Otherwise, I will break your ribs into pieces. If you didn''t start alluring me with a serious rtionship, I would''t mind. But now that you did, you should keep our agreement in mind. Don''t y with other women. My man just belongs to me. If any woman wants to do something on you, I won''t mind letting her know why some people be bloodied. I will fight her to death, if that''s necessary.'' "Hello. This is Daisy Ouyang. Who is that? Who are you?" Daisy spoke in a cold but arrogant tone. She wanted to set the tone right away. She might look beautiful and calm on the outside, but she was determined and vengeful on the inside. Chapter 211 Im The One He Loves "You are Daisy Ouyang! Are you rted to Mary Ouyang?" Jessica secretly sneered in disgust, ''Another annoying Ouyang in this world. Why do they even exist? I wonder what kind of role she''s ying in the whole scheme of things.'' "What Mary? Who is that? I don''t know what you are talking about. But I think you should at least tell me your name first before sputtering with such mean attitude." Daisy replied in a more arrogant tone. She didn''t like the way the woman was talking to her. They hadn''t met yet, but the woman was already rude to her. "It doesn''t matter who I am. The point here is I''m the one that Edward has loved for the longest time. I hope you know that already." Jessica stroke her long curly hair and smirked at the phone. "Well, I see. And I presume that''s why you sent me the photo? You must be so desperate already." In spite of the panic and anxiety she felt when she first saw the photo, Daisy felt more calm right now. "Well, that''s your only reaction? Why are you still calm like this? Do you even have feelings for him?" Jessica was furious. ''What did she mean by that? Doesn''t she care about Edward? Or maybe she just dismissed my challenge as nothing but nonsense? She should not underestimate me!'' "Then how should I react? Are you expecting that I should cry over some rude and arrogant wordsing from a strange woman that I don''t even know what her name is? No way." Daisy hated to waste time over such meaningless matters. Why couldn''t they just get straight to the point? ''Just tell me who you are and what you want.'' Daisy thought to herself in utter disgust and impatience. "My name is Jessica. Everyone in S City knows that I''m the one that Edward is deeply in love with." Jessica said all these with a tone of pride and arrogance. She wondered whether Daisy could still remain calm when she heard this. "I see. Miss Jessica. I''ve never heard of you. I just want to know what''s your purpose in sending that photo. That''s all." Daisy leaned back against the chair and replied in just a casual tone. She used to envy Jessica, because Jessica could stay with Edward all day and Edward would smile at Jessica. All these happened while Edwardpletely ignored her. He didn''t even bat an eye on her. However, no matter how jealous she was, she would never allow Jessica to bully her like this. "Is it so hard for you to understand? It makes sense, since you''re just a lowly ordinary person. How could you possibly mingle with people of our ss? You don''t have that right!" Jessica had always despised Daisy. Unlike her, Daisy wasn''t born into a noble and rich family. Jessica hated people in the lower sses. "Miss Jessica, I have absolutely no interest in how extravagant and lewd people are in the upper ss. But I''m not lowly as you think I am. Please mind your words and show me some respect." Daisy''s facial expression right now was as cold as her words. "Daisy, don''t think you can be arrogant just because Edward pays special attent e on his face. "Yes! Mommy, what are you doing in the balcony? Where''s daddy? You''re alone in here?" Justin was proud of himself. He could still remember that when they first came here, Edward never went home at night. He would date different women almost every night. He was never contented of his family. Now, he went home on time everyday. He knew he was the one to take all the credits for his father''s sudden change of heart. "Your daddy just went to the seaside for a while. He''lle hometer tonight. Are you already hungry?" Daisy gently pinched his nose with a loving smile, then sat down with Justin in her arms. "What? Why didn''t he bring me with him? I want to go to the seaside too! I want to swim there!!" Justin pouted unhappily. How dare Edward go have fun without him? He immediately imagined the shore, the sky, the water... "He didn''t go there to have fun. He just need some time alone. Do you want to go to the seaside some other day?" Daisy wasn''t sure if Edward''s recent strange behaviors had anything to do with Jessica. Until just now... "Yes! Mommy, can we go with daddy next time? Please?" Justin wrapped his little arms around Daisy''s neck and pressed his chubby face against his mother''s chest. The three of them taking a day off, having a pic at the seaside. What a lovely idea! "To the seaside? But I remember that I''ll be very busy soon. How about I take you there after my military exercises? Will that be okay for you?" Daisy hadn''t been to the seaside for a long time. She would sometimes bring Justin to either swimming pools or water parks before. However, she had been too busytely to take him out for fun. She suddenly realized that she hadn''t been a good mother for Justin recently. "Yeah! I love you, mommy! You are so good to me! Unlike someone else I know!" Justin didn''t care why Edward went to the seaside. In his eyes, Edward didn''t bring him along. His father must have been having fun on his own, and he didn''t like that idea. Chapter 212 Are You Mad at Me "Justin, isn''t your daddy good and loving to you, too? He has always been nice to you, right?" Leaning casually against the door, Edward folded his arms and smiled at his wife and son. He felt so happy and relieved to see them. They were the only people he needed right now. "Daddy! You''re home! Why didn''t you bring me to the seaside with you? I would have loved to be there with you!" Justin jumped off from her mother''sp and dashed towards Edward in excitement. It seemed he had totally forgotten that he was holding a grudge against his father. The mere appearance of his father gave him so much joy. "The seaside? Do you want to go there again?" Edward slightly frowned while lifting Justin''s warm little body up to his arms. He could still recall what happenedst time they went to the seaside. Why not go somewhere else for a change? ''But it''s different this time, '' Edward thought to himself, ''since the three of us will go as a family. That would be a happy trip, no doubt!'' Edward was suddenly delighted by the idea. "Yes! Daddy, can we bring mommy next time? So that we will be aplete family!" Putting on a sweet and cheerful smile, Justin yed with Edward''s tie and looked into his eyes like a little puppy begging for food. "Then we''ll have to ask mommy about it. That''s not my decision to make." Ever since the moment he walked in, Edward had been gazing at Daisy affectionately. He missed her so much. "Come on. Let''s go have dinner first. I''m starving." Daisy looked away, trying hard not to make eye contact with him. She didn''t even say a thing about the trip the father and son were already nning. She simply tucked her hair behind her ears and walked towards the door. She didn''t know what to think or what to say. She couldn''t even look at Edward straight in the eyes, for fear that she would break down and cry. Daisy told herself that she didn''t care at all what Jessica had showed her, but in fact her mind had been running circles on her. "Justin, you go first." Edward lovingly patted Justin''s little butt and put him down. "Okay, daddy! But don''t make me wait too long. I''m hungry already!" Justin looked at b one day she just walked into his life, and he started caring about her like never before. It was really a change of heart for him. Annoyed by how reckless he had been, Edward gently bit Daisy''s lip before he let go of her. Her rosy lips were already wet and slightly swollen because of his deep kiss, and her watery eyes were wide open like eyes of a startled little bunny. Edward curled his lips into a loving smile and once again held Daisy in his arms. He felt safe andfortable when she was around. At first, Daisy was frightened and tried to push him off. However, as he eagerly and deeply kissed her, she could sense his emotions through his burning and trembling lips. She could feel his rage and panic. He was like an injured animal, desperately seeking for a haven to hide and be safe in. She didn''t know what was wrong, but she knew he wanted her to respond. So she kissed him back affectionately, trying to heal the invisible wounds he had. Though she couldn''t see them, neither did she know where the wounds came from, she knew that he was badly hurt and he needed her. Edward wished that time could just stop at this very moment, and they could hold each other forever. He had decided that he would never run away or lie to himself again. He wanted Daisy, no matter if it was love or something else. He wouldn''t let her go. His world would beplete only if she was in it. There was no other way for him to be happy. Chapter 213 Where Did You Learn How To Cook Kevin drove as fast as he could. He was runningter than expected, Leena was alone in his apartment, and he worried about her. Was she okay all on her own? Had she eaten? Would she cry because no one was there with her? All these questions weighed on his mind. He sighed heavily. He had adjusted to the new role of husband faster than he thought. They were literally loving newlyweds. To be honest, Kevin wasn''t sure whether it was a good idea to bring her to his apartment, especially when he might be gone for ten days or even longer because of the uing military exercise. She would be left alone again; he really worried about her. It was already dark when he finally got home. He couldn''t wait patiently for the elevator so he ran upstairs. Beads of sweat streamed down his forehead as he ran. He took a few deep breaths before opening the front door with his key. As soon as he pushed the door open, he could smell a delicious odor wafting through the air. Surprised, he looked around for the source of the smell until he saw a woman in the kitchen through the ss wall. He approached and saw a few dishes already on the dinner table. Kevin rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Leena could cook? How amazing! Young girls hardly cooked nowadays, let alone a well-born girl like Leena. Were those dishes really prepared by her? Were they even edible? Kevin shivered at the thought. It seemed he would be eating something horrible for dinner tonight. He hoped his stomach was strong enough. "Kevin, you''re home. Just a second, I''m almost done here. Just one more dish." Hearing the noiseing from the doorway, Leena looked around and saw Kevin staring at her stiffly. ''Is there something on my face?'' Leena wondered as she touched her face to check, ''Why is he looking at me like that?'' "Did you make all these?" Kevin walked up to the table and was once again stunned. These were no ordinary dishes, every single course required a lot of effort to prep and cook. How did she make them? Did she order takeout? "Yes. I hope you like them. I didn''t have time to shop, so I just used what was in your fridge. Are you mad at me for not checking with you first?" Leena wiped the beads of sweat off her forehead and stole a nervous nce at Kevin. ''What''s that look on his face?'' Leena thought, ''is he mad because I rummaged around his fridge without permission? Maybe he doesn''t like what I cooked up?'' "No. I''m just surprised. I have no idea you can cook." Kevin muttered as Leena smiled nervously at him. She was a girl full of all kinds of surprises. "Go wash your hands. I''ll be done in seconds." Thest dish was pork ribs in garlic sauce. Some sauce identally spilled on her hand as Leena moved them from th ke a sweet innocent girl? Despite her status, she behaved like a nice girl living next door. Justin might disagree with him about the ''nice'' part, for Leena had always been so mean to him. Leena wasid-back and always went with the flow. It wouldn''t take long for her to adapt to a new environment. She quickly became familiar with Kevin''s apartment. The house was her new home, and she unpacked her things and set them next to his. In the bedroom, bathroom, and even the study, there were Leena''s things all over, which kept reminding Kevin that he had be a married man, who lived happily with his wife. After dinner, Kevin took a quick shower. Like every man did after a shower, he went out of the bathroom with only a towel tied around his waist. But to his surprise, as soon as he walked into the room, he heard a terrified scream. "AHHHHHHH! Kevin! What are you doing in my room?" Blushing, Leena grabbed the clothes she had just taken off from the floor and tried to cover herself. She got used to shedding all her clothes before entering the bathroom at home, for the whole floor was owned by her. But she forgot she wasn''t alone anymore. Kevin lived in the house too. "No need to hide. I''ve seen everything already. This is my bedroom as well. Did you forget that we are married?" Kevin smiled devilishly at her and untied his towel, revealing his body in front of her, and put on a casual outfit. Leena screamed again when she saw him naked. "Kevin! Are you a pervert?" Leena immediately turned around and flung her hands over her eyes. Her backside was totally exposed. A few secondster, Leena realized that she was almost naked as well. She let out another terrified scream while dashing towards the bathroom, her eyes covered. Kevin froze in astonishment. What the devil just happened? Chapter 214 Were You Throwing Shade At Me (Part One) Kevin watched Leena disappear behind the bathroom door; he shook his head with a small smile. ''Such an interesting little girl.'' Kevin thought to himself. He then walked towards the study. Didn''t she know that he would get a perfect view of her body when she was running? It turned out that married life would have more fun than he thought. Inside the bathroom, Leena looked in the mirror and held her burning cheeks. "So humiliating!" she muttered in remorse. It was only a naked man. Big deal! But it was still so embarrassing. How could she walk out and face him again afterwards? Leena looked around and suddenly realized she didn''t bring any clothes in. She pulled the door slightly open, and warily peeked through the crack. It seemed that Kevin had gone. She sighed in relief and discreetly moved a few steps forward. When she was sure that Kevin was no longer in the room, she darted towards the closet, grabbed her underwear and pajamas, dashed back to the bathroom and locked the door behind her. Her heart was pounding fast as she did all these. Leena felt calm and collected after a hot bath. When she emerged from the bathroom again, she was in her pajamas. She nced around the bedroom and felt relieved; it would be her new home from now on. No matter what happened, she had to get used to her new life as soon as possible. She was not the spoiled little princess in the Leng family, but a woman married to a military officer. She could no longer do whatever she felt like doing -- her actions had consequences now. Her heart started beating when she saw the huge bed. Kevin said it was his bedroom as well. ''Does that mean we''ll have to share a bed?'' Leena wondered, her face blushing again. Though they slept together once, she was drunk; she intention to spy on her chat history; he just wanted to know about her QQ ount. As soon as he clicked, dozens of message boxes popped up. Kevin was stunned. How many people did she talk to at the same time? Could she handle them all? Fashion news websites, TV show and chatting with a bunch of different people all at the same time? That was truly impressive. Kevin''s face twitched. ''She is indeed a social queen.'' He thought to himself. Ignoring all the unread messages, he memorized her QQ ount number and instantly turned off theptop without any sort of hesitation. Kevin looked at Leena again andy down on the other side of the bed. He thought he would be having trouble sharing a bed with others, but instead he fell asleep easily. It was already morning when he woke up. Kevin slightly shifted his body and noticed that Leena, who was still sound asleep, was holding his waist as if he were a huge stuffed animal. He stared nkly at her for a while before he remembered that he was married, and that girl in his arms was his wife. They just spent their first night together as a couple. He gently removed her hands from his waist and got out of bed. Chapter 215 Were You Throwing Shade At Me (Part Two) It was early in the morning. He had enough time to tidy himself up, and made some breakfast. After breakfast, Kevin went back to their bedroom and changed into his uniform. Leena was still sleeping. He left her a note on the nightstand and tenderly kissed her forehead before leaving for the army base. It was quite a drive from his downtown apartment to the army base; he had to leave early so he wouldn''t bete. It was almost noon when Leena finally got up. She rubbed her eyeszily and yawned. ''Where am I? It doesn''t look like my room. When did I fall asleepst night?'' Leena paused for a while, memories were graduallying back to her; she remembered that she was in Kevin''s apartment. Speaking of which, where was Kevin? Did he sleep herest night? She didn''t remember anything. Leena scratched her head and gazed at the other side of the bed. It was empty; but the sheet was rumpled. She noticed there was a note on the nightstand and reached for it. Kevin''s handwriting was as manly as his character. It read, ''Leena, I''m off to the army base. Breakfast''s on the table; have some when you''re up. Call me if you need anything. Love, Kevin.'' It was sweet, especially the sign off. Leena looked at the note again and fixed her eyes on the words ''Love, Kevin''. Her heart was pounding; she knew she was blushing again. To be honest, she wasn''t fully prepared ends throwing shade at me?" Kevin recalled the dozens of message boxes. He suddenly had a really bad feeling. What were they talking aboutst night? Was it about him? "No, I told you it''s nothing. Besides, why should I even talk about you?" Leena was getting goose bumps. He was surprisingly observant in some cases. It really freaked her out. "That''s good. Go finish your breakfast. I have to go; I''m really busy right now." Kevin didn''t believe Leena. But whatever she had talked to her friends about, it was private; he wouldn''t force her to tell him if she didn''t want to share. "Okay. See youter." Leena hung up quickly. That was close! She patted her chest and took a deep breath to calm down. She was afraid that he would keep asking until he got the answer. He said he didn''t see anything, and she believed him. Leena threw her phone aside and stretchedzily. It was about time to start her day. Chapter 216 Have You Ever Loved Someone "Duke, you are unbelievable! Yes, Leena is married. It''s not the end of the world. How long are you going to stay here? I''ve got a ton of work to do. C''mon. Just let it go." Belinda exploded with anger. All morning he had been sitting there brooding. And he still hadn''t gotten over losing his sister to another guy. Or at least that''s how she saw it. He was exaggerating! "I haven''t said a word yet. I see no reason why you should feel disturbed. Why do you care how long I will stay?" Duke said, without looking at Belinda. He was still flipping the magazine in his hands. "You haven''t spoken, but the very air feels oppressed. You''re sitting there like a Buddha statue! If I sit in your office and look at you every few seconds, you''d feel weird too." Belinda rolled her eyes. If he was really upset, Duke could go find that man, have a fight, settle it once for all! What was the point of just sitting here and sulking? And worse, instead of his ownpany, he chose to sit in her office. What on earth was he thinking? "Um! Good advice. How about youe to my office and watch me at work this afternoon. So I can have a taste of this pressure." Duke seemed ustomed to Belinda''s anger; He didn''t move even an inch. "You really think I have nothing better to do? I''ve got so much work piled up. Why would I waste time watching you work? Plus, it''s not worth my time to look at you." Belinda glowered at him. She wished she could just throw this man back to his own office, then she could focus on her work. "It''s not worth your time? Say that again!" Duke narrowed his eyes and stared coldly at the defiant woman sitting opposite him. "It''s truly not worth my time. I''m afraid your poker face will ru face redden a little. She felt fondness well up in her chest. For the first time Belinda was captivated by him. Compared with the cold Duke, this one was more appealing and touched her heart easily. She couldn''t help getting close to him. "See? This is what I want to do here." Duke said. A slight curve formed on his lower lip; the usual coldness suddenly melted away and his face was covered with a gentle warm light. In a daze Belinda overlooked the naughty implication in his words. As her hand touched his tight frown, a faint ache suddenly came to Belinda''s heart and spread slowly over her body. "Have you ever loved someone?" Belinda blinked and gazed into Duke''s eyes intently, curious about what she would hear. "If I say no, would you believe it?" A pretty face shed through Duke''s mind, but soon he shook the image away from his mind. Their paths would never cross. "I don''t believe it. Your face tells me there''s a story there. You always put on a poker face, trying to push everyone away." Clearly Belinda didn''t buy what he said. Something must have happened in his past to cause this cold and intimidating manner. Chapter 217 Rachel Qin "Do you fear me?" This was Duke: when he was tender, one couldn''t believe those words woulde out of his mouth; when he was cold, one could feel the chill meters away. "Why should I fear you? What are you going to do? Eat me?" Belinda said and raised her eyebrows carelessly. Duke was overbearing, but he didn''t scare her. As time went by, Belinda got to know his temperament and found that he was not difficult as long as you didn''t push him too far. "Honey, it sounds that you want me to ''eat'' you. How abouting to my vi tonight?" Instead of his icy face, Duke put on a naughty grin and got closer to Belinda. "Go away! Who wants to be eaten by you? And who will go to your vi with you? I''m not stupid!" Belinda''s sweetness turned into a hot temper. She wouldn''t let anybody take advantage of her. "However, you''re not in charge." Duke dismissed Belinda''s remarks. Nobody could avoid Duke. He would get what he wanted. "Huh! You think I''m scared? Nobody threatens me." Belinda yed with his tie. Her face was full of happiness. "OK. We''ll see." Duke sounded reassured. Absorbed in Belinda''s beautiful smiling face, his heart softened. "You can''t be serious!" Belinda got nervous, for she knew very well what he had meant by going to his vi. "I''m hungry. Let''s go and grab a bite." Duke changed the subject, a faint smile lingering at the corners of his mouth. Belinda checked the time and agreed reluctantly. Her whole morning had been wasted. She didn''t know what to do with the files piled up on her desk. "Duke, I haven''t finished reading the files yet and it is because of you, so you have to help me with them after lunch." Duke had spare time to hang around every day while Belinda had to bury herself in work. She envied him. "Do you mean that?" Duke was about to leave when he heard Belinda''s words. He stopped. "Yes. I got dizzy from reading the files. I hope I can read magazines leisurely on the sofa like you do." Belinda was the only child in her family, so she had to take over the family business. She hadn''t dreamed of bing a businesswoman. She just wanted to be gentle and soft, and be loved by someone who me. After all, he loved me so fiercely.'' "I''m sorry, Miss Qin. I don''t want to talk about the past. I don''t remember anything either." Duke sounded indifferent and distant. The nervousness was gone. He had imagined that it would be painful to see her again, but it wasn''t. The truth was, he felt nothing. Time is the best medicine. When Duke let go of Belinda''s hand, sadness engulfed her. She didn''t know why and wondered if she had fallen for Duke. "Duke, I had no choice back then. Now I''m back, for you, because I''ve always loved you. You feel the same way about me, right?" Rachel Qin bit her lip, about to cry. She was giddy with anticipation. "Rachel Qin, you think you''re that important? Maybe, several years ago, I might trust you. But now I don''t. You are no more than a shadow to me." Duke got excited. His voice rose by a few decibels, and he looked grim. His icy eyes were fixed on the pretentious woman in front of him. ''When you didn''t want me, you treated me like crap; now when you want me again, youe back and tell me you love me. How stupid do you think I am?'' "Duke, it''s not what you think. You won''t forgive me because I hurt you too deeply, right?" Actually, Rachel Qin had noticed Belinda, but she had chosen to ignore her. Years ago, Duke was obsessed with Rachel, so Rachel didn''t believe he could forget her and fall in love with another woman. She was positive that she could make Duke love her again. Chapter 218 Its Mary "Um, obviously, you two want to catch up on things, and I won''t disturb you. I''m leaving." Belinda then felt a slight twinge of sadness in her nose. She didn''t want to hear their conversation and be ignored anymore. "Where are you going?" Duke grasped Belinda''s arm quickly, looking flurried. ''Damn! How did I neglect Belinda?'' he thought. "I''m hungry, I''m going somewhere to eat. You two carry on. Don''t mind me." Belinda smiled magnanimously. She had just asked him whether he had ever loved someone deeply, and now his beloved one turned up. Studying the expression painted on Duke''s face, Belinda didn''t believe for a moment that Rachel Qin was just a casual passer-by in his life. He might still have feelings for her. "Belinda, what''s that supposed to mean?" Duke''s face quickly turned solemn. He red at Belinda, and thought, ''How could she push me to another woman so generously?'' "It means that you two seem to have a lot to catch up. I''m excusing myself so that you can say whatever you want to say." Belinda sneered, and thought, ''He let go of my hand when he saw the woman. Apparently, he didn''t want her to know that we''re together. So as he wishes, I leave. They can do whatever they want.'' "I have nothing to say to her. Let''s go to another ce, " he said. Duke then dragged Belinda out of the restaurant without looking again at Rachel Qin. The two women hadn''t even been introduced to each other. "Duke, Duke, ..." Rachel ran up to them, and thought, ''Who is that woman? She can''t be his wife, because ording to my inquiries, Duke isn''t married. That means I still have a chance to win him over!'' "Won''t you wait for her?" asked Belinda. She looked back at Rachel Qin and then glimpsed at Duke, who was furious. ''Does he really have to run away from her like this?'' she wondered. "Shut up, woman! Don''t anger me!" Duke turned to re at her, and wondered, ''Is she actually so generous, or is it because she doesn''t care about me at all? What kind of woman would push her own husband to someone else?'' "It wasn''t me who angered you, as far as I can see, " she said. Belinda provoked him even further. Duke was irritated the moment he saw the woman, and had red up because the woman hadid bare his mind with one single prating remark. ''Does he still love her?'' she thought. "If this is what you really want, They really are ignoring Daisy, '' he thought. Mary had invited him so many times, but hadn''t mentioned Daisy''s name even once. It seemed that they had disowned her. It was fine with Edward, because his woman didn''t need anybody else''s concern but his. The noon sunshine was scorching thend, and heat waves rushed at Edward''s face. He stopped at the entrance of the FX International Group to take a deep breath and then walked toward the Maybach Luke had prepared for him. He got in the car as soon as he could, because his skin had already started to sting. Summer was excruciating for him to bear. The same old ce Duke and Edward had mentioned was a Western restaurant they often patronized. It was called Tender Whispers, which sounded like a coffee house. With its elegant and fancy decor and exotic atmosphere, it was an ideal ce for lovers and people seeking a ce to rx. Edward walked in the box and was surprised to see Rain there. ''Rain is here. And he arrived here even earlier than I did. Has he finished his work yet?'' he wondered. "You have such a short distance to travel but you''re stillte. Isn''t it obvious that you did it on purpose?" asked Rain. He had never known how to restrain his provocative personality, and that was why he was often bullied by Edward. "Why are you here? Have you finished your work?" Edward nced at Rain and sat down. He knew that Rain couldn''t stay long in his office, so he hadn''t expected him to finish reading all of the development ns. He asked Rain to take all the pressure for him in a huff. Chapter 219 She Will Say Its Yours "To do my work, I have to eat first, " he said. Rain grinned, and leaned on the chair as he touched his dazzling purple stud, which was his signature move. "Why do you want to drink at this hour?" Edward poured himself a ss of water and drank it in one gulp. Then he turned to look at Duke, who felt dejected. "Rachel Qin is back, " said Duke. He sipped some more wine from the ss he had been holding, and it permeated his mouth. "What? Rachel Qin? When did you see her? Do you still think of her after so many years?" Edward frowned, and thought, ''Didn''t she marry a rich foreign merchant? Why is she here? And right after Duke got married?'' "I told you already that I didn''t love her anymore. How could I even think of her?" It had been painful for Duke at first, but as time went by, Rachel Qin''s image in his memory had be vague, and eventually he didn''t think of her at all. He wouldn''t even have remembered her if she hadn''t turned up so suddenly today. "Then why are you so dejected?" Edward had never liked Rachel Qin because he had never thought that she was Duke''s type in the first ce. He didn''t see it as a big deal at first, but after she left him, Duke''s more and more decadent lifestyle started to worry him. He eventually calmed down when he saw that Duke slowly started toe back to his normal self. "The thing is, Belinda saw her and she ran away. I think she misunderstood the whole thing." It hurt when Duke thought of the moment when Belinda left him hanging. "What? Why didn''t you follow her? Why are you here drinking?" Edward''s brows knitted tightly. He thought, ''It has been eventfultely. Troubles are springing out one after another.'' impossible for you to be the father of her baby?" Rain became serious and sneered. "I told her, but she''s sure that the baby is mine, so I''m worried that things might change." Edward didn''t want to hide things from Duke and Rain. Although they loved jeering at each other, they also discussed important matters together. "No way! It''s a one-in-ten-thousand possibility that that could happen!" Duke always spoke the truth and avoided speaking of things he didn''t know about. "Hard to say. Boss, you''d better have a physical examination in the hospital. The consequences can be serious." Rain meant what he said. He knew how serious the matter was. "You''re right! That''s what I''m thinking. Keep it from Daisy for me. She might overthink it." Edward lifted his eyes. He had made the mess in the first ce, and he would fix it as soon as possible. He didn''t want to affect Daisy''s performance during the war game. "Don''t worry! We know how important this is." Duke then poured another ss of wine down his throat, and the other two men were also racing who could drink faster, as if they were trying to get hammered. Chapter 220 He Belongs to Me Daisy trotted off the training field, with her face dripping with sweat. Her sweat-soaked camougebat clothes clung to her body, and she looked strong, bright, and brave. Mark came up to her with her phone in his hand, which had already rung for several times. He said, "Colonel, you are wanted on the phone." "Thanks." Daisy took the phone and checked the caller ID. It was Belinda, who seldom called Daisy at that hour of the day. She wondered why, and called her back. "Hi, Belinda, what''s up?" While Daisy was speaking on the phone, Mark handed a towel to her. She took it and started to wipe her face, while her eyes were still fixed on the soldiers doing their exercises on the training field. "Do I need a reason to call you? ..." Belinda sounded hoarse and spiritless. "Belinda, have you been drinking?" Daisy gave Mark the towel back, gestured to the other officers on the field, and then went to her office to speak with Belinda privately. "Yes, I drank a little, but I''m not drunk yet." Belinda patted her chest to assure Daisy she was telling the truth, as if she was afraid that Daisy wouldn''t believe her. "Why are you drinking at noon? Where''s Duke? Aren''t you two together?" Daisy was a little worried about her, but she was caught in a big dilemma, because she had to stay at the military base. "Don''t mention him to me! Maybe he''s on a date with his ex-girlfriend." Belinda poured one more ss of wine, and realized that she had strong feelings for Duke. That was why she felt so mad and sad when he let go of her hand earlier in the day. "What ex-girlfriend? Belinda, are you sure that you aren''t drunk? Where are you? I''ll send someone over to pick en busy withtely?" Edward checked the time and winced. "Oh, I''ve just finished training, and I''m going to shower before lunch." When lunch was ready in the canteen, Daisy was busy reading the files in her office, and then she had to go to monitor the training. When she spoke with Edward, it had been long past lunchtime. The soldiers had been working hard. Even lunch breaks had been used to practice using equipment and weapons. "You go to eat something. We''re going to find Belinda now, but don''t exhaust yourself. Okay?" Edward was getting more and more worried about Daisy''s health, because her meals were often dyed. How could her stomach handle the effort? "Okay, don''t worry. I''ll take good care of myself. Bye." Daisy smiled. ''Jessica, this man belongs to me. All the things you did will only make me want to be closer to him. I won''t be fooled by your words.'' "Duke, Daisy said that Belinda is here in the Misty Rain Box, and that she''s drunk. Go and find her." Edward raised his eyebrows and looked at Duke. ''Duke and Belinda even picked the same restaurant. They are meant to be together, '' he thought. Chapter 221 Drunk Women Are Especially Passionate "What? She''s also here?" Duke then immediately stood up when he heard the news and darted out the door. He truly cherished Belinda, even though he had not been aware of it himself. Belinda threw her phone on the table and kept filling her ss up. Her bright eyes were now muddled because of the alcohol, and the more she drank, the more upset she grew. Belinda had never been attracted to any man before, let alone care about one, but at that point, she was also surprised at how much she wanted Duke just for herself. She smiled bitterly as she was about to down another ss, but then someone swooped in and took the drink away from her. Her slightly reddened eyes looked up at the big hand holding her ss, and when she saw Duke''s stern, yet handsome face, she started tough immediately. "Haha! Duke, one really can hallucinate when she''s drunk." Belinda gently shook her head and then waved her hands in front of her eyes, trying to get rid of the figure she thought was only in her head. She did not believe that what she saw in front of her was real. "Why did you drink so much?" Duke furrowed his eyebrows and caught her waving hands, and then sat down and pulled her into his arms. "You... Who are you? Go away! Don''t touch me, I''m married!" Belinda strenuously struggled in his embrace, but what she said gave Duke a smile. He didn''t expect that she, even intoxicated, would ever admit to the fact which she never wanted to admit, that they were already married. It seemed to him that she was not entirely against their marriage after all! "It''s me, Duke Leng, calm down!" Duke held the restless woman, and another bitter smile appeared on his austere face. He gave her a kiss on the top of her head, and gently patted her shivering back with hisrge hand. As soon as Belinda heard his arresting voice, she became quiet and stopped struggling. She leaned deeper into his warm embrace, as if she suddenly found a piece of drift wood while floating in the sea. She clut nk. "But Mr. Mu, what about you?" Luke looked at him apprehensively, because he honestly worried about Edward''s current state, and whether he could actually drive himself back to thepany. "Rx! Everything''s fine. I''m off now." Edward waved at him and then got inside his car. Before he could start the engine, a call came in. "Hello! Aaron, what is it?" Edward put the phone to his ear and started the car. "Mr. Edwards, bad news. Coco is holding a live press conference." Aaron nervously watched the live stream on theputer as he hastily reported. "What? Who gave her the right to do that? And why didn''t our media sources get the news first? She''s an artist on our roster! How can she hold a press conference without going through thepany''s approval?" Edward then forcefully grabbed the steering wheel and shouted in the phone. His eyes were filled with anger, and on his face there wasn''t a trace left of his usual politeness and ss; instead, there was a devilish and evil fire burning from deep inside him. ''Coco, Coco, you''re really taking yourself seriously. Do you really think you''re irreceable in my entertainmentpany? Alright, if you like to bring up your scandals so much to the public, then I''ll satisfy your desire for shame and fame. Mypany can do just as well without you.'' Chapter 222 Too Much to Let Go "I asked around already, she did all of it in secret. The media and press she invited are all tied to otherpanies. I heard that she only alerted the entertainment journalists half an hour before the live conference started. Since she has always been a low-key artist, they rarely have a chance to interview her, so as soon as she announced the press conference, they made it live. From what I heard, that was also Coco''s own request." Aaron stared intently at theputer screen, and feared that Coco might bring up some difficult topics that they couldn''t properly deal with. "Okay, leave her alone for the time being, let''s see what she''s going to say first; then we''ll deal with the problems one by one in public." Edward was speeding through the city, and his expression grew even more perplexed by each passing moment. "Yes, Mr. Edward. I''ve asked the administration of our entertainmentpany to take the necessary actions. I also sent people to the conference to keep a close eye on things." This was the most important reason that Edward highly valued Aaron Qiao. He was always able to calmly and steadily take all the necessary precautions when Edward was not in the office. "Good! I''m on my way to thepany right now. We''ll talk about solutionster." Edward stepped harder on the throttle, with only a sarcastic smirk on his face. He found it funny that people could underestimate him so much just because he had been quiet in the media for a while. Somehow they were able to set up a live press conference for his artist without his permission, and he was surprised at the people''s boldness. Now that they had openly stood against him, he would like to find out which entertainment magazines were involved in this. He promised to himself that he''d bring their business to a new level, only it would be a level on which they couldn''t afford to get on. Edward wondered if they had forgotten that he was the smiling tiger. He loved to destroy his opponents while talking andughing with them. "Mr. Edward, you''re back!" The moment Edward arrived on the top f e appeared on his face when he saw her picture, and deep down in his heart, a soft spot slowly melted. He hoped that Daisy would always make him falter like this. He had put in too much to let her go. He then spontaneously dialed the all too familiar number. All he wanted to hear was her voice, and he wanted to make sure that she was the only woman who could change his mood. "Oh, hi, Mr. Mu. This is Mark Du. The colonel''s in a meeting. She can''te to the phone right now. Do you have something urgent to say to her?" Because of the ''Husband'' name shing on Daisy''s phone, Mark knew immediately that Edward was calling. "Oh! No, nothing urgent. I''ll callter then!" Edward was disappointed that he didn''t get to hear the voice he wanted. It seemed that she really was busy. Exercises first, and then the meetings. They were living in time of peace, so why she had to work so hard? "Okay, Mr. Mu, goodbye. Oh, should I ask the colonel to call you back?" Mark liked the way Edward handled things because he never acted like a haughty and blistering rich guy. "No need. Thanks, bye!" Edward then ended the call, defeated, and smiled bitterly. He stared for a moment longer at the cold yet beautiful face in the picture on his phone before he went back to the pile of documents that never seemed to reduce. Apparently, not everything could always be ording to his will. Chapter 223 You Are Pushing It While Edward was dealing with his crisis step by step, things about Duke were another story to tell. Belinda remained silent and peaceful on their way home, but she threw up the instant she got off the car. There was vomit all over Duke and her, which almost drove him crazy. After he carried Belinda to the dinning room and ced her on the couch, Duke took off his dirty clothes and threw them in theundry basket. When he saw her, he concluded that he had no choice but to take Belinda to the bathroom, even though he hated to do it. With his hands trembling, Duke untied her well-cut suit covered in vomit. He almost threw up himself while he was in the middle of it, but he duly gritted his teeth and eventually managed to take them off. "Stay still!" said Duke. He gripped her slim arms, which were iling in all directions, and he felt a warm current coursing throughout his whole body as he saw her naked ample bosom. "Wow! Duke, I see you better." Belinda began to get sober and tried to loosen Duke''s grip on her. "Take a shower first. You just threw up, " he said. Duke''s mouth corners twitched to a smile when he began to realize that he, usually such an aloof and indifferent person, was actually coaxing a drunk woman in the most tender way. This was the first time Duke learned that it paid off to be considerable and patient. "No! No shower! I want to sleep. Oh, my head is throbbing... Shush! Be quiet! I''m tired..." Belinda began to lean her whole body on Duke, almost knocking him to the floor. Duke then understood what Edward had meant be wined her legs around Duke''s waist, and looked at him with blurred eyes. Belinda was very much a firm woman of decision and action, and had decided to chase after Duke the moment she felt an interest in him. Belinda was determined to own the man she fell in love with, and realized that she didn''t care about his past girlfriend; she was willing to pay everything to get him. "You started it!" Duke turned off the shower head and took her outside the bathroom, not even bothering to dry themselves up. The warm afternoon light flooded the stuffy room filled with moans. Belinda didn''t expect that her another close contact with Duke would be like this. Sometimes it''s hard to resist your desires and emotions, and you just follow them instead. Duke regarded himself as a rational and cool headed man, but Belinda was much too great of a temptation to resist. He had to admit that she was very special to him. If it had been someone else instead of her, he would have never felt the overpowering sexual urge, and would have just left. Chapter 224 Stay Away From Her (Part One) The evening sky was bathed in a colorful glow. The soft light shone magnificently. The light prated into the car windows and covered Daisy, adding splendor to her demeanor and making her look calm and dignified. "Colonel, are we going straight back?" Mark asked hesitantly, looking at Daisy through the rearview mirror. Since Daisy''s arm got hurt, he had moved to Edward''s cottage to act as Daisy''s driver. Since he was her apanying officer, there was nothing inappropriate about the arrangement. "Hmm... Drive me to the FX International Group first, " said Daisy. She got off work early today, so she decided to take this chance to have a romantic date with Edward. The military exercises would start the day after tomorrow, so they wouldn''t see each other for quite a long time. "Okay, Colonel, " Mark smiled in understanding. He got ustomed to seeing her and Edward being affectionate with each other these past few days, so her instruction wasn''t surprising. Daisy continued to read through the files in her hands. She was a very gentle woman in private. But to outsiders, her aloofness was beautiful but intimidating. At first, she deliberately avoided Edward. But now, she could get along with him easily. She didn''t want to make her feelings for him seem too obvious. But she felt it was now necessary to let Edward see her love for him. The top-notch Humvee drove quickly on the wide road of the suburbs. Meanwhile, on the top floor of FX International Group, a special guest had arrived. Every time she came over, she would make a big fuss. "Sir, Jessica Lin is here. She wants to meet with you and talk about work." Anna knew that the Lin Group ck to your work first." Since Jessica had barged in, it was impossible for Anna to make her leave now. Jessica raised her eyebrows at Anna smugly. She knew that Edward wouldn''t do anything to her, so she went in without permission. She used to have the green light to enter this office at any time. Now, she was asked to wait outside for confirmation. How could she bear the pitiful looks that everyone gave her? Anna ignored Jessica''s pompous actions and walked out. Without knowing it, she inadvertently left the office without fully closing the door. She went straight back to her work. "Go ahead! What''s the matter this time? Don''t mention the child to me again. I''ve made it clear many times that the child isn''t mine." Edward didn''t even look at her. A touch of irritation was clearly visible in his eyes. "Don''t worry, Edward. It''s not about the child. My father wants to invite you to dinner. He will also ask Coco toe. This way, you can sit down and resolve the tension between you two." Jessica didn''t mind Edward''s cold attitude towards her. She had multiple ways to have him warm up to her. Chapter 225 Stay Away From Her (Part Two) "I''m very busy. I''m sorry, but I can''t ept Mr. Lin''s warm invitation. Please send my sincere apology to your father. As for Miss Coco''s event, I don''t n topromise. So I don''t see any point in seeing her." Edward sneered as he nced at her gentle smile. He looked haughty and aggressive. "Edward, aren''t you afraid that Coco will disclose the news that you abandoned me during the next press conference?" Jessica asked. She didn''t want to resort to using the press conference, but Edward had pushed her. If Edward hadn''t been so decisive about breaking up with her that night in the bar, she wouldn''t have thought about using the media to achieve her goal. "Do whatever you want. Everybody has known that I abandoned you even three months ago. I will lose nothing if you want me to dere it again in the public." Abandoned her? Women were like pieces of clothing to Edward. He had given Jessica special treatment for so many years, but enough is enough. If she used him of abandoning her, she would only be augh stock in everyone''s eyes. "Are you sure? What if Daisy Ouyang finds out that I''m pregnant with your child?" Jessica tried again. She was still bitter that Daisy had hung up on her. She had nned to tell her the striking news to vent out her anger, but she didn''t expect the phone call to end like that. No matter what, she needed to take this opportunity to make ut the appearance, what makes you feel so confident that you''re better than her? She''s the most beautiful woman in my eyes. You''d better not doubt me. I really don''t want to see all the employees of the Lin Group lose their jobs." Edward shot her down with a sneer. Because he was still in a rage, he didn''t stop to think about Jessica''s words. If he had taken a second thought, he would notice that Jessica already knew how Daisy looked like, or she wouldn''t say she was better looking. "No, this can''t be happening. You can''t say such things to me! I''m the woman you love the most!" Jessica flung herself onto Edward''s body and held his waist, simultaneously stealing kiss from Edward''s lips. They were both unaware that someone was peeking into the office through the gap of the half-open door and happened to see the intimate scene. The woman paused in pushing the door open before she turned around and left without hesitation. Chapter 226 Don’t Ever Let Me See You Again "Mrs. Mu, did you just arrive, or are you about to leave?" Anna asked as she carried a pile of files in her hands. She almost bumped into Daisy, who hade from the direction of Edward''s office. "Yes, I''m leaving. I have some urgent matters to deal with." Daisy helped Anna gather the files to stop them from falling out of Anna''s grasp. She forced a gentle smile that disappeared in an instant. "Okay. Thank you, Mrs. Mu. Goodbye." Anna always felt excited every time she saw Daisy. She wondered why Daisy was leaving in such a hurry. Daisy waved goodbye and rushed into the elevator. As soon as the door of the elevator closed, her face became pale. She bit her bottom lip hard, her eyes turning red and filling with tears. She closed her eyes in agony. When she opened them again, she resumed her cold demeanor. She was back to the intimidating ice-cold Colonel once again. "Jessica Lin, do you want me to kill you?" Edward growled, shoving her away. He hurriedly took a tissue from his desk and wiped his lips. He reserved his lips for Daisy only to kiss. No woman besides Daisy had tasted his lips. He didn''t expect Jessica to take advantage of him by forcing a kiss on him. "Sorry, Edward. I didn''t know what I was doing, it was a spur of the moment! I didn''t n to kiss you, " Jessica said hurriedly as she tried to keep her bnce. She looked at Edward with grievance. He was madly wiping his lips like she had caught a contagious disease. She didn''t want to irritate him, but she got so emotional that she unconsciously kissed his lips and offended him. Kissing was taboo for Edward. She was very curious who had the privilege to kiss his lips. When she used to have sex with him, no matter how passionate they were, she was never able to kiss his lips. It was forbidden. She was free to kiss anywhere else on his body. But for his lips, she didn''t dare intrude into the forbidden zone. "Get out! Don''t ever let me see you again!" Edward howled with fury. He looked fiercely at her, as if he were about to kill her. His thin lip why did Daisy also leave in such a hurry? Are you two ying some sort of game?" Rain asked with a yful smile. He looked at Edward''s sullen face. He always enjoyed challenging Edward, who looked like a furious lion when he got angry. At Rain''s words, Edward turned around and seized Rain''s shoulder tightly. "Did you see Daisy? Did you notice anything strange about her?" Rain felt a sharp pain on his already sore shoulder. Now, Edward''s grip made it even worse. "Ugh, are you trying to kill me? I didn''t notice anything wrong with Daisy. She looked cool in her uniform!" Rain replied. He gritted his teeth and broke free from Edward''s grasp, keeping a safe distance from Edward warily. "Did she say anything?" Edward asked. He felt at a loss with what to do next. Since he didn''t expect Jessica to suddenly kiss him, he was shocked into silence for several seconds before he pushed her away. Daisy must''ve seen this and misunderstood the situation. "She said that she had some urgent things to deal with. Did anything happen between you two?" His urge to gossip surfaced. He looked at Edward eagerly. It looked like an interesting story. "Yes! She might have seen Jessica kissing me!" Edward replied. He stared anxiously at the shing numbers on the elevator panel. Not wanting to hide it from Rain this time, Edward satisfied his curious nature. Chapter 227 Absolutely Mesmerized "Whoa! That can''t be true! When did Jessica be so aggressive? Doesn''t she know about your mysophobia?" Rain''s eyes widened. Everyone who knew Edward knew that it was forbidden to touch his lips. Jessica was really very bold to kiss him like that. She was even clever enough to pick the right moment to let Daisy see it. "I''m leaving now. Take care of thepany for me." Edward hurriedly walked out of the elevator as soon as it stopped at the first floor. He dialed Daisy''s number again and again, but her phone was still switched off. He cursed in frustration. The Humvee sped by on the road in the downtown area. Mark carefully observed Daisy''s expression from time to time. He had assumed that he would wait outside the office building of the FX International Group for a while. He didn''t expect Daisy toe back so soon. When she returned, she didn''t seem as excited as she was when they arrived at the building. "Colonel, where are we going?" Mark asked. They had passed several intersections already and now, they were faced with three options at the next turn: the army base, Edward''s house, and the seaside. "I want to go to the seaside." She rolled her hollow eyes and sneered to herself. If the picture she saw didn''t mean anything, how could anyone exin what she just witnessed? Edward told her to believe him no matter what. Was this what he wanted her to see? Was she just a joke to him? It seemed that she felt toocent. Daisy thought that as long as she was close to Edward, he would eventually fall for her. But it all turned out to be a fantasy. The sea breeze was very gentle today. As if the breeze could sense Daisy''s sadness, it swept over her face gently infort. She sat alone on a rock as she watched the vast blue ocean. The waves that smelled like seaweeds licked the rocks near the shore. Drops of sea water ine and leaving the army base. He still couldn''t help caring about Daisy. He couldn''t forget herpletely, not when she had once been deeply rooted in his heart. Kevin drove downtown quickly, shaking his head helplessly. A luxury Maybach suddenly brushed past his car. Before he realized it, the car had already disappeared. It went by extremely fast. If Kevin wasn''t mistaken, it was Edward''s car. But why was Edward going to the army base? Wasn''t Daisy at the seaside? Edward was in a state of panic. After he left the FX International Group, he went straight back home. But he didn''t find Daisy there. He was like a headless chicken, aimlessly driving around, hoping to find her. But as time passed, he still hadn''t gotten any news about her. Her phone was still turned off. He deeply regretted not saving Mark''s number in his phone. If he did, he wouldn''t be driving around anxiously like this. Fine! He admitted that in the short time that Daisy had disappeared, he was scared. He feared that Daisy would disappear from his life. He feared that he would lose the chance to enjoy her surprise kiss. He feared living a day without her around. Before he knew it, he had fallen deeply for Daisy. He was absolutely mesmerized by her. Chapter 228 He Really Fell In Love With Her (Part One) At this moment, Edward knew that he really fell in love with her. He had never experienced such feelings before. His heart wrenched at the feeling -- it was miserable. As he approached the army base his thoughts grew more tangled. ''What if she''s not there? Even if she is at the base, what do I do if I''m not allowed in?'' thought Edward. Endless questions filled his brain, making him lose his mind. This was unlike the master strategist, the smiling tiger CEO. But business and love are two different beasts. The car rolled to a stop at the gates of the army base. Looking at the powerful solders standing guard, he never hated who he was as much as today. He suddenly had a thought that it would be wonderful if he were amon soldier, so he wouldn''t be kept outside. He dialed Daisy''s number again, but the answer was still the same. Her phone was turned off. He sneered, bitterness clenched his heart. ''Daisy, didn''t you promise that you''d trust me under any circumstances? You jumped to conclusions without even giving me a chance to exin. Is it because that you don''t care about me at all? Or do you regret the decision you made before? Daisy, do you know how disappointed I feel when you walked away? You ignore all the love and care I''ve showed to you. What about the love that we''ve shared? You are special, different from other women. I really trusted you to keep your promise, that no matter what happens, you would wait for my exnation. But the promise you made couldn''t even withstand t r seen Edward care so much about any woman. But to Mrs. Mu, Mr. Mu seemed to like her very much, almost doting on her. He had done many things which he would never do before. Luke found that Edward really loved her, he was apletely different man from the amorous yboy he used to be. He knew that Mr. Mu was troubled by Jessica''s pregnancy recently. But he was pretty sure that the child in Jessica''s belly couldn''t be Mr. Mu''s. He was involved in Mr. Mu''s almost every affair, so he knew who Mr. Mu had been with and when. So he knew well about Edward''s private matters. The screeching of brakes shattered the reverie that Edward and Luke were lost in. They turned their heads to look at the green Humvee which came to a sudden stop. Then they saw Mark quickly got out of the car. Edward was excited and came to life. He was more animated than Luke had ever seen. Was Daisy there? He walked quickly towards the military car. But to his surprise, he didn''t see Daisy inside. His heart sank again. Chapter 229 He Really Fell In Love With Her (Part Two) "Mr. Edward? What are you doing here?" Mark asked. He looked at Edward, then at Luke. Because he had lived in Edward''s house recently, Luke was not a stranger to him. Luke had a very cold face, even colder than Colonel Daisy. Mark thought. "Mark, where is the Colonel?" Edward asked and seized Mark''s shoulder. He shook him eagerly, like Daisy might appear if Edward just jolted the soldier hard enough. "Mr. Edward, l - let me go. I''ll exin. R - right now I c - can''t even speak, " said Mark, struggling with the words. He felt dizzy from all the shaking. "Okay, but tell me, where is the Colonel?" asked Edward who immediately took back his hands and patted down his hair, embarrassed. He knew he lost his cool again. ''You see! Daisy. I''ve just lost myself over you for the first time. There are so many things I''ve done for you for the first time, but you can''t see them. Then something happens, and you forget everything that I''ve done for you and all the love I''ve given you.'' thought Edward. "Our Colonel has gone to H City with the Major General because of some emergency. It''s about an hour by ne. So she didn''t get the chance to notify you yet." said Mark He massaged his shoulder which was hurt by Edward shaking him. He wondered what mistakes he had made that would make him suffer this pain. "What? They went to H CIty? But why?" asked Edward. ''Daisy, are you doing this in order to escape from me? And you go with Kevin. Do you know how miserable I am now?'' thought Edward. "Yes. They are going there time talking with them here. He wanted to get things done quickly. Edward looked at Luke, who nodded at him. Then he got in the car. He finally got the chance to get inside the army base after he had waited outside for so long. But he still couldn''t see her. He sneered. ''She is ying hide and seek with me. Does she even know this would make me uneasy? Agitate me?'' Edward thought. They went to Daisy''s apartment, no snags, no jams. Edward suddenly became nervous. He didn''t know why he felt that way. She was not there. What made him so anxious? He wondered. It seemed that he would lose it when he thought of anything connected to her. "Mr. Edward, pleasee in." Mark said after he opened the door. He suddenly felt very strange after he said this. This was the Colonel''s apartment, so Mr. Edward could be deemed the master of the house. But why was he feeling that he sounded more like the master of this ce after he weed Edward into the house? Maybe because he was a soldier, and Edward was not? Chapter 230 Daisy I Love You (Part One) It was the second time Edward had entered this small but sweet apartment. It felt totally different from thest time he came here. At that time, he was only curious about her. But today, he came here with love and care for her, so he had different feelings when he saw the same scene. His fingers swept over every object within his reach, and they finally paused on a stack of old newspapers which were well-preserved in the study. He frowned in curiosity and picked one off the stack. Each one was about him. In the photo on the cover, he had a charming and cunning smile, while gently gazing at the popr young model beside him. If he hadn''t seen the photo, he never would have even remembered it or the article with it. He was dating a young model at the time, and he booked the whole hotel to hold a birthday party for her, or so the story read. Edward sneered at the report. It seemed that the media was exaggerating. If he wasn''t mistaken, he only booked a floor to hold a small party to celebrate her birthday, rather than the whole hotel. He threw the tabloid down in disgust, But suddenly he noticed there were several handwritten words on the newspaper. He picked it up again and read carefully. It read ''What a romantic birthday party. But it''s not for me. Although that handsome man is my husband, he has never appeared in my world. So he doesn''t know that today is my birthday too. When he is celebrating a birthday for another woman, I can only stupidly stare at my son''s face, which resembles his. That''s the only way to show how much I miss him now. '' There were not many words, but Edward was shocked. He quickly flipped through the newspaper and found the date, it was written four months ago. After knowing this, he eagerly took up the next piece of newspaper and read it. The contents of the newspaper were still about him, but this time, the woman who stood beside him was a different one. And there were still handwritten sentences beside the story. ''Jessica, she is a very beautiful woman with a nice look and attractive figure, which make her every move enticing to men looks very sad today. This makes me sad too. I wonder what is in these newspapers that can make him so emotional, '' thought Mark. Edward watched him leave. Then he shifted his focus back to the newspapers. He took out one on the bottom. The newspaper was published years earlier. Because the ink of the handwriting faded a little. But it was still readable and broke his heart. ''The military surgeon told me that I am pregnant. A new life wille into my world. When I saw his picture in the newspaper, I felt very excited. I drove to FX International Group and waited outside in a corner. But when I saw himing out with a starlet in his arms and was surrounded by journalists, I was desperate. I finally left without hesitation. Maybe he never remembers that there is a Daisy in his world. Then why should I invite insult to myself? '' There were several handwritten sentences in every issue of the newspaper. The sentences were short, but they recorded all her agony and helplessness. She was good at writing, Edward thought. Then he took out another issue carefully. Only then did he realize what a decadent life he had led before. All the photos in these newspapers showed him with different women, while he always remained handsome-looking and vigorous. There was never a trace of depression on his face. Compared to Daisy''s sadness and loneliness, he was always very happy and bright. Chapter 231 Daisy I Love You (Part Two) More handwriting in another newspaper read, ''Edward, my Edward, do you know how many times I''ve called your name when Iy on the bed inbor? I don''t mind that you didn''t show up during my pregnancy. But could you be merciful to me and not let me see this sweet scene of you with another woman on such a special day? Although I have been telling myself that as long as you are happy, I don''t mind only having pictures of you. But how much I have hoped that on this special day, you could give a gentle look tofort me, or a lovely smile to encourage me. But nothing, there is actually nothing from you. You never belong to me. '' Tears rolled down Edward''s face. He wondered how much he had missed of her moments of helplessness and fear. She was a great mother who had raised such a considerate and clever son. He had never cried for any reason, but today he couldn''t help weeping over her words. ''Daisy, what should I do? Your life was so hard. I''m willing to lose everything, but we can never get these lost moments back. I love you. It''s not a spur of the moment thing, or sweet words to please you. I love you because you have moved me so much and I cherish you. My love for you will never change, '' thought Edward. He picked up another newspaper, his hands trembling. There were bloodstains on it, which shocked him. Panic rose in him when he saw the blood. But on the newspaper, there was a picture of him with a beautiful woman, a popr singer. Her face was angelic and her figure was super hot. In the picture, the woman whispered something in his ear and smiled gracefully. The scene was very sweet. The handwriting on the newspaper made Edward think that she must have tried very hard to write th an. In fact, her heart was more fragile than other women. But he was the jerk who only caused harm to her. ''Daisy, do you know how much regret I feel now? And my heart wrenched when I saw what you wrote about how you feel about me. Did you do it on purpose? Did you deliberatelyy your heart bare, and let me know that you''ve suffered so much from loving me? You make me uneasy with your sorrow and leave me without giving me a chance for remorse. You''ve buried me in your sad stories. I can''t escape from your sadness and I don''t want to.'' Edward thought. Thinking of the newspapers stacked there, he knew there must be many different kinds of reports about him, together with her notes indicating her feelings and love for him. But he lost his courage to continue reading. He feared that he couldn''t control himself and would try to find her. He feared more that he was not qualified to love her anymore. He had already broken her heart. He had never felt so ashamed of his past decadent life and he had never felt so irritated with his current noble status. At this moment, he didn''t want anything, he only wanted to be with Daisy. Chapter 232 Letting Go Is Another Kind Of Love (Part One) "You have something on your mind, " said Kevin. He looked at Daisy, who had lowered the back seat andin on it. He noticed her eyes were red from the start. It was obvious that she had cried. ''What made her so sad? She has almost never cried. She seems to have be more emotional recently. She cried during the military training too. It''s good for her to vent her feelings, otherwise these feelings would build up and get in the way, '' Kevin thought. "It''s nothing. I''m a little tired from work. Maybe because I''m getting older, " replied Daisy mechanically, while looking at the scenery which was passing by quickly outside nkly. "Daisy, if you''re getting old, then I must have one foot in the grave, " teased Kevin. He pretended to look angry at her words and shot a stare at her. He was trying to make her less depressed. "You''re not a dying man. What will happen to Leena then, if you pass away? You just got married. Speaking of Leena, did you let her know we''re leaving early?" asked Daisy. She seemed more animated thanks to his exaggerated joke. Her face wasn''t as pale as it was before, and it appeared she felt better. "Not yet. I decided to tell her when we arrive safely. How about you? Did you tell Mr. Edward about this? I saw his car driving towards the army base when I left, " said Kevin looking at her hesitantly. He was sure that was Edward''s car. Because not long after the Maybach passed, another car zoomed by. That must be his bodyguard''s car, Kevin thought. "How''s it going between you and Leena? Is it okay to leave her alone at home?" asked Daisy. She purposely changed the subject. She didn''t want to open up to him that much. She''d feel embarrassed if she did. "We get along well. She is not as spoiled as I thought. She manages to surprise me a lot, " said Kevin. He knew that Daisy had intentionally changed the topic. But he didn''t mind. If she didn''t reply to his question, that was because she didn''t want to talk about Edward, Kevin thought. "Oh! Surprise? Surprised by her ability to make trouble or by how stubborn she is?" teased Daisy. She had experienced Leena''s obstinate character firsthand. And she wasn''t the only one. First Justin, then herself, and finally Belinda. She would constantly pester the person she liked and wouldn''t let it go. So every time Justin saw her, he would run off. Thinking of this, Daisy smiled gently. "Daisy! Do you really think of my wife that way?" asked Kevin. He turned around and looked at Daisy dou o is another kind of love. Kevin drove the car in silence. The furrow on his forehead indicated that in his heart, he was not as peaceful as he looked. He knew that Edward, a charming and sessful business man, would have a hard time sticking to only one woman. Even if he didn''t want another woman, girls would try to use all kinds of ways to attract his attention. He was the prince charming of many girls'' hearts, thought Kevin. The dark green military car hit the expressway. They kept silent, but they were thinking about the same person at the same time. Daisy thought of Edward because she loved him. And Kevin thought of Edward because he loved Daisy. Same guy, different reasons. "Mr. Mu, are you okay?" As soon as Luke saw Edwarde out, he noted how Edward looked, and his greeting was reced by a phrase of concern. He frowned when he saw Edward''s pale face. Why did Mr. Mu look even worse than before he entered the army base? Luke wondered. "It''s nothing. Call someone to drive your car back. I''m a little tired, " said Edward while getting into the car and belting himself into the passenger''s seat. He closed his eyes before Luke could say anything. He had never felt so tired. Even if he''d worked for two days and two nights consecutively, he would not feel as weary as he did right now. Luke moved his lips, trying to say something. But he gave up the idea and quickly got into the car. He shot a concerned look to Edward before he started the engine. Mr. Mu was in a deep depression now, and Luke had never seen him like this before. He had always been high-spirited, vigorous and extremely arrogant. But he looked so down now. Chapter 233 Letting Go Is Another Kind Of Love (Part Two) "Luke, take me to Sexy World," Edward said. His eyes were still closed. His voice became a little hoarse. He lost his usual charming manner and his soul seemed to have wandered out of his body. It was heartbreaking for anyone to see him like this. "Mr. Mu, maybe It would be better to go back home and have a good rest," said Luke. He knew once Edward went to Sexy World, he would get himself drunk. So Luke was a little worried about Edward''s health. "Take me to Sexy World. I need to be drunk," said Edward. He took out his cellphone and unlocked the screen. When he saw Daisy''s photo on the screen, his heart ached. He smiled bitterly and then dialed a number. He waited for the person to pick up the phone. "Hello! Edward. What''s up?" Duke answered doubtfully. Didn''t they meet today already? ''What happened?'' Duke wondered. "Let''s have a drink!" said Edward. He leaned against his seat and narrowed his eyes. That look seemed attractive with a touch of decadence. "A drink? What happened to you?" asked Duke. He nced at Belinda who had been sleeping from afternoon till now. He had nned to take her out for dinner. Although it was kind ofte for dinner, they could still have a midnight snack. "Yes. Come over! Take Rain and Tom too," said Edward. He rubbed his forehead to ease his headache. ''Jessica, I told you don''t irritate me. I didn''t expect that you wouldn''t listen. That''s fine. But you have done such an unforgivable thing to me. It seems that if I don''t punish the Lin Group, no one will be held responsible for the agony my wife has suffered today, .'' Edward thought. "Okay See you at Sexy World!" Duke hung up the phone and looked at Belinda, apologetically. He showed a gentle smile which was rare to be seen on his face and walked gracefully over to Belinda. Looking at Duke''s charming manner, Belinda was a little scared. ''Is he crazy? I have been tortured by him the whole afternoon, and I can''t stand any more sex, '' Belinda thought. "Honey, we are going to Sexy World tonight, do you want to go with me?" asked Duke. He bent down and lifted a lock of her hair. He circled her hair around his fingers yfully. When he noticed the love marks on her neck, he smiled with satisfaction. "To the Sexy World? Will Daisy be there?" asked Belinda. She heard that Duke said "Edward" during the call, so she w s away from me. Did I make a mistake by saying that you''re in love?" said Rain with a pretended expression of grievance. He tried to make things brighter with his banter. Edward had been drinking since he got here. But Edward wouldn''t tell them what happened, so he could only stay silent. "Edward, take it slowly. It''s not good for your health if you continue drinking like this," said Tom while he reached out his hand trying to put down the ss of wine which Edward was about to drink. He was wondering what happened today to make him drink like this. "It''s okay. I''ve just drunk a little," said Edward. He pushed Tom''s hand away and continued to pour wine into his ss. His sad face made people around him feel perplexed. They were wondering what had troubled him so much. "Ah! What happened to him?" Duke asked, sitting beside Rain and elbowing his arm. "I don''t know. Why not ask him yourself?" Rain whispered, ncing at Duke with his head down. He had been teased by the cold man''s wife just now, so he wanted to vent his anger on Duke. The tense atmosphere between them didn''t affect Annie and Belinda who sat beside them. They were having a nice chat. "Hello, I''m Belinda. I heard that you''re Annie, right?" asked Belinda. She liked how quiet Annie was, which made people feelfortable and want to be close to her. "Hello, Belinda, I''m Annie, as you seem to know," said Annie. She also liked the cheerful and optimistic personality of Belinda, which reminded her of her younger self. But a man had changed her personalitypletely. Chapter 234 12 Long Years of Love (Part One) "Annie, nice to meet you. I hope we can keep in touch in the future." Belinda nced around, but Daisy was nowhere to be seen. She was disappointed and wondered whether the wound on Daisy''s arm had healed. "I will, Belinda." Annie sounded tender. At this moment, she was elegant and quiet. She was more mature than her age might indicate, and she was as graceful in body and manner alike. "Edward, where''s Daisy?" Belinda asked after she had chatted with Annie. She had thought that Daisy would be here. All the eyes were on Edward now, because everyone else was also curious why Daisy didn''te. Rain knew that Jessica had kissed Edward and not the other way around -- Daisy should have been willing to hear Edward''s exnation. Rain considered Daisy to be a rational woman, who wouldn''t take idents as deliberate mistakes. Hence, Rain didn''t understand why Edward kept drinking like a fish. "She has gone to attend the war games." Edward replied indifferently in a vexed tone, ignoring other people''s gaze. His mood was unfathomable. "War games? Howe I have never heard of it? This one must be being conducted in secret. A closed one again?" As Belinda could recall, Daisy had attended a training recently. How was it that war games hade so soon? Belinda was worried about Daisy when she couldn''t reach her. "I don''t know either, because she told me nothing." Edward was sipping wine, with a mncholy look in his deep eyes. "Is Daisy still mad about what happened between you and Jessica? Did you exin it to her?" Rain asked, doubting if that was the reason for all this. Edward never kissed women on the lips, because he was apulsive germ freak. Everyone in his social ss knew that. If Daisy knew about it too, it wouldn''t be hard for her to believe Edward. "I think so. Since I didn''t get to see her before she left, how could I exin anything to her?" Edward said in a resentful tone and drained another ss. "What? Does Daisy know that Jessica is pregnant?" Duke cut in, unawa gain her achievements. "Yes, I do." Edward answered. It was eptable to say no if he had known nothing about the newspapers. But if he still couldn''t feel her love after having seen the stack of newspapers in her study, he didn''t deserve her love. "You know? Edward, are you sure you really know? Just because you said that you didn''t love weak women, she chose to go to a foreign military school, which she loathed most, and for which the Ouyangs threw her out of the house. No, you don''t know how much time she has wasted on you. She has loved you since the minute you two met. She was forced to get married at first, but when she heard that you were the groom, she was so happy to marry you. But God! You treated her like trash! Tears welled up in Belinda''s eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Her usations shocked everyone present, because the woman Belinda was talking about didn''t sound like the Daisy they knew at all, who was sessful and heroic. They had never imagined that she had had a hard life. "I''m sorry, " Edward said, uncertain whether it was to Belinda or to Daisy. He had never known Daisy went to a military school because of him. The documents Luke had given him mentioned no reason. Maybe Luke had failed to find one. However, when did Edward say that he didn''t like weak women? He didn''t recall saying that at all. Chapter 235 12 Long Years of Love (Part Two) "Don''t say sorry to me! Daisy is the one you should apologize to, for the 12 years that she has spent loving you and for the fact that you haven''t acted like a husband for one day since she married you! When she was pregnant with your baby, you were fooling around with other women; when she was on assignment and risking her life, you were enjoying yourfortable and luxurious life; when she was alone and worried to death by Justin''s sickbed, you were squandering your wealth in some club. You''ve been nothing but cruel to her, Edward!" Belinda''s lips were quivering. She had been dying to yell these words at Edward for a long time. The pent-up anger had almost choked her. Unlike Daisy, she wouldn''t bear all the pains silently or give the things she wanted to others. "12 years? Belinda, be clear. Did Daisy and I meet 12 years ago?" Edward was stunned at Belinda''s words. He didn''t know that Daisy had loved him for so long until today. He couldn''t imagine how she had spent those years when he didn''t respond to her love at all, because only a few hours had passed since he lost track of her, and already he felt that he had been emptied, leaving only a shell. She had brought him so many shocks, one bigger than another. He felt that his whole world was crumbling. "I wish she had never met you. Then she wouldn''t have lived only for you, and might have been happier." Belinda reached for the wine before her, and poured it down her throat. The cold liquid slid down to her heart. Her sensory organs prickled. She coughed. "Slow down!" Duke said. He patted her lightly and wiped her tears with a tissue. He was terrified by her hysteria. Obviously she loved Daisy deeply, to an extent that no one else could imagine. Edward was astounded, with mixed feelings. Daisy had always loved him, but she had never said so to him. Instead he had known about it via newspapers and oth t so depressed anymore. Now he would rather believe that Daisy was too busy to charge her phone than ept that she was avoiding him. "OK. Daddy, I miss you both. Come home soon." Justin said dejectedly. Actually he was smart enough to sense his father''s low spirits. He had been together with his father for months. He even took him to his office. He had been familiar with his different tones when he was in different moods. But he wasn''t sure whether his current low spirits were because of his mom. "OK. Noted. Go to sleep." Edward sounded hoarse. He wasn''t sure whether it was because he had drunk too much or because he was touched by what Justin had said. For the first time in his life, he felt vulnerable. "Good night Daddy." Justin hung up and went upstairs. He was full of loneliness. The house was empty and dull without his parents. He sat in front of theputer desk, looking small, solitary as well. His mncholy was inconsistent with his age. He sat there for a long time. Then looking at the beautiful bouncing icons on theputer screen, he picked up the mouse and started to work on theputer game program that he hade up with recently. The plot was simple and sweet. Most importantly, his daddy and mommy were in it. Chapter 236 I Will Meet You At The Hospital (Part One) "Tom, are you avable tomorrow? I''ll meet you at the hospital." As soon as he got off the phone with Justin, Edward decided to arrange an appointment with Tom. Tom was an all-around doctor, a recognised authority in medical circles of S City, and to schedule an appointment with him wasn''t easy. Sometimes he would decide whether or not to take on a patient ording to his moods. In any case, Tom was the equivalent of a rockstar in the medical circles. "Um! Tomorrow morning would be fine. I''ll be waiting." As a doctor who had also taken part in that surgery years ago, Tom knew clearly what the appointment was all about. So many years had passed that even he couldn''t guarantee that the surgery still worked. It was best for Edward to take a thorough check-up. "Okay. Rain, I need you to corner the construction materials market, and control Lin Group''s supply in this industry. Do it first thing tomorrow and make sure that no one hears about it. I need to see the results the morning after tomorrow." Edward narrowed his eyes threateningly; if Jessica dared to mess with him and hurt Daisy, then she should also be ready to pay the price. He would return her the favor. "Got it. Edward, how about the project we''re working on with the Lin Group? Should I call it to a halt?" Rain knew immediately that Edward was going to attack. Normally, bullying small or medium enterprises wasn''t an option for Edward. Considering that establishing apany was not easy, and that their staff were innocent, Edward always went easy on them. It looked like this time Jessica had really crossed the line. With the supply cut off, the Lin Group would have a rough time, but Edward still showed them some mercy, and left them much leeway in the retail industry. With a cold sneer, Edward said, "No, keep it. I can y a good game with i love and attention from his parents during his childhood. Edward rarely saw them. He had been sent abroad to study when he was a child, only to have thepany entrusted to him on his return. His parents had decided to take a trip around the world and to leave everything up to him, returning only once to arrange for his wedding. In the past six years they hadn''te back once, and Edward again lived all by himself like an orphan. Edward and his parents had never spent long periods of time together, and just like Daisy, he had never really felt the warmth andfort of a family. It was very natural for Edward to defy the marriage arranged by his parents, but unfortunately for Daisy, she had be the victim of his resentment. Neon lights shed on and off, making the city look morous and alluring in the night. There weren''t too many cars on the streets at that hour, and a luxurious Maybach sped on the free road, with Luke inside it, constantly frowning. He had known that this would happen, and he had urged his young master from the start to go home and rest. Thest time he had seen his young master get so drunk was when his parents had tricked him to get back home and take over thepany. Chapter 237 I Will Meet You At The Hospital (Part Two) He had drunk a lot that time, and had locked himself inside his room for two days. From that day on, he had started to live a decadent life, ying the field and feeding the media with all kinds of juicy stories. He struggled through this to get some attention from his family but failed, and his dissolute lifestyle continued. Now he was again hammered because of family matters, but this time it was different. Luke could see that the young master cared about Mrs. Mu more than he did about his parents, but it seemed that the young master still had a rough road ahead awaiting for him. Luke knew that Edward was ming himself for what had happened to Mrs. Mu. In Luke''s opinion the young master might not be a good husband but he shouldn''t feel guilty for what had happened in Mrs. Mu''s childhood. Back then, they didn''t know each other, and bore no responsibility to each other. They arrived, and steadily, Luke parked the car in Edward''s garage. He drew a deep breath and then began to help Edward out of car, which was not that hard, because Edward was still conscious. "Uncle Luke, what happened to my daddy?" asked Justin, worried. Justin noticed the car light when Luke arrived. He ran out of his room and saw his father stumbling on his feet upstairs, supported by Luke. "Hey, Justin! Don''t worry, Mr. Mu just drank a little bit too much tonight. Why are you still up sote?" asked Luke. He frowned, and a trace of concern crossed over his cold face. "Um! Daddy didn''te back, and I couldn''t sleep. Howe he''s so drunk? Did uncle Duke and the others force him to drink again?" Justin knew that his father was good at drinking, and he hadn''t seen his father being drunk not even once. What had happened? "I don''t know, " answered Luke. He thought that it was not his ce to tell Justin, and that it would be bette herst chance to make a phone call. "Report, Colonel!" Interrupted by a sudden but familiar voice, Daisy looked up and saw Mark standing before her, worn out from the road. "Oh! You''ve arrived. How was the trip? Is everything alright?" Daisy put her phone back in her pocket feeling a little embarrassed, as if she had been caught doing something bad. "Yes, Colonel. Mr. Edward wants you to call him, " said Mark seriously, though his eyes were sparkling mischievously. "Did you see him?" Daisy had heard from Kevin that Edward went to the base, but she hadn''t expected him to stay so long. "Yes. He seemed sad and tired, and I let him in to have a rest there. He was still in the Family Building when I left there, " said Mark, as he carefully watched Daisy''s face. He was sure that something wrong had happened between Daisy and Mr. Edward, or else it would be very hard for him to exin why both of them had started to act so weird all of a sudden. Whatever it was, he didn''t mind helping them. "What? He was in the Family Building? Did he go through my stuff?" Daisy was instantly nervous when she heard Mark''s words. It would be so embarrassing if Edward had noticed the newspapers piled up in her study. Chapter 238 Sorry Honey (Part One) "I didn''t see him do anything while I was there, but I''m not sure if he went through your stuff after I left, " said Mark. He feared that if she knew that her secrets had been exposed to Edward already, she would definitely hesitate on the idea of calling him. He thought that sometimes it was necessary to tell a white lie, for the greater good. Daisy pouted, and thought, ''What do you mean you are not sure? Oh, it''s highly likely that Edward already saw what''s written in the newspapers.'' Daisy felt more and more nervous when she thought of this, and hoped that Edward didn''t read the newspapers. Everything in them disyed her true self, totally uncovered, like her inner self waspletely undressed and naked. Every moment when she was not with him, all of her love and feelings towards him and all of her grievances were presented there. She had thought that all of these would never evere to light, but considering Edward''s eagerness to find her at that time, it was impossible for him not to notice them. Daisy''s heart throbbed faster and faster when she thought of this. "Okay, have a good rest, " said Daisy in a faint tone. She then closed her eyes, obviously upset at what was happening. ''Fine. So what if he saw them? I can''t do anything about it now anyway. The worst scenario would be that he already knows that I''ve been loving him in secret all of this time. That''s not humiliating! I have done nothing out of the way and I haven''t done anything bad. I didn''t vite anything, I only wrote about my feelings, '' thought Daisy, trying to convince herself. "Okay, Colonel, " said Mark. He turned around and left, but Daisy was still a bit flustered. She took out her cellphone and stared at it, hesitating and thinking on what to do next. After she thought for a while, she finally gathered enough courage and determination to do what was right. She realized that running away was not the best solution, because it was just a temporary solution, and that everything would eventuallye back to haunt her. Several hours had passed already, and she wasn''t as emotional as she was before. Her identity and role as a soldier now told her that she should be rational and she was not supposed to dere him guilty before he gave any exnation. She slowly turned on her cellphone. Her heart was beating fast and her mind was running, and she didn''t know how to describe her feelings in that moment. She loved him, and she was sure that she wanted to hear his attractive and familiar voice, but all of her senses told her that and she remembered that every time Edward wanted to show their intimacy in public, she would stare at him and immediately scold him, although deep inside her heart, she felt very excited and overjoyed. When his phone rang, Edward was in the shower, and as soon as he heard the ringtone, he quickly ran out of the bathroom naked, and dripping wet. He grabbed the phone, and when he saw the familiar name that shed on the screen, he smiled joyfully and brightly, and answered it. "Hello! Honey, I miss you! I''m so happy that you called!" cried Edward, without asking any sort of questions. He wondered if she truly knew how anxious he was when she didn''t answer his calls. He had sent her many text messages, but she hadn''t replied to any of them. He even thought that she had decided topletely ignore him, and that he would never see or hear from her ever again. He felt relieved when she called, because it meant that everything would be okay... "Sorry for that, I didn''t notice your calls or messages because of an emergency, " replied Daisy in the inest voice that she could put on. Both of them didn''t mention anything about Jessica, as if nothing had happened. They talked with each other like they usually did. "Okay, I understand!" said Edward, and with his voice slightly trembling, he asked, "Have you already arrived there? I just want to know if you arrive safe and sound. You should keep me updated from time to time..." Edward didn''t just want to talk to her, but also to hold her tight in his arms, and to show her how much he truly loved her and how much he feared losing her, and she would certainly feel how deep and passionate his feelings actually were for her. Chapter 239 Sorry Honey (Part Two) "Yes, I just settled down here. Are you okay? How are you doing?" Daisy hesitantly asked him, because Mark said that he did not look that well. She was worried about him... "Oh, don''t worry, I''m okay. Don''t worry about me, or Justin, just take good care of yourself. We''re waiting for you toe back, we miss you already..." said Edward. He then suddenly felt that there was something standing between them. They were not as intimate as they used to be. He chose every one of his words carefully, because he feared that he might sadden her. "Okay. I know, but... did you really mean what you said in your messages?" Daisy had wanted to ask this from the very beginning of their phone call. This matter haunted her, and she felt that if she didn''t figure it out now, she wouldn''t be able to fall asleep at night because of it. "Which part?" asked Edward, bbergasted. He couldn''t figure out which message it was because he had sent too many. He didn''t know which one she referred to. "Fine, just forget about it. It''s nothing, " replied Daisy, with a downcast look on her face. She was obviously disappointed, because she had expected maybe too much from him, she pondered, ''Maybe he was trying to fool me, and that''s why he doesn''t remember what he said to me in the messages. It seems that he said that he loved me only to make me feel good and happy. Oh, I am so stupid to believe in him!'' "Dear, please listen carefully to me now, because I will only say it once. Honey, I love you, and until the moment I die, I will always love you!" Edward didn''t hesitate for a moment to say these words to her. He knew that she loved him, and he also knew that she wanted to hear him say that. When she heard the sweet and caring words, Daisy suddenly lost all of her senses. To see it was one thing, but to hear that kind of special wordsing from him was a totally different thing. She couldn''t believe that it was actually happening, and she was struck by mixed feelings of bitterness, joy, and panic. She feared that everything would end, and that she would wake up any moment from her sweet dream. People always said that every good thing e for me to love, or otherwise I really don''t know how I could spend my every single day in the past years. You were a dream for me in those days, and I had something to hope for and strive for. You have been my will to live on, and thank you for giving me hope. I love you, and I have been loving you for so long. I only say this once, so remember it, " said Daisy, very seriously. She had told herself in the past that one day she would tell this to him - that she had been loving him all this time. No matter what happened, she never thought of giving up her love for him. He was the man who had be an inseparable part of her life, and if she ceased to love him one day, then that would be the day her heart stopped beating. She was sure that he was the man that she would love and cherish for all of her life. In an alluring voice, Edward said, "Okay, I heard it, and also know that I will only have you in my life. You have to remember that no matter what happens, I will always be your husband, the man that you can believe in, and the man that you can rely on for the rest of your life. It was rare for him to say so many sweet words, but they were necessary. The night was very quiet, and its silence made the lovers grow even fonder of each other. Nothing was more beautiful than the moon was, and its mysterious rays of light melted their hearts in the night as they were busy with their endless whispers of love. Chapter 240 Indulging In Her Illusion (Part One) Leena also couldn''t rest. She twitched her nose and rested her chin on her hands and looked for a thousand times at her phone in the long night, but itid silent and still on the table in front of her, dead as a brick. It was already one in the morning, and she wondered if he would stille back home. What was she supposed to do with all the food that she had made for him if he wouldn''t? She thought that maybe something unexpected hade up, and that he couldn''t leave it undone. But even if that was true, he still could have at least called her and told her that he would be runningte, rather than make her wait for him for the whole night. Although Leena was not really in love with Kevin, he was, after all, her husband, and even if they were just friends, she still would worry about him when he didn''t return home in the middle of the night. Leena sighed and reached for her phone. ''Fine, '' she thought, ''If you doesn''t call, then I will. Don''t me me if I interrupt you from something important, because I already gave you the chance to call.'' Kevin was about to go to bed when his phone started to buzz, and after he saw the name on the screen, he hit his head in remorse. ''Damn it! She must be really mad at me, '' he thought. He had forgotten to call Leena because he had been busy for the whole day. "Hello..." he answered, but Leena snapped at him before he could utter any other word. "Kevin, it''s me. I didn''t mean to interrupt your work, but I just got a little worried. You know, it''s actually quitete, and em... anyway, I just want to call and make sure that everything is okay." Leena was afraid that herte call would irritate him, and she hurried to exin her intention beforehand. She wanted to tell Kevin that she knew he was busy and that she totally understood him. She also was upset because she was thinking about why he hadn cause of the ount name, ''Military Soul''. That was interesting, and Leena confirmed the request immediately, without any hesitation. She had many friends on QQ, but none of them were rted to the military in any way. She wasn''t sure whether her new friend was a real soldier or not, but it didn''t matter. She thought that she could delete him any time if he ever bothered her. Leena then clicked on the personal information page. She did''t understand. The ount was opened only two days ago? There was nothing else useful there, and Leena only found out that the ount belonged to a man. It seemed that she had met a rookie, because he didn''t even have a QZone, but she still could have fun, if that was indeed the case. She then noticed that he was offline, but it all made sense, because a real soldier was in bed, and nowhere near aputer at thatte hour of the night. Leena then forgot about her new friend and kept browsing the websites that she fancied the most. She deliberately ignored her other messages, because she knew that there were probably more saucy jokes about her and Kevin. Lying in the bed like an idle kitten, Leena decided not to think about anything that would disturb her peace of mind and just have fun instead. Chapter 241 Indulging In Her Illusion (Part Two) The following day, an earthshaking news destroyed the peaceful morning of the Lin Group. Many constructionpanies teamed up and started refusing to use any construction materials provided by the Lin Group, stating that their goods didn''t meet international standards. Everyone in thepany was swamped that morning. Calls were made, and clients were met, and everyone tried to find out why their regr clients had suddenly blown them off overnight. Was someone messing with them? Who could that someone be? Although the Lin Group had some dirty business affairs under the table, they still couldn''t recall of anyone that hated them this much to see them ruined. When he heard the news, the chairman of the board had a heart attack, and was unconscious in the hospital at this point. All the business was down to Jessica now, the only daughter and sole sessor of the entire Lin Group. "Miss Lin, our stock prices will drop to their lowest if we don''t find a way to fix this. The Group will be literally at the edge of total bankruptcy!" While he stood next to the desk, the special assistant stole a nce at Jessica and honestly reported what had happened to thepany''s assets during the early morning of the day. He knew that although Jessica looked sweet and innocent, she was actually a determined and driven woman. He had seen the way that she had dealt with troubles before, and he believed she must have some kind of idea on how to bring thepany back to life. After she heard his report, Jessica remained silent for a short moment, and then suddenly asked, "The FX International Group didn''t reject our goods, did they?" ''Was Edward the culprit who was responsible for all of this? No, he couldn''t be that cruel to do this to me... or could he?'' Jessica was lost in her thoughts. "No, they haven''t yet, but our project with the FX Group hasn''t started yet, because we are still discussing the amo ands were slightly trembling. Tom had never seen him like this before, and they had been friends for ages. Edward had always been the fearless one. Now Tom suddenly felt like tricking him. "So?" Edward abruptly sprung up from his bed and frantically fixed his eyes on Tom once he was told to sit up. "Actually, things are now a littleplicated." Tom pretended to frown as he looked at the piece of paper in his hands. He lowered his head because he feared that the look in his eyes would give him away. He intended to teach Edward a hard lesson about keeping his dick in his pants. "What? Do you mean that Jessica''s child can be mine?" Edward''s face then grew even paler. No freaking way! Was this real? Was he just dreaming? "Tom, are you sure about this?" asked Edward again, but now in an even more trembling voice. He felt a little dizzy, as if the whole world had melted right in front of him, and he had to hold onto the table to support himself. He had thought that he would not be able to make any woman pregnant after the surgery, and yet nothing was for sure. He had made hismitment to Daisy just the other night, but now it seemed that he was bound to be responsible for another woman and her baby. His life was even more dramatic than a reality show was. Chapter 242 Indulging In Her Illusion (Part Three) "Yes, I''m sure. Are you doubting me?" Tom sighed again. He looked away, and tried to suppress his urge to burst intoughter; In Edward''s eyes, it looked like Tom was feeling bad to tell him the truth. That was it. Everything was going offtrack, and none of it went as they had expected. "No, Ipletely believe you, and that''s why I''m done for." Edward got off the operation table with a sort of dreamy look on his face. He stared nkly at the floor and silently moved his lips. He still looked handsome, even with the devastating look on his face. "Here you are. Have a look at it for yourself." Tom then shoved the report to Edward and hastily left the room with a gloating smile drawn all over his face. Because he knew what would happen after Edward read the report. He had to walk fast to his office to lock himself in it before Edward found out the truth and wanted to strangle him. A few secondster, when he heard Edward''s raging growl, Tom dashed towards his office and tried to lock the door behind him, but Edward caught up with him before he could have the chance. "God damn you Jerry! You''d better have a really good reason for this, or I swear to God I''ll kill you right in this moment!" Edward crumpled up the report and red at Tom with raging eyes, as if he were about to skin him alive on the spot. He was ready to throw his fists at Tom any second. He had really believed Tom, and he was in his peak of desperation earlier. "Well... Rx! It was just a joke! You looked so desperate and frightened earlier. Look at you now! How lively you are! Don''t you feel better now that you know that it can''t be your child?" Tom bodynguage showed that if Tom dared to say anything or tried to stop him, he would immediately knock him to the floor. "Are you threatening me? Come on man, it was just a joke! Please give the ointment back. It took me ages to make that small amount." Tom was about to burst into tears. What was wrong with him? Why did he decide to trick the demon in the first ce? "You can make some more. I''ll keep this for Daisy, and don''t forget that you''re wee to give me some more of it when you''re done." Edward was satisfied. It wasn''t easy to take something from Tom, especially something so valuable. "Some more? Will you pay?" Tom sighed deeply. It seemed that he had to say goodbye to his secret stash. He didn''t even charge Edward for the examination, and the impertinent devil also ungratefully took his invaluable miracle ointment. "Why me? Unless you give it to me when you''re done, you''ll get nothing out of me." There was no way in the world Edward would pay for Tom''s research. Tom had made the first move to trick Edward, and so he had to be prepared to face the consequences. Chapter 243 The Maple Night "You wish! If I can''t have it, why would I take time to develop it?" Tomined. Meanwhile, he carefully checked his bruised face. The more he looked at it, the angrier he got. If Edward knew that Tom still had ointment in his drawer, he would definitely steal it for Daisy. He better keep quiet if he wanted to keep it for himself. "Something''s wrong. Jerry, you''re keeping something! It''s not like you to be so calm." Edward said doubtfully. Peering at Tom inquisitively, he could sense that something was wrong with him. "I don''t know what you''re talking about. You have everything in your pocket. I have nothing left in the office." Tom replied. Immediately, he wanted to p himself. He was trying to cover things up, but he only made it more conspicuous. He just foolishly shot himself in the foot. "It sounds like you still have some with you. No wonder you''re suddenly so generous. You''re hiding something!" Edward used. He wasn''t greedy enough to take it away from Tom. He was trying to frighten him in retaliation for tricking him. "No, developing the ointment isn''t easy! Besides, I can''t count on it to make a living. I don''t need more ointment. And by the way, aren''t you busy?" Tom asked. He was obviously hinting for him to leave. If Edward stayed any longer, he would leave nothing for Tom. "No. To repay your generosity, how about I buy you lunch?" Edward suggested. Tom really wanted to punch the pleased look off Edward''s face. Generosity? Edward coerced it out of him! "Alright. Only idiots would refuse a free meal." Tom replied. Tom wasn''t an idiot. He would have Edward pay him back, or he wouldn''t get over it. "Well, I''ll see you at the Mochan Restaurant at noon. Catch youter." Edward smiled. Edward behaved like he wanted to get a dressing down. Now, Tom really wanted to give him a good beating. "Piss off! See youter." Tom replied unhappily. He was going to apply the ointment on his face as soon as Edward left. He didn''t want his face to be ruined. Edward was in good mood. He finally got the answer to the problem that had haunted him for a long time. It was worth celebrating. With a smile, Edward drove his sleek luxury Lamborghini through the streets of S rap and fell in love with Daisy. The room brought back memories of that night. He remembered Daisy''s panicked expression. She must''ve been miserable at that time. In front of her stood the man she had loved deeply for many years. But every single word he said was a deep cut to her heart. Unable to defend herself, she could only endure his rage in silence. Edward felt distressed at the thought. Daisy was such a fool. Even if he said those horrible things to her, she shouldn''t have left on her own. He never told her to leave. If she loved him, why didn''t she seize every opportunity to stay with him? Living alone must''ve been very hard for her. Why did she do that? If Daisy had stayed, would he fall in love with her earlier? Edward wasn''t certain. And it would be very difficult to fall in love with her because he was so rebellious at the time. He sighed. There was no sign of her in this room, and he missed her terribly. His longing grew every second. He wanted to hear her voice, hug her tight, and sleep with her this very moment. But that wasn''t gonna happen. Daisy told himst night that she couldn''t contact anyone in the uing week. He couldn''tin about it. After all, Daisy had waited a long time for him. In the past, a week flew by quickly. But now, a week seemed like a year. Perhaps it''s because he was in love with her now. Edward had never missed anyone like this. He finally understood that missing someone could be both bitter and sweet. Chapter 244 My Wife And Justins Mother (Part One) It was past 12 o''clock when Edward arrived at the Mochan Restaurant, which confirmed the well-known fact that Mr. Mu was never punctual. Tom was so angry with his tardiness, that he wanted to punch him in the nose. That way, Edward would no longer have his good looks. "You know, sometimes I feel sorry for you." Because the lunch was just for him and Edward, Tom chose a table at the corner of the restaurant instead of a VIP room. He shook his head as Edward walked in and many women stared at him hungrily. He didn''t understand why he was so popr among women. If Edward was a queen, he didn''t know how many kings would give up their kingdoms for Edward. "No, I don''t think so. You''re just jealous of me." Edward lifted one of his eyebrows and to Tom''s disgust, he sat down dramatically. Edward was so narcissistic, he shamelessly showed off his charm. How could he use Rain of being full of himself? He was just like Rain! "Wow, could you keep a low profile? That old woman over there keeps staring at you. Do you know her?" With a wicked smile, Tom nodded towards an old woman who was dolling herself up a few tables away. "Who?" Edward asked, looking in the direction Tom nodded towards. "I don''t know her." Edward was picky with his friends, so he definitely wouldn''t know such a vulgar woman. "No way! Are you sure? Maybe she''s one of your flings'' mother. Otherwise, why has she been looking at you since you walked in?" "Wow! I didn''t expect you to be such a careful observer. Why did you iste yourself in theboratory for such a long time? Did you develop some weird hobbies like observing old women?" Edward asked with a smirk, lifting one of his eyebrows. "Screw you! I don''t have any weird hobbies! Do you want a good kick? I''m just keeping eyes at her for you." Tom said as he rolled his eyes. How could he be interested in such an old and vulgar woman? "No, I don''t want women so badly that I''d be interested in her." Edward really wanted to give Tom a good kick. He should''ve punched him harder this morning. Speaking of which, how did the punch not leave a bruise? What medicine did he use? He should get some from him one day. "Haven''t you always been interested in women? Why chang Tom." Tom didn''t know Yakira either. He followed Edward''s lead and called her "Mrs. Ouyang." Mrs. Ouyang was a real eyesore. He wanted to run away at the sight of her face filled with heavy make-up. "Oh! You must be Mr. Qin! I heard that you''re quite a talented doctor." Yakira knew all about the upper ss families of S City. She kept tabs on all of them, so that she could find a perfect husband for her beloved daughter. "I''m not sure if I''m the person you''re thinking of. Although I''m indeed a doctor, I''m far from talented." Tom never felt that he had talent. He was just interested in researching. He neither needed nor liked gettingpliments. "Oh, it''s definitely you! I didn''t expect you to be such a gentleman. I wonder which girl is lucky enough to be your girlfriend." Yakira focused on Tom, ignoring Edward on purpose. It was one of her tactics, the cat and mouse game. She knew it would irritate Edward to ignore him too much. Yakira wasn''t really interested to know if Tom was single. She only did it to confuse them about her target. "That''s very nice of you to say that. Thank you, Mrs. Ouyang." Tom was upset to be the focus of Mrs. Ouyang''s attention. This was none of his business! He didn''t know her at all. Why did she have to chat with him? Shouldn''t Edward be her target? Tom had to talk to her out of courtesy. He turned to Edward, hinting at him toe to his aid. But Edward didn''t seem to understand and continued drinking his tea peacefully. Chapter 245 My Wife And Justins Mother (Part Two) "Mother, you might want to have some tea. I''m afraid you''re embarrassing Mr. Qin too much with your questions." Mary wanted to disappear at this moment. What''s wrong with her mother? She was supposed to please Edward, not some nobody like Tom! "I''m sorry, Mr. Qin. I hope you don''t mind. This is typical of my mother. She''s interested in everything." Yakira stopped trying to chat with Tom as her daughter wished. There was no need for it anymore, since she already got what she wanted. "That''s alright." In truth, seeing Yakira''s heavily-d face up close made Tom lose his appetite. He wouldn''t havee here if he had known that Yakira would be present. "Edward, can I go to yourpany tomorrow? I still have a lot to learn." Mary looked at Edward beseechingly. The more Mary got to know him, the more she fell for him. Edward was like a god to her, someone she had set as her life''s ultimate goal. "You''re already familiar with all of mypany''s business. I don''t think there''s any more for you to learn." Edward said with a frown. Although he was getting irritated, he didn''t show it. "Mr. Mu. I really hate to bother you. But Mary is a little bit silly, she needs more time to learn everything. It would be nice if you could give her a chance. Yakira hurried to say as soon as she heard Edward''s rejection. She knew that Mary couldn''t handle the situation and would lose her chance. "Silly? I don''t think so. She''s pretty brilliant in some ways." Edward said with a cold smile. Could a silly person rob someone of biological father? Could a silly person drive someone out of home? Butpared to her calcting mother, you could describe Mary as someone silly. "Edward, thank you. It''s so nice of you to say so." Marypletely missed the sarcasm in Edward''s words. She was ecstatic to hear Edward''s praise. Tom spat out some red wine when he heard Mary''s response. He couldn''t help hisughter. Luckily, he didn''t sp e thinks we''re beneath her, the well-known Mrs. Mu. And she wants to break things off with her family." Yakira said with a heavy sigh, as if the thought of Daisy looking down on them depressed her a lot. "Mrs. Ouyang, do you really see Daisy as your daughter? I was told that you drove her out of her home. It doesn''t seem like she has any family left." Edward didn''t n on losing his temper. But he couldn''t help bursting into anger at Yakira''s words. "How could I? You have no idea how much her father misses her. He always talks about her. We haven''t heard from her since she got married. We worry about her a lot." Yakira was unhappy to see Edward standing up for Daisy. She heard that Edward didn''t like his wife at all. Why was he defending Daisy? Did she get the wrong information? "You''re worried about her? That''s funny. I''ve seen Mr. Ouyang a lot of times, and he never mentioned my wife. How could you say that he misses her a lot? Would a father treat his beloved daughter that way?" Edward said harshly. The pleasant afternoon had beenpletely ruined by the intrusion of this calcting mother and her silly daughter. Yakira was at a loss for words at Edward''s usation. Since she wasn''t present when Edward met her husband, she didn''t know how to stand up for him. Chapter 246 The First Encounter (Part One) "Edward, don''t listen to Daisy''s nonsense. She''s ruthless. Back then, she was the one who did everything to leave the Ouyang family. We had nothing to do with it." Seeing that Edward cared for Daisy a lot, Mary was quite unhappy. She didn''t find anything wrong with what she said. "Miss Ouyang, ording to you, my wife is the one to me. But who had been treating her like a servant for so long? I don''t think I need to remind you of that! What do you say, Mrs. Ouyang?" Edward intentionally prolonged the "Mrs. Ouyang" at the end of his question. Judging from Mary''s past actions, he didn''t think that she was smart enough to undermine Daisy. The most probable suspect would be Mrs. Ouyang who was sitting before him. "Mr. Mu, what''s that supposed to mean? When did we ever treat her like a servant? We raised her in an excellent environment and sent her abroad to study. Can you imagine a servant enjoying these privileges?" Yakira''s face turned cold and dark. In the face of Edward''s usations, she became a little agitated. She didn''t care that Edward was the object of Mary''s affections and started to argue with him. Edward chuckled darkly. "Mrs. Ouyang, if letting her sleep in the servant''s quarters and having her toil harder than the servants made up your so-called excellent environment, then how do you exin that she only got to study abroad after she acquiesced to being kicked out of the Ouyang family? Don''t tell me that didn''t happen. If I haven''t done my investigation, I wouldn''t be making these usations." Following Edward''s humourlessughter, the atmosphere became more oppressive. In that moment, he realized how maniptive the pair was. They knew how to me their heinous acts on someone else. "Mr. Mu, don''t you think you''re going a little too far? I don''t think I ever mistre im, so he flew into rage and called her "a nympho" before quickly walking away. Edward never remembered this moment until today. But everything came back to him just now. He finally understood what Belinda meant when she told him that Daisy chose to go to military school because of what he said. Apparently, he mistook the other Miss Ouyang for a servant in the Ouyang household. He was surprised that his fate had long intertwined with Daisy''s. It was as if they were destined to be together. He never remembered that evening until now, but recalling Daisy''s aggrieved face in his memory made his heart ache. "Mr. Mu, I think you must''ve remembered it wrong. Daisy has always been the precious jewel of the Ouyang family. She only severed her ties with us after she married you. I want to ask if Mr. Mu has blocked us from contacting her in any way. Do you deliberately separate Daisy from the Ouyang family? So you can enjoy other women''spany?" Yakira was an expert in deflecting usations and turning the tables when her enemies got the upper hand. ''If Edward Mu wants to get justice for that little bitch, I''ll let him have it. Let''s see who''s truly the guilty one here!'' She thought furiously. Chapter 247 The First Encounter (Part Two) "Really? Mrs. Ouyang, it seems that I''ve underestimated your ability to make things up. You''repletely distorting the facts. I did mess around before, but I have never tried to absolve myself of my actions. I also give Daisy absolute freedom, so I don''t ept your charges." Edward smiled coldly. He admitted that he used to indulge in debauchery, but he would pay for his past mistakes. He never thought of escaping responsibility and covering up his past. He had never been that kind of man. "Edward, my mother didn''t mean it like that. Please don''t be angry." Not expecting the scene to turn ugly so quickly, Mary swiftly jumped in to calm things down. She was also annoyed with her mother. She was supposed to be helping her! Why did sheplicate things and get into a fight with Edward? Edward scoffed, "Angry? Because of you? If I don''t know the truth, I may sympathize with you a bit. But I know everything, and you''re just a couple of nobodies to me. Do you think I would waste my sparse emotions on someone so inconsequential?" Edward looked at the two women in disgust. If he hadn''t been raised well, he would''ve pped Yakira several times already. Good upbringing made him restrain his anger. "Mary, why are you still here?" Yakira was feeling confident about keeping a hold on Edward, but his words made her falter and give up the fantasy. She vented her frustrations on Mary. There was no longer a need to stay and keep arguing. She didn''t need Edward; there was no shortage of excellent men in the world. "Mom, what are you doing? I haven''t finished talking to Edward." Mary was infuriated by Yakira''s outrageous remarks. If Yakira hadn''t been so aggressive and hadn''t brought up Edward akira had coddled Mary for many years in fear that she wouldn''t be loved by Leo Ouyang. This was the reason she schemed to drive Daisy away. Mary''s ungratefulness saddened her. "Mom, I didn''t mean it like that. You know how much I like Edward! Why did you have to be contentious towards him? I have spent a lot of time to finally get close to him, but you ruined everything!" Mary couldn''t helpining to her mother in distress. She didn''t know how to exin how important Edward was to her. Without him, Mary didn''t want to live any longer. She must have him by any means necessary. "Let''s go! We''ll talk about this when we get home." Yakira noticed that a lot of people had stopped to stare at them. She couldn''t let herself be embarrassed any further in front of so many people. They had to leave as soon as possible. Mary realized that she was making a scene. At Yakira''s words, she noticed the inquisitive looks from the others. Despite her anger, she had to restrain it. She stomped her feet in exasperation and followed Yakira out of the restaurant. After they left, the restaurant went back to its original quiet ambiance. Chapter 248 Do You Think Youre Worthy Of Meeting Her "Is that Daisy''s family?" Tom asked curiously as soon as they walked out of the restaurant. If they were Daisy''s family, why was Mary Ouyang so interested in Edward? "Not really. Don''t bother yourself with them. I''m going back to the office. Enjoy yourself, " Edward said. Edward didn''t regard them as Daisy''s family. No family would shamelessly defend their disgusting behavior. No family would covet the other''s husband. "Alright. Take your leave. I''m going back to the hospital, " said Tom. He knew that if Edward didn''t want to talk about it, it was pointless to keep asking him, so he stopped. He never liked gossip anyway. Edward waved at him, then got into the car without saying a word. There were more pressing matters for him to deal with recently, and they were tiring. He was relieved that Jessica''s child wasn''t his, but she still kept pestering him. He had to find a way to resolve this. Speak of the devil and he will appear. When Edward returned to thepany, he found Jessica waiting outside his office. "What are you doing here?" Edward demanded. The sight of Jessica irritated him. If not for her, there wouldn''t be any misunderstanding between him and Daisy. He was surprised by the audacity of this woman to show her face to him again! Did she think that he still had feelings for her? "Edward, thank you for sparing ourpany. I knew you wouldn''t do this to me and our child, " Jessica said, intentionally touching her stomach with a sweet smile. She got lost in the fantasy of a future life with Edward. "Jessica, do you really believe that? Have you ever thought that it is all part of my scheme?" Edward asked with a sneer. He strode past her and went straight into his office. "You''re not serious. I know you won''t do this, because the FX International Group will never plot to harm anotherpany. Besides, we have a special rtionship. There''s no reason for you to do it." Jessica was quite confident that Edward wouldn''t do harm to herpany. She had leverage against him, the baby she was carrying. "Yes, I don''t have any reason. I won''t go to that extent because of you. I won''t even bother to do it myself, I''ll just sit back and enjoy the show, " Edward said with a wicked smile. It was very difficult to tell if he meant it, or if he was just ying around. But his words immediately made Jessica''s face turn pale. "Are you the one behind what''s been happening to the Lin Group? But why would you do this?" Jessica asked anxiously. She held on to the table to keep herself upright. Edward''s harsh words broke her heart. She felt as if the broken pieces of her heart had shattered into even smaller pieces. Edward had absolutely no sympathy for her. He ruthlessly ignored all her pain ." As soon as he spoke, Edward''s hands were mped tightly around Jessica''s neck. His eyes red furiously at her face, which was turning purple from theck of oxygen. Jessica stared at Edward in horror. He looked like a devil, and his fury made her feel like she was in hell. "Ah..." Jessica gasped, her hands struggling to remove his fingers. This was the second time that she had felt so close to death. Edward''s actions made her realize that she was only an ant to him. His grip might send her to death without mercy. "For thest time, she''s not like the women you''ve trifled with before, the women you tricked or forced into leaving me. She''s the only woman I''ve ever loved in my whole life. Before you insult her, you should ask for my permission first." Edward released her neck, looking at her falling figure with disgust. Although he had lost his temper, he didn''t forget that she was still pregnant. He released her carefully to prevent her from abruptly falling down. Gasping for air, Jessica felt that she had returned from the hell. But Edward''s ruthlessness awakened all the anger in her heart. ''Since you care so much about Daisy, I swear to destroy her. Let''s see if you can still love her after that!'' Jessica thought grimly. "Get out of my sight and don''t ever show yourself to me again. Unless you want the Lin Group to lose more than business in construction, keep that in mind." Edward didn''t even nce at Jessica as he spoke. He didn''t want to be constantly bothered by a woman he didn''t love. The best solution was to have her give up on himpletely. Jessica remained silent. She narrowed her hollow eyes at Edward, the man she had loved but never belonged to her. She resolved to get revenge on him and make him regret all the pain he had caused her. Jessica wouldn''t give up easily. Chapter 249 But Im Not Him (Part One) Edward furrowed his brows upon seeing Jessica stagger out of his office. They had been together for many years; He wouldn''t be so cruel to her if she didn''t keep pushing her luck. He had to end it violently. He kept silent for a while and paged his assistant. "Anna,e to my office, please." His voice was cool as usual. Edward thought it was time to put an end on what Coco had started; otherwise Jessica might get the wrong idea and kept bothering him. While she was stuck with the mess of the Lin Group, he must make the first move to get things under his control again -- before something unexpected came up. "Mr. Mu." With a confused look, Anna knocked on the door and shuffled in. She saw Jessica leave just now, and she wondered what had happened in the office earlier between Jessica and Edward. Jessica seemed happy when she came into his office, but devastated when she left. "Here''s the thing. Anna, have our entertainmentpany deal with Coco''s scandal perfectly; I want to see the press release before tomorrow. And fire her afterwards. If she is shameless enough to ask forpensation, give her the number as per the contract. FX International Group doesn''t need troublemakers like her. Famous actress? We can cultivate another one if we like. There are dozens of talented girls out there who know how to behave themselves." ying casually with his pen, Edward sneered and gave Anna his order. If Coco wanted to y games with him, he would happily y along -- by his rules. No one would sign someone who had been fired by the FX International Group. Coco was totally screwed this time. "Copy that. I''ll arrange it at once." Anna sighed inwardly. She felt a little sorry for Coco. She was done in the industry. She was the second one being fired by Edward in a rage. The first one was also a famous star and she dared to drug Edward. Anna only hoped Coco would be luckier than thest one, who was now a prostitute at some club. "Thank you Anna. You may go." Edward seldom attended any of the press conferences. He wouldn''t need the manager of his entertainmentpany if he had to handle the press himself. Edw enched her fists and red at him. Were it not for this little bastard, Edward would love her child! Would things be different if this bastard was gone? "What are you doing here, olddy? Here to see my daddy? He doesn''t want to see you. Forget that already?" Justin remembered Jessica, the woman who stayed by Edward''s side for a long while. How could he ever forget such a woman? "Little boy, where are your manners? Is that how you address your elders?" Jessica held back because Justin was Edward''s son. But she wouldn''t just swallow her pride and go away since Justin had thrown the first punch. "I''m polite when I have to be. My manners are for those who I respect, not for you. You are not worthy." Hands folded, Justin looked up at her and sneered. He looked exactly like a younger version of Edward. "What did you just say? You filthy little bastard! Let''s see how long you can smile after I have this baby." Jessica was pissed off. Edward had been repeating that she''s not worthy; and his son said the same thing. She didn''t dare to show her fury in front of Edward, but she wouldn''t take this mockery from a little brat. "Where are your manners? I''m not a bastard. I have a daddy and a mommy. Please show some respect, in case the same thing happens to your child someday." Justin hated it most when people called him ''bastard''. He was so eager to fight back that he ignored the hint lying in Jessica''s words. Chapter 250 But Im Not Him (Part Two) "So if you''re not a bastard, what are you? Your mother secretly gave birth to you before she was able to live with your father. Your mother is nothing but amon girl. How could she possibly be involved with Edward? In that case, who knows who your real father is? I bet it''s not Edward." Jessica was so pissed off that shepletely forgot Edward''s warning. She turned all her rage into insulting Justin and his mother. "You''re wicked! Don''t talk about my mommy like that! You are the shameless and disgraceful one, not my mommy! I''ll make you regret it if you say one more word about my mommy!" Justin clenched his little fists in rage, his eyes filled with anger. He could stand it when people spoke ill of him, but he would never tolerate it when people insulted his mother. Though he was just a little boy, he was quite a good fighter; and he would fight for his mother''s reputation. "Are you threatening me, you little bastard? What can you do to me? Filthy bastard delivered by your slut mother! You''re just a tool that your mother uses to get ess to Edward!" Screaming hysterically with her finger pointing at Justin, Jessica was desperate. Howe Edward adored this brat and didn''t even im the one inside her? "Have your own child and then argue with me! Oh, I forgot. You''ll never have the chance." Justin said it between his gritted teeth, trying to calm himself down. He couldn''t care less about Jessica; she was dead to him when she insulted his mother like that. The only reason that he hadn''t attacked her was because she was an elder, and it would be his fault if something happened. "Haha! Sorry to disappoint you. But I''m actually carrying your father''s child now." Jessica smirked while gently stroking her belly. Score 1 for Jessica! "No, you''re lying! I don''t believe you! You can''t have my daddy''s child. You''re only saying that to make me angry!" Justin cried out loudly; he dashed forward, grabbed Jessica''s hand and shook it violently. It couldn''t be true! His daddy only belonged to him and his mommy. He didn''t want any sibling pilled from his mouth made Jessica want to p him. "Uncle Rain is right. You should go to the doctor before it''s toote." Justin added sincerely with an innocent and sweet smile. Jessica clenched her fists so tight that the blue veins of her arms popped up. She came all the way to the FX International Group, but all Edward gave her was heartbreak. And now this? "I''ll make you pay for what you said. Just wait and see!" Jessica red at them again before leaving. The dress and high heels made her look like a whore rather than a pregnant woman. "I''ll wait. Do you need a ride to the doctor''s?" Jessica almost fell as she heard Justin''s words. She paused for a moment to calm herself before getting into her car and driving away. "You''re being evil again, little boy." Rain gently touched Justin''s nose and smiled dotingly. "Uncle Rain, where have you been?" Justin beamed at Rain. They had just teamed up and driven away an appalling woman. That was something worth celebrating. "Well, Where I was had something to do with that woman. Come on. Let''s go upstairs. It''s roasting out here." Rain had no interest in standing in the burning sunlight. "Okay. How about you, Uncle Luke? Are you going out? Or going up with us?" Justin asked politely. He didn''t forget that Luke stood up for him earlier. So he put on his best manners and his sweetest smile. Chapter 251 More Harm Than Good (Part One) "You guys go upstairs. I''m headed out to handle some things, " said Luke with a cold expression. There was no smile on his face. But when he looked at Justin his eyes became soft, which didn''t match his cold demeanor. "Justin, ignore that guy. He always has that look, like someone has stolen his girlfriend. Let''s go!" said Rain, raising his eyebrows at Luke. He turned around and walked towards the entrance of FX International Group. He hated Luke''s cold demeanor the most. He had never seen him smile and felt that he was even colder than Mr. Cold. Luke pursed his lips and thought, ''Damn Rain, I don''t even have a girlfriend, how can anyone steal a girlfriend from me? Did he think everyone is just like him, having tons of girlfriends? I can''t stand his exaggeration. It''s so absurd.'' "Uncle Rain, you have it wrong. Uncle Luke doesn''t have a girlfriend to be stolen, but you do, " said Justin mischievously. He pretended to be a innocent boy and did naughty things under the guise of his naive appearance. "Don''t be fooled by him. The more silent he is, the more things he has to hide. Do you really think he''d tell anyone if he has a girlfriend? Don''t be silly. He has a lot of affairs!" said Rain. He was absolutely speaking at random and talking nonsense about Luke. He even didn''t think before he began to nder Luke. Luke was already in the car, he suddenly felt his ears itch. ''Someone is cursing me, I guess, '' Luke thought. "Haha! Uncle Rain, if Uncle Luke knows that you said that about him, he''d probably pound you, " said Justin. He certainly knew what Luke was like. He was much like his mother, who always used force to solve everything, whoever the object might be they just ignored me!'' Edward thought. "Huh! Edward. I''m so sorry. I haven''t slept well recently. So I feel very dizzy and can''t see things very clearly. I really didn''t notice that you are here, " said Rain. ''Okay! I admit that I was doing this to you on purpose. You gave me too much work yesterday. You asked me to monopolize all the construction business of Lin Group in a day. Do you think I''m Superman? Don''t you know that it''s not a smallpany, but a listed enterprise? Have you ever considered whether I could aplish the task by myself in such a short time?'' Rain thought. Edward pursed his lips, his face darkened. He had never known anyone trying so hard to justify bad behaviors in his presence. These two were so shameless! One was his son who he loved very much, and the other was his subordinate who was spoiled by him. No matter what he said, it sounded like that he was the one to me for this. "Okay! Fine. Blurt it out! What are you ying at?" asked Edward. He knew there must be a reason why they teased him. He must have done something that offended them, so they bore a grudge against him. Chapter 252 More Harm Than Good (Part Two) "Dad, there was a woman outside who imed she''s pregnant with your kid, is it true?" Justin spat out his question quickly. ''He asked for it, '' he thought. ''If he admits it, I will stop calling him dad and pack up and go back to the military base. He can live with that tramp. Mom and I will not love a guy like that.'' Justin thought. "Who are you talking about?" Edward asked doubtfully. He didn''t realize that the woman mentioned by Justin was Jessica. "Her name is Jessica, that evil hag! Don''t tell me that you don''t know her. She said she is pregnant with your child. So this is what you''ve been hiding all along. You cheated on us, " said Justin with grief choking him. He felt very sad. ''I''ve tried so hard to bring my mom and dad together. But why did this woman suddenly appear? I drove her away long ago!'' Justin thought. "Haha!" Rain couldn''t help butugh. The little boy was mature beyond his age. He knew so many things. ''Does he know what cheating on someone means? He surely didn''t think before he said this, '' Rain thought. "What? Did you see her?" asked Edward with a frown. He didn''t n to let Justin know about this. It was not a good thing -- he didn''t want to hear that Jessica had said anything to his kid. Everything was not going ording to n. He couldn''t put all the pieces in the right ce perfectly. Now he hurt both of the people he loved most. "Dad, so it''s real? Then I won''t forgive you. And mom will leave you, " Justin said, staring angrily at the handsome man sitting in the chair. His face was full of sadness, and tears ran down his cheeks. "No. I only have you and your mom. Other women or their children have nothing to do with me, " said Edward wh She felt very excited now. At this moment, there was no Edward or Justin on her mind. The military exercise upied all her thoughts. This was the only ce where she felt she belonged. She always enjoyed military exercises which required extra wisdom to deal with unexpected situations. Because only in this case could she totally forget the man she deeply loved. Then she wouldn''t feel heartbroken. "Colonel, you see? It works. But the enemy changes their strategy ordingly, " the technicians said and looked at Daisy again. They felt that the enemy seemed to know their n and they were constantly changing their strategies. Now they felt they were on the receiving end of the y. They marveled at the great wisdom showed by the enemy''smander. "Oh! Really! The Major General has apparently put a lot of hard work into this military exercise, " said Daisy. She felt more excited now. There was a yful smile on her face, which was rare to see. The stronger the enemy was, the more likely it was to bring out the best in her. So she decided to take on the challenge. But she was not sure whether or not this would work. Chapter 253 More Harm Than Good (Part Three) "Yes! ''The new-born calf makes sport of the tiger.'' We need to redeploy carefully, " the other solders agreed with Daisy. Their ranks were lower than Daisy''s, so they followed her orders this time. But they also knew she was good at this. No one questioned, no oneined. "Okay! It seems that we have to take an unusual path today. Come on! We''ll make an even better n, and see how the Major General can surprise us, " said Daisy with a sneer. She looked at the enemies aggressively. While the military exercise was in full swing, the media in S City was heated. They all focused their attention on the press conference held by FX International Group. The event happening now caused a scene. Two years ago, the FX International Group terminated the contract with a popr female star, and this was a simr case. But this time, the star was the A-lister of FX entertainmentpany -- Coco. That''s why it had caused such a sensation. The public thought that Coco was the victim of the sex scandal. But it turned out that everything was nned by her. She did this to get more attention from the public. She didn''t expect that Clint denied it by iming that he was gay and there was no sex scandal at all. He also imed that all the fuss was created by Coco and he was set up. So everything shifted dramatically. The people who had felt sympathy for Coco now looked at her with disdain. The citizens talked trash about Coco on every street corner. Edward stared nonchntly at the screen. He had a mischievous smile when he saw the sensation hispany had caused. ''If she didn''t annoy me by starti f her mind. She slipped onto the ground. Her thoughts were heavy with grief. ''I now realize that people can''t be too greedy. We should learn to be satisfied with what we already have. We can avoid making mistakes that way, and falling down. We''ll get more harm than good in the end, getting nothing but shame and losing everything, '' Coco thought. "Sorry, Coco. It''s all my fault." apologized Jessica, tears running down her cheeks. Her father just woke up in the hospital. The stock of Lin Group kept plummeting. And together with the matter of Coco, everything was weighing down on her. She was overwhelmed. ''It''s all because of that damn woman -- Daisy, who caused everything. Otherwise Edward would not be angry with me. So Daisy, you must pay for this, '' thought Jessica. Clever people would constantly reflect on their past mistakes, only stupid people med their faults on others. Jessica belonged to thetter. That was also the reason why she would continue to make bigger mistakes in the future. She was on a downward spiral, with nowhere to go but further down. Chapter 254 Is She A Military Officer (Part One) The hustling and bustling international airport was busy as always. The person at the PA system was announcing arrival and departure times and going over rules in a sweet voice. Luke was worried. ''Will the master and thedy be disappointed to see that Edward doesn''te to pick them up?'' he thought. He hade to the Mu''s residence at an early age. To protect Edward, he had absorbed knowledge of diverse fields. The senior Mr. Mu and thedy regarded him as their godson, so Luke thought of himself as a member of the Mu family rather than merely a bodyguard. Years ago, on a cold winter evening, he had been near frozen and hungry. As an orphan, he had nowhere to go, but curled up at the corner of a building to protect himself from the cold. The structure would stop some of the chill winds from reaching the boy. A limo stopped in front of him. An elegant, attractive woman stepped out. She was so radiant that little Luke didn''t dare to meet her gaze. "Kid, do you want to go home with me?" she asked. Her soft voice warmed little Luke up. He nodded and followed her into the limo. Inside, he was too nervous to know where to put his hands. "Rx. My son''s your age. Would you like to protect him when you grow up?" she said tenderly with a smile. As a little boy, Luke hadn''t been able to understand what she meant by protecting, but he said yes. Then he entered the prosperous family and started his new life. The master and thedy were kind to Luke. Yet he''d seldom seen the boy that he was to protect. He wasn''t assigned to be at Edward''s side until the master and thedy thought he was capable enough. At first, Luke thought the boy would be a difficult one. Butter he found him handsome, refined, and elegant. Luke was 15 years old that year, but he already defined his sole purpose in life -- protecting the boy whose family had taken him in. Edward didn''t like Luke f ation. "You''re saying all sweet nothings. I don''t want to talk with you anymore. Luke, where are Edward and Justin? Why aren''t they here?" Cynthia asked, still blushing at Jonathan''s honeyed words. She looked around as if to cover the embarrassment. She and Jonathan had heard about Justin earlier from Lloyd, but hadn''t been able to make the time toe back to see him until now. "Lady, Mr. Mu took Justin to the office with him this morning, " Luke answered hesitantly. He knew that Edward was still mad at his parents and had deliberately chosen to go to the office instead ofing to the airport. He thought sometimes Edward had an almost childlike stubbornness. Like today, he had been behaving rather immaturely. "Oh, they didn''te." Cynthia''s beautiful face went gloomy. She knew immediately that Edward hadn''t forgiven them. They hadn''t seen each other for many years, yet he still didn''t want to see them now. Cynthia thought they must have hurt Edward deeply. "Humph! Let''s go. Ignore him. He doesn''t want to see us? Then we won''t go to the house today. Let''s go to his vi instead. I''d like to see how long he can avoid us!" Jonathan Mu said angrily. ''How dare he make my woman sad? Just wait. I''ll teach him a lesson he''ll never forget.'' Chapter 255 Is She A Military Officer (Part Two) Luke''s mouth twitched. He could tell Jonathan was furious. He was worried that the vi might be a war zone that night. He hoped that a smart boy like Justin could take the pressure off and lighten the mood. Everyone knew that Jonathan loved his wife. He wouldn''t put up with anyone who hurt his wife''s feelings, even if it was his own son. "Jonathan, can we do that? I heard that Daisy is back. I''m afraid that it will be inappropriate if we show up like that without notice." Cynthia Fu was apprehensive, because years ago, she had set up Edward and Daisy, and then left. Jonathan Mu didn''t want to leave, but he acquiesced. However, things hadn''t gone like she nned. Edward and Daisy partedter, which struck Cynthia Fu hard. After that, she decided to spend her time traveling the world with Jonathan. She thought it better to let nature take its own course. So now Edward and Daisy were back together, and her promise to Daisy''s mother was finally fulfilled. "Lady, Mrs. Mu is not in the vi these days. She has been away for the war games, " Luke said. If Daisy was at home, she would have asked Edward to pick his parents up from the airport. It was because she wasn''t that Edward became so headstrong and childish. "What? War games? You mean she is a military officer?" Jonathan Mu frowned. He had only a scant amount of knowledge about his daughter-inw. Actually, he didn''t have a strong impression of any other woman except his wife. "Yes, master. Mrs. Mu is a colonel at the military base, " Luke answered. He respected Jonathan very much. It wasn''t because he was an elder but because of his overwhelming bearing. "Luke, don''t ever call me master again! Address me as either Dad or Jonathan. Otherwise, you''ll regret it." Jonathan squinted his eye stin giggled. They yed for a long while before they stopped. "Justin, your grandparents came home from abroad today." Edward held Justin tightly and sighed. "My grandparents? Why have I never met them?" Justin got out of Edward''s arms and looked at him curiously. He didn''t even know that he had grandparents. When he and his Mom were living in the residential quarters of the military base, he had tried everything to know who his Dad was. Maybe Daisy didn''t feel it was her ce to say anything about his grandparents. "Ow, I barely see them myself. I think they''reing home to see you." Edward felt sad while he talked about it. He didn''t think his parents had changed their ns for him, so they must have heard from Lloyd that they had a lovely grandson, and hence cancelled their travel ns so they could see Justin. "Daddy, aren''t you happy that Grandma and Grandpa are home? Why do you seem so worried?" Justin was confused. His grandparents were his father''s parents. Since he was always happy to see his Dad and Mom, he wondered why his Dad wasn''t d to see his own parents like him. ''Doesn''t Dad want to see them? Is he afraid of something? If so, what?'' Chapter 256 Not His Daughter (Part One) "No. I''m just not quite used to seeing them yet." Edward said and smiled sadly. His parents were the exemrs of a happy marriage around the city. His father showed excessive fondness for his mother, but showed little love for him. Edward thought his father loved no one but his wife, not even Edward. He thought that the only reason he was in their lives was because of his mother, and he had gotten used to the thought already. He also thought he would be cool with it when he heard they wereing back. However in reality, he was overwhelmed and not ready yet. "Daddy, don''t be afraid. You still got me!" Justin felt bad when he saw the sad look on his daddy''s face. He didn''t know why his daddy looked like this, but he could tell his daddy was depressed. He had seen the same look on his mommy''s face a lot before. "Yeah! I still have you, my little pumpkin! Come on! Let''s go home." Edward put Justin down, with a warm smile on his handsome face. He decided to focus all his love, which his father had never given him, on his own son to make up for the loss and emptiness he had been through before. "Are you going home now, Mr. Edward?" Anna asked Edward when she saw the twoing out, like she still had something to tell him. "What''s the matter, Anna?" Edward said with a deep frown. He knew this look. It meant there must be something he wasn''t willing to deal with, but had to. "Well, I came here to tell you that the president of Ouyang Foreign Trade is here. He is waiting at the reception room." Anna had be more cautious since she knew the president of Ouyang Foreign Trade was Edward''s father-inw. She tended to remain wary about telling Edward this, knowing that he didn''t like the old man and it was always a test of endurance to meet with him. "Oh! What is he doing here?" Edward didn''t want to deal with him, because he had someone else at home to deal with already. He supposed his father would be waiting at the house to argue with him, because he didn''t pick them up at the airport, which made his mother sad. So at this moment, he didn''t have the energy to deal with Leo. If Leo came here for Daisy, that would be another story, but he didn''t. "I d ring Edward''s attempts to goad him. However, Daisy used to be the one that he loved with heart and soul. Finally, he figured out she was not his daughter, which floored him. He couldn''t believe the report in his hands, couldn''t ept the fact that his wife had cheated on him. Every time he saw Daisy, he felt deeply ashamed. Finally, he began to keep Daisy at arm''s length, bing increasingly distant with her. "I think you can figure out whether she is good or not. You kicked her out of the house when she was but a little girl. Remember?" Edward became emotional as he spoke, and couldn''t help clenching his fists. "Ow! Let go! Daddy, you''re hurting me." Justin frowned and thought the FX International Group would always bring him bad luck. Last time it was his mommy who had clenched his hand too tightly, and today it was his daddy. This made him feel miserable! "Oh! Justin, I''m sorry. I got carried away. Show me your hand." Edward immediately let go of Justin''s hand when he heard the scream of pain. With a panicked look, he took Justin''s little hand and checked it carefully. Chagrin and heartache flooded up when he saw the red handprint on Justin''s hand. "It''s okay, Daddy. The pain is gone now, " Justin said while Edward was rubbing his little hand. Justin clutched Edward''s hand to sooth his daddy''s tension, and red at Leo. He was good at observing and understanding, so he understood the conversation between his daddy and Leo. Chapter 257 Not His Daughter (Part Two) Leo felt awkward, then intentionally avoided eye contact with Justin. He made noments on what Edward had said. Because he thought it was his fault that he approved of Daisy''s leaving home although he didn''t dismiss her. "So you are Justin!" Now Leo understood why Edward mentioned the name "Justin" unceasingly on the day when they met at the Mochan Restaurant. He was Daisy''s son! No wonder Edward thought he would have known Justin. And the odd thing was why Edward hadn''t brought up the subject until now. Didn''t Edward know that there was no connection between Daisy and him already? "Yes. I am. But who are you? Should I know you?" Justin was good at acting cute. He was looking up at Leo with an innocent smile on his face. He thought that his mommy had a family before, but she was driven out. Then the man standing in front of him was even worse than Jessica. "I¡­¡­" Leo didn''t know how to reply to Justin. Should he say that he was his grandpa? But he had cut rtions with Daisy a long time ago, so he didn''t know how to introduce himself at that moment. "Justin, don''t be rude. You can address him "Grandpa Ouyang"! Edward didn''t want Justin to address Leo as grandpa. He was clear that Daisy wouldn''t agree either. He remembered how angry Daisy was when he mentioned the Ouyang family before. He thought she might shoot him if he allowed Justin to address Leo as grandpa. His heart became soft unconsciously when thinking of Daisy. How many days had it been since she left him? Including the day she left, it had been three days! But why did it feel like three years for him? It was true that "one day apart seems like years?" "Nice to meet you, grandpa Ouyang!" Justin said reluctantly. He knew that, as Daisy''s son, he must behave nicely in front of the people who drove his mommy away. Only this way could they know his mommy''s charm. "Good. Justin is a good boy!" Leo choked, not for Daisy, but for Justin, the little cute boy in front of h like a riddle to him and he couldn''t get the point. No matter how, he knew one fact: the grandpa in front of him was a man who treated his mommy bad. So he didn''t like him at all. "Um! bye-bye Justin! Edward, I''m taking off. Sorry that I bothered you, " Leo said politely, which meant that he didn''t view Edward as a son-inw and also suggested that there was no connection between his family with Daisy. After watching Leo, tall and straight, walk outside the reception room, Edward slumped down on the couch slowly, with fear inside. He thought, ''If what Leo said is true that Daisy is not his daughter, I can''t imagine what kind of pain Daisy has been suffering. It must be like stabbing the unhealed wound and then rubbing salt on it.'' "Daddy, are you all right?" Justin felt a little worried when seeing daddy''s pale face, and then gently touched Edward''s forehead with his little hand consciously. "Oh! I''m fine. Let''s go home!" Edward said with a soothing smile on his face. Then he pinched Justin''s pink cheek and held his hand walking out of the reception area. He thought he might be frightening himself. As far as he knew about Daisy, he couldn''t believe that her mother was an immoral and disloyal woman. If it were true, how could she raise a daughter like Daisy who had impable manners? Chapter 258 Are You Really My Grandma (Part One) The evening sky was bathed in a colorful glow. The scorching heat on the street cooled, and the people were happier. Edward drove the car steadily, winding through the busy traffic during rush hour. He gently bit his bottom lip and smiled, as if mocking all the vehicles he left behind. His handsome appearance and carefree manner, seen from every angle were a feast to the eye. They were all desirable traits inherited from his parents. His inborn beauty was envied by many. "Dad, that old man''sst name is the same as mom''sst name, Ouyang. That is Miss Mary''sst name. Is there any connection there?" asked Justin. He tilted his head to the side and gazed at Edward''s handsome face, lost in thought. Every time when he carefully examined Edward''s face, he would heave a sigh. He didn''t know whether it was a good thing for him to have such a handsome dad. He always attracted so many women. That made Justin a little worried. "Yes! Miss Mary is the step daughter of your grandpa Ouyang, and your mother''s half sister, " said Edward with a sneer. The reason why Mary was not acknowledged by them was because Daisy left the family long ago. To put it more exactly, they had no connections since birth. "Oh! Dad, isn''t it terrible that mom was abandoned by her family? She only has her mother, and she''s in heaven now." Speaking of this, Justin felt sad for his mom. He now realized that his mom was expelled from her family by her father. No wonder his mom often said to him he was the only person she treasured in her world, Justin thought. "No, not terrible. We are here with her, aren''t we? We are her family and we love her." Edward turned his head and looked at Justin''s face. He was so cute and Edward couldn''t help reaching out his hand to pinch his cheek. "Yes! We are all stin was bbergasted. Edward nodded at Justin. But he didn''t say anything to Jonathan. They didn''t share any conversations. They were both cold and stubborn men who were reluctant to use words to express their feelings, even though they hadn''t seen each other for years.. "Grandpa!" After Justin confirmed with Edward, he ran into his arms. Jonathan was overwhelmed and did not expect this. He mechanically opened his arms and held him. He was surprised that Justin was not afraid of him at all. But he reserved a glimmer of caution to him moments ago. Edward was also a little surprised when Justin ran to hug Jonathan. It seemed he was not intimidated by Jonathan''s cold demeanor. He watched them to see what would happen next. He was giddy with anticipation. "My dear, I''ve missed you so much." A gentle voice could be heard, followed by a beautiful woman who ran into Edward''s arms. This incident also startled Edward. He inadvertently opened his arms to hold her. The other two people in the room were irritated by this, and focused their attention on the two people hugging. Both observers had the same reaction. "Get your hands off her. She is my wife, " eximed Jonathan. Chapter 259 Are You Really My Grandma (Part Two) "Dad, you''re hugging another woman!" shouted Justin. They grumbled at the same time, the only difference was that Jonathan''s voice was thick while Justin''s voice was cute. They both looked angry. But their anger was so much alike. "Oh! This must be my grandson Justin! Don''t you look cute!" Cynthia eximed. When she entered the room, she only saw the tall and handsome Edward, who eclipsed little Justin in Jonathan''s arms. As soon as she heard Justin''s cute voice, she turned around and gazed at him attentively. She was too excited that she forgot that she was still in Edward''s arms. Edward wore a smug smile on his face. He looked at Jonathan who was staring at him. ''Huh! She is in my arms now! What can you do about it? She''s your wife, that''s true. But she''s also my mother. She doesn''t only belong to you, '' Edward thought. "Justin, that''s your grandma, " said Edward. He wore a triumphant smile. Jonathan was holding Justin now, so he didn''t have extra hands to separate mother and son. He felt overjoyed. "Ah! Grandma?" Justin was overwhelmed. He got dizzy and confused by the logic. Why was this youngdy his grandma? ''Is it because that they got married at an early age, so they had my dad while they were still young?'' Justin thought. "Wow! Come here, Justin. Let me give you a hug." Cynthia left Edward''s arms and walked towards Justin. She reached out and tried to take Justin from Jonathan. But she was stopped by Jonathan. He thought Cynthia must have been very tired after the travel. And Justin was such a heavy boy. Justin felt helpless. He called out ''grandma'' out of surprise. He didn''t expect that it was taken as a greeting by them. His grandma was also a weird person. She would not be easy to deal with, Justin thought. "Jonathan, what are you doing? Do you want to have him all to ouch of excitement. He wondered when the military exercises would end. Seeing his parents show their affection to each other before his eyes, he missed her even more. Unnoticed by anyone, he walked away from the ce full of joy andughter. He wanted to be alone, but more than that he wanted Daisy there. He slowly went upstairs, looking lonely and gloomy. Looking at Edward''s figure disappear from the stairs, Jonathan frowned. Was it because he hadn''t cared enough about Edward before? Edward looked so sad and alone. But he really didn''t now how to care for Edward, because he gave all of his heart to Cynthia. If she had not insisted on having a child, he would not imagine another person in their world. Looking at Cynthia and Justin who were having fun together, his cold heart was melted a little with the warmth of family. He knew that something was gradually changing in his heart. At least, for the first time, he felt he had neglected Edward before. Probably he was getting old, so when he enjoyed the sweet love with Cynthia, he also quite liked the warmth when all the people of this family were together. That was why he felt something when he looked at Edward''s solitary figure on the stairway. Chapter 260 Are You Drunk (Part One) Edward threw himself onto the bed and sighed heavily; he felt like a t tire at this moment. He didn''t even go take a shower like he used to do as soon as he got home. He simplyy on his bed, staring nkly at the ceiling, with a mixed feeling of confusion and sadness tangling in his eyes. Someone knocked on the door. Cynthia pushed the door open and walked directly towards Edward''s bed. Shey down beside Edward, but instead of looking at the ceiling like Edward did, she turned around and fixed her eyes on Edward''s handsome yet dreamy face. She noticed when Edward walked off. Though she adored little Justin, Edward was her only son. But most of the time, she focused on Jonathan instead of Edward when he was little. It was the promise that she gave to Jonathan, that even if they had children, he would remain the most important man in her life. Cynthia knew she wasn''t the best mother in the world; she wasn''t there for her son when he was little. No matter how many babysitters or servants she had arranged to look after him, still nothing could bepared to the love from his parents. And Edward still longed for that. Edward grew increasingly distant and indifferent as time went by. Edward didn''t have any siblings, so Cynthia brought Luke home to be Edward''s ymate so he wouldn''t be alone. However, being a orphan, Luke was cold and indifferent as well. Instead of ying with Edward as Cynthia had expected, he preferred to be alone. Cynthia was surprised, but she didn''t send Luke away. She knew Luke would be a loyal friend to Edward and protect him no matter what happened. "Eddie, are you mad at me?" Cynthia reached out her fair index finger and gently rubbed Edward''s frowning brow. Gazing lovingly at her son, she felt sorry for her absence all these years. "No, mom. I''m not mad at anyone." Edward whispered as he closed his eyes; he didn''t push his mother away. He meant what he said. His life went on pretty well without them. He learned it when he was only a little boy that his father only cared about his mother; as for his mother, although she loved him, she loved his father even more. Day by day and year by year, Edward eventually realized that he was an invisible He had dinner with them and made a few toasts. He was sober, but considering what he nned to do to Annie, he''d better pretend to stay drunk. "Okay, okay. You''re not drunk. Can you let me pass please?" Annie''s heart skipped a beat as Rain was this close to her. She felt a bit afraid because she had no idea what Rain was going to do to her; she felt a little frightened, yet a little excited. Though she loved him very much, she wanted him to be sober when they hugged or kissed or did anything else. That way could she be sure that Rain did it because he loved her, rather than because he was drunk. She couldn''t bear it that he kissed her yet he didn''t even like her. "No, you''ll run away as soon as I let go of you. You''ve been avoiding me for days. I won''t let you go until you tell me why." Rain''s lips curled into a devilish smile. His amethyst ear studs reflected on the dim wallmplight. He was so breathtaking that Annie could only stared nkly at him; her mouth dropped open but couldn''t make any sound. "Rain, I''m not avoiding you. I just need to get to the kitchen. Now sit here and wait for me, okay?" Annie tried to coax him. People always said that never to argue with a drunkard; just y along and repeat their words. So Annie kept telling Rain that she was not avoiding him at all. "Great. Annie. You won''t answer my question, will you?" Rain seemed like aid-back and careless man, but he did have an imposing aura when he became serious. Chapter 261 Are You Drunk (Part Two) "I..." Annie''s lips quivered. She hesitated for a while and eventually lowered her head. She wanted to tell Rain but she didn''t know where to start. Yes, she was avoiding him, but not in the way that he thought she was. She was afraid that if she stayed by his side for one more second that she would toss away everything she had, and beg him to let her be with him. But after all she had been through, she didn''t want him to reject her. So she could only avoid him. If she didn''t see him, probably she wouldn''t miss him. "What? You said you like me. But it turns out that you are no different than those women who just like my face." Rain mumbled in a low voice while he fixed his eyes on Annie''s face. He withdrew his hands and staggered into Annie''s bedroom. At this very moment, he was sure that Annie''s feelings toward him were only blind admiration rather than true love. Pale as a ghost, Annie clenched her fists and bit her bottom lip to prevent herself from bursting out. That was what Rain thought of her, that she was no different than those women who came and went in his life. Hisst sentence was like a dagger piercing her heart; she felt so ashamed of herself. She admitted that she was attracted to his handsome face at first, but as she got to know him, she fell for who he was instead of how he looked. He was the only man that she had ever loved. Annie tottered forward as if all her strength was drained from her. Even though he was harsh to her, she couldn''t leave him alone. It broke her heart to see him in dismay. Rain feebly copsed to the floor and leaned against the bed. He loosened his tie and pulled open his shirt, revealing his sexy and tawny chest. ''Annie, you''ve changed so soon? What about my feelings for you that I''ve been suppressing all this time? Are they only my own wishful thinking?'' Rain forced a bitter smile. A couple of years was long enough for a person to chan in her lips, he widened his eyes and suddenly let go of Annie. He stood up abruptly and looked down at Annie, both of them panting heavily. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to..." Rain ran out of the room without looking back at Annie again. ''Damn it! How could I kiss her against her will? I really love her, and I just didn''t realize it until just now. But she clearly has no feelings for me anymore, otherwise she wouldn''t be crying. She must be hating me for humiliating her like this.'' Rain thought to himself gloomily. Though he didn''t mean to do that, he hurt her after all, and it was thest thing he wanted in the world. Annie looked at him staggering away. She sat on the floor and tried to catch her breath, her head still dizzy because of the kiss. ''So he just doesn''t like me. I''m not the one he wants to kiss, and that''s why he pushed me off and left.'' Annie thought to herself in agony. Lost in her own thoughts, Annie touched her lips. One minute ago he was kissing her passionately, and the next he just took off without hesitation. Were it not for the wine taste lingering in her mouth, Annie would almost feel that she was dreaming and the kiss never happened. They both wanted each other, but apparently it was impossible for them to tell the other person. Chapter 262 Enjoy The Taste Of Heartbreak (Part One) Did he hate her? Or he couldn''t ept she was the one he kissed? She probably shouldn''t havee in the first ce. Maybe it was time to leave. After all, her co-workers from the C Financial Group had left already. At first, she couldn''t bear the thought of leaving him, and had persuaded herself to stay with all her might, but it turned out she had made a bad choice. She was still nothing to him. They both loved each other, but a minor misunderstanding stopped them from dering their hearts. They couldn''t bridge the abyss of doubts and assumptions. Things were getting tougher and tougher for this love rtionship. Annie didn''t move, face buried in her long hair, tears trickling down her cheeks. She didn''t make a sound, though her shaking shoulders betrayed her sadness. Rain returned but what he saw plunged his heart into icewater. Did she hate him so much? Did the impulsive kiss make her feel so sad? Did she have someone in her heart? A million questions roared through his mind, but his voice caught in his throat. He couldn''t step forward; all he could do was to turn around and walk away in silence. The abyss widened. One quiet night was a sweet remedy for broken hearts, a lovely melody for deste minds. It was like a beautiful song yed on a flute, soundless notes floating in the air -- sad, soft,sting but always unreachable. Over one night, the Lin Group was about to fall apart. It had been one of the strongestpanies the night before, and now it was on the brink of copse. Thanks to its retailing business, their stocks hadn''t beplete scrap papers. Edward did show them some small mercy. Jessica''s mind went utterly nk. She put her hands on her belly. This was the only thing that could bring her some happiness. Edward could be very cruel and she knew it well. For so many years he had closed his heart to all women around him. She had thought she was different and she would be the one by his side in the end. But this Daisy appeared from nowhere and t hispany with his blood and sweat. She didn''t want to be the one to give it up. The mood was better in the CEO''s Office of FX International Group. Edward studied the file in his hands, lips curved lightly, pleased with what he had seen. "Great. Rain, very efficient. How about the other task?" Edward said with a smile. He put aside the file and nced at Rain. What happened to him? Rain was leaningnguidly against the sofa, with a look of dismay on his face instead of his usual smile. "I''m on it. Rx. We are not the one who is begging." Rain answered tiredly, unwilling to change his listless posture. Even now, what happenedst night still filled him with deep frustration. He left home very early this morning, just because he didn''t know how to face Annie. "What''s wrong? You''re acting like you tried to put a move on Anniest night and she brushed you off." Edward just said it in passing and didn''t mean to tease Rain. But apparently Rain took it seriously, widened eyes fastened on Edward, wondering how Edward could know he had kissed Annie against her willst night. Could Edward read his mind? "How did you know?" Sometimes Rain was one card short of a full deck. All you needed was a casual mention and he was ready to tell the whole story without knowing it. Small wonder Edward could string him along. Chapter 263 Enjoy The Taste Of Heartbreak (Part Two) "Now you are saying it yourself. Tsk-tsk! How can you be so brutal to a delicate little girl?" Edward curved his lips in a yful smile. He knew Rain had a thing for Annie but Rain refused to admit it, always trying to appear nonchnt. When Annie started to blow him off, it was Rain''s turn to get nervous. He even got the nerve to force Annie. That was ballsy! Rain hadn''t taken the opportunity when Annie had been obsessed with him and followed him around. Now that Annie snapped out of it, everything seemed wrong to Rain. He just felt she shouldn''t treat him this way, he should be the center of her world. "Well, thanks to you, now I can act like a woman scorned, " Rain said, taking on an usatory tone. Of course Edward was the one to me. If it hadn''t been for Edward''s urgent order, he wouldn''t go to the dinner and those people wouldn''t have given him so much wine. "Um! Great analogy. Now you seem nothing less than a scorned woman. But I have nothing to do with that. I remember I asked you to go after Lin Group, not Annie." Edward knew what Rain meant. To win those people over, Rain needed to use all his tact, diplomacy and rhetoric, and drinking was unavoidable. He could imagine what a drunk man would do to the woman he loved. "Edward, are you burning bridges after you cross the river? Seriously, why don''t we start to buy up shares of the Lin Group? We''vee this far, why stop now?" Rain kept wondering why Edward pulled out at this moment. It was the perfect opportunity to acquire the Lin Group. It was unlike Edward to let his enemies walk away. "Oh, no, that''s not necessary. The little pressure I brought to them has put their president in the hospital already. If I had bought hispany, I doubt he would ever be able to go home alive. Yo es. Based on the things that had happened to him and Edward, that was not a lie. "It doesn''t matter much when you get used to it. Why don''t you make an effort to win your girl back? Please don''t pry into my private life, " Edward said and a mischievous smile crossed his face. Sometimes teasing Rain was great fun. "Argh! That hurts! I have to go. Let''s go get a drink at Sexy World tonight." Rain said, rising from the sofa. Alcohol was a good stuff to dispel troubles, he needed some wine to release the bitter frustration built up in his heart. "Good. You read my mind. Let''s get drunk tonight." Edward epted Rain''s invitation with crity. His condition was no better than Rain''s. He could use some rxation. In the past he had lived a life rotten to the core. Now drinking was just a rare pastime. "Okay. Now I need to continue ving away for the capitalist. Work all day, work all night!" Rain said and hurried out of the office, knowing his words would annoy Edward. Rain closed the door just in time to avoid the folder Edward threw at him. Rain heard the dull thud from back, satisfied with how fast he was. Edward couldn''t expect his trick to work every time. Chapter 264 Im Married (Part One) Inside the luxury apartment, Leena carefully wrote on a piece of paper. Her ruby lips gracefully curled up as she finished thest stroke. Then, she put the paper on the dresser. As she looked up, she saw her own reflection in the mirror. She smiled -- Leena felt confident about how she looked. She turned around and picked up her already packed luggage. As she walked out of the room, her clothes caught the paper and identally flipped it onto the floor and underneath the table. However, Leena was not aware of it at all. Leena loaded her luggage into the car. Her destination was not the international airport, but FX International Group. She had been married for a couple of days now and she wondered whether Edward had heard about it from her brother. She was close to Edward, so she might as well pay him a visit and tell him herself. While holding onto the steering wheel steadily with one hand, Leena used the other to shove the earbud into her ear. Then, she dialed the familiar number on her phone and waited patiently for the person on the other end of line to answer. "Hello? Leena? How are you?" Edward answered the call straightaway. He was browsing through the documents Rain left on his desk. A big smile spread across his face as he spoke. He was just wondering where she had gone. But why did she call him out of the blue? "Hey! Edward, are you free today? How about taking me out to lunch?" Leena''s voice was sweet as usual. It was a perfect match for her adorable looks. She sounded soothing and pleasant. "Leena! Are you running out of lunch dates now?" Edwardughed as he turned his wrist to check the time. His face softened as he thought about her. "Yep! Would you like to have lunch with me then?" Leena giggled. Her joyfulughter instantly melted Edward''s heart. "I am greatly ttered by the invitation fr d hard feelings. She wasn''t supposed to be there, but Annie caught him anyway. Was she the girl Rain liked? Supposedly, Rain was not into open-minded girls... In order to win his heart, she had been changing for him all this time! Judging from the happy look on Rain''s face, he must be really keen on the sweet-looking girl! "Stop it, Rain, you''re messing up my make-up!" Leena pouted and rubbed her cheek against his shirt. She looked disgusted as if his small kiss had ruined her face. Annie''s face turned pale as she looked at them fooling around. She was too far away from them and couldn''t tell what they were saying. All she saw was how intimate Rain and Leena were with each other. Shepletely ignored Edward who was standing right next to them. Annie''s heart ached. She unconsciously bit her bottom lip so hard that it started to bleed. "You silly girl! You have no idea how many women are begging for me to kiss them! Don''t destroy my confidence like that!" Just like Edward, Rain also held Leena dearly. Leena treated his light purple shirt as a handkerchief. He was quite speechless at her behavior just now, however, he still spoiled her with a gentle smile. Rain gazed into her face. A smile touched his mouth. Chapter 265 Im Married (Part Two) Annie''s fists clenched. She must have been crazy enough toe here, to believe there was any chance between her and Rain. A stab of annoyance shot through her. Annie literally couldn''t bear looking at her beloved man fooling around with another woman any more. She was excessively exhausted. The world started to spin at her feet. The sight of Rain and Leena giggling with each other hurt her eyes. Annie didn''t know how to deal with her feelings toward Rain anymore. "Aren''t you hot standing here? Why are you just standing in the sun like that?" Edward''s brow rose as he tried to block the sun with his palm. He couldn''t stand the heat and urged them to leave. "Not really. The sun is quite enjoyable today. Edward, you are cooped up in that air-conditioned room for too long. You don''t know how to appreciate the gifts of nature." Leena teased him with a big grin. However, she could also feel the burning heat on her cheeks. Obviously, they had been standing in the sun way too long. "Let''s go! I don''t want him to pass out from heat stroke right here right now." Rain stole a nce at Edward. He felt greatly amused to tease him in front of Leena, instead of getting teased himself. Annie stood still as she watched their car disappear into the distance. Slowly, she stepped out from behind the pir, tears ran down her cheeks like strings of pearls. Her heart ached so much that she started to have second thought about her boldness. She was wrong in the first ce. She would never be able to catch up with him. It would be better if she left now. She hated to lurk around in the background, looking for him in every possible corner and only to find him fooling around with another woman. She would rather retreat to her own world where she c ted at the same moment but in two different ways. Rain spit out the water he was drinking, Edward dropped the knife that he was using to cut the steak. The knife hit the te, making a clear, sharp sound that startled her. "Unbelievable! If you''re joking, it''s not funny. Who would be so brave that he would actually marry you?!" Rain stared at her in astonishment. He couldn''t believe her words at all. "Who in the world -- ?" Edward''s handsome face turned dark. He leaned closer to examine her. He believed what she just said. If she was just messing around, she wouldn''t make such a big effort to meet up with them right before her flight. She must be telling the truth as she would ask them out for dinner only because she had something important to tell them. "Edward, you promised that you wouldn''t be mad." Leena bit her bottom lip as she avoided his stare. She knew that Edward was crazier than Mr. Cold when he got mad. Therefore, it took her days to gather up the courage to tell him the news. She knew it would be better that he heard the news from her, instead of others. He would never forgive her if he found out about her marriage through other people. Chapter 266 Sis Knows Him Too (Part One) "Did I agree to it? Tell me who it is! How could Duke turn a blind eye to this?" Edward had always regarded Leena as a younger sister. In those lonely years, she was the only one to make him feel warm, like he was with family. So he was furious to hear her news, not at her but the guy who had married her so suddenly. "Well, sis knows him too. He and sis are at the same military base. His name is Kevin." Leena lowered her eyes, afraid to look at Edward. To her, Edward was even more frightening than her brother. "What? Kevin? Him?" Edward was surprised. ''Doesn''t he like Daisy? Why did he suddenly marry Leena? Is he taking revenge on me by hurting the people around me because he can''t get the woman I love?'' he thought. "Edward, if this guy''s real, that means Leena''s telling the truth." Rain had thought it was a joke at first, but seeing Edward''s reaction, he knew that Leena was serious, she had really gotten married. "Did you meet him while you were visiting the military base?" Edward ignored Rain and kept his eyes on Leena. "No, we met before. Last time at the base was just a chance meeting." Leena left out the part that all this had started with a one-night stand. That would be embarrassing. What''s even more embarrassing, she hade on to Kevin first. "Does he love you? Marriage''s a huge deal. How could you be so reckless?" Edward didn''t believe that Kevin married Leena for love -- but a marriage without love would only end in misery. Edward hated to see Leena get hurt. She was spoiled by everyone around her. Edward didn''t want to see someone else take her happiness away. "Edward, " Leena said. "Please don''t worry. I''ve thought it over, and I''ll be happy, " said Leena. She wouldn''t have agreed to marry Kevin if she didn''t like him at all, though she did it p ing her and nning something secretly, so he kept silent. It was suddenly very quiet at the dinner table, because everyone was thinking about something. Leena was usually lively and quirky. But now she was observing everyone with her head lowered. She sighed inside and thought, ''Gosh! The interrogation is finally over! I was about to cry.'' As a matter of fact, Kevin was the one to cry. She had left her phone on the backseat of the car and didn''t remember it until she boarded the ne. Nothing would have happened if she hadn''t been so forgetful. Unfortunately, Kevin was the victim. After dinner, Edward asked Luke to investigate the matter Leo had mentioned the day before. It was unbelievable that Daisy wasn''t Leo''s biological daughter. He decided to find out the truth. "Mr. Mu, since it was a long time ago, it might take some time, " Luke answered. He sighed and felt sorry for Daisy. Things about her were getting more and moreplicated. He was worried about the result. If what Leo had said was true, the truth would be like a knife stabbing Daisy in the heart. What could be more painful than knowing she was conceived while her mom was having an affair with another man? Chapter 267 Sis Knows Him Too (Part Two) "Luke, don''t you think it strange for you to keep addressing me as Mr. Mu?" asked Edward. After so many years, he once again had heard Luke call his parents Mom and Dad the night before. In the past few years, Edward had told him many times not to call him Mr. Mu, but he got disappointed every time. Thus he knew how stubborn Luke was. Edward thought his father must have intimated him to call him Dad. But he was curious what he had said to Luke. He would like to try it too. Having heard Luke calling him Mr. Mu so many times, he was on the edge of cursing. "No, I don''t. I''m used to it. Hard to change." Luke knew what Edward wanted. But it was a different case from the master and thedy. He had called the master and thedy Dad and Mom when he was little. As he grew up, he had found it inappropriate to address them like that, so he had stopped calling them that. Since they had seldom contacted each other, it was easy to change it back. However, for so many years, he had spent almost every day with Edward. It was too difficult for him to change. "Okay, suit yourself. It''s just a form of addressing. Doesn''t matter to me. But remember, no matter how you address me, you''re a member of the family. That will never change." Edward had always treated Luke as a brother. But Luke thought they belonged to different social sses. "I see. I''m going to look into the matter. Mr. Mu, to get the result sooner, maybe you can use the master''s help, " Luke said hesitantly, unsure whether Edward would ask for his Dad''s help. Luke also knew about Jonathan Mu''s the other identity, but like Edward, he had chosen not to look into it either. "Forget it. I won''t ask be happy to see Daisy at the ceremony. This would be the first time for his wife to show up at any ceremony since Edward became the CEO. It would be rather a sensation. Anna couldn''t wait. "OK. Thanks." Edward was excited about his n. Finally he could tell the world Daisy was his wife, the woman he loved. As for the officers on the military base, they could see that FX International Group was behind her. She''d have the assessment locked in. He would like to see who dared fail her again. He asked Rain to handle the sponsorship involving the military base, because he knew Daisy didn''t like him interfering with her work. She was too honest and hoped all her honor was gained by hard work only. He understood her, so he wouldn''t mention anything about it to her. At the ceremony, he just wanted to let people know where FX International Group stood. Each second Edward thought of Daisy was sweet. In the evening, lying on the bed with her lingering scent, he wouldn''t fall asleep until he gazed lovingly at the picture on his phone for a long time, which had never happened before. Love made him soft. Chapter 268 Good Honing Gives A Sharp Edge To A Sword (Part One) In H City, the military exercise was drawing to a close. With a smile on his face, Kevin was excited. He thought, ''Daisy put a lot of work into arranging marches and using various weapons. I wonder how this military exercise will turn out. Or what effect it''ll have on various processes already in ce. I couldn''t get the upper hand, but neither could she. I guess we''ll have to call it a draw.'' "Dogrobber! Order the first echelon to hold the enemy at bay! And the second and third echelons to surround the enemy, close in now!" ordered Kevin. He was themander of the blue army. "Daisy, what else can you do? I have to admit that I''m surprised at your solid skills in these military exercises, " whispered Kevin to himself. He put his cap on straight and wore a smile on his face. "Colonel, Major General Gu is fighting back now? ording to the rules, the blue army should be on the defensive!" said a young major. He was checking screens and making notes in the red army hq. He pointed at the red dot moving rapidly on the screen. ''Kevin, you''ve lost patience. I knew that you wouldn''t follow the rules and be on the defensive. But this time, your enemy is me. I''m no pushover, '' thought Daisy. She put on a bright smile, excited about what was going to happen next. "Colonel! ording to rules, the blue army is not allowed to initiate attacks. It''s against the aim of the exercise!" repeated the young major. He tried to remind Daisy of the rules again. "What is the point of the exercise?" asked Daisy. She continued, "The point of the exercise is to train armies! Usually, the blue army is the grindstone. And why are we trained? In peacetime, soldiers are trained to prepare for future wars! And following orders step-by-step will make the traini thoughtful gift, " said Kevin. Kevin wasted no time bantering with her. He figured this might get her upset -- make her lose her cool and make stupid mistakes. "Major General Gu, isn''t it inappropriate of you to talk directly to the enemymander during maneuvers?" asked Daisy. With a forced smile, she continued, "Sure enough, you''re the youngest and most promising major general in the city. The blue army under yourmand is very good. But..." Daisy paused and continued. "There are still three hours left. Isn''t it too early for you to dere victory? A lot can happen in three hours, " said Daisy. Calm and aloof, she hung up immediately. In the Main Office, the officers monitored the exercise. "It seems that the red army is going to lose, " said a general. He was going over the data and shook his head. It wasn''t the first time that he had directed the exercises involving Kevin asmander of the blue army. He knew how cunning Kevin was and was hoping that Daisy could defeat him. "Report!" A young major from the front line saluted and gave a sit rep. "Things have changed. The blue army is approaching their second line. The first echelon is dead!" Chapter 269 Good Honing Gives A Sharp Edge To A Sword (Part Two) The news was unexpected. The general stood up suddenly and said excitedly, "Daisy really lives up to her reputation! I knew things weren''t that simple! It''s still up in the air who''s going to win." Meanwhile, without missing a beat, Daisy ordered, "Wait 60 seconds, then change frequencies. They can only jam one frequency at a time." When she viewed the data from the front line, Daisy smiled, and said, "It''s about to end." "Colonel! We''re back in contact with the first echelon!" said a dogrobber excitedly. "Action!"manded Daisy. Her order set everyone on fire. Just now they were surprised and excited by this beautiful colonel. Now they all looked forward to what would happen next. They waited breathlessly for the results. Three hourster, the exercise came to an end. But the result was uncertain. If you judged from the perspective of battle damage, the red army had lost more soldiers than the blue army. But... "Congrattions colonel, I lost!" said Kevin, smiling. He was lost in Daisy''s beauty for a while, but shook himself out of it. "You won fair and square! I lost five times more soldiers than you did. Unless I miss my guess, I think you''ll be judged the victor." replied Daisy. "With all due respect, before the exercise, I calcted that your battle damage would be ten times more than mine. Now it''s just five times. In this case, I''ve already lost." said Kevin. It didn''t mean that Kevin looked down on the red army. He had already adopted some unusual tactics. It never urred to him that Daisy would be so calm and it taught him a good lesson. "Ten times? You''re overconfident!" replied Daisy. She was doubtful about the r me to perform. "I''m not you! You can''t wait to force Annie to sleep with you! Be careful, you might frighten her away, " replied Edward. Edward never let up when arguing with others. He knew how to beat Rain in a war of words. "Oh my God! Rain, you forced Annie to sleep with you? Is it that serious? With your handsome face, you can sleep with any woman you want. So why did you need to force her?" Duke teased Rain. The jesting did have some effect. Duke''s ice cold expression melted into one of amusement. "Piss off. I''m not a male prostitute! And now I have a question for you, Duke. When did Leena get married? Why don''t you tell us?" asked Rain. He changed the subject immediately. He didn''t want to beughed at by them. And he wondered, ''Any woman I want? Are you kidding me?'' "What? Leena is married?" shouted Tom. This got Tom to think, ''She is so young! Why did she get married so suddenly? Nothing''s the same anymore. Edward has a five year old son; Duke''s married. And now Leena? When did all this happen? Am I too old and outdated? Or does the world change too quickly to keep up with it?'' Chapter 270 Ill Ask For Nothing More "You have to ask Duke about that. We hardly know about it." Rain raised his eyebrows and nced at Duke. This fellow seemed so smoothtely. Ever since he was with Belinda, Duke had been acting like he conquered the whole world, which bothered Rain big time. "Don''t. I didn''t know anything until they''d already done it. I''m still trying to figure things out here." Duke was pissed off when they talked about that. He was so ready to kick Kevin''s ass but his father showed up at that critical moment. Duke was a good son so he could do nothing but let Kevin take Leena away. Their father seemed okay with it. Duke respected his father and his decisions. "By the way, who the hell is this Kevin? He seems like more than an ordinary soldier." Edward had met Kevin several times before. He noticed that Kevin had a imposing aura, which was unusual for a soldier. Edward knew that Kevin must havee from a noble family which was wealthy and sophisticated enough to shape his character. "I heard he is from a noble family of the capital city. A military family. It seems every member of his family has high military rank. I don''t know about the details. I only did some digging after he talked to my father that day. Nothing useful in fact. It almost felt like someone deliberately edited his profile and released it to the public." Duke was angry back then so he didn''t join their talk in the study. All the information he had about Kevin was his own investigation. "What? No way! So Leena picked a rich guy! Good for her!" Rainughed out loud as he usually did. The extravagantugh somehow suited his personality. Edward said nothing; he simply yed with his wine ss while staring nkly at the liquid. Then he suddenly raised the ss and gulped down his wine. He was rmed by their words. He suddenly thought of the possibility of Daisy being someone else''s wife with good family background and considerate personality. But thank God she loved him and chose him. He felt so lucky that Daisy loved him for all these years with all her heart, and her love for him never changed. "We should definitely ask him out for drinks someday. I want to see what a maning from a military family looks like." Tom usually seemed gentle and refined; however, the truth was that he could be as ruthless as Hades himself. He would kill without hesitation, and his enemy would die before they realized what had happened. Of course it only happened when someone had crossed the line, otherwise Tom would be like a sleeping lion, majestic but not harmful. "What''s wrong with you guys? Don''t we have something to discuss? Why do we keep talking about that Kevin guy?" Duke still hated Kevin for stealing his sister, so he didn''t want to talk about him or even hear his name. "The biggest news today is Le both of them from falling. After a while, Annie finally managed to carry Rain to his bedroom with the bodyguard''s help. She was frowning all the time. After sending away the bodyguard, Annie went back upstairs and stared at his beautiful face. Eyes closed, he was quiet like a sleeping angel. No smirk and no bitter smile, he still looked gorgeous even without any expressions. Annie sighed heavily and knelt down beside the bed to undress him. Annie carefully loosened his tie. However, he frowned when her cold fingers touched his neck. Startled, Annie shivered and her nails almost scratched his jaw. To be honest, she was afraid that he would suddenly open his eyes, and he would see all her affection to him in her eyes that she had been trying so hard to hide. Annie slowly loosened his tie with her shaky hands, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Holding his tie in hand, she couldn''t help gazing at his thin lips. She blushed when she thought of the affectionate deep kissst night. It was the happiest moment in her life. But it didn''tst long. He pushed her away and ran off without even looking back at her, as if she were some dangerous beast. Hesitant, Annie reached out her fingers and gently touched his tender lips. ''Rain, do you know how much I love you? Do you know how much I have given up for you? Your every look and every smile, and every frame of our days together are carved into my heart. I have built a fort out of my fantasies, but you left without me. I have tried so hard to keep up with you, but I just couldn''t. To be honest, I''m exhausted. I have lost myself chasing after you. I have tossed away my dignity but you never look at me. Tonight, I''m going to be this humble for onest time. I want to be your woman. And I''ll ask for nothing more. I''ll let you go. I''ll let myself go...'' Annie mumbled in her mind desperately. Chapter 271 Forget Me And Be Happy Annie bit her bottom lip and took a few deep breaths. After a while, she finally made up her mind and leaned forward, recing her fingers with her trembling lips. She shivered all over as their lips touched. Complicated feelings surged in her heart. She felt despicable for kissing Rain while he was drunk. Her heart was bleeding. She''d always wanted this to happen when he loved her, but it seemed it was never going to happen. She was deceiving herself back then, she could only have him this way. At least this would leave her with good memories. Rain wasn''t as drunk as Annie thought he was. He was sober when Annie loosened his tie, but he had a huge headache and he didn''t want to open his eyes. He simply frowned and let himself drown in the endless darkness. But he didn''t expect Annie to touch his lips and kiss him. He froze in astonishment and excitement. Annie hesitantly explored his lips again with her tongue. She felt like crying. How could a proud woman like her beg for a man''s love this way? How far had she fallen? Even though she knew it wasn''t right, she really wanted this. This was her only chance to be with him, even just for one night. She had to be brave and continue what she started. She kept teasing Rain with her inexperienced kiss. Although Rain had no idea why she kissed him, he was happy to y along. With eyes still closed, he clenched his fists and thought to himself, ''Annie, if you stop right now and leave, I''ll let you go and pretend this never happened because I love you. But if you keep going, I''ll take over and y by my rules.'' Annie''s face turnedpletely red. She tried to undo the buttons of his shirt with her shaky hands, but she was too nervous. Annoyed by the situation, she identally bit Rain''s lip. He suddenly opened his eyes and turned around to press her on the bed. "Don''t you know you''re ying with fire?" Rain said in a low voice. An intense fire was burning inside him. He looked down into Annie''s eyes. His head was pounding, partly because of the alcohol and partly because of Annie''s teasing. Startled, Annie froze underneath him. But she soon pulled herself together and bit her lip, reaching out her trembling hands to continue undoing his buttons. She didn''t care if he was sober or not, she had to do it. All she wanted in this moment wa felt a bit at ease. He went into the bathroom and took a long hot bath beforeing out with a towel around his waist. He didn''t remember much aboutst night, except being rough with Annie due to the alcohol. He remembered saying something horrible, but he couldn''t recall what it was. He must''ve hurt her, or she wouldn''t be crying like that. But she was the one who seduced him. Why was she crying as if he was forcing himself on her? Rain smiled bitterly. The heavy scent of their lovemaking still wafted around the bedroom. He nced around the room aimlessly, and froze in shock when he saw the blood on the sheet. Was Annie a virgin? Rain suddenly felt overwhelmed with guilt for being so rough with her. He searched for her in a panic, he needed to apologize to her. But he couldn''t find Annie anywhere in the house. He dashed back to the bedroom and opened the closet, only to find that all her things were gone. Rain grabbed his phone and dialed her number. But no matter how many times he called, the only response he got was a cold and rigid sentence, "The number you have dialed is switched off.'' Did Annie really just leave like that? ''Did Annie spend her first time with me because she loves me? Then why did she run away?'' Rain was at a loss. He couldn''t figure out Annie''s reasons, but he came to a decision that morning. Since Annie was bold enough to initiate things, he wouldn''t let her go easily. He would find Annie even if it would take him long. But Rain didn''t know that he wouldn''t be seeing Annie for a few years. Chapter 272 Jessicas Confrontation (Part One) On the H City military field base, Daisy took her phone back excitedly. All she wanted to do was to call Edward. She looked forward to hearing his deep voice and telling him how much she missed him. Daisy pressed the power button and eagerly waited for the screen to light up. Her heart began to race uncontrobly as she thought about seeing the man she loved so much tonight. But not everything in life goes along well. A call came even before she could dial Edward''s number. Daisy looked at the familiar number. She remembered it was Jessica''s number. Why was Jessica calling her? "Hello, This is Daisy speaking. Who''s that?" Even though she''d already known who the caller was, Daisy offered her name due to force of habit. "It seems that you''ve already forgotten who I am. Come on, Daisy Ouyang. You''ve been avoiding me these past few days. Why do you pick my call up this time?" Jessica said sharply. She had been trying to reach Daisy for a few days but never seeded. She didn''t expect things to be different today. "Sorry, I have no idea what you''re talking about. Tell me who you are or I''m disconnecting this call." Daisy hated rude people the most. She thought that everyone should have the courtesy to introduce themselves during a call. But Jessica didn''t do what''s expected of her and instead used Daisy of something she didn''t do. No one could remain calm with this treatment. "Stop ying the fool. You know who I am. Or are you afraid of me?" Jessica talked down to Daisy. She felt superior when it came to Daisy. She was from the well-known Lin n and Daisy was poor and p answered and after a while, her phone was turned off. Kevin began to worry. What was she doing now? Was she too busy to pick up the phone? Leena didn''t answer his call because she forgot to bring her phone along. It was probably switched off because it ran out of battery. Kevin shook his head. There was no way he could know what she was doing since she didn''t answer his call. ''Maybe she''s still sleeping. She''s such a night owl.'' Kevin thought to himself. Thinking his guess made sense, Kevin felt relieved and started to handle other matters. As the Humvee whizzed along the motorway, Daisy focused on sorting out the military exercise documents. She didn''t let herself get distracted by Jessica''s call. Daisy was sure that Edward didn''t have anything to do with Jessica. Otherwise, Jessica wouldn''te to her. A Brilliant woman would confront her man instead of her rival in lovepetitions. Only a silly woman would talk with her rival and let her rival know how miserable she was. Obviously, Jessica was thetter and not brilliant enough to take Daisy on. Chapter 273 Jessicas Confrontation (Part Two) Because Jessica interrupted, she wasn''t able to call Edward. Daisy sorted the papers on her way back. She didn''t expect all her preparations to be ruined by ast-minute change. Things didn''t always turn out as nned. But Kevin was good at dealing with emergencies. Although she was tied with Kevin in the military exercises, Daisy didn''t feel she couldpare to Kevin in improvisation. Daisy wasn''t upset about it because she also learned a lot from Kevin. It was afternoon when Daisy arrived back at the military base. She still had some work to do after the military exercises. By the time she was done, it was dark. Her forehead knotted in a frown when she remembered that she had to meet up with Jessica. Daisy was exhausted. All she wanted to do was take a hot bath instead of meeting up with Jessica. Although she wanted to go home, Daisy didn''t even consider it. She took a quick shower in her office and changed into a dress. Because she had no idea what Jessica was going to do, Daisy didn''t wear her military uniform in case things got messy and she had to use her fists. "Colonel, are we going back to the vi?" Mark asked as Daisy got into the car. Mark was confused to see that she had changed her clothes. Daisy usually went back home after work. "No, we''re going somewhere else before going back home. It won''t take long." Daisy didn''t think she had anything to say to Jessica. But she had to get this mess fixed as soon as possible to prevent Jessica from pestering her further. Jessica was all dressed up for the appointment. Her goal w she felt in the face of Daisy''s calmness. "Miss Lin, please watch yournguage. Whether my parents are rich or not is none of your business. On the other hand, you seem to be the uncouth one. You should learn to be polite. Your beautiful clothes can''t mask your dirty soul." Daisy stared at Jessica with cold eyes. She had the authoritative presence of a colonel. Jessica was at a loss for words, startled by Daisy''s retort. Because she came from an ordinary family, Jessica thought that Daisy was soft-spoken. Jessica didn''t expect that dealing with Daisy would be so difficult. Jessica panicked for a moment, but she snapped back in response. "Interesting. Are you saying I''m uncouth?" What about you? Do you think you''re better than me? How could a polished woman be a single mother? If I tell you that I''m pregnant with Edward''s child, would you still think I''m uncouth?" Jessica finally used her trump card. How could this bitch use her of being uncouth? Jessica looked forward to enjoying the pained expression on Daisy''s face. Chapter 274 If You Dare To Say One More Word "It''s not your ce to judge me. If you are really pregnant with his child, then I''ll reiterate onest time; go to Edward directly instead of confronting me like this." Although her voice was calm and steady, Daisy clenched her fists tightly in rage. She wasn''t sure whether Jessica was telling the truth or just putting on an act. But she couldn''t let Jessica notice her dilemma. "Don''t you know it, Daisy? I won''te to you if you stop bothering him. Edward said that he would marry me. So you''d better leave before he gets rid of you." Jessica sneered coldly with her eyes fixed on Daisy. If she couldn''t have Edward, she would make sure Daisy didn''t end up with him either. She would do anything to break them up. She felt she might have a shot if Edward was single again. "Miss Jessica, I''ll leave if Edward agrees to marry you. But as of now, I''m his wife, so you better forget it! I don''t give a damn whether you are pregnant or not. Stay the hell away from my husband. You don''t want to mess with a Colonel, do you?" Daisy curled her lips. ''Jessica, you think I''m stupid? I won''t get deceived so easily. I might have believed your nonsense a few days ago. But I won''t bother listening to you, especially after Edward has dered his love for me.'' "Haha! How shameless of you, Daisy. How dare you call yourself his wife? This is just your wishful thinking! Did he even say that he wants to marry you?" Jessica was so pissed off upon hearing Daisy say ''I''m his wife'' that she ignored thest words said by Daisy. Her face twitched hysterically. "Jessica, you won''t quit this nonsense, huh? What if I tell you that we got married six years ago? Do you still believe you stand a chance? If it is really Edward''s child as you keep saying, have it for all I care. Raising another child won''t be a problem for the Mu family. As for you... I''m sorry but I''m no saint, and I have no interest in sharing my husband with another woman. So stop bothering me and my husband." It tore Daisy apart to know that Jessica bore Edward''s child. But she hid her feelings behind her poker face and acted as calmly as she could. She was seething in agony inside, but she couldn''t let Jessica see through her pain. "What? That''s impossible! I don''t believe anything thates out of your mouth, you shameless bitch! Haha... Six years ago? I have been by his side for the past few years, not you! Where were you all these years if you are married?" Jessica snapped at Daisy while shaking her head in disbelief. She didn''t believe her. ''Edward had never mentioned that he has a wife and he was never seen with Daisy during those years. It must be a false pretext by Daisy to keep Edward to herself. That''s it! She must be lying!'' Jessica thought to herself, deliberating if there was any truth in Daisy''s words. "You can ask him if you don''t believe me. I don''t have to exin anything to you since it''s our personal life. Is there anything else that you want t puzzled, ''Do they know each other? Or Jessica ignores my words andes to see Daisy?'' "Edward, handle this yourself. I have no interest in clearing your mess. Make sure that she leaves me alone. I don''t have the time to y games with her. Mark, let''s get out of here." Daisy was delighted to see Edward. But when she thought of what Jessica had told her, she felt annoyed. "Where are you going? Huh?" Edward reached out and pulled Daisy into his arms. Before Daisy could push him away, he lowered his head and kissed her. He had no idea what had been going on, but he perceived Daisy was angry. Not expecting that Edward would kiss her in public, Daisy blushed. She caught a glimpse of Jessica staring at them. Daisy suddenly kicked Edward''s left calf and pushed him off. Watching Edward gasping in pain, Daisy red at him in fury. The military exercises had worn her out; she didn''t have the energy to deal with his dolls. All Daisy wanted to do at this moment was to shoot him through his head. Edward knew that Daisy was mad at him, but he didn''t expect that she would actually attack him. However, he was not mad because Daisy didn''t hit him that hard. And it wouldn''t be that easy if they were alone. Edward knew she would definitely beat him up. Jessica was startled by Edward''s sudden arrival. Edward warned her about leaving Daisy alone, yet she was caught red-handed provoking Daisy. Edward had been cruel to Jessicately, she was worried about what he would do to her this time. To Jessica''s surprise, Edward passionately kissed Daisy in public. She was jealous to death. In all these years she had spent with him, Edward had never touched her lips. She couldn''t hold her feelings back and she offended him by kissing himst time, which led to the almost bankruptcy of the Lin Group. He had once told her that only the woman he loved could kiss him on his lips, and now he was kissing Daisy in front of her... Did it mean that he loved Daisy? Chapter 275 Not To Provoke Daisy (Part One) "I''m going back to the military base and I won''te home till the time this is solved, " said Daisy in a cold voice. She looked at Edward, with raised eyebrows. Daisy had waited to be with him for years. She tried hard to make Edward fall in love with her. But things seldom went her way, and something always seemed toe in their way. "No. I won''t let you go. No matter what she has told you, I can exin it to you. Pleasee home with me." Edward was adamant not to let her go back to the military base. He remembered how he missed Daisy with every passing minute when she was away on the mission of military exercises. He couldn''t fall asleep at night. All he wanted now was to hold her in his arms and feel the tenderness of her warm body and enjoy the sweet aroma that only belonged to her. She was standing in front of him, how could he possibly let her go? Jessica''s face grew pale. She was stunned to see that the arrogant Edward was behaving so humbly and was begging Daisy. She felt envious that he wasn''t doing this for her. ''I want to chop that bitch off. Edward, you are so cruel to me. Even if you don''t love me anymore, please don''t disy your love and care for another woman in my presence. Do you realize what you''re doing to me? You''re driving me nuts!'' Jessica thought. "Edward, do you really love her that much? And are you willing to give up your dignity and self-esteem just to please this woman? What about me and our child? Do you really want to abandon us?" Jessica muttered. She believed that Edward still loved her. No matter how bad Edward treated her, she kept telling herself that it was fake. He still had a ce for her in his heart, although now he was bewitched by another woman. He had lost his senses and that was why he ignored her. One day he woulde back to her. But this time, she felt that she was totally invisible to him. Did this mean that she should face the reality now? Jessica wondered. "Jessica, I warned you not to provoke Daisy. It seems that you forgot that. Do you want me to help you remember it? En-huh!" Edward sh t how can he be so sure about it? Is there something I don''t know about him?'' Daisy wondered. But she was quite relieved when she heard him say that Jessica''s child had nothing to do with him. She wasn''t a saint who wouldn''t mind if her husband had a child with another woman. "Mark, you can go back to the vi with Luke first. I have something to discuss with your Colonel, " Edward said to Mark, but his eyes were focused firmly on Daisy. ''She promised she would believe me under any circumstance. Has she forgotten that already? I will punish her when we go back home. Perhaps then she won''t doubt me next time, '' Edward thought. "Colonel, I..." Mark said hesitantly while looking at Daisy. He was her apanying officer, although Edward asked him to go, he still wanted to hear Daisy''s opinion. He would''t follow anyone else''s orders except for Daisy''s. "Okay! You may go!" Daisy wanted to hear Edward''s exnation. She didn''t like the hostility between her and Edward, because she knew it was not good for their rtionship. If she left despite Edward''s request and efforts, she would fall into the trap set up by others. Speaking of traps, Daisy knew very well how to avoid them. So if anyone was scheming to nt a strife between her and Edward, they wouldn''t seed. She wouldn''t do anything that would benefit the enemy but harm her family. That wasn''t Daisy''s style. Chapter 276 Not To Provoke Daisy (Part Two) "Yes, Colonel." Mark said while saluting her. He looked at Jessica with a frown before he got into the military Humvee. "Let me take you to dinner. Let''s go." Edward was quite satisfied with Daisy''s reaction, at least she wasn''t running away from him. She remembered her promise to Edward that she would not leave because of any misunderstanding. She gave him a chance to exin everything and he was d that he didn''t need to drive around the city to look for her aimlessly. Daisy squinted at Jessica who looked awful. She remembered the proverb, ''The poor person must be utterly detestable.'' so she didn''t have the slightest feeling of sympathy towards Jessica, who looked down and out. She wasn''t so generous that she would share her husband with another woman. Jessica stumbled. Feeling desperate, she looked at Edward who held Daisy''s hand and stepped into his posh Lamborghini. She had never seen Edward act so considerately before. But now he was doing this for another woman before her eyes. ''Huh! Edward, you have be so gentle and soft for Daisy. It turns out that I was mistaken to think that you loved me. Compared to the love you are bestowing on Daisy, I suppose I was nothing to you.'' Jessica thought. "When did youe back? Why didn''t you call me? I would have picked you up from the military base." Edward said while flicking strands of hair from her face to the back of her ears. He examined her closely to ensure that she didn''t get injured anywhere. "I nned to call you, but Jessica called me and asked for a meeting before I could make the call. I got angry and decided not to call you." Daisy was easily flustered. His sudden tender moves made her b ed at Daisy, apprehensively. He didn''t know whether Daisy was satisfied with his exnation or she didn''t believe him at all. "Haha! Edward, are you reciting a passage from a textbook like an elementary school student? You seem really cute. I didn''t say I don''t believe you. But why didn''t you mention it when you came hometer that day? In that case, I wouldn''t have suspected that you still have feelings for her and that you did something behind my back.'''' Daisy was not that kind of person who took everything seriously, or who liked to pester her spouse with his past mistakes. So she was quite satisfied with his exnation. "I didn''t want to let this stuff to spoil your mood before the military exercises. But I didn''t anticipate that I''d mess it up in the end. It seems that I am really an irresponsible man like you just said. And you''re not to be med if you didn''t believe me." What depressed Edward the most was what had happened today. He thought that he had protected Daisy from his affairs. But it seemed that Jessica had eventually found a chance to provoke Daisy. He was totally oblivious to this. Chapter 277 Why Did You Do That "Okay! Good, now tell me about her unborn child, " asked Daisy seriously. She was amused by the sad look on Edward''s face. He looked charming when he lowered his head as if he was a student who had made a mistake. "It has nothing to do with me. I had a contraceptive surgery soon after marriage. Therefore, I can''t be the father, " exined Edward. He raised his head and firmly assured Daisy. He didn''t n to tell Daisy about the contraceptive surgery. But Jessica told Daisy that she was pregnant. He had to share it to prove that he wasn''t the father. "Why? Why did you do that?" asked Daisy. She frowned and pondered, ''Why did he have a contraceptive surgery? To have sex with other women without worrying about getting them pregnant? Or did he have some other reason? His lewd past tells me that he underwent the surgery for the former reason.'' "Honey, I don''t want to talk about it. I''m starved. Let''s have dinner, " said Edward. There was a corner deep in his heart, which couldn''t be touched by anyone, including Daisy. He didn''t want to reveal all his unbearable memories to Daisy. "You didn''t have dinner beforeing?" asked Daisy. She looked at him and stopped inquiring about that operation. She didn''t know why he had changed the subject, but she wouldn''t force him to share. Deep-down everyone had secrets which weren''t supposed to be disclosed to anyone, including his/her partner. So did Daisy. "I was working overtime and then I saw your car. So I came over to see if everything was all right. How was the military exercise?" asked Edward. He caressed her cheek and smiled sincerely. Having Daisy around was a great blessing for him. His heart was beating only for her since he fell in love with her. Without herpany, he felt one day was like one year. "Well. I didn''t perform as well as I usually do. It ended in a draw, " replied Daisy. She was still upset for the stupid mistake she had made in the military exercise. Following the prescribed routine was inadvisable and fatal in battles. Kevin''s unconventional action had distracted her, thus making the red army suffer a great loss. How to write the summary on the military exercise still remained a problem for her. "Was that my fault?" asked Edward. They sat in the car and Edward was staring at Daisy affectionately. He had wanted to help her but instead, he became a hindrance for her. "No, I made some mistakes. Aren''t you hungry? Let''s go home and have dinner! I miss Justin, " said Daisy. She looked tender every time s Leena being in France. "Well! Nothing. Kevin didn''t find her at home. Did I tell you that Leena and Kevin are married?" asked Daisy. She had been really upied with the military exercise and thinking about the photo sent from Jessica. She didn''t get the chance to tell Edward about Leena''s marriage. "You know that? Alright. Apparently, Rain and I are thest ones to know it, "ined Edward. ''Humph! Kevin had been busy with the military exercise, so he doesn''t know that Leena has gone to France. I won''t tell him about it! I need to teach him a lesson. How dare he marry Leena secretly. I know what Duke will be thinking. He won''t tell him her whereabouts either. Let''s thank Leena for giving us the opportunity to y tricks on Kevin, '' thought Edward. "I''m sorry! I was too busy to tell you and I assumed that Duke might have told you already. Let''s go! Perhaps she is at the Leng''s now, " replied Daisy. Daisy was quite sure that Leena was smart enough to protect herself. Therefore, she wasn''t too worried about Leena. Then Edward started the car and revealed a meaningful smile. He thought, ''Kevin, this little trick is a wedding gift for you. We hope you''ll like it. This isn''t over yet. Just wait and watch our next move, humph! This is the price you pay for your secret marriage with Leena.'' The poor Kevin knew nothing about their tricks. He was rushing to the Leng''s now. It turned out Edward was right about Duke. Without a second thought, Duke said he didn''t know where Leena was. His father wasn''t at home and therefore nobody caught him telling a lie. God knows how mad he was at Kevin. Now he would use this opportunity to get back at Kevin. Chapter 278 Whats Wrong With Me Hugging Daisy When Daisy went back to the mansion, she couldn''t believe what she saw in the house. She was stunned to see the couple who were having fun ying with Justin. They didn''t look as old as they were. The man was young and handsome, while the woman was beautiful and cheerful like a youngdy. Daisy winked and couldn''t believe her eyes. She knew Cynthia and Jonathan. But they hadn''t changed one bit since she met them at her wedding ceremony, and that was six years ago. She still remembered how surprised she was when she saw them that day. She had thought they were Edward''s sister and brother. It was until she heard the emcee announce that the new couple would bow to the parents, that she realized they were Edward''s parents. She was flustered at that time and imagined what age they were in when they had Edward. They looked too young to have such a big son as Edward. Daisy didn''t expect them to look as young, lively and beautiful as they were six years ago. Daisy almost dropped her jaw when she saw them again. "Are you Daisy?" Cynthia looked at Daisy who was bbergasted and asked. She frowned with doubt. Because the bride she saw on the wedding ceremony six years ago wore bridal makeup. So she wasn''t sure if the woman in front of her was Daisy, she wasn''t wearing any makeup today. Cynthia assumed it must be Daisy. But she had heard that Daisy had been away for the military exercises. She was here now, had she finished the military exercises already? But why wasn''t she wearing her uniform? Cynthia really wanted to see how she looked in her uniform. "Mom? You are back. Are the military exercises over?" Before Daisy could reply, Justin ran into her arms and that cleared Cynthia''s doubts. "I''m Daisy. Mom. dad, I''m d to see you here. " Daisy kissed Justin''s face and smiled gently. She nodded politely to Cynthia while cursing Edward bitterly in her heart. ''Why didn''t he tell me that they have been back. I am embarrassed to be dumbstruck upon seeing them here.'' "Yes, we are back. So nice! You are growing more and more beautiful. Come here, let me give you a hug." Cynthia''s beautiful face became more radiant after she saw Daisy. Although they had been traveling around for years, they kept abreast of everything happening in S City. This also attributed to Jonathan''s another identity. They knew that Edward had been leading a wild life and ying around with his life for the past few years. They were worried about his ways, so they forced him to get married. But they could only sigh with helplessness on his rebellion after the marriage. They felt sorry for Daisy who was chosen by them as their daughter-inw. Jonathan nodded at Daisy, looking cool and handsome. Except for Cynthia, he remained cold towards everyone. His gentleness was only reserved for his dear wife. "Mom, you and dad are as young as ever. You are still very beautiful." A lump aking her look more attractive. Thinking of what slipped from her mouth, she wished there had been a hole where she could bury herself. "Haha! "Daisy, don''t mind. I like your straightforward character. Don''t be embarrassed, just say what you want to say. Take it easy." Cynthia was worried that Daisy would be very boring, she looked cold and stern. It surprised her that Daisy could be so amusing. Jonathan had never looked at any other women in the eyes except for his wife. But after he heard Daisy''s unwise words, he took a nce at Daisy. A feeling of admiration rose in him. ''She has the quality of a soldier, calm and magnanimous, '' Jonathan thought. While the mansion was full of joy andughter, at another ce, Kevin''s heart was filled with helplessness. He couldn''t find Leena. But when he saw that Duke seemed calm when he asked him about Leena, he became less worried. He was certain that Duke knew where Leena was. As to the reason why Duke didn''t tell him, he figured it out by himself. It was because he didn''t ask for his permission before getting married to Leena. Based on the fact that Duke loved his sister immensely, it was easy for Kevin to know Duke''s real intention. It was no more than revenge on him. Kevin came back to his t, distressed. He felt tired. He slipped on the side of the bed and looked around mechanically. It was so quiet in his t. And he suddenly felt uneasy about this silence. Although when Leena was here, they were busy with there own stuff, he could still feel her existence by her smell in the air. But now she was nowhere to be seen. Kevin narrowed his eyes slightly. He found himself be more emotional recently. He stood up slowly and looked at her essories on the dresser, he then realized that he really knew little about her. He didn''t know that she was like a little girl who liked to disy many beautiful and interesting things on the dresser. Chapter 279 Ill Make You Beg For Mercy Tonight (Part One) Kevin suddenly thought of something and hurried to the study to open hisptop. He remembered that he sent a friend request to Leena''s QQ the other day. If she wouldn''t answer his calls, maybe she would see his QQ message! Luckily, he memorized her QQ ount and opened a new ount to add her as friend. He hoped that she had confirmed his friend request while turning on hisptop. He didn''t have a QQ ount before; the only reason he signed up for it was because of Leena. Leena had confirmed his request, and she was the only friend on his list. But she was offline. Kevin froze as he saw the grey profile picture. He couldn''t reach her through here either. Where on earth had she gone? Maybe she went shopping, but then why was she bringing herptop with her? And she should have been back at this hour of the night. Kevin was puzzled. He sighed deeply, and thought no matter where she was, she must be somewhere safe. If anything happened to Leena, Duke would have punched him in his face the moment he saw him. However, given Duke''s simple sarcastic words, he must know where Leena was. Kevin felt at ease when he thought of that. There was nothing he could do, he might as well wait for Leena toe back home. He knew although Leena was young and innocent, she was an independent girl with her own mind. Daisy took a long hot bath after dinner; she was aching all over. The days of intense training had taken their toll. Also, she wanted to ponder Edward''s parents'' attitude towards her; she had no idea whether they liked her or not. Edward was the picture of insolence at dinner, poking at his father at every turn. But Jonathan didn''t se '' Edward thought to himself. "No, don''t! Edward, I was only joking!" As soon as Daisy saw the look on Edward''s face, she knew exactly what he was up to. ''I forgot! When he is annoyed he''s a devil!'' Daisy cried out in her mind, ''I bet he is figuring out how to tear me apart!'' "What? Quitting your own game? Isn''t it toote? You''ve got me so turned on, " Edward said, slowly cornering Daisy, with a devilish smile on his face. He was the tiger, cornering his prey. "No, honey, please. It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have kicked you." It worked every time to call Edward ''honey'' when Daisy had done something wrong. However, it didn''t seem to work this time. "You mean you nned to do more than just kick me?" Edward stopped and watched her stagger backward. She had nowhere else to run. "Yes! I should have just knocked you out. It would have been easier, " Daisy blurted out without thinking what kind of consequences her carelessness would bring. She enjoyed bickering with Edward. Although she was a powerful colonel in the army, she was only an innocent little woman in front of Edward. Chapter 280 Ill Make You Beg For Mercy Tonight (Part Two) "Great, Daisy. You''d better pray I don''t catch you; or it''s going to be a very long night for you." Edward''s smile grew bigger. He regarded her with great interest, eyes glowing dangerously. She wanted to knock him out? She was getting bolder now! "Well... I didn''t... I didn''t mean that. I''m sorry, honey. You''re not mad at me, are you? I know you can''t be, because you''re a generous man!" Daisy sputtered away hastily to excuse herself. She felt like she just shot herself in the foot. "No, I''m not mad. I''m actually very happy. Why would you think I''m mad?" Edward was telling the truth. He had the whole night to y with Daisy; of course he was happy. "Don''t smirk like that, Edward! I''m scared." Daisy would rather see Edward''s angry face than his smiling one. She suddenly had a hunch that tonight wouldn''t be easy for her. "You should be. Your fear is additional seasoning for our game." While Daisy was in a trance, Edward leapt forward and blocked her way. The game was about to officially begin... "You... You... It''s impossible!" Daisy looked up at his handsome face and stammered, her heart beating fast like a little drum. Wasn''t he a few meters away from her just a few seconds ago? What happened? "Nothing is impossible as long as I want it to be possible. Now, will you make the first move? Or should I? Take your pic . "Damn it, Jonathan! Keep your wife in your bedroom at night and stop interrupting us!" Edward was in a rage. The romantic ambience he had been trying so hard to build was ruined by his mother when she pushed open the door. He was literally furious! "See? I told you they don''t need drinks." Leaning idly against the staircase, Jonathan teased his wife with a tacit smile. He heard his son''s growl, he just didn''t care. "No, honey. Didn''t you hear him? Eddie was calling your name, not mine. Can''t you hear how furious he is?" Cynthia would never admit that she was the one to me. Besides, no matter what kind of trouble she got herself into, the man in front of her would always take care of it for her. She wasn''t worried at all. Instead, she was in a good mood, and teased Jonathan. Only she could get away with teasing this powerful man, because he loved her more than life itself. Chapter 281 Honey, I Love You Too Astounded, Jonathan twitched his mouth fiercely and wondered what he had done to deserve such treatment. He couldn''t believe his son dared yell at him like that. For his daughter-inw''s sake, he decided to let it go. But next time he wouldn''t be easy on him. "Let''s go. Don''t take it seriously. He''s furious because you really should have knocked first, or at least listened at the door." Jonathanforted Cynthia. A rare smile crossed his face. This intoxicating charm had never been seen before -- except by Cynthia. "I didn''t know they are so horny. By the way, our son is enthusiastic and good at forey, " Cynthia said, thinking of the awkward moment. She was like a charmed teenage girl. Jonathan squinted at her and asked in a jealous tone, "Honey, do you mean I''m not good enough? Huh?" In contrast to Edward''s pristine manners, Jonathan was as domineering and stern as an emperor whom others had to look up to. "That''s ridiculous! In my heart, you''re the most romantic man in the world. Of course, Eddie can''tpete with you." Cynthia had to say this to pacify the tyrant. When the man''s pride was wounded, it was hard to anticipate the fallout she might have to deal with. "If you two want to talk about love, please do it away from my bedroom door. And don''t call me Eddie! It gives me goosebumps! I''m an adult, not the poor child thirsting for your love." Edward thrust open the door with repressed anger in his eyes. But he kept smiling. The old couple had not only ruined his beautiful moment but also kept creeping him out by their flirtatious talk. He couldn''t take it anymore. "Okay, son, we can take a hint. You go on with what you were doing, " Cynthia said and started pulling Jonathan away. He cast ck looks at Edward. He wouldn''t turn a blind eye to the way Edward talked to her. Cynthia had to separate them before the volcano erupted. Back in the bedroom, Daisy heard Edward''s words. She rolled her eye d softly. In front of the woman he loved, Edward could be very tender. Arms around his neck, standing on tiptoes, Daisy kissed the man she loved with all her heart. She had waited too long for this moment. It didn''t matter whether Jessica was truthful or Edward lied, she just wanted to follow her heart. That was all she cared about at the moment. "Honey, I love you, " Edward said to her. Thrilled at her response, he kissed her more enthusiastically. He didn''t say ''I love you'' very often, but sometimes he needed to say it. Especially at this moment, he thought this was the only sentence that could fully express his deep love for her. "Honey, I love you too." This was the first time Daisy had spoken her heart to his face. Her eyes reddened. At this point, she wasn''t the cool, stern colonel anymore. Nor was she the miserable maid thrown out of the Ouyangs'' house. She was just a woman who had loved him for many years. For him, she could be both sweet and sexy. The night was enchanting and marvelous. Tonight, even the moon seemed to be blushed and hided into the clouds; tonight, the most passionate love happened in the room, after which two hearts would be bound perpetually together and be inseparable; the night was long and warm, just the way a rtionship should be. Chapter 282 Are You Daisy (Part One) As the first signs of the dawn appeared on the horizon, Daisy rolled over slowly on the bed and woke up. Having been in the Army for so long, she had developed an internal rm clock. So she could wake up early no matter how tired she was. Daisy opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Edward''s beautiful face. It was always nice to see the man you loved sleeping next to you when you awoke. Edward looked so cute while he was asleep. His eyes were closed, she could see his long and curlyshes and his skin was so fair and smooth. Every woman would be jealous of his dazzling face. Daisy couldn''t help smiling, staring at him. ''He sleeps like a peaceful baby.'' Daisy thought to herself. Even though normally you wouldn''t link Edward, such a evildoer, to the word "baby", he looked pretty cute while he was sleeping. Daisy raised her hand to touch his straight nose and felt his chiseled features like a happy little girl stroking her cat. Even though Edward had once hurt her so much, Daisy felt thankful that he could fall in love with her. She was happy to see he didn''t refuse her. Daisy had been aloof and remote, but she could be a sweet little girl when she was with Edward. "Knock it off, I want to sleep, " Edward murmured as he gripped the soft hand caressing his face and hugged her closer. Last night was the first night he could sleep so soundly during these days. Edward felt there was something missing when Daisy was out of town for military exercise and he couldn''ty next to her, couldn''t hold her. He never had that feeling before, because he was used to having Daisy around. "I''m headed to the base. You can sleep in." Even though Daisy enjoyed his warm hug so much, she had to get up. Because she knew there was so much work waiting for her. She was a colonel and had to shoulder her responsibility. "Fine. Do you have to go today? I thought you could take a day off." He woke up quickly after hearing what Daisy said. Edward thought she could take a few days off after workin ooked other women in the eyes except his wife. So she wouldn''t have expected even a hello from him. "Right, have breakfast. I''m going out, " Jonathan said as he began to run out. It was so unlike him to talk this much. He never bothered to talk to other women except his wife. But this morning he cared about whether his daughter-inw had breakfast or not. Why did his attitude change? Did it mean he wanted to start getting along with his family? Or did it mean Daisy was special to him? Daisy was at a loss for what to do next as she watched him leaving. Then she came to her senses quickly and asked Mrs. Wu to pack breakfast, so she could eat it on the way. She was really in a big hurry. It was a usual busy morning in the city. There was heavy traffic on the streets. The Humvee stopped at an intersection, waiting for the green light. As she was getting a little bored, there was the sound of brakes squealing, then a loud crash. Daisy was thrown forward and her breakfast dropped from her hands. "Colonel, are you okay?" The first thing Mark did was to see whether Daisy was hurt. Even though he was startled by the sudden crash too, he was supposed to make sure the colonel was safe. The safety of Daisy was his first concern. "I''m okay. Find out who that idiot is." Daisy said with a frown. She hated car idents a lot. Chapter 283 Are You Daisy (Part Two) "Copy that." Mark opened the door and got out. He wondered who was driving so fast and didn''t have time to brake. Brian Ouyang shook his head as dizziness overcame him, blurring his vision. He sighed after seeing what car he just hit. ''I am in big trouble. I hit a car for military officers.'' Brian thought to himself. Brian Ouyang had been living abroad for such a long time and just came back hometely. So he wasn''t familiar with roads in the city. He looked around and didn''t notice the traffic light ahead of him. When he saw it and braked suddenly, it was toote. So he inevitably hit the car in front of him. Luckily his car was equipped with airbags, so that he wasn''t hurt and just felt dizzy. It''s a good thing that what he hit was a Humvee, well-known for its excellent anti-collision properties. So the officers inside weren''t hurt. Mark checked out the car that hit them. Sleek, white with blue ents. A Pagani Zonda Riviera. ''It must be a silver-spoon kid, driving such a posh car. Probably doesn''t even feel sorry for hitting us.'' Mark thought to himself with a frown. That''s typical of kids of the ultra-wealthy. They had too much money to burn. "I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean to hit you. It is totally my fault. Are you okay?" Brian apologized as Mark walked towards him. He was to me for the ident, so it was expected of him to say he was sorry. Besides, he could tell there must be an officer in the car. "We are okay. But the rear end of our car is smashed. How are we going to handle that?" As he looked at Brian, Mark cursed to himself, ''He has so much money already. Why did God has to give him such a beautiful face? Life is so unfair.'' Mark met many attractive mentely as Edward surrounded himself with a group of good-looking guys. But the man in front of him now was different. He was vigorous, handsome and young, such eye candy. "It is totally my fault. I''ll pay for any repairs." Brian said with a dazzling smile. You co er briefcase and gave it to Mark. He had her full trust, so she could give him the password. "Okay, copy that." Mark had been used to the cold way she treated him. It touched him that Daisy offered him her full trust. Another Humvee arrived as Daisy began to walk away. Kevin got out. "Good morning. Daisy, did you just get here? Wait, what happened to your car?" Kevin looked at it with amusement. ''What kind of car could smash up a military Humvee? It must be a very expensive car.'' Kevin thought to himself. "It''s okay. Just a little ident. What about Leena? Have you found her?" Daisy didn''t want to talk about what happened just now, so she mentioned Leena to distract Kevin. "No, I know nothing about her friends and ssmates. So it''s difficult for me to find where she is now. But she is probably okay since Duke wasn''t worried at all. Speaking of Duke, he remembered Duke and his attitude. How could he make Duke ept Kevin as his brother-inw? "In that case, there''s nothing to worry about. Maybe she''s having a good time with friends and forgot to call." Daisy knew what Leena was like: she poured her time and energy into something she was interested in and never gave up until she got what she wanted. Her stubbornness was a merit, but sometimes could cause no end of trouble. Chapter 284 She Was Willing To Give It To Me "Yes, I think so, too. But her phone is off all this time. That is strange." Kevin had been calling Leena, but she never answered. Though he knew Leena was probably okay, he couldn''t stop himself from having some really horrible thoughts every now and then. "That''s not like her. Did she leave you any messages?" asked Daisy with a frown. She knew Leena was a considerate girl; she would never suddenly disappear without saying anything and make her friends worry. Besides, like any young girl, she lived on her devices. "I''m...not sure." Kevin closed his eyes and hit his head with his palm. Why did he miss that? But such notes were usually left near the phone or on the door of the fridge. He couldn''t recall seeing notes in any of those ces. "I''ll check tonight when I get home." Daisy smiled and went towards the office building. It seemed that Leena was the most difficult task that Kevin had ever encountered. Kevin smiled awkwardly and followed Daisy into the building. Mark was left alone with the Humvee, having no idea what he should do next. It was in the wee hours in Paris when Leena finally got back to her hotel room. As soon as she walked in, she threw herself onto the bed with a satisfied sigh. She went to attend a party hosted by the sponsors of thepetition. Thepetition would be finished in two more days, and Leena could head back home by then. She wondered whether Kevin had done with the military exercises or not. She was careless and forgot to bring her phone, and she didn''t bother to remember anyone''s number. She couldn''t even call Kevin even though she really wanted to. To be honest, most of the time, she didn''t think about being a married woman. But when she was alone, Kevin''s face kept shing through her mind. Leena forced a weak smile. It seemed more like a alliance than a marriage, since they both got what they needed from this rtionship. She didn''t believe that Kevin married her simply because of being responsible. Her instinct told her that he was avoiding something, or someone; that was why he married her. However, Leena didn''t care, because she didn''t love Kevin, not yet. But they would be living together for the rest of their lives, and Leena wasn''t sure whether she would fall in love with Kevin someday. She had decided if Kevin was honest with her, then she would treat him with all her sincerity. Although Leena seemed a carefree person, she could be quite sentimental on certain asions. She sighed deeply and thought of Kevin again. ''Do I really have no feelings for him? Why do I keep thinking about him?'' Leena was confused. Rain was also confused about Annie''s sudden disappearance. He co shrugged. That was something he wouldn''t tell Rain about. Daisy had always known that he had been a womanizer and dated a lot of women; she didn''t say anything about that, but it didn''t mean that she wouldn''t get hurt. Edward didn''t want to see Daisy get hurt. It would tear his heart apart. But someone else didn''t care. Jessica had been plotting to get back at Daisy ever since she found out who Daisy really was. She still didn''t believe that Edward was married, and she was also surprised that Daisy was a military officer. Maybe that was for the best. She had alreadye up with a n. And Daisy personally inspired her with her identity of being a military officer. She wondered what Daisy''s supervisors would do once they found out that she gave birth to a bastard before marrying a man. She might get kicked out of the army! The thought made Jessica tremble all over with excitement. She was thrilled by the idea. Jessica soon wrote an anonymous letter. But she didn''t know which branch of the military that Daisy served in. So she had someone investigate the matter before she mailed the letter. ''Daisy Ouyang! Don''t me me for ruining your career; me yourself for getting involved with the wrong man. He''s mine! And I won''t give up so easily!'' Jessica thought to herself with a sneer. No matter how many times Edward told her that her baby had nothing to do with him, Jessica didn''t care at all. To Jessica, Edward was the only man she wanted. He was the love of her life and the father of her child. Meanwhile, Daisy, sitting in the conference room, suddenly felt a chill creeping over her. She couldn''t help shuddering. She looked up doubtfully at the AC, ''Is the temperature too low?'' But she didn''t know that someone was secretly plotting to take her down. Chapter 285 Simply A Slut "Colonel, I heard that your performance during the war games was very ingenious. Have you been thinking of getting promoted after it? It seems your lucky streak is still strong, to get an opportunity like that." Hank blocked Daisy''s path as soon as she walked out of the conference room. He had a displeased look on his face. "Hank, excuse my ipetence. I am embarrassed to show off in the presence of an expert like you. How could I expect to get promoted?" Daisy hated the irony in his tone. She never attributed her achievements to luck. Hank chuckled darkly. "Who knows? Don''t you always get promoted that way? This time might not be an exception." The contempt was evident in Hank''s tone. He never believed that Daisy got promoted because of honest work. She must''ve gotten promoted because the Commander favored her. On capacity alone, he should''ve been promoted to a higher position than her a long time ago. "Hank, have you always thought of the Colonel this way? Haven''t you seen how capable she is? If she got promoted because of good luck, howe you lost every time you''re up against her? Bad luck?" The fierce look Kevin cast Hank was as sharp as a knife. At that moment, his gentleness shifted to hostility. Daisy raised her eyes to Kevin without a hint of joy. Her brows knitted in displeasure. ''Hank gossips like a woman. If Kevin helps me and humiliates him in public, troublesome rumors would spread, '' she thought. Hankughed nervously. "Oh no, that was just an innocent joke between me and the Colonel. No need to worry, Major General." Hank restrained himself in front of Kevin. Besides Kevin''s much higher rank and position, his strong background alone was enough for him to back down. "Really? Hank, please watch your wording. What you said didn''t sound like a joke. There are boundaries for everything." Kevin always loathed Hank''s narrow-mindedness. He usually ignored him because he didn''t bother him. But seeing his rude attitude towards Daisy, Kevin couldn''t ignore him anymore. He knew that Daisy was tough. But he couldn''t help fighting for her when he saw it happening in front of him. "Yes, yes... I''ll work on it." Hank toadied to Kevin, but his hatred for Daisy grew. He had thought that Daisy was pure and lofty. But recently, she had beening to work in different luxury cars. It seemed that she had a rotten private life. No wonder nobody had seen her husband these years, it turned out that she had been s she had stripped herself in front of him. How shameless! "Edward, don''t pretend you feel nothing. You have pushed me so far just to get me, haven''t you? Go ahead! You can take me right now." Coco assumed that Edward was ruthless to her because she wasn''t like the other women who were eager to climb into his bed. He was willing to pay a huge amount of money for breaching their contract, just to make her cave in. "Miss Coco, are you out of your mind? Or do you just think the world of yourself?" Edward sneered, but didn''t avert his eyes from her naked body. Since Coco wasn''t embarrassed by herself, why should he feel awkward about looking? "You... Isn''t this what you want? I know you''ve always liked me. But I''ve never taken you seriously. Now, I put my pride aside to satisfy you. You should be thrilled." Coco always thought that Edward coveted her and had been trying to get her into bed for the past several years. But she never gave him a chance. Edward let out an incredulousugh. "Where did you get the confidence to say I''m into you? Let me tell you something, I would rather sleep with a young model than with a pretentious hypocrite like you. You''re not good enough to attract me, so stop pretending to be pure and innocent. I know everything about you. You''re simply a slut." Edward reached out and gripped her neck furiously. He had never met such a self-important woman. "What..." Coco looked at Edward in horror. This wasn''t at all what she had expected. He was supposed to be turned on at the sight of her naked figure. Why was he so cruel? Was she suddenly unworthy because she wasn''t a superstar anymore? Chapter 286 Justin What Do You Think (Part One) Cocoughed incredulously. "Edward, you hypocrite. Do you really think I''ll believe you? Every man in S City dreams of having sex with me. And you''re a dashing, amorous, and flirtatious yboy. How am I supposed to believe that you don''t feel anything for me?" Coco had always been confident about herself. Her stunning looks and sexy figure had always made her every man''s dream girl. She couldn''t believe that Edward didn''t like her. All men were arrogant. This was especially true for a handsome and dignified man like Edward. He must feel reluctant to admit it that he liked her to her face. "Being confident is good, but it''s dangerous if you feel too good about yourself. Even if all the men in the world fall for you, that does not include me. I admit that I''m an amorous man, but except for my wife, every other woman is simply a tool to satisfy my sexual desire. Do you think you''re any different?" Edward released her neck, his eyes narrowing with a trace of disgust. Although Coco had an attractive body, it wasn''t what he wanted. No matter how captivating she looked, she was nothing but flesh in his eyes. She failed to arouse any sexual desire from him. "But what about my cousin? What is Jessica to you? A tool to satisfy your sexual needs? Do the feelings she has invested in you for so many years really mean nothing to you?" Coco''s jaw was sore from Edward''s grip. She raised her eyebrows and red at him. No matter what, she wasn''t going to lose thest glimmer of her self-esteem. At first, she thought that Edward was only teasing when he said that he didn''t like her. But hearing his degrading words made her pride shatter into pieces and her sense of superiority disappear. "Was Jessica the one who told you toe here and argue with me? What if I say that it was only a game between me and Jessica? Do you really think I loved her? Don''t be silly. If she hadn''t pretended to be a considerate and kind woman, I wouldn''t have stayed with her for so lo u doing with this woman? Don''t tell me that shees to the wrong ce." Justin red at his father with fury. He didn''t address him as "dad". He went back to call him "Mr. Edward, " which he used back when they weren''t familiar with each other months ago. Whenever he addressed Edward this way, it meant that he was very angry. And an angry Justin was very dangerous. "Ah! Edward, you bastard! How dare you have an affair with another woman in your office? Did you even think about your wife?" Cynthia eximed. She was the wife of the head of the Mayfly. It was easy to guess what happened from the scene. The woman obviously started this, and she tried to seduce her son. Edward was obviously innocent, sitting fully-clothed in his chair. But she didn''t n to defend him. Since Edward always ignored her, she let Justin torture him a little bit. "Mom, are you deliberately saying this to stir up trouble for me? You know it''s definitely not what it looks like." Edward stared at her helplessly. Although he hadn''t spent much time with his mother, he knew his mother''s personality. She must still hold a grudge against him for scolding her and dad too harshly yesterday. This was her revenge. It was all Jonathan''s fault. His domineering and indifferent father indulged her propensity for stirring up troubles. Chapter 287 Justin What Do You Think (Part Two) "Mr. Edward, don''t me grandma. This is clearly your fault. She did nothing wrong by criticizing you. I''ll call mom and tell her that you''re having an affair with another woman!" Justin shouted angrily, panting with rage and ring at Edward like he hadmitted a heinous crime. He would not let Edward go this time. Coco gazed at Cynthia in wonder. She was surprised at her youth and beauty. When she heard Edward call her "mom, " she thought she had misheard. But when the aggressive little boy called the woman "grandma, " she was startled. Who would think that such a charming and enchanting noblewoman was old enough to be a grandmother? "You brat, what did I do? Am I naked right now? I didn''t do anything. Unless you think that the woman in front of you is more attractive than your mother." Edward was eager to defend himself. He was careless to say such improper things to a child. "It seems you''re right. But why does this aunt wear so little clothes and look so sloppy? Does she think that her clothes are too tight and burdensome, that she feels the need to take some off?" In Justin''s eyes, every woman who tried to seduce Edward was an old and ugly aunt. Although the woman in front of him looked a little pretty, she wasn''t as beautiful as his mother. Coco felt embarrassed at Justin and Cynthia''s intrusion. Though she quickly pulled up her clothes, they still mocked her to her face. How could she bear the humiliation? Her face paled in an instant and her body trembled with fury. "Oh! I don''t think it''s because her clothes are too tight. Maybe she has a tendency of exhibitionism." Cynthia sided with her family. Although she was a little surprised to hear Justin''s vulgar words that weren''t appropriate for his w what was going on between Edward and Jonathan. They were both being stubborn and arrogant. They were father and son, but why did they act like enemies? Jonathan was reluctant toe up, and Edward was reluctant to go down. She felt caught in the middle, and she looked disagreeable if she didn''t take sides. "Haha!" Justinughed gleefully when his grandmother called Edward "Eddie." "Eddie" sounded very amusing. And it perfectly matched Edward''s childish behavior. "Mom, don''t call me by that disgusting name." Edward hated it when Cynthia called him that. He was an adult now. Didn''t she find it inappropriate to use such a nickname for him? "Disgusting? I don''t think so! Justin, what do you think?" Okay, she was definitely doing it on purpose. How could he not take his father seriously? Although he was her son, she felt it necessary to punish him, or he would get too cocky and forget who he was. "It''s not disgusting. I think it''s a good name for dad." Justin held back hisughter. He didn''t expect his young and beautiful grandmother to be so funny. Since he liked her a lot, he decided to echo his grandma and ignore Edwardpletely. Chapter 288 Why The Hurry "That''s enough. Didn''t you say you are hungry? Let''s go." Edward rolled his eyes. As much as he wanted to give his father a hard time, he couldn''t let his son get starved. Therefore he had topromise. "Yeah! Let''s go! Eddie...hahaha!" Justinughed out loud and dashed out of his father''s office before Edward realized how he had addressed him. He knew Edward would be furious, so he practically ran for his life. Justin wasn''t foolish. "Justin Mu! Do you want to get punished?" As expected, Justin heard Edward''s furious growl as he ran out of his office. Shuddering in terror, Justin ran forward without seeing where he was going. He identally bumped into Rain who was on his way towards Edward''s office. "Hey, little boy. Why the hurry? Watch your step!" Rain caught the little boy who staggered behind a few steps after running into him. He shook his head and sighed. The entire 88th floor could hear Edward''s growl. He wondered what Justin had done this time to piss his father off. "Uncle Rain, why did youe in my way? Ouch, it hurts!" Justin brushed the tip of his nose with his finger and grumbled with a pout. He looked adorable. "Hey! Are you serious? You came out of nowhere and bumped into me! How could I possibly know it in advance and avoid the crash? And by the way, what have you done this time to upset your daddy?" Rain had always been a carefree optimist. It delighted him to see that someone was pestering Edward, since he couldn''t do it himself. "Uncle Rain, it''s impolite to pry. Don''t you know that?'' Justin knew Edward would spank him if he gave away his ''nickname'', so Justin decided to keep his mouth shut. "Oh,e on! You are one to talk about ''impoliteness'' with me. You are as insensitive as your father! What have I done wrong? I don''t understand why you both team up to pick on me. I feel hopeless." Rain used Justin and Edward with an exaggerated look on his face. He felt he was being attacked by everyone he met that day. "Hey! Is that you, Rainy Honey? You''ve grown lovelier since thest time I saw you! Why do you feel hopeless? Life is full of hopes." Cynthia gazed at Rain with a hint of sly glowing in her eyes; she appeared younger than her age. "Hahaha!" Rainy Honey! Seriously? Justin burst intoughter once again. He had underestimated his grandmother! Rain was a handsome guy; but the nickname ''Rainy Honey'', made him sound girlish. It was hrious! However, Justin thought the name perfectly suited Uncle Rain, since he often looked more beautiful than women. "Auntie Cynthia, you''re getting more gorgeous over the years. I bet uncle Jonathan keeps busy driving away all the flies around you." Rain didn''t expect to see Cynthia, so he was pleasantly surprised. It seemed that Cynthia h ing to piece up my broken heart here." Rain felt like he was the most pathetic person among them. He should have seen iting when Edward shoved him out of his office in the morning. "Aren''t youing? And stop ying cute. It doesn''t suit you." Edward knew what kind of person Rain was. He was pissed off not only because Rain was annoying, but also because he could get along well with Jonathan and Cynthia. Jonathan seemed much nicer to Rain aspared to Edward. Justin made a face at Rain and joyfully ran towards Edward''s car. He loved his grandparents, but he loved his father even more. He had gone through a lot to earn his father''s love; he seized every opportunity to stay by Edward''s side. When it came to dining habits, Jonathan was quite different from Edward. Jonathan didn''t like to dine in a private room. Edward knew this about his father so he chose a quiet restaurant, for the fear of too much crowd. No sane person would enjoy being watched like a monkey in the zoo, let alone someone as sullen as Jonathan. Edward was used to being the center of attention wherever he went. Now that he was with his father, it was a hard-to-ignorebination. "Okay, let''s sit here!" Cynthia knew Jonathan''s preference, so she chose a quiet table by the window to avoid much attention from other clients in the restaurant. She also did it because she didn''t like it when other women stared at Jonathan with love and lust in their eyes. Jonathan belonged to her and no one was allowed to gaze at him. Life is not that simple. Sometimes when you try so hard to avoid someone, they turn up unexpectedly and catch you off-guard. There is nothing you could do about it except feeling distressed and annoyed. As they were about to start their lunch, that''s exactly how they felt when they saw the people in front of their table. Chapter 289 Youre Nothing More Than A Foxtrel "What a small world, Mr. Mu. Nice to meet you. You haven''t changed much, still young and handsome, "plimented Leo Ouyang. Although he was Edward''s father-inw, he had never socialized with the Mus. Therefore, he felt self-conscious in front of them. "Thanks, Mr. Ouyang. And you too!" replied Jonathan coldly. He hated being interrupted at dinner. Besides, he had no respect for people like Leo. If Leo wasn''t Daisy''s father, Jonathan would definitely give a cold shoulder to him. "Thank you! Mr. Mu. I''m ttered, " replied Leo. Feeling nervous, Leo unobtrusively wiped away the sweat on his face. He hadn''t seen Jonathan for years and he still felt tremendous pressure because of Jonathan''s overwhelming and indifferent personality, as well as his handsome looks. "Edward, can we join you for dinner?" asked Mary. Fortunately, she saw Edward at dinnertime. Feeling excited, Mary made up her mind to go after him. "Excuse me, but it''s a full table. There is no room for you, " replied Justin. Since he knew that Mary was his mom''s step-sister, he despised her even more. "Look! An ill-mannered child with poor family education. Who are your parents? Haven''t they taught you not to interrupt adults when they are talking? Where are your manners?" Yakira taunted. She didn''t know everyone on the table. But she knew all about the little bastard. Therefore, she viciously insulted him. "Family education? You are thest person to talk about family education, " said Cynthia. She twirled her curly hair, then gave Yakira a sideways nce and thought, ''If your sinse out, you won''t be able to gloat like this. You''ll be imprisoned permanently.'' "What do you mean by that? My family education is none of your business. Look at you, you''re nothing more than a foxtrel. Humph!" said Yakira to Cynthia. Yakira was jealous of Cynthia''s well-shaped body. She was being mean to her for no good reason. She hadn''t expected that Cynthia would turn out to be Edward''s mother. "Don''t you dare say that again. I swear I''ll cut you into pieces and feed them to dogs, " said Jonathan severely. He stared fiercely at Yakira. If she wasn''t standing on the other side of the table, he would have kicked her out. "Mr. Mu. I''m terribly sorry for her poor manners. Please excuse her for offending Mrs. Mu, " apologized Leo. His face grew pale. He felt regretful, ''I shouldn''t have agreed to Mary''s idea ofing here to greet the Mus. Yakira, you stupid woman, look what you''ve done! How could you make such impertinent remarks in Jonathan''s presence? You''re signing your own death warrant.'' With a smile on his face, Edward satfortably and observed what was happening silently. He knew, when it came to his mother, his father would be the first one to defend her. The only thing he could do now was to sit back and watch. "Mr. Ouyang, you''d better give her some pills and never leave her off the leash outdoors. If she bites someone, she is likely to be shot to death, '''' said Jonathan ironically and threateningly. The only person he cared for was ded not to tease Justin anymore. Both Leena and Justin were not to be trifled with. "Well done, Justin, I''ll give you a kiss as a reward." said Cynthia. Cynthia had always been in contempt of regtions. She liked what Justin said. Therefore, she kissed his face gleefully. And even this slight kiss made Jonathan jealous. On a second thought, he smiled and thought, ''She can do whatever she likes as long as she is happy! Justin is just a child.'' Leo, however, was embarrassed now. He had no idea whether to leave or to stay. Neither smile nor frown was entirely appropriate here. In a word, he felt ashamed and embarrassed. "Hey kid, watch yournguage. Don''t be so arrogant. We didn''t bully your bitchy mother. She is just a Cindere pretending to be an aloof and innocent princess. Ah..."Before she could finish her sentence, Mary''s throat was grabbed by Edward. Stunned, her face immediately turned pale. "Mary, you''re enjoying abusing Daisy, aren''t you? Now, let me tell you, you can swear at anyone, but my wife. You''d better leave her alone. If you offend her again, I''ll make you pay.'''' threatened Edward. He fixed his gaze on Mary and then gave a wicked smile. Mary was frozen by the expression on his face. "Edward, are you insane? Let go of my daughter. Or I''ll kill you." shouted Yakira. Seeing that, she suddenly went pale and the makeup on her face was messed up. "Edward, I''m terribly sorry. Mary didn''t mean to say that. It was only a slip of the tongue. Please excuse her. I''ll take her home immediately, " apologized Leo. Though reluctant, he had to apologize humbly. He clearly knew what kind of person Edward was. Under Edward''s gentle and elegant demeanor, there was a cruel and indifferent heart, just like his father''s. That''s why Leo was always cautious in Edward''s presence. "For the sake of your father, I am sparing you. But if you insult her again, you won''t be forgiven." said Edward. He let go of Mary rudely and then wiped his hand with a napkin as if it had been tainted by touching her. Chapter 290 Always a Member of This Family "Mary, are you all right?" Yakira rushed over to support her falling daughter. She was so angry that the silver teeth in her mouth were almost crushed by herself. ''Edward, don''t be so arrogant! Although your family is running the most powerful enterprise in the city, the Ouyang Group isn''t small either. How dare you treat us like this?'' she thought resentfully. "I ... I ..." Mary looked at Edward, with fear. Her lips were trembling. Perhaps she wasn''t stunning, but she was pretty. How could Edward rough her up like this? She thought, ''Edward, the more you neglect me, the more I want you. You will love me the way you love the bitch Daisy. I won''t lose you to Daisy, the worthless nobody.'' "I don''t care what you think. Daisy will always be a member of this family. I won''t let any of you harm her. y your dirty tricks on me! Don''t you dare conspire against Daisy! Otherwise, I''ll make your life a living hell! Don''t believe me? I dare you to try!" Edward twitched his lips, ncing at Yakira and Mary. The cold look in his eyes was like a sharp knife. He knew that meanies like Yakira and Mary would take out their anger on Daisyter, so he gave them a warning beforehand. "Mr. Ouyang, you''d better leave with your family. I hope to never see you again. Since my daughter-inw was thrown out of your house a long time ago, she has nothing to do with the Ouyang Family anymore. Please stay away from her and don''t disturb her life. OK?" Jonathan said sternly, casually tapping the cup in his hand. The cold look on his face could have taken anyone''s breath away. "Mr. Mu, where is thising from? When did we throw her out of the house? She hasn''t contacted us since she got married. We thought she has forgotten her own parents." Humans were sensitive about their reputation. In front of an extraordinary man like Jonathan, Leo wouldn''t let himself be humiliated. "Yes, that girl is heartless. She forgets her parents as soon as she got married into a wealthy family." Even in such a precarious situation, Yakira still couldn''t shut her mouth. It was a mystery how such a stupid woman had managed t nd a father who barely cared about her, in that loveless family, she wouldn''t experience the luxury of being spoiled at all. Nevertheless, that was OK, because now she had him and his Dad. They would give her the warmth and love she hadn''t felt before. Justin resolved to make her the happiest woman in the world. Edward''s heart was aching. Although he wasn''t close to his parents, they cared about him at least. He thought, ''Leo, you really think Daisy isn''t your daughter? Are you so ashamed of her? Fine, if I can prove that she is your biological daughter, you''d better not regret what you did, because by then, I won''t let her go back to that filthy family again and ept you as her father. You abandoned her. Remember that. So now, just get out of her life!'' They were all not in the mood to have a nice meal. Everyone was quiet and thinking about something. It felt dull and depressing. Even Rain who was usually funny didn''t know what to say. He didn''t know much about Daisy''s past, so he decided to remain silent and listen. The sultry weather and the zing sun in early fall were insufferable for Edward. Stepping out of the restaurant, he frowned and escaped from the heat into his car as soon as he could. Justin was with his grandparents in the restaurant. Edward needn''t worry about him. Rainughed at Edward behind him while shaking his head, and then he got in the car and left with him. Chapter 291 Are You Miss Jessica (Part One) A plot was concocted secretly. In the booth of a coffee house, Jessica sneered. ''As long as I have money, nothing is impossible. Huh! That Daisy, or Colonel, I will wait and watch how long you can enjoy this glorious title. Let''s see how long Edward will stay captivated by you without this honorablebel. Soon you''ll see Edward return to me, '' Jessica thought. "Are you Miss Jessica? Did you ask for me? You are a rare beauty indeed." Hank''s eyes brightened at the sight of Jessica. Her charming demeanor was as beautiful as blooms, Hank thought. It was a pity that shecked Daisy''s aloof style. Otherwise, he would have attempted to win her over. "So you must be Hank, the man who got in touch with my detective." When Jessica saw Hank, she frowned. There was a trace of despise in her eyes. She detested men with such dreadful looking. Even the uniform he was wearing failed to conceal his foulness. He didn''t deserve the dignified uniform, Jessica thought. "Yes, it''s me. I am surprised to know that Daisy has offended such a beauty, " Hank said while ring avariciously at her plump breasts. His eyes were glowing with excitement. He imagined being in bed with her. He wondered if it would be as mindblowing as he thought. "Sit down, please. We need toe up with a perfect n." If Jessica wasn''t desperate for his help, she would have left immediately. The guy was obscene. She felt annoyed by his lewd gaze. But this kind of behavior was expected from him. A nice person, wouldn''t participate in her n, Jessica thought. "Why did youe to me for help?" Hank said while brazenly gazing at her breasts which were rred to him that the man who picked up Daisy would be the handsome and charming Mr. Edward. Therefore he felt doubtful of Jessica''s words. "You don''t need to doubt it. It''s the truth. Otherwise, I wouldn''t make trouble for her? This is the letter of usation written by me. You just need to hand it over to the concerned department at the military base. And I will handle the rest. Don''t worry." ''Daisy, do you really think that I will believe that you and Edward are married? Let me tell you, I''m not that stupid. Just wait for your punishment. I hope you will like my surprise. Haha!'' Jessica thought. "Are you sure this will work?" Hank picked up the letter Jessica handed to him and sneered suspiciously. It wasn''t that he didn''t believe Jessica, the main concern was that the Commander and Major General were Daisy''s supporters. If the n failed, he would be used of framing Daisy. He was concerned about the consequences of the usation. If it became serious, he would be discharged from the army. He didn''t want to make any rash decisions at the risk of losing his career. Chapter 292 Are You Miss Jessica (Part Two) "What do you think, Hank? Are you in? I am only asking you to find a way to deliver it. I am not saying that you should hand the letter to your leader by yourself. You only need to mention Daisy''s hical conduct to your leaders at the right time. You won''t get into trouble. Besides, what we are saying about Daisy are true facts. Then what are you afraid of?" Jessica said firmly. No matter what happened, she was determined to win this time. Otherwise, she would not know what to do with her unborn child. She couldn''t imagine being an unmarried mother. It was ridiculous! She would not keep the baby if it weren''t for Edward. Her excellent figure was ruined because of the pregnancy. But it was worth it if she could win back Edward. "Don''t be ridiculous. Who says I''m afraid? But why should I do this? It will take a lot of efforts and I will get nothing in return." Hank had coveted Jessica''s beauty. But since he knew that she was Edward''s woman, he gave up the idea of getting her. He didn''t dare to ruffle Edward''s feathers. "What if you also get something in return? You just need to send the letter for me. You won''t be involved in the matter, " Jessica said while cing a cheque for 5 million dors in front of Hank. She was sure that he would take it. Money makes the mare go, and Hank was a hypocrite. "Are you trying to bribe me?" When Hank saw the number on the cheque, he couldn''t deny to himself that he wanted it. But this concerned his career, so he needed to be pretentious. "Oh! Hank, don''t say that. It''s just a small token for b to win against such convincing evidence. "I''m leaving now. Hank, wish you have a good career! Goodbye." Jessica heaved a sigh of relief. Now she only needed to wait for the good news toe. But before the n seeded, she decided to keep a low profile. She also felt the need to keep a safe distance from Edward in order to avoid the possibility of raising any suspicions. If Edward came to know about this, it wouldn''t end well for Jessica. "Thanks! Miss Jessica. You must leave first. I will goter." Hank decided not to leave with Jessica. They needed to y safe to avoid any evidence for usation. Jessica gave a thoughtful smile. It surprised her that although this lecher seemed offensive, he was very careful. When he suggested that he would leaveter, she immediately realized what he meant. She walked gracefully out of the booth, her slender waist twisting with her pace. Just as she left the ce, a plot was brewed, and the target was the aloof beauty who was sitting busy with her work at the military base. Chapter 293 To Lose Herself In Edwards Love (Part One) "Colonel, themander wants to see you." Mark suddenly burst in and reported to Daisy; he had always been this thoughtless. Luckily, Daisy was used to it, so she wasn''t surprised. "Okay, did he say why he wants to see me?" Daisy asked, fixing her eyes on the report in her hands. She hadn''t finished the report, and so she made no moves. "He didn''t. I bet it''s something good." Themander wore a big ear-to-ear grin when Mark saw him; hence Mark figured that he must have some good news for Daisy, probably something to do with the military exercises! Every one in the army base was talking about how marvelous Daisy had been this time. It didn''t matter if they meant what they said or were just trying to be polite, Mark still felt thrilled when they praised his colonel. "Okay. I''m going there now." Daisy put the report aside and tidied herself up before leaving for themander''s office. To be honest, the military exercises was a big sess, but she didn''t think there was anything worth bragging about -- she only did what she was supposed to. She still remembered Hank''s words earlier in the morning. She had decided to pay no attention to his teasing; but somehow she still felt ufortable when she thought of their conversation. It was roasting in the afternoon. Daisy frowned and looked up at the burning sun in the sky as she stepped out of her office. The bright light stung her eyes; she closed her eyes for a while and walked towards themander''s office. Standing in front of ly beautiful when she was focused on something. "Major General Gu is indeed a brave and tactical young man. But your coolness under fire yed an important role. I''ve received lots of calls expressing their admiration for you! I''m sure you will be promoted in no time. Speaking of which, you should be more discreet. You''re already the talk of the base because of the military exercises. Don''t let anyone have something to use against you." Themander didn''t just say it without reason. He heard some rumors about Daisy. He had no idea whether there was any truth in those rumors or not, but he did remember that Daisy no longer lived in the dormitory the army base prepared for her. Anyway, he thought he''d better alert Daisy before things got worse. "Discreet? What do you mean by that?" Confused, Daisy asked with a frown. She didn''t know why themander suddenly brought this up. He had never cautioned her about this kind of things before, so why now? Did she misbehave and not realize it? Chapter 294 To Lose Herself In Edwards Love (Part Two) "Nothing. I''m just saying. Now tell me -- how''s the reporting? Make it a brilliant one! I really want to see you get promoted before I retire." Themander didn''t continue because he wasn''t sure what was truth and what were simply rumors. Daisy still had an important report to finish, and he didn''t want to distract her. He decided to drop it for now. He''d already cautioned Daisy about potential problems, so his job was done. ''Be discreet'' was a good advice for anyone. "I''ll do my best. I don''t really care about the promotion. I do what I have to do and leave no regrets." Daisy realized that themander must have heard something about her, otherwise he wouldn''t just say something like this out of blue. Since he didn''t want to continue, she didn''t push him. She would never force anyone to do things they didn''t want to do. "Don''t say that! Be more ambitious and look at the bigger picture! Is this about what Hank said earlier?" Themander couldn''t help sighing heavily. Hank had never thought Daisy was a good officer. Whenever he challenged her, he ended up humiliated. He got desperate enough to make things up in front of themander, trying to ruin Daisy''s reputation. But themander knew Daisy; he trusted that she was a decent person. However, Hank didn''t think so. He simply believed that themander favored Daisy and ignored her faults. "No. I just ignore his words. I think I''ve arrived at a satisfactory height. I''ve worked really hard to get where I am. I''ll have to push even harder "Commander, next time you want to do something under the table, do remember to leave Colonel Daisy behind; otherwise Mark will make sure the entire army base knows about it within 5 minutes." Kevin retorted sourly while shaking his head violently. He didn''t have a dog nose, alright? He knew they were here simply because Mark told him. Kevin suddenly felt lucky that Mark wasn''t living in wartime, otherwise he would definitely betray his country -- not out of maliciousness but because of his big mouth. Daisy burst into snickers when she heard Kevin. Mark was a careless young man; he loved to poke around and shared the gossip with Daisy. Daisy knew Mark didn''t mean anything bad by it, and he knew exactly what he should say and who he should say it to; therefore she didn''t give it much attention. Anyway, all he could pry from others was nothing but fluff. Others were not stupid; they would joyfully gossip with each other, but they also knew to keep their mouths shut when it came to something critical. Chapter 295 Wake Up, Babe (Part One) "Is that so? It seems I have to rece Daisy''s aide with another one before he gets Daisy in trouble. I thought he is quiet and steady; that''s why I assigned him to Daisy. It turns out he''s a gossipy guy. My mistake." Themander smiled, shaking his head. Daisy was so quiet and distant a girl; he gave Mark to her because he thought he was a reserved man. But to his surprise, Mark turned out to be quite lively. "Just rece him! It scares me to see him poking around like that. What if I say something inappropriate by ident and he uses it to cause problems?" Kevin invited himself in and seated in front of the tea table. Daisy poured a small cup of tea for him; he reached for it and took a small sip. ''That''s really good!'' Kevin thought while enjoying the refreshing taste. "Don''t bother. Mark''s fine. I''m used to him anyway, after all these years. Now, never mind him. Just drink your tea. It tastes so good." Daisy cut in with a small smile. She didn''t mind dropping the mask and smiling in front of them, maybe it''s because she had already treated them as her family. That was why she always felt rxed around them. The two men stopped talking about recing Mark; after all, they were only joking. None of them really wanted to see him go. He was a smart soldier, and they knew Mark was loyal to Daisy, which made him outshine most of the other candidates. Besides, they got along with him. Time seemed to pass slowly. Daisy returned to her office and resumed her work after having tea with themander and Kevin. She was too focused on her work. She looked up and realized it waster than she thought. She checked her watch and frowned, ''What''s Edward doing? Why didn''t he call me? He''s usually c s heart always skipped a beat whenever Edward smiled like that. She felt like a teenage girl who was excited yet frightened to meet her lover. "Yes, I''m here to pick you up. Don''t you want to see me?" Edward gently pinched her blushing face, his fingers lovingly caressing her rosy cheek. "Yes! But how long have you been waiting? I told you I''d be workingte tonight. Why didn''t you call and tell me you are here?" Daisy noticed that Edward also looked tired. He must have waited for quite a long time. "It''s fine. I like to wait for you." Daisy had waited for him for so many years. It was his turn to do the same for her. After all, he owed her that much. No matter how long it took, he would wait for her. It was how he loved her. "It''ste. Did you have dinner or not?" Daisy was worried that Edward would skip dinner for her. She didn''t like it; she wanted him to take good care of himself, for her sake. "Haha. Never mind. I''ll drive you home!" Edward replied as he lowered his head to give her a swift kiss. He left her lips after a few seconds, however, it was long enough for someone hiding in the bushes to snap a picture. Chapter 296 Wake Up, Babe (Part Two) "You didn''t have dinner, did you? But where''s Luke? I don''t see him here." Daisy was a little embarrassed because of Edward''s sudden kiss; she tried to distract him by randomly saying something else. Meanwhile, she was indeed wondering where Luke was. Luke would never leave Edward alone out there at this hour. What happened? "Nothing. I told him to leave first. It''s the army base, right? What could possibly happen to me?" However, the truth was Edward had Luke investigate what Leo had said before. He didn''t want to disturb Daisy, so he decided to keep it a secret from her until he found out the truth. It would only take a simple DNA test to find out whether Daisy was Leo''s daughter or not. But somehow Leo was convinced that Daisy was not his child, which was the strangest part of the whole thing. It couldn''t be as simple as it looked. Edward had to look into it and find something to convince Leo. As Daisy''s husband, he felt it was his duty to do so. "Okay. Let''s go home. But you need to eat something first." Daisy said while reaching out her index finger to rub Edward''s frown. She didn''t like it to see him unhappy; it made her heart ache. Right at this moment, Daisy caught a glimpse of what seemed like a sh light. She instantly turned around and looked in the direction the light came from. But she couldn''t see a thing. ''What happened? Did I see it wrong?'' Daisy was bewildered. She stared into the dark warily for a while and finally shook her head. This was the army base; why would someone hide here and secretly take pictures? "What''s wrong?" Following her gaze, Edwar s something that Edward didn''t have to know. Daisy knew he would definitely make fun of her once he found out. "Just average? Look at me again! This face would totally cause a traffic jam as long as I show up somewhere packed with women!" Instead of getting mad, Edward raised his chin up and nced Daisy with his eyebrows raised, his eyes full of love. "Edward, don''t you feel my cheeks burning?" Daisy put on a serious look while fanning her face with her palm, seeming ufortable. "Why? What happened? Do you have a fever? Let me have a look." Scared, Edward immediately reached out his hand and tried to feel her forehead. But Daisy grabbed his hand and stopped him. "Haha! No. I''m feeling ashamed for you!" Daisy then burst into giggles. It felt awesome to sometimes get to Edward. She just made fun of him on purpose. If she didn''t stop Edward in time, he would probably describe himself as the prince charming of fairy tale fame. Daisy felt she had to stop him before he became too full of himself, which seemed to be very easy for him to do. Chapter 297 A Qualified Narcissist "Woman, are you doubting me? If need be, I can prove it to you." Edward winked naughtily at Daisy, which gave her goosebumps. ''Could he be more mischievous?'' she thought. "I just think your narcissism has reached a new level. Turn left at the next intersection. I''m taking you somewhere you have never been before." Daisy hadn''t been there for a long time herself. She wasn''t sure whether the food there was as tasty as it had been before she went abroad. She used toe here often with Belinda, because they both loved the sweet cordial ambiance. People kept going there for its delicious food and friendly atmosphere. Many years had passed since then. Daisy was wondering whether the simple old street was still there. "I''m a qualified narcissist. Don''t you think I''m good-looking?" Edward jested as he rounded the corner. They pulled into anotherne and started to zoom to the ce Daisy referred to. "Hah!, I was just being polite. I should have said you are shameless." Daisy was enjoying the moment. Teasing the man she loved was the greatest pleasure for her. It was all loving, and all for fun. "Thank you for thepliment, honey. Do you really want to go there?" Edward asked with knitted brows. At first he had no idea what ce it was, but as rows of old houses appeared before their eyes, he guessed they were close enough. ''Is the food there edible?'' he couldn''t help wondering. Edward had heard of the street before, but he had never been there, it''s not that he hated poor ce but because he had a sensitive stomach, which demanded a high standard of sanitation. To prevent himself from suffering diarrhea, Edward never ate at restaurants of bad hygiene, let alone snack bars on the street. Today, for Daisy, he was willing to give this one a try. "Yes. Don''t look down on these snack bars. Their food is yummy. Better than that in five-star hotels." Daisy said excitedly and sank into nostalgia, longing for the old tastes from when she was younger, unaware of the hesitant expression on Edward''s face. Edward didn''t say anything but looked at her and smiled indulgently. Nothing mattered as long as she was happy. However, when he parked the car and stood in the old street, his mouth couldn''t help but twist. His designer clothes and Daisy''s uniform didn''t fit the air at all. "Honey, shall we go to another ce?" Edward soon sensed the stares from the people around them. He was on the verge of fleeing. Looking at the utensils which obviously hadn''t been sterilized, he felt his stomach turn somersaults already. "Why? We''re already here. Ar d to her portions would be stomach threatening, if not life threatening. So wonton, which was cheap and yummy, had once been Daisy''s staple food. Seeing Daisy was upset by her memories, Edward attempted tofort her, when, "Herees your wonton, " an old man said in a sonorous voice. He looked in his sixties, holding a bowl of steaming wonton in both hands. He walked rapidly, confidently. He was umonly vigorous, which didn''t meet his age. "Uncle Liam, it''s been years since west met and you are still going strong, " Daisy said to the old man and cheered up immediately. This snack bar used to be her favorite ce. She used to spend the whole afternoon reading a novel here to escape from the depressing atmosphere at home. "Who are you?" Uncle Liam looked at Daisy, who was in uniform, and was confused. Since he didn''t know any military officer, Uncle Liam sized Daisy up, thought hard, but still couldn''t remember who she was. And the girl''s powerful bearing didn''t fit anybody in his memory. He was clueless. "I''m Daisy! Do you remember me?" Daisy had been a frequent customer and had established a close rtionship with the people working in the ce. She thought Uncle Liam didn''t recognize her because of her uniform. She used to be weak, which was in sharp contrast to her current solemn and aloof image. "What? You are Daisy? It''s been so many years I thought you had forgotten us. Why didn''t youe and visit us? I don''t even recognize you. You''ve changed a lot." Uncle Liam would never have imagined that delicate little girl he knew would be a high-ranking officer in the military. So anything was possible as long as you worked hard enough. This girl was a perfect example. Chapter 298 Honey You Have Something On Your Mind (Part One) "Uncle Liam, You old tterer. How''s business? Is Mrs. Liam okay?" Daisy asked emotionally. Compared to her family, the old street was the one ce where she could feel warmth and care. Probably because she had spent so much time here before, so she felt very close to the people here, especially to this wonton restaurant. "We''re fine. She is at home now. Otherwise she would be very excited to see you. Wait, I''ll get another bowl of wontons for you." Uncle Liam said and swiftly moved to the kitchen. You could see how excited he was now. He had liked her and cared about her like she was his own daughter. But she suddenly disappeared for so many years. They often missed her during this time. But now they were together again. What a joyful moment! How could he not be so delighted? "You know each other?" Edward asked doubtfully. He had never seen her so lively and excited, just like a little girl. Her cold demeanor and stern image was nowhere to be found. "Yes! I often came here and spent the whole afternoon in here. Just have a taste. It''s so delicious!" Sitting here made her feel like she was a young girl again. But at that time, there was nobody beside her, she was sitting here alone, upied with the endless thought and hope of Edward being here. Now her dream came true, he was right here sitting beside her. It was such a wonderful moment. Thinking of this, Daisy inadvertently held his big and warm hand, stroking his fingers. Their love at this moment made her feel the eternity of time. Edward suddenly felt a pang in his heart. He didn''t know why. The closer he was to Daisy, the more he felt the sadness in her heart. This made him sad, too. But he still listened to Daisy and picked up a wonton. As soon as the wonton slipped into his mouth and reached his tongue, he was shocked by the fresh taste of it. If he stopped worrying about the germs, he thought the wonton was really a delicacy which was even more delicious than the food in five-star hotels. "What do you think? Really good, right?" Daisy stared at him with a wonderful smile, as if waiting for apliment for her good rmendation. Her expression would make anyone hate to disappoint her. "Oh! Yummy! It''s e ful. "Are you angry?" Edward pinched her sullen face. He told her not to make light of his charm. But she didn''t believe it. She must have realized her mistake now. Although he didn''t like to be watched by a group of people as if he was a monkey, he was happy to see Daisy feel jealous. This was funny and it was rare to see such a scene. So he was so obsessed in enjoying Daisy''s reaction that he was ignorant of all the other women who surrounded him and asked him whether he was a star or other questions, and he was absent minded when they scrambled for a chance to take photos of him. "No, I''m not. Why should I be angry. Let''s go! It''ste." Thinking of the sensation Edward had caused, Daisy didn''t have the mood to take a stroll. She couldn''t imagine what it could be like if they attracted all the women on the street to follow with them. She just experienced how scary it was when so many women went crazy about a man. "Honey, that woman suddenly threw herself into my arms, I didn''t have any intention of hugging her. Don''t be angry with me for this. You''re not beautiful with an angry face. " Only till then did Edward realize how swiftly women changed their moods. But he knew he was the one to me. ''Why was I so careless to touch that woman? If I didn''t reach out my hand to push her away, it would have been worse than only touching her breasts. Maybe that woman would have kissed me. Anyway, I didn''t lose anything. It''s her loss, '' Edward thought. Chapter 299 Honey You Have Something On Your Mind (Part Two) "Huh! She looks like a beautiful butterfly. Why should I be angry?" Despite of what she just said, thinking of how those women lost control at the sight of Edward, Daisy still fell into a rage. She wondered why women these days had be so fearless and shameless. She was sitting beside Edward, but they went up to him and hit on him anyway. It seemed that she waspletely invisible to them, Daisy thought. "Huh! You said you''re not angry. Look at your pout. Let''s go. Didn''t you say that you wanted to sample all the delicious food on this street?" Edward gently pinched her beautiful nose with affection. It was the first time that they had hung out, and he didn''t want this small ident to spoil her good mood. "I don''t feel like eating. Let''s go home. It''s really veryte." Daisy said while lifting her hand and looking at her watch. A sudden feeling of disappointment came to her. It seemed that they couldn''t finish her n for today. She wondered when they would have the chance toe here again. They came here on the spur of the moment, and they had already spent too much time here. She still had a report to write, she wasn''t in the mood to continue wandering about tonight. It was not because she really minded what had happened just now. It was true that she was unhappy about it. But she was not going to take off the gloves and argue with him. She was not a narrow-minded person. She just needed to grumble about it a little, she knew there was no need to be petty. "Really? You promise you won''t regret it?" asked Edward. When he heard Daisy''s words, he sighed with relief in his heart. But when he saw her downcast look, he felt the urge to persuade her to continue hanging out with him. He didn''t want to see her disappointed. "No. Let''s go. I can cook something for you at home, " Daisy said while holding his wrist and walking towards the car. She found that a didn''t care about this, he would choose not to pry. "Okay, I will finish it as soon as possible, " Daisy couldn''t wait to reply. Her eyes shone with a cunning smile, as if she had been waiting for him to say this. ''Oh, my god! What should I do? I am overwhelmed by this ardent love when hevishes such affection on me. I find that I am more and more unlike myself now. I''ve be more emotional and gentle. This is certainly not good for a soldier, '' Daisy thought. Edward stood still for a minute, basking in the warm feeling of a happy Daisy. Then he showed an understanding smile and walked to his desk to deal with some urgent files. He felt delighted that Daisy enjoyed this reliance on him. It was his pride and responsibility to back her up. Working together in thete night was such a sweet and harmonious scene. The couple sat opposite each other. They would asionally raise their heads and shoot a warm smile at each other. Then they would attend to their files again. They did their own work without disturbing each other, but they could feel that their hearts were beating at the same rate, making them even more fond of each other. When they remembered this many yearster, they still felt they were the happiest couple in the world. Chapter 300 To Hell With Your So Called Sister (Part One) On this lovely night, Kevin stood on the balcony, alone, with a lit cigarette between his fingers. He smoked asionally. The breeze broke the smoke rings blown by him. The beautiful moment from the afternoon shed back into his mind. His heart started racing at the very thought of it. He was then leaning against the door, watching Daisy make tea. Absorbed in her elegance and the serenity in the air, he stood there for a while before he finally greeted her. He kept telling himself that Daisy was an unattainable dream for him, but his heart raced uncontrobly every time he saw her. Kevin smiled bitterly and said to himself, ''Kevin, don''t forget that you are married. Are you forgetting that you have a wife named Leena? Why do you desire a woman who will never be yours, and who doesn''t even pay any attention to you?'' Kevin carefully stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. He looked into the sky, and then walked back into the room, trying to repress his racing heart. Would the pain and bitterness fade away if he stopped thinking of her? Would he have to start a new rtionship to forget the past? Would he have to fall in love with another woman before he could stop admiring her secretly? In that case, he would strive to fall in love with his wife Leena. He would open his heart to her and let her in. When he got home from work, he looked everywhere but he didn''t find Leena''s note. Out of boredom, he picked up a small round item on her dressing table and started to y with it. However, he identally dropped it on the floor. It rolled under the dressing table and couldn''t be seen anymore. Kevin was in a daze for a few seconds. Then he gave a wry smile and bent down to look for it. Since he had no idea what it meant to Leena, he felt he had to put it back. He spotted a piece of paper under the dressing table. He picked it prepared herself well for thisst round ofpetition, including reviewing notes about the rating scales and designing philosophy. Hence, she didn''t have time to respond to QQ messages. Leena was usually indulged in fun and frolick in her daily life, but she also had a serious attitude towards work and business, which proved that she was responsible. That''s why Kevin didn''t get any response from her. Right now, her devotion towards the contest was quite appealing. People said that men focusing on work were most charming. A woman who bent her mind to work was as charming as such men. The night was reced by dawn. The sky in S City was clear and bright. The dawn marked new beginnings. Brian Ouyang stood in front of Mary with a smile, eyes full of contempt. "Mary, what''s the matter with Sis Daisy? Why did she say she doesn''t know me? What did you do to her?" Mary had bullied Daisy for all kinds of reasons. Brian hated her for that. He never addressed Mary as a sister, although they shared the same mother. In Brian''s heart, only Daisy, his half-sister, who shared the same father but a different mother with him, deserved to be his sister, while Mary was just a stranger who temporarily lived in the Ouyang''s residence. Chapter 301 To Hell With Your So Called Sister (Part Two) "Brian, don''t be ridiculous. Only you take her for a sister. Since she married Edward, the CEO of FX International Group, she stopped regarding us as her family. Why do you expect that she will admit she knows you? She doesn''t want to know any of us, her poor rtives now." Mary resented both Brian and Daisy for the difference in the ways Brian treated Daisy and her. They were both his sisters, but Brian always favored Daisy and treated Mary as a stranger. Why was Daisy so perfect for him? "Really? You''d better wish I wouldn''t find out that this matter involves you. Otherwise, you can imagine the consequences. I''m not threatening you. Things are different now. I''m not a little boy anymore. I can handle you." Brian still looked a little childish, but his words sounded ruthless. He stared at Mary gravely, half smiling, half serious. "Why? Why everyone likes that bitch so much? What about me? Brian, I''m also your sister. Why are you biased against me?" Mary couldn''t take the unfair treatment anymore. She screamed hysterically. Two men had threatened her because of Daisy in these two days. She was filled with hate and envy, and she finally lost control over her emotions. "Sister? Mary, don''t taint this sacred word. It is a waste to use it on you. To get others'' respect, you got to be honest first, then we will see whether you deserve it or not, " Brian said to Mary. Earlier, he hadn''t been strong enough to fight against Mary, but now he was, and so he would. He had put up with her for many years. He had watched how she bullied Daisy since he was a little boy. Back then, he wasn''t strong enough to protect Daisy, all he could do was to reduce Daisy''s sufferings. Now that he had grown up, he wanted to see how aggressive and arrogant Mary could get and me. It''s none of your business. You better remember my warning. If you dare y your dirty tricks, I will be merciless." Brian sneered. The bright smile on his face had been reced by frigidness and cruelty. He turned around and left without one more nce at Mary. His slender figure could give people chills even in the morning sunshine, which proved how much he despised Mary. ''Humph! To hell with your so-called sister! If we weren''t rted, you wouldn''t have lived here either! I would have kicked you out too! Don''t preach your ridiculous rtive theory to me. If you don''t like me, so be it. I''m not obligated to kiss your ass, '' Mary stood there and swore. Full of malice, her pretty face had turned hideous. ''Daisy! Daisy! Why does everyone think of that damn Daisy only? Does anyone ever think of me? I''d love to see how you would protect her if she didn''t exist anymore!'' Hate made a heart ugly and a person reckless. A person blinded by resentment would do everything to achieve his or her purpose, even at the cost of human kindness. Consequently, such people embarked on a road of no return. When they wanted to head back, their chances would be gone. Chapter 302 Dont Be Absurd (Part One) At FX International Group "Mr. Mu, I''ve finished the investigation...with your father''s help. Here''s the report." Luke hesitated for a moment. Since Edward said he didn''t want his father to intervene, Luke didn''t ask Jonathan for help. However, Jonathan found out and offered the information to him. Luke wasn''t sure whether Edward would ept that or not. "Did you go to him for help?" Edward absently asked Luke while scanning through the report. Luke couldn''t see any emotions on Edward''s face and this made him nervous. "No. He noticed what I''ve been working on and..." Luke knew Edward. He wouldn''t ask for his father''s help, no matter what. That was why he cared where the information came from. "Nevermind if he insisted to help. He saved us a lot of time" Edward sneered and replied casually. While reading the report, he frowned at the findings. He had been wondering for a long time why Leo thought that Daisy wasn''t his daughter. It turned out that there was a huge conspiracy against Daisy! Despite the rage he felt at this moment, Edward had to admit that he was impressed by how thoroughly the culprit had nned to harm Daisy. Luke sighed in relief as he heard Edward''s words. As long as Edward didn''t me him for epting Jonathan''s help, it would be fine. To be honest, Luke had no idea why Edward and Jonathan behaved like arch enemies instead of father and son. It seemed like they were ready for a duel every time they met. "This report seems old. Did he acquire it a long time ago?" With his eyes still fixed on the report, Edward asked Luke again. He finally felt at ease when he noticed something in the document. Although he had guessed the answer, he needed a proof in ck and white. Luckily he found the truth, otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to face Daisy. "Yes. father said he had ome people who happen to be CEOs, but not in the way you think. Don''t apply your filthy thoughts on me." Daisy immediately retorted with her eyes wide open. She didn''t care if they were disciplinary inspectors or not. She wouldn''t stand there and let them insult her because of something she didn''t do. "Colonel Ouyang, we apologize for being rude. But I''m sure you know that we won''t have summoned you here today without any solid evidence?" They thought Daisy was an easy target because she was a woman. However, awed by Daisy''s aura, the inspectors became more polite. "In that case, I''ll cooperate with your investigation. I won''t ask who reported me since I already know that you won''t tell me. But I want to be clear, I didn''t do anything to disgrace my uniform." Daisy''s lips were slightly trembling out of rage. She had served the army for years, and it was the first time she was reported to have improper behavior. She wondered who reported her. "Don''t worry. We''ll look into it. We''ll clear your name if this turns out to be a false usation. But if it''s true, I believe you know what the consequences will be." Compared to their initial aggressive approach, the inspectors became more polite now. Chapter 303 Dont Be Absurd (Part Two) "I know. Please continue with the proceedings." Daisy didn''t like to use her higher ranks to get privilege. She chose to cooperate with the investigation. She was also curious to find out what her ''improper behavior'' was. "Colonel Ouyang, do you know Edward Mu, the CEO of the FX International Group?" The inspectors cut to the chase and directly asked Daisy since she seemed willing to cooperate. "Edward? Yes, I know him." Daisy bit her lip and answered honestly. Of course she knew her own husband! What kind of question was that? "His wife has reported that you are having an affair with him. What do you have to say for yourself?" With his eyes fixed on Daisy, the inspector continued. He noticed that she bit her lip. Maybe she was nervous; maybe she really did something disgraceful. "What did you say? His wife? Are you sure about that? It''s impossible!" Daisy was confused. Why on earth would she report herself? She wasn''t that bored. She had been really busy with her work. "That''s right. We have proof." The inspector considered that Daisy probably didn''t know that Edward was a married man. He suddenly felt sorry for her. "May I ask who his wife is? Who''s impersonating me?" Daisy wasn''t stupid. She had pieced things up and knew exactly what had happened. Jessica''s face suddenly shed through her mind. ''It''s you Jessica, isn''t it? Why are you still stuck on this?'' Daisy was furious. Jessica still didn''t believe that she and Edward were married. She was pushing her luck again and again. Daisy decided she wouldn''t let her off this time. "Sorry, we can''t tell you that. Just tell us if it''s true. We need to hear your side of the story so that we can investigate further." The inspector didn''t notice thest line uttered by Daisy. "What litary exercises hadn''t even begun, Daisy was questioned. It was obvious that someone didn''t want her to get the promotion! "Yes. I''m fine. I''ll leave early today. Will you tell themander for me?" Daisy felt distressed. It wouldn''t take long for everyone in the army base to know that she was questioned because of ''improper behavior''; they wouldn''t care whether it was true, they just needed something to gossip about. She couldn''t stay here. Hence she decided to take a day off and prepare herself for that. "I will. But are you okay by yourself?" Mark was worried because Daisy looked as pale as a ghost. He med himself for not taking better care of her. He wondered why the disciplinary inspectors were after Daisy. Judging from Daisy''s look, he knew it was something really bad. "I''m okay. Just call me if there''s an emergency." Daisy replied dispassionately and walked past Mark towards the parking lot before he saw her red eyes. Her little figure seemed fragile and lonely. Mark couldn''t help but get worried. However, he didn''t dare to follow her since Daisy forbade him to do so. To stick to the order was one of the most important rules for an aide like him. Chapter 304 But Honey, You Are Crying (Part One) Daisy rushed out of the front door of the army base driving a Humvee. Her serene face had no sign of cidity. She looked straight ahead, her eyes bright and spirited. Her hands kept turning the steering wheel, revealing her expert driving skill. She might have cried over what had happened. But as a soldier, she couldn''t show her weakness in front of people, so she tried her best to remain in control. Now that she was alone, her tears started rolling down like pearls. Daisy rarely cried. She didn''t shed a single tear when she was thrown out of Ouyang''s house. She gritted her teeth when her life was on the line. Life was tough for a young mother raising a son by herself, but she kept doing that for all these years, without showing the faintest sign of weakness. From the moment she became a soldier she had sworn to herself that she would never disgrace the sacred uniform. Getting used of epting a bribe and being a homewrecker broke her today. She felt that she had been thrown out again from the army base that she had treated as her home. Every time she started a life with great enthusiasm, it ended miserably. Why was it so difficult? Feeling totally confused, she brushed her tears coarsely. Jessica''s prosecution letter would bring her many troubles, and there was no way she could fix this. No matter what the result would be, this investigation would be recorded in her archive. It would be a permanent stain on her military career. Every time she got moved or promoted, the file would be checked. Why on earth did Jessica hate her so much? She closed her eyes momentarily and then opened them again. She turned the wheel swiftly and decisively, and the Humvee started moving towards the suburb, instead of the wide road leading to the city. The driving speed was slower now. Leaves were fluttering down in the soft autumn breeze. Th htful as he said this and a yful smile curved his lips as if to say how remarkable his n would be. "OK, I got it. Mr. Edward." Anna gave a knowing smile and left his office silently. It seemed Mr. Edward was being mysterious again. That would be worth looking forward to. Edward rubbed his aching forehead to ease the tiredness. He got up from his chair, paced to the window and looked at the clouds in the sky. One hand half-stuck in the pocket of his trousers, his lean body silhouetted against the light from the window. He looked extremely confident and his usual faint smile enhanced his charm. Tomorrow night he would announce to the world that Daisy was his wife, the mother of his only son. He would im his love for her and clear all hispetitors out of the way. This would also be a good tip-off for the task he had assigned to Rain. After the deration, people would think twice before rejecting her promotion. A pair of lovely and tender hands wrapped around his waist silently from the back. Edward frowned at this unexpected hug and tried to break free, wondering who was bold enough to sneak up on him. But he stopped quickly as he recognized the extreme familiarity of Daisy''s head pressed against his back. Chapter 305 But Honey, You Are Crying (Part Two) "Honey, What''s wrong?" Edward reached out and held her hands. He wanted to turn around to check up on her. Why was she in his office at this time? He remembered she had a report to write. Perhaps she had finished it already. "Don''t move. I want to stay like this for a moment." Daisy sensed his movement and tightened her arms around his waist, her eyes closed, indulging herself in the faint Jasmine scenting from him. She realized how reassuring it was to know she could rely on someone when she was wronged. It felt like nothing mattered any more and everything would be fine as long as he was by her side. "So, what happened?" Edward asked, his voice was never so soft. He didn''t move as she had asked. He realized this was the first time she revealed her vulnerability in front of him, which was very rare since she always appeared strong-minded and resolute. He wondered what had happened at the army base? Did she get in trouble for a bad report? Or someone took her promotion again? Last time she called Justin and cried on the phone for this. But none of this made sense. The military exercise had just ended. Although he wasn''t familiar with the way the military operated, still he knew it would be too soon to get a result. So what on earth was going on? "Don''t ask. I don''t want to talk about it." How could she tell him she had been used by someone, especially when she had promised she wouldn''t do anything to interfere with the investigation. Besides, she wasn''t sure that Jessica was behind this. If Edward knew about this he would definitely step in, which w a strange fluttering feeling inside, which was incredible and moving. He stood before her and with a gentle kiss he tasted her sadness and filled her with his deep affection. The warm touch of his lips brought her the kind of happiness that she had never experienced before. The moment he took her lips, she surrendered and becamepletely submissive to his sweet kiss. He was so gentle today that she could feel his lips trembling slightly. Was he feeling sad for her? Was he taking pity on her? She couldn''t figure it out. But nothing mattered now because she just wanted to sumb to the temptation and drown herself in his love. Edward couldn''t be more careful right now. He traced her lips and tongue intently, but there was no lust in his kiss. He was trying to chase away her tears to make her happy again. She was always in fighting spirit and never in apromise position. This tearful face seemed strange to him. The strangeness came in such a hurry that he was nked in an instant; uncontrolled panic was spreading through his body. Chapter 306 Are You Jealous Daisy ced her hands around his neck and enjoyed the kiss. She felt lucky that she was loved by such an extraordinary man, that her love for Edward had a happy ending and that her dream came true. She asked for no fame and fortune. All she wanted was to spend the rest of her life with him. "Now, tell me what happened?" asked Edward. He let go of Daisy and fixed his gaze on her. He wanted to know the answer. "Nothing, I was just feeling a little depressed, " replied Daisy. Daisy tried to avoid eye contact with him, in case he saw something in her eyes. "Honey, I don''t buy it! I love you, so I can sense the subtle change in your behavior. You can''t fool me, " said Edward. He frowned and started to fix her rumpled hair. She couldn''t tell what he was thinking. "Honey, I don''t want to talk about it right now. Give me some time, Okay?" said Daisy in a gooey voice. Every time she spoke in this voice, she got what she wanted. In this regard, Edward was like every other man, proud and childish. "Alright! But you look ugly now." said Edward. He gently caressed her cheek, then held her tightly and kissed her repeatedly. She was very dear to him. "Edward, you promised not to make fun of me, "ined Daisy. She left his hug and looked at him sadly. She knew she looked ugly but she didn''t want to hear it from Edward. "Yes, I promised. But that was a moment ago. The promise is invalid now, " teased Edward. He did it on purpose, to make her argue with him. He wanted her to be lively instead of being depressed. He med himself for her sadness. "Humph! I know I''m not as pretty and charming as your ex-girlfriends. That''s why you don''t like me, " said Daisy. Knowing his intentions, she joked with him. She pretended to be offended, ran straight to the sofa and sat down. "Honey, are you jealous?" asked Edward. He casually walked up to her and gazed down at her with a meaningful look on his face. She could make fun of him as long as she was amused. "Fuck off, I''m not jealous at all, " Daisy looked up at him. Suddenly she felt anxious. "Daisy, you''re swearing again, " Edward frowned. An aloof beauty like Daisy could also swear under some circumstances. How peculiar she was. "Phew! Don''t make a fuss. I swear frequently and you know that. Luckily you''re not one of my soldiers. They''ve heard filthier words, " said Daisy casually. She rolled her eyes. What else could she do? You couldn''t be too graceful if you stayed in the army for as long as she di ead of stepping inside the office after knocking as usual, she waited outside the office. Because she knew Mrs. Mu was in the office. "What''s he doing here?" asked Edward. He was a little worried. What if she woke up suddenly and saw Leo? "I have no idea. I asked him to wait in the sitting room because you said you don''t want to be disturbed, " Anna didn''t understand the strange rtionship between Edward and Leo. But she wasn''t curious about it. As Edward''s secretary, she had to be cautious with everything she did and she knew well about the boundaries. Otherwise, she''d be in trouble. "Okay! I will go there and meet him. If Daisy wakes up, tell her I''m in the sitting room and I''ll be back soon, " said Edward. Worrying about Daisy, he was reluctant to leave her alone even for a second. He was afraid she would feel lost if she didn''t see him when she woke up. But he had to figure out what Leo wanted. "Okay, Mr. Mu, I got it, " smiled Anna. Mr. Mu was being considerate towards a woman. This had never happened before. It seemed that Mr. Mu really loved Mrs. Mu. Edward looked at the office door and then walked towards the sitting room. He wanted to know why Leo was here, ''Is he here to talk about Mary? Or he just needs my answer? Anyway, I despise him, even if he is Daisy''s father. If he wasn''t overwhelmed by hatred, Daisy would have been in a different situation now. But in that case, would I have been able to marry Daisy?'' The thought of not being married to Daisy terrified Edward. Now he felt confused. Should he hate Leo or thank him? If it hadn''t been for Leo''s hatred for Daisy, Edward would never have the chance to marry her. Chapter 307 Take Me Home "Mr. Ouyang, what can I do for you?" Edward asked casually, hands in his trouser pockets. It was difficult to tell whether the faint smile on his face was contemptuous or a mischievous one. "I want to apologize for what happened in the restaurant the other day. My family was rude and disruptive while you were having dinner with your family. I''m really sorry. Mary said some offensive remarks because she likes you as you know." Leo apologized obsequiously. Mary had been acting like a spoiled child in front of him to get him toe here. Atst he had no choice but toe. "So you came here for Mary?" The smile on Edward''s face grew. A hint of disdain flitted over his handsome face. His opinion of Leo worsened. Daisy was in his office right now. He wished he could leave at once and go to her. She was the only one that mattered to him. "Mr. Edward, what do you think of Mary? She kept asking me toe and since I''m here, I want to ask that for her. But Ie here mainly for the findings of your investigation." Leo said hesitantly. No matter what the results were, they wouldn''t be good news for him. If Daisy was really his daughter, his neglect of her in the past would be like a de that left a permanent scar and endless pain in them. It would make him regret his actions forever. If she wasn''t, he would be haunted by the memory of his wife''s betrayal for the rest of his life. Either way, he would suffer. "Humph, why do you even care? What you''re doing clearly shows where you stand. Mary has been always the only daughter in your heart. Since neither Daisy nor Mary is your biological daughter, why do you treat them so differently? And are you certain that you and Daisy aren''t rted at all? " Edward had be irritated. ''Leo, you''re still trying to bring me and Mary together. Good for you! Do you ever think about Daisy? Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is to her? She is your daughter after all, how could you treat her worse than an outsider?'' he thought. "What are you talking about? If I''m not his daughter, then who''s my father?" Daisy stood at the door of the sitting room, deathly pale and dumbstruck. Her eyes were devoid of emotions, and she looked about to copse at any minute. Now, she understood why her father had been so distant to her. But what hurt her the most wasn''t the fact that she was''t Leo''s daughter, but her mother''s betrayal. Daisy had respected and loved her so much. She couldn''t believe that her mother was a woman who had slept around. Her parents had loved each other so deeply, how was it possible for her mother to have an affair? Daisy''s head was full of questions. It was a heavy blow to her sinking heart. It hurt so much that her body couldn''t support herself anymore and she slowly started copsing. Suddenly, a big hand caught her and pulled her into an embrace, where she felt warm and stayed motionless. "Honey, don''t be foolish. It''s not as it seems. I''ll tell you everythingter. Now, stop think you said you are tired. Have a bath upstairs. Rx. I had it renovated." They got homete the night before, so Cynthia hadn''t seen Daisy''s uniform and hadn''t bothered them for that. But if they went home now, Cynthia would throw all kinds of questions to their faces. Edward knew that this ce was sad and ufortable for Daisy, but it was better than facing his mom''s curiosity. "When did you have it renovated?" Daisy hadn''t spent much time with Cynthia, but she came to know her personality. Most elders were stately and lofty, but Cynthia always spoke bluntly and innocently like a teenage girl. Because Jonathan spoiled her a lot, she wasn''t like an elder at all. Daisy envied her sometimes. "When you were at the war games. I missed you so much that I looked for anything that reminded me of you. Then I came here. Love is miraculous. It makes you do things that you never thought you would do in the past." Edward said with a wry smile, his eyes full of love. "It''s beautiful." His affectionate remarks made Daisy blush. Her heart was racing. Not knowing how to respond, she looked at the maple trees and pretended to appreciate the view. "Yes. It will be more beautiful when the maple leaves turn red." Edward intended to let her rx, so he didn''t mind her reaction. He followed her eyes to look at the maple woods. The maple is a deciduous tree in the subtropical area that blossoms in spring. Because its hand-shaped leaves turn red in fall, especially inte fall, people also call them red maple leaves. In the autumn season, you can asionally find orange and green among the ming leaves. In a strong wind, the leaves fall gracefully like dancing snowkes dyed in different colors. At that moment, no ce in the world was as beautiful as this ce. Soon enough, he would take her here to share that wonderful moment with her. Although thest time he was in that kind of romantic atmosphere had been a long time ago, he still cherished the sweet memory. Chapter 308 What Are You Thinking About (Part One) "Mr. Mu, you''re here! Is this... Mrs. Mu?" The butler walked to Edward as soon as he saw them. But he became a little hesitant when he saw Daisy. Because he had only seen her once on the wedding day, he didn''t recognize her immediately. Besides, Daisy was currently dressed in a military uniform. She looked very different from what she used to look like, it was reasonable that the butler failed to recognize that she was Mrs. Mu. "Yes. We juste over to have a look. You don''t need to serve us." Edward said with a frown. He took Daisy here to let her have a good rest. He didn''t want her to be disturbed. "Okay, Mr. Mu. I sincerely apologize for not recognizing Mrs. Mu immediately. I''m so sorry, Mrs. Mu." The butler apologized profusely, his eyes gazing at Daisy in a trance. Why didn''t he know that Mrs. Mu was a soldier? He was so confused. He couldn''t believe that the soldier standing in front of him was Mrs. Mu. "That''s alright. I haven''t seen you for years. Is everything okay with you?" Daisy asked with a forced smile. But her cold demeanor still made her look very indifferent. Her intimidating nature made it difficult for people to get close to her. "Yes. Everything is okay. Thank you for your concern. I will take my leave. Please don''t hesitate to ask if you need me." The butler wasn''t oblivious. He could tell from the expressions on their faces that they wanted to be alone. He stopped bbering and nodded at them before leaving. "Let''s go. We can go upstairs to see if you still remember something." Edward suggested as he held her waist. He wanted to get her to rest as soon as possible, so that he could ask about what had happened in the military base. Otherwise, he would be on the receiving end of everything if he waspletely ignorant of them. Daisy''s face blushed at his words. She wasn''t sure what he meant by saying that. Was he referring to their wedding night? Or was he just talking about theyout of the mansion? She chose to with this affectionate behavior? "Why are you staring at me? Do you want me to rub your back for you?" Edward intentionally changed the topic. He didn''t want her to express her gratitude, it made them seem estranged. As her husband, he wanted everything he did for her to be taken for granted. He didn''t want her to be so polite when he took care of her. "No. I don''t need it." Daisy said, rushing into the bathroom. Edward narrowed his eyes at her actions. Was she so muddled today? She forgot to bring her clothes to the bathroom. Or she probably didn''t know that he had prepared many clothes for her in the closet. Edward shook his head helplessly. He wondered how she became a colonel with her absentmindedness. He took out his cellphone from his pocket and flipped through his contacts as he walked around in the room. Finally, he found the number he wanted and dialed it. "Oh, hello! Mr. Mu, is there anything I can do for you?" Mark found it strange that Edward was calling him, he had never received a call from him before. "Yes. Did anything happen to your Colonel in the military base today?" Edward asked in a low voice, looking at the bathroom door. "Mr. Mu, is the Colonel with you now?" Mark didn''t dare to say anything without Daisy''s permission, otherwise he would face military punishment. Chapter 309 What Are You Thinking About (Part Two) "Yes. But does it have anything to do with my question?" Edward asked with a deep frown. He was confused by Mark''s response. "Sorry, Mr. Mu. If the Colonel is with you, please ask her yourself. I fear that I''d be severely punished if I say something I shouldn''t say." Mark was a simple and honest man, but that didn''t mean he was stupid. Since Daisy didn''t tell Edward herself, then it was improper if Edward found out from him. "Oh, it seems something really happened. Could you tell me what it was about?" Edward didn''t give up. He was cunning, he tried another way to get what he wanted. "I don''t know the details. But everyone in the military base is talking about it." Ah! Mark was definitely a person who couldn''t go through an interrogation. He revealed everything so soon. He would be severely punished by his colonel for this. It seemed that Mark fell into traps easily. "Oh? What were they talking about?" Edward asked casually. Edward thought that Mark and Daisy were really perfectly matched to work together, as they were both easily befuddled. No wonder they were always being used by others. "They''re saying that the reason why the disciplinary department summoned the Colonel for an investigation was because the luxurious car she drove recently is a bribe." If Mark lived during the war, he would absolutely bebeled a traitor. He was easily manipted by Edward and doomed to suffer from his mistakes. The prospect of a 10-kilometer cross country run was looming over him. "What? Bribe? Bullshit! Why didn''t they say that she stole them? They are all talking rubbish nonsense, idiots!" Edward immediately became furious at the news. Who would tantly seek attention by driving a car gained from bribery? Would anyone be so stupid as t "Mr. Ouyang, if you''re done, I''ll take it back. This document was borrowed, so we need to return it afterwards." It was true. The document with the information was borrowed by Jonathan from The Mayfly. It needed to be returned. "Oh! I''m sorry. I''m finished." Leo came back to his senses and handed the document he''d been grasping to Luke. He stood up from the chair, looking distressed. He needed to go back to confirm all the information he had read. If it was all true, how could he get back Daisy? Looking at Leo''s retreating figure, Luke felt a trace of pity. He had taken another''s daughter as his own and regarded her as the apple of his eye, while abandoning his actual daughter and trampling on her like she was garbage. What a pathetic man. He was suffering the consequences of his own actions. He didn''t deserve anyone''s sympathy. Unlike Leo, Edward acted quickly. As soon as he heard what happened from Mark, he sent a number of instructions through his phone. He didn''t intend to make things public, but to prove Daisy''s innocence, he had to add something special to tomorrow''s anniversary celebration. This was the only way he could do to get quick results. Chapter 310 Daisy Had A Fever (Part One) Daisy stepped into the tub and sighed with relief. The bath water smelled great. She realized Edward must have added essential oil to the water so that she could rx better. She smiled sweetly while thinking how considerate he was. As for the usation, she could have overturned it and cleared her name by showing her marriage certificate to the inspectors. But she was reported, and that would always remain as a stain on her profile. It would have a negative impact on her future career. Daisy cupped a handful of water and sshed over her face. She panicked when the disciplinary inspectors summoned her; it didn''t ur to her that she could prove her rtionship with Edward. She remembered that she asked Edward to keep their marriage certificates several months ago. What could she do to smuggle out the certificate without raising his suspicion? She had thought that she couldn''t feel any worse after the interrogation. However, she reached a new low when she got thrilled to see Leo, but Leo forgot herpletely. He acted as if he never had a daughter called Daisy in his life. Thinking of Leo''s pale face earlier, Daisy wondered what Edward had told him and what Luke had shown him. Did it have anything to do with her? Daisy sighed heavily. Random thoughts brewed in her mind. The more she thought about them, the more tired she got. She felt sleepy soon, partly because of the fatigue and partly because of the hot bath. Daisy had been in the bathroom for a long while; Edward rechecked his watch and wondered why she hadn''te out yet. Did she fall asleep? Edward grew nervous at the thought and immediately walked into the bathroom. Damn it! How could he forget about that? She was exhausted. What if she fell asleep and the water got cold? She might catch a cold! Edward pushed the door anxiously. Luckily, she hadn''t locked the door from inside. arm on the wall, he closed his eyes and sighed with relief. The cold shower quenched his burning thirst. Edward''s lips curled into a big smile, thinking about tomorrow night. He usually brought the actresses of hispany as his date for the anniversary party; it would be the first time when he attended the event with his wife. Edward couldn''t hold back his excitement. Lots of celebrities would attend the anniversary party of the FX International Group, and Edward had nned to introduce Daisy as his wife to all of them proudly. Edward beamed and thought to himself, ''So that''s how it feels to love someone. I want the whole world to know that she belongs to me, yet I also want to hide her in my pocket and carry her around so other men wouldn''t drool over her.'' Edward looked graceful and sexy even in casual and loose outfits. His hair was still wet and was falling on his forehead; he didn''t bother to pull it back. He was very handsome in this way. That was what Tom saw when he arrived at the house. Leaning idly against the doorway, Edward narrowed his eyes and gazed at Tom quietly. Tom shuddered all of a sudden. ''Is he mad at me for beingte? Or is he surprised that Ie so soon?'' Tom had no idea what was on Edward''s mind. Chapter 311 Daisy Had A Fever (Part Two) "Did you crawl all the way here? I''ve waited for you for half-an-hour! Is this how you treat your patients?" Edward was standing by the doorway because he had been going up and down the stairs to wait for Tom and check on Daisy simultaneously. And thest time he checked, Daisy''s forehead was burning. He was terrified, so he ran downstairs and anxiously waited for Tom. "Come on! It''s miles away from my ce! I literally risked my life and rushed all the way here! You should thank me! I wouldn''t ever make a house call for anyone else." Tom rolled his eyes and replied sourly. Who did Edward take him for, a cheap doctor? Edward had practically ordered Tom, the legendary genius of the medical world, toe here because his wife had a fever! "Shut up! Just go upstairs and have a look. Her body temperature seems really high." Normally, Edward wouldn''t spare Tom so easily, but since he only cared for Daisy''s wellbeing right now, he chose not to bicker with Tom. Tom shrugged as he followed Edward. ''Daisy has a fever, not cancer! What''s all the fuss about?'' Tom felt Edward was overreacted. Tom had never seen Edward so anxious and frightened; he had a feeling that Edward had really fallen in love this time. He was a bit surprised that the famous yboy Edward would give up his whole world for a woman. Life was full of surprises indeed. "How did she get the fever? What did she do? Would you put this under her arm or should I?" asked Tom while taking a thermometer out of his medical kit. Tom didn''t think it was a big deal until he ced his palm over Daisy''s forehead. "I''m not sure. She got some terrible news earlier. And she fell asleep in the tub." Ignoring the option Tom hen. "Humph." Tom snorted while spreading his hand in front of Edward. Tom swallowed his pride and red at Edward. He knew he couldn''t do anything to him. Edward had a way with him. "What?" Edward was confused. What was Tom up to this time? "The thermometer of course! Do you want me to take off her clothes and get it myself?" Damn it! Tom felt so distressed at this moment. He came back from abroad just two weeks ago, yet Edward had bruised his eyes, twice! What''s worse, Tom had to do what Edward wanted even after getting beaten! Gritting his teeth, Edward suppressed the urge to punch him again and gently took the thermometer out of Daisy''s arm and handed it over to Tom. Edward smirked when he saw Tom''s bruised eye. He covered his mouth with his palm and pretended to cough, trying not to burst intoughter. "Go ahead andugh before you choke yourself and ask me for help." Tom retorted sharply. He threw an annoyed look at Edward and carefully checked the thermometer. ''Jeez! Almost 104¨H? I have to get her an IV drip before she burns her head, '' thought Tom while quickly preparing the medicine for Daisy. Chapter 312 Wild Cat To Charcoal Cat (Part One) "Should we put her on IV?" Edward ignored Tom''sints. He furrowed his eyebrows in worry while he watched Tom mix the medicines. "Yeah! The recovery will be faster. Help me steady her hand in case she makes any sudden movements." Tom signaled Edward to hold down Daisy''s hand. If he missed the first attempt he would need to make another injection. "Take it easy!" When Tom was pushing in the needle, Daisy frowned unconsciously. Edward felt empathetic towards her; he cautioned Tom to be careful. It seemed as if he was going to eat Tom. "Please. It''s just an injection. I am not performing surgery." Tom rolled his eyes. He carefully fastened the needle with medical gauze. People said that women lose their senses in love. But in this case, it seemed that this applied to men as well. Tom was looking at one such man right now. "Cut the crap. Of course, I know it''s just an injection. I''m just asking you to take it easy. Why are you arguing?" Edward was surprised by Tom''s grouchy mood today. What made him so agitated? Edward Mu had very conveniently forgotten that he had hit Tom moments ago. He shouldn''t expect Tom to behave courteously. If it were someone else, they would have shut Edward up from the beginning. "Buddy, do you think Daisy''s made of wax? She''s a soldier, OK? This tiny sting won''t matter to her. What are you worrying about?" Tom didn''t know what to do with Edward. It was only an injection; there was no reason for Edward to be so aggressive. "What''s all this noise..." A faint whisper interrupted the two bickering men. They both turned to the woman quietly lying on the bed, but they realized that she only uttered on om''s ice pack on her head. Even though he had been as slow and careful as he could, the sudden coldness made Daisy''s head twitch. Another low whisper followed: "Mom... Don''t leave me..." Both her hands reached out as if she were trying to catch something in the air. "Honey, don''t be afraid! I''m here and I won''t leave you." Edward took her hands. Although she was not calling for him, he still decided to lie down beside her, caressing her tenderly. Daisy felt his deep affection, which made her sleep peacefully. It was the first time Edward got to look at her so closely. He reached out and stroked her face softly. Perhaps because of her military career, Daisy had amanding aura that no other woman possessed, making her extremely attractive. Edwardughed at himself for this realization. Didn''t he fall in love with her because of these unique features? That sense of mystery made him swoon and drew him closer to her. Eventually and inadvertently, he got lost in her charm. But Edward liked the feeling of being in love with Daisy. There was no hesitance. He was willing to be the one for her. Chapter 313 Wild Cat To Charcoal Cat (Part Two) He kissed her lips softly. Her usual aloof disposition disappeared, and now her frail body was a tender sight. She was just like any other woman, soft and fragile, almost breaking Edward''s heart. ''My little wild cat, be well soon! I can''t get used to you lying next to me so quietly. I would rather have you use all your fury on me. At least you will be lively. I guess I am just a masochist. I want you to kick me around all day long. Tell me, am I being too goddamn insatiable?'' Edward didn''t eat much at dinner, probably because he was worried sick for Daisy. After a few quick bites, he went upstairs to her, leaving Tom alone with a table full of food. Tom was not pleased, muttering to himself that thank goodness Daisy was only down with a cold. If it were some serious illness, he might have to give up on Edward. The night felt endless to Edward. He was feeding medicines to Daisy, changing the IV bottle, wiping her sweat while responding to her spontaneous murmuring. He barely got a moment to rx, yet Tom didn''t show up even once as long as Edward didn''t call for him. Edward guessed that he must have fallen asleep in the guest room. By the time Daisy''s body temperature dropped back to normal, he was too tired to go on. He carefully changed her pajamas and held her in his arms. He closed his eyes and fell asleep because of exhaustion. Daisy''s circadian rhythm jolted her awake at the usual time. Sh saw Edward''s tired face. Before she realized, her hand was already caressing his face. She didn''t like it when he furrowed his eyebrows. So she carefully brushed her fingers between Edward''s eyes. "You had been burning up all night. You must be hungry. I''ll get you some porridge. The butler has kept it warm for us." Edward held her hand, asking her pleadingly. "No! Get some more sleep. You clearly didn''t sleep much because you had to take care of mest night. Besides, I should get ready for work anyway." As she spoke, Daisy tried to get up, but Edward wrapped his arms around her waist. "Don''t go. You are really sick. You can''t go to work like this. Rest at home. I''ve already called the army base for you." Edward never held Daisy back from her work. It was his promise to her from the very beginning, but he couldn''t allow her to neglect her health. Edward insisted on this. So he already had Mark call in sick for herst night. Chapter 314 You Little Monkey. That’s What You want, Right (Part One) "But you promised that you wouldn''t interfere with my work. I haven''t finished my report yet." Daisy was very serious about her work, so she was displeased with Edward''s decision, but didn''t me him. She knew Edward did that because he cared about her health, so she spoke not so much in anger as in coquetry. "Yes, I did say I wouldn''t interfere with your work, but that''s only when you are taking care of yourself. Anyway, you can write your report at home. Just ask Mark to send you the material." Edward didn''t want to upset Daisy again, so he said that on purpose. The truth was that when he called up Markst night, Mark told him that there was no need to ask for leave because the higher administration had decided to suspend all her work in the military base. Even if Edward hadn''t called Mark, Mark would have called him to convey the same. It was just a matter of who called first. Edward was delighted by the higher administration''s decision. He knew Daisy didn''t embezzle money or engage in any corrupt practices, so he was not afraid of the so-called investigation they had initiated against her. Anyhow, they would know the truth tonight, and they would pay for the wrong decision made by them. His wife was sick, and he desperately hoped that Daisy wouldn''t have to go to work. The investigation helped serve his purpose. Edward knew that Daisy was used of bribery, but it was not so simple. In addition to being charged with bribery, Daisy was also used of being a homewrecker. That''s why this matter was soplicated. Daisy could get reprimanded, either by being dismissed from the military or by being demoted if either of the two usation she had to be strong and brave, and that was the only way for her to be respected by others. How could Edward control himself when Daisy kissed him like this? So, Edward kissed her back passionately, gently responding to her clumsy kisses. Edward was a good kisser, Daisy waspletely lost in his kisses and she forgot that she just wanted to flirt with him. "You little monkey. That''s what you want, right?" Edward felt very helpless looking at her cheerful face. He didn''t dare to do anything to her again, because he was afraid that he could not help having sex with her. After all, she was still sick. "Well... Uh... I..." Daisy blushed. Daisy knew she had aroused his desire, so the most important thing at this time was to stop what he was going to do next. Although Daisy''s hand was still on his bare chest, she was afraid to do anything else, because she had felt his intense desire. "Don''t tease me unless you can bear the consequence." Edward said that in a hoarse voice. If she wasn''t down with fever, he would have done what he wanted to do, and he wouldn''t have to control himself anymore. Chapter 315 You Little Monkey. That’s What You want, Right (Part Two) Daisy stared at him for a few seconds. She said nothing but made a bold move. She took off Edward''s clothes, which shocked Edward. Looking at his surprised look, she smiled and then kissed his eyes with her cherry-like lips. That way, she could cover his probing eyes. Otherwise, she wouldn''t dare to do what she intended to do. Edward smirked. He had wanted Daisy to take some rest. Since she didn''t want to rest, she couldn''t me him. Edward said "Honey, are you sure you want to do this?" Although he was thrilled by her move, he still asked her one more time out of respect. He didn''t want her to pass out halfway through for being too tired. Before Daisy could answer, there was a loud knock at the door. It made Edward so angry that he wanted to tear the person who knocked on the door to pieces. Perhaps that would help him vent his unfulfilled desire. "Ah!" Daisy couldn''t helpughing, seeing Edward like this. But secretly she also wondered who was bothering them so early in the morning. Daisy could not bear to see him controlling himself like this. She didn''t expect that such an ident would happen at this critical time. She began to pray for him. Edward was so angry that whosoever had bothered them was going to meet his misfortune. Who would be the "lucky dog"? She knew that the person who had knocked on the door couldn''t be the butler, because the servants were aware that he did na be beaten again?" Edward said coldly. He couldn''t believe that Tom said he was crazy in front of him. He thought Edward would beg him just likest night? Since Daisy was out of fever now, Edward should give him a good lesson. "Daisy, I really should go now, or my other eye would also get in trouble. Have a good rest! See you tonight!" Tom said this and left with his things hurriedly, without looking at Edward. He really needed to take care of his eye, or how would he see anyone when he went to the party at night? Edward was really upset as Tom was ignoring him? He couldn''t believe that Tom would be so unfriendly to him in front of Daisy. Edward wanted to beat him harder! Perhaps then Tom would be respectful again. Daisy wasn''t curious about Edward''s angry face. But Tom''s words "See you tonight, " made her wonder what he really wanted to say. It must be a special night, or he wouldn''t say such words without reason. Chapter 316 Where Is Your Colonel (Part One) The sky was still dark at dawn. A beautiful woman slowly stepped out of the international terminal of the airport. Leena took a deep sigh and nced at the quiet road and dim streemps. She stood there and gazed into the horizon for a while before she headed to the parking lot with her suitcase. Leena ced her luggage in the back seat of her Ferrari and got into the driver''s seat. Suddenly, she remembered something. She turned around to search for her cellphone. The phone was dead because Leena had left it in the car when she went to Paris. She kept it in her purse in case she forgot it again when she got home. The red Ferrari drove away in the cold morning of early fall. Leaves slowly swirled around the rim of the empty street because of the wind as Leena sped away. The day broke brighter as she arrived at Kevin''s apartment. Leena smiled sweetly as she jumped out of her car. ''Kevin, I''m home!'' Leena wanted to shout it out loud. Although she chose to ignore it, her feelings for Kevin had somewhat changed during these days. Kevin was having breakfast when he heard someone open the door. He paused in surprise, ''Who could it be at this hour? A thief?'' Thinking of that someone was breaking into his apartment, Kevin dropped his fork and tried to find something that he could use as a weapon. His eyes were fixed on the doorknob warily. Leena didn''t expect to see Kevin standing behind the door. Startled, she froze and dropped her keys. For a moment, both of them stared nkly at each other until the sound of keys falling on the floor shook them up. "Am I so scary?" With a gentle smile, Kevin approached Leena and picked up her keys, gazing at Leena''s cute keychain with great interest. "What? Oh no. I just...I didn''t expect that you''d be at home." Leena blushed. She assumed he would have left for the army de sincerely. She knew their marriage was only a bargain with mutual benefits. However, instead of treating her like a stranger, Kevin tried to fulfill his husbandly duty towards her as a real husband. His behavior touched Leena. "You don''t have to say that. Just one thing, I want you to remember that you''re my wife." Kevin didn''t know why he was upset. But Leena''s polite behavior bugged him. He felt powerless and angry every time she said ''thank you'' to him. "Kevin, please don''t get me wrong. I said ''thank you'' because I am really grateful to you, not because I forgot about our rtionship." Leena expressed her feelings bluntly; she didn''t expect that Kevin would react so furiously. As she saw his face change, she quickly presented an exnation. "Never mind. Go have a bath. I''ll make you some breakfast. Then you can take some rest to ovee your jetg." Kevin had no idea what was wrong with him. Why did he pick on Leena''s words like that? He was not himself. He was having a bad feeling about this. "By the way, are you free tonight?" Leena asked Kevin abruptly, thinking of the anniversary party. She had to attend the party, and she needed an escort. Who was better than her own husband? Chapter 317 Where Is Your Colonel (Part Two) "What''s the matter?" Leena had never asked about his schedule. Kevin was a bit surprised. He wondered what she had in mind. "There''s a party tonight, the anniversary party of the FX International Group. I am wondering if you cane with me." Somehow Leena felt Kevin seemed quitemanding that morning. Was it because of the serious look on his face? Or perhaps she was just being paranoid? Either way, Leena couldn''t dare to look into his eyes. "Sure. I think I can make it. I''ll be there with you unless something urgentes up at the base." Kevin answered absently with a frown. The anniversary party? Why didn''t Daisy mention it before? There would be a lot of celebrities at the anniversary party. To be honest, Kevin didn''t want to go. However, he had to because he was now Leena''s husband. More importantly, Daisy would be there. He had tried his best not to think about her anymore; but no matter how hard he tried to run away from her, his path always led him back to her. And Kevin hated himself for being such a spineless coward. "Okay. I''ll prepare your clothes." Leena was a professional designer, and she didn''t need to use the measuring tape. She gauged Kevin''s size with her eyes and started thinking about what she should pick for him tonight. "Go have a bath. I''ll be downstairs making breakfast for you." Kevin didn''t mind what Leena would do to him. But he felt that being too polite to each other would make them seem like friendly neighbors rather than a couple. He hoped they could be more casual and rxed. Lost in thought, Leena bit her lip, watching him leave the room without saying anything. The more time she had spent with Kevin, the more confused she became. Leena could sense that Kevin was deeply in love with someone else, and she knew she was only a receme she hadn''t vited a single rule. There''s no way that the inspectors would go after her. "I heard that someone reported her for bribery." Mark was furious about this usation. What bribery? Whichw stated that military officers couldn''t drive a luxury car? There was no such aw! So why did they suspend her? It was evident that they were picking on Daisy because she didn''t have a strong background. "What did you say? Bribery?" Kevin stopped abruptly as he heard the word. Mark almost bumped into his back. "I only heard their discussion. Colonel wouldn''t tell me and she forbade me to ask, " answered Mark. He lowered his head and shuddered when he saw the rage in Kevin''s face. "Fuck them! Her husband is the CEO of the FX International Group! Any one of his affiliatedpanies'' taxes were more than what amon enterprise could earn annually! Why should she take any bribe?" Kevin felt he just heard themest joke in the world. And instead ofughing out loud, he wanted to strike whoever had dared to report Daisy with such ame excuse. Meanwhile, Kevin was rxed. He knew about Daisy, and he knew the report was not true, which meant Daisy''s name would soon get cleared. Chapter 318 The Anonymous Tip "Of course there''s no reason for the Colonel to take someone''s money. We know that for sure. But not everyone knows that her husband is Edward Mu, the CEO of the FX International Group. So someone just seized the opportunity to frame her and use her of bribery." Mark''s strained voice dropped to a murmur, as if he wanted to say more, but he changed his mind. "Fine, I''m going to themander. Has Mr. Mu been informed of this? What is he going to do about it?" Kevin figured that Edward would fix this mess as soon as he learned of it. "Yes, he has. Mr. Mu was informedst night. But the Colonel doesn''t know that she''s been suspended. He told me not tell her anything about it since she''s still ill. Mr. Mu must already have a n in action to deal with it. He told me not to worry and that he would take care of everything." Mark was still worried despite Edward''s assurance. He told Kevin about the anonymous tip, hoping to know more with Kevin''s help. After all, everything Mark knew was hearsay and he couldn''t confirm anything he was told. "What? She got sick? Is it serious?" Kevin asked with so much concern that Mark stared at him in confusion. ''Does he still have a crush on Colonel? Isn''t he already married? Oh my god, what is this man thinking about?'' Mark thought to himself. "Don''t worry. She just came down with a fever." Mark ryed what Edward told him. He had no idea what was actually going on. But he believed Edward since there was no need for Edward to lie to him. "I see. Is the Commander in now?" Kevin looked at his watch with a frown. Themander was probably pressured by the higher officials to suspend Daisy. Otherwise, he wouldn''t suspend her since Daisy was his most valuable officer. "He''s in the office. I saw him there." Since Mark had been following the development of this matter, he kept an eye on everyone involved. Actually, themander was surprised when he learnt of the matter. Not long ago, he reminded Daisy to be careful. He didn''t expect someone to target her so soon. Even though themander didn''t believe the usations against Daisy, he knew that Daisy must have some vulnerable points that others could capitalize on. Themander was in deep thought when Kevin walked in. "Commander, why did you suspend the Colonel?" Kevin didn''t beat around the bush. Themander obviously knew what he came for. "I received orders from the top. The anonymous tip is from someone who knows very well how things work in the military base. The person sent a copy of the letter to the top officials'' public e-mail. Otherwise, I could''ve handled it myself. What''s done is done. Daisy must rest at home for a while." Themander couldn''t believe that Da ogether. "How could I possibly know that? Maybe the one who sent the letter took these pictures." Themander was contemting how to deal with this whole thing. Should he report it to the leaders? Or should he wait until they found out themselves? He decided to report it. Themander was concerned that Daisy might get a low score in the performance assessment because of it. "The person who sent this letter is an ignorant jerk. How could someone use Daisy of being Edward Mu''s mistress before investigating further?" Kevin angrily tossed the letter on the table. Who on earth was this bastard? The person was probably mentally-ill. No wonder Daisy came down with a cold. The disciplinary investigation must have been torture to her. Daisy was good at disciplining herself and never caused any trouble. The letter must have been sent by one of Edward''s exes. Daisy got into trouble because of him. "Kevin, do a secret investigation and find out if one of our men sent this letter. The person who sent it seems very familiar with us." As he spoke, themander thought of someone. But he shook his head at the possibility. Even though the guy was narrow-minded, he wasn''t stupid enough to do something like that. If he was discovered to be the person behind this, his whole career would be ruined. "Copy that. I''m relieved to get things straight. The usations in the letter arepletely false." Kevin was worrying about the letter on his way to themander. He didn''t expect that the problem could be solved quickly by simply telling the truth. Kevin was certain that Edward would take care of everything. But he wasn''t sure if Edward had been informed that Daisy was also used of stealing someone else''s husband. Daisy would probably love Edward even more after he fixed things for her. Chapter 319 Pledge of Eternal Love (Part One) "Are you feeling better? I''ll take you outside for a walk. It''s good for your recovery, " Edward said to Daisy. Shuttling back and forth between home and the military base every day, Daisy hardly had time for herself. Edward wanted her to take some time off to get a good rest. "Outside? Isn''t Justining over?" Daisy raised her head and looked at Edward with a hint of excitement on her face. She seldom had the chance to stroll about the streets and shop with him. Despite the military uniform, she was just an ordinary woman who looked forward to going out hand in hand with the man she loved. "We can have the chauffeur drive him to the city center. Then I''ll show you and Justin around the city. What do you think?" Edward felt guilty about leaving Daisy and Justin all alone in the past. He had missed years of taking care of Justin and fulfilling his responsibility as a father. His deep feeling of guilt had be mental shackles that he couldn''t escape. "But don''t you have to go to the office today?" Daisy kept asking him about this today. Although she loved having him around, she didn''t want him to put work aside for her. It wasn''t her intention. All she wanted was to hold a spot in his heart. He didn''t have to think about her all the time, but she wanted to be the first one he thought of at the most critical moment. "Honey, are you worried that I won''t make enough money to support you if I don''t go to work?" Edward asked as he picked clothes for her. As a man with broad experience, he knew what kind of clothes suited her best. "Humph, me? I don''t need " This was how she felt for Edward, her deep feelings from the bottom of her heart. She wasn''t sure if she could love another man as humbly and firmly as she loved Edward. She didn''t think it was possible. Daisy was a traditional woman, whose love was pure and innocent. "Woman, are you reminding me of how badly I treated you in the past? Or are you trying to embarrass me?" Edward sighed and suddenly took her in his arms. He couldn''t find any excuse to refute her usations. His heart ached. He vowed, ''Daisy, I''ll follow you everywhere in the future. You don''t have to keep pace with me anymore." Daisy wasn''t used to being the kind of person who would y coy. But as time psed, she enjoyed the feeling of being embraced by Edward. His love warmed her heart. She was thankful for having this fantastic man. Unconsciously, she had be attached to the feeling of being spoiled in his arms. She realized that she had turned into a person she disliked, but what about Edward? Did he like the new her? Did he regret falling in love with her? Chapter 320 Pledge of Eternal Love (Part Two) "Edward, how long will your love for mest? Will you walk out of my life someday? Will you leave me when I get old? Will you suddenly let go of my hand? Will you eventually get tired of me?" Daisy put her hands around Edward''s firm waist and held him tightly. Worried that he might have lost interest in her while he was trying to answer her questions, she kept her head down, afraid to look at him in the eye. She had gone through so many things in the past that she didn''t even have enough strength left to make an effort for him. If Edward hurt her, she would fall apart. "Honey, how little faith you have in me to think such nonsense! I admit that I was a yboy, I never deny it. But that was back when I couldn''t find a ce to repose my heart. I kept looking until I was lost in the world of turmoil. But I have you in my life now, and I love you. Although I can''t promise you the next life, I will love only you in this life." Edward stroked her lustrous hair gently. His intense eyes looked distant, making him seem like a wandering soul looking for security. His heart hurt deeply for the days without her, for the rotten lifestyle he once had, for the fact that he almost lost her for good, and for the insecurity at the bottom of her heart. Some said that loving someone was easy, but it was easier said rry, sweetie. I''m staying neutral. I''m not going to get involved in your meaningless war, " Daisy responded with a faint smile. Her affections for her family were all over her face. The joy her family gave her allowed her to temporarily forget the pressures from the military base and the pain that Leo caused. "Mommy, how could you? You and daddy don''t love me anymore." Justin pretended to be sad. His mom had always been healthy and strong. She had never gotten sick in the past no matter how tired she was. Butst night, she got a fever. He didn''t know what caused it. He guessed it was partly because of too much work, but mostly because she was under too much pressure. But he had no idea where the pressure wasing from. His current task wasn''t to ask for her love, but to try to make his mom happy by distracting her from upsetting things. That was his goal for today. Chapter 321 Call Me Mrs. Mu Daisy pursed her lips at Justin''s words, but said nothing in the end. Although Justin was always cute and adorable in her presence, Daisy knew that he was just as cunning as his father. He might think that he hid it well from Daisy, but how could a mother not know her own son? But she never thought of exposing him, mostly because she enjoyed it when he made herugh and acted cute in her arms. Daisy always felt rxed around her son. "Let''s go. Let''s have lunch first. Then you can decide what to do next." Due to his handsome face and elegant manners, Edward was always the center of attention wherever he went. Standing with an aloof beauty and an adorable little boy, Edward and his family immediately drew a lot of attention. "Yeah! Delicious food! Daddy, you really are the worm living in my tummy; you always know what I''m thinking about! I was just thinking about food, and you said ''let''s have lunch''!" Justin loved delicious food. It was his ambition to taste all the delicacies all over the world. Although he was just a little boy, Justin already knew how to appraise food. Edward was confused by this. Both he and Daisy weren''t obsessive with food, he had no idea how his son turned out to be a foodie. "I''m not a worm! That''s disgusting. Just tell me what you want to eat." Edward red at his son and walked to Daisy''s side. Justin''s description was disgusting. He had to keep his son at arm''s length or he wouldn''t be able to eat anythingter. Daisy wore a small smile as she watched her husband and son bicker with each other. Edward and Justin were her whole world. As long as she had them by her side, she wouldn''t ask for anything more. She wouldn''t be needing her career or her father. The only thing she really wanted was to live happily together with her beloved husband and son. The three arrived at a fancy restaurant and ordered some food. While they waited for their dishes, a soft voice was heard, "Edward, it''s you! I thought I mistook someone else for you." Surprised, they turned around to find a young beautiful woman standing beside their table. "Hello, Rachel. I haven''t seen you for a long time." Edward greeted Rachel with a frown. Rachel used to date Duke, but they suddenly broke up one day and she went abroad and got married. They had never heard from her ever since. Edward wondered why Rachel suddenly showed up. Did shee back for Duke? He could still remember how Belinda got drunk and upset thest time she saw Rachel. "May I sit down with you?" Rachel was a bit self-centered. She only saw what she wanted to see, while she ignored the rest. At that moment, she deliberately ignored Daisy and Justin. She didn''t think a woman and a child would mean anything to Edward, so she pretended not to see them. "Sorry, you have to ask my wife. It''s fine by me if she says yes." Edward''s face changed. He didn''t like it when people treated Daisy as if she were invisible. Rachel had crossed a line. "Wife? You got married?" Rachel frowned in surprise and turned to the woman sitting next to Edwar of love when they were together. Rachel was beautiful, but she was pretentious. That was the reason Edward never got along with her. When Rachel left Duke, Edward was secretly happy for his friend. "What did you say? He''s married? That''s impossible! He told me that he''d love me forever!" Rachel froze in shock. Didn''t Duke love her? Did he really change his mind and give up on her? Was it because of the woman she saw the other day? Rachel nked out all of a sudden. It turned out that no one would remain in one ce and wait for someone forever. Everything changed as time went by. What should she do now that he was married? She divorced her husband and came back for Duke, but it turned out that he already married another woman. Were they not meant to be together? Upon hearing Rachel''s words, Daisy looked at her in surprise. Did she misunderstand something? Rachel wasn''t Edward''s ex-girlfriend, but Duke''s! No wonder Daisy didn''t like her, she was Belinda''s rival in love. Daisy wouldn''t let this woman hurt her best friend. She knew what her friend had been through. She unconsciously picked on Rachel because she and Belinda had experienced the same thing. "Miss Rachel, forgive me, but aren''t you thinking too highly of yourself? Duke loved you before, but who would give up everything for a love long gone? No one would be that stupid." Edward cast a look at Daisy as he spoke calmly. Actually, Daisy was that stupid. But he was d that she didn''t give up on him, and now they were finally together. He felt extremely grateful to Daisy for loving him unconditionally all these years. "No! You''re lying! He wouldn''t leave me and marry someone else!" Rachel wondered if things would be different if she stayed with Duke. She didn''t stay because she thought he was poor, she dumped him. She could still remember the way he begged her to stay. But she determinedly left and married a rich guy. When she found outter that Duke wasn''t a penniless man but the heir of the noble Leng family, she regretted her decision. Chapter 322 Behave Yourself "Humph! Rachel, you left Duke and married someone else back then. Why would you think it''s his fault now?" Edward sneered as he gazed at Rachel, his face full of contempt and sarcasm. Just like Jessica, Rachel was obviously too full of herself. Edward felt obligated to help here back to reality. "I admit I was too rash back then. But he also lied to me! Why would I choose someone else if he had told me that he is the heir to the Leng family?" Rachel was pissed off while thinking of this. Duke came from a wealthy family, but he never mentioned it to her. She had always thought that Duke was only one of Edward''s sidekicks. That was why she left him and married a middle-aged rich guy. It was toote when she found out from the TV news that Duke was actually a prince charming, rather than a penniless beggar. "You mean you only love Duke''s money, not him?" Daisy was surprised how cheeky Rachel was. She was as self-centered and selfish as Jessica! And they both enjoyed ying with others'' feelings. Daisy suddenly realized Rachel and Jessica could be best friends if they were introduced to each other. "Mrs. Mu, are you telling me that there''s pure love between you and Edward? Without any strings? Come on! I don''t buy it at all. Everythinges down to money in the end!" Rachel snapped at Daisy with a sneer, her eyebrows raised in contempt. She despised Daisy. ''What a condescending bitch! Mrs. Mu? I never knew that Edward got married! How shameless she is to call herself Mrs. Mu! And look at her bastard son! How filthy! And did she just give me a lecture about love trumping everything? What an ignorant and stupid woman! Who cares about love these days? Money is the only thing that matters!'' Rachel thought to herself. "Strings? There is. And it''s quite simple. I just want him. Money is not important to me since I won''t be needing that much anyway. The only thing matters to me is Edward himself." Staring right into Rachel''s eyes, Daisy calmly replied as she casually yed with her ss. She wasn''t mad at Rachel''s usation, because she knew Rachel was wrong. Not every woman cared only about money; take her for example, she just loved Edward and wanted to be with him. Surprised, Edward turned to Daisy, his eyes glowing with excitement. Daisy had never told him this before; and he certainly didn''t expect he''d get an idea of her true feelings in this conversation. Meanwhile, Edward felt even more grateful to have Daisy in his life. He had never felt more ashamed of himself until this very moment, when he finally realized how pure his wife''s love for him was. "It seems I''m being shallow here. But you know what? I don''t care whether he is married; I won''t give up on what belongs to me! As long as I want him, he must ey saw Edward enter the mall. The manager soon gathered up the senior executives to greet Edward. They could still remember thest time Edward came here, and his visit didn''t end up well. Hence they were extremely careful this time. "Don''t mind us. We''ll just look around on our own. Go back to your work." Edward knew Daisy didn''t like to be surrounded by too many people, so he told his subordinates to leave them alone. "Yes, Mr. Mu. Have a good day." The manager figured that Daisy might be Edward''s wife; but since Edward didn''t introduce her, he wouldn''t dare to address her ''Mrs. Mu'' imprudently. He simply nodded at Daisy and Justin before stepping aside. Edward nodded with a frown. Their inquisitive looks made him ufortable. He didn''t told them who Daisy was because he would save the answer for tonight''s party. He would proudly tell the world that Daisy was his wife. Besides, he knew Daisy didn''t like to associate with strangers, so he didn''t force her. "Daddy, are we shopping? I thought we were going to the amusement park!" Justin pouted while ring at his father with discontent. He hated it most to shop with women! And he couldn''t evenin because it was his dear mother whom he was going to escort today. Justin suddenly wanted to tell them that he was tired and needed to sit there to get some rest; and when they left, he could sneak into the amusement park by himself! "We''re not! We''ll listen to whatever mommy says today and go wherever she wants to go. Noints." Edward read his son''s mind. He just didn''t bother to pay any attention to Justin''s desire. He knew Justin would go crazy every time he was in amusement park, and he and Daisy would have to run after him in case he got hurt. The day was about making Daisy happy, so Edward immediately crossed Justin''s proposal off the list. Chapter 323 Wow Youre Ignorant (Part One) "Mommy, I just realized that my ce in this family has reached a new low." Justin pouted and tried to make onest attempt to trick Daisy into taking him to the amusement park. "Really? Why would you think that? It''s not like that at all! You''re still my sweetest baby!" Upon seeing Justin widen his watery eyes and y cute again, Daisy crouched down in front of him and pulled her loving mommy act. She knew she had been busytely and had no time for her son. And she felt sorry about that. "I don''t believe you. Daddy is now mommy''s sweetest baby, not me! Don''t you like me anymore?" Justin felt so frustrated. Although he meant to hook his parents up so that he could have a loving family; but now that those two were spending more time together, Justin started to wonder whether there was any room left for him in his parents'' hearts. "Haha! Is my baby being jealous? You know what? You and daddy are both the most important men in my life. I couldn''t bear to lose either one of you. Do you still think that I don''t like you anymore now that I have daddy?" Daisy wouldn''t care what others thought about her, not even Edward; however, she couldn''t ignore Justin''s feelings. It was Justin who stayed with her to support her and make herugh when Edward was not around. Justin was so adorable and considerate, and Daisy felt life wouldn''t be that hard even if Edward didn''t love her, as long as she had her baby boy. Although she was with Edward now, Justin was still her favorite. "I''m sorry, mommy! I was just kidding! Please don''t be sad!" Justin noticed the change in Daisy''s look. He knew Daisy must have thought of those painful days. He didn''t mean to stir things up in the first eet you guys here! It''s so great to havepany so I don''t have to shop alone! Hooray!" yelled Leena as she shoved Edward over and held Daisy''s arm firmly. Aside from her sister-inw, she loved Daisy the most. She had to grab every chance to cultivate their sisterhood. "You know what? I actually feel worse after seeing you." Justin put on a long face and grumbled. He and Leena always teased each other every time they met up. They actually enjoyed this little game between them. "What, little boy? Aren''t you happy to see your auntie? Answer carefully!" Leena had always adored little boys, especially someone as cute and smart as Justin. Therefore, no matter what Justin said, she still wanted to y with him. "What auntie? Haven''t you always called yourself my sister?" Justin burst intoughter. Leena could be sly sometimes, but she was a pure and innocent young girl in nature. "What? Don''t you know? Your daddy is my big brother! Of course I''m your auntie! Didn''t you learn that in school? Wow you''re ignorant!" Leena snorted and shook her head violently, as if she were shocked by Justin''s empty-headedness. Chapter 324 Wow Youre Ignorant (Part Two) "Yes, I am quite the simpleton. So would you please tell me how should I address you when you call my mommy ''sis''?" Justin wouldn''t give up easily. He was quite confident when it came to debating. After all, he learned from the master - his father. "Seriously? Sis, what''s wrong with your son today? Why does he keep asking stupid questions?" Leena asked as she reached her hand down to feel Justin''s forehead. Ignoring Justin''s grumpy look, Leena withdrew her hand and touched her face while muttering, "That''s strange! You don''t have a fever. Why do you keep speaking nonsense?" "I''m perfectly healthy! You''re the one losing your mind!" Justin waspletely speechless at Leena''s chaotic thoughts. He had decided he''d better team up with his daddy and stay away from her in the future, in case she caught him off-guard again. "Just ignore her. She needs to be taught a lessontely." Trying to suppress the urge to burst intoughter, Edward casuallyforted his son. Who would believe that Justin could be bested by a girl? ''Leena must be as sly as me! And that''s why Justin always treats her like his arch enemy!'' Edward was actually quite impressed. "Edward, I can hear you. I know you''re trying to soothe his butthurt, but do you really have to say that out loud? What have I ever done to you? Jeez!" retorted Leena sourly with a pout. His words hurt her feelings. "What have you done? Do you really have to ask? You drugged Belinda, and you got married without telling us! You tell me whether you deserve to be taught a lesson or not!" Edward narrowed his eyes dangerously. ''Now be careful with your answer.'' Edward thought to himself. "Well... You''ve made them sound really wrong." Leena would never admit that to take a break, since Justin''s sullen face was also super adorable! Once again stepping into LN shop, Daisy was surprised to find the style of the collection had changed. It seemed less teenagery and more elegant. The turn was delicate and the two elements emerged well in the new collection of this season. Daisy thought the designer must have experienced some kind of spiritual baptism and matured overnight. "Hello, Mr. Mu and Mrs. Mu. We have some new arrivals of this season. Would you like to try on?" The shopping assistant immediately walked up to them and greeted them politely as she saw them step in. It was the same girl that Daisy had met before. She could clearly remember Daisy. How could she ever forget? She used to take Daisy as some poor girl who wouldn''t be able to buy even a button in their shoppe. "It''s okay. We''ll just look around on our own. You don''t have to look over our shoulders." Daisy waved her hand at the girl and answered casually. It was Leena who had practically dragged her into this shop. And she made a beeline to the menswear section. ''Does Leena want to buy something for Kevin?'' Daisy secretly wondered. Chapter 325 Do As Mrs. Mu Said Although Daisy asked the sales clerks in the mall to ignore her and Edward and go back to their normal work, the clerks wouldn''t leave them alone. They were Edward''s employees, so it was his thoughts and orders that mattered most to them. "Do as Mrs. Mu said. Get back to work, " Edward said softly. He understood that since he scarcely ever turned up in the mall, the employees got nervous to see him there. So he didn''t act bossy today. He almost never insulted his employees, because he thought that would mean that he was a lousy manager. "Yes, Mr. Mu." As the CEO of FX International Group, Edward was extremely well-mannered, but overbearing as well. Few people dared look him in the eye, let alone his employees. With Edward''s permission, the sales clerks went back to work. They felt overwhelmed by his bearing. Daisy stood there quietly, tender eyes fixed on Edward. Just as she had surprised Edward, she had found her husband had many surprising sides as well. She had always thought that the rich and famous tended to look down on ordinary people. She discovered that Edward wasn''t one of them. He treated everybody equally and thought of himself as nothing but amoner. He didn''t discriminate against anyone. These were his merits and they appealed to her strongly. Looking at the fashionable clothes that she designed herself, Leena couldn''t help smiling. LN was a fashion brand Leena created. As a rising new star in the fashion world, it had enjoyed global poprity in two years'' time, standing alongside other popr brands. It wasuded for its originality and keen insight in fashion, enjoying a high reputation among European aristocrats. It had been taken as a great example of the brands which were all the rage at the time in fashion industry. One thing that made Leena stand out as a designer was that besidesdies'' wear, she also designed menswear for cultivated tastes, suitable for many different asions. Leena was confident in her designs and decided to pick a dress of her own design for the party tonight. There were several styles of menswear that fitted Kevin perfectly. With his outstanding appearance, he would look smart and dashing in them. "Leena, are you picking out suits for Kevin?" Seeing her wandering about in the menswear zone, Daisy came over. She was ch easier if I just went through you, " Edward said approvingly, leaning on the counter and looking enchanting. He had engaged in the negotiation for the agency himself. He had been curious about the designer. He had wondered who could be so important as to make him put everything aside for his or her luxury brand. Because of either its high quality or the good materials it used, LN''s price was rather high, higher than its like products. Hence, it was considered a luxury brand. "Oh. How did Duke know? I didn''t tell a soul." Leena frowned in confusion. She had been happy that she had done a good job hiding it from everybody. But now it seemed Duke had already known about her secret for some time. "He knows that you''ve created your own fashion brand, but he doesn''t know it is LN. He will be thrilled if he knows it''s such a well-known brand. He''s always proud of you." Edward could imagine how happy Duke would be if he knew about it. He always took pride in Leena. He was more of a father to her than a big brother. He spoiled her so much that he became a different person around her. If Leena hadn''t gone abroad to study fashion design, he would still be her overprotective brother. "I was considering giving him a surprise in a few days. Leena patted her chest as she was saying this. Seeing her movement, Justin rolled his eyes at her and thought it childish and stupid. ''God, how could you let a befuddled and evil woman like Leena be a fashion designer? Maybe you are just as muddled as she is, '' Justin thought. Chapter 326 I Have Better Things To Do The Mu''s changed ns because Leena suddenly joined them. Daisy had a feverst night, and Edward didn''t want to wear her out by doing too much walking. After Leena had picked up a suit for Kevin, instead of continuing their shopping excursion, they found a cafe to rest, which was exactly what Justin wanted. "How do you feel? Are you tired?" As soon as they sat down, Edward asked worriedly, face full of concern. It looked like he really cared about Daisy. "I''m okay. I''m not a fragile doll. I am a soldier, okay?" Daisy wouldn''t be a fearless colonel in the army if she was easily beaten by a small fever. Everyone in the army was iron-blooded, including Daisy herself. "What''s wrong, sis? Are you sick? Did you get Tom to have a look? Tell you what, Tom is a genius doctor!" Leena noticed Daisy''s pale face right after she saw her, but she thought it might be due to the lighting in the mall. It turned out Daisy was not feeling well! "Yes. I''m fine now, thanks to Tom." When she mentioned Tom''s name, Daisy suddenly blushed. Memories of seducing Edward that morning shed through her mind. She became a little nervous as if everyone knew what she had done. Edward immediately picked up on what Daisy was thinking about as he saw her rosy cheeks. It was the very first time that Daisy had ever tried to seduce him! Damn Tom, barging in on them! And Daisy wouldn''t let him continue even if he had driven Tom away. Edward swore that he would make Tom pay for that. "Right? Tom is famous for his excellent medical skills. You can trust him! But geniuses are always unpredictable; he chooses his own patients rather than the other way around." Leenained to Daisy with a frown. Tom wouldn''t care if his patient was the mayor as long as he didn''t feel like treating anyone. But Leena guessed Tom acted like this because he could! However, Leena was surprised that Tom had never turned down Edward, and he almost showed up instantly after Edward called him. How peculiar! "Really? I''m ttered." Daisy had only met Tom twice, includingst night. So she had no idea how brilliant a doctor Tom was. She used to think he was just one of Edward''s friends who happened to be a doctor. But he seemed so gentle and approachable. Was he really unpredictable like Leena said? "He should be ttered. He got the chance to meet a colonel. Not something that happens every day, " snorted Edward coldly. He hadn''t forgiven Tom for interrupting his romantic moment with Dais ''Does it really hurt that much? I didn''t kick him that hard.'' Daisy just wanted to give him some punishment for flirting with her in public; she didn''t mean to injure him. Edward froze as he heard Daisy''s words. Why did his wife constantly pick on him today? Was she bored of him? That probably exined her strange behavior. "Woman, are you trashing me?" Edward narrowed his eyes, which was a sign of danger; his eyes glowed with a spark of rage. Maybe he was too good to Daisytely, and she seemed to forget who she was! "I''m not trashing you. I''m just ignoring you. Come on, aren''t we leaving? Or do you want me to kick you again?" Ignoring Edward''s warning, Daisy retorted with a smirk and walked away without any hesitation. She would have been intimidated by his devilish look; however, he didn''t scare her anymore! She knew he wouldn''t do anything to her no matter how angry he got. And the reason was simple: Because he loved her. "Haha!" Justin snickered while casting a sensitive look at his father. ''Don''t me me, daddy. If I side with you, mommy will definitely punish me and have me do 100 push-ups! Sorry!'' Justin stuck his tongue out and hurried to follow Daisy. Edward finally understood that he had been abandoned by both his wife and his son. Seeing them walk towards the front gate without even looking back at him, Edward felt distressed. Were they so sure that he would follow without anyint? And yes, of course he would. But that was not the point! Eventually, Edward smiled while shaking his head, and quickly strode forward to keep up with them. He had no choice but to give in, because he loved them too much. Chapter 327 Its You Mary It was bound to be a remarkable night in S City tonight. All the senior executives from differentpanies gathered in the most luxurious Kate Hotel to attend the anniversary ceremony of the FX International Group. The exceptionally grand asion was unprecedented in S City. It was the most important business party wherein businessmen could seize the opportunity to create numerous hidden business opportunities. Many people felt lucky and excited about attending the ceremony, because in the next second, the chance of being a millionaire could fall for them. The Kate Hotel belonged to the FX International Group and was the only six-star hotel in S City. It upied and of 300 acres, adjacent to a diversified virgin?forest park. The surrounding area was a variety of shops andmercial office buildings. The transportation in the vicinity was very convenient. The hotel boasted of spacious and brightly lit hotel rooms, along with the uniquebination of European concept and Chinese style in interior design. The hotel left a deep impression on its guests with its grandeur, while simultaneously making them feel at home. The guests could also enjoy the convenientmunication, audio-visual entertainment system, and wireless broadbandwork. Beautifuldies and luxurious cars were typical for any party. When the sunset gradually faded from the horizon and the street lights began to light up the sky, luxurious cars swarmed in. As the acting CEO of the Lin Group, Jessica was among the guest list. In the past, she always walked haughtily in her high heels while holding Edward''s arm as they entered the hotel. But this time, she came alone and kept a low profile. Due to the pregnancy, her waist had be a little round. But it hadn''t affected her overall attractive image. She intentionally chose a strapless evening dress that made her figure look more impressive, especially her plump breasts. Her alluring breasts danced along with her pace, as if they would fall out any time. Jessica triggered all the men''s imagination with her slip skirt. Glimpses of her legs underneath gave a hint of sexy appeal with her every step. It was unquestionable that such a gorgeous woman would be a stunner in the eyes of men. Standing at the entrance of Kate Hotel, she had to take a deep breath to conceal her abjection. What a ridiculous turn of events! At the same timest year, she swaggered past all the women that Edward had abandoned before. But now, she was the one thrown out of the game. She couldn''t ept this fact. "Oh! Who might this be? It turns out to be the famous Jessica Lin! " As soon as Jessica paused at the entrance, someone''s mocking voice rang loudly. Jessica inadvertently frowned and wondered who would be so bold as to intentionally add insult to injury. "Oh, it''s you, Mary." Jessic ecame furious at the news. ''Edward, how dare you hurt my sister and bring your lover to such an important asion? This is a big insult to her. Do you really think that she has no one to back her in her family, that you can willfully break her heart? Don''t forget that I''m here to support her. No matter what happens, I will never let you hurt her, '' Brian thought in rage. "Who knows? This is only hearsay. But one thing''s for sure, Mr. Mu really loves the woman. Otherwise, how could he change to apletely different person? Besides, it''s been a long time since thest time there was news about him with a woman. Maybe this woman will be his wife because they have a son." The gossip continued, while Brian hadpletely lost his cool. His handsome and bright face was ming with rage. That bastard. It seemed that Edward was treating his sister as if she was invisible. How dare he keep such a dirty affair with another woman! He''s gone too far. Besides, wasn''t Daisy a female soldier? Why would she keep silent at such a vicious man''s insult? Wasn''t sabotaging a military marriage a criminal offense? Why would Daisy let Edward bring his lover and his lovechild into their home and not do anything about it? Brian smiled painfully at the thought. It seemed that god didn''t bless good people. Otherwise, why would he make his sister endure so much sadness and pain? No wonder she was reluctant to recognize him that day. She probably didn''t want him to know about her painful life. That was why she had firmly stated that she didn''t know him. Brian closed his eyes in agony. When he opened them again, there was firm determination in his eyes. He couldn''t help Daisy to get out of her distressful life in the past, but from now on, Brian would officially dere war against Edward. He''d better not die soon, Brian would definitely make his life full of surprises. Chapter 328 Soul of Tears As night fell, the Kate Hotel started being filled with celebrities. The upper-ssdies were all dressed to kill and constantly evaluating each other''s luxurious attire. After ncing around therge crowd of elite men present, the rich girls instantly knew their backgrounds and assets quite well. Keen on finding the perfect match for themselves, they desperately wanted to earn the favor of the certain rich men who were known for their handsome looks and financial status. But none of them had shown up yet, even when the party started. No wonder the women were a bit disappointed. While the women hunted for the perfect husband, the men were ncing around to check the female party guests. They were all dazzled at the sight of Jessica who wore a long revealing gown. Her big breasts aroused their wildest fantasies. They had been longing to get an eyeful of her curvy figure for a long time. But with Edward at her side, they dared not stare at her. Today, they could finally feast their eyes on her. Despite how attracted they were, no man stepped forward to flirt with her. After all, Edward hadn''t announced their break-up. They didn''t want to cross Edward and risk theirpany for a woman. So they remained in ce and continued fantasizing without taking any action. Seeing Jessica in the limelight made Mary huff angrily. She intentionally chose an elegant and conservative dress to impress Edward, but every man''s eyes were glued on Jessica''s captivating figure. Not even the slightest bit of attention shifted to her. It seemed her orthodox outfit was her biggest mistake tonight. In contrast to Mary''s regret, Jessica was quite delighted with all the attention. As if on purpose, she stroked the precious ''Soul of Tears'' ne several times around her neck. It was a present from Edward. She wanted to wear the ne as a reminder of her ce in Edward''s heart. She smiled and moved g . What was he trying to prove? "Have I ever told you that you''re a terrible liar?" Duke fixed his cold eyes on her. He had had enough of her surly and odd behavior in the past several days. He wanted to discuss their problems, instead of pushing them aside. "You have to let me go first." Noticing that they were gaining some attention, Belinda was embarrassed to stay in Duke''s arms. After all, only close friends knew about their marriage. She didn''t want to make their rtionship public and be the topic of gossip in S City. "What if I say no?" Duke looked up, meeting the women''s shocked eyes. They should be surprised. After all, he never flirted with or approached any woman, let alone disy his affections in public. "If you want to be tomorrow''s headline, then hold me as long as you want." Knowing how much Duke hated exposure, Belinda used it against him. "I wouldn''t care about being on the news if you''re with me." Duke curled his lips into a mischievous smile, winning the hearts of all the women present. Duke was no less popr than Edward, but nobody ever flirted with him due to his indifference. No matter how many women wanted him, his cold eyes instantly extinguished any idea about approaching him. They wouldn''t even dare talk to him. Chapter 329 Are You Jealous (Part One) "Yo! I was wondering who are engaging in a public disy of affection here. Edward and Daisy aren''t here yet; isn''t it too early to steal the spotlight?" Rain casually approached Duke and Belinda and teased them with his eyebrows raised. He was wearing a gray suit, exquisitely tailored. Rain had been calling Annie ever since she disappeared after that night. He felt distressed when her family told him that she wanted to be left alone for a while. He finally stopped trying to track her down. He believed that Annie woulde back to him if she really loved him! And he would wait patiently until she did. The earth is round. Even though they parted here and headed different ways, they would eventually meet again someday somewhere if they were meant to be together. If Annie didn''t love him, there would be no point in finding her. We can''t force people to love us. And there would only be endless sorrow and pain for people who were thrown together in a loveless rtionship. "What? Are you jealous?" Duke retorted sourly, rolling his eyes. ''What''s wrong with him? Can''t he see that I''m in the middle of a conversation with my wife? What''s he doing here?'' Duke was annoyed. "Yes! I''m jealous to death! Okay, I''ll leave you two alone and spread my charm over there. Go back to whatever you were doing." Rain put on a devil-may-care smile in front of everyone, but he was breaking down inside. It seemed every one of his friends had someone to love, someone who loved them, except for him! "Fuck off! No wonder Annie left you! Look at yourself, fluttering around like a butterfly!" Duke was pissed. He was in the middle of something really romantic and intimate with B t attack! "Do you two have to act like this? She is just a tiny bit plus-sized, with heavy make-up, and a unique style. Everything else seems fine!" Belinda held back the urge to burst intoughter and blurted out random sentences with a serious tone. The corners of her lips were twitching because she really wanted tough out loud. "Belinda, are you serious? Do you even know what you are saying? Plus-sized? She''s twice as big as I am! Just imagine how much pressure she''s putting on the earth. And look at her make-up! We''re at a party, not the theater! And what else? Oh, a unique style? Listen to yourself! I didn''t say fat is ugly, but does she have to wear a skin-tight dress like that? You know what? I''m terrified by the thought that her dress will pop open any second!" Rain blurted out without stopping, in the end, he even shivered violently. Duke felt exactly the same. He cast a curious look at Belinda, wondering what was wrong with her. She sounded calm and sincere as she described the woman just now, as if the woman was just some in and ordinary female rather than a hideous monster. Chapter 330 Are You Jealous (Part Two) Belinda was about to say something, but she suddenly stopped because something more interesting caught her eye. She saw Leena walk into the venue with a tall and handsome man. Both she and Duke were surprised that Leena suddenly married this man without telling them beforehand, and Duke kept nagging her, enraged about this. But Belinda never actually met Leena''s husband until tonight, and she felt it strange to hear Duke''s constantining about someone she didn''t even know! She just had to get to know this guy first, for he was able to piss off Duke, the iceberg famous for his apathy. Leena was an edgy fashion designer with excellent taste in clothing and essories.The wardrobes she had chosen for Kevin and herself perfectly matched. The pink dress made Leena''s skin tone look fair and smooth. Pink was a color adored by women because it was light and tender, symbolizing both innocence and elegance. It was simr to white, but much lovelier, and suited people with fair white skin tone. Leena knew about colors; she also knew what suited her best. Her choice was great; she looked stunning in that pink dress. To go with her dress, Leena picked a slim-cut navy blue suit for Kevin. He was tall and masculine, and Leena was petite and lovely. They made a great couple. Kevin didn''t know much about fashion, for he barely had the chance to wear anything besides his uniform. He trusted Leena because it was her area of expertise. He nced at his own suit and was once again convinced that Leena had a great taste. . Therefore, he assumed they knew each other because of their husbands. Thinking of that, Kevin was more friendly to Belinda. "Haha! I''m just asking. You don''t have to give a serious answer like that." Belinda was amused by Kevin''s words. She covered her mouth and chuckled. She was no journalist; why did he praise Daisy like he was in a press conference? Kevin realized he got emotional, so he smiled awkwardly to Belinda. Maybe he was used to praising Daisy. He overreacted every time when it came to Daisy. He wasn''t sure if it was a good behavior. "Brother, are you still mad at me?" Leena had been studying Duke''s face ever since she saw him. But to her surprise, her brother didn''t look at her at all. Leena felt her heart being torn apart. Duke used to love her so much, for she was his only darling sister. Leena knew it and she loved her brother. Leena knew she would lose a lot of precious things in her life if she and her brother continued fighting like this, which was thest thing she ever wanted. Chapter 331 Mrs. Mu There were many guests present at the ceremony. Besides the elites from various industries, the entertainers of FX International Group were the most dramatic. Dressed to kill, they drew the admiring gazes of men and aroused jealousy in women. Then some military officers showed up at the ceremony too, which had never happened before. They were no ordinary soldiers. The epaulettes on their uniform told people that they were of high military rank. Their appearance provoked spection. People were wondering if FX International Group had gotten into huge trouble. Kevin was surprised to see these officers. He wasn''t informed that any officers wereing to the ceremony. He wondered whether they had been invited or they were here for the matter concerning Daisy. His heart grew heavy. Then he nodded to the people beside him and walked quickly toward the officers. "Army Commander, Commander, why are you here?" Kevin said to his two superiors and then nodded to the other officers. He frowned at seeing Hank among them and wondered why themander had brought him along. "Hello, Kevin. Fancy seeing you here. I was just wondering why yourmander didn''t keep you, the dark horse, at his side. It turns out that you got here ahead of us. I heard that you did a great job in the war games." The Army Commander was much younger than the Commander. They were of the same military rank and their posts sounded simr. But the Army Commander led the group army while the Commandermanded an army base of the group army. So there was an essential distinction between their posts. "Thank you, sir. It''s the oue of the concerted team work of the soldiers. I''m just a member of the team." Neither the Army Commander nor the Commander answered Kevin''s question. Underneath his superficial calmness, he became worried. He kept casting looks at the Commander, hoping he could give him a hint. "Kevin, you are being modest. Your father hopes you can go back to the capital city. What do you think?" The Army Commander looked around and wondered why the CEO of FX International Group invited them to the ceremony. When they were negotiating about the sponsorship for military equipment, Edward didn''t engage in it at all. During the whole process it was Mr. Rain that had negotiated with them on behalf of Edward. As to the reason why they were invited here, the Commander was confused too. That morning, he had just heard that the CEO of FX International Group was Daisy''s husband. An invitational phone call came before he could report the news to his superior. He saw Kevin''s inquiring eyes, but he had to shrug to indicate that he was clueless. "I talked with my father about it. I prefer to stay in the city, " Kevin replied. In the capital city, people would only regard him as the son of some authority. If he stayed here, he would be away from that atmosphere, be himself, and lead a more meaningful and fulfilling life. "Ow, really? Your father will be disapp t on the guests. Edward gloated inwardly over the dress he had picked out for Daisy. The white color and her aloofness blended well in a distinctive style on her. Instead of innocence which white color usually reminded people of, it now set her cold gorgeousness off to advantage, mixed with her upromising and heavenly temperament. Edward was stunned at her charm. Before they set off, Daisy wasn''t informed that tonight was the anniversary ceremony of FX International Group. She was confused when Edward asked her to put on this beautiful dress. When Tom and Leena indicated that they would see her at night, she was really puzzled. So she had refused to put it on until Edward exined the reason to her. Aaron''s introduction had shattered her n to stay low-key. All eyes were on her now. She was even more nervous than when she was facing tens of thousands of soldiers. "Mrs. Mu is not only the wife of the CEO, her other role will make the teenage girls scream in excitement. We all know that there''s a young legendary female colonel in the city, who is an idol to many young women. However, since the colonel always keeps a low profile, few have seen her. She is our mystery, our urban legend. People talk about her all the time. Tonight, this mysterious colonel is right here -- Mrs. Mu! Now let''s warmly wee the CEO and his lovely wife to award the prize to the model employees. People started apuding them as soon as Aaron finished the sentence. Meanwhile, someone was deeply frustrated and resented Daisy even more. Unusually, Justin behaved himself today. He looked here and there. Hearing Aaron say his parents were going to confer awards, he let go of his dad''s hand and ran toward his grandparents. Edward and Daisy were a little bewildered. Seeing the guests around them, they looked at each other and smiled, which was caught by the media at the scene. They started taking pictures eagerly, making the affectionate smiles evesting, immortalized. Chapter 332 Daughters and Dead Fish Are No Keeping Wares (Part One) "I''m not mad. It''s your life, and I can''t make choices for you. Your happiness is what matters." Duke was cold to everyone, but never to Leena. No matter how bad her actions made him feel, he would bear it alone, and would not make her feel bad. "Duke, I am so sorry! I promise I will be happy." Hearing what Duke had said, Leena smiled with joy, and jumped into his arms like a spoiled child, which made Kevin feel better. He didn''t want to drive Duke and Leena apart. That wasn''t why he married her, and he knew she wouldn''t be happy if that happened. Duke gently pinched her pink face, the way he always did. But he still stared at Kevin with a stony face. Although Duke didn''t me Leena for not telling him in advance, he couldn''t ept that Leena would marry Kevin, so he still was very angry when he saw the soldier. Kevin could certainly understand why Duke was so angry with him, so he was ready to take the heat before he got there. He didn''t react to Duke''s rudeness either. If he were Duke, he''d be angry too. He totally understood and epted it. Belinda rolled her eyes at Duke, and thought this guy was so vindictive. Even though Kevin married his baby sister without his consent, he shouldn''t be like he was suffering bitterly and nursing some seriously deep hatred. Besides, didn''t she marry him because of his dirty tricks? Then, was she supposed to be unfriendly just like him? After being teased by Belinda, Rain said nothing more but simply watched them. Sometimes it seemed the atmosphere was tense, but it was actually happy. Feelings of loneliness overcame him then. He thought, did Annie really not love him? Was that why Annie left him? Ann ter how beautiful I am, I still can''tpare to you. Am I right, Uncle Jonathan?" Leena yfully took Cynthia''s arm and looked at Jonathan with a smile. There was a sense of mischievousness in her bright eyes. "Ha-ha! It looks like my daughter can only see you, not me. I''ve been here for a while and look -- she totally ignores me." Lloyd joked. Heughed heartily, which was totally different than Duke. Unlike Lloyd, Duke was a very aloof person. For those who didn''t know them, they didn''t seem like father and son at all. "Dad, I am not ignoring you. It is only polite to greet them first. You''re not jealous, are you?" As soon as she heard her father making fun of her, she hugged him with a sweet smile on her face. "Dad, mom, you''re here. Uncle Jonathan; Aunt Cynthia. Long time no see. I can''t believe you''re still as young as ever." Duke still seemed to ignore his dad. He only greeted his inws and Edward''s parents. "Ah! It seems that you are getting more and more aloof, just like your Uncle Jonathan." Sometimes Cynthia thought Duke was her son, otherwise, how could he be like Jonathan? Chapter 333 Daughters and Dead Fish Are No Keeping Wares (Part Two) "Ha-ha Aunt Cynthia, don''t you know that he has a psychological defect? Something is missing in him." Rain yfully teased Duke, but he didn''t expect he would also offend Jonathan, who looked at him coldly. "What is he missing, Rain?" Leena asked quizzically. She was curious now, not entirely understanding it was a joke. "Well, he..." Ah! Rain realized that he shouldn''t say that. How could he forget that Jonathan was here? Jonathan''s cold stare shut him down, A look from the man would stress anyone out. "Hi! I''m Belinda." If Belinda listened to their conversation and still didn''t know who they were, she must be a fool. She just couldn''t figure out why Edward''s parents looked so young. If she hadn''t known that Edward had no siblings, she would have thought they were Edward''s brother and sister. "Hi, Belinda. I remember when I saw youst time, you were still a tiny little girl. I didn''t expect you to be so capable now. I heard you married Duke. Wee to the family." Cynthia knew what kind of person Jonathan was. Apart from her, he would not look at any women who greeted them, regardless of their age. So, for those who greeted them, she would tactfully handle them alone. "That''s right. We were thinking how we could convince them to be together. But they still got married without our help." Sherry Ai liked Duke very much. She had worried that an excellent man like Duke wouldn''t like Belinda. After all, Belinda was a hot-tempered girl. Their marriage was no doubt a big surprise for her. "Mom..." Belinda red at her mother shyly. She didn''t know why her mother had to tell other peop . Leena felt so shy that she had to bury her head in Kevin''s chest to avoid the?attention?of the guests. This move made people smile even more, so she?had to bury her head?further. Could she be any more embarrassed? Kevin chuckled and put his arm around Leena''s waist. He felt so surprised that?such a lively and cheerful girl would?be so shy. Seeing her falling into his arms so naturally, Kevin ?felt so conflicted. He worried that he would never be able to forget Daisy and fall in love with this lovely little girl. He had already told himself more than once that he was married to?Leena. He should not pay any attention to Daisy. However, he couldn''t easily forget her, since he had carried a torch for her for so long. Now he felt that he was sucked into a giant?maelstrom. He wanted to get out but didn''t know how to forget these kinds of feelings. Every time he came up for air, his feelings would wash over him in a big wave, threatening to drown him. That''s why he felt so helpless, not knowing how to deal with all that. Sometimes it seemed the maelstrom might win. Chapter 334 Till Death Do Us Part (Part One) Daisy walked gracefully to the center of the stage, appearing in all her glory. Probably because she was a soldier, the heroic spirit shown in her firm gaze added an imposing and intimidating touch to her appearance. Standing next to Edward who was handsome and fascinating, Daisy looked like a perfect match for him. Thedy was graceful while the man was handsome, the couple were made for each other. When Leo and Yakira arrived at the hotel, they happened to see Edward and Daisy appear on the stage with the cheering of the crowd. But their thoughts and reactions were different. One was smiling with delight, the other was sneering with contempt and hatred. Although Leo felt suspicious of Yakira after he saw the document Luke had shown to him, he didn''tpletely believe it. There wasn''t enough evidence in the papers to convince him. Looking at the noble and gorgeous Daisy, Yakira shed a vicious smile in her eyes. She didn''t expect she would be transformed into a gorgeous beauty from a normal girl in these years. What vexed her most was that Daisy received Edward''s love and affection, and this was all the more insufferable to her, who was intolerant of anything from Daisy. She was extremely upset. Daisy seldom smiled, but today, she had a gentle smile on her face all the time. Though the smile wasn''t obvious, it added a soft touch to her usual cold demeanor. During the whole process of giving the award, she left a good impression on all the employees as an approachable person, without any trace of arrogance. "Colonel Ouyang, on this special day, do you have anything to say to all the guests here?" Daisy had thought that the award ceremony was over, and she could finally escape from being the focus of every guest''s attention now. Aaron''s sugg I am not going to exin it today. What I want to say now is only this, that I love her, till death do us part!" Edward said while looking affectionately into her eyes. Edward''s sudden confession made Daisy blush immediately. She was surprised that a noble, arrogant and dignified man as Edward would say such passionate and sweet words to her in public. At the same time, she thanked him for not mentioning the fact that she was once abandoned by him in public. He took all the me by saying that it was his personal factors that caused no one to know about their marriage. She appreciated him for this. Because she didn''t want their marriage to be the topic of gossip. This was the least she would expect. He knew what she was thinking about, so Daisy really felt very grateful to him. Jessica''s face was more ghastly pale than it had ever been. It turned out that what Daisy said the other day was true. It was real when she said she was married to Edward. It was not a random excuse she used to cheat her. This realization deprived her of herst hope for getting Edward back. And the confidence she had finally built up fell to pieces when she heard Edward''s words. Chapter 335 Till Death Do Us Part (Part Two) He said he loved Daisy, till death do them part. What a firm promise! But it was not for Jessica. He gave the words to another woman. He even didn''t care a bit about Jessica. She touched her belly, and wondered what else she had to do to win this excellent man back. Because he seemed not interested in her anymore. He had paid no attention to the child in her womb, let alone acknowledged the child was his. ''Edward, why do you hurt me like this? In fact, I don''t want much from you. I do not imagine you would really love me. I only want to continue to stay with you. But you give all your heart to another woman. You don''t even respond to my pleading. You love Daisy wholeheartedly. But have you ever thought of me for one second?'' Jessica cried in her heart. Among the guests, another person who had the same reaction as Jessica was Hank. His face grew pale, too. He had never imagined that Daisy was the wife of the CEO of FX International Group. Then the letter he managed to send to the leaders was a false usation. Thinking of this, he lost his cool. Because if they found that he was the person who sent the letter, he would face a loss of rank, or even worse, being expelled from the army. He would really be doomed by Jessica''s tricks. She told him that she was married to Edward, but it wasplete bullshit, Hank thought. But wasn''t it toote for him to realize this? Because the misunderstanding and mistake were already made. Now he finally came to understand why Daisy would drive that luxurious car into the army base without any fears that her car would be mistaken as bribe. Because with the wealth of FX Inter nned all army officers present. "Mr. Mu, you''re very modest. We are the people who should say thanks for your generous financing." The Army Commander''s loud and clear voice matched his manner as a soldier. It was the first time he had met with Edward, so he acted very politely. He didn''t dare to underestimate Edward who smiled broadly. Because he knew that though the man was smiling, an iron hand might be hidden in a velvet glove. So he felt the need to be cautious when dealing with Edward. "Every citizen has a responsibility to support the country''s military. I only did what I should do within my ability. Don''t be too polite. For our good partnership, I propose a toast!" Edward said while taking the ss of wine from the waiter. He knew how to handle it appropriately. He was neither very hospitable nor very indifferent to them. Instead, he kept his graceful manner all the time. As a business man, he never acted on impulse without due consideration. So this time he used his intelligence and wisdom to deal with this group of people seriously. It was what he was good at. Chapter 336 Scheming Edward "Mr. Mu, a toast in the spirit of good cooperation! I never imagined that Daisy is your wife. She is an excellent officer in our army. We''re on the same side and we should support each other, ha, ha! " toasted the Army Commander. He downed his drink with one gulp. The implication in his words revealed that he was indeed a mighty and smart leader. After all, an average man wouldn''t reach his status. "Thanks, Army Commander. I also consider my wife excellent in every aspect. It seems that we have the same view on that, " said Edward. Of course, Edward, a scheming businessperson, could read between the lines. He understood what the Army Commander was implying. So he got the hint and continued. "Ha, ha! You''re living up to your status as an elite in the city, considerate and thoughtful. Don''t worry! She''s always been one of the most powerful and efficient officers on base, " said the Army Commander. He thought, ''Edward looks prettier than most women, but he doesn''t behave like a woman. Instead of beating about the bush, he is negotiating with me in a different way. Every line he said seems simple and normal, but he was hinting his purpose. And I couldn''t say no to him. He is really crafty.'' "That''s very nice of you. You''ve given your word, then I have nothing to worry about, '''' replied Edward. He put on a meaningful smile on his face when his purpose was understood by the Army Commander. He thought, ''The Army Commander is clever. I thought there would be a lot of talking. But he is wise enough to make the conversation easier. I like to talk with intelligent people, because I can get what I want a lot quicker. Meaningless talk is just a waste of time.'' On the other hand, Daisy frowned and was a bit confused. She failed to follow their way of talking and thinking. She felt that there was a hidden meaning behind their words. When she tried to figure out what they were talking about a moment ago, they seemed to turn to another topic. In fact, the rest felt the same way. Edward and the Army Commander talked as if they were good friends who had known each other for a long time. In fact, it was the first time they had met. The words meant more than they said. "Commander, a toast to you! Thanks for your caring and help to my wife all these years, " said Edward sincerely. Some time ago, he had overheard Daisy talking with the Commander on the phone. He knew that the Commander truly cared about Daisy. Therefore, Edward sincerely respected him. "Mr. Mu, you''re wee. Daisy is a talent, I''m just a talent scout. I don''t take the credit for her sess and honors. She has earned them the hard way, " replied themander. He appreciated the sophisticated way Edward dealt with people. He understood the implied meaning, so he had to be very cautious when he talked with such a scheming man like Edward. Or he would be screwed. Edward was amused. He realized that themander must have known exac aisy in public. In his mind, Edward had always resisted baring his heart in public. When did Edward change? But Tom didn''t want to jump to conclusions. He remembered that Edward punched him the night before. "Tom, you''re here. I thought you were in yourb again, " said Leena. At the beginning of the party, she was with Mr. Cold and others. But they had to socialize with their business partners. Even Edward''s mother went to talk with her friends. Leena was left alone. Therefore Leena was very happy to see Tom and Rain. "Hi! Leena, why are you alone? Aren''t you married?" asked Tom. He looked up and found no one with Leena. He frowned deeply. "Tom, I''m sorry I didn''t tell you I got married, " apologized Leena. Shy, she stuck out her tongue at him. She felt embarrassed and sorry for not telling him about her marriage in person. After all, Tom was like one of the family, who alwaysvished their affection and time on her. "What? You''re sorry? How could you have the nerve to marry a man shortly without telling us first. What if he is a bad guy!" asked Tom. He was shocked when he heard the news. He couldn''t imagine such a lovely and good girl would get married so quietly and quickly. It was not like Leena at all. "Yeah, I know he''s not! Tom. I''m not stupid! I''m too smart to be cheated. Don''t worry, " replied Leena. With a forced smile on her face, she was crying inside, '' Why? Why does everyone keep asking about my marriage? Is Kevin really that bad? He seems to be unwee and unlikable.'' At the thought of Kevin, she looked around and tried to find out where he was. She thought, ''Kevin hasn''te back for me since he went to greet the officers. Does he get stuck on the way here? Or has he totally forgotten me? No, that''s impossible! Even if I''m not the one he loves, I''m his wife. I must mean something to him, right?'' At the thought of this, her heart sank. The smile on her face suddenly wavered and disappeared. Chapter 337 A Sublime Melody (Part One) "Mu, what you said isn''t true, is it? How could she be your legal wife? If that is true, howe she didn''t show up earlier? You are deliberately making me give up, that''s why you are making her y along, aren''t you?" Jessica caught Edward when he was standing alone. She wouldn''t ept her defeat. Her outfit and makeup were captivating enough to amaze every onlooker, yet Daisy Ouyang''s pure and intense aura trumped them. Initially, all eyes were on Jessica, but when Daisy entered the venue, all the attention shifted to her. Jessica was jealous of both Daisy''s gorgeous figure and noble background. "Jessica, it''s you. Do you think you are so important that we have to put up a performance for you? Don''t think so highly of yourself. We don''t consider you a threat. Since we''ve known each other for years, let me give you a fair warning! Don''t do anything stupid that doesn''t match your status." Edward noticed Jessica''s pale and soft hand holding onto his sleeve. He raised his eyebrows and ordered her unmercifully, without a hint of emotion. His frigidness was like the severe winter wind that erased all traces of warmth. "Do you really love her? Till death do you apart? It''s not just a lie?" Jessica bit on her lip. No matter what, she couldn''t believe a phnderer like Edward could give up on his lifestyle for one woman, for one icy bloom named Daisy. Jessica was determined to reveal what was behind Edward''s facade. "What do you think? Are you curious? But why should I tell you? I''m not obliged to do that, am I?" Edward smirked and pulled back his sleeve assertively. His love for Daisy was sacred and personal, and he had no reason to exin his emotions to an irrelevant outsider. He did not expect everyone in this world to understand his affection for Daisy. A melodies to express her anger. Edward was stunned by Daisy''s unanticipated solo performance, that''s why he forgot to push away Jessica immediately. He didn''t know that Daisy was so good at ying the piano. She gave him such pleasant surprises every so often in their rtionship. Edward wondered how many delightful surprises awaited him. His own imagination overcame him. So when he realized the tonal shift in her music, he understood the reason instantly. The woman was angry at him now. Thinking about this, he gave a broad smile and unflinchingly pushed Jessica off of him. Edward did not want to be butchered by Daisy''s sharp notes, which might happen if this went on any longer. Edward wasn''t the only one shaken by Daisy''s music. Everyone present was overwhelmed by her breezy yet stern, subtle yet sublime tunes. When she finally finished her song, Daisy gently smiled and stepped off the stage cautiously. The mellow aura still lingered on people''s ears. By the time she approached Edward, thunderous apuse was exploding from every corner of the room. Every man in the room stared at Edward with obvious envy, feeling jealous that they didn''t have a gifted woman like Daisy. Chapter 338 A Sublime Melody (Part Two) "Jessica Lin, I didn''t expect to see you so soon. You can hug other men as much as you like, but don''t you daree near my man. I remember warning you; it seems that you have a short memory." Daisy frowned slightly, ncing at Edward with usation. She wasn''t pleased that this man had made her so jealous that she had to perform in front of everyone on an instrument that she hadn''t tried for the longest time. Luckily Daisy hadn''t lost her touch. Otherwise, Edward would be in serious troubleter that night. "Don''t forget that he used to be my man as well. You shouldn''t be so confident. Your man will ultimately go to some other woman. I believe, at that time someone will say the same thing to you! Are you still sure that this man is solely yours?" Jessica had lost Edward, but she still fought for her dignity. No matter what happened, she wouldn''t concede to Daisy so easily. Edward turned to Daisy with worry, upon hearing Jessica''s attempt to disparage his rtionship with Daisy. He quickly pulled her close to him. When he turned back to face Jessica, darkness appeared on his handsome face. ''Jessica, you''ve ruined everyst bit of kindness that existed between us. Now I''ve seen how nasty you really are.'' "Oh? Is that so? I''ll be waiting for it! I don''t care how many women he had or is going to have. He is mine now, and every bit of him belongs to me. If anyone tries to get a piece of him, she''ll have to go through me first." Daisy sneered and didn''t react to Edward''s action. Her bright eyes taunted Jessica. Daisy didn''t he child. Otherwise, why would this womane after him again and again? "Belinda, leave it. Calm down. People are watching. Let''s not make this ugly." Daisy didn''t want to spoil the party because of their personal affairs. She was familiar with Belinda''s temper. Belinda would easily get riled up about anything rted to Daisy, so she had to be stopped. Moreover, Belinda was now a CEO of a bigpany. Many people from the business world were looking at them. Daisy couldn''t afford to let her reputation be damaged. That would be detrimental to her career growth. Besides, her superiors from the army were also here, so she had to contain herself. Belinda looked around at the curious eyes staring at them and unwillingly decided to stop humiliating Jessica. She had to keep things cool for Daisy''s sake, so she left Jessica with a threatening look. Deep down, she tried to tell Jessica that she would not lose to anyone even if she had to y dirty. Other than that sly Leena Leng, Belinda had never been defeated by anyone. Chapter 339 What Are You Doing (Part One) Jessica gritted her teeth as Edward left determinedly. She wanted to hold on to him, but she knew Belinda was right; she couldn''te between Edward and Daisy. Stealing him back was out of the question. "Daisy, you look gorgeous tonight! You practically steal the show." After Edward left, Belinda ignored Jessica and chatted with Daisy joyfully. Daisy was beautiful, but she always kept a low profile; when it came to clothes, she usually chose casual andfortable outfits. Besides, she barely had the chance to wear anything other than her uniform, let alone a gorgeous gown like she wore for the party tonight. "What? Are you spellbound by my beauty?" Daisy took a deep breath and smiled at Belinda, trying to calm herself down with a little banter. She was really nervous. After Edward introduced her as his wife, everyone was staring at her either curiously or viciously. It was difficult for her to enjoy the party. "Yes! But I think I''m not the only one enchanted by you tonight. Do you see that handsome guy over there? He has been gazing at you for quite some time." Belinda raised her eyebrows and pointed in a man''s direction. "Who are you talking about?" Following Belinda''s gaze, Daisy curiously turned. The smile on her face instantly disappeared as she saw the young man. It was Brian. Brian was sure that he didn''t mistake someone else for Daisy. After all, Edward introduced her and then confessed his love for her in front of all the guests. "Do you know him?" Belinda noticed a change in Daisy''s look. She was confused, so she turned around again to look at the young man. "Yes, I do. Sorry, Belinda. Please excuse me for a second." Daisy knew sooner orter she had to face Brian. She missed him so much. But when they met the other day, she had to say she didn''t know him. Although she didn''t want to, she had her own difficulties. Now that everyone knew who she was, she couldn''t pretend not knowing him. After all, Brian hadn''t done anything wrong, and he didn''t deserve this. Brian was in shock the whole evening. He thought Edward would bring one of his girlfriends to the party, but he hadn''t expected that Edward woul y." Brian''s eyes became red. He closed his eyes and sighed with satisfaction. He hadn''t held Daisy for years, and he missed her embrace. He felt love and warmth only when Daisy hugged him. He had never felt the same thing from any other member of his family, not even his own mother. Perhaps it was because his mother loved and cared for no one but herself, and the only thing she did was to plot against others. "What are you doing? Am I invisible to you now?" As the brother and sister were enjoying the happy reunion, Edward suddenly showed up behind them. He pushed Brian away and pulled Daisy into his arms as he red at the man who dared to embrace his wife. His eyes were full of rage. Although Edward was having casual conversations with his clients, his eyes followed Daisy as she went around the venue. When he noticed how many men were drooling over Daisy, he immediately regretted choosing such a stunning dress for her. He knew better than anyone that she was irresistible. While chatting with guests, he kept an eye on her, in case someone would try to hit on her. Edward got furious when he saw a man hugging Daisy in front of everyone. Was the man desperately seeking his death? He''d be happy to help him if that was the case. "Edward! What are you doing? Are you okay, Brian?" Daisy hadn''t expected that Edward would suddenly attack Brian. She was so worried about her brother that she didn''t notice Edward''s anger. Chapter 340 What Are You Doing (Part Two) "You owe me an exnation." Until this moment, Edward didn''t know he could be jealous of a young man. He was green with envy when he saw his wife cared for another man. His heart was filled with fury and jealousy, and he was about to explode. Usually, women would fight for his favor, since when did it shift the other way around? However, Edward had no time to think about that. The only thing he could think of was to protect his wife. "Exnation? Didn''t you see everything?" Daisy assumed Edward knew that Brian was her brother; what she meant was that it wasmon for a sister to embrace her brother, especially after they had been parted for years. However, Edward didn''t. In Edward''s eyes, Daisy was challenging him. He had just announced to the world that she was his wife; how could she embrace another man like this? It was uneptable! "Daisy, are you really that desperate? Huh? You won''t even exin it to me. Or perhaps you are trying to upset me because of Jessica? That''s why you are hitting on another man." A moment ago Edward was in the seventh heaven, and now he was falling from cloud nine. How could he ept this calmly? "Edward, don''t make a fuss out of nothing. Are you out of your mind? I have no idea what you''re talking about." Confused, Daisy reached out her hand, trying to feel his forehead. But she missed him because he turned his head aside angrily. Daisy was sure that Edward was mad at her. But why? "Am I making a fuss out of nothing? I saw with my own eyes that you were holding this boy toy! Don''t you think I deserve an exnation?" Edward was being ridiculous. Did he forget that he was holding Jessica just a few minutes ago? How could he me Daisy when he had made the same mistake? "Boy toy? You mean Brian?" Daisy was puzzled, and she turned her eyes to Brian. He looked masculine and handsome. How could he be a boy toy? Did Edward mean someone else? Who could it be? "Brian... You''ve never been that gentle while calling out my name." Edward got more irritated, Daisy always called everyone she knew by first names or nicknames, but she usually a ood. "I''m sorry. Did I make a mistake?" Feeling awkward, Edward brushed his hair with his fingers and turned to Daisy. Daisy shrugged and gave him a tiny smile. "Yes, you did. Please find out who you are throwing your fist at before you get jealous next time. Or you''ll end up embarrassing yourself." Daisy had no choice but to give in when Edward stared at her with puppy eyes. Although sometimes she regretted spoiling him, she always found a reason to forgive herself for doing so. No matter what, she couldn''t stay mad at him. "Yes, you''re right. Next time before I hit him, I''ll definitely tell him why." Edward smirked at Daisy. Although he misunderstood their rtionship, Brian still embraced Daisy. The only man in the world who could hug Daisy was Edward himself! Brian was not allowed to do so, even if he was her brother. Edward noticed that Brian was special to Daisy. She had cut off all her connections with the Ouyangs, but not with Brian. Daisy was speechless when she heard Edward. What did he just say? Did he mean that he would still attack Brian? Did he think that it was the right thing to do? How dare he stand in front of her and threaten her brother? Wasn''t he afraid of her? Daisy would like to see what Edward was going to do to Brian because no matter what Edward did, she would do the same thing to him! She wouldn''t tolerate him ignoring her and bullying her brother! Chapter 341 The Higher You Stand, The Heavier You Fall (Part One) "Let''s go. Let me introduce you to everyone." Edward was just threatening him. He didn''t attempt to teach Brian a lesson as Daisy''s squinted eyes already implied danger. He could dismiss Brian, but not Daisy''s feelings. "Do I have to? I''m not good at forcing a smile." As much as Daisy disliked these social engagements, she tried to present her best self for Edward''s sake. "Please join me. Don''t worry. I''ll be with you." Edward knew why Daisy was concerned, but he hoped to present a different side of himself, a businessman instead of a familyman. He didn''t want to limit himself. He wanted Daisy to know every aspect of his life, his connections, his extraordinary aplishments, and more. Edward was eager to show to her everything. "But Brian..." Daisy looked at Brian hesitantly, not knowing what to do. She just saw him after many years; Daisy didn''t want to leave him behind or have himin about her behavior. Besides, she wanted to know everything that had happened to him these years. "Daisy, I''ll be fine by myself. You should go with Edward. We''ll have plenty of time to shoot the breezeter." Brian answered while giving a handsome smile. He had seen through Edward already. On the one hand, Edward wanted to unt Daisy in front of his friends. On the other hand, he hoped to disy his wisdom and sophistication in front of Daisy. Either way, Edward would win praise. He was calctive, thoughtful and determined. Sophistication was embedded in his DNA. Edward lived up to the status of the business elite, even an outsider like Daisy admired his tactics and ability to overshadow others in casual conversation. Just like Edward said, as long as he was with her, she had nothing to worry about. All she needed to do was to say hello. Then Edward would take over and handle the rest. Yet being next to such an extraordinary man didn''t cheer up Daisy; instead, it worried her, because she wasn''t sure whether Edward would get bored and leave her. After all, he was an extremely outstanding man in this world filled with temptations. Throughout that night, Daisy was focused on Edward ra I..." Mary remembered Cynthia fromst time. So when she saw her again, she lost the courage to say another word. She went nk. "Daisy, let''s go. I''ll take you to meet some friends." After giving her warning, Cynthiapletely ignored Mary. She never paid any attention to the people she didn''t like. Now all she could see was her sweet daughter-inw. "Sure." Daisy took a deep breath, her head was filled with Cynthia''s words, Edward had taught Mary a lesson? When did that happen? Howe Edward had never told her about it? Was Edward also hiding other things from her? He exined himself only after she found out things, like the things with Leo and Jessica. He never offered to tell her anything. That thought made her heart sink. She began to lose her cool as she kept thinking about Mary''s warning. "Uncle, Aunt, long time no see. How are you doing?" Daisy was thrilled to see Belinda''s parents here. She hadn''t noticed that Cynthia was taking her to meet them. She hadn''t seen them for years. In fact, she hadn''t seen them since she went abroad for studying in the military school. Over a decade had passed. Many things had changed, but her affection for them remained as it was. Belinda''s home was like a haven for her. She loved the soothing smile of Belinda''s father and the gentlefort of her mother. It was a treasured memory for her. After all these years, she still remembered it. Chapter 342 The Higher You Stand, The Heavier You Fall (Part Two) "Daisy, I thought you forget about us. Why didn''t youe to visit us for all these years?" Sherry controlled her tears of happiness. She had been quite emotional and excited from the moment she saw Daisy walking in with Edward. There was a Chinese saying "A girl changes fast in physical appearance from childhood to adulthood" and Daisy was a living example of it. After all these years, Daisy had grown into an elegant and gorgeous woman. That made Sherry relieved as well as nostalgic. "I see, you already know each other." Cynthia had nned to introduce them to each other. But before she did, Daisy and Sherry had already hugged each other. "Yes, we know each other well. When they got married, we were abroad. That''s why we couldn''t attend their wedding ceremony. No wonder I didn''t know that Daisy is your daughter-inw. She is like a daughter to me." As Sherry examined Daisy, she became more content. "Haha. Destiny is mysterious. It has closely connected our families." Cynthia was overwhelmed with joy to see them catching up. After all, it was easier to get along with someone you already knew than a total stranger. Jonathan always wore a poker face. As much as he appreciated Daisy, he didn''t reveal his admiration on his face. He just sat there quietly without making anyments. Those who knew him also knew his temper quite well, so they were used to it. But Daisy felt a bit awkward in front of him, possibly because of her outfit. She felt morefortable around him in her military uniform. Simr to Daisy''s embarrassment, Kevin was also like a cat on hot bricks. He noticed everything that was going on around Leena from where he sat. He knew Rain who was seated beside Leena. But who was the other gentleman next to her? Kevin could tell from their intimacy that they must know each other quite well. Kevin frowned helplessly. He knew that there was no love between him and Leena, but she was his wife anyway. So he couldn''t posure, that Leena was not a shameless woman and that she wouldn''t be stupid enough to flirt with another man in public. He believed in his own judgment to choose a faithful wife, and he was sure that Leena wasn''t an infidel woman. That''s how he managed to keep his cool. "Well. Well, this is Tom, he''s a doctor. If you get sick, you have to go to see him. His healing skills are superb." After hearing Kevin''s question, Leena moved away from Tom to hold Kevin''s arm, her face still radiated with pride for Tom. She remained oblivious of Kevin''s clouded expression. "Huh..." Leena''s rmendation of Tom made Rain and Tom spit out the wine in their mouth. They had never seen anyone rmending a doctor to perfectly healthy people. Leena''s rib-tickling side was fun to be around. No wife would ever wish her husband to get sick. They knew Leena was just rmending without meaning anything else. She had nned ahead for future ailments. But it was still quite funny for someone to say such a thing, so Rain and Tom justughed out loud. But Kevin was in no mood tough. His mouth twitched, not because of the doctor referral, but the confusion that how many more friends like this did Leena have. He hoped it wouldn''t be as many as a toon, because that would be hard for him to deal with. Chapter 343 Ambiguous Relationship (Part One) "Uncle Kevin, so you are the unlucky guy." Kevin was deeply troubled by Leena''s poprity. He felt embarrassed, just then Justin appeared in front of them. He had been running all over the venue throughout the party. His red and radiant face revealed that he was having a good time. "What unlucky guy?" Kevin was confused by Justin''s sudden remark which came out of nowhere. He looked at Justin dubiously. Everything was going rather smoothly with him. He couldn''t remember anything unlucky happening to him recently. So why did Justin see him as an unlucky guy? Kevin wondered. "Oh, well! That''s because you are the hero who has saved all men in the world by sacrificing yourself to marry Aunt Leena. You''re awesome, Uncle Kevin!" Justin stared at Kevin impatiently, as if mocking him for his stupidity. Justin believed that his Uncle Kevin was doomed for getting married to that wicked Leena. He already seemed so baffled, probably because of Aunt Leena''s torture. If Uncle Kevin continued to live with her for the rest of his life, his life would be totally ruined by her, Justin thought. "You brat, you dared to speak ill of me. Wait and watch how I will get back at youter." Leena didn''t know when and how she had offended this charming boy, and why he went against her all the time. Was she really as bad as he said? He made it sound like she was disagreeable to everyone, but that wasn''t true, Leena thought. "I wasn''t speaking ill of you! It''s a fact. Uncle Kevin, why didn''t you consult me before you decided to marry Aunt Leena. I would have saved you from her torture. It was truly an unwise decision, and your glorious image is ruined in my eyes now." Justin didn''t have the slightest concern about Leena''s threat. He knew she was all talk and no action. To put it more clearly, her bark was worse than her bite. So he didn''t care about her warning at all. "Kevin, you tell him, have I ruined your glorious image? Justin, y th. He was shocked when he heard Justin describe himself as "innocent." Justin was a clever and mischievous boy. He had quite the nerve to use a beautiful word like "innocent" for himself. If Duke hadn''t known him, he might not have reacted like this. Everyone present here knew how cunning Justin was. But Justin seemed unaware of this. He dared to brag about himself without any shame or hesitation. "Do you think we all are deaf? And what does Justin have to do with your manners?" Rain stared at Duke with rage; he felt that Duke''s question was stupid. "Tom, you''rete, you must punish yourself by drinking three sses of wine first." Duke changed the topic intentionally. He knew that Rain lost his temper rather quickly since Annie left. So he thought it would be better if he didn''t irritate the already grumbling man. Also, Justin who had ignited this frenzy was already gone. He felt it needless to defend himself now. "Who said I''mte. I came here early, even before the ceremony started. You didn''t see me because all your attention was focused on your wife." It appeared that Duke wanted to use Tom to distract Rain''s anger. But, Tom wouldn''t admit he waste so easily. There were so many people at the party, it was understandable that Duke didn''t pay attention to Tom. Chapter 344 Ambiguous Relationship (Part Two) "You''rete, don''t try to hide it. You came after me." Edward raised his eyebrows and looked at Tom with a cunning smile. Tom looked good today. Edward punched his eyes earlier, but now there were no traces of wounds on his face. It seemed his ointment was very effective. It''s ability to heal the wounds was surprising. "It was all your fault. Don''t you remember what you did to me yesterday night? And still, you have the nerve to me me for beingte.'''' Tom stared at Edward with irritation. If Edward hadn''t asked him to watch over Daisy whole night, he wouldn''t have had to work on the surgery ns for a critically ill patient this morning. The surgery got dyed for several hours, Edward''s call had caused all this dy, and he waste for the party. "Yesterday night, wow! It appears that something interesting happened yesterday. And you two were together? Your words are ambiguous, and that can trigger a lot of imaginations." Rain gossiped as soon as he sensed Edward and Tom''s peculiar behaviors. Apparently, he had forgotten that he was sshed all over by Duke moments ago. "Yes! Do you want to know what we did yesterday? Are you feeling curious?" Edward sneered slyly and narrowed his eyes to stare at Rain cunningly. "Err... Well... Not exactly. I''ll pass." Rain gave up his prying when he saw Edward''s yful smile. He knew that every time Edward gave this expression, someone was bounded to suffer. He wasn''t stupid enough to find trouble for himself. "Edward, tell us. What did you guys do yesterday? Your rtionship seems shady!" Rain didn''t dare to ruffle Edward''s feathers, that didn''t mean Leena also felt afraid. Therefore when Rain stopped pestering Edward, Leena began to question curiously. Edward pursed his lips. Damn, why did he forget that the nosy Leena was also here? "Leena, when did you b istressed face and asked with concern. Although they liked tough at each other''s weak points, that didn''t mean they were taking pleasure in other people''s misfortune. This was their way of showing care for each other. They always rubbed salt on wounds so they would feel numb to the unbearable pain. "Let him be. He will be better after a while. But I wonder what''s going on with Annie. She used to love Rain. They why did she run away without any intimation? Ah! Women are strange! It''s so difficult to understand them. As the saying goes, a woman''s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the ocean." Edward shook his head nomittally, his eyes focusing on Daisy who was standing beside Belinda. His eyes inadvertently beamed with tenderness and joy. Kevin liked how they got along with each other. They always made fun of each other on the surface, but they cared about each other in their hearts. Kevin was moved by their friendship. At the same time, he felt sad, because he thought that it was a long way for him to fit into their world. It wasn''t about the difference of status, but the state of mind. Their friendship wasn''t built in one day, the trust and love they shared was the result of years of togetherness. Chapter 345 I Dont Hate You (Part One) "Daisy, you look very beautiful tonight. You remind me a lot of your mother." Leo hesitated for a while and finally was defeated by his curiosity. He walked up to Daisy to greet her. He noticed that Daisy was greeting guests all over the venue, and she didn''t even look at him as if he were invisible. It bruised Leo''s heart. What if she really was his daughter? She must have hated him so much that she wouldn''t even want to talk to him. "Thank you, Mr. Ouyang. But please don''t mention my mother in front of me. You are in no position to do that." Daisy''s words were as cold as the look on her face. She was indifferent to the man standing before her. She had believed that she wasn''t his daughter, because that was the only exnation why he was heartless to her. But after Edward told her the truth this morning, she lost herst hope about this man, her so-called father. Daisy curled her lips into a sneer. If she was right, Leo must still doubt whether or not she was his daughter. Otherwise, he wouldn''te up to greet her like this. But Daisy couldn''t care less. Even if she could forgive her father for all the pain he had caused her, she would never forgive that he insulted her mother, using her mother of cheating on him. "Did Mr. Mu say something to you? Do you hate me because of that?" Leo thought that Edward had told Daisy that Yakira was responsible for her mother''s death, and that was why Daisy was angry with him. He felt sorry for her mother as well. "No. I don''t hate you. You don''t deserve my any feelings, including my hatred. Are you satisfied, Mr. Ouyang?" Daisy snorted inside. What she didn''t say w him. He hated it when Edward always seemed so superior to him in almost everything. ''Shouldn''t he show me more respect?'' Leo thought furiously, ''I may be his father-inw!'' "Stay out of it? Mr. Ouyang, have you forgotten? Daisy is now my wife, which means that she is a Mu now. I don''t think she has anything to do with you and your family anymore. Besides, when did you ept her as a member of the Ouyang family? You never did! You threw her out of your house back then. Don''t you remember?" How ridiculous that Leo dared to tell Edward to stay out of his family issue. To Edward, Leo was the one who should stay out of all this. And how dare he say that this was a family matter? Didn''t he remember what he had done to Daisy, his own daughter? "What are you talking about? What...what do you mean by that? Dad, please tell me what''s going on, " stammered Brian, who was now in shock. He had no idea what had happened between Leo and Daisy back then. Maybe he heard them wrong; maybe they didn''t mean what they said. But what if it were true? What could he do if that was the case? Chapter 346 I Dont Hate You (Part Two) "Brian, it''s just a small misunderstanding. Never mind. I''ll take care of it." Leo tried tofort his son. Leo had no intention of exining the whole thing to Brian, because he thought Brian was too young to understand anything. ''A misunderstanding?'' Daisy forced a bitter smile; she looked devastated and exhausted. ''That''s what he thinks of me and all he has done - a simple misunderstanding. Why would I feel sorry for myself for not having a father, especially when my father is this despicable? It''s not worth it.'' Daisy thought to herself. "Dad, I was disappointed with how you treated Daisy when she was little. Now please don''t make me hate you. A misunderstanding, really? Now I get it. No wonder Daisy pretended not to know mest time we met. That''s the reason!" Brian tried to hold back the urge to burst into tears. He knew things wouldn''t be as simple as they looked; however, he had never expected that the truth would be horrible like this. He didn''t even know what he could do at this point. Edward said nothing but held Daisy tighter. Daisy had never told him that she met Brian before. Judging from their happy reunion, Edward could sense that she really loved her younger brother. And yet she had to pretend not to know himst time they met. It wasn''t hard for Edward to imagine how painful it was. But she did it, didn''t she? Her bravery broke Edward''s heart again. "Brian, how could you talk to your father like that? You don''t know anything!" Yakira interrupted her son sternly. She had no inkling that Leo would talk to Daisy when her back was turned. She was standing ba you said today." Edward sneered again. Did she just threaten him? Did she even know what was waiting for her? "Honey, don''t mind her. Let''s go. Don''t you have many clients to greet?" Daisy stopped Edward with a tired voice. Daisy suddenly realized that Edward had once again witnessed her broken life. She didn''t want him to. She wanted him to love her because of who she was, not because he felt sorry for her. "Clients are not important, but you are." Edward said what he meant. He didn''t mind that others would hear and envy them. He had wasted too much time not knowing what was important to him. Now he finally found the invaluable treasure of his life - his wife and son. The only delightful moment that Brian had ever felt the whole night was when he reconciled with Daisy. Therefore, when Edward left with Daisy to greet other guests, he left the party without any hesitation. He had heard too much at one night, and he needed time to think it through. Then Brian thought of the promise he had made to the little boy; his lips curled into a tender smile. Chapter 347 You Again When Brian just walked out of the hotel, a scream rang out at the ceremony. Jessica covered her exposed chest awkwardly and furiously gazed at Justin who had embarrassed her. "Little devil, it''s you again! What did I do to you? Why is my luck so bad every time I see you?" Several months ago, Justin had also yed a prank on Jessica at the Leng residence. Today he embarrassed her again. Last time, Edward sat beside her and she was able to act like a spoiled child in front of him, but today, nobody could help her, which made her sad. "Aunt, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to step on the trim of your dress to strip you. It was an ident." Justin pretended to sound sincere, but he was actually extremely happy. ''Stupid cow, what goes aroundes around. You bullied my mommy, so you deserve this. I''m not a child who is ying around all the time. I keep an eye on the people around mommy. I even have gotten to know my young uncle, '' Justin thought. Justin and Brian agreed to keep their acquaintance a secret. Not even Daisy could know. "You little punk! You''re still making excuses to defend yourself. I''ll rip your mouth!" Exposed, Jessica felt embarrassed already. But Justin talked about it openly and loudly afterward, as if he wished everybody to know. Instantly, everyone was watching her. She thought Justin had stepped on her dress deliberately to make her dress fall off. Fortunately, she was quick enough to pull it upward. But some eyes still caught that embarrassing scene. Jessica hated Justin''s guts. If it hadn''t been for him, Edward wouldn''t have neglected her unborn baby. She wouldn''t have been abandoned either. So she thought that Edward would love her again if that bastard Justin disappeared. "Rip his mouth? Please, try it, " a deep and cold voice said. Jonathan raised his eyebrows grimly like a devil out of Hell. He ignored Jessica and with a wince looked at Justin who was acting innocent. "It''s none of your damn business!" Jessica replied in a rude tone. She didn''t know Jonathan. When she was with Edward, Jonathan and Cynthia had been abroad on vacation. "Grandpa, I didn''t do it on purpose. Her dress is too long. I stepped on it by ident." Jessica was shocked to hear Justin call Jonathan Grandpa. She had noticed this man who was solemn and dignified as a king, but since she''d only been thinking about Edward, she hadn''t paid much attention to Jonathan. Knowing he was Edward''s father, she was too stunned to react to Jonathan''s words. "OK. Let''s go home." Jonathan was a self-centere d to socialize with the high-level of the group army. What was he secretly trying to do? She had no idea about all this. She had been trying to figure out who had reported her to the military base. She thought it was Jessica, because she hated her most, but Daisy had no solid proof. Before she confirmed it, she couldn''t use her. It was a society which valued evidence after all. Daisy felt confused. Who else could it be? She couldn''t think of anybody who held a grudge against her except Jessica. At the ceremony party, Daisy didn''t get any good news from the Army Commander. It seemed that it would be some time before she got reinstated. Never mind. She would just consider it a long vacation. She would still finish the war game report as soon as possible, though, because as themanding officer of the red force in the war games, she was the most suitable person to do it. She had lost all hope in Leo. She would have no expectations of him in the future. With a sad twitch of her lips, she suddenly realized how pathetic she was. It was a solid fact that Mary wasn''t Leo''s biological daughter. Why did he treat them so differently? Did he really hate her so much? She wondered why. Daisy wasn''t narrow-minded. But she got emotional when she saw Jessica hugging Edward. As an ordinary woman, she got jealous. She recalled the sweet days they had spent together. Her heart ached. She had thought that as long as she loved him, she would be able to tolerate anything from his past. Now it seemed that she was wrong. The more she loved him, the more she cared about the little things. Gradually, she lost her confidence and worried too much. She took Jessica''s words to heart. Chapter 348 I Can Undress Myself (Part One) Luke gazed at Daisy from the rear view mirror, hesitated for a moment and finally swallowed what he wanted to say. He thought he''d better wait for Edward to wake up. After all, it would be more appropriate that Edward handled it by himself. A Rolls-Royce Silver Charm dashing through the midnight street was definitely something eye-catching. It was rare to see such a luxurious car in S City. Besides, through the half-open window, people could see a young woman as gorgeous as an elven princess sitting in the back seat. Luke constantly heard tires squealing as drivers hit their brakes to avoid hitting anyone -- they were so distracted by Daisy''s beauty. A gentle night breeze brushed Daisy''s face through the window. She shuddered from the cold and came back to her senses. She looked down and saw Edward sleeping soundly on herp. He looked so handsome even when he was asleep. Daisy suddenly felt at ease. No matter what would happen in the future, at least she was happy for the moment. Gently caressing his eyebrows with her cold fingers, Daisy found herself spellbound by Edward''s sleeping profile. In contrast to being aggressive and appealing when he was awake, he looked quiet and tame right now. Somehow Daisy found him more attractive like this. She felt like she could see through him now. She was tired of trying hard to figure what he was thinking whenever she looked into his eyes. Perhaps she was being silly, but she was frightened because she was not a mind reader. She didn''t know if Edward loved her as she loved him; she would sometimes wondered whether all the sweet moments they shared were merely her wishful thinking. Luke could sense that Daisy was lost in thought during their way back. She was so focused that she seemed not to notice that Luke had stopped the car. Luke cast a hesitant gaze at Daisy and finally decided to interrupt her, "Mrs. Mu, we''re here." "What? Oh, I''m sorry. I was miles away. Can you help get him out of the car?" Daisy pulled herself together and smiled awkwardly at Luke. She could manage to carry Edward out of the car if it were not for the long dress she was wearing, which restricted her movements. "Yeah. I''ll just carry him to the bedroom. You know wh ed. Even Edward himself was surprised by his quirk. He thought it might have something to do with his germaphobia. "Were you pretending to be drunk?" Daisy wasn''t sure. He seemed to sleep so soundly on their way home, and it didn''t look like an act. But if he was drunk, why would he suddenly wake up when she was taking off her clothes? "Will you believe me if I say no?" Edward smiled weakly as he rubbed his aching temples because of the alcohol, his eyes fixed on her plump chest, which was slightly quivering as she spoke and moved. He was getting turned on. "I''ll believe whatever you say." Daisy obviously didn''t just refer to what they were talking about now. Edward had done many things without telling her. Daisy tried to tell herself that Edward did what he did for her good, and he just didn''t want to see her get hurt. "Come here." Edward didn''t know why Daisy became sentimental all of a sudden, nor did he care. All he wanted for the moment was to hold her in his arms and calm himself with her unique scent. Her embraces had the magical power to restore him from any pain and sorrow, let alone a hangover. "Why?" Daisy asked nervously while covering her chest with her palms and staring at Edward warily. Did he think she didn''t notice where he was looking? She wasn''t blind! She might be slow in their sex life, but she was no fool. She could see a hint of lust in his eyes. She knew he must havee up with something, and she didn''t n to y along. Chapter 349 I Can Undress Myself (Part Two) "I''ll help you undress. What else do you think I want to do?" Edward smirked again. He had underestimated her! But no woman could resist his charm and reject him, and Edward believed Daisy would concede in just a short while. "Edward, you''re evil!" Daisy blushed again and looked away. She would definitely not approach Edward since he had stated what he wanted to do to her. She knew he wasscivious, but she didn''t think he''d say it out loud. She wouldn''t fall into his trap again! "What are you thinking, honey? You can''t reach the zip, can you? I''m just trying to help. Or do you want to do something else with me instead?" Edward was telling the truth. He did mean to unzip Daisy since she couldn''t take off the dress on her own. However, he also wanted to do something more intimate and romantic with her after taking off her dress. But he decided that Daisy didn''t need to know thest part of his n, yet. His image of a good husband in her heart might be tarnished in that case. "No, I can undress myself." Daisy decided to try again. Things wouldn''t be as simple as taking off a piece of clothing if she went to Edward for help. And she knew it well. "Are you sure?" Edward got out of bed as he asked again. Startled, Daisy staggered a few steps backward. She knew better than anyone what Edward was capable of when it came to seducing a woman. She didn''t want to y the part of his prey again tonight. "Yes." Hands still covering her chest, Daisy gazed at Edward defensively, in case he suddenly flung himself against her. She was wearing a dress, and she couldn''tst over 60 seconds in this dress before Edward took her down. "Okay. Good luck with that. I''m going to have a shower. I''m happy to help if you are still in that dress when I finish." With a sly smile, Edward shrugged and walked directly toward the bathroom. When he went past Daisy, he quickly held her chin up with his long fingers and left a gentle kiss on her rosy lips. Before Daisy realized what had happened, he let go of her andughed out loud as he disappeared behind the bathroom door. Daisy froze, ''Did he just stop forcing himself on me? Why does he never y by the rules?'' While Daisy was still in shock, Edward was gloating inside the bathroom. He knew Daisy would f strength, pulled the dress off her body. He determined to leave her no choice. Daisy let out a terrified scream as she felt her body exposed in the cold air. She hurriedly pulled over a quilt to cover her up. "Ahh! Edward! What are you doing?" Daisy hadn''t expected that Edward would suddenly strip her down. The first thing came to her mind was to cover herself up; she hadpletely forgotten that she was supposed to be asleep. "Nothing. Weren''t you asleep? As you can see, I''m helping you take off your dress and grab a shower." Edward put on an innocent look as he answered. However, he was smirking inside, ''Keep on ying! As if you could fool me.'' "No. I can manage on my own." Was he kidding? Daisy would never believe that Edward would help her take a shower without doing anything else. She was no fool! "Are you sure, honey? You said you didn''t need my help with the dress, and here you are. Are you really sure this time?" The more Daisy blushed, the more Edward felt like teasing her. She was a tough girl; it was rather rare to see her surrender. "Absolutely! Now turn around! I need to go to the bathroom! Alone!" Daisy was a military officer, she was used to seeing topless soldiers and their broad chests after training. But now seeing Edward in front of her with only a bath towel around his waist, Daisy got nervous and didn''t know where to look. And did he just threaten her? Daisy believed that she didn''t need help taking a bath. She was a grown-up woman, not a 3-year-old child! Chapter 350 I Can Undress Myself (Part Three) "Go ahead. I won''t peep. But do you think there''s any part of your body I haven''t already seen?" Although Edward kept flirting with her, he turned around as she demanded. He knew Daisy was coy. If he pushed her too hard, she would really get angry with him. And Edward didn''t n to waste their night quarreling with her. He decided he''d better take a step back right now, so he could take things a step further after she finished her shower. Daisy obviously didn''t believe him. She wrapped herself with a sheet and hastily dashed toward the bathroom. Edward burst into snickers while hearing her hurried footsteps. ''Did she just say she didn''t need my help? Didn''t she notice that she didn''t bring her pajamas in?'' Edward beamed as he gazed at the closed door, ''Now, we''ll just have to wait.'' He casually grabbed a towel to dry his wet hair, then he threw the towel on the floor. As he was about to turn, Edward suddenly remembered what he had promised Daisy. He stared at the towel for a while and sighed. He picked it up and ced it on the back of a nearby chair. Daisy was a soldier; she liked to see things in order, and she brought her habits into her daily life. Edward turned around and saw the gorgeous and sexy dress Daisy wore that night. He could still recall how the other men drooled over his wife! He was so jealous that he really wanted to wrap Daisy up with his suit jacket to block other men''s lustful gazes. Then he thought of the purpose of the party was to let the whole world know how beautiful and brilliant his wife was. No matter how jealous he got, he had to keep it to himself for the time being. Daisy was definitely the focus of the whole party. She was the brightest diamond on the crown that outshone every woman present. She was stunning; she was Edward''s wife, and she was a colonel! Edward believed that she would make the headlines tomorrow. Every newspaper and media outlet would be dying to write reports about her. Everyone would know who she was by then. Edward initially meant to sponsor the army base to back her up; but since some people didn''t know she was Edward''s wife and tried to mes e Daisy''s head. He wondered how sexy it must be behind the door where Daisy only wore a bath towel, or was even naked! Her curves were more appealing as she pushed hard and tried to close the door. "Honey, just back off and pass me my pajamas, will you?" Daisy gave up on the hard way and tried to y cute. It worked every time when she called Edward ''honey'' softly. Would Edward concede this time? Absolutely not! He was pissed when Daisy called another man by his first name on the party, even though that man was her younger brother. Daisy usually called Edward by his full name, and she only addressed him as ''honey'' when she needed something. Edward wouldn''t surrender easily this time. "Remember, you said you didn''t need my help. Did you forget already? I can''t help wondering whether you were washing your body or your brain for the past half hour, " Edward answered slowly with a smirk as if he had no intention to fetch her pajamas. Daisy, on the other hand, was anxious to death! She didn''t wear anything and she didn''t want Edward to see her like that. Meanwhile, she was afraid Edward would catch her off-guard and barge in. She had no choice but to press herself against the door, but she couldn''t push it too hard because it might hurt Edward''s feet. Looking up at the culprit who had put her into such a miserable situation, Daisy found his smirk really annoying and she wanted to kick him so badly. Chapter 351 Honey, Are You Ready "When did I reject your help? Honey, you must have misheard me. You will help gather my clothes, won''t you? Please." Daisy''s girlish tone gave even herself goose bumps. It was hard for her to imagine how some women could spit out these corny words of coquetry. They must have been immune to Them thanks to frequent practice. Yet not her. She still felt ufortable doing that. "Daisy, wow. Are you denying what you just said? Are you also a liar in front of your soldiers?" Edward looked at her, eyes widened in surprise. Daisy was not who she had been before. She was foxier and more mischievous now, unlike the noble and serious army officer she used to be. Hopefully, she wouldn''t lead other soldiers to y rogue like her. "No. Because no soldier would get in my way like you do. They know I''d beat them up and punish them with 50k of cross-country running." Daisy would like to have Edward be her subordinate. This way she was able to m the door, or give him a suplex after putting on her clothes and train him for the whole day, without worrying about the consequences. Then Edward would be too exhausted to do anything, let alone block her. Edward responded with heartyughter. Meanwhile, a hint of foxiness rose from his eyes. At Daisy''s careless moment, he pushed the door and nudged into the room. Daisy was shocked. She immediately covered her private parts. Yet she still remained naked before Edward. So she rushed into his arms and embraced him tightly, this way Edward would see fewer parts of her naked body. Her abrupt hug caught Edward by surprise. "Honey, even though I''m delicious, you should keep your cool. Huh." Edward soon shook it off, and resumed teasing her. ''Doesn''t she know that she just sent herself, the prey, to me, the predator? She is all naked, pressing herself against me. No man could ever resist such temptation.'' Edward pondered. Daisy didn''t realize what she had done until she felt the warmth of Edward''s body. But she had done it anyway. She was too embarrassed to jump out of his arms now. She only wished to bury all of her into Edward''s arms. She dare not speak another word as she felt Edward''s erect member. She had no choice but to cling onto him. Edward''s Adam''s apple rolled as his desire rose. Next step he slightly bent down, held Daisy up, and walked to the soft bed. "What..." Finding herself suddenly off the floor, Daisy hugged Edward''s neck with fright, her cheeks growin g. That left Kevin with no other choice. With a long sigh, he stood up and began to help change her burden of the evening dress. But he didn''t realize the difficulty of his task until he set his hands on it. He hadn''t had as many women as Edward had, so naturally he didn''t know much about how to take off their clothes. He took off her clothes only to the waist after a long while of hustle. And that had used quite a lot of his energy. On the one hand, he had to fight with the tricky dress; on the other hand, he had to resist the temptation of her curvy figure. Indeed, it was no easy job. Normally, Kevin''s clumsy movements would have awakened Leena. Well, not tonight----she drank too much alcohol to flee her bad mood. So she had no reaction, except some asional frowns indicating that she was disrupted. She had no idea that Kevin was struggling with her evening gown. "s! What a little trouble-maker." Kevin said gently. After a string of strenuous efforts, he finally changed her dress intofortable pajamas. Changing her clothes was even more tiring than a long day of military training. He had nned to wake her up and let her shower. But he gave up the idea after seeing her sleeping like a log. He caressed her smooth face with mixed feelings. He knew that he neglected her tonight. But she didn''tin about him, but defended him in front of Rain and Tom. Was it because that she didn''t love or care about him at all? Or was she just trying to y it cool? Anyway he felt that she was upset, or she wouldn''t have gulped down so much alcohol tonight. He wondered how he could make things better. Chapter 352 You Win (Part One) Kevin walked to the balcony and looked into the sky. His handsome face seemed concerned. He smiled with self-mockery and wondered, what had happened to him. He had told himself repeatedly that he should not hope for the love which didn''t belong to him. So why was he still feeling sad when he saw their public disy of affection? He lit a cigarette. The peculiar smell of nicotine gagged him. He coughed lightly. The smell faded with the emission of smoke. He rarely smoked. Usually, he only smoked one or two cigarettes when he felt bored and lonely in the army base. He smoked tonight because his heart was overwhelmed. He didn''t deny the fact that he got married to Leena for selfish reasons. He wanted his father to give up on the idea of an arranged marriage, so he took advantage of Leena to reach his purpose. He used to consider such behavior as despicable. He was ashamed to admit that he had reduced to such an immoral level, just to be able to see Daisy regrly. In fact, he didn''t know why he was so persistent. He got used to watching the woman he loved and waiting. He got lost in his fantasies and didn''t know what he really wanted. If he was a stubborn man who only wanted Daisy and who''d never consider another woman, why didn''t he think about winning over Daisy? Or was his feeling for Daisy some sort of spiritual sustenance that had umted over the years. Perhaps, it wasn''t the deep love he had thought it to be. Kevin never considered himself as a sentimental person. But such annoying thoughts kepting to him recently; he couldn''t escape them. His mind was deeply troubled by theseplex thoughts. He had thought that Leena was from an ordinary family when she married him, and that she became superior by marrying a high-ranking official. He didn''t expect that she was the daughter of the owner of Leng unningly looked at Edward with raised eyebrows. He was wondering how much this topic would interest Edward. "Oh! What did they say?" He always paid attention to any news concerning Daisy. Edward also knew that Rain was intentionally keeping him in suspense, he was inclined to fall into his trap. "Boss, don''t you think that we have made a fortune this time?" Rain continued to talk in circles. Seeing Edward''s keenness, he tried to torment him some more. Generally, Rain was the one on the receiving end of torture. Today he wanted to turn the tide and enjoy the pleasure of torturing Edward. "I''ll give you a minute to spit out the relevant information. Otherwise, get out of here immediately!" Edward narrowed his eyes and coldly looked at Rain who was smiling smugly. ''Huh, how dare he y these childish games with me. Does he think that I''m weak and helpless today?'' Edward thought. "I know you''re impatient. You know what, you''re extremely mean to me, and you can''t stand the happiness of others. You should know that while we have spent a fortune on the army project, we have also gotten good returns." Rain was testing Edward''s limits. Edward wanted to punch him after hearing his reply because he didn''t say anything useful. Chapter 353 You Win Edward frowned. It appeared that he needed to teach Rain a good lesson after this topic was finished. He was disappointed because Rain hadn''t given him any important information yet. "Have you heard it? The Army Group was nning to invite bids for the construction of a modernized information building and new residential buildings for soldiers and their families. But now they''ve given up the n and handed over the case directly to the constructionpany of FX International Group." Enduring Edward''s threatening looks, Rain finally spat out the key points. After Edward heard them, he really wanted to beat Rain to death. Because Rain had tormented him for so long, but the content was not what he wanted to hear. It was a total waste of time. "You seem overjoyed by such a small project worthy of a small amount. Don''t forget that the money we''ve financed them on the military equipment is several timesrger than the money we will profit from this project." Edward stared at Rain. He regretted that he had chosen Rain to be the vice president of thepany. He felt that Rain was just a sandwich short of a pic. Especially after Annie left him abruptly. "I knew you''d react like this. But what if I have more news? Would you still say that I''m deliberately casting a mist on your eyes?" Rain said with ease. He was determined to tease Edward this time. He was sure that Edward would stop staring at him with such a sullen look when he heard what he had to say. "More news? Does it have anything to do with Daisy''s discement?" This topic instantly cheered up Edward. As this concerned Daisy, he suddenly became rxed and everything seemed negotiable. "Yes, exactly. They said they w that troubled him. If Annie really loved him and didn''t want to leave him, she woulde back to Rain one day. "Huh! You mean it''s all my fault. Can you exin why the files which should be handled by you are sitting on my table?" Rain stared at Edward, feeling speechless. ''Edward is so shameless to say such words. Obviously, he transferred his work to me. And he is so brazen to put all the me on me, '' Rain thought. "The reason is simple. I rarely get a chance to go out with Daisy. You need to help me manage all the work when I''m out. Otherwise, why am I paying you such a high monthly sry?" Edward didn''t have the slightest feeling of shame when he said this. Because in his eyes, the vice president was supposed to work for him passionately. No one else was more suitable for this job than Rain. "You win, okay? I will wait to see your miserable face when Daisy gets angry with you. You''re so cunning. I hope you screw up your date and get a thrashing from Daisy." Rain cursed and turned around to leave; his face was ming with fury. As soon as he opened the door, he bumped into Luke who was about toe inside. Chapter 354 You Used Me "What the hell? Luke, sweetie, I know I''m handsome, but you can''t just throw yourself at me so eagerly. I''m very reserved, " Rain said, touching his high nose which hurt like hell after having been crushed by Luke. Luke was not a small man, and it felt as if his body were made of iron. "I''m not that horny yet. And don''t call me sweetie." Luke moved quickly around Rain with a cool expression and walked in the CEO''s office. Rain''s affectation was totally ignored. "Sweetie, what do you mean? Do you despise me? Am I not good enough for you?" Hearing Luke''s words, Rain turned around to step into the room. His feelings were hurt. ''Unbelievable!'' he thought. ''How could he indicate that an extremely handsome man like me was not good enough?'' "I don''t despise you. I just don''t like you, " Luke answered, looking at Rain without a hint of smile on his face. "Come on! That''s the same thing." Rain rolled his eyes and then realized that it was pointless to talk about like or dislike with Luke, because in Luke''s world only Edward mattered, and nobody else concerned him. He would be stupid to continue the topic. Edward was amused by Rain and Luke''s banter. Rain was always talking, yet Luke was not much of a talker. It was funny when they were together. "Mr. Mu, you''ve got to watch this video." If Luke disliked someone, he wouldn''t even look at him. It was who he was. At this moment, no matter what Rain said, he just ignored him and then calmly put his phone in front of Edward. "What is it?" Luke sounded serious. Edward looked at him, confused and nervous about what he was to see. Somehow, he sensed it was rted to Daisy. "y it and you''ll know." Luke sighed inwardly. Someone screwed up. He wondered how Edward would deal with this matter. "Er, maybe I should excuse myself, " Rain asked cautiously. He stopped fooling around, sensing it was serious, "No, you don''t have to, " Luke said simply. He didn''t ignore Rain this time. He just didn''t like him ying around. When it came to serious business, he could be easygoing. Edward took a deep breath and pressed the ''y'' button. After some rustling noise, a man and a woman were seen standing together. Since the woman was standing with her back against the camera in the dim light, it was uncertain who she was. But Edward had seen the man at the cocktail party the night before, the one who had been at r job." Obviously, Edward was a better game yer than Rain. Exploiting Rain was his entertainment. Otherwise, how would he have time to apany Daisy? She hardly ever had a vacation. Edward''s response was a heavy blow to Rain. He pressed his face against the desk. Instead of benefits, he got a pressing deadline. He felt desperate. "What? Boss, you can''t do this to me. I''ll die from exhaustion. What about assigning Anna as my assistant?" "You go ask Anna yourself. I have no problem with it if she agrees." Edward smiled mischievously. Anna had never engaged in major decisions-making and approvals, so she would only be able to help Rain with some simple files. Edward had intended to assign Aaron to assist Rain. Now that he asked for Anna, so be it. In this case, Aaron would be able to assist Edward with his work again and Edward would have more time for Daisy. Hearing Edward''s words, Luke twitched his mouth violently and thought Edward couldn''t be more evil, because even if Anna agreed to assist Rain, as a secretary to the CEO, she would be concerned with the CEO''s office all the time and in return, she would have less time to help Rain, which meant she wouldn''t be of much help at all. "OK. then as of now, Anna''s main task is to assist me, so she won''t be your secretary, temporarily of course." Rain wasn''t stupid. He had chosen Anna for a reason, which he''d like to keep secret for now. "No problem. I''ll find somebody else to rece her." Edward gave an evil smile. He had thought Rain was sloppy, but today he was impressed with how shrewd Rain really was. Chapter 355 Curvy Body (Part One) Daisy woke upter than usual. She felt rather exhausted as Edward had been with her for the whole night. When she finally opened her eyes, the sun was high up in the air. She rolled over only to find Edward had left the bed. She quickly refreshed herself in the bathroom and felt much better. She came down the stairs with caution as she still felt vague pain in her leg muscles. Apparently, someone really wore her outst night. Today she carefully chose the outfit that suited her most. The elegant floor-length dressplemented her tall lean looks. As she walked down the stairs, her dress swiftly flipped around her ankles. She looked graceful and charming. "Daisy! You''re finally up! I''ve been waiting for you all morning." Daisy was still halfway on the staircases when Cynthia cried out to her in excitement. If not for the warning from her son this morning, Cynthia would have already dashed upstairs and woken Daisy herself. "Mom, sorry for getting upte. What''s the matter?" Daisy blushed as she felt a little bit guilty for being thest in the family to rouse herself. As the daughter-inw, she should have gotten up earlier. "It''s fine. I understand. I''m sure Edward tired you outst night." Cynthia''s words were direct and her smile was as bright as the sun. "Well! It''s not like that..." Daisy''s face turned even redder because of Cynthia''s words. She felt so awkward that she didn''t know where to rest her gaze. She wanted to dart out the door this very second. Her mother-inw was so direct and deadpan about such an intimate matter. "What do you mean it''s not like that? This morning when he set out, he specifically told me not to disturb you so that you could rest thoroughly. I am quite amazed at his chang much attention to her son as before. Deep down, she knew it was not the correct thing to do! "Hey, don''t say that. Justin is our beloved grandson, we''re family. You don''t need to act so formal with us. We have to put up with Edward''s coldness already, don''t you even think of treating us like strangers." Cynthia''s beautiful face turned gloomy. She was sad about the fact that her son was acting all indifferently to them. They had been home for a couple of days now, however, Edward hadn''t interacted much with them. She knew he held a grudge against them. Whenever she thought about it, her heart ached. "Mom, I know. I''ll have a word with him when I get a chance." Daisy noticed the strange way Edward treated his parents. She was confused and had absolutely no idea how to help them deal with the tension. She knew little about their history, or why Edward was so bitter. "Never mind. Let him be! Whatever floats his boat. Let''s get going, shall we?" Cynthia knew it would take a while for Edward to let go of the past. As the saying went, "Rome wasn''t built in a day." She understood that it would take some time to solve the issues between them and Edward. Chapter 356 Curvy Body (Part Two) The early autumn in the city was still warm. The sunshine red down and made people sweat. Probably because the city was situated in the southern part of the country, it didn''t feel much like autumn to Daisy. As a soldier, Daisy was used to all kinds of situations. However, it really tired her out when it came to shopping with her mother-inw. Cynthia was way too passionate in picking out various kinds of clothes for her to try on. They had visited several stores and Daisy felt like as if she had tried on a million outfits. Right now, her dear mother-inw pushed her into a fitting room again. This time, she earnestly dumped a mini skirt into her hands. Daisy spent a lot of time in the fitting room, trying to put on the mini skirt. This was definitely the sexiest outfit she had ever worn in her life. The mini skirt came with a slim-cut top and she felt really ufortable as the outfit revealed way too much for her liking. She didn''t even have the courage to step out of the fitting room. "Daisy, how''s it going? Does it fit? It should fit! I chose this carefully ording to your size. I am actually very good at picking out clothes. I am sure it fits you perfectly." Cynthia became impatient as Daisy spent more time in the fitting room than she had expected. She wondered if she had picked out the wrong size. She shook her head as she was confident about her choice. The other clothes Daisy had tried on earlier were also the same size, so it couldn''t be wrong. "It fits. I''ll be out soon." Daisy took a deep breath, pulled the mini skirt downwards as much as grandson and lovely daughter-inw, Cynthia decided to behave ording to Edward''s liking. She wanted her life to be interesting and fulfilling. It was not easy for her to have her current life. She finally started to feel at home. Although her son didn''t ept her whole-heartedly, she knew it was just a matter of time for him to fully open up. At least for now, she got along really well with her daughter-inw. "You really scared me! Even if you bought it for me, I don''t have the nerve to wear it. I don''t have much asion to wear casual clothes. Please don''t buy me so many clothes. You should focus on yourself and buy whatever you like!" Daisy said honestly to her. She really meant it. In terms of outfits, she preferred her military uniform to these prissy dresses. Her uniform defined who she was and resembled what she believed in. She held special feelings towards her uniform as it witnessed her growth and development as a soldier. Her faith was so strong that she would never get rid of it. It belonged to her, through and through. Chapter 357 Is She Your Daughter-in-law (Part One) "I love choosing clothes for you. You know what? That''s probably one of the happiest things in my life. Even if you never get the chance to wear them, I''ll still buy them for you! Who knows? You might need them one day. I mean you look proud in your uniform, but look at you! How could you waste such a nice body? You know how men are like. They''ll get bored if you don''t doll yourself up and change your style every now and then. You catch Edward''s eyes, you keep his heart." Deep down, Cynthia knew her son wasn''t that kind of man she was describing. Once Edward fell in love with someone, he would love and cherish her forever. But this was how the world worked. There were lots of women out there drooling over Edward. Although Edward showed no interest in them, it didn''t mean they wouldn''t do anything to seduce him or sabotage his rtionship with Daisy. Cynthia figured she''d better warn Daisy beforehand about it. "Okay. I see. Thanks, mom. Let me get out of this dress first. I''ll be quick." Daisy obediently answered with a nod. She knew Cynthia was trying to be nice, and she took her words seriously. It wasn''t like that she had no faith in herself or Edward''s feelings for her. The problem was that Edward was too amazing, and there were all kinds of women trying to lure him. There was a chance someday Edward would find Daisy boring and he needed some new excitement. Daisy knew love couldn''t be maintained by just exchanging ''I love you''. She was a woman, and women knew these secrets by nature. "Okay, take your time. We can find a cafe and have a rest after you''re done. And then we can go to another shopping mall." Daisy, who was on her way to the changing room, almost slipped and fell to the floor out of shock when she heard what Cynthia had said. ''What? Another shopping mall? Seriously?'' Daisy didn''t know what to say. They had been shopping here, at this mall, for nearly two hours. And they had bought more things than they could carry. If Cynthia intended to go to another few malls and buy more clothes for her for the rest of the day, Daisy might need a new walk-in closet to fit her things in. "Watch out, my dear child!" Upon seeing Daisy stagger, Cynthia cried out worriedly. Her words surprised every one inside the boutique, including the shopping assistant. They all curiously corner of her lips. Although she was talking to the shopping assistant, her eyes were fixed on the door of the changing room all the time. One could easily tell how much she loved Daisy from her look and tone. "That''s because your daughter-inw is so beautiful, and our clothes be more beautiful when she wears them. I''ll pack them for you at once, please wait just a moment." The shopping assistant was experienced and professional. Sheplimented Daisy while selling their goods. Every one liked to be ttered; it seemed that Cynthia was no exception. She was delighted even after they had left the boutique and sat down in a cafe. There was a big happy smile on her face the whole time as she hummed a cheerful tune every now and then. "Mom, you seem to be in good mood today, " Daisy said and took a sip of her coffee. Although she had no idea why Cynthia was extremely excited, she felt satisfied as long as Cynthia was happy. She didn''t care why; she just wanted to see her family all happy and healthy. "Yes! You know what? This is what I have wanted to do for so many years! Shopping all day long with my daughter, and buying her the most beautiful dresses in the world! I''ve always wanted a daughter. But clearly Jonathan doesn''t. So Edward is our only son, and I didn''t give birth to any other children. Do you know how much I envy my friends who could go shopping with their daughters and enjoy their precious mother-daughter time? And finally, you granted my wish today! I feel so happy right now. Thank you, Daisy!" Chapter 358 Is She Your Daughter-in-law (Part Two) Holding Daisy''s hands lovingly, Cynthia exined it to her. She knew Daisy was a nice girl; and she felt so sorry for her at the same time. Although Cynthia had helped her and Edward a few years ago, she didn''t expect she would hurt her by doing that. She had been guilty ever since. Luckily, Daisy and Edward finally overcame all the obstacles and fell in love with each other, which made her feel much better. ''A good happy ending, '' she thought. "Mom, please don''t say that. We''re family, remember? I''m happy to shop with you whenever you like. But I have a question, do you and Dad have some misunderstandings with Edward? I feel things are a little weird between Edward and his father." In fact, Daisy had asked Edward about this before. But Edward simply shook his head and said nothing. Daisy knew he didn''t want to talk, so she didn''t force him. She knew everyone had some wounds that were better kept private. It had nothing to do with trust. Edward had kept his pain in his heart for so many years. He didn''t want to talk to anyone about this when he was little; and as time went by, it became harder to say it out loud. He couldn''t because he didn''t even know where to start. The only thing he could do was to run away when anyone stirred things up. "It''s a long story. You''ve probably noticed how much Jonathan loves me. He sees no one but me, and everything else in the world is meaningless to him. That is why he didn''t want me to have children back then. But I wanted a child so badly; he eventually agreed. Only one child, and I mustn''t love him any less even if I have the baby. This was his requirement I had to agree to if I wanted to get pregnant. He said he had to remain the most important person in my life." Cynthia paused and sighed heavily. Biting her lip while gazing into space, Cynthia was lost in thought for a while. Then she forced a bitter smile at Daisy, had a small sip of her coffee before continuing, "Back then, I wanted a baby more than anything; so I agreed without thinking too much. The truth is, we didn''t pay enough attention to Edward when he was little and needed our love. Later on, considering his safety, we had to ould ept her again as his beloved daughter. She knew how painful it was. Thinking of that, Daisy felt sorry for Edward. He was not as strong as she thought, he could be hurt as well. And she realized that she was not the only miserable person in the world, since everyone had their own crosses to bear. "I hope so. Sorry, Daisy. I need to go to the bathroom." Daisy noticed Cynthia''s reddened eyes. Given the fact she loved Edward very much, it must have been painful for her to admit how much she owed her son. Daisy thought maybe Cynthia needed to be left alone and cry for a while. "Okay. Do you want me toe with you?" But Daisy was a little worried about Cynthia. She looked devastated. Daisy couldn''t help but think whether she had said something inappropriate or not. Although Daisy didn''t approve of how they treated Edward when he was little, it wasn''t her ce to judge. She could only say something less blunt from the view of a bystander, and she really hoped she could help improve the rtionship between Edward and his parents. "It''s fine. I''m not a 3-year-old child. You don''t have to keep mepany. I''ll be back soon." Cynthia gave Daisy a tender smile. She felt much better to see Daisy being considerate. She pulled herself together and stopped thinking about Edward. She believed what Daisy had said, and she knew things would work out between Edward and them as long as she kept trying and never gave up. Chapter 359 But What About My Child (Part One) Daisy watched Cynthia disappear from the corner of her eye. She got lost in her thoughts while gazing at the coffee in her hands. People say that any two individuals who''ve shared a simr life experience are bound to be intimate. So did Edward really love her? Or did he choose to be with her out of sympathy? Perhaps the fact that they both had an unhappy childhood misled him into confusing sympathy with love. Was this the case? Daisy wondered. Daisy''s heart wrenched, thinking of such a possibility. The more Edward bestowed his intense love on her, the deeper she lost herself in that love. If all this was fake, what would she do? Would she run away without any hesitation as she did after their wedding day? She took a sip of her coffee, her gaze falling on the sensual woman who was walking in the coffee house. She unwittingly furrowed her eyebrows. This woman was unquestionably a stunner in the eyes of men. Her voluptuous figure and stunning appearance were both attractive. With every move, she looked gorgeous and fascinating. Daisy slowly turned her head to avoid being seen by the woman. She didn''t want to cause a conflict by conversing with her. So she chose to ignore her tantly. But things seldom went as per one''s wishes. Daisy didn''t want to cause trouble, but it didn''t mean that the other person shared the same thought. "Hey Daisy, you seem unhappy to see me." Jessica always discoursed in a condescending and arrogant manner. She noticed Daisy as soon as she entered the coffee house. She knew that Daisy had also seen her, but she didn''t expect that Daisy would turn her head and look away at the sight of her. Jessica was very proud of herself, she couldn''t stand being snubbed by anyone. "What do you expect from me? Sh meone had intruded on her private property. "Huh! Daisy, are you trying to dere your ownership to me? Don''t forget that Edward once belonged to me and I''m carrying his child now. Why shouldn''t I call him intimately?" Jessica narrowed her eyes and stared at Daisy. Nobody knew who would be the ultimate winner. She still thought she had a shot at winning Edward back. "Child? What child? Daisy, is she your friend?" Cynthia frowned at Jessica. She disliked her from the very first sight and she didn''t know why. It was probably because Jessica was too ostentatious. "No, we''ve just met a few times. Mom, please sit here." Daisy didn''t expect that Cynthia woulde back so soon. She felt flustered and Jessica couldn''t be counted as her friend anyway, they had met each other a couple of times. So what Daisy told Cynthia wasn''t a lie. She didn''t know how to exin about Jessica to Cynthia. "Oh, she''s not a friend? I assumed she''s your friend." Cynthia looked at Jessica doubtfully, the more carefully she examined her, the more she felt this woman looked familiar to her. She must have seen her somewhere, but at the moment she couldn''t remember who she was. Chapter 360 But What About My Child (Part Two) "This woman is your mother?" Jessica looked at Cynthia with surprise. How could a stunning and youthful woman like her be Daisy''s mother? This woman seemed graceful and noble. Did she mishear? Jessica wondered. "Yes, to put it more urately, I''m Daisy''s mother-inw. So what can I call you, Miss?" Cynthia sat beside Daisy and racked her brains out, trying to remember who this woman was. But she failed to get any clues. "Hi, Auntie. I''m Jessica Lin, I''m stunned to see how young and beautiful you look." Jessica immediately realized who the woman was. She was Edward''s mother. This was great for her n. But howe both his parents looked so young? Jessica felt a shiver go down her spine at the thought of Edward''s indifferent behavior at the party the other day. "Oh! You''re Jessica!" Cynthia nodded. No wonder she felt she had met this woman before. She used to see all kinds of reports about Jessica and Edward in the newspapers. But why was she here with Daisy? Cynthia wondered. "Auntie, do you know about me? Did Edward mention me to you?" Jessica couldn''t help but feel delighted on hearing Cynthia''s words. It seemed that she still had a ce in Edward''s heart, otherwise how could his mother know about her? Jessica thought. "I have seen you in the newspapers. My son has never mentioned any woman to me, except for his wife, of course." Cynthia took a nce at Daisy. She felt relieved when she noticed Daisy''s calm manner. ''Ah! It is all Edward''s fault. He has put Daisy in an awkward position, I''m sure she feels stuck in the middle, '' Cynthia thought. "Oh? But you know about my rtionship with Edward, right?" Jessica felt annoyed that Daisy won again. She couldn''t bear that Edward cared so much about Daisy. "M rd has given you all the answers. So it''s useless to argue with us here. Besides, I believe that my son is a responsible man. If this really is Edward''s child, he will give you a satisfactory response, but if it''s not, he won''t give a damn. Judging from Edward''s indifferent attitude towards you, I think it''s obvious that your child has nothing to do with him. So please behave yourself and stop harassing Daisy. After all, she had also experienced the same struggles." Although Cynthia didn''t spend too much time with Edward, as a mother, she knew her son''s likes and dislikes. She also knew quite well about his personality and character. She was sure that Jessica''s child had nothing to do with Edward. Otherwise, Edward wouldn''t be so rxed when he was with Daisy. "It''s impossible. I have been with one man only and that''s Edward. If Edward is not the father of my child, then who else would it be? Why? Why are you all so sure?" Jessica shook her head frantically. She had heard these words many times. Edward had said those to her more than once, and every time he seemed quite firm about it. Was there something she didn''t know about Edward? She wondered. Chapter 361 Are You Trying to Avoid Me "Jessica, I assure you that your child has nothing to do with my husband. Even if you don''t believe me, you shouldn''t bother me. You should ask him directly, and he will prove it to you. I hope you won''t disturb our life anymore." Clearly, Daisy didn''t want to exin anything to her anymore. From the day she returned from the military exercise, she was cornered by Jessica on every step. It was like being hunted by a ghost. Every time they met, Jessica always said something that hurt Daisy. Truth be told Daisy hated Jessica. "OK. I will prove that this is Edward''s son and at that time, you''ll be sorry for everything." Jessica red at Daisy. She wanted to scratch Daisy''s pretty face. Perhaps then she wouldn''t act so proud. "Well, I''ll wait for that day toe. As a colonel, I never fight a war without preparation. You''re going to lose, Jessica, " Daisy said with a smile on her face. Life seemed to be a continually changing battlefield. But she had to face it. "Ha-ha! Daisy, has anyone ever told you that you''re really annoying, especially with your arrogant looks?" Jessica gritted her teeth in anger. Since Edward''s mother did not like her, she didn''t have to pretend to be gentle and kind. She was a shrew not a noblewoman. "I know that, so don''t bother telling me again." Daisy didn''t think she''s excessively appealing. The soldiers in the military base were so afraid of her that they secretly called her the devil. Daisy was quite aware of this fact. "Humph!" Jessica knew that Daisy wanted her to leave. She would be more embarrassed if she didn''t. So she gave a cold look to Daisy and left. Jessica thought that she would take revenge soon. After all, the final winner was yet to be known. "Daisy, just ignore her. If you get bothered by such a woman, you will get the short end of the stick. Besides, it can''t be Edward''s son. I''m sure you''ve talked to each other about that, so don''t mind what she said." Although she was sure that it wasn''t Edward''s child, she was still a little worried. She wasn''t as confident as she had been. "I know, mom. He has exined that to me." Daisy smiled reluctantly. How foolish she would be if she cared about Jessica''s words. So she''d better face everything calmly. Worrying wasn''t going to solve anything. After all, nothing hurt more than being el or not. You are my wife, and I care about you." Edward picked up his car keys as he spoke and quickly left the office without saying a word to the group of secretaries outside. He was anxious about her safety when he heard her sobbing voice. "Why do you have such a horrible past and why do I have to face the painful memories?" Daisy cried. Edward and Jessica''s past bothered her. Every time Daisy saw Jessica, she couldn''t help but imagine how much they had loved each other in the past. Though Daisy pretended not to care about that, she was in deep pain. After hearing her, Edward stopped unwittingly. His instinct told him that Daisy must have met someone today; otherwise, she wouldn''t behave like that. He knew Daisy would never question him like that, no matter how sad she was. Edward knew his past was horrible, so he epted Daisy''s criticism. He wished he hadn''t been a yboy. At that time, he had chosen the dissolute lifestyle to bnce his life. Edward thought Daisy didn''t care about his shameful past. He didn''t know that she just pretended not to care. Daisy kept trying to control her emotions, but the feeling was growing deeper than she could bear. That''s why Daisy was so uncontrobly emotional. Edward came out of the FX International Group building, and immediately left in a royal blue Maybach. Edward drove as fast as the F1 drivers. Luke followed Edward closely. He didn''t know what was going on; he was worried about him, but he knew there was only one person who could make Edward so insane, Daisy. Chapter 362 Do You Have The Guts To Say It Again Daisy feebly leaned against a tree along the path and thought to herself, "Am I crazy? Why am I being so emotional?" She didn''t know how to face Edwardter. She couldn''t wait to run away, but she was afraid that Edward would get angry if he didn''t see her here. She had felt his rage by the way he yelled at her on the phone moments ago. Daisy bit her lips and asked herself, "Since when did I be a stereotypical sentimental woman? From the sess of FX International Group, I should have known that he''s not as benign as it appears. Why did I make his repressed viciousnesse out?" Edward sped off along the way. Luckily, it wasn''t the rush hour, so he didn''t meet an ident. But when he got out of the downtown area, he began to slow down, to avoid any mishaps. Luke was driving behind him insanely to follow his car. Blue eyes, pointed nose, soft lips, and a chiseled jawline, his handsome face was still attractive even when he was angry. Edward moved his lips coldly and began to feel a sting in his heart. ''Was she ming me?'' He thought to himself. ''She probably despises me. Does she think I am lewd because I have slept with countless women? She doesn''t know that I may seem like a womanizer, but I have only slept with a few of those women. The rest of the women were just a cover for me to confuse people into believing that I''m a promiscuous yboy.'' The truth of the matter was, he did all of that to attract his parents'' attention. Even though they were traveling around the world, Edward knew that his parents were keeping an eye on him. He deliberately led a dissolute life to attract their concern. But in the end, it was all in vain because it proved to be meaningless for them. Edward never doubted the power of true love; his parents were living proof of eternal love. But he had never found anyone who could pull his heartstrings before, so naturally, love was out of the question. However, one fine morning a few months ago, Daisy suddenly showed up, without any greetings, exnations or even eye contact, she left Justin to him and walked away. She was arrogant and cold like the wintersweet. Edward was attracted to her personality, and right at that moment, something in his heart changed. Gradually he walked towards her, and he lost his heart with every step. He made every effort to keep Daisy in his life; he even gave up his dissolute life. Soon his love turned boisterous, and hended in her love trap. But he didn''t n to run away. Instead, he was willing to be imprisoned by her love. However, he felt Daisy didn''t was hard to perceive his thoughts from his deep eyes, but the sarcasm on his handsome face was quite obvious. He thought she woulde to him to exin her outburst on the phone. He had waited for quite some time now, but she didn''t take action. Finally, he took action although his feet still felt a little numb. Fortunately, he could rely on the car door. He really wanted to sort things out with Daisy who looked disturbed. Edwardughed at himself and thought, ''Edward, because of Daisy, you have experienced thousands of the first times; you swallow your pride; you value her tears; you drop your attitude; you get frantic; you feel heartache; you begin to step forward first; you love; you hate, and you enjoy every bit of it.'' "You told me to stay put on the phone." Daisy murmured with an innocent look on her face. She was scared to make eye contact with Edward''s keen eyes, so she just yed with a little rock on the ground with the tip of her shoe. Daisy had no idea why she was afraid of him. Although she was a Colonel and she was supposed to be fearless, she followed his orders and fulfilled them. Perhaps it was because she had loved him intensely, wasn''t it? "Pff! Daisy, are you sure you didn''t y a game of badgering to attain your military title? I can''t believe that you would follow such a stupid order. I''ve never seen you behave so deferentially as you do today." Edward said and smiled, which was the first rxed smile on his face since he came here. All hisints and distrust had vanished because of her silly words. It also reminded him why he had desperately fallen in love with such a cold and stubborn woman. He was fascinated with the naive look on Daisy''s face. Chapter 363 It Has To Be Me "Don''t try to nder me. I earned my ce. Unlike you, I don''t sell beauty. And who wants to stay in bed for a month?" Daisy''s voice grew fainter and fainter until it faded to whispering. She flushed instantly as she thought of what he had done to her in bed. "You really take every word I say to heart, don''t you? Come here. Don''t tell me my beauty can''t work its magic on you anymore." Edward caught her almost inaudible murmuring and his darkened mood turned bright immediately, a brilliant smile lighting up his handsome face, his eyes shining with deep affection. He had remarkable hearing and heard what she said clearly. But he couldn''t help but surrender to her miserable face. His heart softened at the sight of her, and all his anger ebbed away. "Why don''t youe over here?" It seemed to her there was something dangerous about the car. She would be stupid to go near the car. Too many things could be done in a car, and God knew what he would do to her. She believed she would stand a chance in a fight with him, but it wasn''t a guaranteed win. Even by her standards, he was good at fighting, if not better. "Daisy, are you sure you just want to stand there?" His lips curved into a slow, affectionate smile, his intense blue eyes fastened on hers. For a few long seconds, she was riveted by his breathtaking beauty. But when she regained control, she still didn''t step forward. "You promise you won''t get mad at me again. Then I''ll decide." Daisy was nervous. She had no idea where this would lead. She tried to strike a bargain with him cautiously. She was a soldier, but like other women, she would be willful and intractable sometimes. "Well. I promise. Rx. I can''t feel my feet now. I can''t do anything to you like this." If it hadn''t been for his feet, he would have already hugged her tightly instead of just stood here trying to make a deal. Damn his luck! "What''s wrong with your feet? Let me have a look." Daisy hurried forward as soon as she heard his words. Was there a car ident on the way? Did he get hurt? It was highly possible considering his almost uncontrolled driving speed. "God, you are driving me insane." As soon as she got near him, he reached out to pull her in his arms and kissed her eagerly. She had no idea how he had felt on the way here, that he had listed countless exnation for what he had done, that his heart twisted painfully at the thought of her, that his world would have copsed without her. "Um¡­" Daisy''s eyes widened. She was tricked by him again! So the feet were just an excuse to get her toe closer. She had known it was not safe to get near the car. Now things went his way again. she desired so badly, a ce she could rely on. But it had belonged to other women once, no matter how much she wanted it. And now he stood right before her, hugged her. He was hers, truly andpletely. No one could take him away from her, she wouldn''t let that happen. She had overreacted today. But she didn''t regret it. If she couldn''t express her feelings, frustration and anger would keep building up in her heart until one day she couldn''t take them any more and explode. If he truly loved her, he should be able to tolerate her asional emotional fits. Normally she was quite rational. She had intended to have a walk and get rid of her bad mood. But his call just pushed her buttons and before knowing it she snapped, all the resentment built up over the years exploding out of her. "Edward, if one day you decide you don''t love me anymore, just forward me the divorce papers by messenger or something. I''m afraid I won''t be able to control myself, and who knows what I''d do, I might shoot you if I see you in person at that time." Daisy always felt insecure about their love, not sure where this rtionship was going. A faint sadness was lurking in the deep corner of her heart like a ghost. Every time she saw his handsome face, the bitter feeling lingered in her mind. "Are you seriously trying to annoy me? If I divorce you, I''ll kill myself before you shoot me. I''m not kidding -- you know how I am when I lose control. Don''t ever say the ''d'' word to me again, okay?" He was just a jerk in her eyes. She didn''t trust him, had no faith in their love. The knowledge of her insecurity was almost unbearable for him. But what was more galling was the word ''divorce'' from her mouth, it hurt him much more than having his chest blown open by a bullet. Chapter 364 I Dont Trust Myself (Part One) "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to hurt you. It''s just...something happened and I''m a little distracted. Please don''t take it to heart." ying with the buttons on Edward''s ck shirt, Daisy lowered her head and answered absently. She didn''t dare to look into Edward''s angry eyes. She knew she had upset him again. He was like a lion that just woke up from its sleep; he was angry and aggressive. Daisy didn''t have the courage to face the disappointment in his eyes. With his eyes fixed on Daisy''s hands, Edward quietly watched Daisy y with his shirt and said nothing to stop her. After a while, he finally broke silence, "Now tell me. Who did you run into today? Was it Jessica? Or someone from the Ouyang family? What did they say or do to you to make you act like this? Don''t ever try to deny this or lie to me. I know you don''t want me to worry, but it doesn''t work that way. I just need the truth." Mixed emotions surged in his eyes. Something must be wrong, otherwise Daisy wouldn''t be acting like this. Although Edward didn''t want to force Daisy into talking, he knew there were things they had to solve sooner orter. The sooner they took care of them, the less pain they would suffer. It had suddenlye to him that it was time for him to take care of a lot of things before they got worse. "Edward, would you mind telling me something about Jessica? I''m really curious. You were never short of dates; so what did you see in her that made you be with her for all these years? Her beauty? Her body? Maybe something else?" Daisy wasn''t foolish. She knew the rtionship between Edward and Jessica wouldn''t be just as simple as friends with benefits. If it was merely sexual, there were so many women would die trying to crawl into Edward''s bed; he didn''t have to hold on to Jessica. Therefore, the only reasonable exnation left was that Edward had some other feelings for Jessica. That made sense to Daisy. "So you saw Jessica today. What? Do you really want to hear me talk about her?" asked Edward as a hint of desire shed through his eyes. He grabbed Daisy''s hands to stop her from further turning him on. He was aroused by her simple moves even if she nt. "Edward, you''re a jerk!" Daisy gradually came to realize that she always gave in when Edward threatened her with such things. There was nothing she could do about it. She got annoyed. Was Edward the death of her? Edward was the man she could never turn down. Whatever he wanted her to do, she would be doing it without any hesitation or regret because she loved him so much. She didn''t know how to reject him, for such a thing didn''t even exist in her world. "What jerk? That''s just a normal physiological reaction! Any man will be turned on with the love of his life in his arms, unless he''s impotent. But I''m not, and I love you." Edward calmly excused himself with a smirk, as if he was telling Daisy something as simple as one and one equals two. However, Daisy found his look very annoying, and she really wanted to punch him in the face. ''Maybe he''d stop teasing me and be quiet for a while with a ck eye.'' Daisy thought to herself sulkily. "Are you trying to distract me so you wouldn''t have to talk about Jessica with me?" Okay, if he wanted her to sit on hisp, then she would. Big deal! Daisy shrugged and remained still in his arms. She didn''t wear her uniform today, so she wouldn''t bring shame to the army if someone should pass by and see them like this. Besides, it wasn''t the central park downtown, they hardly saw anyone around. The only sound they could hear was birds singing joyfully on the branches above them. Chapter 365 I Dont Trust Myself (Part Two) "Okay. Let''s get down to business. You are curious why I seem so distant to my parents, aren''t you?" What had been going on with him and Jessica was a long story, which was tooplicated to be finished within just a few sentences. Edward didn''t n to cut the long story short, so he took Daisy into the car and sat down before they talked. He had decided a long time ago he wouldn''t tell anyone about the pain and sorrow during his childhood, because it hurt him to repeat it over and over again; but if Daisy wanted to know, he wouldn''t keep it a secret from her. He wanted her to know everything about him - his good, bad or even desperate self. The other reason he decided to reopen his wound was because what he had been through when he was little yed an important part in his life. "Yes, I am." Wrapping her arms around his neck, Daisy nodded firmly. However, all of a sudden, she noticed that Edward''s face changed; he looked sad. Daisy got frightened and nervous. Her instincts told her that she should stop right there, but deep down, another voice was whispering, pushing her to go after the answer she wanted the whole time. Gazing at his face, Daisy wondered whether she was too heartless to him; she forced him to reopen his wound and watched him bleed just because she wanted some answers. "Everyone thinks I''m sessful and I have everything I want within my reach. But the truth is, my parents weren''t really a mother and father to me. I''m the child that they have never liked. I have always been like an invisible member in my family for all these years." Edward forced a weak smile as he started to speak. After the bitter opening, he pursed his thin lips and remained silent for a short while, trying to hold back his emotions; then he continued, "I had to live abroad, alone, by myself, when other kids could still hug their parents and ask for what they wanted, candies, new bikes, love and attention. And I had to learn how to run the business and even take over thepany when other kids were still l y because deep down he felt insecure. "Yes, I trust you. I just don''t trust myself." Daisy was frightened. She didn''t mean to hurt Edward in the first ce. But look at what she had done! Although Edward said those words in a cheerful tone, Daisy knew he was bleeding inside. And it hurt her ten times to see him in agony. "Don''t you want to know my past? Don''t you want to know why I turned to a yboy? Yes, you do. Deep down, you still want the answer. We''re the same type of people. No matter how much we want to know what the other think about us, we run away simply because we''re too scared to hear something we couldn''t ept. In the end, nothing solved, and everything just repeats itself again and again. We''ll still doubt and quarrel and eventually get hurt, because neither of us really knows what happened. So, are you sure you don''t want to listen anymore?" Edward knew Daisy stopped him because she didn''t want to see him stir things up by showing her his bleeding wounds. But he owed her an exnation, something he should have given her long time ago. Edward knew what happened today would probably happen again in the future, so he''d better tell her everything now once and for all. Edward almost broke down and lost his mind when they had a fight before. It was too painful, and he didn''t want to go through it again, ever. Chapter 366 Changed a Lot Because of You "But I feel like I''m being cruel to make you talk about the past. I don''t want to see you get sad. My heart will hurt too, " Daisy said affectionately. At this moment, she wasn''t the shy woman anymore. She extended her slender hands to rub Edward''s knitted eyebrows. She didn''t like seeing him wincing, because it meant he was being troubled by something and her heart would ache. "I''m not sad, just resigned. I''m fine." Feeling Daisy''s hands tremble, Edward sighed. He could see that although she appeared aloof, she was full of passion. And all that passion was for him, which he considered a blessing. He was willing to go through anything with her. "OK. If you feel sad, you can stop talking anytime. Although I hope I can know everything about you, I don''t want you to get upset, so don''t worry about me." Daisy''s heart was aching, because she was familiar with the feelings of being ignored by family members, which was her life story. She understood Edward. "Maybe you won''t believe me. My father has never held me once since my childhood. I have no idea how it feels to be spoiled by a father. At first I envied those people who have a happy family, then I started hating them. I was bitter. I was once filled with those deep feelings because of my own family. Although my mom loves me, I will never be as important as my father to her. So when they sent me abroad to live alone, I didn''t feel sad but relieved." Edward still remembered how thrilled he had been that day. He had wondered if he would be their sole concern after he parted with them. He had worked hard because he had hoped to be the best person he could be so that his father would like him. However, letdown after letdown, he finally knew. He found that no matter how hard he tried, he would always be the fifth wheel in that rich family. He was destined to be neglected by his parents. Day after day, it didn''t matter to him anymore. He stopped longing for care and love, because he realized that he would never get them. All his effort would be to no avail. It was meaningless to keep wasting his time. "Then I promised myself that if I couldn''t be a responsible father, I wouldn''t have a child. So al r she was! "Yes, I was indeed brutal to you. I made a mistake. But in the past three months, I have changed a lot because of you. For the first time I waited for a woman; for the first time I felt insecure in a rtionship; for the first time I let a woman kiss my lips; for the first time I know how wonderful it is to love someone; and for the first time I know I can drop my pride for a woman." If these things were the punishment for his cruelty to her, he was willing to take them, because he owed her. And because it was for Daisy, the woman he would be devoted to for the rest of his life. "Is all this true? Am I that woman?" Daisy asked and looked at Edward with an enchanting and passionate smile. He was amazed to see how charming she was at this moment. That smile was like a breeze caressing his cheeks and softening his heart, brightening his years. It was engraved upon his heart so that he would still be able to recall it even after a long, long time. "Who says it is you? Colonel, you''re so full of yourself." Edward teased her. She was rarely tender like today. Normally, she would just kick him or cold shoulder him. "Not me? Not even when I''m doing this?" Daisy kissed Edward on the lips before she finished her sentence. He had said that no other woman had kissed his lips but her, which excited her. She was d that he had been telling the truth before. Those lips had never been touched by any other woman. They were all hers. Chapter 367 Daisy You Are Too Cocky (Part One) Edward narrowed his sinister eyes and looked at Daisy, was she flirting with him on her own initiative? Wouldn''t she feel he was cold and unromantic if he didn''t savor the feast that came to him by itself? With the thought, he immediately took control. Because Daisy''s kissing skills really sucked. Of course, he wouldn''t let her know this, otherwise he couldn''t imagine what she''d do. He would certainly be doomed. He kissed her passionately. But his kiss was also very gentle and sweet. This made Daisy who had expected a light kiss lost in the endless sensual delight created by Edward. He was such a good kisser. If he hadn''t mentioned it to her repeatedly, she wouldn''t believe that she was the only woman who had kissed him. "Then just admit the woman you were talking about is me." Daisy gasped hastily and reluctantly left his thin and sexy lips. She gazed at him gently. Her face turned red and dewy-like after the passionate kiss, making anyone who saw the face want to have a bite of it. She had gone to great lengths to sacrifice her kiss in order to get answers, she didn''t believe that this hateful man would continue to be pretentious. "If you continue to please me, I''ll consider saying it''s you. What do you think? Does Colonel Ouyang want this honor?" Edward looked into Daisy''s eyes slyly, a cunning smile climbing to his handsome face. That expression was fascinating. "Really? I''d rather you keep this honor to another woman. As a Colonel, I don''t care about it. The world may be short of many things, but I''m sure there is nock of two-legged men." Daisy looked at Edward mischievously while raising her eyebrows arrogantly, a charming smile crossing her face. ''Huh, Edward, you''re really that kind of guy who wants to tak ppletelyst time, they thought they didn''t really want Lin Group to go bankrupt. They wouldn''t make aeback to thepany so soon, unless their CEO irritated Edward again. Which was why he went against his own code and caused all this mayhem. That was unusual for him. He was not that kind of man, the assistant thought. "Why are you asking me? Why is it whenever something happens you only think to ask me? If I know the solution, why would I need you? You''re useless, all of you! Just think of a way to satisfy the shareholders. No matter what, don''t let them sell our stock! Do you need me to remind you of such a simple thing? Why are you still here, you pieces of shit?" Jessica ground her teeth and screamed furiously. Daisy pissed her off when they met today, she didn''t expect to hear such bad news when she came back to thepany. How was it possible for her to be calm now? She was going ballistic. "Okay, Miss Lin, we will go to talk with our shareholders now. But what should we do to save the stock which continues plummeting?" The special assistant looked furtively at Jessica, fearing of inviting a blow from her. His voice trailed off. Chapter 368 Daisy You Are Too Cocky (Part Two) "I will think about it. Go finish the things I asked you to do first." Jessica lowered her head, holding her head in her hands. She seemed lost in thought. Who was behind all this? She had the same idea as her special assistant did. She didn''t believe it was Edward again. If he really wanted to make Lin Group go bankrupt, he wouldn''t have let it gost time. But who would have such a big grudge against Lin Group? She was confused. She touched her belly gently, and her heart sank deeper. Her father had been sent to overseas to have a good rest there. She did this to hide her pregnancy from him. If he found that she was pregnant, he probably would pass out again. But this time, thepany was confronted with such a serious problem, she feared that she was unable to handle it by herself. To tell the truth, after the heavy blowst time, the Lin Group was very vulnerable now. If she could not find capital to put into thepany, she had no other option but to dere bankruptcy. But where could she get suchrge amounts of capital in such a short time? She didn''t have very close friends in this trade. She used to think that she had Edward with her. So she was always very arrogant and set her sights high. She ignored all the other rich men who ttered her. Because in her heart, she was the one who was bound to be Edward''s wife. But she didn''t expect that Daisy would get in the way and shatter all her dreams. This was a deadly blow which surprised her a lot. If she went to Edward and begged him for help, would he help her because they used to be lovers? But when thinking of his cold attitude towards her, she hesitated doing this. B e she feared so much what he''d do, she should have kept his warnings in mind. But she seemed to go the wrong way, she dared to made the same mistakes despite his repeated warnings. If he didn''t punish her severely, would she ever take him seriously? She needed to be taught a lesson. "Don''t get angry, Edward. You know that I rarely ask anything of you. Even if you forget the fact that we have been together for so many years, you should think about our child." Jessica begged, crying. She had lost her dignity in front of this man early on, so she really had nothing to lose now. "Our child? Jessica, how many times do you need me to tell you that your child has nothing to do with me? How many times will it take to get it through your thick skull? Please don''t force the baby on me, okay?" Edward sighed. Why did he forget to give his health check report to that conceited woman? That would save him from iming for himself over and over again. It was because his carelessness that he didn''t take the matter of the child too seriously, so that Jessica got a chance to make a fuss by using the child. Chapter 369 The Romantic Date "Fine. Let''s not talk about the baby. But please meet me. I have to discuss something important with you, " Jessica implored while biting her lower lip. She had never been so humble in her life. She knew that this was herst chance. If she missed it, she would be in a more embarrassing situation, so she discarded her usual haughty attitude and pretended not to feel her aching heart. Besides, when it came to Edward, her pride always got undermined. "We can talk on the phone. You have five minutes." Edward raised his voice a bit. Daisy, who had been sleeping in the passenger''s seat, was awakened by his voice. "Have we arrived? Oh, you are on the phone." Daisy sluggishly looked at Edward with droopy eyes. She looked innocent, adorable and feminine. "Not yet. Go back to sleep. It''s not an important call. Did I wake you?" Edward said gently, totally ignoring the person on the other end of the phone. Hearing what Edward had said to Daisy, Jessica''s expression changed unwittingly. She knew that he was with Daisy in his car. She remembered that he used to talk to her in that gentle tone back then. She used to stay in his arms like a spoiled child. There was a time when she was the happy woman sitting in the passenger''s seat next to Edward. But now, she was nothing to him. Bygones were bygones. Jessica was just a meaningless fling to Edward. She closed her eyes in grief and listened to him affectionately talking to another woman. Her heart was bleeding. She hung up the phone in silence, tears streaming down her pretty cheeks. Right now, there was only one person in Edward''s heart -Daisy. Jessica was in no ce to talk. Whether what she had heard was an act or not, she had lost herst bit of confidence. Jessica sat on the chair helplessly. Her youth, her love, and her upper-ss lifestyle had all gone, for nothing. Her years of love and obsession for Edward eventually lost to Daisy. She sneered. She used to think that she was special to him, that was why she never believed it when people used to say that the CEO of FX International Group was insensitive and ruthless. But now, seeing how he treated Daisy, she realized that it was true. He could be so cold and cruel to the people worse by the day. Your mind is filled with filth. What do you use it for, I wonder?" Daisy tried to pull herself together. If Edward noticed her uneasiness because of his tease, he would enjoy it and ridicule her all tonight. Darn! Being in a rtionship with such an evil guy was exhausting. You had to be very careful with his tricks all the time. "Honey, be reasonable. You were naughty first. I just disclosed what you were thinking. Howe I am getting med?" Edward pretended to be wronged. He acted innocent, but actually, his head was filled with dirty ideas. No one could win over him in shamelessness. More lewd remarks mighte out of his mouth. So to shut him up, Daisy had to acquiesce to his words, although they were just nonsense. "I would be a fool if I continued to argue with you over this." Daisy drank a mouthful of water from the ss on the table. She was in no mood to carry this topic forward because she knew she would be at a disadvantage. "OK. Let''s order a set meal for a couple." Edward knew well what she was capable of. Once the tiger was awakened in public, his reputation would be ruined. So he dropped the topic immediately. "A set meal for a couple? Count me in, " a vigorous voice said. It was Brian. He smiled mischievously at Daisy and Edward, his nce shifting back and forth from one to the other. He just came in to grab a bite and hadn''t expected to bump into them. His luck had been goodtely. What a beautiful life! Chapter 370 How Horrible You Are (Part One) "Are you out of your mind? We are ordering a couple set, for God''s sake! It''s a set for two! We''re on a date, not a family night out with child. I''m sure you don''t want to be the third wheel, do you?" Edward growled at Brian. He wanted to share a romantic night with Daisy, filled with candles, flowers, delicious food and sweet conversations. But Brian suddenly showed up and ruined everything! The romantic and intimate ambiance he had been hoping for had vanished because of Brian''s sudden appearance. "My dear brother-inw, don''t you know? If one set isn''t enough for the three of us, you can always order another set. One for the two of you, and the other for me! After all, I''m still a growing boy, and I need some extra nutrition. Don''t worry; I can eat all of it. Don''t mind me and please go back to whatever you were doing. I''ll just sit here quietly and enjoy my food. I won''t bother you. I promise you won''t even know I''m here!" Ignoring the rage in Edward''s eyes, Brian shrugged and gave an ear-to-ear smile, as if he didn''t notice how furious Edward was because he invited himself to join them for dinner. "What? You? Still growing? Come on, don''t be ridiculous and try something more realistic! Something like you''re putting on weight! And what did you just say about ignoring you? Buddy, you''re not invisible, okay? Look how enormous you are! And you''re sitting right here at the table. I''m not blind; how am I supposed to pretend that I can''t see you?" With rage still burning in his eyes, Edward red at Brian and sharply retorted. His anger was evident in every single word that came out his mouth. It seemed as if he wanted to skin Brian alive. "Don''t mind him, Brian. Come here and have a seat with us. He''s crazy. Just ignore him." Daisy knew why Edward was angry. He had nned to spend a romantic night with Daisy; they hardly got the chance to do sotely. Edward had every right to be mad. Now that he was picking on Brian, Daisy thought she''d interrupt before Edward lost his temper and picked up a fight with Brian. She invited Brian to sit down with them and deliberately med Edward for his rudeness; she knew her words might upset Edward, but he wouldn''t be ang nd something worth living for. Teasing his new brother-inw had officially be histest hobby! Nothing gave him more pleasure than to see Edward''s angry face when he kept pushing him. Brian enjoyed seeing Edward hold back his rage because he couldn''t attack him in front of Daisy. ''You asked for it! You are the one who threw the first punch at mest night! I won''t be me if I don''t make you pay with interest!'' Brian was gloating secretly. "Dude, how long have you been abroad? You can''t even say your mother tongue properly now?" With his eyes fixed on Brian, Edward said those words between his gritted teeth. He pretended to be calm, but the wrath burning in his eyes gave him away. ''Hypocrite? Seriously? Is that how he should address his sister''s husband? Damn it! Am I a jerk in his eyes? Maybe that''s why he keeps picking on me. Perhaps he hates me because he thinks I''m not good enough for Daisy.'' Edward thought to himself gloomily. "Alright, stop it, both of you. Did something happen between you two earlier that I don''t know about? Why do you act like arch enemies every time you see each other? You are grown men, not 3-year-old kids!" Daisy rolled her eyes and tried to stop the childish feud between her husband and her younger brother. They both were the most important people in her life; she sincerely hoped they would get along well with each other. Even if they didn''t like each other, couldn''t they pretend to be nice for her sake? Chapter 371 How Horrible You Are (Part Two) "Who? Him? I''ve never seen a man like him in my whole life!" Edward retorted sourly and gulped down his ss of water; he was parched after arguing with Brian. Edward just met Brian at the partyst night. He had no idea Brian was Daisy''s younger brother, that was why he mistook him for her ex-lover and got green with envy. The second time they met was here at the restaurant tonight; and once again, Brian stole Daisy''s attention from him when he intended to have a romantic date with her. How could Edward put on a happy smile and greet him? "Daisy, why did you choose to be a soldier? I have no idea about that, " asked Brian. Brian dropped the topic as soon as Daisy told him to. He always followed whatever she said. He knew Daisy loved Edward and didn''t want to see them fight, so he changed the topic and asked Daisy the question that had been lingering in his mind for quite a while. They grew up together, and he certainly knew Daisy''s dream career when she was little, and it had nothing to do with the military. He wondered what made Daisy change her mind all of a sudden. "Nothing special. I guess I just felt like it. Why did you ask? You don''t want me to be a soldier?" Back then, Daisy gave up everything and chose to be a soldier because when she first met Edward, he said he didn''t like weak people. Edward might have forgotten this, but on that day Daisy decided she had to be strong. However, Daisy figured Brian didn''t have to know those details. In fact, even if she had chosen to live a different life because of what Edward had said, still she was utterly devoted to her career. The new identity had been her redemption. After spending more than a decade building her strength in the army, she was no longer the weak girl who used to weep tears of grief. She was a fierce and strong female colonel with numerous honors and medals. It wasn''t easy for a woman to gain so many achievements in just a few years. Daisy had learned a lot a was no point bringing it up over and over again. We all had a life to live, and we couldn''t let ourselves get lost in sad memories forever. Grieving over the past would do us no good, it only made things worse if we were crying for the lost and paying no attention to the present. "I''ve been doing okay. Nothing particrly interesting. I was just studying there and enjoying life." Brian curled his lips into a weak smile. He didn''t mean to show off that he had been living an affluent and carefree life when Daisy was suffering in the army. He felt ashamed of himself because of his purposeless way of life. Edward cast a surprised look at Brian when he heard what he had said. The look on his face seemed sincere; it didn''t look like he was lying. Then Edward frowned and was lost in his thoughts. He realized that although Brian came from the Ouyang family, he wasn''t like the other members of his family. Brian was nice and decent, unlike his arrogant and spoiled sister Mary. No wonder he got along well with Daisy. Edward suddenly felt sorry for him. It must be hard for Brian to choose between his parents and his beloved sister. But he was an Ouyang, and that was the problem he had to face. Edward figured that life didn''t go easy on anyone, and every family had their own problems to solve. Chapter 372 Im Not Going To The Hospital (Part One) It was supposed to be a date between lovers. However, with Brian joining them it had turned into a party for friends who hadn''t seen each other for a long time. Edward, who should be the male protagonist in the date, looked deserted in this gathering. He just listened quietly while Daisy and Brian chatted fervently about their past that had nothing to do with him. It seemed that he was the third wheel in tonight''s date. Although Edward was left out in the cold, he felt neither embarrassed nor angry. He sat silently on his seat, ate his beefsteak and gracefully sipped the red wine. He looked so noble and so charming that he had be the focus of attention at the restaurant. Many guests were peeping at him. But he paid no attention to them and casually went on dining and drinking. Every few minutes, he raised his head to cast an affectionate look at the woman sitting opposite him. His mour appeared in every gesture and every glimpse of him. Daisy didn''t shift her gaze from Edward when she was conversing with Brian. She enjoyed talking with Brian, but she could not help herself from ncing at Edward, as he was always the focus of attention for her. Edward was the only man that Daisy wanted to love for the rest of her life. Daisy and Edward cared about each other, although at times they tried to behave otherwise. Brian had, of course, noticed their sweet gestures. Brian saw that Daisy and Edward had fallen deeply in love with each other. Brian felt happy for Daisy; her happiness was one of his greatest wishes. Although he loved Daisy too, he didn''t mind that his beloved woman was in love with another man. He just wanted her to have a happy life and was willing to do anything to make that happen. But like a spoiled boy, Brian could not help himself from approaching her and had tried his best to attract her attention. At the same time, Leena was having an unfavorable night. It all started when she burned her hand while cooking in her apartment. She looked at the s l on her foot. What a lucky day for Leena! Kevin frowned on seeing the turn of events. He turned off the gas stove quickly. Then he grabbed Leena into his arms, lifted her and carried her out of the kitchen. His face darkened when he carried her towards the living room. Leena noticed his worried expression. She wondered why Kevin got so bothered all of a sudden. Did he feel sad for the broken turner or did he get mad at her for the mess in the kitchen? But Leena could not find the answer to her question. "Kevin, I can walk." Leena witnessed Kevin''s cold expression for the first time today. He looked quite stern and terrifying when he was in a serious mood. Leena stared at his darkened face until she was breathless with nervousness. She assumed that she was the reason behind Kevin''s rage. But Leena wondered what she had done to enrage him. She thought about everything that had happened, but nothing seemed peculiar in her opinion. Did Kevin get angry because she messed up the pork leg? "Shut up." Kevin carefully ced Leena on the couch. Instead of saying something to her, Kevin ran straight upstairs. This puzzled Leena. She had no idea what Kevin intended to do. As Leena knew nothing about the cause for Kevin''s anger, she had to stay where she was and wait for his return lest she might enrage him further. Chapter 373 Im Not Going To The Hospital (Part Two) Kevin scurried into the study, fetched the first-aid-kit, and returned downstairs soon. Even he had no idea why he got enraged. But he clearly felt a sense of pain and sadness when he saw Leena getting hurt by the turner. The feeling was so intense that it swelled rampantly in his heart. He felt terrible at that moment. But he wasn''t sure about the reason behind this ufortable feeling. Did ite as a result of his care for Leena or was it just guilt for failing to take good care of her? "Stretch out your foot, let me put some medicine on it." Kevin dropped the first-aid-kit. He still wore a gloomy face. But his tone was softer than before. "Hmm! Kevin, I''m fine." Leena slightly moved her foot backward. Although they were married now, she felt awkward to approach Kevin, especially when they were at an intimate distance. She didn''t know what was wrong with her. But she got extremely nervous whenever Kevin came close to her. "You sure you are okay? Because there is a huge bruise on your skin." Kevin looked at Leena''s fair-skinned foot. There was a massive bruise on it. Kevin again got furious at the sight of the ugly bruise. ''Can''t you take care of yourself?'' Kevin roared at Leena in his heart. He wondered what she was thinking right now. She was severely hurt but was still refusing his help. "You can hand the medicine to me! I can do it myself." Leena stretched out her hand for the medicine. But she had forgotten that her hand was even more severely hurt. So, Kevin''s reaction at sight of the burn on her hand was indeed beyond her expectation. Kevin squinted his eyes to examine the burnt part carefully. The sternness in his eyes, like that of a ferocious eagle, was so terrifying that Leena didn''t dare to speak. "Leena, do you think that you can apply medicine on your wound with a burnt hand? What the hell did you do to get so badly burned?" Kevin closed his eyes in despair. Was he wrong in marrying her? Leena was born into a wealthy family. Her parents treated her like a princess. She didn''t need to lift a single finger for her daily affairs at home, as her servants t na examined Kevin in his military uniform from a close distance. Unlike her brother''s elegance and courtesy, Kevin was handsome with masculine charm. He looked calm and stern, which might be due to his military uniform. "Raise your foot up. Hurry!" Kevin put down her hand carefully. ''It was severely hurt. It will probably get infected without proper treatment by a doctor, '' thought Kevin. "Hmm! The foot - that might be unnecessary!" Leena eyed Kevin carefully and said in a doubtful tone. She intended to turn down his suggestion, but she was afraid that her refusal would enrage him again. As a result, her refusal didn''t sound determined. Leena felt a change in her attitude towards Kevin. She didn''t use to care about his mood swings or anger. In recent days, however, she had spent too much time obsessing about his feelings. That might not be a good sign! "Of course it is necessary. I must rub your foot with some herbal wine. And the spray will help your bruise to recover faster." Kevin frowned while speaking with Leena. Getting no response from her, Kevin grasped Leena''s foot all of a sudden and put it on his leg. In Kevin''s opinion, Leena was not a coy woman. But to his surprise, she looked quite conservative and shy today. Kevin tried to figure out the reason behind Leena''s abnormal behavior. Why was she behaving so strangely today? She wasn''t the woman that he had known anymore. Chapter 374 The Lady with Attitude (Part One) Leena blushed and felt shy as she watched Kevin. She felt a strong impulse to pull her foot back. Kevin was the second man who had held her foot so closely. The first was Mr. Cold. The situation here made her feel a bit awkward. "Don''t move. It''s blue already. I''m gonna apply the medicine on your foot a little more and it''s gonna be painful. Are you ready?" Kevin frowned, looking at the wound on her instep. He thought, ''well. Her hand and foot are really burned. Looks like it hurts, too. How did she get this unlucky?'' "Um!" Leena said and nodded. Actually, she wasn''t sure about it, because she didn''t know what exactly "painful" meant. How much pain? She felt worried, but still forced out a word. "Rx. I''ll just need a few seconds." Feeling how stiff Leena was, Kevin loosened his grip some, hoping to hurt her ankle less. "Ah! It hurts!" Kevin put a few drops of the medicinal liquor on his hands, but the minute when he rubbed it on her instep, Leena cried out loudly. It was obvious she was in deep pain and burst into a flood of tears, which she had tried to hold back for a long time. "Does it hurt a lot? Please don''t cry. I''ll try to be more gentle. Can we do more?" Kevin couldn''t help feeling tense at the sight of Leena''s face wet with tears. He thought if he didn''t do it for her now, she would suffer from even more pain in the future. So he decided to get it done although he didn''t like her reactions. Leena automatically nodded her agreement after Kevin said those sweet and soothing words to her -- although she was reluctant. Meanwhile, she felt a little ashamed as well, because she couldn''t even bear the pai od or bad, but when it came to her food, she was extremely serious. There were good reasons why she learned how to cook. Monotony was one reason, but the main reason was that she was very particr about food. Since she was abroad, her menu was limited. She couldn''t stand the Western-style food anymore, so she took steps to teach herself how to cook the dishes she liked. "Herees the food! Try it. See if it''s any good, " Kevin said. He served all the food he cooked, and looked at Leena expectantly. He didn''t consider himself to be a gourmet chef, but he thought he was not bad at cooking. He beat out all the other cooks in the military familymunity. He would have snagged the top rank, except Daisy was actually better. "Um! They look good. Color''s nice. Don''t know what they''ll taste like." Leena took the chopsticks, picked up the nearest Stewed Chicken Wing in Ginger Coca-c, put it into her mouth and chewed slowly. It tasted so tender and soft that Leena gave him a thumb up. His cooking ability was no doubt very good. This tasted so good, he was something of an expert. Chapter 375 The Lady with Attitude (Part Two) "What do you think? Not as good as yours, but not bad! Right?" Kevin smirked. Having lived in the army for so long a time, how could he be a pampered goofball? He had to know about everything so that he couldn''t be worn out. Otherwise, only one field training exercise could make him suffer terribly. "It tastes good. Kevin. How did you learn how to cook?" In Leena''s eyes, the people who were good at cooking must have received specialized training. Wasn''t she an example? "No. I just have cooked quite a lot. " Kevinughed at himself. He remembered that in the beginning the food he cooked could not just be described as "disastrous". A better description would be "disgusting". Even he couldn''t take a bite, let alone other people. "You cooked such delicious food. If I don''t know better, I''d think you were born in a chef family!" Leena hadn''t poked into how noble his birth was, but she could tell from his manner and temperament that he wasn''t as ordinary as some children of high-ranking officials. As such, how could a girl like her, who almost knew nothing, get the approval of his parents? ''What if they both don''t like me?'' Leena''s heart suddenly sank at the thought of this possibility. She didn''t know why she began to pay more attention to everything rted to him. Even stranger for her, she thought about more about him gradually. "There''s a saying: ''Don''t judge a book by its cover.'' It makes sense. When you see something, don''t only focus on the appearance. The most important thing is to discover the inner qualities. You only know what''s in a book by opening it the core. Belinda was standing there still, gazing at the entrance of Sexy World. Her beautiful face showed no emotion. She didn''t even spare a look of contempt for Rachel. She regarded her like the air. You breathe it, and not think about it. She didn''t like the women who were arrogant or put on an attitude. She didn''t take any of Rachel''s words personally. She knew the truth, and nothing would change no matter what Rachel said or what she tried to make up. Last time, she was ufortable when she saw this woman. She couldn''t believe that Rachel had the guts to insult her again. Belinda thought she might be out of her mind. "Duke, you didn''t use to talk to me this way. Why have you changed so much. If I recall correctly, you used to call me "Ray" affectionately, quietly. Why are you so distant to me now? Rachel bit her lip and couldn''t ept Duke''s "sudden" change or his cold attitude. She was still living in the past when Duke treated her gently, overlooking the fact that people change over time. Given enough time, everything changed. Chapter 376 Who Is That Handsome Guy (Part One) Belinda let out a scornful chuckle. She said, "Miss...Qin? Don''t you think that was a redundant question? You''ve already said it was something that happened a long time ago. Why do you have to mention it now? Should we be haunted by our past?" Belinda said, with a mocking sneer on her face, Belinda turned her gaze to Rachel. She''d like to know whether this woman had something called boundaries. How insolent of her to talk about her past rtionship with Duke publicly! Who did she think she was? And how dare she insult Belinda this way! "Who the heck are you? I''m talking about my rtionship with Duke. Who do you think you are to meddle in our private affairs?" Rachel retorted arrogantly. Studying Belinda up and down, she thought so little of this woman, and couldn''t imagine her as a rival for Duke''s affections. Amused, Belindaughed out loud. She then walked to Duke and stood tiptoed to kiss him on his lips. That done, she nced at Rachel from the corner of her eye triumphantly. She had replied to Rachel''s question with the act. "What now? Do you still think it''s nothing to do with me, Miss Qin?" Belinda was not like Daisy. She was an aggressive and strong woman. She wouldn''t deign to exin herself when she was set up, nor would she sit there and try to defuse a fight. Her only solution to problems was to fight back directly. However, her aggressive gesture not only shocked Rachel, but also petrified Duke. A secondter, Duke recovered, and smiled charmingly after she did that. He gazed into her eyes dangerously, as he wondered, whether her kiss meant that she had forgiven him. Her resentment had been hovering over them for days. "You! You''re so shameless!" Because Belinda remained silent at the start, Rachel had imaged her as a weak woman. She never expected Belinda to behave so aggressively, and couldn''t think of a way to fight back, but to sputter in exasperation. She wanted Duke''s kiss desperately. She had missed him and his kiss over the years. The soft touch of his lips was the most precious memory in her heart. It embodied her first love, which had passed away due to her stupid mistake. woman to be so sharp-tongued. How dare she humiliate her like this? "Daisy, over here!" However, Belinda didn''t even look at Rachel. She ignored herpletely, as she called for Daisy when she saw here in. She wasn''t here to bicker with this Rachel Qin. She was waiting for Daisy. Why should she dignify Rachel''s bullshit with ament? And now that Daisy was here, she had another one on her side. That Rachel could have Duke, however long she wanted, and whatever she wanted him for. Belinda didn''t care a bit. After all, she had nothing to do with their old love affairs, nor with their romantic entanglements. Duke also looked at Daisy as he noticed Belinda waving to her. As no one was paying attention to Rachel now, Rachel was enraged. With her pride swelled to the utmost, she also red at the entryway with anger. However, when she spotted Edward and Daisy together, she was scared, as the sight reminded her of the earlier warning made by the urbane man. But when sheid her eyes on Duke, she calmed down a little. He would forever protect her from danger. "How long have you been waiting?" Daisy asked as she approached them with a slight hint of smile on her face. However, when she saw Rachel with them, she frowned. How could this woman be here, too? She then shot a caring nce to Belinda, as she knew about Rachel''s rtionship with Duke. She wondered how Belinda would react in this situation. Chapter 377 Who Is That Handsome Guy (Part Two) "No, we just arrived. Let''s find a seat together. By the way, who''s this handsome guy? Won''t you introduce us?" Belinda winked to Daisy as she saw the other maning with Edward and her. If she was right, the man with Daisy was the same young man she had met yesterday, who stared at Daisy the whole night. Howe they were all together? And howe Edward wasn''t jealous? "Why, you''ve forgotten me, Belinda? I''m so sad!" Said Brian with a smile as he winked to Belinda merrily. He had also spotted Belinda yesterday night, though he didn''t talk to her. Part of the reason was that he was keeping a low profile, and part of the reason was that he had sensed that Daisy was trying to keep him away. He wouldn''t enter her social circle without her permission, so he didn''t bother her friends ordingly. "Haha! I remember something. But you can''t be the sniveling boy who followed Daisy everywhere like a little puppy dog, can you? You''re too handsome to be that brat. However, there''s an old saying, ''A boy changes fast in physical appearance from childhood to adulthood.'' So, you are an adult now?" Belinda quipped as she looked at Brian from head to toe. She couldn''t believe her eyes. How could this handsome young man as bright as sunshine be that weak, little boy from her memories? To everyone''s surprise, Edward was the first to be amused by Belinda''s words. Heughed out loud at her joke. He always enjoyed watching her belittling random men other than him. Belinda was a master at witty words. She should be the only person that could humble Brian that effectively. The whole night, he had been so angry with this Brian, but had to put up with him because of Daisy. Right now, since Belinda had mentioned his embarrassing past, Edward was so overjoyed. Finally, someone put down this arrogant boy. He''d like to see how Brian would react. However, Brian wasid back. "Belinda! How ungrateful of you t nd most importantly, don''t hurt Belinda. If you do, I will stop you." Daisy narrowed her eyes. If she was right about her guess, Rachel and Belinda must have discussed this matter earlier. Or else, Belinda wouldn''t ignore Duke and pretend to be familiar with Brian. "Hurt Belinda? I would never do that. And rather, I am the one to be hurt. Don''t you think so, Mrs. Mu? After all, I am the one who was dumped." Rachel hated Belinda more as she started to realize that so many people were her friends. She retorted angrily to Daisy''s words. "Miss Qin, I am not trying to interfere in your private affairs with Duke. All the entanglements are between the two of you, and it''s not for me to judge who''s right and who''s wrong. But I want to protect Belinda from all this. And I want everything to be settled soon. After all, Belinda is now Mrs. Leng, and you are a mere ex-girlfriend of Duke. You should know what I''m talking about now. You''re just unwilling to ept the fact." A touch of impatience appeared on Daisy''s face. She wondered why every man had to have annoying ex-girlfriends? Edward was adies'' man. It was understandable for him to have these affairs. But Duke had little interest in women. Why would he be involved with this woman? Men were a strange breed. Chapter 378 Edward, Are You Angry Stunned, Duke looked at Daisy. If he remembered correctly, she didn''t know Rachel. However, judging from what she said just now, they knew each other, and they had a quarrel before. Duke knew clearly that Daisy was defending Belinda. "Mrs. Mu, you''re trying to make me do something I can''t do. If another woman forced you to leave Edward, would you listen to her?" Rachel sneered at Daisy. She bet Daisy wouldn''t say "yes". She had to draw an analogy, so that Daisy would know how bitter it was to end a rtionship. "That depends on whether Edward and this woman love each other dearly. If yes, I will definitely leave without hesitation. If not, I won''t give up without a fight. I love him, so I won''t give him to another woman easily." Daisy said coldly. This was the first time that she had expressed her deep affection for Edward in public. She might be ashamed on other asions, but when asked by Rachel, she frankly said what she thought, so she didn''t feel embarrassed. Daisy''s words surprised Edward. Although he always knew she loved him, it was different to hear she say it out loud in public. He was happy about her saying "I love him", so he gave her a loving look. "It''s easy for you to say that. Only when you really experience it will you know how bitter it is. I don''t believe you can be so calm about it." Rachel didn''t believe what Daisy said. All women in love were selfish. No matter how proud and aloof Daisy was, she was just an ordinary woman, not an other-worldly fairy without the desire for love. "Miss Qin, why not give up on a man who doesn''t even love you? You try to stay by his side, but you ignore what he really thinks. It''s very selfish of you to do this. You think you love this man dearly, but you just love yourself." Daisy had personally experienced it, or she wouldn''t have once left life and death out of consideration. She knew how miserable it was, so she hoped the external factors wouldn''t affect the two people in love. The terrible pain had cut her to the quick, so she didn''t want to feel it again. Edward tightened his embrace. He was touched by Daisy''s reason, open-mindedness and immeasurable love for him. She said those words to him, rather than to give a warning to Rachel because she had poured out her innermost feelings. Edward loved this remarkable woman so much that he would never let her go in his lifetime. "As long as I can keep him by my side, he''ll fall in love with me one day. If I don''t love myself, how can I love someone?" These general principles were widely known. Daisy had a sharp sense of integrity, while Rachel was difficult to deal with. She responded to Daisy''s morality and justice with her absurd ideas. "Rachel, you''re confident. However, if that ''someone'' is me, I can tell you I will never love you. I don''t like to recycle garbage." Duke stared coldly at Rachel. t his entire life would continue being so miserable. Because, instead of being grateful to him, Edward gave him the cold shoulder, despite of everything he had done. "Mommy, I miss you so much. Why didn''t youe back home after you finished shopping with grandma? I kept waiting for you, but grandma came back alone. I wanted to show you the fish I caught with grandpa today, but I didn''t see you the whole time. I was so sad." "Sorry, I forgot to give you a call. I also miss you." Daisy stood on tiptoe to kiss Justin on his face. Everyone envied this warm and beautiful scene. Edward was handsome with an imposing appearance, Daisy was beautiful, noble and elegant, and Justin in Edward''s arms was so cute and handsome. They won everyone''s admiration. "You went shopping with my mother today? Why didn''t you tell me that?" Edward frowned. He knew his mother well, but he didn''t imagine that she would go shopping with Daisy. She was always chasing thetest fad. Daisy must be tired after apanying her for a whole day. "Why should I tell you that? Do I need to tell you before I go shopping with your mother?" Daisy knew Edward didn''t mean to me her. She just wanted to tease him, annoy him a little. She felt happy to see that he was worried about her. "Daisy, why did you twist my words? I was trying to be nice." Edward rolled his eyes. He turned his back and ignored Daisy. Didn''t Daisy like how much he cared about her? Why was she being aggressive? "Edward, are you angry?" Daisy looked at Edward and asked. Women were attractive when they were angry, and some men were also charming when they were irritated, Edward included. "No." Edward snorted. He sulked, still ignoring Daisy and kept walking ahead with Justin in his arms. His awkward look tickled Daisy. She knew Edward was angry. Daisy knew a little more about Edward, thanks to this test. Sometimes men were petty. Chapter 379 Rain, You Are Courting Death (Part One) "Mommy, let me tell you a secret!" Justin turned in Edward''s arms to look at Daisy who followed behind them; he leaned forward and cupped his little hands around his mouth before shouting, "You know what, mommy? Daddy is not angry with you! He is just pretending to be and he wants you to say nice things to him and be charming!" Though Justin said it was a secret, he didn''t even keep his voice down. He practically shouted it out loud. Obviously, he wanted his daddy to hear him. "What did you just say? You little brat! Are you teaming up with your mommy and bullying me now? Great. That''s just great. I won''t hold you anymore if you''re not on my side. Now walk on your own." It seemed that Edward was really angry this time. He put Justin down and then entered the box without looking back at his wife and son again. Both Daisy and Justin didn''t see thising; they froze in bewilderment for a while. A few secondster, they looked at each other and exchanged confused looks; they both shrugged and smiled. Maybe they were teasing Edward too much, and he really got upset. "Hey, Edward. Why are you alone? Where are Justin and Daisy? Weren''t they with you just now?" asked Rain as he saw Edward push open the door. He looked over Edward''s shoulder and tried to find Justin and Daisy. After he was sure that no one was behind Edward, he got confused. Rain gazed at Edward with a frown as if Edward had the answer he wanted written on his face. "I don''t know. Why ask me?" retorted Edward sharply while rolling his eyes at Rain. Edward sat down and looked around the room with a sullen face. When he saw Brian and Belinda were chatting happily with each other, his lips curled into a smirk. Thinking about what Duke would feel when he came in and saw this, Edw t mad. Instead, she curled her lips into a small smile and said nothing. If Edward wanted to y, then she would y along. She wondered how long Edward could stay mad at her this time. "What''s going on between them? Is everything okay?" Brian asked worriedly. Although he was talking with Belinda, he noticed Daisy the moment she came in. Nothing got past his eyes when it concerned Daisy. He knew how much Daisy and Edward loved and cared about each other; just a few hours ago, Edward was trying every mean to get rid of him so he could have an exclusive date with Daisy. They looked perfectly happy during the dinner. Why did he seem to be mad at Daisy at this moment? ''Did something happen? Did I miss something?'' Brian got nervous all of a sudden. "Rx. Don''t worry about them. Daisy has the upper hand. She always does. Consider it a little game between husband and wife. Have some confidence in her. She''s a colonel. How could she lead her soldiers and fight her honors if she couldn''t even take care of Edward? I''ll tell you what. Your brother-inw can sometimes be unreasonably arrogant, so it''s necessary for Daisy to teach him a lesson every now and then." Chapter 380 Rain, You Are Courting Death (Part Two) Although Belinda was talking to Brian, she seemed absent. She fixed her watery eyes on the closed door the whole time. Her heart kept sinking because Duke hadn''t shown up yet. The longer she waited for him, the more nervous she became. She was getting desperate. Was Duke still outside because he was catching up with Rachel, his old lover, and he had no time to care about Belinda? Or did he just decide to dump Belinda and leave with Rachel? Maybe he had made up his mind, and he just didn''t know how to tell Belinda. That was why he didn''te into the room -- he was trying to make up a story to break up with Belinda. Lost in her own distracting thoughts, Belinda couldn''t help but clench her fists in agony. "Hey, little boy. What happen to your dear mommy and daddy? Are they mad at each other?" After helping Justin climb up the seat next to him, Rain gently nudged Justin and turned his head to Edward and Daisy sitting not far away. He went straight in after he handed Justin to Edward outside the club. Edward was kissing Daisy''s forehead back then! Why was he wearing a sullen face all of a sudden? Why was everything turningpletely upside down? What could possibly happen in such a short time? ''Did I miss something? I shouldn''t have left so soon! What a pity!'' Rain thought to himself. "What could be wrong? Don''t make a mountain out of a molehill! They are not mad at each other! Daddy''s only pretending to be angry. He wants mommy to sweet-talk him!" Just like a few moments ago, Justin once again blurted out without keeping his voice down. Edward had a mouthful of liquid; he couldn''t help but spurt it out and cough violently as he heard what his son had said. ''Me? The CEO of the FX International Group, is pretending to be angry because I want some woman to sweet-talk me? Are you kidding me?'' Edward red at his son in disbelief. When his eyes met Justin''s innocent ones, Edward rubbed his face and sighed heavily. Justin really was the death of him. "No freaking way! Edward, is that true? I was wondering why you suddenly put on a sullen face. It turns out that you want to hear some sweet words from Daisy? What a loving couple you are! Come on, don''t be shy! You should just say out loud what you want! If sn''t the right time. After being threatened by Edward so bluntly, Rain wouldn''t dare to say anything ever again. For God''s sake, he was the one who had to work for Edward, not Tom. If he told Tom anything, he wasn''t sure whether Edward would do something to Tom, but Rain was sure that Edward would make his life more than miserable. "Uncle Tom! Let''s make a deal! If you teach me how to be a doctor, I''ll consider telling you what happened. What do you think?" Eyes wide open, Justin put on a sweet smile while eagerly shaking Tom''s arm. If Tom didn''t catch the glimpse of slyness glowing in his eyes, he would believe that Justin was such a sweet and innocent child. But unfortunately, he did. "Hey, little one. Are you trying to bargain with me? You''re almost as sly as your dear daddy! Nice try. But it doesn''t work that way." With a loving smile, Tom bent over and gently pinched Justin''s chubby face. He sat down next to Justin and looked around the room. When he saw Brian, Tom politely nodded his head but said nothing to greet him. "You''re wrong, uncle Tom. My daddy isn''t sly. It''s called being prepared. It''spletely different. How could you describe someone as smart and excellent like my daddy as sly? It''s unfair. Besides, you know the old saying, ''everyone does everything for their own benefit''. People didn''t just make that up out of nothing. A lot of wisdom is in that." Justin replied slowly with his head shaking up and down, as if he were some ancient wise man. Chapter 381 Rain, You Are Courting Death (Part Three) Justin''s little speech rendered Tompletely mute. He wondered, ''where did Justin learn those sayings from?'' At the same time, Tom had to admit that Justin was really good at debating. Although Tom was good at holding a scalpel, he knew nothing about how to debate with others. Now that Justin stated his opinion sternly and seriously, Tom''s mouth dropped open. He froze for a while and still didn''t know what he could say to fight back. As much as Edward was angry that Justin gave away his real thoughts, he was now quite proud of his son. They were family. No matter how mad they got at each other, they should stick together against their enemies. ''But did he really have to bring up that saying?'' Edward pondered, ''What did he mean by ''everyone does everything for their own benefit''? Was he really trying to defend me? Or did he just insult me?'' After hearing the whole conversation, Brian gave his little nephew the thumbs up. He only met Justin for the first timest night at the party; but after talking with him, Brian knew that this little boy was much smarter than his peers. Brian knew Daisy was kind and gentle, so Justin must have inherited his slyness from his father, because Edward was also a cunning man. Like father, like son. Brian suddenly had a feeling that the FX International Group would take off again when Justin took over the business from his father. After all, Justin''s talent had already flowered at such an early age. "Justin, you sound like some ancient sage. Did you time travel in your dreams and learn those words of wisdom from some wise manst night? I couldn''t think of where else you could learn these words!" Belinda was still depressed and thinking about Duke, but when she heard Justin saying something wise with his childish voice, she couldn''t help bursting into snickers. She chipped into their conversation and made fun of Justin, which finally distracted her from Duke and made her feel better. Therefore, when she saw Dukee in the room, she didn''t feel as happy as she thought she would be. "Auntie Belinda, I know you didn''t meet the sage in your dreamst night, because you must have been busy looking for uncle Duke. You couldn''t spare any time for someone else. Am I righ Let''s bring out the cake!" Rain was always energetic and loved these sorts of events. After he excitedly announced the reason why they were here, everyone in the room became cheerful, even though some of them were wearing a long face just a few moments ago. Because of Rain''s words, Edward and Daisy exchanged surprised looks, which was the very first time they looked at each other after they stepped into the room. Edward suddenly remembered that he was supposed to be angry with Daisy, so he immediately looked away before Daisy could say anything. "Wow! Really? A cake? You''re not lying to me, are you, uncle Rain?" As a foodie, Justin was excited as long as there was something delicious. Everything else could wait when it came to food. Upon hearing the word ''cake'', Justin''s face lit up, his eyes turning into crescent shapes with joy. He looked adorable like that. "Hey, little boy. Aren''t you going to give a toast? Why do you only think about eating! To those who know you well, they know you''re a foodie who couldn''t wait to have a taste when you see food; but to those who don''t know you, they might think you have been abused by your parents and starved for days!" Rain wouldn''t waste even the slightest chance to get back at Edward. Now that seeing Justin eagerly waiting for the cake, Rain couldn''t help but strike again. Only this time, he made it seem like he was teasing Justin, but incidentally involved Edward on his joke. He felt justified, and the idea amused him. Chapter 382 I Love You The Most (Part One) "The economy is at a downturn now. To ensure better development for the FX International Group in the future, I have no choice but to take only one meal in a day. Uncle Rain, I heard that you enjoy a high sry and bonus every month, how about you pay for all my expenses? Don''t worry. I''m easily satisfied. You only have to buy a lot of delicious food for me, like lobsters, crabs, cubilose, and the like." Justin said as he counted his favorite food with his fingers. His words sent a shiver down Rain''s spine. Feeling weak, he copsed into the sofa. ''My God! Is this what Justin meant by ''easily satisfied''? What about the children who grow up eating only vegetables? Does that mean that they are never satisfied?'' Rain thought. "Haha! Justin, you''re indeed easily satisfied. You''d better live with your Uncle Rain, so you won''t starve again. Then you can eat all your favorite food, which ismon to him everyday." Tom gloated mischievously, fueling the me. He marveled at Justin''s imagination. He casually demanded for rare and luxury food as if it wasmon. And he shamelessly imed that he was easily satisfied. Was he joking? He felt lucky that Justin wasn''t telling him that, otherwise he would go crazy. "Damn it, Tom! You''re not standing in my shoes and you''re talking irresponsibly. Only a rich man like our boss can reach his standards and afford such a life. But I''m only a poor breadwinner, how could I possibly satisfy the simple needs he mentioned just now? But I don''t think it will be a problem for you. I heard that running a hospital is very profitable, you can earn easy money by finding ways to exploit patients. Since you''re the superintendent of the hospital, does that mean you get the most profit?" When it came to verbal arguments, Rain couldn''t beat Edward. But if the opponent was Tom, is answer was very wise. He showed his generosity withoutpromising his principles. Compared to Brian, Tom and Rain weren''t good at handling such matters. As the saying went, ''As in the Yangtze River the waves behind drive on those ahead, so each new generation excels thest one.'' Brian, as a representative of the new generation, really bested them in the wisdom of words. Daisy looked doubtfully between Justin and Brian, wondering when the two got to know each other. She was surprised that they seemed to get along well even without any introduction. "Ah! No conditions? Can I have some requirements?" Believing Brian was the only people in his mother''s family who was good to her, Justin liked talking with him. Otherwise, he wouldn''t even nce at him. "Little boy, what do you want?" Brian looked at Justin, shing a bright and yful smile. He remembered that when he was Justin''s age, he often followed the mncholy young girl who was only a few years older than him. Time flies, and everything had changed with the passage of time. The young girl in the past had be the mother of a small boy, while he became a real man. Seeing the lively Justin in that moment made him feel very emotional. Chapter 383 I Love You The Most (Part Two) "Okay! I''ll find someone else who''d like to take me." Justin nced over the room and finally settled on Duke, his eyes shing a cunning smile. "Justin, don''t even think about it. Although I can provide the food you want, your mischievousness is unpredictable, I don''t know what else you''ll demand from me. You''d better go back to where you belong! I don''t want my home to be the trial base for your destruction." Duke made himself clear before Justin said anything. Duke wasn''t an idle man who had time to find trouble for himself. He decided to keep a distance from the wicked boy immediately. He was already in trouble, he wasn''t in the mood to deal with Justin now. Justin pursed his lips and sniffled, pretending to be hurt. He suddenly turned around and ran towards Edward. He threw himself into Edward''s arms, regardless of everything. The cream on the corner of his mouth fell on Edward''s ck shirt as he cried bitterly, "Dad, they all hate me! Since you''re my dad, promise that you won''t abandon me like they did." Justin tucked his head on Edward''s shoulder, rubbing his head like a spoiled child. He seemed to havepletely forgotten that he had irritated Edward earlier. "You finally realize that I''m the best. But why did you help someone anger me earlier?" Edward frowned. He patted Justin''s back infort while despairing of his new shirt that Justin had just ruined. When he mentioned "someone, " he nced at Daisy. " ena got burned? I''ll go with you." As soon as Duke heard the news, he immediately stood up and was eager to see her. Although Leena married Kevin without his consent, he would always love and care about her. He got worried when he heard that Leena was hurt. "Let''s go. We''reing with you, too." Edward said, standing up with Justin in his arms. Edward always treated Leena as a sister. He became restless when he heard about Leena''s situation and wouldn''t feel relieved until he was sure that Leena was okay. "So that''s it for today. I''ll go with you and visit Leena." Rain said. He got worried at the news. She used to be a popr woman among her male friends before she got married. Everyone felt flustered at the bad news. They wondered how Kevin would react when he saw so many people at his house. He would probably get very nervous. He only called for a doctor. He probably didn''t expect his call to bring the most prestigious CEOs in S City to his house. Chapter 384 A Precious Person (Part One) Justin was thest one to leave. He wanted to finish his mousse cake! What bad luck, he just started enjoying it. Can''t he finish the cake first? But everyone was busy leaving and no one noticed his reluctance to go. They filed out of Sexy World in a few minutes. "You can just go home, Brian. We''re going to visit a friend." Daisy stopped to exin to Brian. "I see, Sister. Take care." Brian reached out and hugged Daisy, leaving a gentle kiss on her forehead. Edward turned around and caught the moment. He got angry and his eyebrows went up. He had thought that Duke would be pissed off by Brain. But he didn''t expect the curtain to fall before the drama could be yed out. In the end, he was the one who got upset. "Okay. You have drank a little just now. Be careful and drive slowly." Daisy smoothed the folds of Brian''s clothes. It was an ordinary yet intimate action, making Edward''s jealousy grow. The car sped wildly down the road. He didn''t speak to Daisy during the whole ride. He bottled up his unhappiness and stewed in silence. The stars in the evening sky seemed to sparkle more in the gentle breeze in S City. Daisy looked out of the window during the drive, watching the street lights pass by in a sh. She was also curious why Leena got scalded while Kevin was home. Although many soldiers weren''t so careful, Kevin was different. He always acted elegantly in public, as if he was born into nobility. While some people might lose theirposure during training, Kevin always looked like energetic and dynamic. Other officers and soldiers admired him a lot. It''s probably attributed to his family background. Otherwise, could anyone else disy such elegance so perfectly? Edward was tight-lipped. There was nothing but and allotted some space for Tom. It would be terrible if Leena wasn''t treated carefully. "Show me your hand, Leena." Tom sat down beside her. He took out all the scald medicine in his kit and set them somewhere essible. "Now? Really?" Leena looked at everyone in hesitation. She didn''t think that her injury was severe at all, but Kevin insisted on taking her to the hospital. Because she didn''t want to, she turned to Tom. But she didn''t expect everyone to show up. How could she expect something like this? If she had known, she''d have gone to the hospital and endured the smell of disinfectant instead of called Tom. "Yes! Let me check, so I know which medicine to use." Tom looked at Leena sternly, trying to see her hidden hand. He frowned slightly. If his guess was right, her injury wasn''t minor at all. Or she wouldn''t hesitate in front of everyone. Kevin was thest one to enter, so he was isted from the crowd. Looking at everyone''s concern, he realized for the first time how Leena was important to them. Meanwhile, he was also getting a little stressed. He could hardly imagine how they would react when they saw the blisters on her hand. Chapter 385 A Precious Person (Part Two) At first, the skin on her hand just turned red when he applied some medicine. But he didn''t expect big blisters to appear after dinner and he got increasingly worried. He persuaded Leena to go to the hospital, but she refused to go no matter what. He decided to ask the doctor from the military base toe and look at her hand, but Leena insisted that it would be troublesome and she''d call Tom instead. Recalling what she saidst night about Tom being an excellent doctor, he agreed. But he didn''t expect so many people to arrive. Knowing she couldn''t hide her hand anymore, Leena showed it reluctantly. She herself felt terrible when she saw her hand. As expected, everyone gasped at the sight. "How did it be so severe? Didn''t you wash your hand immediately after?" Tom frowned. He sighed, internally despairing for his medicine. He seemed to be losing a lot these days. "I did wash it. But I forgot to use the medicine afterwards." Leena stuck out her tongue awkwardly. Shepletely forgot about it. If Kevin hadn''te back and noticed her hand, it would have probably been worse. "Damn it. What on earth did you do to hurt your hand like this?" Duke seldom yelled at Leena. Even when he heard that she married Kevin, he didn''t shout at her. But seeing her hand covered in horrible blisters, his heart suddenly tightened. He couldn''t help yelling at her. "It''s no big deal. I wasn''t careful enough while I was cooking. It''s not that bad. It''ll probably heal in a few days. Rig . If that was really the case, he wouldn''t have asked him to hold her hand. Duke got worried that he couldn''t stand it. Edward also knew that Tom was downying the truth to Leena, so he clenched his hands anxiously. He recalled how Leena had been in her childhood. She cried so hard when she got pricked by a rose thorn. Seeing therge blisters on her skin, he couldn''t help getting anxious too. Cold fingers held Edward''s quivering hand. Daisy smiled at him when he turned his head to look at her in surprise. She understood his feelings about Leena more than anyone else. He didn''t feel much love from his family. He considered Leena as his family and gave his affections to her instead. That was why he always doted on her. He must be heartbroken to see Leena hurting so badly. Edward regarded Leena as one of the most precious people in his heart. His feeling for Leena was definitely different from what he felt for Daisy and Justin, and there would never be any conflict between them. Chapter 386 Injured Tom took a deep breath, exchanged a look with Duke, then sprayed the medicine he brought on Leena''s hand. Leena screeched in pain. Tom knew she would, but he figured he had to treat her anyway. "Ouch! It hurts, Tom! You lied to me! You said I wouldn''t feel a thing." The sudden pain pulled not only a scream out of her, but her head from Duke''s arms. She struggled to get her hand free, but it was grasped firmly by Duke. She had no choice but to look at Tom pitifully. Her tears were the silent allegation of Tom''s lie. She felt something! A big something. It hurt so much. Throwing the fact that she was surrounded by many people to the wind, she began to cry sadly. At the same time, her eyes drifted around the crowd. The sight of Kevin somehow made her feel quite reassured. "But if I didn''t lie to you, you wouldn''t let me apply the medicine. What else could I do?" Then Tom took out a small bottle of white powder and sprinkled it onto Leena''s injured hand. He did it so carefully, maybe because he didn''t want to hurt Leena, or maybe because he was feeling reluctant to use the expensive powder. Anyway, with the medicine applied, Leena''s pain went away. Kevin was almost heartbroken to see Leena cry. So now he also looked at Tom worriedly, afraid he would use other painful medicines. Luckily, Tom packed up his medical kit after sprinkling the powder. That meant that Leena didn''t need to go through anymore pain from the treatment. "Take a look at her foot too." That was the first time Kevin said something since they all came in. And his words were quite explosive as now all their attention shifted to Leena''s foot. All of them waited, holding their breath, not knowing what other injuries they were going to see. "It''s not necessary. I''m alright." Leena dreaded pain. She didn''t want more done with her foot. She was tired of feeling pain -- she''d been through enough. "Your foot got scalded too?" Duke cared about Leena so much that he held her foot up right away after hearing about any more injuries. When he saw her bruise, his eyes grew even colder. "No." Leena murmured. She knew that Duke was already quite angry about her scald. Another bruise would only add insult to injury. She didn''t want to see Duke fly into a rage and make a big deal out of her injuries. She was already in pain -- she didn''t need to deal with him too. "You must have been hit by something. But lucky you, it''s not serious. I''ll write up a prescription for you. You''ll be fine." Tom ho she was. In fact, she cared about Leena a lot. It was just that she showed her concern differently than other people. "No way. Belinda, you are still holding a grudge over me drugging you? So now you make sarcastic remarks when I''m hurt, too weak to fight back." Leena knew that Belinda didn''t mean to make fun of her. But still she quipped back as revenge for Belinda not persuading Duke to go back home. "Cut the crap. You should spend more time taking care of yourself and not getting hurt again. Duke, aren''t you going back with me?" Belinda frowned and looked at Duke. ''Duke really loves his sister. You could see the worry in his wrinkled forehead after seeing Leena''s injuries. He could have handled it better, though. He has brought the group''s mood down by ming Kevin, '' Belindained to herself. "Don''t worry, Leena. It''ll only take a few days. We see this stuff in the army all the time. So just take it easy, and be careful not to get your wounds wet." Daisy curled her lips into a smile. In the army, you weren''t really hurt unless your broke a limb. Bruises and scalds weremon on base. You just had to grit your teeth through every ache and pain. There were no wusses in the military -- every injury was a badge of courage. "Okay, Daisy, I''ll get some rest." Leena was already a big fan of Daisy. Now she admired her even more. Then, all of them walked out of the house, totally oblivious to Kevin, just like when they first came in. Only Tom stopped to talk to him, but just to tell him how to use the medication. Because he knew Leena wouldn''t follow his directions, so he had better find another person to remind her. Chapter 387 Hes Right (Part One) "I''m sorry. My mistake got you a tongueshing from my brother." Leena bit her lip sorrily. She knew that Duke leveled those harsh usations at Kevin only because he loved her too much. Duke was always overly tense when it came to her. "No, he''s right. I didn''t take care of you. It''s my fault. I don''t feel like he was out of line." In fact, it was already the best thing that could happen. He had thought that Duke would beat him up. Yet he had only got yelled at. How lucky was that? But he was also aware that this was not over, that Duke might get even with him someday. "No, please don''t take Duke seriously. It''s my fault. I''ll be more careful. Please don''t me yourself for me being careless." Leena didn''t know whether Kevin had said all those things out of sincerity or pure anger. But she felt like a loser for not being able to take care of herself. No wonder Kevin would be mad at her. "We should hire a maid. This way you would be taken care of when I''m not at home." Kevin took Leena''s injuries seriously. Preferred to be alone, he never hired any help. But now with Leena here, he must hire one to make sure she was okay. "Why? I can look after myself well enough. Today was just an ident. It will never happen again. Besides, I don''t like strangers walking around my home. It makes me ufortable." Back in the Lengs'' house, she hated it when the house maids walked around and interrupted her designing. She often wished that she could just be alone. After all, inspiration didn''t always knock on the door. And it always took her time to get back into the groove w rized by Leena''s smile? This isn''t normal.'' "Ah! Taking a shower? How am I supposed to wash myself like this?" Leena murmured as she looked at her scalded hand in worry. Yet Kevin didn''t notice Leena''s words for he was troubled by the same question. Leenay down and closed her eyes. She found that she might have fallen in love with Kevin gradually. Just now when Duke med Kevin, the first thing crossed her mind was not her brother''s feelings, but Kevin''s instead. She didn''t want Kevin to feel like he was treated badly. That was why she defended him so eagerly, and it disappointed Duke. Duke must have felt hurt that his own sister talked back to him for a man she married for only a handful of days. You could see it in his eyes. She sighed. She knew how Duke felt. She still remembered why she slept with Kevin in the first ce -- purely out of disappointment for another man. What she didn''t know was whether her feelings for Kevin were really love or a mere crush? If she was in love, would the love grow so deep that she could never forget? Chapter 388 Hes Right (Part Two) "Leena, are you asleep?" Kevin''s low voice came to her ears just when Leena was daydreaming, dispelling all her thoughts. She opened her eyes and saw Kevin''s handsome face right in front of her, frightening her into sitting up. Her move was so quick and sudden that she almost bumped into his gorgeous face. Luckily Kevin dodged aside out of his military instinct and adeptness. But still, his nose was hit. "Sorry. I didn''t do it on purpose. Are you okay?" Then Leena reached out to his nose but soon drew back out of pain. She totally forgot about her injured hand. "Forget about me. What about your hand? Let me see if you''re alright." Kevin frowned with care. Right now he had no energy to think about his nose. Leena''s hand was his primary concern. "It''s alright. I just forgot about it. How about your nose? Does it hurt?" Apologetically, Leena stuck out her tongue and twitched her mouth. Her smile was no better than her crying face now. "It''s nothing. Let''s go. I''ll help you with the shower." Kevin''s words made Leena''s eyes widen in disbelief. ''OMG! Does he even know what he is talking about? Helping me with the shower? Is he out of mind?'' Leena thought in embarrassment. "Well. Kevin, you don''t need to help me. I can do it myself, " Leena said, blushing. As much as she doubted her own ability to bathe herself, she would not acknowledge it and have Kevin help her. Or she would hav omined deep down. "Seems like you wish me to take off your clothes as well." Kevin was a doer. Just a few minutes after he said so, he already stripped Leena and put her into the bathtub. Carefully, he ced her injured hand on a stack of dry towels to protect it from the spray. Deep down, he regretted making fun of Leena''s body. Because no man would ever dismiss such a curvy figure. Though basked in the warm water, Leena remained fairly stiff. Especially when Kevin''s hand moved to her breasts, her heart almost jumped out. Fortunately, he was a gentleman. He didn''t take advantage of her, but focused on showering. As his hand moved down, Leena grew more nervous. When it was about to reach her private area, she caught his hand with her other hand that was not injured. "I can wash this ce myself." Leena felt her face was burning hot. ''God, just kill me already. This is too embarrassing. My good image is ruined." Chapter 389 Sexy "You still mad?" Daisy asked Edward, who was going straight toward the bathroom with a long face. She grabbed him and smiled. This petty man had stayed mad at her the whole night. Fine. She yielded. It hurt to see him with an angry expression. "No, I''m not, " Edward answered without even looking at Daisy. His face told her otherwise. Yes, he was still mad. Daisy knew he would deny it. "Really? Then why do you ignore me?" Daisy felt he was adorable when he was mad. And she was proud of herself, because Edward almost never got angry, and she kept him mad all night. "I ignore you? You are the one who is ignoring me!" Today he would let her know how it felt when she was ignored. Then she would stop taking him for a pushover. "Listen to you. Obviously you are mad about something. Tell me what you are mad about." Daisy pinched his cheek lightly. She was devil-may-care sometimes and didn''t pay much attention to details. Edward had been mad for so long, she didn''t think it was because she and Justin had ridiculed him at Sexy World. It must be because of something else. She decided to find out so that she could know Edward better and avoid the same mistake. He was thest person in the world she wanted to hurt. "OK. Colonel, so what is your rtionship with Kevin? What do you feel about him?" His blue eyes were fixed on Daisy. Edward waited, fidgety, afraid that he might hear a reply dreadful enough to drive him crazy. "Kevin? He''s my superior and cares about me like a brother. That''s all." Daisy looked at Edward in confusion, wondering what it was all about. "That''s all? Do you really think he just wants to be your superior or brother? Don''t you see that he wants something more?" Edward felt he might as well drag it out into the open. The truth woulde to light sooner orter. If Daisy knew about Kevin''s feelings for her, she would be scared and Leena might get hurt at the same time. Although young, Leena was sensitive to feelings. As time went by, she might sense Kevin''s hidden longing for Daisy. So Edward thought he''d better remind Daisy ahead of time to avoid problems. Edward hadn''t figured out why Kevin married Leena, but he was sure Kevin didn''t love her, because he had lost his heart to Daisy and he couldn''t have shifted his affection to another so alk about this in bedter. I''m gonna take a shower. Feel free to join me." Apulsive germophobe, Edward took a shower within half an hour after he got home every day. Every minute beyond it, he would get more and more fidgety and anxious. "You wish. I''d rather yputer games in the study. I enjoy the serenity, without reports to write or training or war games to attend. This lifestyle is awesome! I actually enjoy it." Daisy turned and walked toward the study. But her remarks set Edward''s mind wandering. Was she tired of military life, which was filled with gun smoke and endless drills? Or had she just said that merely because she really enjoyed the present moments? Edward wondered, standing under the cold shower. Thinking about the hardships she had undergone in the past few years, his heart started aching. He couldn''t imagine what had driven her to be a tough military officer. Quite a transformation from the weak girl who had cried every time she had been bullied. What had made her change? Was it resilience? Willpower? Almost none of the women he knew were as reasonable as Daisy. She could be angry sometimes, but wouldn''t hold onto others'' mistakes and use them as weapons to fight back. For example, she disliked his old lifestyle, but she eventually let it go and hadn''t mentioned it ever again. She wasn''t the kind of woman who got paranoid merely because of the past and started hurting the man she loved. Today, she wouldn''t have reacted so strongly if Jessica hadn''t provoked her. He knew her. Chapter 390 Throw Him Into the Crocodile Pool As a qualified military officer, Daisy liked ying games to improve her action thinking. She was now rapidly assembling and disassembling guns. Before Edward entered the study, he heard the sounds and knew what she was doing. "What''re you ying?" Edward rested his head on Daisy''s shoulder from behind and looked at the high-end guns on the screen. "It''s been a long time since Ist practiced. I want to see whether I get slow. Why don''t you dry your hair?" Daisy frowned when Edward''s wet hair touched her face. Then she put aside the game, picked up a clean towel beside her and stood up. "What''s the result?" As Daisy stood up, Edward sat down obediently. It had been a routine recently, and Edward had be ustomed to it. In fact, he did not dry his hair deliberately because he liked to see Daisy''s unintentional ardent love and care for him. In doing this, he knew how important he was to her. "Not satisfactory. I am not fast enough." Daisy gently dried Edward''s ck hair with the soft towel. Edward didn''t like to dry his hair. He didn''t care about the drips of water, so Daisy habitually prepared some clean towels in the study for unexpected needs. "Don''t force yourself. It makes my heart ache." Edward pulled Daisy onto hisp and kissed her lips. He twined his hands around her waist. "Really?" Daisy caressed Edward''s handsome face. In the beginning, Edward''s cuddling would fright her, but now, she had gotten quite used to it and didn''t think there was anything wrong with it. "Yes, I mean it. So, don''t make me worry." Edward looked Daisy straight in the eye. He was afraid Daisy would question his words. "Okay. I promise I''ll always take your feelings into ount." Daisy knew Edward''s words had many meanings, but no matter what he meant, she would put him in first ce. Over the years, she had been prepared, knowing she would meet this man again. She had even lived only for him for a while. Her deep love for him enabled her to go on living. "Honey, thank you." Edward leaned his head against Daisy''s chest to feel her strong heartbeat. It was the simple happiness that he had always sought. Even a small thing like this could delight him. "For what?" Daisy caressed Edward''s soft hair. She liked to stay with him. At this moment, she felt her life was meaningful. "For everything." Edward had once wondered where he could find another woman to love if Daisy didn''t appear, and thought that she would have never walked into his life if it hadn''t been for Justin. Fortunately, things happened as he wanted. Now she had be a part of his life. The night was a warm harbor where lovers expressed their affections. It also witnessed various crimes. "Boss, it''s him." It was dim in the room, but Luke could see clearly the man kneeling on the ground. In his fifties, the man''s wandering and furtive eyes revealed that he was not a good man at first nce. "What do you want Before this man has strong evidence against me, I have to keep my mouth shut.'' "Fine. You know nothing about it? I have told you what would happen. Guys, hang him over the crocodile pool. Let''s see how long he can keep it up." Luke thought, ''Do you think I won''t kill you before I get the evidence? Fine, let''s do something fun. I won''t feed you to the crocodiles. Instead, I''ll hang you over the crocodile pool. Seeing hundreds of hungry crocodiles open their mouths in the pool, you''ll surrender out of fear.'' "Boss, do you mean it?" A subordinate hesitated. He didn''t know whether Luke really meant it or just wanted to intimidate the guy. No matter how bold Paul Du was, he would go crazy if he was really hung over the pool. Some ferocious hungry croc might jump up and take a bite. "What''s wrong with you? Did I stutter? Hang him! Cut him down when he''s ready to tell me the truth." Luke thought, ''Humph! No one can bluff me so easily. I''m never kind to anyone. '' "Got it. We''ll do it right now." The shouts and cursing faded away as Paul Du was dragged out. Luke put the pistol into his holster and sneered. ''Paul Du, you''ll get the bird''s eye view of the pool tonight. Maybe you''ll count their teeth to pass the time, '' thought Luke. "Be careful. See to it that the crocodiles won''t swallow him before we get the evidence." Luke gave an order to the rest of his men. He wasn''t concerned about the death of such an insidious viin as Paul Du, but he didn''t want to run into a dead end again. He couldn''t make trouble for Daisy, or he would suffer. "No problem. Boss, we won''t let you down." All of them were cautious. In the past, they didn''t care about these things at all, but after they knew Daisy''s identity, they had to strictly follow the rules. As Edward ordered, they had to give priority to Daisy''s interests. They couldn''t let others have anything against Daisy. Otherwise, the consequences would be too ghastly to contemte. Chapter 391 The Perfectly Matched Couple Luke raised his head and nced at everyone. He had heard Paul shouting and swearing loudly, which sounded even more shrill in thete night silence of the outer suburbs. Luke checked his watch. He frowned frigidly and drove away without any hesitation. He didn''t care how long and how loudly Paul would continue screaming. No one would hear him in such a remote and private ce, anyway. Soon, the car disappeared in the night. But things didn''t get any quieter. In spite of his leaving, the ce was continuously filled with screaming and crying. No matter what Paul did, Luke didn''t care at all, because he knew that the coward would pass out soon. Then everything would be quiet again. After the long night, the warm sunshine in the morning inspired everyone. Justin had never been as happy as he was today, it was because both of his parents were apanying him to the school for the first time today. His parents had never done that together before, that''s why he was thrilled. "Mom, Dad. I finally feel like the other kids." Justin leaned against the back of the front seat, and looked at his parents happily. "Oh! Son, why do you say that?" Justin''s remark amused Edward, so he turned to Justin facetiously, and then continued to watch the road ahead. "I used to see other kids at school with both their parents, but I only had my mom with me. Today, you bothe to drop me off, so I finally feel as happy and normal as the other kids." Justin suddenly felt a little sad when he said this. He didn''t want to hurt his mother, so no matter how much he envied other children; he never said these things to her. He knew his mother was more upset than he was, so he didn''t want to hurt her more. "I am sorry. It''s my fault." Edward said regretfully. His eyes dimmed, and his smile disappeared. He knew that he had missed Justin''s childhood and had failed to take on the responsibilities of a father. "Dad, I am fine. It was just a fleeting thought. As long as you and mom stay with me, I would be the happiest kid in the world. The grievances of the past are just a preparation for today''s happiness. I will cherish every moment with you and mom, " Said Justin, with his hand on Edward''s shoulder. He knew that Edward didn''t live with them because he didn''t know of Justin''s existence, it wasn''t because Edward didn''t love him. For the past few months, Edward had showered immense love on Justin. No matter how upset Justin had been with Edward in the past, now he didn''t resent Edward at all. "Yes. I also cherish every moment with you. You and your mom are priceless treasures for me, " Edward said while holding Justin''s ard''s private life were spreading this morning. Within three days, he would be seen not as a yboy any more but as a good man who would do anything to protect his beloved woman. "Why are you women so gossipy?" Edward curled his mouth furiously. Everyone around him had begun to talk about him. Women were really good at spreading gossips. "Please watch yournguage. I am not that kind of a woman." Daisy frowned. That was why she didn''t want to appear in public. She turned down people who wanted to do interviews with her because she was afraid of being in the spotlight like today. "Aren''t you? You are also a woman." Edward smiled. He took his wife and son away and ignored everyone''s attention towards them. He had always been the focus of the crowd, and he had be ustomed to the attention. "I am a woman, but I don''t like to judge people. Everyone''s value and outlook on life are different, so I don''t want to spend time with people who have nothing to do with me." Though Daisy said she didn''t like being talked about and noticed, she didn''t seem unhappy when Edward held her hand in the campus. "I know my beautiful colonel only cares about my son and me, so she doesn''t have time to gossip about others. Am I right?" Edward smiled yfully. He looked tenderly at his special woman. He knew she was different from others. She wasn''t ustomed to so much attention. She was tightly holding Edward''s hand, so Edward joked with her to calm her nerves. "That''s not a nice statement, but because of your good attitude, I will take it." Daisy knew Edward was teasing her; she didn''t want to take him seriously. When she tried to be serious with him, she always lost in the end. So she changed her mind and epted his ttery with open arms. Chapter 392 You Really Know How To Present Your Charm At first, Edward''s expression didn''t keep up with his thoughts as Daisy''s response came to him as a surprise. But soon he wore an enchanting smile, mesmerizing every heart in the crowd. "You really know how to present your charm." Daisy teased him while she twitched her lips in annoyance. Now she knew why women constantly threw themselves on him----he seduced them with his charm. "Honey, are you jealous?" Edward whispered in her ear. Their intimacy made a lot of people jealous. "Jealous? I''m not as narrow-minded as you are." Daisy rolled her eyes at him to show her protest. When they reached Justin''s ssroom, they were surrounded by a lot of hovering parents. Their obsession made Daisy frown with concern. She pondered, ''All parents are alike. They worry too much about their kids which in some way confines the children''s room to grow and undermines their understanding of independence.'' "I''m happy to turn into a jealous fellow for you." Edward quipped, oblivious to the burning eyes fixed on them. He flirted with Daisy as if there was no one else present there. "Mom, dad, goodbye. As for the jealousy problem, I suggest you discuss it at home." Justin rolled his eyes at them. Edward shouldn''t have flirted with Daisy in public. She was too shy to handle it. "Okay. Have a nice day. We will pick you up after school." Just as Justin had predicted, Daisy blushed with coyness. It made her all the more charming. Her frigidness had diminished, thus making her more approachable. "But mom, aren''t you supposed to go to the army base? I remember your vacation has been over already." Justin looked at Daisy confusedly. He figured it would be toote if he waited for Daisy for picking him up after returning from the army base. "I don''t have much to do at the base. So I am nning to extend my vacation? You are not happy with that? You used to love it when I took a few days off." Daisy bent down and caressed his cute nose. As young as Justin was, he cared a lot about Daisy. Back in the day when they lived at the army base, he often asked about her work in case anyone was bullying Daisy. And he often pleaded themander to give her less work. Yet what he didn''t know was that those assignments weren''t assigned by themander, but requested by Daisy herself. Only in this way could she get a quick promotion. Then she could prove to Edward that she was not weak. She knew that Edward didn''t notice her efforts, but she never gave up. She was growing stronger just for what Edward had said to her earlier. "Mom, you are l " Mary said with a coquettish tone; her eyes were glued to Edward''s handsome face. "Does Ouyang Foreign Trade think that FX International Group is your backyard, where you cane as you please? I don''t think that we are that close." He wanted to destroy the Ouyang family when he thought about all the cruel things they had done to Daisy. But he was aware that he couldn''t do it because to Daisy, Leo was her father no matter what he had done. Even if he didn''t ept her as his daughter, he was her biological father nevertheless. Besides, there was another person in the Ouyang family that she cared a lot about----Brian. That''s why Edward had to refrain himself from ruining the Ouyang n. But this didn''t mean that he had to put up with Mary as well. "Edward, can we talk about this inside? Daisy, my dear sister, don''t you agree?" Mary felt quite embarrassed. Moments ago she was bragging about her closeness with Edward. But now Edward''s aloof and distant words presented another reality. She didn''t want to be aughing stock in thepany. So now she sought help from anyone to get out of this dilemma, even the person she hated most----Daisy. "I''m not your sister. But indeed we should go inside so we don''t disrupt their work." Daisy sneered. Mary never behaved like her sister. ''Mary, what are you trying to steal from me this time? I''m interested to know. But I won''t give away no matter how hard you try. You should drop the idea already. I''m not that weak Daisy whom you knew a few years ago.'' Daisy thought to herself. Edward frowned but still moved towards his office. He hadn''t nned to waste his time with Mary, but now he had to let her in since Daisy had said so. Chapter 393 You Will Be Abandoned Like Jessica "Let''s go inside." Daisy darted a look at Mary and brushed past her. She knew Edward was angry. The reason was simple; he didn''t want to talk to a petty person. However, he had topromise on his standards today. Mary bit her lip and gave Daisy a fierce stare. ''Daisy, all your arrogance will disappear once I get a chance to sleep with Edward. When that happens, you can''t be rude to me, can you?'' "Edward, you misunderstood me. This time I came here just for my studies. For the sake of the friendship between our families, can you please make an exception?" With dejected eyes, Mary wore a fascinating and charming look. However, Edward didn''t show any sympathy for her. Instead, he felt sick. "Friendship? Ha-ha!" Edward squinted at Mary, "Miss Ouyang, are we on good terms with each other?" "Without question. Isn''t your wife a member of the Ouyang family?" Edward''s cold look scared Mary, but to achieve her ultimate goal, she couldn''t retreat. "Mary, how does your conscience allow you to say such words? Don''t you feel ashamed?" Daisy sneered. When did she be a valued member of the Ouyang family? Why was she unaware of such great news? "Sis, what are you talking about? You have always been the little princess of our family. Why did you start treating us as outsiders after you got married?" No matter how much Daisy ridiculed Mary, she had to swallow humiliation and put on a smiling face to please Daisy. That was the only way to get what she wanted. At this moment, ridicule and sarcasm meant nothing to her. "Save your breath. Don''t cotton up to me with your sweet-talk. Just tell me what you want. You are the little princess of the Ouyang family, not me. I''m not eligible to have such a privilege." "What do I want? I want to continue to learn management in the FX International Group. Can''t you fulfill this small request?" Mary raised her eyebrow and looked at Daisy and Edward with a smile. Edwardughed sneeringly and refused, "Sorry, I can''t. I''m not obligated to do that. If there is nothing else, please leave." Mary was shameless. Edward had ridiculed her many times, but she still tried to invite humiliation. "Why?" Mary was disappointed. Edward''s decision prompted her resentment. Was he behaving like this because of the bitch Daisy? "The reason is very simple. My wife doesn''t want to see you here. I think it would be best if you just give up now." Edward didn''t care about any other women but Daisy, so he snubbed Mary. Mary bit her lip and looked back at the abominable, arrogant bitch, "Daisy, you must be feeling proud. Watching me make a fool of myself must please you very much. Don''t pretend to be innocent and noble." Sure enough, Edward declined Mary''s request for Daisy''s sake. She didn'' he wanted to take Daisy to the event. "OK. I''ll leave then." Seeing that Edward had calmed himself down, Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She turned around, nodded to Daisy once again and left gracefully. Edward was staring at the documents. He was lost in his thoughts. Daisy looked at him with a smile. "Can you finish them just by staring?" "Honey, we''d better leave. I will be exhausted after finishing them." Edward gazed at the documents with anger. "If you don''t want the FX International Group to go bankrupt, you have to finish them,e what may." Daisy stood up from the couch. She went to flip through the documents, pulled out one and ced it in front of Edward. "Start working. I''ll help you." Daisy looped around the desk and walked up to Edward. Putting her hands on Edward''s shoulders, she began to massage him gently. Truth be told, even Daisy had gasped when she heard Anna saying that all these documents had to be reviewed today. Perhaps most people just saw Edward''s sess, but they didn''t know how much effort he had to put in to achieve what he had today. The world was fair to everyone - no pains, no gains. If Daisy were overwhelmed by the pain imposed by others and didn''t work hard, she wouldn''t have the sess and status she had today. "Thank you. Have a seat, or you''ll be tired as well. Don''t tell me that you are a strong woman. In my eyes, you are just my wife, not a colonel." Edward put his hands on Daisy''s. He wanted her to sit in his sight without doing anything for him. "Okay. Come on!" Daisy kissed Edward on the top of his head and didn''t retort. After taking off the military uniform, she was just a woman who wanted to be loved. So, she was obedient and didn''t argue with him this time. She walked back to the couch and sat down, flipping through the magazine ced on it. Chapter 394 A Cup Of Tea (Part One) Edward gazed at Daisy intently. His heart filled with happiness as he studied her. He liked it when she stayed within his sight. He felt guilty when he thought about the few years that he hadn''t spent with her. He felt bad about his prodigal years, but he also knew that no matter how much remorse he felt, it would never bring him back to the time they first met. He could only dote on her in the days toe, so his heart wouldn''t be engulfed by bitter regret. He looked deeply at her again before picking up the thick stack of documents on his desk. As soon as he saw the figures and projects he was familiar with, he became immersed in his own world. Time passed quietly. Daisy watched Edward''s serious face as he worked with great affection. With a hand on her chin, a faint smile graced her lips. Edward was definitely a good-looking man. He was handsome from every angle. Especially at that moment, the focused look on his face as he looked through the documents intently gave him more charm. It was true that when a man was working, he was most charming. Watching him quickly scrabble on a document and gaze at theputer screen had Daisy entranced. The deepest part of her heart melted at the sight. Looking at her watch, she frowned slightly. She then stood up decisively and turned away. "What''s wrong? Are you bored?" Edward asked, raising his head. He had been discreetly paying attention to Daisy the whole time, so he sensed even the slightest movement from her. "No, I''m not bored. I''m going to make you a cup of coffee." Daisy replied, turning back to him. Wasn''t Edward busy reading the documents? Why was he still able to notice her movements? "Oh, thank you. Espresso, no sugar." Edward wasn''t expecting so much work. When he started, he intended to finish his work quickly and spend some time with Daisy. shouldn''t have asked if they had any tea. She flushed crimson because of her silly question. "With pleasure, Mrs. Mu. This way, please." Anna''s smile wasn''t disdainful. She didn''t mean to mock Daisy. Instead, she found Daisy''s question cute. As a high-ranking official in the army, she could still make a fool of herself. Daisy''s tea-making technique was very good, it was well-known in the military. When Anna saw her technique, she couldn''t help admiring it. "Have you studied the tea ceremony, Mrs. Mu?" Usually, when a guest asked for a cup of tea, Anna and the other secretaries always made it casually. She never thought that tea-making could be soplicated. "No, I haven''t. I''ve learned something about tea-making by watching other people make tea." Daisy raised her head, smiling to Anna. Her serious face was softened by the smile. "You are so talented, Mrs. Mu! If I didn''t know that you''re a soldier, I would think that with such skill, you''re a tea master." Anna''s words weren''t exaggerated ttery, but pure admiration. In her opinion, soldiers were all righteous, brutal, and wild. She thought that even female soldiers weren''t interested in self-cultivation. But Daisy had broken her stereotype. Chapter 395 A Cup Of Tea (Part Two) "You''re ttering me, Miss Anna. I don''t know much about the tea ceremony. I''ve only learned a little about tea-making process, I haven''t mastered the essence of tea-making. Here, have some." Daisy carefully poured the brewed tea into a small cup, offering a cup of fragrant tea to Anna. "Thank you, Mrs. Mu." Anna didn''t refuse Daisy''s kindness. She took the cup and had a sip. The sweet and fragrant taste lingered in her mouth. Anna couldn''t help but gasp in admiration. "How does it taste? They say the vor will linger in your mouth for a long time." Daisy nced at her with a smile on her face, making another cup for Edward. She didn''t forget that she came here to make tea for her husband. "Indeed, what a marvelous taste! It''s so amazing. Although we use the same tea leaves, yours tastespletely different from the tea we make." As a secretary of a multinationalpany, Anna had some knowledge nearly in all fields. But since her boss didn''t like drinking tea, she knew very little about tea-making. "The taste is influenced by the process and equipment used in brewing it. Of course, water temperature is also very important. I need to go now, but I can teach you how to brew tea when I''m free another day. Then you can serve Edward some tea." Daisy picked up the tray with the tea, and walked out of the tea room in satisfaction. She smiled merrily as she walked away. The bright smile on her face was so different from her usual nk expression, that Anna almost doubted her eyes. But she dared not offer tea to her CEO unless he asked. A different position too." The more time he spent with her, the more he enjoyed flirting with her. Who would''ve thought that such a domineering officer could be so shy in private? "That''s enough. Get to work. Do you really want to do overtime? I see you still have time to tease me." Daisy''s face sank. Her cold tone returned as she nced at the desk. "Overtime? That''s out of the question. Don''t forget that I''m the boss of thispany. I''m the one who decides who stays for overtime and who doesn''t." Despite his words, Edward obligingly picked up the files on the desk and continued to read the documents. He didn''t have the heart to make her apany him any longer. Daisy refilled his cup with tea and put it somewhere essible for him. Then she turned around and ced the tray on the coffee table. She took a seat at the sofa, gracefully picking up the magazine she hadn''t finished and resumed reading it. Because so many financial reports were centered on Edward, she wanted to know what the various articles said about him. Chapter 396 Not There (Part One) Edward was busy reading reports and signing papers the whole morning. He didn''t have the time to leave his office. He couldn''t even go out and have lunch with Daisy in some fancy restaurant. Daisy had to eat alone and order delicious and healthy takeout for Edward. Edward ate in his office after Daisy came back, and soon went back to work after his quick lunch. After signing his name on thest document on his desk, Edward took a deep sigh and tiredly leaned against his chair with closed eyes. He rubbed between his eyebrows and took a short catnap. When he reopened his eyes, Edward found Daisy sleeping soundly on the couch. There was a faint smile on her face, her eyshes quivering slightly as she breathed. Edward''s lips curled into a tender smile at the sight. ''What a sleepy head! She''s been sleeping for hours, and she hasn''t woken up yet. Did I wear her out in bedst night?'' Edward wondered as he gazed at Daisy''s sleeping face. Edward wasn''t a man who liked indulgence. To him, sex was merely a way to satisfy physical needs. But after meeting Daisy, everything changed. For some reason, he lost control of himself whenever Daisy was around. Edward looked at his watch to check the time. Then he rose from his chair and walked up to Daisy. He sat on the edge of the couch, lovingly caressing her face with his long fingers. He shook his head with a small smile. Was she really a colonel? Her vignce was so poor. "Honey, wake up. It''s time to go home now." Edward gently pinched the tip of her delicate nose, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. Disturbed by his actions, Daisy pped his hand away and grumbled incoherently. She turned away, still sound asleep. Edward paused, his smile growing. If he couldn''t wake her up like this, he didn''t mind trying a different method. With a smirk, he leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers. The sleeping woman suddenly opened her eyes and subconsciously flung her fist towards Edward''s stomach. Although Edward sensed Daisy''s sudden movement, it happened to "Woman, are you flirting with me?" Edward ran his finger over where Daisy had just kissed him, fixing his jet ck eyes on her. He narrowed his eyes at her dangerously as he looked her up and down. "You''re wee. I was just returning the favor." Daisy moved her hands to his stomach, rubbing it gently. She hit him hard earlier, and it must hurt a lot. Eager to alleviate his pain, Daisy slipped her hands into Edward''s shirt without much thought to give him a massage. Edward gasped loudly. Was Daisy trying to turn him on? "Honey, do you have any idea what you''re doing right now?" Edward leaned forward to whisper hoarsely in her ear, his warm breath tickling the back of her ear. "Hold still. I''ll give you a massage. Does it still hurt?" Focused on her task, she didn''t notice the change in Edward''s tone. She kept gently massaging his abdomen. "Yes, but not there." Edward repliedzily, curling his lips into a devilish smile. Although he was about to explode at any second, he didn''t stop Daisy''s cold fingers from moving on his stomach. "Really? Still hurt? Where? Is it bad?" Daisy got nervous all of a sudden. She was afraid that she hit him too hard and hurt his organs. "Lower, all the way down there." Edward suppressed the urge to burst intoughter. He yed it cool and put on a poker face, to avoid suspicion from Daisy. Chapter 397 Not There (Part Two) "Where? Over here?" Daisy didn''t expect Edward to tease her at this moment. She actually thought that Edward was hurt. She dutifully followed his instruction and moved her hands lower. When she reached his belt, Daisy suddenly realized something wrong. She blushed and instantly withdrew her hands as if she was burned. Without any hesitation, she lifted her leg and tried to kick him. But Edward anticipated it this time and deftly stepped aside to dodge the attack with a sigh. ''She''s still as violent as usual!'' Luckily, he was prepared this time. But Edward had underestimated Daisy''s wrath. She threw her fist to his face as soon as he dodged her kick. Edward couldn''t believe that this violent and ruthless woman was the same person who was submissively leaning against his chest and kissing him tenderly just a few minutes ago. Alright, maybe he went too far. Edward shifted sideways to avoid her punch. "Whoa, the messy little piggy turned into a wild cat." Edward knew his words would only aggravate her, but he couldn''t help teasing her. He wanted to see her angry face. As mush as he loved her sweet and gentle side, he also liked seeing her so energetic and wild. As expected, Daisy struck again, quick and hard. If not for the limited space, Daisy might have geared up for a good fight against him. "Okay, okay. Stop it. I''m tired." Sometimes surrendering didn''t mean losing, and it was just another way to get what you wanted. "Don''t you dare tease me like that again." As soon as Edward said he was tired, Daisy stopped abruptly and red at him. She knew how much work Edward had done today. Although she was still angry with him, she didn''t try to attack him again. "I wouldn''t dare. Let''s get out of here and have dinner, then I''ll take you to an auction." Edward stopped teasing Daisy. He was tired after a long day at work, but he felt refreshed after horsing around with Daisy. "An auction? But aren''t you tired?" Daisy asked with a frown. Sh ew Edward was extremely busy today, so she wouldn''t dare leave first, in case something unexpected came up and Edward needed her assistance. "Thank you, Anna. You can go home now. I''ll go to the auction with Daisy. You don''t have to send someone else." Edward knew he would have to spend a fortune at the charity auction, whether he attended or not. He might as well bring Daisy, in case she found something she liked. If she did, maybe the money would be well spent. "Okay, I''ll leave now. Have a fun evening, Mr. Mu, Mrs. Mu." Anna replied with a gentle smile. She was once again amazed by Daisy''s beauty and elegance as she gazed at her. No wonder Edward married her, she was definitely one in a million. "Thank you. Take care." Daisy was fond of Anna. She wasn''t arrogant or flirtatious. Every time Daisy saw her, she was always calm and confident. In Daisy''s eyes, both Anna and Belinda were great business women. "You too. Goodbye." Anna smiled and nodded at the both of them, walking towards the elevator. Daisy then noticed Anna''s graceful and attractive figure. "I think you should give Anna a raise. Look how hardworking she is! She stayed overtime to wait for your instructions." After watching Anna get into the elevator, Daisy turned her eyes to Edward and teased him with a mischievous smile. Chapter 398 A Beauty’s Tears Of Blood (Part One) "Honey, are you speaking for Anna? Why don''t I know that you two have gotten close to each other?" Edward held Daisy''s hand as they walked into the elevator. He pressed the button for the first floor. "I''m not speaking for her. I only appreciate her attitude towards work." Daisy smiled gently. Few people could arouse her interest and Anna was one of them. "Oh! Since Colonel Ouyang thinks highly of her, it seems that she deserves to get a raise. Even if it isn''t for her good work performance, I will do this for your highpliment, " Edward said. Actually, Anna''s sry was among the top in this trade, almost at the same level with Aaron''s. This would never happen in otherpanies. Nheless, since his beloved wife proposed it, Edward didn''t mind increasing her sry a little bit. The night gave off a mysterious air with the dazzling lights, which was tempting especially in those high-end luxurious ces where temptation existed in every corner. Being one of the elites in S city, Edward was no stranger to the Royal Shore. He was often invited as a distinguished guest to attend the high-end auctions organized here. After dinner, he took Daisy and walked leisurely into the luxurious ce. The architecture and the event inside exuded mystery. As soon as Edward entered, he was taken by a veteran staff member to a secluded VIP box due to his noble status. The atmosphere in the private room matched Daisy''s preference for quietness. "There''s a strong sense of ss consciousness here." As soon as the staff left, Daisy looked out the carefully designed window of the private room. Compared to the noisy crowd outside, the box was indeed a lot quieter. But they could still hear some sounds when people talked very loudly. "This is how the social system works. There''s no ss hierarchy." Edward said wi aisy hadn''t shown up in Edward''s life before, so why did she show up now? Why did she suddenly change her mind and destroy all the things she had strived for? Jessica closed her eyes in anguish. Even her heavy makeup failed to conceal her dejection. She was exhausted from being busy all day finding a solution to get the Lin Group out of trouble. She thought abouting here to take a chance on her luck, but she didn''t expect to be greeted by such a heartbreaking scene. "Edward, what do you think makes a woman so persistent to hold onto a man? Is it really just love?" Daisy shifted her eyes away from Jessica and looked at Edward casually, suddenly feeling very sad. "It''s difficult to say. Sometimes it''s closely rted to wealth and social status." Edward knew Daisy must have seen Jessica, or she wouldn''t have asked this. But he didn''t think what Jessica felt about him was actually love. In his eyes, she loved him because of glory and vanity. "It''s starting." Daisy changed the topic. She didn''t want to bother herself with this and make things awkward with Edward. Not only would she feel troubled, but she would also end up hurting other people if she continued to cling to it. This was an unwise choice. Chapter 399 A Beauty’s Tears Of Blood (Part Two) "Okay. Look carefully. If you see something you like, just bid for it. Don''t save money for me. We can afford anything here." Edward touched her hair tenderly and nted a gentle kiss on her forehead. He was prepared to answer her questions about Jessica. But he didn''t expect her to drop the subject so soon. He sighed in relief. He feared that he might say something wrong and upset her, leading to a fight that would put a strain on their rtionship. "But I can''t afford them. I won''t waste my hard-earned money on such useless things." She didn''t want to carelessly spend Edward''s money either, he also earned his money through hard work. It just wasn''t her character. "My sweet miser, you don''t have to spend your money. Just use mine. Besides, doesn''t everything I own belong to you?" Edwardughed and pinched her nose. If the public knew that the wife of FX International Group''s CEO was such a miser, what would they think of her? Regardless how people would perceive Daisy, Edward liked her straightforward mindset, it was her true disposition. And this side of Daisy touched Edward''s heart and made him love her even more. "Okay, since you say that what''s yours is mine, I''ll use your money." Daisy realized that she had never been so brazen before. She immediately blushed after the words slipped from her mouth. The auction outside was in full swing. People constantly raised the price for the items, as ifpeting with each other to show off their wealth. Inside, the couple chatted as if the auction had nothing to do with them. What would the organizers think if they knew? Edward smiled at Daisy''s witty reply. He constantly swiped his fingers on the touch screen at his side, and found a best view for Daisy to watch the auction. Suddenly, a ne caught Daisy''s attention. It didn''t look anything spe Daisy''s independence about money made him very ufortable. "I''m sorry! I didn''t meant it like that. I just momentarily forgot that I can use my husband''s money." Daisy immediately realized that her careless words injured his self-esteem. She unintentionally treated Edward as an outsider with her hurtful words. "Honey, you should know that I don''t want to hear your apologies. What I want is for you to feelfortable about relying on your husband. I want you to feel this deeply in your heart, then I''ll know what role I am ying in your life." Edward sighed. He knew she never wanted to use his money. She put the credit card he had given her on the desk in the study and hadn''t touched it since. He felt upset and frustrated. It was meaningless for him to have so much wealth if Daisy didn''t use it. He always got the urge to torture himself whenever he was struck by such frustration. He even fantasized about bing a poor man overnight. Maybe then, Daisy wouldn''t treat him like an outsider. "Okay. I''ll keep that in mind. I''ll never apologize to you again." As Daisy said this, she never expected that she would end up apologizing a thousand timester with an extremely grieved look on her face. Chapter 400 100,000,001 Edward said nothing and looked at her quietly. Finally, he sighed and embraced her. For a woman with a strong personality and identity like Daisy, he could do nothing about it. "Is this important to you?" Edward murmured, keeping his eyes on the ne that Daisy was looking at. He wondered what the ne meant to Daisy. "Yes. It belonged to my mother before. I have to get it back." Daisy had a determined look on her face. She had to get the ne back at all costs. "What? This was your mother''s ne? How did it end up at the auction?" Edward started to take the auction seriously, and his gaze bing sharp. "I don''t know. It disappeared with my mother''s death. I didn''t expect to see it here. I''ve never thought I''d ever see it again." Daisy''s lips curled upward, but the smile didn''t reach her eyes. "Don''t worry. I''m here." Since it was his mother-inw''s legacy, he would definitely get the ne for Daisy. After all, it was the first time she asked him for something. "Well..." Daisy opened her mouth to thank him. But remembering Edward''s anger, she swallowed back the words. When Edward said "I''m here, " Daisy was deeply touched. In many cases, the most touching words weren''t "love you" or "together", but "I''m here." "Ladies and gentlemen, we''re now going to bid for a precious item from an imperial concubine in the Qing Dynasty. Look carefully, it has a high collection value that ordinary treasures do notpare with. It also has a sad but beautiful name, ''A Beauty''s Tears of Blood." The host deliberately paused to add suspense and arouse the audience''s interest. Looking at the audience''s excitement, the host continued, "This is the most precious item for the auction, so there''s no need to mention how expensive it is. Its starting price will be much higher than the rest." As soon as the host finished speaking, the guests immediately got excited. Everyone wanted to know how expensive the item was. "Alright, please calm down. Now, the hostess will show you the item." The host waved his hand, signalling for silence. As the guzheng music slowly yed, an extremely attractive hostess appeared onstage in an evening gown. The moment she came into view, everyone was fascinated by the ne on her neck. No words could be used to describe the beauty of the ne. It was a string of bright tourmalines, with a blood-red transparent crystal in the shape of a teardrop at the bottom, which clung to the model''s white skin like the tears of blood shed by a beauty. The blood-red jewel sparkled brightly like a beautiful sunset, giving the impression that your hand would be stained with blood if you touched it. It was so beautiful that it made you not able to take eyes off it and made you feel thrilled. Illuminated by the lights, the sparkling teardrop crystal resembled flowing blood. The ne was even more beautiful and striking in contras ''t worried about how that''s gonna make you look?" Despite her words, Daisy felt very happy. After all, she would get back her mother''s ne that had been missing for years. This would be the first time she would possess something that belonged to her mother. How could she remain calm? "Don''t underestimate the power of one dor. Even a single dor in bids may reverse the whole situation." As a business genius, Edward knew this very well. This was why he won most cases. After all, no one couldpare to him in wisdom and wealth. "100, 000, 001, going twice. Ladies and gentlemen, does anyone want to raise the bid?" As the host spoke, he knew that the price wouldn''t go up anymore. But he still hoped that there would be one or two people daring to set themselves against FX International Group, so the price might increase. "100, 000, 001, going thrice. Sold! ''A Beauty''s Tears of Blood'' now belongs to Mr. Edward Mu of the FX International Group." After the host''s announcement, Daisy finally got her mother''s heirloom back. "Honey, thank you!" Daisy couldn''t help kissing Edward before turning to look at the beautiful ne with a bright smile. It was evident how happy she was. "You look so happy." Edward gently pinched her nose, his eyes full of tenderness. "Yes!" After removing her identity as a female officer and taking off her military uniform, Daisy was easily moved like any other woman. Jessica''s face turned pale at the result. She clenched her fist so hard that her nails dug into her skin. But she didn''t feel any pain. This must be love. Why did Edward spend 100 million to please Daisy? Didn''t he know how much that would upset her? When Edward bought the ''Soul of Tears'' ne for her that cost him 20 million, Jessica thought it proved Edward''s love for her. But today, he spent 100 million on Daisy, making her realize how ridiculous her previous thoughts were and how fragile her pride was. Chapter 401 Suspicious Vehicles One hundred million and one was arge sum of money to Daisy, but it was only a fraction to Edward. With an elegant stroke of his golden pen on the check, ''A Beauty''s Tears of Blood'' now belonged to Daisy. As Daisy''s slender fingers stroked the seemingly pulsing crystals of the ne, she felt her mother''s warmth. When her fingertips touched the bloody teardrop-shaped stone, she felt suffocated. In Daisy''s memory, her mother was a gentle beautiful woman with a delicate ssical bearing that few modern women possessed. Eyes would follow her at the sight of her striking elegance. Daisy''s heart trembled when she touched the sparkling stone. It felt as if she could feel her mother''s tears and blood. "What''s wrong?" Seeing the mncholy on Daisy''s face, Edward frowned and wondered what triggered her emotions. "This ne used to belong to a royal family in the Qing Dynasty. In that case, my mother was the offspring of an aristocratic family. That''s why she seemed so distinguished, " Daisy replied offhandedly, without moving her eyes away from the ne in her hands. "Then it sounds like I married a member of the royal family. My status seems to have been elevated. I''m rted to an emperor now. You can''t call me a sly businessman anymore." Unable to see Daisy so sad, Edward made a joke every time she got upset to distract her. "Hey! You''re haggling with me again. This is exactly why you''re a sly businessman." Daisyughed at Edward''s quip, temporarily forgetting the painful memory about her mother. "Let''s get out of here. Time to go home, honey." Edward smiled affectionately. He didn''t mind what she said, as long as she was happy. All businessmen had to be sly to seed. Edward took Daisy''s words as apliment. "Okay." Daisy carefully put the ne back into the case before walking outside with Edward. Everyone around them cast envious looks at her when they passed by. "Wait!" Jessica shouted behind them just as Edward and Daisy were about to enter the car. "What can I do for you, Miss Lin?" Instead of the indifferent mask she usually wore, Daisy had a happy smile on her face. It seemed the ne made her very happy. But in Jessica''s eyes, Daisy''s smile was mocking. "Edward, the Lin Group''s stocks keep dropping. Do you have anything to do with it?" Jessica ignored Daisy and fixed her eyes on Edward. "Yes, I do, " Edward said indifferently. Jessica was lucky that he hadn''t gotten even with her yet. She was bold enough toe to Edward like this. "Why?" Hearing Edward''s response, Jessica staggered with shock. Reality was so cruel. Edward admitted it so easily, he didn''t even care to deny it. Jessica was mortified, she felt like a clown in Daisy''s presence. "Think about what you did! Since you didn''t take my warning seriously, prepare for the consequences!" Edward retorted, ice shing in his blue eyes. Jessica''sst hope shattered. "I... I don''t know what you''r s excellent precision and controble recoil, better than the Glock in terms of direction and structure. Each magazine has 12 bullets, not many, but it''s very powerful and expensive. Where did you get it?" Daisy listed the weapon''s assets as she explored the exquisite handgun. Her strong suit was the rifle, which she used a lot in military school. "Wow, impressive. I see you learned a lot in military school. Let''s see your performanceter." Edward gave Daisy the thumbs-up in appreciation. "Don''t change the subject. Where did you get the gun?" Daisy rolled her eyes and fixed Edward a look. "Do you think I''ll carry a gun illegally? Rx. I have a permit." Edward smiled. The people following behind were just a piece of cake in his eyes. Because he''d been in this kind of situation every now and then, he''d gotten used to it. Obscure hooligans had stalked him in the past. Would they encounter big bosses this time? He was actually looking forward to facing them. Meanwhile, in the garrison headquarters of S city, the warden stood in front of the furiousmander and Kevin. He kept his head bowed down, too frightened to look at either of them. "When did this happen? Why did you wait so long to report it? This is outrageous!" Themander rarely got mad, but he was now burning with anger. His sharp eyes nced back and forth between the warden and the chief of the Public Security Bureau. "It happened three days ago. We nned to catch them by ourselves, but we failed to track them and had to call in support, " The chief answered timidly, his head kept low. "How did he break out?" Kevin asked with knitted brows. He wasn''t afraid that they couldn''t find the escaped prisoner, but that he might take revenge on Daisy. After all, she was the reason the prisoner had been caught. With Daisy''s recent appearance at the anniversary ceremony of the FX International Group, news about her was everywhere. She could easily be their target. Chapter 402 Sniper Rifle AS50 (Part One) "We were negligent. He intentionally went out looking for a fight, and was mauled by a group of gangsters. He was seriously injured by the beating, andter sent to the hospital for treatment. But he was secretly taken away by someone at the hospital." The warden felt a shiver down his spine when he received Kevin''s cold and ruthless stare. It seemed that Major General was more intimidating than the Commander, the warden thought. "Obviously, he is a dangerous man, you should have known that, why weren''t there any precautions to prevent his escape? Do you know how much effort we put into catching him?" Kevin raised his eyebrows, the cold and intimidating stare swept over their faces, making them tremble. "Sorry! This is our blunder. We will write a report for self-reflection." ?The Chief of Public Security immediately admitted their mistake. He was quite responsive now. "Okay, it''s not the right time to find out who is to me. General Major, you''ll handle this task from now on. You must catch them all this time." The Commander was a veteran who had been in thousands of battles, he soon resumed his cool and quickly gave the orders. "Yes, sir, I guarantee I willplete this mission, " Kevin said, saluting sharply. "Okay, go then. Don''t forget to notify Daisy about this situation and remind her to be prepared." The Commander''s words echoed Kevin''s thoughts precisely. Daisy''s identity as a Colonel and her title as the wife of the CEO of FX International Group made her an obvious target of the criminal. "I''ll get going right now." As soon as he finished his words, he turned around to leave. When he saw the two officers standing there with their eyes looking at their toes, he paused and said, "You''d better pray that nothing bad happened, otherwise, besides the garrison headquarter, the FX International Group alone will skin you, and make you into shoes." What K the car this afternoon. Lucky thing, huh?" Arms dealers? Edward had never tangled with arms dealers before. He needed to let Luke know. He might need his help. At this thought, he immediately took up his phone and dialed. "Mr. Mu." Luke''s cold voice immediately came through. "Luke, pay attention. They are arms dealers. You must be careful." Edward sped up and drove to the national highway, the direction Daisy had given to Kevin. "Okay, Mr. Mu, you be careful, too. I''ve got my men on this." Luke frowned. Damn it. As nothing special happened recently, he didn''t pay any special attention to safeguards. And some bodyguards were sent to watch that asshole Paul, so he didn''t have any other bodyguards with them today. He didn''t expect that they would encounter the arms dealer. But he remembered they had no connection with such people, why would they be after his boss? Luke wondered. "Okay." Edward looked at the ck BMWing up on them, he narrowed his dangerous eyes. "Luke, make way for them, don''t intentionally block them, " Daisy interrupted. She turned around to grab the sniper rifle Edward had mentioned. "Luke, Daisy said you need to make way for them." Although Edward didn''t know Daisy''s intentions, he passed the message on to Luke. Chapter 403 Sniper Rifle AS50 (Part Two) "No, I can''t. It''s too dangerous. Let me handle them." Luke would never let Edward step directly in the path of danger. "We''ll be okay, just follow Mrs. Mu''s instructions." Once Edward ordered something like that, Luke knew there was no room for negotiation. "Okay, Mr. Mu. Should I notify Mr. Jonathan?" Luke pursed his lips. He knew his young master''s temper. He had to follow orders, as much as he didn''t want to. "No. Kevin has a troop detachment heading our way." Edward remembered he hadn''t mentioned Jonathan''s secret identity to Daisy before. He thought it was not the right time for her to know about it now. So he decided to tell herter. They were two kinds of action-oriented people in the world, and they were opposite sides of the coin. One was the shady figure from the underworld, another was the righteous army soldier. He couldn''t imagine how they could get along if Jonathan''s true identity was revealed. "Okay." Luke slowed down. Since he knew the army would step in, he wasn''t as nervous as before. But it was still a long way from the army base. Would they get here in time? Luke wondered. "Sniper rifle AS50, 14.1 kg unloaded, magazine holds fifty 12.7 mm bullets, floating muzzle design, long range, fast ejection with little bacsh, high rate of fire, high lethality, anti-materiel. Can prate armor and deal with tanks and armored vehicles. You do know how to get a girl the sweetest gift." Daisy smiled charmingly. She felt excited whenever it came to the things that interested her. So she couldn''t help blurting out more details about the sniper rifle. "Of course. I''m Edward Mu. I can get all the nice things in the world." Edward was happy to ept the p ts and another two in the backseat. At this moment, Daisy''s eyes shed a sinister smile, she squeezed the trigger, and the shot fired. The high-energy bullet flew in the direction of the car behind them like lightning, trailing sparks. With the sound of the gunshot, the target car wobbled when the wheel was shot. She wasn''t sure what was louder -- the pistol or the blown tire. The racing BMW immediately lost control and began to swing. With the screeching of tires breaking the silence of the dark night, the target car violently collided with the car that followed it. The cars crashed with the sound like roaring thunder, followed by the mes of the crash which lit up the dark sky. What a grand scene with the dazzling fire burning furiously and leaping into the sky. But Daisy wasn''t going to stop here. As soon as the arms dealers'' cars lost control, a sneer climbed to the corner of her mouth, and a sinister smile crossed her face, this made her cool and beautiful face all the more fascinating. And she looked wildly arrogant and aggressive with that expression. She was a battle maiden, and she was in her element. Chapter 404 This Woman Is So Cool. I Like Her. (Part One) "Nice shot. Be careful." Edward admired Daisy''s boldness. He helped Daisy by paying close attention to what was going on behind their car. "OK! Drive safely. They''re firing back." Daisy squinted her eyes and aimed at one car behind them. Before the pursuers were able to squeeze their triggers, Daisy shot their car. Since Edward was driving too fast, Daisy missed the shot. "nk", the bullet hit the steel hood of the car with a spark. Daisy reacted quickly to her mistake. She turned around fast and sat in the car before she closed the door. She did it rapidly, unconcerned about the shot she missed. She was as cool as ice. "nk!" The pursuers took their shot. The bullet hit the door as soon as Daisy closed it. It all happened so fast that Edward''s heart almost stopped. That was too close. If anything happened to her... The brakes screeched as the pursuers'' car stopped. With a massive sound of cars crashing into each other, Daisy was sure that the shot she had taken again hit the target. "Drift. Don''t drive in a straight line, or they''ll easily shoot our tires." Coldness reflected in Daisy''s eyes. She frowned as she saw the situation behind them through the rear-view mirror. There were many more cars than Daisy had expected. This was why Daisy and Edward found it hard to get rid of the pursuers. "Yes, my love." Edward was confident in his driving skills. Even though he couldn''t drive as good as Daisy did, he still drove so much better than most drivers. "Oh no. Luke''s surrounded by those thugs. Slow down. Let Luke keep up with us. Or tell him to changenes at the next crossing. We need to keep him away from the gunfight. Since I''m the main target, the pursuers won''t chase Luke." Then Daisy rolled down the window. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger at the person who kept shooting at them in a Passat. After a clear nk, the bullet went through void the gunshot and drive close to them. "OK! I saw his car. I can help him get rid of the pursuers. Edward, Help me." Daisy exchanged a look with Edward. Edward knew what she wanted to do. He quickly spun the car around for Daisy to open the door. Daisy grabbed the door with her right hand to support her body and stuck her top half out of the car to shoot the cars chasing after Luke. "m! m!" After a few shots, Daisy sessfully diverted the pursuers'' attention from Luke to her. "Holy shit, this woman is so cool. I like her." In a Rolls-Royce Phantom that was chasing after Luke, the person who led and started the chase saw Daisy and drooled over her beauty. He began to fantasize how Daisy would look in bed with him. "Boss, we''ll catch her and throw her into your bed." One of the minions knew that their boss was interested in the arrogant and skillful woman in the car in front of them. He quickly offered something to tter the boss. "Well, then you''ll have to try hard. That woman is like a wildcat. She can not be easily dealt with." The arms dealer was not old and even looked a little bit handsome. But the dirty smile on his face ruined his appearance and made him look terrible. He left the impression of a morally corrupt person. Chapter 405 This Woman Is So Cool. I Like Her. (Part Two) "Bullshit, she''s just a woman. Piece of cake. Besides, we have a lot more people than they do. It''s impossible for them to get away from us." A freckle-faced man talked confidently. He didn''t think Daisy was a tough woman to deal with. He only thought Daisy was good at shooting, and there was nothing more of her than that. So he didn''t fear her. "Don''t forget the number of the stars on her epaulet. Anyone with such a high position in the army must have earned it the hard way and is worthy of the title. Don''t underestimate her." Boss was boss. Even though he could be lecherous sometimes, he was still calm and resourceful on important asions. As for Colonel Ouyang...... ''Well, I''m d we bumped into each other this soon, '' thought the arms dealer, who was very excited to meet Daisy again. "So what? Even if she has many stars on her epaulet, we can still deal with her easily. We have a lot more people on our side." A man with a long scar on his face disagreed with his boss''s cautiousness. He sneered at Daisy. To him, a woman was no one to fear. "You''re right. Boss, don''t admire her too much. We can''t underestimate ourselves in front of a woman. I''ve fought for many years. I can guarantee from my experience that we''ll get her tonight and give her to you as a sex partner." Judging from the confidence in their conversation, they were not normal gangsters. It seemed that the minions who had been killed just now were nothing to them. They probably hadn''t showed what they were truly capable of yet. If Daisy had known what these guys were fantasizing, she would have pi will be careful. Watch out for yourself, too. I''ll slow down when you''re ready to jump." Edward nced around, and quickly spotted the slope Daisy had mentioned. "Don''t slow down, or you''ll draw our enemies'' attention. Maintain your speed." Daisy knew why Edward offered to slow down the car. But there was nothing for Edward to worry, as jumping out of a moving car meant nothing for a well-trained woman like Daisy. She just needed to use her skills to keep her from being hurt. "But you''ll put yourself in more danger in that way. I must slow down the car." Edward couldn''t agree with Daisy as he was too concerned about her safety. He was driving the whole night and couldn''t do anything but watch Daisy risk herself shooting and avoiding bullets in the gunfight. His fright grew with each dangerous situation he saw Daisy put herself in. But he tried his best not to express his concerns since he worried that his anxious attitude might influence her. That was why Edward had forced himself not to think about the possibility that Daisy might get shot. Chapter 406 An Expert Sniper "Don''t worry. I trained for this in military school." Daisy knew that Edward worried about her. She would do the same if Edward were in her position. They both cared a lot about each other. "Promise me: stay safe. If not for your own sake, at least do it for me. Be careful, " Edward urged, his eyes full of concern and affection. Yet Daisy suddenly jumped out just after he finished his words. She was as quick as a viper''s strike that no one ever saw her. Not even Edward who sat beside her had expected her sudden and fast action. But she was right. She was trained for this. She wrapped herself in a coat, assessed the angle, opened the door, and she was out, rolling. She got up and trotted up the hill with no time to check her grazed skin. As much as she had used all her skills, she still moved slower than usual due to the inconvenient outfit. That was a performance gap she didn''t want to see. Yet she was also aware that she had no time left to mourn this painful disparity. At this moment, time meant life. She found a vantage point to set up the rifle. She set up the sniper rifle, got down on the ground, found the target, pulled back the bolt, and got loaded. With the target aimed at and all other factors calcted, she adjusted her breath, then squeezed the trigger. Her moves were smooth and skilled. The bullet she fired hit the driver of the leading car in the head. She was bold and quick. After her first target was down, she now moved onto the next car. With the curl of finger, she shot out the second bullet right into the moving car. "Crap. There''s an expert sniper hiding somewhere. Ry that to the boss, " said a man in the car that was about to lose control and hit the tree beside the road. But his reasonable analysis was toote. Their car ran into the tree and died, so did the men in the car. Daisy curled her lips and formed a cruel smile. Yet she dare not underestimate her rivals. She was good, but someone else in the group could be just as good -- or better. She picked up the rifle and moved to a different firing position. "Mr. Mu, are you alright?" Edward followed Daisy''s instructions and parked his car in a more secluded spot. But even so, Luke still found where he was by the dim light from the streemp. "I''m okay. Go find a ce for us to fight back." Edward sneered and ran into the bushes beside with guns in both hands. See that Edward was all safe and sound, Luke also entered the grove with both a gun and diamond-shaped darts which could kill people in short distance without making any noise. "Fuck! Where are they? They flee so fast." Daisy had climbed up the hill at full speed, yet two cars still escaped before she started shooting. "Be careful. I saw the car light go off over there. So they must get here, " Luke said. They deserved to be arms dealers. The weapons they used were all superb and advanced. Besides, the gang outnumbered Edward and Luke, thus turning them from offense to defense. The moment Luke finished his words, the man nearest to him had been shot dead and the bullet aimed at him now flew to the sky. The man copsed on the ground. "Watch out!" Daisy''s elusive figure slipped to their side. The smoking gun in her hand told them that it was her that shot the man dead -- and saved Luke''s life. "Thank you, Mrs. Mu, " Luke knew that he had been too careless just then. If not for Daisy, he would have been seriously injured, or even worse, be a corpse. He needed to stay alive, if only to protect Edward. "Honey, are you alright?" Edward was thrilled to see that Daisy was all safe. But his heart instantly fell when he saw the blood on her face. She was a mess, so she must have tussled with those arms dealers at close range. "I''m okay. Now quick! Behind the hill! I need to set a sniper point there. Hurry!" Daisy felt so lucky that she knew all about this city, its terrain in particr, only because she could find out the best shooting points there so quickly. With the bright Moon, they could see clearly what the gang members were doing. And the gang''s car lights actually made them more visible in the dark night. "Is it heavy?" Edward felt so bad that Daisy had to carry such a heavy rifle, yet he couldn''t help her carry it. For snipers, the rifle must be brought with them. So he just looked at her affectionately. "I''m used to it. Come on, find your hiding ce." Just like Edward thought, by the time Luke and him had found decent hiding ces, Daisy had set up the rifle, got down, aimed at the target, loaded and shot. She did all these in mere handful of seconds. She was quick and smooth. Chapter 407 The Harley Girl (Part One) One shot, one dead. Almost every sniper should be capable of this. Daisy was a maestro of military skill. So it was a piece of cake for her. She fired five shots continuously and hit her targets with each bullet. She was just an amazing sniper! One would hardly guess that ady would have such a masterful sniping style. But Daisy had that and more. And she was a female high-ranking military officer, to boot! "Shit. Howe the snipers are everywhere? Where the hell are our snipers?" Though these desperadoes were used to the fugitive life, their hearts were stricken with fear when seeing their confederates fall suddenly in front of them. They stopped and dared not to step any further. They were scared that they too would earn a bullet for their indiscretion. The corners of Daisy''s mouth turned up slightly. She trained her gun on the next target. She was not a killer. However, being kind to your enemies sometimes is the same as being cruel to yourself. She always kept this principle in her mind. Therefore, the more dangerous the situation got, the crueler she should be to avoid being killed by others. The hiding ce is extremely important to professional shooters. Once they are discovered by the sniper of the other party, they either change their hiding spot, or die. And Daisy knew it well. So she would carefully watch her surroundings to see whether she was noticed by others or not each time after she fired. Once she felt that she was exposed, she would leave without any hesitation. A sparking bullet whistled past Daisy''s ear once again. ''Oh, bad!'' Daisy thought to herself, ''I''m exposed. Fortunately he doesn''t know the exact spot. That''s the only reason I''m still alive. Damn! I have to be more careful!'' But even it was a minor mistake, Daisy took advantage of it and shot back sessfully. Her target groaned and then fell down. She hit the target with deadly uracy. And she broke out in a cold sweat as well. She could do this all day, except for the fact that they were running low on ammo. "Let''s move." said Edward. He figured out that she w to go find that guy! Though the bike was stolen by us, he was misleading us with a defective bike first. We could have been killed!" Several men in ck shouted their agreement with the girl. They did not care about the danger surrounding them at all. "Yeah, you''re right. I am not bad at driving a motorbike. It''s the bike that is wrong and caused this mess, " said the girl as if she was redefining reality. And she was ming anyone but herself. And anyone could tell that what happened today was definitely not for the first time. "What The Fuck? Are you fucking blind? What are we to you? Dead?" The man with a scar on his face lost his temper and yelled loudly at first. Looking at these people who were ignoring thempletely, he got extremely angry. "Uh! I''m sorry! I forget that you are here. But what are you doing here at night? Shooting a movie? What''s the name of it? Probably ''Midnight Ghosts''?" The girl raised her beautiful face and a sh of interest and willingness was shining in her eyes. "''Midnight Ghosts'', that''s not bad. Little girl, you know what? Our boss will definitely please youter on. God knows that a female military officer is not enough, so he sent another little girl to our boss?" A man with a pock-marked face said with a lewd smile and shook the gun in his hand in front of the girl, trying to frighten her. Her scream would make him happy. Chapter 408 The Harley Girl (Part Two) "Well! Isn''t it just a prop? Who would be scared of that? Old man, you look like a fool to me. And you''re trying to make me look like a fool too, " said the girl. She was supercilious towards him and did not consider the big gun in his hand as something terrible at all. The pock-marked man was irritated so much by her arrogance that he fired a shot beside her feet. "Ouch! Oh my god! It''s a real gun! So you are actually using a real gun while shooting a movie?" The girl was frightened so much that she lept away, and then tried to put some distance between him and her. She stared at the gun in the pock-marked man''s hand with fear in her eyes. The gun was still smoking, and the faint smell of gunpowder wafted through the air. "It seems that they are not shooting a movie now, Miss. Take a look, there are no cameras." A cool man followed her. He came close to her and whispered. Meanwhile, he put his hand into the pocket of his suit as if he was trying to take something out. "Well, well! Uh, it seems we went in the wrong direction just now. No, we are sleepwalking now. So you can just ignore us. Go on, please! ... Please. You idiots, just run!" Just then, the girl took to her heels and ran into the bushes. Oh my God! Did she happen to run into a real gunfight? Just took a look at those big guns in their hands! They were much better and more advanced than the ones her Dragon Faction had. Fight if you can, run away if you cannot. That was her motto. So she escaped away immediately when she found something unusual. Only a fool would still stay there and wait for bullets. What a dramatic scene! Daisy and others were hiding themselves and they saw everything. If they were not trapped in danger now, they would definitely treat it as aedy. However, their situation was seri n''t shut up. Instead of keeping quiet, she just continued going on and on about Daisy. Her eyes were full of excitement. Daisy could not help twitching the corners of her mouth heavily. If possible, she really wanted to p her until she fainted with all her strength before she told her everything. They were now in great danger. She did not think about it at all, and even started to give away their position by opening her mouth. If it happened in an ordinary situation, Edward would definitely feel pleased to hear other praise his little wife so much. However, he was thinking the same as Daisy. How he wished to p her unconscious! But he remembered that her appearance had bought some time for them and they got out of the troublesome moment. So he decided he would just ept it and keep quiet. "Mish, right? What I need you to do is very simple. You just keep silent. You can say as much as you like and no one will interrupt you -- after we solve our current problem." Daisy frowned. Then she aimed and fired again. An enemy was killed and fell down, and you could hear his painful scream. Daisy was excellent at both sniper and pistol. And it was going to be a long night. Chapter 409 He Fantasized About Sex with You (Part One) Michelle smiled in embarrassment when her guard shouted at her. She threw a stone at him to catch his attention. When the guard spun, ready to speak, Michelle put her forefinger to her lips to hush him up. Then she made gestures to show that she was fine and that they should actually stop what they were doing and hide. Michelle was by no means an easy-going girl. Irritated by Luke''s rude conduct toward her moments ago, she began to find fault with him. It seemed she had forgotten what Daisy had told her. Michelle said to Luke in an angry tone, "Well, you... should apologize to me." In contrast to Daisy''s tolerance to Michelle, Luke was savage in the way he treated this naughty girl. He pped her without hesitation. It was so fierce that Michelle passed out. He seemed to have no sympathy for any girl. He was really cold-hearted in giving Michelle such a heavy p. What a rude monster! Edward gave Luke a thumb-up approvingly for his brave conduct. At this critical moment, Luke seemed to be the only man who was fearless and decisive enough to take action against a capricious girl. However, Edward wondered what kind of hell Luke would catch when she woke up. Probably too much hell, but too much fun for the rest of the group. To be frank, Edward longed for that moment a lot. Daisy''s lip curled to show a trace of disapproval. Although Michelle was behaving improperly, she was a tender, pretty young girl. Luke didn''t consider this at all, and pped her to show his displeasure with her actions. It seemed he wasn''t willing to spend time and energy in understanding a woman. If this was how Luke treated all women, he''d probably find himself perpetually single in the end. And even if anyone would marry him in the future, she''d probably get angry with his attitude all the time. "It''s quiet now." Luke noticed that Daisy and Edward were looking at him because of his audacious behavior, so he curled his lips to force himself to smile. But his attempt only turned out to be futile. Actually, he felt no guilt for pping Michelle. He could not smile sincerely enough to defuse the tense situ re. Hawk had, of course, vowed to take revenge for his arrest. So he waited after his escape from prison. He must sleep with the beautiful colonel before he ended her life. But he had never imagined that his men were so stupid. They couldn''t find Daisy and capture her. As Hawk had already issued the order, everyone had to obey it. They all rushed out from behind their hiding ces. Hawk''s closest bodyguards joined the fight as well. "Shit. It seems they want to kill all of us. What do you think?" Daisy was calm and cool all the time. But she began to feel nervous while seeing those gangsters rushing towards them. The bullets whizzed past their ears and whooshed into the brush behind them. "Listen to me. You must capture that female colonel alive. How can I sleep with a dead woman?" Although Hawk was a lecher by nature, he was not a necrophilia man. "Fuck! You''ve sealed your fate, bastard!" Edward got irrigated again by Hawk''s remarks. He cared nothing about the distance between him and the enemy. He raised his gun, aimed at one of the gangsters, and shot. "Edward, quit wasting bullets and protect yourself!" Daisy turned to pull down Edward, who was shooting at the enemies in fury. No sooner had they hid themselves than several bullets were shot into the tree behind Edward where he had stood just now. It was so dangerous and so lucky. Daisy felt her body drenched in cold sweats. Chapter 410 He Fantasized About Sex with You (Part Two) "Sorry! Are you okay?" Edward bit his lip in anger. Although he was a polite gentleman, he would go mad when it came to matters concerning Daisy. He was even unable to think like a normal person. "I am fine. Don''t do that again. Don''t pay attention to what he said. It''s just talk. He cannot rape me with his imagination, " Daisy rolled her eyes while speaking with Edward furiously. Due to his recklessness, they must have exposed themselves now. It would be more difficult for them to deal with those gangsters. "But he fantasized about sex with you. I can''t let him live." Edward said furiously. If they were in a safer ce, Edward would have pushed Daisy down on the bed for her contemptuous attitude just now. He liked to punish Daisy with his kisses and caresses for every arrogant thing that she did. "Hmm..." Edward''s jealousy delighted Daisy. She had been tense since the beginning of the fight. However, Edward''s childish remarks struck her as funny. She shed him a brilliant smile for the first time tonight. When she raised her head to nce at the sky, she noticed a ray of purple light shimmering in the air. Daisy could not help butugh heartily, as the Falcon soldiers wereing. The purple light was a special sign for all Falcon members. Only Falcon soldiers could recognize this encrypted sign and decipher its meaning. Even themander had no way to understand it. "Hold on. Just in ten minutes, everything will be fine here." Daisy''s eyes swept around the surroundings. She finally let out a sigh of relief after seeing the Falcon soldiers who were secretly surrounding the area. "Colonel Ouyang, are you okay?" A Falcon soldier in camouge coat suddenly appeared. It was so unexpected that he seemed as though he were a ghost from under the ground. "We''re all fine. Hawkeye, are all of you here?" Daisy said with a frown. She didn''t think that even Hawkeye woulde here to their rescue. Didn''t Major General make a fu keep quiet even if he was captured. He roared dirty words at Daisy when he saw her. "We''re fine. We are so lucky that you arrived here in time." Daisy looked around the surroundings, and then gazed at Hawk who had yelled and dreamed of bedding with her. She sneered. But Hawk was a loser worthy of no her feelings, even contempt. Daisy showed him her cold face, saying nothing, and then left. "I''m hard to kill." Edward always behaved slovenly and casually in front of Kevin. Although he was terribly disheveled, he still retained an air of nobility. The noble quality was deeply ingrained in his blood. "Help! These soldiers..." Hawk spat the words, "killed people! I will report your crime to the court. You killed so many innocent people. Dare to take a singlebat with me? Alone? You''re only capable of bullying the weak." Vile people could never get rid of their vile qualities. People like Hawk, were the most shameless bastards among them. He, of course, knew that his men had outnumbered the Falcon soldiers to arge extent. He initiated the fighting and intended to kill each and everyone of them. He was a criminal. But the criminal was shameless enough to distort the truth. He seemed like a thief who was yelling "Catch the thief!" when he was arrested by the police. Hawk was despicable. Chapter 411 Edward Got Shot (Part One) "Shut the fuck up! Trying to y innocent now? Innocent my ass!" A special trooper grabbed Hawk tightly, and kicked him forcefully in the butt. "Are you saying that you are weak? Did you feel that when you were trying to kill us? Don''t you see that you are outnumbering us. You talk about ethics when you are weak, and throw ethics to the wind when you''re strong." Raising her eyebrows, Daisy red at Hawk mockingly. The expression in her eyes was disdainful. "Bah! They say Colonel Daisy Ouyang won her position through her own strength and military prowess, but I don''t believe it for a second. If you want to convince me, you''ll have to beat me one on one, " Retorted Hawk, changing the topicpletely. Sneering wryly to Daisy, he cast a evil nce at her as he spoke. As he couldn''t have Daisy, he felt more itchy for her. Especially when she was so close to him, he was even more hell-bent to have her in his bed. "How dare you! Do you think you''re worthy enough to challenge her? Know your ce, scum! You have to go through me first!" snapped Hawkeye. He went over and grabbed Hawk by his cor. Beneath Hawkeye''s face paint was a face darkened in anger. "Fuck you! Why do I have to beat you first? I want to fight Colonel Daisy!" Hawk spat at Hawkeye as he spoke, making a defiant mockery of him. Hawkeye was enraged. He threatened, "Be quiet, scum! One more word, I''ll shoot you on the spot. Don''t spit on me, fartknocker!" Gnashing his teeth, he hit Hawk in the jaw with the gun''s stock, eyes burning with fury. Hawk was knocked to the ground. "What? You want to shoot me just because you''re pissed? How dare you kill an innocent citizen at will! What an awful soldier you are!" Hawk started yelling dramatically, with unprecedented exaggeration and shamelessness. He was a much better actor than Edward. "Step aside, Hawkeye. If he wants to have a taste of my iron fist, I can grant his request. How can I be so heartless as to refuse his death wish?" Daisy suddenly ordered, gesturing Hawkeye t forceful blownded on Hawk''s eye hard. Hawk groaned in pain. As he was hit, he became more cautious, daring not to underestimate his pretty opponent. However, although he paid great attention to Daisy''s movements, he still failed to follow her. This time, Daisy didn''t punch his wounded face, but instead, she stepped on the tree trunk to steady herself, then jumped up, and rotated in the air, andnded, kicking him with all her strength. Before he could respond, her fist also swung violently and hit him hard on the chest. Hawk winced in pain, but at the chance, Daisy kicked him again in the knee, and brought him to the ground. "Well fought! Colonel! Colonel! Colonel!" Chanted the special soldiers who were present. They all cheered at the sight of their colonel beating the gangster up. Edward was also daunted by her elegant and efficient moves. It turned out that her skills in martial arts were better than he thought. Did it mean that when they fought with each other for fun, she wasn''t fighting with her true strength, but gave in to him on purpose? His "winning" her in fights was merely a fluke... "What do you say, Hawk? Have I proved myself?" Panting, Daisy looked down at Hawk triumphantly. Although her face was as nk as always, in the depths of her eyes, there was a wonderful light, dazzling and iparably bright. Chapter 412 Edward Got Shot (Part Two) "Bah! It''s only a fluke." Hawk resisted. However, deep in his heart, Hawk knew that he would never beat her in a fight. After all, during the whole fight, he was the one getting beaten, unable tounch an attack back. His original n of taking advantage of her was in vain. The woman was so good at martial arts, but her skills with a gun were just as good. She had just disyed her shooting skills on a racing car. The colonel was so versatile, and skilled inbat. "Fluke? But you sucked so bad. You showed nothing but arrogance and stupidity in our fight, which is why you failed." That said, Daisy cast ast nce at her opponent before she turned away, and walked towards her Edward, knowing nothing about the danger that was about to ur. "Watch out, Honey!" Before she knew it, she heard Edward''s anxious shout. Edward grabbed her and swung her around, as a gunshot rang out and a bullet mmed into him. Scared, Daisy raised her head. She saw the scarred man holding a smoking gun fall to his knees, hands held to his bloody abdomen. She turned her attention to Edward, his muscles stiffened in pain. He whispered in her ear, "I''m d I protected you from danger." His voice was hoarse and deep, a little louder than murmur. But Daisy was thunder struck and horrified. She trembled as she felt the moist and warm blood. An unspeakable fit of terror engulfed her. "Edward! Stay with me! Stay with me!" She held him in her arms, supporting his slowly falling figure. She never felt that his body was so heavy as a sack of lead. Her mind had gone entirely nk, as she shook her head crazily, refusing to believe what had happened. She said to herself, it wasn''t true... "Edward...No, stay with me, Edward..." Blood oozed from Edward''s wound, and quickly his clothes were soaked with blo in when he said Edward was strong, but he really did not know what else he could do besidesfort her. "Sure! It''s going to be okay...I know it...He''ll be fine..." Daisy echoed eagerly, as sheid a gentle kiss on Edward''s hair. Like so many times before, she kissed him tenderly. "Mrs. Mu! I''ve called Tom, and he asked us to bring Mr. Mu to the hospital. He''s waiting for us there, " said Luke to Daisy. It was not hard to see how nervous and scared he was from the look on his face. "Okay! Get in! We don''t know where his hospital is. You need to lead the way." Daisy''s voice was still trembling, but she had slowly ovee the helpless horror. "Hey? What are you doing? Where are you going?" Just as Luke opened the car door and squeezed in, a feminine voice suddenly called. It was Michelle, who just woke up from hera. She had no idea what was going on, but as she spotted Luke get into the car, she rushed to him, asking curiously. "Get lost!" Luke nced at her from the corner of his eye, and cursed coldly. He then mmed the door shut, and the car flew off like an arrow. It rushed at such a high speed that when it passed, the fallen leaves floated up and the air stirred. Chapter 413 The Warning Lines (Part One) The armoured vehicle dashed towards the city. The piercing siren prated the cold night, petrifying the creatures of the vast wilderness. Daisy turned a deaf ear to her surroundings. Her heart beat fast as she was greatly concerned about the man lying on her chest. He was all she cared for now. "Huh..." He slightly coughed in her arms. His sound was so weak, yet it still made her heart skip a beat. She was delighted to see his movement. It meant he was still alive. However, what happened the next second made her heart freeze. Daisy felt as if she couldn''t breathe anymore. "Mrs. Mu, it''s getting worse. Mr. Mu is coughing up blood now. His nose is also full of blood." As he was facing Edward, Luke noticed what was going on straightaway. "Hawkeye, floor it. Hurry up!" The distance seemed endless. Daisy''s heart was heavy with heartache. She felt hopeless as the destination seemed impossible to reach. She hated to admit that she was weak and helpless. At this moment, a horrible desperation seized her. She had never been this petrified before, even when she was chased away by the Ouyang family. "Yes, Colonel." Despite the vehicle already reaching top speed, Hawkeye still obeyed hermand. He knew right now, the Colonel''s attention was not on their speed at all, but on the heavily wounded handsome man in her arms. "Honey, please don''t scare me like this. You haven''t finished the things you promised me yet. You can''t leave me alone like this..." Daisy''s hands trembled uncontrobly. She had never been this desperate. Even when she was walking between life and death, she was not this scared. She couldn''t possibly figure out how to carry on with her own life if she ever lost him. "I am so sorry! So sorry! So sorry! I... shouldn''t have acted impulsively. I shouldn''t... have stayed there and tried to teach Hawk a lesson. Otherwise, we could have retreated earlier and you wouldn''t get hurt rescuing me." Although she promised him that she would never say "sorry" to his face, she couldn''t help apologizing to him right now. She only hoped that by saying sorry to him, things would go back to normal, to a time when he was still safe and sound. The guilt and remorse nearly broke her heart, and tears filled her eyes. She wanted nothing more than hispanionship for a lifetime. As long as he could make it, she would rather him get annoyed by her mumbling "sorry" to his face, than see him lying motionless in her arms. As if he heard her words, Edward''s eyebrows slightly furrowed. His palm in her hands also moved a little. It seemed that he was really bothered by her apology. Even if he was heavily wounded, he still car he couldn''t make an educated guess and foresee the oue of the surgery. Finally, with the stretchering to his way, Tom breathed a sigh of relief and earnestly guided them into the waiting room. "Daisy, rx please. He will make it." Tom quickly checked Edward''s wound whileforting Daisy so she could calm down. "Tom, please, please save Edward''s life for me." At the sight of Tom, Daisy felt much better. She finally saw a glimpse of hope in his gaze. Edward once told her that Tom''s medical skills were extraordinary. "Trust me. I won''t let you down. I will save his life and nothing can take him away from you." Tom made a swift yet thorough check on Edward. He was heavily wounded, worse than he had expected. However, he was confident he could use his surgical skills to bring him back to health. Tom was determined to give Daisy a hale and hearty Edward through his skills. "Hurry up. Get him onto the table. Set up an IV line ASAP. Start transferring blood to the patient and bring his oxygen levels up. Prepare Coramine 0.375g and Robeline 3mg to drip." Tom rapidly spoke to his assistants, his voice was calm and authoritative. Then he nodded to Daisy and walked straight into the surgery room. The door slowly closed in front of Daisy, her heart seized. "Doctor Qin, the patient has a low heart rate and his blood pressure is plunging." The assistant kept a close eye on the situation and updated Tom. "Insert 1mg epinephrine through IV line and use Dopamine to increase the pressure." Tom''s eyebrows furrowed more deeply. It was quite normal toe across abnormalities during a surgery. However, as a trained professional, he knew how to remain calm. In the face of danger, the calmer he was, the better solution he coulde up with. Chapter 414 The Warning Lines (Part Two) Meanwhile, Daisy couldn''t rest at all. She kept pacing restlessly outside of the surgery room. Heads turned, eyes went wide for her as her clothes were stained with Edward''s blood. "Mrs. Mu, please sit down and rest for a while! I have just called your inws, I am sure they''ll be here in no time." The moment Edward was sent into the OR, Luke immediately called Jonathan. He felt obliged to inform Edward''s parents about their son''s situation. Jonathan paused for a long time on the phone. Luke could imagine how devastated the old man was when he heard the sad news. "Luke, Tom is renowned for his extraordinary skills, isn''t he?" Daisy felt nervous about the surgery. Although Tom had promised her that he would deliver a sound Edward to her in no time, she still couldn''t help thinking about the worst. "Of course, domestically, he ranks among the top surgeons. However, I don''t know what is his reputation across the globe." Luke only cared about Edward, he didn''t pay much attention to Edward''s friends. Therefore, he couldn''t give Daisy an objective review on Tom''s medical skills. "Colonel, have a sip please." Hawkeye gently handed a cup of hot coffee to Daisy. His boss was always a tough woman. Right now, he was not used to seeing her being scared and weak. "Thank you! You should head back and support them! I will be fine." Daisy took a sip of the coffee to soothe her nerves. Edward was still in danger and she needed to be brave for him. She was also surprised to see Hawkeye''s kind gesture. Her soldiers were all tough men who underwent hard training day and night. However, they were also gentle and considerate when they needed to be. "Yes, Colonel. I will set off now to support them. Please take good care of yourself and don''t worry too much. I am sure Edward will be fine." As a special forces soldier, he had faced many critical situations. He was quite indifferent to death itself. However, he was greatly moved by the love between his Colonel and her husband. He couldn''t bear to see the sad look on her face. "Sure. Go ahead! Be safe." Daisy lifted her hand and brushed the loose hair away from her eyes. Her heart and soul were filled with a sorrow and loneliness that epassed her entire being. It was once Edward''s favorite thing, he loved to tidy her hair for her and she enjoyed every bit of his gentle touch. He treated her as the apple of his eye when he moved some of her hair away from her eyes. She knew that was his uniqu too cruel to be deprived of that so soon. "What''s going on, where are all the bodyguards?" Jonathan cast a nce at Luke. He raised his eyebrows in distress. He thought Cynthia was all he could care about in his heart, however it turned out that he cared about his son just as much. The moment he received Luke''s call, he felt dizzy. What Luke said to him gave him such a huge blow that he almost passed out. Deep down, he cared. It was only when he was about to lose him that he realized how much he cherished his son. For years, he thought Edward was just a gift that he gave his wife under her constant begging. Subconsciously, he had always kept his distance from his son. Judging from his reaction today, it was not that simple. He was not that emotionally detached from his son as he thought he would be. He had missed a lot of things in his rtionship with his son. The bond seemed much stronger than he had thought. He hated to admit that, for years, he had been taking things for granted. Some feelings were hard to describe and yet he had to face them and make it up to his son as soon as he woke up. "Dad, I''m terribly sorry. It''s my fault. I thought that with the help of Mrs. Mu, I would be able to handle the situation. I never thought things would get that nasty and cause this tragedy." Luke''s face turned dark at the thought of the bodyguards. He med himself for not training them as efficiently as he should have. They didn''t get there until the fighting was done. Edward was already wounded by then, therefore their arrival appeared ridiculously useless. He just hoped that Tom could salvage things where he had failed. Chapter 415 Rh-negative Blood "Who are they? Why didn''t you inform me immediately?" Jonathan looked grim. He didn''t mean to me Luke. He was anxious. "Arms dealers. Apparently, they escaped from prison, but the news hasn''t been made public. Mrs. Mu put them into prison; hence they were nursing thoughts of revenge." Luke told Jonathan what he knew. He really admired Jonathan for his amazing attitude. "The cops are useless! They let that prisoner break free. What''s worse, they don''t even issue a wanted circr. It''s their fault that the escaped prisoner couldmit a crime again. They should have been more vignt!" Jonathan was burning with anger. He could easily have those ipetent senior officials fired for misconduct. Luke opened his mouth, but he didn''t say anything. He felt guilty as he failed to protect Edward. He was too ashamed to criticize others. "Luke, how is it going? Who is the doctor?" Cynthia frowned. It wasn''t the right time to discuss who was to me. She was worried about her son more than anything else. "It''s Tom Qin. We haven''t received any update yet." Luke looked Cynthia straight in the eye. He was cold to others, but he became gentle in front of Cynthia. "I can rx my mind then. Luke, don''t me yourself. You can''t avoid every ident." Cynthia patted Luke''s shoulder; he looked grim. Luke took everything to his heart. He was always very meticulous. "Dr. Qin, we don''t have enough blood!" The assistant yelled again, which shocked Tom. "I asked you to collect all the Rh-negative blood in the hospital. Doesn''t that suffice? Tom shouted while gaping at the assistant. There was 2, 00 of blood, but he said it wasn''t enough. "60 was transferred to another hospital some time ago, and the worker at the blood bank forgot to update the inventory level." The assistant answered with fear. "Why didn''t you tell me that?" Tom closed his eyes in anger. Without blood, his excellent medical skills would be of no use. "I thought the blood would be enough for the operation, so I didn''t tell you. I didn''t think Mr. Mu has lost too much blood before he was brought here." The assistant took a look at Tom and quickly lowered his head. He didn''t expected that Tom, who had always been cordial, polite and dignified, would lose control of his emotions. "Damn it! Hurry up and arrange more blood!" This was the first time that Tom had uttered the four-letter word during an operation. Gnashing his teeth in anger, he scowled at everyone present in the room. "Okay. I will go right away." A nurse immediately walked out of the operating room. She took the blood here, so she had to take some responsibility for the mistake. As soon as the door of the operating room was opened, the people waiting outside surrounded the nurse. "Miss, is the operation over?" Daisy asked anxiously. "Is it over? Is my son all right?" Cynthia was nerv py childhood. "No. To be precise, I hurt you. Let''s go. Let''s go back. It''s not the right time to me anyone." Jonathan wanted to get up, but Cynthia stopped him. "Lie down. You have just given 80 of blood. Don''t move. If something happens to you, Daisy will not be able to bear it. She may seem strong, but I know she''s fragile." Jonathan wanted to go back despite Cynthia''s opposition, but after listening to her reasoning, he obedientlyid back down. "Dr. Qin, the blood is only sufficient for five minutes. Even if we go to the nearest hospital to get the blood, it is estimated that it will take about twenty minutes." The assistant didn''t dare to shout again. Instead, he reported calmly. "Wait a minute. If there is not enough, implement n B. " Tom nced at the blood bag and continued to concentrate on what he was doing. "Blood! I got the blood!" The nurse ran in excitedly, with the recently collected blood in her hands. Her words cheered up everyone in the room. The gloomy atmosphere was swept away. "So fast. Have you confirmed the blood type?" Tom had lost confidence in the staff. After the operation, he would take necessary measures to discipline them, so that they wouldn''t be careless and sloppy. "Yes. It''s the patient''s father''s blood. I have drawn 80." With these words, the nurse dexterously suspended the blood bag. "In that case, we can use the blood." Tom knew Jonathan also had Rh-negative blood, but he didn''t expect that he would do this for Edward. As far as he knew, Jonathan didn''t like Edward and treated him like a stranger. However, he quickly came to the hospital tonight, and he offered so much of his blood. It was beyond Tom''s expectation. His surprising move had bought a lot of time for Edward. Otherwise, some unforeseen ident might have urred because of the shortage of blood. As a doctor, it was thest thing that Tom wanted to see. Chapter 416 God Bless Him The surgery could proceed because of the blood supply. Through this operation, everyone present got to know the president of the hospital better. He was an elegant and decent man, yet he was cool-headed and indifferent too. Probably that was because there was a deep friendship between Edward and him! His best friend was lying on the operation table, so no wonder he lost control of his feelings. "Mrs. Mu, perhaps you should take a seat for a while! Or you might get sick before Mr. Mu''s operation is done." Luke said in a worried voice, looking at Daisy who seemed to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. "I''m fine." Daisy moved her mouth a little and forced a response. Her tired face was still pale. Just then a loud sound of hasty footsteps approached them. Soon, Rain, the charming devil, appeared in front of them. "Daisy, how''s Edward doing?" Rain panted slightly and asked. When he got the phone call from Tom, he was apanying the clients in a resort of a remote vige. He drove back as fast as he could upon hearing the news. But there were traffic jams all over the city. That''s why he came sote. "How did youe to know, Rain?" Daisy bit her lip a little and forced the corners of her mouth to move upwards bitterly. But there was no sign of a smile. She looked miserable and lonely. "Tom called and told me. Don''t worry, Daisy. He is a gifted doctor." While talking, Rain took off his coat and put it on Daisy. It happened so spontaneously that one could easily perceive that he was a man of subtle and refined sensibility. He cared about others for the smallest of things. However, he kept a safe distance from Annie, which was what he regretted the most. "Yes! Thank you!" Daisy gathered and closed his coat around her. Thanks to his kind act, she could cover the gruesome blood stains on her clothes. More hurried footsteps were approaching them. Daisy raised her head and saw Duke and Belinda walking quickly towards her. Their faces were drenched with worry. They must have headed for the hospital in a hurry. Looking at all this, Daisy felt a lump in her throat. They were what people called friends! No matter how many times they had mocked each other, everyone was worried sick because of this sudden crisis. This was what real friendship looked like. They stood by each other through thick and thin. "Are you alright, Daisy?" asked Belinda. She was a true friend. Belinda cared about Daisy the most. So when she saw Daisy sad and depressed, she immediately asked her in an anxious tone. She didn''t even mention Edward who was on the operation table. "Why would all of youe here, Belinda?" It seemed that Tom had informed them. After all, only a few people knew that Edward was severely injured. "Girl, this is so critical and urgent. How could we just stay at home and wait?" They got elinda felt that she didn''t know Leena all that well! "But I am anxious." Daisy looked at the "IN OPERATION" sign with hesitation. She knew she looked afflicted with all the bloodstains on her clothes. But she didn''t have the nerve to leave before the operation finished. She wanted to stay close to Edward to make him feel how much she wanted him. She couldn''t bring herself to leave. "It''s okay. We''re here, aren''t we? Take it easy. Just go and take a shower! Besides, you are a soldier. I think it is easy for you soldiers to take a quick shower, isn''t it?" Belinda patted Daisy on the shoulder. She didn''t know Daisy''s clothes were bloodstained and wondered how Leena had anticipated that. No wonder Leena had brought arge bag with her. "Let''s go! I''ll show you the way, Sis. I know where''s Tom''s office." Leena supported Daisy with her uninjured hand. She worried about Edward a lot, and she didn''t want him to see his wife soaked in bloodstains. He would feel heartbroken. Daisy was the first woman he loved from the heart. So she had to take good care of Daisy, to repay the favors he had done to her through the years. "Yes! Mom, I''m also here with Daddy. Don''t worry! Think about it. Daddy has a fetish for cleanliness!" Seeing so many people around, Justin wasn''t as depressed as before. He seemed relieved. "Why is everyone here?" Cynthia and Jonathan returned just when everyone was persuading Daisy. Cynthia was surprised to see all of them there. "Dad, are you okay?" Daisy looked gratefully at Jonathan''s pale face. The man lying on the operation table was Jonathan''s son. She couldn''t help but feel grateful for everything. "He''s fine. I''ll get him some blood-tonifying foodter. Don''t worry dear." Cynthia knew Jonathan wasn''t the talkative kind. To prevent Daisy from overthinking about his silence, Cynthia intervened and tried to make up for his quietness. Chapter 417 The Surgery Is A Success (Part One) "Blood-tonifying? What do you mean? Uncle is also injured?" Rain had assumed that Edward''s parents hadn''t arrived yet. But judging from Daisy''s words, Rain figured that they hade to the hospital much earlier. After all, they lived very near to the hospital. But why did Edward''s father need to blood-tonify? He couldn''t figure it out. "Uncle Rain, that''s because grandpa donated a lot of blood for dad." Justin said while sitting on Rain''sp and swinging his legs leisurely. Justin''s words turned all eyes on Edward''s father, Jonathan. They knew him quite well and had always known that he didn''t like Edward. So howe he gave his blood to his much-disliked son? Maybe it was solely because of the biological father-son bond? "Why are you all looking at me? I''m not a freak." Jonathan frowned and looked back at them coldly. Though his face looked pale because of the blood drawing, his majestic aura still captured them. "Grandpa,e and sit here." Justin slid down Rain''sp and pulled Jonathan to the seat near him. As he focused on his grandpa, he forgot about urging Daisy to shower. "Sis Daisy, let''s go. There are so many people here waiting to take care of Edward. You don''t have to worry." Leena advised Daisy to get freshened up; she had already arranged her clothes. She brought the clothes not because she had expected Daisy would need a shower; she did it because Kevin had reminded her. That''s why she brought one of hertest collection which she was going to gift Daisy anyway. She just gave it to her ahead of time. ections." Tom knew how much they worried about Edward. But he couldn''t allow them to visit at the risk of Edward''s life. He had to follow the course of action that was in Edward''s best interest. "Okay, we will stay outside. Thank you, Tom" Daisy said earnestly. She knew that if it hadn''t been for Tom, Edward might have suffered greater risk in surgery. The bullet was in a crucial part of his body. He might have got killed, had there been any oversight in the surgery. Only Tom''s superb medical skills could be trusted. "Daisy, no need to be so courteous to him. It will make him arrogant." Rain quipped, with Justin in his arms. They were all relieved to know the operation was a sess. "Tom, thank you." Cynthia held Tom''s hands, and her eyes turned red. That made Jonathan frown a bit, but he didn''t obsess over it as Tom had saved his son. The past few hours had felt like a dozen years to him. During that time, he had straightened out a few things in his mind, things that he had been struggling with for many years. Chapter 418 The Surgery Is A Success (Part Two) "Aunt Cynthia, that''s my duty. No need to say thank you." Tom answered while peeking at Jonathan. Tom felt reassured when he saw that Jonathan wasn''t angry. They followed Tom to the ICU to see Edward from outside. As they looked through the window, Daisy felt anxious, and her heartbeat quickened its pace. She could barely see Edward''s face with the oxygen mask. Lots of shing medical equipment surrounded him, which she hadn''t seen before. Daisy stared at his chest, but with the quilt covering his body, she couldn''t see it either. She wanted to caress his face and tell him that she would never doubt his love, ever. She wanted to tell him that a world without him was sheer darkness for her, that she would never hide her love ever again, that every day she would tell him how much she adored him... She had so much to say to him, but she didn''t know where to start. Her thoughts were messy and cluttered. Others hadn''t seen the horrible scene of Edward covered in blood. But the view of himying listlessly on the bed was enough to sting their hearts. They were so used to the lively and arrogant Edward. This sudden change caught them by surprise. ''Maybe I should change the way I get along with him. We are father and son, not enemies, aren''t we?'' Jonathan thought to himself. "Uncle Tom, is my dad sleeping now?" Justin''s eyes went red at the sight of Edward plugged with all kinds of equipment. He had been asleep, but he struggled to wake up when he heard their voices. He wanted to e. She had been through this after all. "I know. Drive safe." Daisy curled her lips with an attempt to give a smile, yet was in vain. "Are you alright?" This was the first time that Kevin had spoken to Daisy since he got to the hospital. He didn''t want to bother her as she was already disturbed and anxious. So he just remained silent, but he hadn''t taken his eyes off her for a second. "Kevin, I''m okay. How are things going with the gangs?" When she was extremely vulnerable, Daisy would always put aside their superior-subordinate decorum and treat Kevin just as a big brother. That was an old habit. "We have locked all the gang members in prison. The police have gone there to collect evidence. So you don''t need to worry about that. Take care of yourself. Edward needs you." All this while, Kevin had resisted the urge to pull her into his arms. Because he had realized that no matter how vulnerable Daisy was, he would never be the one whom she resorted to. It would always be Edward. Chapter 419 The Special One for Kevin Was Sis Daisy (Part One) "I will, thanks. Please ask the Commander to sanction a two days leave for me. I will submit the application when I go back to work." Today was a day full of gratitude for Daisy. She felt appreciative towards everyone who had shown theirpassion for her suffering. "Don''t worry, I will exin it to the Commander. You need to take good care of Mr. Mu." Kevin gathered himself, trying to suppress all his emotions for Daisy. But his eyes betrayed him. Daisy sensed his feelings in his eyes. She frowned and remembered what Edward had told her about Kevin. Edward had said that Kevin''s feelings for her weren''t limited to those for a close friend or a sister in the neighborhood. He had inferred that Kevin had strong feelings for Daisy. Perhaps Edward wasn''t joking about it, Daisy thought. "Okay. Leena, go home. Be careful with your wounds. You will have problems with drawing your design sketches if you don''t pay attention to them." Daisy gently caressed Leena''s hair. Looking at the kind and lovely girl, Daisy suddenly felt a surge of guilt. It was probably because she sensed Kevin''s feelings for her today. "Sis Daisy, would you be okay staying here by yourself? It would be better if I stay here and wait with you till Edward is conscious." Leena smiled sweetly, trying to hide her uneasiness about Kevin''s strong feelings towards someone. She wasn''t sure whether she was being too sensitive about it, because she had sensed Kevin''s passionate gaze on Daisy. Although he was sitting right beside her, his attention was constantly focused on Daisy. There was an unspoken concern and worry on his face. She had known that there was someone special in his heart, but she never pried because she knew she didn''t love him. Then why was she feeling sad about it today? Was it because she realized it was quite possible that the special one for Kevin was Sis Daisy? Thinking of this possibility, Leena felt the need to reconsider everything, such as their marriage, what was his real intention behind marrying her? There were many more questions hovering over her mind. "It''s okay. I can deal with it myself. You''d better go home now. Kevin, take care of Leena. She is re happening because there was no news about the woman he loved. It was as if she hadpletely disappeared from his world and there was no trace of her to be found. How could he not worry about her? It was impossible. "Do you think the woman you love is not as good as you have anticipated? Do youck confidence in yourself? Or you don''t believe in the woman you have fallen in love with?" Daisy took back her gaze which had been focused on Edward for a long time and nced at Rain. She examined him closely with curiosity. "Who says that I have fallen in love with her?" Rain''s face flushed at Daisy''s inquisitive gaze. In an attempt to hide his emotions, he looked away evasively. He felt relieved when he saw Tom quickly walking towards them. "Your words deny it; but can your heart do the same?" Daisy smiled gracefully. She wondered whether all men were conflicted about love. They were always more nice than wise. The man lying in the hospital bed was also one of them, he was always pretentious in front her. "What are you two chatting about? The atmosphere is weird here." Tom shifted his nce between Daisy and Rain. He had taken a shower, the scent of the body shampoo made him feel calm and fresh. "Nothing special. I''m persuading him to go home." Daisy replied softly, looking very calm. She didn''t n to tell Tom what they were talking about. It was Rain''s private matter, and she was not in the position to disclose it. Chapter 420 The Special One for Kevin Was Sis Daisy (Part Two) "Daisy, let me help you to fix the bruise on your face." Tom ced the medical kit on the chair beside him. He also noticed the scratch on Daisy''s face. "It''s okay, it will heal by itself in a few days, don''t worry." She was not as fragile as other women were. She had endured more severe injuries in the past, and in most cases, the wounds healed naturally. "But it''s on your face. I''m afraid there would be scars if it is left untreated." Tom frowned. If the scratch was on any other part of her body, he wouldn''t push her. But the face was the most important feature of a woman''s body. As a doctor, he couldn''t leave it as it was. She was spoiling her beauty by refusing to receive the treatment, and he would not let that happen. "Yes, he''s right. Daisy, you''d better let him apply some medicine on your face. Edward would be unhappy to see your injured face when he wakes up." Rain raised his eyebrows mischievously. He nced at Edward who was lying in the ICU and shook his head with a sigh. If Edward were awake right now, he would scold him severely. "Okay." As soon as she heard Edward''s name, she immediatelypromised. Edward was her soft spot, and this wouldn''t change as long as she lived. "It might be a little painful. I will clean up the wound to remove the dirt and then I will disinfect the wound." Tom said while rubbing her wound gently with a cotton swab?wetted with?iodine. Although he was cautious about the pressure, the stimtion of the iodine made Daisy feel a piercing pain. She unwittingly furrowed her beautiful eyebrows. "Tom, be gentle! Don''t you see Daisy is frowning because of the pain?" Rain eximed as he saw Daisy''s distressed face. He seemed more nervous than Daisy who was actually getting the treatment and suffering the pain. "How about you do it then?" Tom stared at Rain. Did Rain think that Tom was happy to ept this difficu to use him before anything happened, Rain thought. "Rain, are you going home or not? Don''t you need to go to the office today? Or do you want the whole world to know that the CEO of FX International Group is lying in the hospital and the stock prices to plummet?" Tom lifted his hand and looked at the time in his watch. He wondered why Rain had spare time to stay here. Edward was still unconscious, the business of the wholepany was left on his shoulders. But he seemed so indifferent. Tom was surprised that Rain had the time and temperament to tease him here. "Huh! Do you think that our FX International Group is that vulnerable? Do you really believe that a small ident will affect the stock of thepany and make it fall? Okay, that''s the end of this topic. It will never make sense to a nerd like you no matter how hard I try to exin. Daisy, I will take leave of you now. I have to take care of some work. Moreover, Tom is here so everything will be fine." Rain waved his hand; he didn''t want to discuss that topic with Tom any more. "Okay! Take care!" Daisy smiled lightly. In fact, she took delight in their banters. Such a rtionship and a way of getting along with each other was a kind of thing she would never understand. Chapter 421 Post-operative Complication (Part One) "Good day." Rain waved and turned away while bidding goodbye. He left behind a long, lonely and enchanting shadow. "This guy loves pretending to be cool. I can''t stand it." Tom said and rolled his eyes as he saw Rain behaving like a punk. "He can y to his strengths, right? Maybe that''s his style." Daisy said and smiled softly. She admired Rain''s personality. It felt honest and real to her. And she thought that his personality was the reason why people liked to get close to him. "I couldn''t agree more but at the same time he is really pretentious. I bet all his bad habits have derived from being spoiled by women." Tom said and smiled, putting away the pill bottles on the seat. "Do you mean he has a lot of girlfriends?" Daisy asked while frowning. Earlier, she never paid attention to anyone but Edward. Therefore, she didn''t know much about Rain. "Not exactly. I can only say that Rain is quite thedies man. Daisy, why are you suddenly interested in this?" Tom asked and looked at her suspiciously, wondering if she''s trying to dig out something regarding Edward''s past affairs! "Oh! No reason. I was just asking." Daisy said with cloudy eyes. It was not her style to pry into other''s personal business. She just wanted to find the real reason behind why Anna left. She felt a little awkward when Tom questioned her intentions in this way. "Daisy, forget it. I think you should go to my office and have some rest! I''ll take care of everything here. Besides, doctors are looking after him, right? Everything will be fine." Tom suggested. On observing Daisy''s expression of fatigue, he presumed Daisy must have spent a lot of energy in the fight. As if that was not enough, now she was suffering from fear because of Edward''s gunshot wound. "No, thanks. I wanna be here with him, so he would know that I''m worried about him and I need him very much. Perhaps "Is that so? I thought he was just attracted to my special identity! I wonder if I didn''t show up, could anyone else be his special someone?" Her heart was getting torn with this thought, Daisy slowly closed her tired eyes. She couldn''t exin the sudden feeling of bitterness. "You''re wrong. He fell in love with you because it was you. No matter how special other women are, they can''t attract his attention. You can see how important you are to him by the fact that he took a bullet for you. It''s known that Edward is indifferent to women, but for you, he even risked his life. You can see how much he loves you." Tom said and frowned, with his dark eyes staring at Daisy. It seemed like he could look into her heart and put all the things into perspective. "Tom, do you think I''m too indifferent and apathetic? He has done so much for me, but I am still suspicious about his love." Daisy said while smoothing her hair with her fingers. The strain between her eyebrows was showing her frustration and powerlessness, yet she was looking lovely and charming. "Daisy, I think I understand your feelings. After all, he has a past. But let me assure you it was just superficial. I bet you know better than me, what kind of man he really is." Chapter 422 Post-operative Complication (Part Two) What you see from the appearance of a person isn''t always real. It is just a body covered by some protective coloration, which forces people to neglect his inner qualities. So don''t be misled by appearance when you want to know someone. Otherwise, you would miss the chance to give the right judgment. "Tom,e in quickly. The patient is short of breath." A doctor rushed out right at the moment when Daisy was about to answer Tom''s question. Daisy''s heart almost leaped into her throat upon hearing this. "Don''t panic. I''ll go and check." Tom said while hurrying towards the ICU, which involved the long but necessary procedure of changing clothes, disinfection and changing shoes. The first action Daisy took was to look into the ICU with her back straightened up. But the minute Tom began to check Edward, the nurse pulled the curtain, then she couldn''t see any more. Daisy clenched her fist and bit it hard, tears sliding down silently. Did he sense? Daisy thought. He did sense her suspicion and mistrust of him, so he began to breathe hard. ''No¡­¡­ It''s not like that. I didn''t mean to question or distrust your love. I am just not confident of myself. Is that so wrong? I shouldn''t have this thought in my mind since I am sure that you love me. The only thing I should do is to give myself to you, '' Daisy said to herself. Blood was seeping from her soft and white hand which she had been biting hard. She didn''t feel it as she was dwelling in deep regrets. She had been waiting for him for twelve years, why was she bing so greedy when she had finally got him? Hehe¡­¡­ Daisy thought to herself, "You are a real hypocrite. for putting him in danger?" Daisy asked. She knew that the friendship between Luke and Edward was very deep. The whole thing happened because of her, so she wanted to know how Luke saw this situation. "If you were the one lying in that bed, I can imagine how grief-stricken Mr. Mu would be. So I respect his decision." Luke said. He knew Edward''s love for Daisy so well that he couldn''t me anyone. If someone had to be med, it should be him. After all, he was Edward''s bodyguard. "Sorry." Daisy said and pursed her lips. Everyone knew that she was special to Edward, but she avoided to face the facts. She wasn''t sure if her rtionship with Edward was real or not, maybe she was torturing herself or maybe she felt the happiness spreading so fast that she couldn''t believe it was real. Daisy raised her chin up with firm eyes, looking sad but beautiful. ''Edward, don''t be a coward, '' she thought. ''I would follow you until the end of my life. I won''t let you go as long as I''m alive, because you belong to me. Even if the Devil wants you, he''ll have to ask for my gun''s permission.'' Chapter 423 Brutal Training In JC Military Academy (Part One) Daisy''s nerves were tensed as it seemed like a century had passed before the closed door of the ICU showed a sign of opening. Looking at Tom who appeared utterly exhausted, she couldn''t bring herself to ask him about Edward''s situation. She stood listlessly and was afraid to hear any bad news from him. "Tom, how is everything?" Seeing Tom stepping out of the door, Luke walked to him first and asked worriedly. He shot concerned looks into the ICU but failed to see anything. "Everything is fine. We made it." Tom was so exhausted that he slowly sat down on the chair. The thoracotomy surgery was highly risky because it was operated near both heart and lungs. So rtively severe post-operativeplications might transpire ordingly, such as a pulmonary cyst or a heart failure. Edward was in theter situation. It was more dangerous than a pulmonary cyst. "He''s alright, isn''t he?" Daisy asked tentatively, with an expression of great hope on her face. She stared at Tom, expecting to hear some encouraging news. "Yes, for now. But we''ll have to wait for three days before hepletely gets out of danger. Let''s see whether he''ll wake up in the next 12 hours." Tom pressed his eyebrow. He had already been very tired after the operation. Afterward, the one-hour long emergency rescue pushed him to his utmost limit both physically and mentally. "Thank you, Tom. Can I go inside to see him?" Daisy kept rubbing her hands. She was still very nervous. "Well¡­ Fine! It''ll probably be good for him. He might respond if you stay with him and talk to him." Tom thought for a few seconds. He felt whether the patient would make it through or not essentially depended on the sess of ssive stoneid on it. "Darling, are you really feeling tired? Or are you avoiding me? You promised me you''d never risk your life. But you didn''t keep your words and hurt yourself. Though you did it to protect me, it''s still your mistake for not keeping your promise. Don''t me me for my unreasonable words. You made me say it. If you feel wronged, you must steel yourself. I am waiting right here, for a convincing exnation from you." The sad and hoarse voice was apanied by the hum of various instruments sounded heavy, and the people present couldn''t help but feel sad. They knew this beautiful yet indifferent young colonel from the anniversary celebration party of FX international Group. They felt sad for her while admiring her. "Do you know? The afternoon twelve years ago was the most precious moment in my life. It''s way back in the past yet it jumps in front of my eyes every day. Although you only said a few cold words to me, they changed my whole life." Daisy raised her lips slightly with a sweet smile as if the afternoon twelve years ago had appeared in front of her again. It felt so real to her. Chapter 424 Brutal Training In JC Military Academy (Part Two) "JC Military Academy is a training base regarded as living hell on earth in the eyes ofmoners. But I joined it because of your words, because I wanted to prove to you, I, Daisy Ouyang, am not a weak woman. In that ce, you can get hurt, but you can''t fall behind. You can have no personality, but you must have courage and strength. You can shed blood and sweat, but you can''t be weak and ipetent." Her fingertips unconsciously swayed in his palm. Daisy waspletely swept over by her memories while telling him about the hard times she faced when he was not with her. She didn''t want to tell him that she had a difficult time. She just wanted to let him know how she came closer to him. "Do you know how I made myself push the 200 L oil cans up the steep slope within the stipted time? Do you know how scared I was when I almost got crushed to death under the flying wheel during the challenge of vehicle bump training? Do you know how I spent a month by myself during the field exercise in the forest? There were strange experiences like snakes wrapping themselves around me while I was sleeping. Various fierce beasts suddenly came close to me while I was walking. I also got trapped into the swamp and was almost unable to get out of it. The things I ate were so disgusting that you won''t be able to imagine." The medical staff who were waiting on the sidelines were so shocked by Daisy''s muttering that their eyes nearly popped out of their heads. They stared astonishingly at t . That''s why he tidied himself so much. Probably this had a lot to do with his fetish about cleanliness. "When I appeared in front of you with Justin, you were too shocked to say anything at the sight of us. You didn''t expect it, and that''s why you could only listen to what I was saying. But do you know? Your reaction at that time hurt me deeply. People always say that a day together as husband and wife means endless devotion for the rest of the life. But you didn''t remember me at all. I lost all my kindness on the spot when I realized it. So I didn''t give you a chance to ask any questions and turned to leave in a hurry." People had always been inquisitive about how Mr. Mu and Colonel Ouyang, the legendary woman in S. City eventually married. They had figured out various plots for their love story before today. They didn''t expect the reality to be so sad. Therefore, they felt greaterpassion towards this beautiful female colonel and silently gave more blessings for their love. Chapter 425 Sleeping Beauty (Part One) "I didn''t mean to me you for not being a responsible father. All I ever wanted was for Justin to be happy. I gave you three months to be with Justin, because I wanted our kid to feel that his longed-for fatherly love was as warm as he had imagined. He had never showed me how much he yearned for you, but I felt a longing in his heart, and I sent him to live with you." Daisy''s heart broke whenever her son behaved intelligently, sensibly, and thoughtfully in front of her. Her son was still little, but had learned to be mature. He had also learned to support his mother, and stayed with her throughout the lonely times. Without him, she couldn''t imagine how she could get through those days. He was her rock. "To tell the truth, at the start, I thought you might not ept him, so when I brought him to you, I also brought the marriage certificate. And once I was finally face-to-face with you, I was struck speechless. Fortunately, I managed to get some words out. But if you had paid attention, you would have seen that I was averting my eyes. I didn''t dare to meet your gaze from beginning to end -- I was afraid that I might end up in a situation even worse than before. I couldn''t bear that." As she talked, she asionally stopped to wipe the tears on her face. A bitter smile graced her lips the whole time. It was hard to tell whether she was self-deprecating or lost in her own memories. "After that, I was in training. Luckily it was rigorous enough to make me forget about you in the moment. The intense and exhausting training consumed me physically and mentally. I had no spare time to care if you two were okay. But I firmly believed that you would be kind to him, as I believed that I was a good judge of character." That was true. She had always enjoyed training and working out, because when immersed in her own world, she would temporarily forget about him. It was only when she forgot about him that her heart wouldn''t d, in her heart, bitter doubt grew. Though she had promised him that whatever happened, she would stand beside him and listen to his exnation, when this happened, she suddenly found, that she couldn''t be so rational -- she couldn''t stay and listen and believe in him. She couldn''t reasonably judge which version of the story was the truth, Jessica''s, Edward''s, or hers, thus she escaped, and went to the military exercises without bidding him goodbye. "I had never imagined that you would ever see the huge stack of newspapers that I stored in my room in the army base. It wasn''t just a stack of newspapers, but also a record of all the feelings I had for you over the years, and what I felt about every piece of news about you. In a moment I felt bare and naked before you, and could never hide from you again, as you''ve seen through me, both body and soul. As I was panicked and scared, out of my expectation, you responded with an ''I love you". At the time, tears trickled down my cheeks. Hearing your words, I felt that I was the happiest woman in the world. The deepest spot in my heart was melted." Daisy narrated with a sweet smile. The smile on her face was so bright, as if happiness were really in front of her, as if she reached out and could pluck it like a ripe apple from a tree. Chapter 426 Sleeping Beauty (Part Two) "However, good things neverst. When the military exercise was over, Jessica came to me. It seemed as if she had arranged someone to spy on me and had learned about my every movement, because as soon as I got my phone back, I received her phone call. In the call, she arrogantly dered a war on me. What a coincidence. Why does every happy moment have to end with sorrow?" Daisy had always thought that since Edward had loved Jessica so much, she must be both excellent in appearance and nature. However, since she started to deal with Jessica, she suddenly found out the woman was a mere brainless beauty, vulgar and thoroughly miserable. How could Edward keep Jessica around for so many years? At the time, she thought, perhaps Edward had a fetish for such women, or perhaps he was such a kind soul that he couldn''t bear to abandon her because she had spent so many years apanying him. "Then I got my heart broken. She said she was pregnant, and you were the father. Do you know what I felt when I heard that? Do you have any idea that I was wounded deep in my soul? Although I was trying to be calm, and tried to stand in sharp opposition to her, not yielding an inch, in fact, I was horrified and scared. I was scared by her words again, and started to doubt you all over. It wasn''t until you told me you''d had a vasectomy that I was a little bit reassured, but I didn''t fully believe what you said, and I took the whole thing with a grain of salt." Daisy stopped, and shed a bitter smile. She had never wanted to show her inner world to him. There were so many things she would never have mentioned to him had it not been for this ident, and she certainly wouldn''t spend so much time doing it. But what did she have now but time? " you all here visiting him?" Tom and Luke stayed in the corridor the whole time. They didn''t even leave when they needed to nap, but sat there on the bench and slept. "Not just him, we''re here for you and Daisy and Luke, too. I''ve prepared some food for you two and Daisy. Ask her toe out here, and have some food. If she doesn''t eat anything, how can she take care of Edward? I''m afraid there will be many things for her to do." Cynthia frowned slightly. When Daisy fought with the mobstersst night, she was almost consumed. Now the pressure was even worse. She was worried that Daisy would fall ill before Edward woke up. "Yes, that''s true. I''ll call her out here." Tom agreed with Cynthia. He had a look at his watch and walked to the ICU. But when he saw the scene inside, he turned and walked out. "What happened? Where''s Daisy?" Cynthia asked anxiously. He came back alone. "Oh, she is sleeping. Perhaps she is too tired. Let''s not wake her up now." As Tom entered, he saw Daisy sleeping at Edward''s bedside, her hand holding Edward''s. The scene was so peaceful and beautiful, only the tear stains on her face indicated that she had just wept. Chapter 427 You Can’t Afford To Drive Me Out "Tom, Luke, eat something. Go to sleep after you finish your meal. We''ll stay here to keep an eye on Edward." Although Cynthia knew that Tom was the best person to take care of her son, still she couldn''t bear to see him so exhausted. She felt he would be able to help Edward better once he had well rested. "Mom, I am fine. It''s Tom who needs to sleep after the several-hour-long surgery." Jonathan had once threatened Luke that he would fire him if he didn''t change his way to address Cynthia and him, so Luke did as Jonathan had asked. "You both go. You can''t stay here. We have to take care of Edward in turns. If we don''t rest, we won''t have the energy. I know I can''t persuade Daisy to rest, as she doesn''t want to leave Edward at all. She is asleep now. Don''t wake her up. She needs a good rest. She won''t sleep again if she wakes up." Cynthia looked feeble, but she managed things efficiently. Jonathan kept silent. He looked at the drawn curtain. With a frown on his face, he was lost in deep thoughts. He was sure Edward was rescued again. Why else would the curtain be suddenly drawn, and why would Tom ask Daisy to go in to speak with Edward? However, he didn''t ask about it lest Cynthia might be worried. He hoped Edward was out of danger now. "Okay. I will take a rest in my office. Let me know if something unexpected happens." Tom realized that as a doctor, he had to be clearheaded, so he epted Cynthia''s offer. After having some food from the food box in Mrs. Wu''s hand, he headed for his office. "Mom, I have to do some work. I have to leave now. I don''t have time to eat." Paul Du was still hung over the crocodile pool. Luke wondered whether Paul had admitted his guilt after two days and one night. It was quite possible that Paul had passed out due to fear. "Okay. Go. Be careful." After Edward was hurt, Cynthia became more cautious, so she urged Luke to be careful. "Okay. I''ll be right back." Luke grinned as he saw Jonathan stare at the ICU. It was obvious that Jonathan was concerned about Edward. Otherwise, he wouldn''t fix his gaze on the ICU. He used to fix his eyes on Cynthia only, but he acted differently now. "Take your time. We will take good care of Edward. Go ahead with your business." Luke never looked out for himself. Instead, he was always attentive to Edward''s needs and wellbeing. Cynthia regretted this. She felt she shouldn''t have imposed such a heavy burden on him. The corridor grew quiet after Luke left. Cynthia was worried as she couldn''t see what was going on in the ICU. She had a worried expression on her face. "Don''t worry. He''ll continue to fight me. He won''t die. Do you think your son is a coward?" Jonathan pulled Cynthia into his arms. His stiff expression turned mild in front of Cynthia. "Honey, p nt that she even despised Daisy and Luke. "Anna, ask security to drive this crazy woman out. She is not allowed to step into the FX International Group again. Anyone who lets here in will get fired." Rain gave the order coldly, making everyone shudder. "Rain, how dare you!" Grinding her teeth, Jessica became purple with rage. Her lips were trembling. "I dare to do everything. Don''t think you are special. In my eyes, you''re like a prostitute in a bar. When you see me next time, I advise you to change your path. I don''t want to see you again." Rain said harshly. He was annoyed because Edward was hurt, and Jessica brought annoyance to him in the early morning, so now he bulged with anger. "Why are you standing still? Didn''t you hear me?" Rain was always cordial with his subordinates, and he never acted all high and mighty, but Jessica''s humiliation irritated him. "Mr. Xia, I''ve called the security. They''re on their way." Anna never disobeyed Rain. All the employees of the FX International Group knew that Rain represented Edward, and his orders were as important as Edward''s. "You can''t afford to drive me out. I''m pregnant with Edward''s baby. If I lose the baby, he will make you suffer bitterly. Rain, I hope you know the consequence of your actions!" Jessica sneered, smugly looking at Rain''s angry face. She became much more arrogant. "Ha-ha! Jessica, I didn''t expect that you are such a shameless woman. I don''t believe you''re pregnant with Edward''s baby. Neither he would sleep with you, nor would he get you pregnant. You can cheat others, but you can''t fool me. Now I know how evil you are." Rain wagged a disapproving finger and mocked Jessica unmercifully. He put Jessica to shame just like what Jessica had done to him. He was not as cruel as Edward and Belinda, but his bitchy words still silenced Jessica. Chapter 428 How Dare You Insult Me Like This (Part One) "Nonsense! Of course he is my baby''s father. Who else could it be? The whole city knows bloody well Edward is the only man I''ve ever slept with!" Luke had handed her the test results, but she didn''t believed them for a single second. Edward didn''t want to hurt Daisy and so he had forged the report to fool that stupid woman, who was too thick to see the truth. But it didn''t mean that she, Jessica, would y their ridiculous game. "Tsk-tsk! Miss Lin, I think you of all people should know who the father is. Or have you slept with too many men that even you can''t be sure, so you make Edward the perfect scapegoat?" Rain sneered. If it was true that she hadn''t slept with anyone except Edward, how could she get pregnant? She must think they were real idiots. "You..." Enraged, Jessica raised her hand and swung it at Rain''s face. Never in her life had she been so vilely treated and Rain was the first one who dared throw insults in her face. "So are you getting angry because you feel guilty and ashamed? Trying tosh out at me?" Rain caught hold of her wrist firmly. Had she really thought about it before she acted? She couldn''t expect him to stand there to take the p, could she? "Let go of me! How dare you insult me like this?" Stung by his harsh words, Jessica felt the heat rise in her, her whole body trembling like a leaf in the wind. "Miss Lin, the only reason I show you any respect is because your father was my business partner for many years and I feel it a professional courtesy. But it doesn''t mean you can do whatever you want." Rain flung her hand away roughly, and a hint of disgust crossed his eyes. His pretty face was hard and tight, darkened with icy cruelty. "Don''t take yourself too seriously. I don''t need your revolting courtesy. It''s an utter disgrace just to stand He was just using Jessica to get rid of those women. This was the only reason Edward kept her at his side for so long. Tired, Rain sank into his chair, frowning. He had a prettyrge workload already before taking over Edward''s work. He was praying he would not work himself to death before Edward returned to work from the hospital. His musings were ended by a crisp rap on his door. The door opened, Anna and Aaron came in. Anna, of course, was the one who knocked. Aaron had Rain''s character and in his opinion the door was only a tool to lock things away. "Make it quick. I have too much going on right now." Impatiently Aaron rolled his eyes at Rain, wondering what Rain was up to and why Rain summoned him all of a sudden. "Edward was seriously wounded yesterday, and he''s still in critical condition, " Rain said in a calm tone, not caring how his words would surprise them. "Damn it Rain! That''s not funny!" For a moment, Aaron didn''t seem to understand what Rain was saying. Rain''s face betrayed no hint of a smile. Maybe he wasn''t joking. But just a while ago, Aaron had received the bill from the auction, showing Edward had spent tons of moneyst night. How could he get hurt suddenly? Chapter 429 How Dare You Insult Me Like This (Part Two) "What should we do now?" Compared with Aaron, Anna took the news better. Just not long ago Rain had mentioned in his conversation with Jessica that he would be in charge of FX International Group. She had guessed that maybe Mr. Mu was going to take a holiday and travel with Daisy. But she never thought this would happen. "We have to keep the news under control. Make sure the media won''t get wind of it. If anyone asks, Edward is on a business trip abroad." Rain ignored Aaron''s words and gave hismand decisively. He believed that their stock wouldn''t take too much damage, but it was likely someone would want to exploit the opportunity and reap some benefit. He would like to err on the side of caution. "You''re serious. How is Mr. Mu now?" Aaron realized how serious Rain was and soon knew this was not some joke. The fact that Edward did get hurt worried Aaron immediately. "Of course I am serious. I''d have to have a pretty sick sense of humor to tell a lie like this. I can''t do all the work. So everyone needs to stay sharp, especially you -- Edward''s special assistant." Rain rolled his eyes at Aaron. It was true that he liked to have fun, but he would never make jokes of someone''s life. Life was too heavy a thing for him to make light of. "Jeez! Can you just tell us how he is first?" Edward was the only one in thepany Aaron would show any respect to. He had a very casual manner when he worked with other person, including Rain, the vice-president. They were all used to his bantering and joking. That was just how Aaron was. "Do you have a problem with your ears? Didn''t you hear what I just said? He is still in cri uld only sit here, not sure how far away she was from him, wondering if he would ever see her again. He rubbed his painfully throbbing forehead; he had not sleptst night and stayed at hospital all the time before he could rush back home, took a quick shower and changed for work. But it was the situation troubled him rather than the fatigue. He was surprised when he heard that Edward took a bullet for Daisy. Edward was such a proud man, it was hard to believe one day he would risk his life for a woman, but not very long ago it was also hard for Rain to imagine Edward could be so deeply in love with a woman. Rain smiled when he thought of this. Edward was a man who didn''t hesitate to act and never gave up on his goals. He was certain Edward would never hurt Daisy again after what she had been through all these years. It was certain that Edward would never love anyone else except Daisy all his life. This was Edward. He loved with all his heart and gave his all without reservation. When they were willing to die for each other, love was too weak a word to describe what they had. Chapter 430 Grace Luke sped toward the countryside where they locked up Paul Du. His face was cold and aloof, eyes fixed on the road ahead. No one could see through his poker face. This was the first time he''d been unable to protect Edward, and now his boss was badly injured. He felt both concerned and frustrated. He med no one for it but himself, his own carelessness. He had thought that these few days would be peaceful, so he hadn''t taken precautions. Yet, things happened. He made the most foolish mistake as a bodyguard -- being careless. "Boss! You''re here! How''s Mr. Mu?" An underling came forward and greeted him just when he stopped his car. "He''s alright. Has the guy confessed?" Luke asked, his tone cool but also a bit mad. He was angry that his people hadn''t arrived at the scene in timest night. "No, he''s still in aa. We don''t know whether he''s really unconscious or just faking it." The man answered timidly while keeping an eye on Luke''s expression. He was trying to suss out Luke''s mood right now. Was Luke sullen or about to hit the ceiling? He could only tell that Luke was definitely not in a good mood. "Have you ever thought of waking him up?" Luke stopped, turned around and cast a cold look. "Well... We thought you want to interrogate him yourself, " The man replied inconsistently. Luke''s eyes were so intimidating that he even lost the ability of talking smoothly. "What? Is this your first day or...I don''t know. You can''t even handle such a minor thing?" Luke said. His eyes grew even colder. He stared at the underling as if he would blow off his steam at any minute. "Sorry, boss. We''ll do better next time." The underling bowed his head, afraid of meeting Luke''s cold eyes. Luke frowned and felt quite enraged. Maybe he should have given them more discipline and training. They couldn''t do anything right. He hadn''t punished them for arrivingtest night, and now they left him another new problem. Was there a negligence in the hiring process? "Where is he? Take me to him." He had to get everything he needed from Paul''s mouth. Edward had given the order. And he wanted to get the job done before Edward woke up, so he must do it quickly. "He''s in the basement. Are you going to question him right now?" Luke didn''t answer, but walked towards the basement. Maybe it was Edward''s injury that made Luke colder than usual. The underling didn''t dare to fall behind, so he mustered his courage and did his best to keep up with his boss. "Boss." The two guards quit chit-chatting and stood up immediately at the sight of Luke. They got nervous when they sensed his somber mood. Their hearts sank, not knowing what might happen. "Wake him. If he''s still in aa, just ditch him in the crocodile pool. We''ll chalk it up to you win some, you lose some." Luke ordered after seeing Paul that Leo loved his wife very much. He didn''t even respond to Yakira''s seduction and kept a proper distance from her. His coldness worried her so much that she drugged him and faked a one-night stand with him. And this was just the first step." Paul contributed a lot to this first step. He had used great effort just to get Leo on that bed. Though knowing that Leo was unconscious, he was still quite nervous as it was the first time that he had done something like this. "You''re so shameless. Go on." Luke sneered and ordered. He had met with Yakira and knew a bit about her. Outside, she always put on airs as some noble woman. Who could have guessed that she was so filthy and evil inside? "Men will be men. After the first one night stand, Leo didn''t reject the second time, then the third...He began treating Yakira as his mistress and wrote her big checks without any hesitation. His generosity just confirmed Yakira''s calctions about his affluence and massive assets. So she grew more and more unsatisfied -- and greedy." Paul spat out a puff of smoke and licked his lips. Finally he was calmer than he had been. At least he stopped shivering. "Give him a cup of water." Luke ordered and frowned. He figured that the story was going to take a while and determined to listen patiently. "But Yakira wanted much more than just being a mistress to Leo. After she hooked up with him, she managed to divorce her husband. Her aim was clear: bing Leo''s legal wife. She implied one way or another that she wanted to be his wife, but Leo kept avoiding her after knowing her intention. It almost smashed her ultimate dream." This was how Yakira determined to get her hands on Grace. After all, women were easier to deal with. Every woman, whoever she was, however much she thought she could take, would never be fine with her husband''s affairs. And Grace was no exception. Chapter 431 The Murder of a Pregnant Woman "Grace, whose name fitted the person, pure, elegant and beautiful. She was ady with a ssical and aristocratic bearing, as if she were one of the goddesses in ancient times. Yakira was no match for Grace in appearance or bearing. No wonder Leo refused to divorce Grace and marry her instead even after Yakira had pressured him in so many ways." Paul''s mind wandered back to the first time he met Grace. She was like a fairy. He had never met a woman as beautiful as Grace. She was so sweet and tender, whom no one would have the heart to harm. At one point, Paul hesitated, he didn''t want to be part of Yakira''s evil n anymore, but this thought had onlysted for a few minutes. "My cousin Yakira had been jealous of Grace ever since she met her. At first she just wanted to force Grace to leave Leo. But having seen how beautiful Grace was, Yakira knew that she could neverpete with her. She was worried that Leo would never get over her even after Grace left him. To get rid of Grace once and for all, Yakira came up with a scheme to cook up a car ident, and Grace would disappear forever from this world, or at least be a vegetable so that Leo would eventually be able to forget her." Hearing this, Luke''s brows knitted tightly. He figured Daisy had inherited her mom''s genes, although Grace''s beauty was beyond his imagination. "Having felt Leo''s indifferent attitude after herst attempt, Yakira stopped pushing him to marry her. She started trying to let Grace know about her existence and cause her to be suspicious of Leo. Then she began carrying out her n. In the scheme I pretended to be an informant. I called her and led her to the apartment where Leo was cheating on her with Yakira. Sure enough, when Grace got there she saw Leo in bed with Yakira. She copsed, but said and did nothing but left with a deathly pale face. Everything was going as expected for Yakira. A perfect n. Leo never knew his wife had been there that night." Paul drank a mouthful of water. He was scum, but even he had felt guilty when he saw a reasonable, beautiful woman like Grace be suddenly afflicted by grief. However, the skin is closer than the shirt. In order not to be killed by loan sharks, he disposed of hisst trace of conscience and helped Yakira be the wife of the CEO of Ouyang Foreign Trade. "And you sabotaged Grace''s car, didn''t you?" Luke asked, gritting his teeth. His icy voice sounded menacing and even louder than it actually was in the quiet room. "How did you know?" Paul looked at Luke in shock. He had made sure everything was perfect. He couldn''t believe anybody was able to find any w. "I also know that you used to be an expert in refitting posh cars. You were even faster than "How did you know all this? Did you freeze my bank ount by some trick so you could force me toe back and catch me?" Paul suddenly realized he had fallen into a trap. He had been wondering how he had gotten caught as soon as he came back. It turned out he had been exposed a long time ago and every move of his had been watched. He regretted trusting in his luck. There was no concealing the truth. It was just a matter of time. "Evils bounce back." Luke sneered. You reap what you sow. How did Paul even have the guts to ask? He should have known better. "Now that I''ve told you everything, you should let me go." Paul looked at Luke with a pleading expression on his face. He wondered who these people were and why they were interested in a tragedy that had happened many years ago. They looked like neither gangsters nor the police. Had Yakira screwed up and Leo started to suspect the car ident wasn''t so idental? Did these people work for Leo? Had Leo set him up to get a confession? "Let you go? It''s not my call." Luke disdainfully nced at Paul who was gazing at him with pleading eyes. A sneer flitted over his face. Since when did hunters free their prey? Maybe fishermen would, but they were not near any water. "Who are you people? Did Leo send you over? Did my cousin offend you so you kidnapped me to threaten her?" Besides Leo, Paul couldn''t think of a second person that would be interested in the things that had happened more than twenty years ago. Wait. There had been a handsome young couple whose bodyguard had rescued Grace. But they were just passers-by. They shouldn''t be interested in the matter. Furthermore, even if they wanted to find out anything about it, they wouldn''t wait for over 20 years. If it wasn''t them, who was it then? Paul was baffled. It was beyond imagining. Chapter 432 I Only Want The Truth (Part One) "Leo? Do you really think that he can even notice this? If he could, he wouldn''t have been fooled by you and your evil cousin for all these years!" Luke retorted sharply with a sneer, his eyes filled with contempt. He had already given Leo all the reports he had investigated the other day. Leo knew what happened to histe wife and who did it to her; still, he did nothing about it. On top of that, he had the nerve to attend the FX International Group''s anniversary party with the vicious woman who had schemed to kill his ex-wife and tortured his daughter. It was obvious that he wasn''t convinced by what Edward and Luke told him. Luke felt that Leo was so stupid and ignorant that he deserved to be set up, but Luke only felt sorry for histe wife, who was innocent the whole time. Luke wondered how Leo would react when he realized that Edward was telling the truth. To be honest, Luke usually had no interest in other people''s personal lives, and he didn''t like to gossip. However, he was triggered this time because they had hurt Edward''s wife. He and Edward were like brothers; he cared about Edward, and so he consequently cared about everyone Edward loved. "Who else would hold onto this after all these years? Just tell me who you are and what you want from me!" The feel of insecurity and uncertainty sent chills down Paul''s spine. He was trembling all over in terror. This man had kept him captive for days. However, Paul didn''t even know who the man was and what he was going to do to him. "What I want is quite simple. I only want the truth from you. As for who we are, you''ll find out when the time is right. Don''t worry, we''ll make sure that you''ll never forget. Now, just shut up and behave. You''ve escaped the rule ofw once, but you won''t get away with it again this time." Since Edward was injured and unconscious in hospital, Luke had to postpone a lot of things that needed his instructions and permission to carry on. Edward didn''t tell Luke how to deal with Paul after he confessed, therefore Luke wouldn''t dare to do anything to him yet. Luckily for Paul, he could still enjoy hisst few days away from jail before Edward woke up. They had recorded his confession, which was enough for them to send Paul behind bars. The only problem left was how to make Yakira confess her evil deeds. "Man, please. I know I''ve done something really wrong, and I shouldn''t have done that. But I''ve told you everything I know. So please! Please just let me go. I''ll go. I''ll leave at once! Go abroad and never co had left his own car in the suburbsst night. Edward was injured, so Luke went to the hospital with him and Daisy in the Armored Fighting Vehicle. Luke wondered whether Kevin had brought his car back. He also wondered whether the ne Daisy had boughtst night was still in the car. It wasn''t just some ordinary piece of jewelry. It was said that it once belonged to a nobledy of the Qing dynasty. Although Luke couldn''t tell why, he could sense that the ne was somehow very important to Daisy, otherwise she wouldn''t gaze at it as if it was a long lost family heirloom, and Edward wouldn''t have spent a fortune to buy it for her. Time slowly went by, and it was already noon when Daisy woke up. She had slept soundly, perhaps it was because she was too tired, both physically and mentally. When she opened her eyes, she was still in a daze for a second or two. She nked out for a short while, not knowing where she was or why she was there. She took a deep breath and blinked for a few times, her long eyshes slightly quivering. As she saw Edward lying on the bed next to her, Daisy''s heart stopped for a second and she suddenly remembered everything. Memories immediately flooded into her mind. The fight, the gunshot, the blood oozing from his chest. What happenedst night kept ying on a loop inside her mind. Daisy shook her head and made sure that she wasn''t in a dream. Frightened, she reached for Edward''s palm. She eagerly wrapped her hands around his palm and even put his palm over her pale face. When she felt the warm and soft touch of his skin, Daisy finally felt relieved. As long as Edward was still alive, everything else wouldn''t matter. Chapter 433 I Only Want The Truth (Part Two) Daisy roughly brushed her hair with her fingers, gently patted her face to sober herself up. She was still dizzy. She had been crying and confessing her love for Edward before she was too exhausted and fell asleep. The doctors and nurses must have heard her, and Daisy felt a little embarrassed to see them now. Therefore, she lowered her head and fixed her eyes on Edward to avoid eye contact with the doctor and asked, "Doctor, how long have I slept? Did he wake up when I was sleeping?" "Not long, just about three hours. Mr. Mu hasn''t woken up yet. But all his signs are stable now. You don''t have to worry too much." A man calmly answered her. He looked like a doctor. With his eyes fixed on Daisy all the time, he was actually very excited. He was talking to the most fierce and beautiful colonel in the city ever. She was literally a legend! Were it not for the fact that it wasn''t the right time, he would definitely ask Daisy to give him an autograph. His girlfriend was a huge fan of everything to do with the military, and she admired Daisy. When she found out that her boyfriend worked for Tom, who was one of Edward''s best friends, she asked him if he could get a chance to get Daisy''s autograph. "Really? Are all the signs really stable? Does that mean he will be okay? I know he will. Why wouldn''t he? Anyway, thank you very much, doctor." Daisy cheered up a little. ording to the doctor, Edward was doing fine now. Perhaps he would wake up soon. Her heart started beating fast at the thought. She couldn''t hold back her excitement. "You''re wee, Mrs. Mu. Mr. Mu is a man with strong will. We only did what we have to do. It''s our job as doctors." Everyone knew that Edward was best friends with Tom, the president of the hospital they worked for. Therefore, none of them would dare ck off; they were doing their utmost to make sure that Edward received the best treatment and care until he was out of danger. They knew this matter was of vital importance. If anything should happen to Edward, there went their careers. They would lose their jobs for not taking better care of Edward. On top of that, once they were fired by Tom, no h rd finally wakes up and you''re ill?" Tom frowned worriedly when he noticed how pale and weary Daisy looked. "Don''t worry about me. I''ve always been healthy. Trust me, I''ve been through a lot more. I''ve trained hard in the army. I can handle this." Daisy hastily tried to prove her strength, but she seemed to forget that she had just recovered from a fever not long ago. "I hope so. Otherwise Edward will tear my hospital down if he wakes up and finds you''re ill again." Tom shook his head with a small smile. Daisy seemed cold and indifferent when they first met. But as he got to know her better, he found that she was actually kind and gentle like a little sister next door, who was lovely and lively. "Is he really that violent?" Daisy asked with a frown. She was a little surprised at Tom''s words. Then she remembered that Tom did have a ck eyest time she had a fever. It was obvious that someone had hit him in his eye. Could that someone be Edward? Daisy suddenly realized that Edward did have a bad temper if he was really the one who hit Tom. How could he just attack his own best friend over trifles? After all, Tom cured her, and he deservedpliments rather than a punch to the face. Daisy sighed heavily and thought, ''People always say that the good usually die young and the bad will live long. Edward, you''re not really a good man. So please don''t die. Please just live a long time and stay with me forever.'' Chapter 434 A Real Tyrant (Part One) "I won''t say he is violent, but he is a real tyrant." Tom pursed his lips awkwardly. He''d onlyin about Edward when he was lyingatose. He definitely wouldn''t say anything about him if this guy was awake. He might end up with a ck eye and likely a host of other injuries. And he didn''t need that. He was a top-notch doctor, and he had no intention to be a poor patient. Thinking about it, he felt very strange! Everyone else could tease the man, orment on his faults. But Tom was the one who usually felt the brunt of Edward''s anger. Tom was even-tempered, so why was he always the one Edward bullied? Daisy suddenly twitched her mouth and her mouth trembled a little. She didn''t say anything. She turned her head to look at the man on the bed. Though he was unconscious, he still showed his nobility. A shallow smile slowly appeared in the depths of Daisy''s eyes at the sight of the man. She then walked out of the door happily. Tom touched his head and wondered what made her change her mood suddenly. It was the first time she smiled after Edward got hurt. So he turned his head to look at Edward. But he didn''t feel anything special at all! He shrugged his shoulders and walked out too. He stopped suddenly when approaching the door and took a look at the medical staff who were staring at him. "Don''t tell anyone else what Mrs. Mu said to Mr. Mu. there will be consequences. I wouldn''t risk it." He stepped out after he said this. The medical staff left in the room stared at each other. They reminded themselves in their hearts to keep the secret and not to say anything. Otherwise, they would be fired. "Daisy, are you okay? Is Edward okay too?" Cynthia stood up at the sight of Daisying out of the room. She felt relieved to se nathan didn''t me his daughter-inw at all and thought everything happened naturally. "Colonel." Daisy caught the sight of Mark rushing towards her when she just walked out. She felt a little surprised seeing him suddenly here. "How did you know I am here, Mark?" Daisy couldn''t help regretting it right after finishing her words. Why bother asking? Of course it was Kevin who told Mark where she was. Who else would it be? Although Hawkeye also knew, he would never disclose her whereabouts without her permission. Because for a special soldier, the most vital principle was to keep secret. Therefore, the one telling Mark she was in the hospital must be Kevin. "Major General asked me to give this box to you. He told me the thing inside is very valuable." Mark took out a box from his briefcase and handed it to Daisy. He looked at her worriedly and decided not to ask about Edward''s injury. It''s "A Beauty''s Tears Of Blood". Looking at the box in her hand, Daisy paused for a second. How could she forget such an important thingpletely? It''s because her mind was on Edward alone. Other things were unimportant, and he had a special ce in her heart. Chapter 435 A Real Tyrant (Part Two) "Not very valuable. But it''s very important to me. Thanks!" Daisy meditated a little and opened the box. She sighed with relief seeing it was keptplete. It was the only thing her mother left in the world. She couldn''t get it lost anymore. "Colonel, are you... okay?" Although he decided not to ask about Edward, he was still concerned about her. So he asked in a roundabout way. "Oh! I''m fine. Put it in your bag! Bring it to my hometer." Daisy handed the box back to Mark. Although she said it was not very valuable, it was an antique worth hundreds of millions of dors. So she decided it was better not to carry it with her. She might lose it identally, and it would be a huge loss. She had spent a long time searching for it and finally found it. She couldn''t be careless anymore. "Yes. I''ll take it back to your home and then return to the army base to get you the file." Mark put the box back to his briefcase carefully. Could he do any less? The Colonel said it was very important to her. "File? What file?" Daisy frowned slightly. Didn''t she let Kevin ask for a few days off for her? Why was there still some file she needed to deal with? Was it about the yearly elite soldier selection event? Was she appointed director again? She had assumed responsibility for this event for the past few years. Couldn''t he appoint other person to do it this year? For example, he could use Hank, who always gave her a hard time, to handle the event. He had always wanted to participate in it. Just let him do it and he would know what a pain it was. Or he would always consider it light duty every year and taunt her due t stopped, panting. She made a fist and pressed it against her mouth to prevent herself from crying out. She looked up at the sky to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. This situation reminded her of the afternoon twelve years ago when they met. He was spirited at that time, but now he was weak. She couldn''t help feeling heartbroken because of it. She leaned weakly against the big tree behind her. The bright sunlight shone on her pale beautiful face through the leaves and finally made her feel a trace of warmth. In the eyes of many people, she must be strong as a soldier. But she was also a woman. Sometimes she could feel weak and sensitive as well. That''s why she almost burst into tears when hearing Mrs. Wu''s words: "My work isn''t hard at allpared with Mr. Mu''s life". If he didn''t run to her suddenly and take the bullet for her, she would be the one lying in the room! She should be the one lying there! In that case, would he feel the same way? Consumed with guilt because of her grave injury? After all, he was innocent from beginning to end, wasn''t he? Chapter 436 A Slap In Daisys Face (Part One) "Daisy Ouyang, why are you here?" When Daisy was struggling with her thoughts, a voice cut through her musings. Daisy marshaled her emotions immediately due to this sharp voice. She nced coldly at the hateful woman with full make-up who just appeared in front of her. Yakira. "Yes?" Daisy responded in an indifferent and distant tone without any emotion. She showed great reluctance to see her. "Nothing. I just care about you. You look pale." She was gloating over rather than caring for her. She hated Daisy so much since Daisy had been stealing the show recently. It was rare for her to see Daisy alone. Unless her eyes deceived her, she was crying just now! She knew that an outstanding man like Edward Mu would never fall in love with her! So she was crying secretly at this moment, wasn''t she? "No need. I don''t need or want your caring. Please leave if you have nothing more to say and don''t disturb me, " Daisy said. Her eyes were cold, her face bearing an expression that said Yakira had better go away and not approach her. "Daisy Ouyang, you ungrateful animal! Do you really think you are so capable? You''re nothing! If not for your father, I''d never say a word to you!" Yakira snorted. She was the wife of a president anyway, and the elder. But Daisy always ignored her. Herplete ignoring her irritated her and she could not help raising her voice. "Pooh! Father? Sorry. I don''t remember the time when I had a father. So you don''t need to ''care about'' me for my ''father''s sake.'' Again, please leave me." That''s Mary''s father but not hers. So he was nobody to her at all. She didn''t and couldn''t value him. "You heartless bitch! You don''t want your father since you have be the daughter-inw of the Mu family, right? And you even incite Brian to hate me! I ore she could take a breath after finishing the words. It was particrly clear in such a quiet afternoon. Daisy stared incredulously at the man in front of her who still had his hand raised. "I..." Leo looked at his own hand. He didn''t mean to hurt her. He was just irritated by her aggressive words. He was too shocked to say a thing, staring at the red fingerprints on Daisy''s face. "Haha! Good. Though there was some feeling I''ve had for you, it''s gone now. You will be nobody to me at all starting now. Please keep an eye on your family and don''t let them disturb me. Or I''ll make Ouyang Foreign Trade disappear in this city. You should know this: I''m more capable than you can imagine." Daisy sneered. The scorching pain on the face made her frown. She raised her hand and wiped the blood at the corner of her mouth. It felt like Leo pped her with all his might. She realized that he didn''t love her at all. She felt she was surrounded by a freezing air realizing this fact. She felt achingly cold. "Daisy Ouyang, how dare you! Don''t believe that you can do whatever you want as the wife of the CEO of FX International Group. If you''re really capable, don''t rely on Edward Mu." Chapter 437 A Slap In Daisys Face (Part Two) Upon hearing Daisy''s words, Yakira began to panic, because she knew that Ouyang Foreign Trade was just a smallpany, insignificantpared to FX International Group. It was a multinational group and Daisy was not talking big. If FX International Group wanted, Ouyang Foreign Trade could really be a part of this city''s history. "Pooh! Do you think I, as a colonel, need to rely on his power? I can raze it to the ground without a tank battalion." Shoot. Did she think she was a fake colonel? How dare she provoke her! It''s just Ouyang Foreign Trade! It was a piece of cake to erase it. It all depended on whether she wanted to do it or not. "Are you threatening me? Do you want to use the power of the state for your own private revenge?" Though Leo was still feeling guilty due to the p in her face, he grew angry once again when hearing her arrogant words. "Mr. Ouyang, let me ask you. What identity are you using to question me now? A public one? Or a personal one?" Hum! Threatening? Yes, yes, she was! She was capable of it, wasn''t she? "Daisy Ouyang, are you trying to irritate me again? Don''t forget it. Yourst name is still Ouyang." Leo didn''t anticipate that she was still so aggressive now and didn''t show any softness. She waspletely different from her former weak self. "Ouyang? To tell the truth, I feel shame in bearing that name. If possible, I''d rather never have thisst name at all." Daisy gritted her teeth. Her words showed nopromise at all, as if she was trying to make Leo mad on purpose. "You..." Leo was too angry to say anything but raised his hand again. But he stopped, freezing when he caught the si that would not end. She had been indifferent and cool in the past. She was different from who she was in the past, now she was a little hedgehog covered with prickles. Anyone who touched her weak nerves slightly would get pricked by her. "Good, good. After all these years, nothing''s changed except that you''ve be so voluble. I have to say it''s terrible without family education. Even the fine tradition of respecting your elders is discarded to the remote country of Java by you." Yakira was not a kind-hearted woman. She had some concerns when Leo was there. Otherwise, she would have said harsher words to suppress Daisy''s arrogance so as to stop her from insulting her. "Family education? Sorry, I don''t know what it is, as someone who never felt a family before. Why do you think I have such a luxurious thing?" Daisy''s extremely cold eyes bored into Leo while speaking. It was them who deprived her of the little family warmthpletely. How dared they mention family education to her. Was it because she had been in the army for too long? She couldn''t even figure out their logic nowadays. Chapter 438 Raise Your Head "Indeed, like mother, like daughter. You are just as terribly hostile as your mother." Yakira still remembered how desperate and envious she felt at the first time she met Grace. Grace was so noble, elegant and confident. She was a goddess-like woman. "You met with my mother?" Daisy ignored her abuse and asked curiously. Leo, meanwhile, also fixed his eyes on Yakira. With the look, he grew more confused. He wanted to know the answer as much as Daisy did. "No.. No, I didn''t see her. I don''t even know her." Yakira hastily answered. Deep down she med herself for her being careless and almost letting the cat out of the bag. She might as well be more careful next time. Or her years of efforts to bury the secret underground would vanish overnight. It''s worth noting that no one, not even Paul knew about her meeting with Grace. "Don''t you think it''s highly inappropriate to judge someone you have never seen? Or this is the family education you are talking about? Save it for yourself." Daisy talked back as if she was just trying to work against them. "I don''t need to see her to know about her. I''ve said, like mother, like daughter. You''re so rude. So how much more cultivated could your mother be?" Yakira looked at Daisycently, her eyes implying her contempt against Daisy. She must win over Grace today, even just verbally. She couldn''t stand being overshadowed by Grace every time. "Yakira, I called you Auntie for Brian''s sake. But that doesn''t mean that I''ll put up with you or whatever you do. Don''t insult my mother." Daisy made her point clear. Then next thing you know, she grabbed Yakira''s neck. It took merely seconds. She was as quick as a stroke of lightning. "Koff... Koff..." Yakira widened her eyes in fright. Breathlessly she stared at Daisy who was as intimidating as a hell-spawned Devil. For the first time in her life, she felt close to death. Leo, on the other hand, was frozen in shock. He was totally astonished. Instead of saving Yakira, he stood still silently. He couldn''t even imagine how Daisy made it past him to choke Yakira in just a blink of the eye. And then, there they were. Luckily they were not in a Real war, or they would already been ughtered by Daisy. "Daisy, you really want to go to jail? You are in the military. Stop. Let her go." The minute Leo regained his poise, he started shouting madly at Daisy. He could see Yakira''s face turn purple. He suspected that Daisy might really strangle her to death judging from the strength she used. "Remember, you can gossip about me all you like. But never, ever say anything about my mother. That''s ur family will always support her and care for her." Jonathan sneered. He looked both cold and handsome. Indeed, all the men of the Mu Family were so gorgeous that no matter what type they were, their charm would never be hidden. Just by their looks, they would stand invincible, let alone their unparalleled wealth. So Jonathan didn''t care what other people said about bullying them with his wealth. It was his money, he''d do as he pleased. Hearing Jonathan''s words, Daisy was first stupefied, then deeply touched. Now she knew what it felt like to have your family love you. It meant that no matter what bitter pills you swallowed outside, you always had your family''s support at home. It meant that she didn''t need to go through the hard times all by herself. But Leo right now was quite upset about Daisy addressing Jonathan as father. She never even called him, her biological father, dad. Yet she was that close to Jonathan. Such a sharp contrast made him mad but helpless. "No wonder you are so unruly. Everyone in your family is a lunatic!" Yakira shouted. She was totally enraged by Jonathan''s conceited words. So she talked back without carefully choosing her words. She didn''t even think about how scary it was when Jonathan lost his temper. "Thank you for yourpliments. That''s what makes us special. Well, Mr. Ouyang is a man with terrible taste. Howe you chose such a lousy wife, a woman that no man would ever want? I have to say that your taste in woman is quite unique. A fetish, perhaps?" With just a few words, Jonathan retorted brutally, ignoring Yakira''s abusepletely. He never cared about what anyone thought anyway. All he cared about was howfortable he was. People''s judgements had nothing to do with him. Chapter 439 A Dowry of Five Hundred Million (Part One) "You... Don''t push me. How dare you say I am a lousy wife?" Yakira was not pleased to hear that. How could someone insult her like this? Her anger lit up immediately. "I''m just giving the term to whoever''s yapping. And, Mr. Ouyang, whatever happened today, I don''t want to see something like this ever again. I will let it slide owing to our past rtionship, but please remember, Daisy is a member of the Mu family. No one should mess with her. Even though you are her father, I''d still advise you to stay away if she doesn''t want you around." Jonathan''s lips tightened. This was the first time that he had argued for the sake of someone else. Ever since he returned to S City, "first times" like this were adding up every so often. He was not sure when he would get sucked into that warm family atmosphere. "Mr. Mu, aren''t you being a little rash with your words. Even though she''s married into the Mu family, she''s still the daughter of the Ouyang family. As I remember, my daughter was married, not sold." Even the most harmless kitten would extend its sharp ws if a tiger kept provoking it. So when Leo heard Jonathan''s insolent warning, he couldn''t help but counter with a deration of his own ego. "Oh? You didn''t sell her? Then how do you exin the hundreds of millions that FX International Group invested in Ouyang Foreign Trade?" Jonathan frowned, his sharp gaze was intensely aimed at Leo. If Jonathan hadn''t paid five hundred million to have Daisy married into the Mu family, Leo wouldn''t have been so eager to make peace with Daisy back then. Daisy was shaken by the mention of the hundreds of millions. Earlier, she had ensured Jessica that she didn''t fall in love with Edward because of his money, but now she had lost that confidence. It turned out that Daisy was not that different from women like Jessica. In fact, she had been even worse. Jessica at least knew how much she was worth, but Daisy had been totally oblivious to the truth. She te what was going on in his personal life, he always maintained a reputable and presentable facade. But, he could never imagine that she would dare to keep as much as five hundred million all for herself. Leo had to admit that he didn''t really know Yakira, his own wife. "I... Don''t believe his nonsense! I don''t have five hundred million. He''s trying to put us against each other. Can''t you see that he is trying to take Daisy''s revenge because you pped her?" Today, Yakira realized that she had made a colossal mistake by crossing Daisy. Otherwise, the secret that had been hidden for so many years wouldn''t have been revealed by Jonathan, a man crammed with viciousness and deviance. She couldn''t figure out how a man at his age could retain the looks of a handsome young man. Was he even human? Just the thought of that possibility gave Yakira a chill. "Rumors don''t start for no reason; there''s no smoke without fire. If you didn''t do it, why would he say so?" Although Leo hated Jonathan''s overbearing manner, he still knew Jonathan to be an ethical man after all these years of association. So Leo was convinced that a man as proud as Jonathan would never make something up like this. Besides, Jonathan was smart enough to know that there was no need for him to y dirty tricks for achieving his goals. Chapter 440 A Dowry of Five Hundred Million (Part Two) "Let''s go!" Jonathan was not nning on staying back to watch the Ouyang couple fight. He just wanted to light the fire, and he didn''t care to extinguish it. Let them argue between themselves! Jonathan had no interest in staying any longer, and this was his mellow side as he had grown older. If the same situation had presented itself in the past, he wouldn''t have wasted words on Yakira. Instead, he would have sent his bodyguards after her and left straight away. "Yes." Daisy calmed herself and looked at Leo Ouyang with her perplexed eyes onest time. Giving a slightly sarcastic smile, she exited this tainted ce with Jonathan Mu without turning back. Five hundred million. As a matter of fact, Daisy never realized that she was worth so much. But now that she knew all the facts, how would she keep her head high in front of Edward? It seemed to her that once again she had fallen into a boundless abyss, and once again she made her own cage. "Daisy, what happened to you?" When Daisy and Jonathan reached back outside the ICU, Tom caught something unusual on her face and his casual look immediately disappeared and was reced by an uneasy one. "Oh! Nothing, I bumped it by ident." Daisy secretly examined Jonathan and bent down her head timidly. She was afraid that he would suddenly burst out and reveal the truth. After all, the man was an enigma. "What''s wrong? Let me take a look." Cynthia said as she approached Daisy. She gently lifted Daisy''s face. The moment she saw the severe swelling on Daisy''s face, Cynthia became worried like Tom did. "What do you mean nothing? The whole side of your face is swollen. Tom, look at this. Put some ointment on her or use an ice pack or something. Such a serious injury must hurt re rson wouldn''t even be able toe close to her. "OK." Daisy knew that Tom had found out her secret, so she didn''t argue against his suggestions. Meanwhile, she thanked him for being understanding. Whatever he said, she tried to amodate. "Wait for a moment." When he finished, Tom walked to his office. He needed to fetch some ointment. Even though it wouldn''t be as effective as the one he appliedst time, it would still help. He hoped that by the time Edward woke up, Daisy''s injury would be unnoticeable. If Edward knew that Tom allowed Daisy to get hurt like this in his own hospital, Tom would get all the me. He was not sure when Edward would take his revenge, but he sure as hell wouldn''t let this go away so easily. In the end, the violent man lying in bed was still the one to me. If Edward hadn''t beaten up Tom thest time, Tom wouldn''t have forgotten to bring back the medicine when he took it home for treatment. So ultimately Edward was to me. If Tom could apply his own medicine on Daisy''s swollen face, she would be as good as new in a couple of hours, and Tom wouldn''t need to get paranoid about Edward all by himself right now! Chapter 441 The VVIP Ward (Part One) Daisy stood up after she saw Tom''s silhouette disappeared around the corner. She came close to the window and focused her eyes on the man that she loved most. Even though it was hard to see Edward''s handsome face clearly from a distance, she still enjoyed being with him like this. Just looking at him was a thrill for her. Daisy sighed before she turned to Cynthia, "Mom, you and dad can go home and get some rest. I''ll stay here and look after Edward." "Alright. It''s also time to pick up Justin from school." Cynthia didn''t say no to Daisy''s suggestion. Even though she worried about her son, she felt assured with Daisy staying in the hospital. Besides, she was also concerned with Jonathan. So Cynthia agreed with Daisy and decided to pick up her grandson after two or three hours. "OK! Thanks, mom." Daisy felt guilty for not spending a lot of time with Justintely, so she appreciated Cynthia''s help for picking him up from school. Justin had been hanging around with his grandparents these days, so he didn''t depend on Daisy as much as he used to. "Come on, you''re being too polite. We''re family. Don''t thank me next time." Cynthia didn''t like Daisy being too polite to her, so she told Daisy to feel at ease when they were together. "OK, I won''t do it next time." Family? What a beautiful word. Daisy liked the word so much. Family was the warmest and most inspiring word in the world. "Alright, we''re headed home now. Ask Tom to ice your face. It looks pretty bad. I wonder who did that to you? It''s too much." Cynthia shook her head before she linked arms with Jonathan and left. She didn''t know how much her words meant to Daisy. She was shocked at the warmth in Cynthia''s words. Before Cynthia said that, Daisy thought her mother-inw didn''t know how she had got the bruise. It turned out that Cynthia knew it from the beginning. But she didn''t expose Daisy''s lie. She just pretended she didn''t know so that Daisy wouldn''t feel embarrassed. After the love and care Daisy had felt from Jonathan, this was the second time that Daisy felt love and care from a family member. ''Edward, when will yo isy''s expression shifted slightly from the pain. But she hid her feelings and concentrated on the conversation. "They''ll be fine. I''ve re-arranged my schedule, so all my consultations and surgeries will wait until tomorrow. My colleagues will also help me with other patients." Tom cozilyy his back on the chair as he answered Daisy''s questions. He was worried that Edward''s case might beplicated, so he had put off new surgeries in advance to avoid the dilemma of having to choose between different patients. "Then you''ll be super busy tomorrow." Daisy felt sorry for the inconvenience they brought to Tom. She knew Tom did it for Edward. The friendship between Tom and Edward was so powerful that Daisy found it hard topletely understand. The two men were like brothers to each other. If either of them got hurt, the other one would show great love and care. "I might be. But I can handle it." Tom raised his hand and frowned after he checked the time on his wristwatch. But he didn''t react to his worries at all. He didn''t want to scare Daisy. Tom predicted that Edward would wake up twelve hours after the surgery. And that diagnosis had already taken unexpected factors into ount. Normally, Edward would wake up within eight or ten hours. ''What''s wrong? Is it because of theplication that Edward had this morning? Is that why Edward hasn''t woken up?'' Tom mulled over possible exnations. Chapter 442 The VVIP Ward (Part Two) "You can attend to it if it''s an urgent matter. Leave the ointment with me. I''ll apply it myself." Daisy was so observant that she noticed the slight change in Tom''s expression. But she took it wrong and thought he had something urgent to attend to. "It''s nothing. Remember to apply the ointment. I''ll go in and check on Edward." Tom didn''t tell Daisy what he was worried about. He stood beforeforting Daisy with his calm voice. There might be something wrong with Edward. Tom sensed the anomaly and decided to go in and check on the patient. Daisy''s heart sank when she heard Edward needed to be examined again. She was so worried about Edward that she forgot about the ice pack on her hand. Before she realized it, the pain in her face reminded her that she had pressed the ice bag too hard. Daisy regained herposure and focused on Edward''s condition. "Has the patient showed any unusual symptoms? Show me all the data." Tom busied himself the moment he stepped into the ICU. He instantly started flipping switches, turning dials and checking gauges against the chart, examining Edward. "The patient has been in stable condition. There have been no major spikes in his vitals, nothing to affect the data." The paramedics handed a stack of ECGs, BP Logs and other medical records to Tom before they stepped aside and waited. "OK! He''s in good condition. Keep paying close attention to him. If there are no otherplications, send him to the VVIP ward at once." Tom looked carefully at Edward''s medical records. Hepared the records to the results he just obtained from the exam, and found no major differences. Tom was relieved. Now he knew why Edward didn''t wake up as he had expected. Since Edward was seriously wounded and lost so much blood, he was undergoing cerebral anoxia, which took him more time than usual to recover from. The cerebral anoxia was something that Tom didn''t take into ount. "The VVIP ward that no patient has used g you well after he wakes up. I''m sorry that you were hurt in my hospital." Tom said to Daisy as he gently applied the ointment to her face. He did it with full attention and as gently as he could. He didn''t want Daisy to feel more pain, as the wound was already painful. Daisy blushed at Tom''s words. She felt surprised that Tom brought up the wound again. She thought no one knew how she got it, but it turned out everyone knew she was pped in the face. Daisy knew Tom said the words in jest. He was doing his best to keep her from being embarrassed in front of other people. Daisy didn''t know what to say. She just kept her eyes closed and sat still while letting Tom apply the ointment to her. Time passed slowly. An hour was so long for some people, yet short for others. As Daisy waited for Edward to get better, Mark stood aside and studied her. He was standing straight with his uniform on. Mark kept staring at Daisy as he felt curious about the wound on her face. ''What happened? The colonel was fine just a bit before. What has she done to get a face like that in less than two hours?'' Mark wondered. "Colonel, what''s wrong with your face?" Mark was the kind of person who talked straight. He couldn''t hide his curiosity. He found it hard to figure out a possible exnation, so he asked. Chapter 443 Another 500 Million "I ran into some bandits." Daisy joked, which was rare. Since she had been smacked for defending herself, she didn''t see the difference between the Ouyangs and some bandits. It felt like she was attacked by some bandits. "What! Bandits? If they can hurt you in broad daylight, they must be good." Mark could be quick sometimes, but he was too trustful. Since he had never seen Daisy joke before, he took her words seriously without questioning. Daisy twitched her mouth in resignation. She hadn''t expected Mark to take her joke seriously. For the first time, she felt defeated by him. "Daisy, this soldier of yours is hrious!" For the first time since Edward got injured, Tom smiled. No one in his circle was as simple as Mark. "Sorry about that." Daisy gave a smile. She found it hard to believe that Mark couldn''t tell a joke from a serious remark. "Colonel, did I say something wrong?" Hearing Tom''sment, Mark blushed with embarrassment. "No, it''s nothing. Did you bring me the file?" Daisy took a deep breath. She had to ept Mark for who he was. His ingenuousness didn''t necessarily have to be a disadvantage. "Yes, I did. Do you want it now?" Mark moved to take the file out of his briefcase. "No. Give it to meter." Although Daisy was certain that Tom wouldn''t be interested in the file, military documents were confidential. Even though she trusted Tom, she had to be responsible and observe discipline, which was fundamental to the code of conduct of a military officer. "Tom, the patient''s condition is stabilized. Shall we transfer him to the VVIP ward?" A paramedic came to seek Tom''s medical advice. "Good. Wait until I''ve checked his vital signs again." Tom stood up and left with the doctor. Daisy was thrilled to hear the good news. The transfer was a simple procedure that took less than 20 minutes. Now that Daisy could be near Edward again, her eyes got wet with tears. She reached out and took his hand in her palms, her heart racing. Without the respirator, she was able to see his face again. Looking at him affectionately, she was overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness. She felt like she had been apart from him for centuries. "Daisy, Edward will be able to wake up within two or three hours, so don''t worry too much. I''ll be in my office. Come see me if you need anything, " Taking the stethoscope off his ears, Tom spoke quietly. He didn''t have the heart to disturb her happiness at the moment, but he hoped he could ease her worries. "Okay. Thank you. Go back to your work, " Daisy replied, keeping a tight hold on Edward''s hand. "If Edwardes around, let me kn out the story behind the first 500 million yet. Now, there was another 500 million. She suddenly felt like she was worth a lot. It seemed she was worth 500 million in every respect. She turned to look at Edward who was lying unconscious in silence. All of a sudden, she felt as if they were drifting apart and she didn''t know him anymore. She wondered what his world was like. The way he spent 500 million with an easy stroke of his gold pen gave her a lot of pressure. Money seemed to be an impossible mountain lying between them. It was like an obstacle she could never ovee. She knew that the army was considering purchasing a batch of military weapons. She hadn''t expected Edward to be the sponsor. He must have had done it for her, because she knew that associating with the military didn''t fit Edward''s business philosophy. Jeez! Daisy let out a heavy sigh, suddenly feeling depressed. Now she knew why themander wanted her to have the file. Because the 500 million was Edward''s call. But the army was going too far to mention it at this point. How could they make her think about such matters when her husband was in aa? Didn''t her superiors know what had happenedst night? Even if the army didn''t know about it, themander definitely did. Kevin must have reported the matter to him. Daisy sat on the sofa, deep in thought. Besides Edward''s signature, the file included a detailed report she wrote on the performance of the new types of weapons and how theypared to simr products. She seemed to have made the right decision to ask Mark to fetch herptop, it looked as if she could foresee what wasing. She couldn''t help but wonder how many things Edward was keeping from her. What was this huge sponsorship for? Chapter 444 What Happened To Your Face (Part One) Daisy kept abreast with the new weapons and equipment that were constantly emerging, and she had experience in assisting the elites from the army by discussing their advantages and disadvantages. But this was the first time that she had received such an official document that requested her toplete an important task. Daisy realized that a strong background really mattered for social climbers even in the military, where people could easily pass off fake as genuine. If she was still the poor single mother colonel who lived in obscurity, rather than the wife of the CEO of FX International Group, would they still treat her so politely? The possibility was next to none. And what were Edward''s true intentions? First, he invited the military officers to attend the anniversary ceremony of the FX International Group. Then she discovered that he was the sponsor behind the weapons purchase. She had a feeling that the two were closely connected. What was Edward thinking about? Lost in deep thought, Daisy didn''t notice that the man lying on the bed motionlessly started to furrow his handsome eyebrows slightly. His beautiful eyshes fluttered, followed by his opening eyelids. The first thing he saw was blurry snow-white nkness. It was so pure and serene that he felt like he was in paradise. Edward slightly moved his body and found that he was too weak to move. Waves of pain filled his chest. What happened to him? Where was he? He closed his eyes again, searching his memory for what happened. He remembered encountering some arms dealers after he and Daisy left the auction. Then a fierce gunfight followed. Yes, the gunfight. He focused on the memory, but the image that filled his mind suddenly made him very anxious. He opened uestion. Didn''t you hear me? What..." Edward started coughing. It was difficult to speak when he tried to raise his voice a little. He felt a great ripping pain in his chest. "Are you okay? Oh, I almost forgot!" Daisy became anxious at the sight of Edward''s anguished face. At the same time, she remembered that Tom told her to call for him when Edward woke. Turning around to send for Tom, she was surprised when she felt Edward grab her wrist. Although his grip was weak, it stopped Daisy from walking further. "Where are you going?" Edward''s face was pale. He didn''t know why she was suddenly rushing to leave him when he finally gained consciousness. "I''m going to call for Tom. He needs to examine you. Does it still hurt a lot?" Seeing Edward awake made Daisy excited. But the sight of him suffering made her very miserable. "Don''t go. You can ring the bell to notify the nurse. You have to tell me what happened to your face first." Edward seemed very persistent to know the answer. He didn''t even care to know about his condition when he woke up. Wanting to know what had happened to Daisy''s swollen face, he felt reluctant to let her leave the room. Chapter 445 What Happened To Your Face (Part Two) "Oh! Will hee over if I ring the bell?" Daisy asked, her eyes filled with doubt. Her face was flushed with excitement. If he ignored the swollen half of her face, she looked really lovely and attractive. "Of course. Unless you''re eager to leave me." In Edward''s world, everyone bent to his will. He was never in a situation wherein he had to amodate himself to others. Not to mention that the person involved this time was Tom. He definitely wouldn''t cater to Tom in any way. "No, I don''t want to leave you." The joy of getting Edward back got the best of her emotions and overpowered the principles she once held onto. Daisy didn''t want to deny her true feelings. She didn''t want to leave Edward for even a second. Daisy''s prompt reply dumbfounded Edward. He internally wondered when Daisy became so open about her feelings. She had always kept her emotions deep in her heart and seldom expressed herself to others. But this time, she blurted out her feelings without hesitation. He was overwhelmed by the sudden change in her attitude towards him. Did something happen while he was unconscious? What happened to her face? His question was still left unanswered. "Are you okay? Do you feel any pain?" While Edward was shocked into silence, Daisy started getting anxious. She feared there were some side effects caused by the operation. If that was truly the case, she definitely couldn''t handle another deadly blow. "No, I was just thinking that you''re very different from the Daisy I know. I''m shocked." Edward released her hand and gestured for her to sit down. With her standing in front of him like this, he felt as if they we ou just because I''m currently injured? Don''t be too cocky. Have you forgotten the saying, it''s never toote for a gentleman to avenge himself? And don''t tell me that you have put me in the most expensive ward in your hospital. If you did, I''ll show you how it feels like when this ward is razed into the ground by me." Edward looked around the room. The more he examined it, the more he felt that this room was very familiar. He remembered when Tom first built this ward, he was very scornful about it. He derided that only stupid people would spend their money on this room. Compared to the other wards in this hospital, this cage-like ward cost ten times more than the other wards. The only difference was that this ward was furnished with luxurious decorations, theyout wasplete, and the equipment was more advanced. But this cunning Tom dared to tag it with an exorbitant price. Wasn''t this a typical way to rip off patients? Edward didn''t want to be Tom''s first victim to be ripped off because of the ward. This had nothing to do with money, he just didn''t want to be set up by Tom. Chapter 446 I Love The New You (Part One) "Well, how do you know, Edward? You are staying in the VVIP ward of my hospital. Consider it as the presidential suite of some hotel if that''s easier for you to ept. Look how well I''ve treated you! See? You''re the very first patient to stay in this ward! Are you ttered? Yes, you must be!" Tom wore an ear-to-ear grin as he replied to Edward. He didn''t mind Edward''s threat of tearing down his hospital at all. After all, Edward had enough money to build him another hospital somewhere else. "Damn you Jerry! You did it on purpose! Am I supposed to be grateful to you and take three bows to you to express my sincere gratitude? Is that what you want?" Edward said between gritted teeth. He resorted to the pejorative nickname he had for Tom, "Jerry, " after the titr cartoon mouse. Although he was pale and weary because he was injured, he still looked imposing; the overwhelming aura was born in nature. "Absolutely not. Edward,e on. I simply thought you would be morefortable in this ward. How could I let you stay in an ordinary and shabby patient ward? Someone like you deserves a well-equipped VVIP ward like this! As for the bows, well three bows are too much. I think I''ll take two, and you can save thest one for someone else. What do you think about that?" Tom pretended to answer casually, yet he wasughing out loud inside, ''Do you think I''m stupid? Do you really think you don''t have to pay for the invaluable medicine you took from me before? And don''t forget you punched me twice right in my face! My handsome face! I had to walk around with ck eyes in front of my subordinates and my patients! Do you think you can get away with all that? No freaking way!'' Tom decided he would make Edward pay for what he had done, starting with paying for this exclusive yet extortionately expensive VVIP ward. Tom had nothing to worry about since Edward was badly injured and couldn''t move even a muscle to do anything to him now. That was why he transferred him directly to this VVIP ward, partly because Edward did need better care, and partly because he could cha a ss of water. He knew she was deliberately avoiding eye contact with him, but he didn''t intend to drop it until he had the answer he wanted. "What answer?" Daisy gazed at him with a confused look, as if she had no inkling what he was talking about. She took a small sip of the water to see whether it was too hot for Edward to drink. When she found that it was perfectly lukewarm, she then went back to his bedside with the ss. Just when she was about to hand the ss to Edward, Daisy realized that Edward couldn''t sit upright, let alone drink the water by himself. She frowned and thought of how careless she was to miss that. She looked around the room, trying to find a tea spoon or something that she could use to feed Edward. "I wouldn''t mind if you feed me with your mouth." Upon seeing Daisy look around, trying to find something, Edward immediately realized what was in Daisy''s mind. He couldn''t help teasing Daisy again. He decided that he could find out what happened to Daisy''s faceter since he would always find out the truth one way or the other; however, Daisy''s forwardness wasn''t something that happened every day. Edward had no idea why Daisy seemed so forward and bold today, neither did he really care. All he wanted for the moment was to seize the rare opportunity and take advantage of her as much as he could, in case she changed her mind the next second. Chapter 447 I Love The New You (Part Two) "Honey, are you flirting with me? Or do you think I wouldn''t dare feed you with my mouth?" Daisy raised her eyebrows and gave Edward a pretentiously flirting and seductive smile. However, Edward shuddered all over in horror all of a sudden. Daisy had never smiled like that before. What happened to her? Was she really Daisy? Edward suddenly had a bad feeling about what she was going to do to him. Was she nning to torture him? Edward had no idea what to think. Everything had been extremely strange about Daisy ever since he woke up. He even wondered whether he woke up in a parallel universe where Daisy''s evil and seductive twin sister lived. "Well, well. So would you dare or not? I''m really curious." Perhaps it was because he lost too much blood before, and he just went through an hours-long surgery and was unconscious for several hours, Edward hadn''t fully recovered and restored his energy. After quarreling with Tom and talking with Daisy, Edward felt tired and sleepy again. But he wanted to talk with his wife, tease her and see the blush on her cheeks, especially when he almost died before. He cherished every moment he could have with Daisy, so he tried hard to stay awake. Hesitant, Daisy nced between Edward and the ss of water in her hands. She bit her lip for a short while and finally made up her mind. She took a small sip of the water, and with a hint of slyness glowing in her watery eyes, she leaned forward to press her lips on Edward''s, and then she fed him the warm water in her mouth. She even mischievously licked his lips with the tip of her tongue before she sat back with a smile. Her sudden bold action with obvious sexual indication startled Edward. Gasping loudly in shock, Edward froze for a while and even forgot to kiss her back like he always did. Was Daisy flirting with him? Smiling sweetly at him, D y''s order as her aide. So he got rid of his random thoughts quickly and reported to Daisy. When he saw Edward look at them, he also greeted him. "Thank you, Mark." Edward tried to hold back the urge of bursting intoughter. It amused him to see Daisy get knocked down a notch in front of her subordinate for a change. She was always cold and indifferent in the army, maybe they should know that she actually had a lot of unrevealed faces other than the ''devil instructor''. She could be nice and gentle in private. "Colonel, here''s yourptop." Mark handed theptop over to Daisy while gazing at her, a hint of curiosity flickering in his eyes. He hesitated because he really wanted to say something, and yet he was afraid that Daisy would get angry about what he was going to say. "Do you have something else to say to me? Just spit it out now." Daisy nced at Mark and calmly said. She knew about Mark. He would hold onto a matter for as long as one could imagine until he got some answer. Judging from his look, he must have something to say at the moment. Daisy saw through his hesitation and decided to save him some time by asking him to say it out loud, in case he kept it to himself for too long and got depressed. Chapter 448 I Love The New You (Part Three) "Well, it''s no biggie. But...colonel, are you also ill?" Mark hesitated for a moment and finally spoke his mind. What he had witnessed was too shocking to believe. Was the woman with sly yet coy smile on her face who was passionately kissing Edward really his Colonel Daisy, the one who was known for her indifference and coldness in the military? Were it not for the fact that Mark saw it with his own eyes, he would never believe it. In fact, he was still doubting it. "Why? What do you mean?" Daisy took theptop and put it on the nearby table. Upon hearing Mark''s question, she turned around and asked with a confused look. She didn''t know what Mark meant or why he would suddenly think that she was ill. "Because you''re acting strange. I mean, it''s not like you or what you would do. I''ve been your aide for many years and I''ve never seen you like this. So I think maybe you''re also severely ill, the kind that will affect one''s behavior, which may probably exin why you''re not yourself and acting weird." Mark said discreetly as he stole a nervous nce at Daisy. Although he was speaking the truth, he was afraid that Daisy would get upset and kick him. He couldn''t fight back and attack his superior, so he''d better prepare himself for some proper self-defense. "Haha!" Edward couldn''t help but burst intoughter, but it was soon interrupted by violent coughs. Edward was amused by Mark and his whimsical words. However, heughed too loud that it tore the wound. He felt a sharp paining from his chest area all of a sudden and cold sweat began to form on his forehead as he coughed and panted heavily. "Are you okay? How do you feel? Is it hurt?" As much as Daisy was annoyed that Edward was secretly gloating at her, she got nervous when she heard him coughing and saw him in pain. Instead of getting angry wi never thought of that Daisy would just blurt out something ridiculous to lie to someone as simple and honest as Mark, who seemed to be convinced by Daisy''s story. That was quite impressive. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Daisy looked away nervously to avoid eye contact with him. She acted as calmly as she could pretend, however, deep down, she was cursing Mark silently for a million time. If only they were in the army base right now! She would definitely punish him and make him do all the training programs to make him remember whose side he was on. Daisy thought that might be the only way Mark could learn his lesson, keep his mouth shut, and side with Daisy next time. "Don''t you think you owe me an exnation? Or do you think I''ll actually believe that you ran into some bandits in a hospital which is well-equipped with security guards? Mark may buy your story, but I''m not him. Do you think you can fool me with thatme exnation?" Edward had no intention of dropping the topic. He had to figure out who would be so bold and ignorant and desperately court his own death by attacking his beloved wife. Once he found out who the culprit was, Edward wouldn''t mind finishing the person off himself. Chapter 449 To Have And To Hold Till Death Do Us Part Mark unconsciously twitched his mouth. He didn''t know whether Edward was praising him or debasing him. No one would ever praise like Edward, the master of backhandedpliments. He''d pick you up one moment and bring you down the next. "Mark, you go out first." Daisy ordered, frowning. It seemed that Edward was determined to get an answer today. So she decided to tell him. She would always give in and tell him anyway. "Yes, colonel." Mark smiled tacitly and walked out. He was used to it -- his colonel yielding to Edward. That happened every day recently. What confused him was the U-turn she made, from a tough military officer to a meek little woman. And Edward had everything to do with it. Indeed, love had scary magic. He preferred not to experience love for fear of ending up like Daisy. "So... What do you want to know?" Daisy pulled a chair up to the bed and sat down. She stared at Edward and determined to tell him whatever he wanted to know. "Who pped you? If I have to guess, it was Leo, right? That''s why you didn''t dodge or fight back." Edward''s eyes were as sharp as an eagle. He knew with only a nce that Daisy''s swollen face was because of a heavy p. But Daisy was too capable to let that happen, unless she was willing to take the p. But who would have that effect on her? It must be someone that meant a lot to her. So quite naturally, Edward figured that Leo must be the one that pped her. He knew that though Daisy was tough, she always desired her father''s love. "How do you know it''s him? You must think that I''m stupid, right? I know he doesn''t love me, but I just hope that maybe, maybe he would change his mind some day and take me as his daughter, you know." Daisy bit her lip in sorrow and smiled in self-mockery. She looked both sad and lonely. She should have understood that Leo didn''t see her as a daughter when she was kicked out of the Ouyang Family twelve years ago. But she always remembered how much Leo indulged her in her childhood. She always hoped that his aloofness was just a bad dream, that deep down he still loved her. "Yes, you are stupid. But you''re also kind and sweet. Does it still hurt?" Carefully Edward caressed her swollen face, his hand quivering for fear of hurting her. Then he helped brush her hair behind her ears, like he used to do. That long-absent move made Daisy''s eyes red. "It hurt initially, not physically, but mentally. But when I saw you wake up, it didn''t hurt any more. Having you is like having the whole world." Daisy held Edward''s hand, gently rubbing her face against his big warm palm. Her eyes were full of happiness. She knew that even if she lost eve b doctor. So what''s going on?'' Edward felt a turmoil of thoughts surging in his head. A multitude of spections sprang up in his mind. "From the time you got shot til now, twenty hours have passed. Why do you ask? You have somewhere you need to be besides here?" Daisy answered and checked her watch. It was about six o''clock p.m.. Edward woke up half an hourter than Tom expected, but he woke up anyway. That was what mattered. "Oh. Nothing. I thought a year had passed." If not for the pain on his chest, he would really think that a year had gone by. After all, Daisy was poles apart from her usual self. Luckily, it had just been dozens of hours. He wouldn''t want to lose a year in his happy life with her. Edward''s answer made Daisy twitch her mouth in confusion. What gave Edward such a strange idea? Maybe because she was too outgoing today? Maybe Edward didn''t like it? "Do you think that my change is too weird?" Daisy shut her eyes in a bit of embarrassment. She herself also thought that she deviated from her usual self too much. It was a bit unlike her, truth be told. But she had promised to never hide her love for Edward any more. Though unconscious Edward hadn''t heard about her promise, she must deliver it anyway. She didn''t want to regret not disying her love to him should she lose him again. "No. You know I love you no matter what kind of person you be. You will always take a lion''s share of my heart. Besides, I love your change. You''re more lively and vivacious now. I like it." Edward held her head in his arms and kissed her hair affectionately. Though he was a bit tired now, he didn''t let go of her. In his eyes one could only see love. They were the living example of the oath "To have and to hold till death us do part". Chapter 450 Very Insane Person (Part One) "Oh ho! What do I see? I''ve never imagined I''d see such a tear-shedding scene. What''s this? A special show for us?" Quipped Rain, who leaned against the door leisurely. With witty words, he managed to conceal his own feelings, though tears of joy were welling up in his eyes. His heart was beating fast because Edward was awake. It beat erratically in excitement. Daisy was embarrassed. She quickly moved out of Edward''s arms, face flushed crimson. She should''ve controlled her feelings. How bashful it was to be caught like that. "It seems you''re idle enough to hang out here. I should trust you with more work, Rain, " said Edward with a slight frown. God damn his ungodly friends. Why did all of them have to show up at the most inappropriate times, and interrupt his private moment with Daisy? "Hold your horses, man! Don''t you ever enve me again. Tell you what, this whole day, I''ve worked like a ve. And I''ve decided to have some rest as soon as you cane back to work. Please, don''t pile any more work on me, or I''ll die like a withered flower." Rain whined dramatically. At the same time, he studied Edward''s pale face and emaciated body cautiously. Although he seemed pale and weak, Edward was in good spirits. It seemed that he was out of danger, and would soon recover. And since Edward had woken up, Rain just hoped he''d recover quickly and return to work as soon as possible. During the past few hours, overwhelmed by workloads, Rain was certain that he wasn''t cut out to be a CEO. He worked around the clock, although he had only picked the urgent documents to read. How could Edward think about giving him more work? He would certainly not ept it! This guy in front of him was a pervert. He couldn''t even imagine how Edward had managed to aplish such arge amount of work everyday, and leave some free time for himself to go to the club. Fortunately,pared to Edward, there was not much work in Rain''s hands. Otherwise, he would throw his responsibilities and brotherhood to the wind. "Don''t bargain with me e the subjectpletely. If Rain went any further, Daisy would even be too ashamed to show her face. "No, no, no! I didn''t mean a word I said. Oh, by the way, how''s the recovery? When do you think you can go back to work?" Knowing what Edward truly meant, Rain decided to dump the topic and talk about work. "Work? How can you expect him to go back to work? He needs at least one more month''s rest!" What Rain wasn''t expecting was where the answer came from. Daisy, not Edward. That was out of blue. He fell into a daze and stared at Daisy, without saying a word. After a long time, he yelled, appalled. "Daisy! One month is too long! He looks healthy already! I''m sure he''s strong enough to go back to work within a week. If it takes another month, I would go mad!" It seemed that Daisy was crueler and more merciless than Edward. If he had to be the acting CEO for another month, he would go insane from the heavy workload. And the girls in the clubs were still waiting for him to return! And, what was more, although he was the deputy CEO of FX International Group, his strong suit wasn''t operating apany, but talking business with others or contacting clients, etc. Hearing that he had a heavy workload for nearly a month, he almost wanted to run away. And he feared that he would die because of the heavy load. And even worse, he might be half dead. Chapter 451 Very Insane Person (Part Two) "Honey, I think you got a point. I think I should just rest for a month, and give myself a break. At the time, I can also spend the vacation with you and Justin. Well, it seems one month is not enough, let''s say, two months, " Edward added, smirking. He liked it when Daisy behaved so protectively of him. Since she was fighting for his right to have a rest, he decided to take this chance and spend more time with her. Hearing his words, Daisy flushed red. She also wanted to spend more time with him, but her schedule was too crowded, and that could only be a happy wish, but not practical. The New Year was about to arrive, and the busiest period at the military base hade. The veterans were about to retire and new recruits were enlisting, which required tons of hands to take care of the matters. The recruiting in Daisy''s army base was different from themon recruit, as everyone of the soldiers there was to be as excellent as others. The soldiers in Daisy''s base were rare talents, one-in-a-thousand men. However, although the talents were rare, not all of them were qualified in Daisy''s eyes. The selection of talents needed to be dealt with carefully. "No! No! Forget about everything that just happened! I am never here! I did nothing and said nothing! I''m merely daydreaming!" Rain was about to weep when he heard the words "two months". He was so resentful that he almost wanted to p himself. What had hee here for? There were tons of people for him to pick on. Why did he have to joke with Edward and Daisy? It didn''t seem like that he would be released from the burden, but rather, he would be enved with heavy workloads for two more months, if not worse. What had he done to deserve this? He was just trying to be the ice breaker, but it seemed he was trapped by his own words. What a cunning bastard Edward was! And he had also corrupted Daisy! "Daydreaming? No, I don''t believe it. You''re too smart to have a daydream. Besides, every word you''ve just d I curse you for no reason? There''s no dispute between us, and what''s more, like I''ve said, you''re a goddess to me; I dare not pick on you. And if I did pick on you, Duke would break my neck and throw me into the sea as fish feed. Trust me, I was merely giving you a purepliment, 24 carat." However, Rain was pissed. This woman was unreasonable. To her, debating with other people was like a habit. He meant to praise her. How could she interpret it as an insult? What could VIP mean, except for Very Important Person? He was just expressing his admiration to her. Although enraged, Rain dared not reveal his anger. He cursed Belinda in his heart. Suddenly, he came up with an idea, and smirked inwardly. ording to Belinda''s words, he finally thought of an interpretation that fit Belinda well. Enlightened by Belinda, he suddenly felt that VIP could also mean Very Insane Person. And Belinda deserved it. How dare she mention Annie in front of him, and jeer at him? At her mention of Annie''s name, Rain''s heart cramped and ached. He had decided the new meaning of VIP, but for now he''d keep it in his heart. He would never speak it aloud. If he ever dared to mention her as the "Very Insane Person", he would be fixed not only by Belinda, but also by Duke. And he knew well that it was like waking a sleeping tiger. Chapter 452 A Heartless Couple (Part One) "No. Judging from your character, I don''t think you areplimenting me at all. Tell me, what do you mean? Or I will borrow Daisy''s revolver and I''m tempted to use it. I''d like to see how you''re going to flirt with the girls at that time with a hole in you." Who was Belinda Shangguan? She was the dragondy in the business field. If she didn''t have any real talent, how could she manage YS group so well? After she took over the group, it did not lose money. Instead, earnings soared to a new peak. An ordinary person could hardly make it. So it was almost impossible that she could be tricked. "Shoot! Don''t be too harsh on me! I''m telling the truth! Why do people doubt the truth nowadays? Is everyone suffering from persecution mania? Don''t lose the most wonderful thing called trust even in this terrible world. Oh, what''s more, I don''t flirt with the girls. Instead, they flirt with me, okay?" Rain tucked his neck in, hunched his shoulders, trying to protect himself, as if she was really going to shoot him soon. He knew well that this woman was prone to violence. He still remembered that she even pped Duke, the cold man, in the face once. He knew she was definitely not a simple woman. He concluded he had to keep a safe distance from her to avoid being disfigured. She could p hard! Hell, look at Daisy''s swollen face. It was going to take a long time before the red mark disappeared. "Go to hell. Don''t try to find any fucking excuses. The better the words you use with me, the more likely you''re cursing me in your mind. I even don''t need to ask anyone else. I can tell it from y d looking at him with his blue eyes. He couldn''t help trying to climb onto the bed to lunge at him. Luckily, Daisy was eagle-eyed. She hugged Justin to stop him immediately. Otherwise, the stitches in Edward''s wound would definitely break because of Justin''s carelessness, and poor Edward would need his stitches redone. "Justin, what are you doing? Don''t you know Daddy got hurt and is still weak now?" Daisy went pale. If she didn''t grab Justin immediately, Edward''s wounds might re-open. In that case, no one knew what might happen, what kind ofplications they''d see. For thest twenty hours, she''d seen too many idents to stay calm, despite the fact that she was a soldier. So her tone was harsher than usual. "Sorry, Mommy. I got thrilled seeing Daddy awake. That''s why I made such a terrible mistake just now. Don''t get mad at me, okay?" Justin bit his lip. As a matter of fact, he felt quite sad due to his mommy''s shouting. But he knew he was indeed wrong. So he held it in and didn''t cry. Instead, he lowered his head and kept apologizing to Daisy. Chapter 453 A Heartless Couple (Part Two) "Sorry, honey! Mommy is too concerned to control her emotions. Don''t take it seriously, okay?" Daisy left a gentle kiss on his face and apologized too. She realized that she was not herself and lost her mind when shouting at Justin. After all, he was still a child. Though he usually acted like an adult, he could make mistakes too. She slowed her fluttering heart and realized how badly those harsh words could have hurt Justin''s feelings. So she apologized to Justin at once. "Mommy, no problem. I get it. You''re worried about daddy and afraid that I might open daddy''s wound. That''s why you shouted at me like that, isn''t it? I don''t mind. I mean it." Justin was a sensible boy. He didn''t me his mommy. Instead, he exined Daisy''s concern for his daddy to conform her. Although tears glistened in his eyes, he still fought them back. Everyone there was touched by how thoughtful he was. He was so considerate. He couldn''t have been trained to be so mindful in a short period. It must have taken years to form his charming personality with great care, love and wise guidance. That''s why he was such a wonderful boy. And the one who loved and cared for him was nobody other than Daisy. "Justin,e here." Edward felt tortured in his heart upon seeing his son''s hurt expression. Though he was usually infuriated by his little boy, he couldn''t help feeling a pain pricking his heart at the sight of Justin''s downcast face. So he called Justin toe closer to him and wanted to protect him. "Daddy, I miss you so much." Justin was very careful this time. He even didn''t touch Edward. He just stood there, looking at Edward and revealing his sweet smile to him. He was afraid he might touch the wound and hur tle kiss on Edward''s cheek. She looked so lovely and charming. It seemed that no matter what kind of clothing she wore, everyone considered her to be the cutest girl they loved so much. "Leena, are you alright? Are you scared silly by Edward''s injury?" Rain could never keep calm when something unusual happened. So he questioned Leena about her elegant dress. "What? Do I look weird in this dress? Don''t you think I am very elegant today? Fine!" Even she didn''t know why she picked this dress out. It''s possible she was shocked by the thought about Kevin and Daisy. So she adjusted her style of dress ordingly. She didn''t feel wrong at all while she was heading for the hospital. Not until she got off the taxi did she realize what she had done. But there was nothing to be done for it. She had no time to go back and change! So she gritted her teeth and walked in, hoping that no one noticed her unusual mode of dress. She didn''t think that everyone would be shocked. But she showed her big sweet smile to them, pretending she was calm and nothing happened to her. A cute and lovely girl was what everyone was familiar with, right? Chapter 454 I Wont Bite You (Part One) "You certainly look quite elegant and tender today. But I prefer the former Leena. You seem a bit dismal aspared to her. I also feel that this new Leena is detached from me." Edward had a sharp perception. Leena couldn''t hide the slightest change in her personality from him. He didn''t know what made her change her dressing style. Did she find something unusual? Or did Kevin do something to bring about this recent change? "Puff! Edward, are youposing a poem? What do you mean by ''dismal''? Don''t forget; I am a happy angel." Leena smiled at her own remark. Despite the bright smile on her face, she had a slight feeling of tightness in the chest, and she didn''t know why. "Hope we are just perceiving you wrong. You are still an adorable and angelic girl." Edward smiled and said in a cosseting tone. No matter how far and fast time flew, Leena always had a ce in his heart, and that would never change. She was the first person who had shown her kindness and warmth to Edward. "Of course I''m still myself! Am I looking like a leprechaun? What''s wrong with you, Edward? Did you hurt your head? Or else why would you say such strange things to me that I can''tprehend." Leena''s eyes sparkled with a deceptive light. As a matter of fact, she knew very well what Edward meant. But after everything she had been through, she was no longer the innocent girl who didn''t have any secrets in her heart. Leena was a wife now. Although there were still lots of things that she needed to learn to make a good wife, at least she had turned into an adult. Sometimes Leena couldn''t tell them everything. She wasn''t asfortable in asking forforts or suggestions as she had been in the past. "You came here alone." Duke took a look at the green wound on her hand. Then he turned his eyes to the door, trying to see if Kevin wasing. But he wasn''t. Duke got angry, as could be told from his frigid face. He got mad when he realized that Kevin h new that it would be impossible for them to change their attitude towards Kevin in such a short time. She decided to let it be. Time would heal everything! The harder she tried to take Kevin''s side, the greater scunner they took against him. So she thought it would be best for her to give them space and time to ept the situation. "Can I refuse it?" Justin firmly held Edward''s hand. He felt something terrible would ensue if he apanied his guileful aunt. So he decided he should act prudently. All the offensive things she had done in the past had always shocked everyone. "My answer would be ¨C no! Hurry up. You are a just little boy. Why do you always overthink everything? You''re not an old man in his seventies! Why can''t you be sweet?" Did Justin think it would be easy to refuse her? No way. Did he think she didn''t know what he was thinking? Perhaps he forgot that they were the same kind. Both of them were guileful. "Daddy..." Justin looked at Edward and said in a weak tone as if trying to ask for Edward''s help to reject Leena''s invitation. Though Justin was also difficult to deal with, he was definitely the one to be fooled if they stayed together because Leena was far more nerve-wracking than him. Just like the saying went, "if two men ride on a horse, one must ride behind". Chapter 455 I Wont Bite You (Part Two) "You should go with her! It''s fine. Don''t worry, it won''t take long." Edward felt a little odd. He wondered, why his little boy wasn''t scared of anyone except Leena? Leena was sweet and adorable. Then why was she so frightening in Justin''s eyes? "But¡­ Fine!" Justin had no alternative but to let go of Edward''s hand. He pouted to show his reluctance. He took a look at everyone but failed to find anyone who was about to save him from the impending misery. He felt very disappointed. He looked down gloomily and gave an unflinching expression. "Let''s go! Little buddy. I won''t bite you. What''s more, I''m not interested in human flesh, let alone your flesh which is probably mixed with ink." Leena moved her eyebrows at Justincently. Justin was not the only option she had. She insisted on taking Justin with her because no one else would offer to apany her now that she had asked Justin to go with her. After all, they doted on her so much that they would never allow her to go alone. But she would be unwilling to be with anyone else now. So she had to pick someone in advance instead of waiting for their offer. Otherwise, she would be really annoyed if someone of them apanied her. Justin twitched the corners of his mouth. Finally, he decided not to say anything in response. Any normal person would not be interested in human flesh unless he had lost his mind. So should he respond her, no matter what he said as the response, it seemed that there would be only one conclusion; he was not a human being. Come on! He hadn''t lost his mind! He was clever and he would never fall into her trap. "Tell me! Why do you want me to go with you? And please don''t say its because you like me. It''s not convincing at all." As soon as they walked out of the ward, Justin asked about it. He didn''t believe that the little witch had suddenly changed would not see his embarrassed face. "Hey! Buddy! Walk slowly! And why are you lowering your head almost to the ground? You will bump into somebody. That would be terrible." Fine! It was quitete! Justin had already bumped into someone in his mad rush. The man was none other than the man they were looking for, President Tom Qin. "Watch out. Why are you so careless? Where are you going in such a hurry?" Tom reached out and caught Justin who was about to fall when they hit each other. Tom frowned slightly and warned him in a low voice. He didn''t mean to me Justin; he was just worried that Justin might hurt himself. "Sorry, Uncle Tom! We were looking for you." Justin was still in a state of mad fury. He decided not to apany his evil aunt to do something anymore. Otherwise, he would again get teased by her. "Me? Why? What''s the matter?" Tom frowned slightly. He remembered that he didn''t apply any medicine on Daisy''s face and he was thinking about what corrective measures he could take. Hopefully, Edward wouldn''t find out that Daisy was pped in the face in his hospital. Tom was worried that even if he could erase the inmmation on Daisy''s face now, it was still toote and Edward had already got mad. Chapter 456 Do You Like Pain (Part One) "Tom, I was looking for you. Here!" Leena said and lifted her hand, pouting in a cute way. She reached out her wounded hand to show it to Tom. "Oh! Damn. How could I forget about your wound? Come here! Let me help. Let''s get you checked out and I''ll change the dressing." Tom forgot about Leena''s woundpletely because he was busy with Edward''s surgery. He couldn''t remember there was still a little patient waiting for him until Leena came to him. ''But what''s the matter with those people?'' Tom thought to himself. ''Do they think that I have nothing better to do so they get injured one by one? And what''s worse, each person is more wounded than the one before them. They should feel lucky that I am here. Otherwise, no matter how good I am or how effective the medicine is, it wouldn''t help. After all, while the grass grows the horse starves.'' "Uncle Tom, do you have some medicine that hurts a lot but works really well for her hand?" Justin asked with sly eyes, showing his canine teeth. He said to himself while looking at Tom excitedly, ''You always make fun of me, Leena. Now I''ll show you how it feels. Watch the true master at work!'' "What? Are you worried about your aunt''s wound? So you''re asking for a good medicine for her now?" Tom asked, scratching his head and smiling. He knew very well about the rivalry between Leena and Justin although he didn''t spend too much time with him. He had no idea what tricks this little boy was ying, but he was sure that Justin''s advice wasn''t out of real concern for his aunt. "Ya! I''m worried." Justin said cheerfully and didn''t notice that his aunt, who was standing steps away, was staring daggers at him. It seemed as if the rage in her eyes was on the brink of explosion. If was really pissed off at him. She was desperate to frustrate him again in case he spoke rudely to her. Her gaze said ''I dare you.'' Although Tom was concentrating on applying medicine for Leena, he was quite clear that there was a secret war happening between Justin and Leena. One cunning woman with one cunning boy, who woulde out on top? Of course it would be unwinnable. So Tom decided not to offend or provoke either of them because he didn''t want them to gang up on him. Just let them be! He tended to sit on the fence at this. With each one holding an idea in their heads, the whole procedure of applying medicine came to a perfect end. Having wasted too much time watching the war between Leena and Justin, Tom found that Luke, Belinda, and Rain had been away when they returned to Edward''s room. The three must have gone back home, Tom thought. Because they had seen the people whom they wanted to see and made sure that Edward was well, so they didn''t need to worry too much. Besides, Tom, who was a medical genius, was Edward''s surgeon, so they didn''t have to stay there any longer. After all, air cirction was good for the patient''s health. Chapter 457 Do You Like Pain (Part Two) "How is she? The wound on her hand has scarred, hasn''t it?" Edward asked Tom with a smile, looking agreeable but more creepy in Tom''s eyes. Tom was so scared to step into this. It might be a trap. "Um! Yes, it has. I''m sure her wound will be healed faster if you put away your soft and enchanting smile." Tom replied, raising his eyebrow to Daisy as a signal to ask what was going on here. Tom felt like he was falling into a trap. But Daisy couldn''t figure out what he was getting at. With a confused face, she just replied Tom with a shrug and a helpless expression. "Oh! You do look guilty! So do you want to give me a good exnation now?" Edward asked, wiped the smile off his face and turned to Tom, with his deep and sharp eyes staring at him. "I can make it up to you right now! Okay?" ''Oh my god!'' Tom thought to himself, ''Daisy, you were so ruthless to have told Edward the truth already. I knew it was unintentional, but you are pushing me hard towards Edward. The man''s a devil!'' "So tell me, " Edward said, lifting the corners of his mouth and a smile ying across his lips. It was so dazzling that Tom couldn''t help blinking his eyes, but he had no idea what that smile meant. "No, I can''t, " Tom replied listlessly, without any enthusiasm. He knew that his n of having Edward pay the exorbitant price for the suite fell through right when he spoke those words. Instead of gaining huge profits, he even paid him his expensiv along well on the way back?" Edward said but shook his head helplessly when receiving the signal of help from Daisy. He had to distract their attention even though he knew his words would cause another war between Leena and Justin. But for the sake of his cute wife, he had no choice but to do so. "Yes." Justin gave a positive answer. "How could it be no?" Leena denied that she was so childish to fight with a child. Although Justin''s intelligence was simr to that of an adult, she was still unwilling to be treated in the same way as Justin. They answered in chorus. Although their tone were different, they meant the same. This kind of harmony surprised Edward. Tom, the beautiful but aggrieved man who was just mistreated by Edward, rolled his eyes after hearing their replies. These two people were so shameless in front of him the witness, Tom thought. Or in their eyes, he was simply too weak to pose any threat to them, so they chose to neglect him? Chapter 458 All Is Fair in War (Part One) "Why do your answers sound so thin and unconvincing to me?" Edward was just starting to recover after the surgery, and he was still too weak to stay awake for a long time. All his friends came to visit him after work today, and after talking with them all, he began to feel tired again. His head got heavier and his smile was a bit stiff, as if he would fall asleep any second. "Daddy, look at me! How could I ever lie to you? How could a liar have such a sincere and innocent look?" Justin hurried to exin himself as he ran towards Edward''s bedside with a sweet smile. He grabbed Edward''s arm and leaned forward to press his chubby face on Edward''s, wriggling his little body like an excited puppy. "Don''t lie, you little devil. Look at Auntie Leena, staring at you with a sharp nce. If her eyes could kill, you''d be dead a thousand times over. Are you sure you want to stick to your answer?" Edward smiled as he pulled Justin''s little head closer and whispered in his ear, a hint of slyness shing through his deep blue eyes. "What? No way! I''m not holding a grudge against her anymore; how could she be mad at me?" Justin immediately turned around. What he saw was that Leena was chatting with Daisy joyfully, blissfully unaware of anything else. She wasn''t ring at Justin at all! What did Edward say she was doing? The only conclusion Justin coulde to was that his dear daddy had just yed a prank on him. Justin was a clever boy, and he soon realized he''d fallen for daddy''s joke. He turned again to Edward, who smirked confidently and winked at him, which confirmed his suspicion. "Daddy! You lied to me!" Justin pouted and pretended to be angry with Edward. He threw himself back to Edward''s bedside to bury his face in his arm, and wriggled his little body again, as if he could shake all the embarrassment off in this way. Edward not only saw through Justin''s lie, but also tricked him. Justin felt embarrassed all of a sudden, and he didn''t want others to see his glowing pink cheeks. "All''s fair in war. What, little one? Who said that only you can trick me and I can''t do the same thing to you?" Edward gently pinched Justin''s adorable face and chuckled. Like father, like son. Justin might be as augh out loud as she thought of how frustrated Edward must be feeling at the moment. Upon hearing Leena''s words, Tom''s mouth twitched. Only Leena would dare keep provoking Edward when he was on the verge of exploding without worrying that he would get back at herter. Even if she irritated Edward, she was still his beloved little sister, and he wouldn''t really get mad at her. Not for long anyway. Tom then thought of how miserably he had been treated aspared to Leena. Maybe things would be better if he were a girl. That way, Edward wouldn''t punch him or take away his invaluable medicine, and he could get back all the money Edward owed him, including the price of the medicine and this VVIP ward. "Little girl, aren''t you supposed to go home now?" Edward retorted sourly as he squinted at the beautiful girl whoughed so hard that she couldn''t even stand upright. Edward was a bit upset that Daisy didn''t get the hint of his flirtation but Leena did, and she was making fun of both of them. As much as he adored Leena, Edward wouldn''t allow Leena to stay here and watch as he made a fool of himself. Therefore he pretended to put on a serious face and drive her out. "I''m not in a hurry." Leena immediately saw through Edward''s intentions. The show had just started, how could she drop it and leave now? No way! She intended to stay for a little while longer here with them. ''I don''t have anyone to keep mepany at home anyway, '' Leena thought to herself gloomily. Chapter 459 All Is Fair in War (Part Two) But the next second, she was shocked by her own thoughts. What happened to her? Didn''t she always enjoy being alone by herself? She could make her life fun on her own! How in the world did she suddenly get bored of the solitude that she had always been longing for? Where did the idea evene from? Leena tried to sort things out in her mind. She believed that she only married Kevin because he promised her absolute freedom to do whatever she wanted to, and he wouldn''t stand in her way. However, as time went by and she got to know him better, she started to change her mind. The freedom she desired for the longest time seemed less appealing to her at the moment. Leena was baffled, because she had no idea why she would suddenly feel like this. "Jerry, aren''t you going back to fetch the medicine? You can swing by and drive Leena home." Leena might be naughty sometimes, but Edward always had a way with her. They had known each other for many years, and as her big brother, Edward knew well enough as to when he should encourage her with a treat and when he should be firm. "Come on, Leena. We are both exiled by your dear brother Edward. Let''s get out of here." Tom forced a bitter smile as he once again thought about the money that Edward should have paid him. Tom had nned to transfer Edward to this expensive VVIP ward so he could charge Edward a pretty penny even if he couldn''t get back those invaluable medicines taken away by Edward; but it was likely that he would end up with neither the medicine nor the money. Depressed, Tom sighed heavily at the thought. "I didn''t say I want to go home now! Edward, how could you make decisions for me without even asking my opinion again? I don''t like this! I''m not a child anymore; I can make my own decisions about what to do. I don''t need you butting in and making me mad." Leena used the word ''again'', because not only Edward, but Duke and the others would sometimes arrange things or even n the life path for her beforehand. Because she was the only girl in the pack, they all treated her like their own beloved sister, a little princess. Besides, they were much older and t. Eager to leave the hospital, Leena was striding so fast that Tom had to run after her to catch up with her. Tom grabbed Leena''s unharmed hand, and with a sudden burst of strength, he pulled Leena into his arms. He gently patted Leena''s back as she buried her face in his warm chest. "Leena, what happened? Is something wrong? You seem really upset. Why did you talk to Edward like that? It''s okay, you can tell me, " asked Tom softly as he slightly pushed Leena off of his arms. He reached out his long fingers to raise her delicate jaw, but his heart stopped when he saw the tears in Leena''s eyes. The sorrow in her watery eyes bruised Tom''s heart all of a sudden. Worried, he frowned. "I''m sorry, Tom. I didn''t mean it. Is Edward mad at me? How could I ever talk to him like that? He''s injured, and I shouldn''t have been rude to him. Will he be alright?" Leena sniffed as she spoke between sobs. She felt so ashamed of herself for throwing her tantrum like a baby still in diapers. Edward had just been through a brutal gunshot wound and surgery, and he just woke up not long ago. She should have tried her best to make him happy so he could get better soon. However, she just lost her temper and said something really harsh and rude to him. Leena felt so guilty and worried; she wondered whether Edward would get upset because of her words, and his recovery would suffer for it. Then she would be the one to me. Chapter 460 A Burnt Child Dreads The Fire (Part One) "Don''t worry! He won''t me you. Don''t cry, okay? Or else you''ll look messy." Tom wiped the tears on her cheek with his fingertips. Anyone could get mad at this little girl except Edward. Before Daisy and Justin stepped into his life, Edward had doted on her every single day. It seemed to be a daily chore and a necessity. Edward loved her a lot. It was impossible for him to me her from his heart. "Really? He won''t be disappointed with me? Can you promise that?" Leena sniffed. She was not sure whether Tom was telling the truth or not. She was so concerned about this that she even ignored the word "messy". "Yes, I promise you. Let''s go! I''ll drive you home." Tom smiled and lightly pinched her tiny nose. Her little nose had turned red because she had been crying. Leena looked really innocent. She was mischievous and guileful yet kind-hearted. That was why she was the apple of everyone''s eye. Everyone loved her. "Yes! Thank you, Tom." Leena immediately smiled through her tears as she feltforted by Tom''s promise. She was not the typical crying type. However, when she ran out today, she failed to hold back her tears because tons of emotions had emerged in her mind all of a sudden. Kevin must have ignored her again! Otherwise, he would have called her by now. But the truth was that she didn''t get any phone calls from him. Leena felt miserable, but sheforted herself somehow. After all, they had married each other without love, so it made sense that he didn''t bother to call and ask about her whereabouts! Soon they arrived at Leena''s luxurious apartment. Leena said goodbye to Tom and then walked home. She felt that she wascking courage to go home. So she slowed down. But no matter how slowly she walked, she arrived at her home. She turned on the light, knowing Kevin was not home. There was nothing but loneliness in this big room. Leena had to face it alone. She cozily nestled herself struggling to find any good reason for another vacation in such a short time. Besides, Edward was out of danger now. She couldn''t continue to extend her leave of absence anymore. "Colonel, here you are, have some coffee. You''ll feel fresh." Mark stayed outside the room, watching TV. He couldn''t leave before Daisy went to sleep because he was her aide, and was responsible for taking care of her well-being. So he went out and bought a cup of coffee seeing Daisy was still working so hard. "Yeah! Thanks! Mark. Why are you still here? It''s reallyte now. Didn''t I tell you to go back home and take some rest? I just need you to pick me up tomorrow morning. I have some work at the office." Daisy didn''t realize it until now that he was still here. She frowned slightly, thinking that he had already gone home. It surprised her that he was still here. "But Colonel, you are still working?" Mark stroked his head awkwardly. He smiled withpassion. "No worries. You can just go home! I have to take care of this document. Tomorrow is the deadline." Daisy was fully dedicated to her job. So whenever her superiors gave her some job, she always tried to finish it as soon as possible no matter if it''s urgent or not. Besides, she only needed to manage a document this time. Chapter 461 A Burnt Child Dreads The Fire (Part Two) "Yes, tomorrow is the deadline. But you don''t have to submit it in the morning. You can do it in the afternoon and submit it before the end of day." Was Mark a cker? Not necessarily! He sometimes liked to find the loopholes in things just like he did right now. Anyway, there were no constraints about the exact time of submitting the file, so one could just consider thest minute to be the deadline. He was notzy at work. It''s just that they did not specify the deadline. "No. There are probably tons of things I need to manage after I reach the army base tomorrow." Daisy continued her work while she was talking to Mark. Her fingers kept swiftly typing on the keyboard. She wasn''t thezy kind. Although she knew what Mark had said was right, she was also aware of the fact that she hadn''t gone to the army base for quite a long time and there would be tons of work umted for her. She would have no time for this document because she''ll have to look over those things first. So she discerned that it would be better to finish the document tonight when she had some free time! Or else she would be running around all day long tomorrow. "But Colonel, didn''t you ask for two days'' leave? There''s still one day remaining. If you are going to work tomorrow, who''ll take care of Mr. Mu?" Mark looked at Daisy with a puzzled expression. He heard it when Mr. Gu spoke to themander and asked for two days'' leave for Daisy. Wasn''t it a loss if she went to work tomorrow? "It''s fine. I''ll manage. I don''t have to go to the army base, but this file needs to be sent back to the base tomorrow anyway. It''s just a matter of time. You can just go home and take a rest!" Daisy raised her eyes and took a look at Edward. She was thest person to leave him alone and go to work. But Daisy was a soldier. When there was a conflict between th t beside him. What would happen when she was away from him at the army base? She knew she would struggle to concentrate on her work if she went to the office tomorrow! It was almost 4 o''clock in the morning. Edward woke up again. He had fallen into a deep sleep and felt quitefortable after waking up. So when he opened his shining blue eyes, he had already recovered himself. He felt fresh as usual. There was no tiredness on his handsome face anymore. He raised his eyes and saw his adorable and dainty wife sleeping face down. The wrinkles on his forehead that Daisy had tried to smooth down appeared again. He tried to move his body slightly, but he found he was too weak to move. Now he finally understood why his wife had said he was in no position to bully others. It was indeed proving to be true! He couldn''t even turn over to his side, let alone touch her from the bed. He couldn''t move. But he could not bear watching Daisy sleeping in such an ufortable position. He had no alternative. He took back his pride and pressed the bell near the head of the hospital bed to call the staff. He was worried that if he didn''t do anything his beloved wife would have severe pain all over her body after she woke up. Chapter 462 An Overarm Throw (Part One) "Mr. Mu, what can I help you with? Are you okay? Is there anything wrong?" The nurse said softly. Because Edward put his index finger in front of his mouth to indicate her to be quiet. "I''m okay, send for your director. I need to see him. Thanks, " Edward said, also in a low voice. He acted very politely, and he didn''t show the slightest trace of putting on airs. "Are you asking for the director? I''m afraid that these are his off-duty hours. He''s not usually here. But since you asked, I''ll go to his office and try my luck." The nurse walked out as soon as she finished her words. She knew that usually the director would note to the hospital, except if there were special circumstances. She wondered whether Mr. Mu was one of those special cases. Edward didn''t worry that Tom wasn''t here. Because he knew as long as he was there, Tom would not dare to go home to sleep. Because it would take more time for Tom toe from his ce thaning from his office. So Edward predicted that Tom would stay at the hospital overnight in case Edward needed him at any time. It was safer that way. Just like now, Edward happened to need Tom. Although he didn''t know how long he had slept, Daisy had already fallen asleep with an exhausted look on her face, he was sure that it was past midnight now. Just as Edward had predicted, Tom didn''t head home after he applied the medicine to Daisy''s face. Instead, he slept in the lounge in his office. Because Edward was such a distinguished guest staying in the hospital, he had to gather his energy and be prepared to be called by Edward at any time. Otherwise he w stand bolt upright. Left to her own devices she slept lightly. One reason might be that the gunfight had consumed most of her energy, and another might be that she didn''t rest well, worried about Edward when he was still in aa. And once Edward woke up, she suddenly felt relieved, so she could fall into a sound sleep now. She could make up for all the rest she didn''t get. "Easy for you to say. You''re not the one bothering her. If she knocks my block off, I''ll me it on you." Tom looked at Edward with a somber look while approaching Daisy with small steps. He was doing it with desperation as if he were sacrificing himself by taking the tough stuff. "Okay, I guarantee nothing will happen." Edward wore a cunning smile. There''s no telling how Daisy would react when someone touched her. Edward would pay if he were wrong about this. Tom would avenge himself while checking on Edward. Maybe taking his temperature by putting the thermometer in a very ufortable ce... Tom was a doctor, and he had plenty ways to deal with Edward who was unable to move now. Chapter 463 An Overarm Throw (Part Two) Tom had a miserable look on his face. He moved Daisy''s hand from theptop -- a risky move -- but as soon as he touched her, what he had predicted came to pass. Before Tom could figure out what happened, he was mmed hard onto the ground by Daisy, who was sound asleep moments before. He looked amusing and pathetic. Even Edward was dumbstruck by Daisy''s sudden move. "Ah! It''s you! Tom, I''m so sorry. It''s just instinct. Are you okay?" Daisy pursed her lips, feeling guilty. She hurriedly reached out her hand to lift him up. She looked a little embarrassed. "Huh! Daisy, are you trying to kill me? Even so, you should tell me beforehand, at least I can be mentally prepared." Tom rubbed his butt with his hand. His backside hurt, but this move was very unsightly, especially for a gentleman like Tom. His actions made Tom seem more like Rain, who was always frivolous. "Sorry, I might be stressed and nervous recently. So I instinctively fought back at any sign of trouble. Next time if you see me asleep, don''t try to touch me. Just try and get me to wake up by calling my name." Daisy bit her lip and felt apologetic towards Tom, she wondered why he was here at this time. Did something happen to Edward?" Thinking of this possibility, Daisy immediately turned her head to Edward. When her eyes met with his blue eyes which showed a yful smile, she felt relieved. And this charming look made her heart beat slower. "Daisy, it''s all Edward''s fault. I was asleep in my office, and was suddenly awakened by the nurse. Edward sent her to fetch me. He might have been bored afte ay?" Edward didn''t be angry, on the contrary, he smiled. But the underlying meaning behind the smile made Tom feel nervous. "You... What are you up to?" Hearing Edward''s words, Tom was frightened. He didn''t know what was on Edward''s mind. He feared that he was up to something, maybe threatening him again. Edward was a cunning guy. And Tom was overwhelmed by the depths of Edward''s cunning. "You see, I''m lying on the bed, what do you think I can do to you?" Edward''s smile became more unfathomable. He looked gentle on the surface with the smile, but the more he smiled to him, the more Tom felt his blood freeze. He was positive that he was right and this was a bad thing. Edward was up to something. So before Edward announced his n, Tom thought it was safer for him to run away. Many people might be cheated by his gentle, kind and innocent face, Tom knew that Edward was sly. Edward could make him break down only by using psychological tactics. And Tom was not inclined to continue to stay here and take the risk of being tortured by him. Chapter 464 Who Else Would You Want to Sleep With (Part One) "It''s quite possible. haha... My head feels dizzy. I should go back to sleep. Ciao." Tom said. Meanwhile, he was thinking, ''Now is the best time for me to escape. Otherwise, Edward might expose his intentions at any second. Who knows what kind of challenging task he would assign to me then? I must run off now in order to avoid all possible troubles.'' "What''s the matter with him? Why did he run away so abruptly?" Daisy spotted Tom running and asked in confusion. She wondered if Edward''s joke had scared him away. "Just ignore him. It''s quite possible that he has too much on his te." Edward answered. But he didn''t tell her the truth. The fact was that Edward was ying some psychological tactics with Tom. And Tom had lost the battle, so he fled. But Tom shouldn''t have escaped in such a hurry. After all, Edward was still too weak to do anything to him. "Would you like some water?" Daisy asked, getting over Tom''s sudden sprint. She was not nosy. Since Edward said that nothing was wrong, she stopped further questioning. "If you would feed me from your mouth, I would definitely love some more water." Edward put on a luscious smile. He loved the softness of Daisy''s lips. "Then I will pour you some water." Daisy smiled slyly and handed over a cup with a straw to Edward. Daisy had already seen through Edward''s tricks -- he just wanted to take advantage of her. So she had prepared all daily necessities beforehand and caught Edward by surprise. "No way, honey. Are you going to feed me water like this? It''s some and sissy." Edward frowned in rejection. ''The reali ''te true. For a long while, he just heard the firm sound of tapping on the keyboard and nothing else. It totally shattered his confidence. Perplexedly, he turned around and what he saw was quite a sight. Daisy was working intently. He had nned to get her attention, but now he didn''t want to disturb her. It must be some urgent work, or else she wouldn''t need to burn the midnight oil. But wasn''t Daisy on vacation? How urgent was the task that she had to finish it now? Daisy, on the other hand, noticed his stare, yet pretended not to see it. She continued her work, typing into the document her insights and the contrasting parameters of various weapons. Since there wasn''t much left to be done, she decided to finish her work first before talking to Edward again. Tick tock... Edward''s eyes were fixed on Daisy. ''Tom must have applied some ointment on her face. That''s why it''s turning rosy now. Huh, Tom may not be reliable in other matters, but he is one hell of a doctor for sure. His treatment takes effect rather quickly.'' Edward thought. Chapter 465 Who Else Would You Want to Sleep With (Part Two) Well, Edward admitted to himself that he was a bit chauvinistic most of the time, but that didn''t make him an unreasonable man. He never forced his decisions on her, unless there was something that would harm her. And no matter how much Daisy enraged him, he would put up with it, and he never took it out on her. He took her as a challenge, one that he would slowly conquer with persistent efforts. The next step required him to take care of a series of actions. First, he would teach Jessica and Hank a lesson for attacking Daisy. Then he would need to figure out a way to make Yakira turn herself in and confess what she had done to Grace. But he was also worried about Brian. Would Brian find the truth too harsh to absorb? He was so close to Daisy. The truth would break his heart. But that was something he couldn''t avoid. After all, Daisy called the shots. In this scenario Edward was merely a projector that screened the truth. Then Edward dragged his mind back to reality. He was gettingpletely ignored by Daisy. He had been staring at Daisy for so long, yet he didn''t get a glimpse from her in return. Did that mean he was not as important as the work she was doing? Now Edward shifted his eyes from Daisy to the nk ceiling. The first thing that ran through his head was that he must advise Tom to hang some interesting paintings on the ceiling so that people wouldn''t feel as bored as he was feeling right now. At least they could stare at the pictures to kill time. "What are you looking at? You seem so serious." Daisy s as you. At least I don''t worry about that." Daisy stopped deliberating andy down beside him. But she was cautious. She kept a proper distance from him, particrly his left hand with the IV drip. "Sleep tight. I''ll be quiet." Edward soothed and caressed her hair. Edward knew that Daisy was madly in love with him, he could even determine this from her hair. She was aware that he liked women with long hair. That was why despite all the hassles she kept her long raven hair even in the military. In his familiar arms, Daisy soon fell asleep as she was indeed exhausted. She had slept for less than four hours from the time Edward got shot to now. "Lazy bug." Edward stroked her nose affectionately without any worry of an attack in return because she always slept like a log in his arms. She wouldn''t wake up no matter how much he caressed her. But he was quite confused why Tom got mmed by her just for touching her. He needed to ask her and figure it out after she woke up. That way he would know her better. Chapter 466 Morning, My Lovely Wife Daisy felt safe andfortable as long as Edward was around. The faint jasmine scent on his body reassured her that he was there and she could rely on him no matter what happened. This was what love felt like. When the first morning light quietly came through the curtains, Daisy opened her eyes to find that Edward was affectionately watching her sleep. She rubbed her bleary eyes and gave him a faint smile. "Morning, honey. Didn''t you sleep at all?" Daisy asked. Now that she was awake, she didn''t have to worry about touching his wound identally. She got into his arms, immersed in the familiar feelings his embrace gave her. "Morning, my lovely wife. You were drooling. Be careful with the saliva on the corners of your mouth. My clothes might get stained." Edward hadn''t slept since Daisy fell asleep. He had been watching her sleeping. His eyes hadn''t left her even when the nurse came in to change the drip. The affectionate light in his eyes had made the nurse envious and wish she were the one he had been gazing at. It made sense. After all, Edward was the ideal lover of the women in the entire city. All of them dreamed of being treated that way. At that moment, he looked at the woman beside him so gently and attentively it was an image beyond words. "Drooling? No way!" Daisy was doubtful about his words, but she still wiped her mouth. When she found there was no saliva, she stared at Edward angrily. Damn it! She fell for his trick again. How could she have fallen for that since she had never drooled in her sleep? "Aha, look at how silly you are, but I like it." Seeing his trick seed, Edwardughed and kissed the corner of her mouth. At this moment, she wasn''t aloof at all but adorable and delicate like an ordinary woman. "Hey, can''t you two be a little discreet? I don''t have a girlfriend yet. How about thinking of my feelings when you behave so intimately?" Tom walked in suddenly without knocking the door. It seemed under Rain''s influence he had lost all his manners. "Um... morning, Tom, " Daisy said and jumped off the bed immediately, feeling her face burn with embarrassment. This was the second time Tom had caught them making out. Wishing there were a hole she could crawl into, she fled into the bathroom as fast as she could. "Edward, what''s up with Daisy? Am I that terrifying? Why is she avoiding me?" Tom asked, rubbing his head. "Are the doors to the wards in your hospital just ornaments? Why didn''t you knock? Why are you here so early?" Edward felt speechless at Tom''s abrupt appearance. Daisy was shy, she was ashamed enough when Tom had caught them then and there, but Tom had to joke about it after that. Of course Daisy had run away from the embarrassing scene. Couldn''t he see he had put Daisy on the spot? "You think this is what I want? It''s a ward round." Tom shrugged and ignored Edward''s first question. He wasn''t impolite, just , he can have as much liquid food as he wants. Then semi-liquid food." Feeling the scorching stare behind, Tom paused to look at Edward and gave him a meaningful smile. Then he continued, "The trauma is usually enormous to the patients, so nutrients are essential for the healing and recovery. Food high in calories and vitamins will be rmended. Spicy food will only worsen the condition. That''s all. I hope I have made it clear." Tom felt his back sweat. These measures would help a lot with his recovery. Besides, Daisy had asked his advice, he couldn''t refuse to answer her questions. Did Edward have to cast him those scary looks? He felt pressured. "Oh, I''ll remember them. Thank you, Tom." Daisy smiled faintly, thankful for his patience in giving detailed advice. "Daisy, don''t mention it. I should have told you about this earlier. Your thanks make me feel more embarrassed." Tom was drenched in sweat. He wished he hadn''te. He couldn''t figure out why Edward was fixing his killer eyes on him? He was fidgeting. Edward was still smiling mischievously. The intensive blue eyes were like a pool of deep water, his thoughts were well hidden under them, nothing revealed. Tom felt creepy, worried about what Edward might do to him next. He felt as if Edward were a god of gue around him, who was going to explode in anger anytime. Edward kept thinking about the liquid diet Tom had mentioned. He was angrier about the diet than the exercise he had suggested. It made him look weak and delicate. It seemed Tom had really decided to treat him like a newborn baby. Did he really think he was so fragile that he needed to be "reborn" and start over after an injury? Or maybe this was just one of his practical jokes. If that was the case, he would like to cooperate, because it would make a perfect excuse for Edward to deal with him. Now that Tom had presented the excuse himself, it would disappoint him not to use it. Chapter 467 A Frank Exchange Of Opinions (Part One) "Anyway, I shall thank you. Please ept my appreciation. You can leave if you have something to do! I''m sorry to have taken up so much of your time." Though Daisy had a cold voice, she thanked Tom in a polite tone. However, all Tom wanted to do was to rush out of the room due to her excessive politeness. He couldn''t take credit for himself. Or there would be severer consequences that he would faceter. Come on! Who would dare to ept appreciation from Daisy, the wife of Edward Mu? Was he asking for death? "I''ll leave now, Daisy. If you have any questions, you can ask the staff." How Tom wished there was a pair of wheels under his feet so that he could run out of this ce full of threats. The longer he stayed, the angrier Edward would be at him. "Did I scare him?" Seeing Tom disappear in a second, Daisy turned to Edward and asked in a puzzled tone. She felt that these days she had be more gentle than before. She shouldn''t have scared him to make him run away. "No. There''s something wrong with his brain. Don''t consider him a normal person." Edward slightly raised the corners of his mouth. There was a sly glow flickering in his eyes, ''Tom, just run!'' He woulde back to him sooner orter. As for Edward? All he needed to do was to wait for Tom to walk right into his trap. "Oh! Before I forget, there''s a file you need to sign." Daisy bent down and picked up the file Mark had brought to her earlier. Meanwhile, she murmured in her mind that the leaders of the army group must have the ability to foretell the future. They even anticipated the time when Edward woke up. It seemed like they were more potent than Tom, the gifted doctor. "What file?" Edward frowned slig e didn''t care about his money? "I chose not to tell you because I didn''t want you to have any burdens in your mind. Or you may have felt suspicious of yourself and about what you''ve achieved in your work. You may question your ability because you think you take the lead because of my money. In that case, I''ll think what I''ve done will bepletely meaningless." Though he did this for her, he didn''t mean to request them to give special treatment to Daisy for his sake. All he hoped was that they would not give the honor that was supposed to go to Daisy to someone else. Daisy struggled for those honors. She earned them with her ability. He would feel heartbroken if she was reced by someone else. "Do you think I am the kind who lives for others'' opinions? Or am I too stupid to trust myself?" Daisy pursed her lips. She wasn''t arrogant, but she knew her capability and was sure that no one in S city could be her opponent except for Kevin. Of course, the Commander was not included. Nobody could tell who was the best because she never fought with Kevin. Just think about it, why wouldn''t she be confident about herself? Chapter 468 A Frank Exchange Of Opinions (Part Two) "I was afraid that you would get hurt by this. You should know, no matter what I do, it is only for your happiness. I have donated some money to the army base to purchase munitions this time, not because I want to ask for promotion prospects for you. I know who you are. You wouldn''t be unworthy of it. All the things I have done are to tell them that you are not alone. You are with me, and FX International Group. We''re right behind you." Edward looked at her with a firm gaze. He promised he would never interfere with her work and kept his words. So he could tell her frankly that he didn''t drag her down. "Sorry. I am too sensitive. I didn''t mean to me you. It''s just that I dislike it that I am always thest one to know everything. I want to feel that I''m worthy of your trust. You are my love and I don''t want you to set me apart from your world on purpose. I hope you understand me. I don''t want any secrets between us. Of course, I am not saying that you need to show everything to me and be ''transparent''. I don''t want to make a bigmotion about nothing. I just hope that I can know the things rted to me in advance. I don''t want to be a puppet." Daisy steadied her rising anxiety. The moment Edward got hurt, she decided that she would never ponder over anything alone no matter how many questions she had. She wouldmunicate with him frankly about everything. Only through this way could she save her rtionship and nobody would be able to take advantage of their mutual suspicion. "Come here." Edward signed slightly. This was just a small thing. She got extremely upset about it. What if she got e a longer one today? But it seemed that he was not responsible for it. His colonel ran into him and hit him. She would not punish him indiscriminately, would she? "Oh! I''m fine, wait a moment." Surprisingly, Daisy wasn''t angry at all, but she hurriedly went out in a quick yet steady pace. "Good morning, Mr. Mu. Where is our colonel going in such a hurry?" Mark turned his head and pondered. He ced the breakfast he brought from Mu House on the coffee table aside. "Mark, are you curious about it?" A meaningful smile appeared on Edward''s mouth. He was really interested in Daisy''s aide. It seemed that he was too bored these days and he was considering finding something interesting. Or he would feel the minutes dragging like hours staying there before he came out of the hospital. "Yes! She is usually patient and calm. And she would definitely punish me in that situation. But I am safe for now. That''s why I am a little bit curious about what made her rush out like this." Mark was a honest man. He didn''t know Edward''s ns and he shared all his thoughts with Edward. Chapter 469 Kevins Feelings For Daisy (Part One) "Well. She''s back now. You can just ask her!" Edward saw Daisy who was already back. A touch of exciting energy gleamed in his eyes. "What are you going to ask me?" Daisy raised the head of the bed upto about 45 degrees while asking Mark. She just confirmed with the nurse that 45-degree was fine and wouldn''t press Edward''s wound. So she immediately took the action as soon as she came back to make Edward feel better by sitting up for a while. "Oh! Nothing much, Colonel, the weather seems good today." Mark twitched his mouth. He realized how sly Mr. Mu was! It''s fine he didn''t tell him the answer. He even sent him in front of the gun. His colonel might punish him to take another cross-country race! He was honest. That was true. But he was not silly enough to mention to her the fact that he had just hit her! He didn''t wish to ask for trouble. "Of course it is. Why are you talking nonsense? Autumn Weather is always good. You are asking a silly question." Daisy frowned slightly and shot a re at him. Then she began to collect her documents andputer. She had already got everything ready. All she needed to do was to print the file when she arrived at the office. "Ur, yes! Are we going to the army base now?" Mark was speechless due to Daisy''s speech. He stroked his hair awkwardly and smiled affably. "Wait a moment. There''s no hurry." She couldn''t rx leaving Edward alone in the hospital. She didn''t want to go before someone took over here. "Honey, are you going to the army base today?" Edward''s eyes darkened. But he didn''t show any sign of unhappiness. He had married a soldier, and he felt a sense of bittersweetness in this situation. She couldn''t always stay beside him even in this particr situation when he was hurt. But he would definitely keep his promise that he would nevere in the way of her work no matter what happened. "Yes! I''ll go when Luke''s here. Is it okay if I ealer as well as the firefight following that. "I don''t think my opinion matters much in this case. Anyway, it has already happened. The most important thing to consider now is whether they would acknowledge the mistake and how we are going to deal with it afterward. I am not supposed to make the judgment, right?" Daisy didn''t like to nitpick about the mistakes of other people. Another reason why she chose to be generous was because Edward was better now; otherwise, she would not have acted so calmly. "I have already reported it to the superiors yesterday. Now that you''re not going to deal with it yourself, let''s wait for their verdict! Kevin, are you done with the follow-up?" "Yes! I''m almost done, they have sent a couple of police officers to offer help. So everything is going smoothly. Colonel Ouyang managed it well, so no other vehicle got involved and there weren''t any misfires either. Besides, the fire field was rtively far, so there wasn''t any panic caused in the surrounding." Kevin''s voice grew hoarse. The non-stop work made him a little tired. But still, he was able to endure it. So he had sat up all night to document the entire process in formalnguage. All he needed to do was to ask Daisy for some details and add them to his document. Chapter 470 Kevins Feelings For Daisy (Part Two) "Good. Then hand over the report to me as soon as possible. And Daisy, have you canceled your vacation in advance? If yes, then write the process as a report and hand it over. Well, you can leave if you are done here." Themander knew that they had a lot of work, so it was inappropriate to hold them. The tasks they were about to manage were quite significant. A massive gunfight had urred. It must have caused a certain degree of disturbance in the society. The leaders in the military would definitely keep a keen eye on this issue. So they needed to prepare a detailed report. "Yes, Commander, I am going back to work today, and I will finish the task immediately." Daisy frowned, but still took the order and left. Kevin left with her too. "Why don''t you take another day off? Is Mr. Mu recovering well?" They walked side by side. Kevin sighed with relief in his heart seeing Daisy wasn''t as disturbed as yesterday. She was recovering from the depression and helplessness. "Ohe on, you know everything, there''s a lot of pending work. As for Edward, he is doing good, thank you! Didn''t you go homest night?" Daisy always turned soft when she spoke about Edward. But soon her tone got worried as she recalled Leena''s unusual behavior fromst night. "Yeah! I''ve been working continuously. Forget about going home; I didn''t even get the time to eat." Kevin extended his hand and lightly patted his aching temple. Heughed at himself helplessly, and a sense of tiredness spread over his handsome face. "Have you called Leena?" Daisy paused a little with eyebrows frowning. She was afraid to hear a negative answer from him. She knew Kevin. He would always forget everything and everyone around him once he got involved in work. So she was concerned whether Leena person with no secrets at all? "Do you think this is important? Have you decided to keep a certain distance from me?" Kevinughed at himself. He feared that they would not be friends once Daisy came to know about his real feelings for her. That''s why for years, Kevin had hidden his unrequited love for her with great difficulty. But ultimately he could not help revealing his feeling, and now she had discovered it. "No, you don''t love me. You only love the illusion of me. You think I''m feeble. What you feel for me is sympathy, not love. You have forced yourself to confuse sympathy with love. As time goes by, an illusion emerged in your mind, you think you''ve loved me for a long time, and it''s not a passing whim. I don''t know whether you agree with me or not." Daisy watched him. They had known each other for many years and they got along really well. Although she didn''t have much experience in love, she knew how people felt when they were secretly falling in love with somebody. They felt grieved when they could not show their love and they didn''t get a response from the one they loved. She didn''t have such feelings for Kevin. Instead, she had only felt it for Edward. Chapter 471 A Clean Hand Wants No Washing (Part One) "I wish I could be like that. I wish that I am attracted to you for other reasons, and not true love. If that were the case, I could put some distance between us. I''d hurt initially, but not for long, and eventually there wouldn''t be a hint of regret surging in my heart." Kevin closed his eyes in pain. In fact, many times, he also had doubts about his true motion. However, his heart was haunted by Daisy''s beautiful silhouette when he thought of her, and when she was around his eyes were fixed on her, no matter how beautiful other women were. He couldn''t stop paying attention to her, nor could he give up his love for her. "Good. Let me ask you another question. How do you feel when I snuggle in another man''s arms? Would you feel your heart bleed, but stille up with all kinds of excuses to justify me? And will you suffocate when you see my tears fall because that man is sad, and my smiles blossom because that man is happy? And what if I am nice to everyone, except you? Will you still feel okay if I ignore you? Do you feel the pain of your heart being torn apart if that happens? Tell you what, I did feel that way. My heart was torn apart when Edward was messing around with other women." Daisy''s voice trembled as she slowly revealed her heart. Her eyes were filled with tears as she recalled her agonizing past. These were her most tormenting memories, full of grief and helplessness, leaving behind a wound that would never be ignored or healed. "Have you ever regretted it? Is Edward worthy of that?" Asked Kevin. At the start, he imagined Daisy''s marriage with Edward to be one without love. Thus he thought that married as she was, he could still win her heart. But today, after listening to her story, he suddenly realized that he would never be able to do that. Edward was the winner; he had already taken her heart. But he pondered Daisy''s questions. Had he ever had such feelings for Daisy, like hers to Edward? No, he didn''t think so. When he watched her affectionate interaction with Edward, it was sad for him, but not to the point of grief. Seeing her tears and smiles caused by Edward''s misfortune or luck, he felt lonely, but never felt that he had to separate re deserted, and never stepped aside when we were in need. And today, I didn''t mean to me you or scold you. What I''m doing now is trying to tell you the truth, like a real friend has to do. And I mean to protect Leena, nothing more, " Said Daisy with a slight frown. She didn''t want their rtionship to be stiff, so when she was talking to Kevin, she tried her best to avoid tough words, so she wouldn''t hurt him. "I''m happy to hear it. I think you''ve got a lot on your te, so you probably need to go get some work done. I''m good, and I need some time to sort things through. But you can rest assured. I''ve been able to handle this matter so sensibly for so long, I won''t do anything inappropriate in the future. I''ve had no improper thoughts since I got married, because I take my title as husband seriously. And let bygones be bygones. My love for you is merely a beautiful memory." Kevin forced a smile. Then he turned away to his office, lips tightened into a line. Although with a touch of sadness, his handsome face was still full of a soldierly demeanor. Daisy sighed inwardly as she watched him walking away. She had said everything she could to advise him. And now she had to leave it to time. She hoped he could lift himself out of this, and live happily ever after. People were always stuck in small problems. But once they got free of their improper thoughts, and stopped overthinking everything, all of these things woulde together. Chapter 472 A Clean Hand Wants No Washing (Part Two) Slightly shaking her head, Daisy also turned away. Since Kevin''s matter was temporarily solved, Edward once again upied her mind. He was so wicked and charming at the same time. She wondered if he was feeling good at this moment, and whether he was doing what the doctor had ordered him to do. She also wondered whether he was thinking of her just like she was thinking of him... "Colonel Ouyang, please wait for a moment." Just as Daisy was about to enter her office, a deep voice sounded behind her. She paused and looked back. When Daisy recognized Hank''s face, she frowned, and coldly questioned. "What do you want? If you want to fight me again, I''ll have to decline the honor. I''m very busy today, and I''m not in the mood to do anything, so just go away if you''re looking to cause problems." That said, she nced at him out of the corners of her eyes. Daisy didn''t want to pay attention to him. She had no idea why this man had to keep on getting on her nerves. There were so many people for him to pick on; why did he have to pick on her? Did he think that she was an easy target, just because she was a woman? Or, did he think that as a man, he should''ve outranked her? But one''s rank was rted to one''s ability. If he didn''t like to be a low-ranking official, he should work harder and win a higher rank. But instead of that, every time he bumped into her, he would find some reason to harp on her. When he started doing it, she thought he might want topete with her, but more often she started to think it was a deliberate act of revenge. "Why are you so busy, Colonel Ouyang? Oh, ording to my new findings, should I salute and call you Mrs. Mu? You always say that you earned your position, which turns out to be a lie. I never thought that the wife of the CEO of FX International Group would keep such a low profile. Are you trying to avoid attention? Or, are you trying to cover up something?" Said Hank sarcastically. Gazing at Daisy, he raised his eyebrows and sneered aggressively. Every word he had said was so mean, but apparently he didn''t think he''d gone too far. He was a shallow, narrow-minded man. He hated the people who had talent, those who were gifted in g her time in the JC Military Academy. "What now, colonel? Are you trashing me by calling me ''idle''? Are you trying to say thatpared to you, I''m nothing?" retorted Hank exasperatedly. He glowered at Daisy with hatred, as the word "idle" had wounded his pride. For a long time, there had been many important tasks and special cases. But themander had entrusted them all to Kevin and Daisy. Comparatively speaking, he waszier than them, which was something he had known. But it didn''t mean that he had to take it when Daisy mentioned it to his face. He felt she was using that as an excuse to hate him, and flew into a rage out of humiliation. "You said it, I didn''t. But if you have to think that way, I won''t stop you. I can''t tell you what to think, can I?" Daisy''s patience was running low. She decided to leave Hank be. He was entitled to enjoy his hallucination. But she wasn''t going to listen to him rant. She didn''t want to talk with him for long, as every word could only pile up resentment in his petty heart. "Colonel Ouyang, don''t get too cocky! If you are as decent as you think you are, you wouldn''t be reported, am I right? What''s more, do you really think I know nothing about your history? Do you really think that the CEO''s wife should be you, not someone else?" Hank was totally enraged by Daisy''s apathy. He had forgotten to hide his secret up his sleeve, andid it out in. He outlined Jessica''s n by opening his big mouth. Chapter 473 Marys Invitation (Part One) "Wait, what do you mean? There was an anonymous tip-off about me some days earlier. Do you have something to do with it? Or you wouldn''t know The Investigation Department''s real purpose talking to me." Daisy shot a stern re at Hank. If he didn''t have anything to do with the tip-off, he wouldn''t know its content because The Investigation Department would never disclose this kind of thing to others just off the cuff. And she didn''t believe that themander would be so careless to tell him about it. So the only exnation would be that he had known it in advance. "I have something to do with it? What are you talking about? There''s a saying: there''s no smoke without fire. Do you know it, Colonel Ouyang? The day has eyes, the night has ears. If you want to keep something a secret, the best way is having no secret. What? I was just guessing. Did I hit it?" Gosh! Hank broke into a cold sweat secretly. He was annoyed with himself that he didn''t remain calm while talking to her. She might have found him out! It looked like that this woman was not the kind who could be fooled easily. He must be careful dealing with her. Otherwise, his life would be destroyed! "Oh, sure! Lieutenant Colonel, you''re really lucky. You know the so-called truth with just a random guess. You''re pretty clever! You seem to be much more brilliant than a fortune-teller. Do you know what I am curious about? I wonder what Jessica Lin has promised you so that you were willing to give up your career and side with her to set me up." Guessing? Who couldn''t do it? The point was whether you''d like to do it or not. She always remained suspicious about Jessica Lin. Now that Hank said he was just guessing, Daisy thought she could do the same too. She decided to make a bold guess that they colluded to Why would she waste her time to see someone who she disliked? She''d much rather spend time with her husband. To her, that was time well spent. "What? You can do whatever you want as a colonel? Don''t give me ck! Soldiers like to im that they are here for the people, for themon men. That they exist to protect the rights of everyone. But here you are, refusing to see me, a civilian. I want to see you. What a simple request. Can''t you even do it? Now I really doubt what kind of promises you, and the army, can keep." Just then Mary stopped her tirade. She was defeated by Daisy''s elegance and beauty that day on the cocktail party for FX International Group. She was upset, but more by her own self. So she was desperate to overshadow Daisy. She wanted to prove that she was the real princess. "You''re talking nonsense. You should know, the army doesn''t exist for you. And I don''t have to satisfy you because you are making trouble out of nothing. But now that you bring up thatmon man crap, and insist you are a civilian that needs my help, I''lle see you. I won''t let you bring a false charge against me. You insist on seeing me, right? Well, let''s decide on a ce." Chapter 474 Marys Invitation (Part Two) Daisy gave a snort of disgust. She smiled scornfully. ''Mary Ouyang, I know what kind of tricks you''re nning to y! Have you figured out some new ones? Quit bitching that I, as a colonel, bullied you. You''re great at lying, no matter to whom. Just like your mother. '' "''Sunset of Dusk''. I''ll see you there." Mary hung up immediately after she finished her words. She picked out the lip stick and applied it carefully to make her lips more beautiful. Then she finished her make up with great satisfaction. Meanwhile, a sense of ignorance emerged in her heart. ''Daisy Ouyang, you are still so innocent. You can''t control your temper as long as I irritate you, right? You are really such a stupid soldier. You can''t bear it at all when someone nders you. This is why you are pathetic! I am curious what a colonel can do in the army. You value the army so much.'' "Mark, let''s go somewhere else! ''Sunset of Dusk'', do you know where it is?" Daisy lowered her hand holding the phone. She asked with slight frowning. "Colonel, no problem at all. Even if I don''t know, we have our GPS." Mark turned the wheel sharply. The car original had been heading for the hospital. But now it was going in another direction. "Yes! No need to rush. Drive slowly. We are not in a hurry." Edward disliked it when he had to wait for someone during a date. As his wife, she was supposed to do the same, wasn''t she? Because a good Jack makes a good Jill. And now she was not in a hurry to see someone she hated. "Yes. Colonel, are you going to put the fear of God in that guy?" Mark watched her through the rear view mirror in the car while driving the car steadily. He inferred that the woman called her must be someone she disliked at a wife of a president has never been to a ce like this? Do you think I''ll believe it?" Mary stared angrily at Daisy who was sitting opposite to her. She looked so cozy and elegant. Mary hated it so much that she couldn''t wait to leave a p in her face topress her confidence. She indeed had wanted to see her embarrassment at first, but she didn''t expect her toe in the military uniform. Daisy was not embarrassed at all. Instead, she stole her thunder. Mary was extremely upset about it. "Come on. I don''t care whether you believe it or not. It seems that you didn''t set a time for the appointment on the phone, right?" Daisy sneered. Then she pointed at the coffee and said to the waiter, "Can I have a cup of Costa Coffee? Thanks." "Are you living in the suburbs? You spent almost one hour driving here. It''s only a 10-minute car ride." She had thought Daisy didn''t know much about coffee. But she had ordered a cup of Costa Coffee. That kind of coffee had an excellent favor. It tasted smooth with rtively higher acid and an attractive aroma. It''s quite popr in the upper ss. The drink of choice was for the rich. Chapter 475 Shut Up (Part One) "Although I don''t live in the suburbs, I work on the military base, it''s far from here. Got a problem with that?" Daisy squinted at Mary. She wore her uniform today, so she sat up straight, as a good soldier should. She looked very spirited and there was no trace ofziness in her image. "Okay, I''ll drop it. I only want to know why you caused problems between my mother and my father. Do you still want toe back to our house? Do you think it possible?" Mary turned the cup in her hand and stared at Daisy in an aggressive manner, her eyes full of contempt. She hated Daisy to the core. Why she was always blessed by the gods? Why did she easily get all the nice things in the world? First, she was born into a good family. Then she got married to a handsome man and became the mother of an adorable boy. What was more irritating to Mary was that Daisy climbed up to the high position of a Colonel at such a young age. All these were something she couldn''t get even if she toiled and struggled for her whole life, while Daisy getting them so easily as if they were at her fingertips. How could she not feel envious, jealous and hateful? "Your house? Huh! As a Colonel, I don''t miss that dirty ce at all! Why do you think I''d even want to?" Although she said it easily, she felt very sad in her heart. Mary said "my father", yes! From the moment when Mary and Yakira entered the house, Daisy''s father had be Mary''s father. Daisy couldn''t remember any moment that she could feel her father''s love for her since they came. So Mary was right. It was Daisy''s fault to still hold onto the sweet memory she enjoyed in childhood, even her rtionship with her family hade to this hopeless point. "Since y already crossed the table in front of her, her tender fingers firmly grasping Mary''s lower jaw, her eyes ring at Mary ferociously. "Daisy, what are you doing? Are you going to beat me up right here? Aren''t you afraid that you''ll be punished by the army?" Gazing at Daisy, she could see the colonel had a sinister look on her face. Mary was frightened. She couldn''t imagine that the cruel woman before her was the Daisy she knew. Daisy used to be a very weak and vulnerable maid in her house. And she felt horrible, Daisy was like the evil god Sura from Hell. "Punish? I''m a Colonel, do you think anyone will trust you? Do you think that I will be punished because I beat a woman who insults a military officer? What can you do if I send you to jail today? Let alone beat you here. You''d better watch your vicious foul mouth, or you''ll quickly find a bullet in your head. You disgust me!" It was true that Daisy''s attitude was imperious, but she really had the ability to mess with Mary. If she really became ruthless, it was a breeze for her to get rid of her. It depended on whether Daisy was willing to dirty her noble hands to do it. Chapter 476 Shut Up (Part Two) "Ah! Help! Sh-sh-she''s going to kill me!" Although Mary''s jaw was firmly gripped by Daisy''s hand, she began to call for help. Who knew if Daisy meant it or not? But if you looked at how cold she was, the rage in her eyes, it looked like she was serious. "Kill you? Do you think you deserve to be killed by a Colonel? Shut up, or I might carry through on my promises. The more you smart off to me, the angrier I''ll get. I think you don''t need me to remind you of this. This is what I''m like. Surprised by my little hobby, huh?" Daisy sensed the gaze of other people boring into her from the corner of her eye. She narrowed her eyes and released Mary. Ultimately, she was helpless. She didn''t want to ruin her good image and the image of the whole troop. So she couldn''t do anything to this hateful woman. But at least she vented her anger by intimidating her. "You... You..." Hearing Daisy''s words, angry as she was, Mary didn''t dare spit out any more insults. Mary was terrified by Daisy''s evil look. Besides, the dignified uniform Daisy wore alone would have made Mary humble herself in the presence of Daisy. "What else do you want to say? If you''ve nothing else to say, I''m leaving." Daisy knew she already attracted attention from other people around the ce, so she must leave here as soon as possible. If she was recognized by anyone, she would get into trouble. She didn''t want to make the headlines of tomorrow''s newspapers because of this. "Haha! Daisy, is this how you abuse your position? So bullying innocent citizens is also your duty." Followed by sweetughter, Jessica a o threaten her. He had underestimated Jessica. She would not be afraid of this useless man. "Oh! Since you have mentioned that he once belonged to you. You said ''once.'' So it was a fling in the past. And I don''t really care about what happened in the past. But you really don''t know Hank? Then it''s so strange. Did I mishear this morning? I''m sorry, my life has been too sweet recently and sometimes I get lost in thought. Otherwise I would not have misheard this morning that Hank mentioned something like he had a one-night affair with the daughter of the CEO of Lin Group." Daisy scratched her hair and pretended to be innocent. She was ying the trick of pretending to be as weak as a pig, luring the tiger to her trap and getting the prey. She didn''t believe that Jessica wouldn''t care when she talked about how happy she was with Edward. Daisy knew Jessica was deeply obsessed with Edward, so after Jessica heard Daisy''s remarks, she would certainly be very annoyed. Then Daisy would see whether she would lose herposure and fall into her trap. Chapter 477 Sleeping Around "People talk. If I took every rumor seriously, I''d have no time to eat or sleep. That''s the life of us rich and famousdies. Everyone brags and gossips about us, and wishes their lives are somehow connected with us. How many of them do you think are telling the truth?" Jessica said. Then she thought, ''Humph! Daisy, you want to anger me? In your dreams! It might be a good n, but I''m not as stupid as Mary, who gets irritated easily by a few words of yours.'' "I''m not from a wealthy family, maybe I was wrong, but there''s no smoke without fire. Sometimes the truth emerges after someone stirs things up. Isn''t that the favorite trick of the so-called upper-ss?" Daisy''s eyelids drooped, as if she was staring at the coffee mug, but she stole a nce at those hostile women every now and then. "You seem to have a problem with the upper-ss. Do you think it is appropriate to hate rich people so much, as the wife of the CEO of FX International Group?" Coco held Daisy responsible for her being shut out of entertainment business by Edward, because she thought if Daisy hadn''t showed up in Edward''s life, he wouldn''t have dumped her cousin Jessica, and things would have been different. She would have remained a superstar in the spotlight. "I have never hated rich people. Being rich or poor depends on your attitude, that is, how much you think is enough. I never force myself to work for money. I''m contented with afortable, happy life. By the way, we''ve never met. Do you think it is appropriate to talk with me in that tone?" Daisy didn''t recall she had offended this pretty woman. "Gee, how embarrassing! You don''t even recognize Coco, an international superstar. What a hillbilly! Don''t ever tell anyone you''re an Ouyang. You''re a shame to that name." Now that other people were here, Mary wasn''t afraid of Daisy anymore. She sneered at her and started to humiliate her as much as she could. "Why should I know her? I''m not a teenager who spends every waking hour keeping up with her favorite stars. And I''m not a silly girl chasing meaningless things. As for the name Ouyang, I wish it had nothing to do with my life. So stop pretending it is an honorable name, you make me want to puke." Daisy didn''t care if her family background was revealed. She wasn''t worried about what kind of verbal attack mighte at her next. No one had ever scared her in her entire life. At this moment she faced her enemies bravely. "Interesting. Daisy, as I recall I asked youst time whether you knew Mary or not, you d. She shared the same mother with Brian, but he was never close to her. Instead, he was always protecting Daisy and behaved affectionately toward her in front of Mary. She couldn''t take it anymore. "Blpph! Mary, did you get kicked in the head? You have forgotten everything I told you. I have only one sister and that is Daisy. You? You don''t deserve to be anybody''s sister. I''ll deal with you about what happened today at home. I warned you not to bother Daisy again. But you not only didn''t listen to me but also allied yourself with these loose women and humiliated her. What should I do with you? Huh?" Brian gave a bigger smile. In truth he didn''t just bump into Daisy. He had called her up and Mark told him that she was here. So he hade to see her, but only to find that several women were bullying her. He couldn''t help getting involved. "Watch your damn mouth! Who were you referring to as loose women?" Coco warned. She was pompous and wouldn''t stand anybody talking about her like that. "Whoever responds to it. I never mentioned a name." Brian smiled evilly and nced at Coco with his eyebrows raised. Another disgusting, pretentious woman pretending to be innocent and noble. "You say Daisy is your sister and Mary says she is your sister too. Is Daisy a member of the Ouyangs? But why did I never hear about her? Is she a bastard?" Jessica asked Brian with her hand on her cheek. It still stung, and was turning red. That was the question on her mind. But her eyes were fixed on Daisy resentfully. Why did everyone love her? Both her inws and the others around her. Why was she so perfect in their eyes that they were willing to do everything to protect her? Chapter 478 The Princess Of Ouyang Family (Part One) "Bastard? Are you talking about yourself? My sister is the real princess of Ouyang Family. She is a pure Ouyang but never shows off. Oh, talking about showing off, one of us is clearly inferior. She goes around showing off, proiming she''s highborn when she''s not. Oh my God, I''m so sick of it." Brian had a sharp wit. Not only was he making fun of Mary, but he skewered all the upper ss people with their noses in the air, who were mean simply because they''re rotten people. He had a discerning eye, and regarded them as inferiors. "You lie! How could she be the princess of Ouyang Family. If she really is, why have I never seen her at those grand cocktail parties? She doesn''t even attend any social activities. Are you trying to confuse us?" In Jessica Lin''s opinion, Daisy Ouyang had been, was, and always would be a woman of humble birth. It was a fact that could never be changed, even if she was a colonel, an invaluable military officer. So she always had a condescending manner. The only advantage she had was the higher-ss blood that flowed in her veins. But what was Brian saying now? That Daisy Ouyang was the princess of Ouyang Family! If that were true, then Jessica''s advantage was gone. After all, Ouyang Foreign Trade was asrge as Lin Group. "Hum! Do you think I''m the kind who always ims to be rted to others? Of course my sister is the princess. Oh, it depends on whether she''s willing to im she is a member of Ouyang Family or not. Do you know Cheng Financial Group? It was a consortium that belonged to Daisy''s grandfather on her mother''s side. It''s the predecessor of Ouyang Foreign Trade." At first, Brian didn''t know the history of Ouyang Foreign Trade. After the cocktail party of FX International Group, he made some further inquiries and found out that it had been a co ond my reach." Brian picked up Daisy'' coffee and took a sip. He gave Daisy a thumbs up, conveying that the coffee tasted good and she must have a deep understanding about coffee. "Well, well, well! What an intimate picture..." Coco lifted her eyebrows andughed disdainfully at Daisy. She didn''t care about everyone else''s opinions of Daisy. All she wanted was to find every opportunity to tease and embarrass Daisy and her alone. "For sure. I saw it too." Although Jessica''s face was still slightly red and swollen, it was not as serious as Daisy''s face had been yesterday. Probably because Brian hadn''t pped her with much strength. You''d hardly notice it. Jessica grew quite jealous at the sight of Brian sipping the coffee and getting along well with Daisy. It was totally an eyesore for her. She felt that Brian and Daisy were so close, so in sync, that no one could keep them apart. She couldn''t figure out how she felt about it, either. Envy? Or Admiration? She didn''t know. Daisy didn''t say anything. Her slight and indifferent smile resting on her mouth made it difficult for others to read her mind. It seemed that they were not talking about her but others. She seemed to be lost in her world. Chapter 479 The Princess Of Ouyang Family (Part Two) "Intimate? I don''t think so. There is only one reason for your dirty mind; you have a problem understanding others. It looks like that we are on different mental levels because I am far smarter than you." Brian had been abroad, and hadn''t been back in the country for long. So he didn''t know the two aggressive women. But he would never miss the opportunity to speak up for Daisy without hesitation as long as someone, no matter who they were, talked badly of her. No matter how powerful their family might be, he would always be on Daisy''s side. Daisy was the most important person in his mind. "Hey boy! Is this the family education of Ouyang? Watch your manners. How can you be so rude talking with your elders?" Coco disliked Brian''s easy smile. Also, she hated it when he made fun of her intelligence because she had done terrible in school. Else she wouldn''t have decided to give up on university and be an actress. It was a sensitive topic for her. "Colonel, Mr. Mu''s calling." The moment Brian was about to move his lips and retort, Mark suddenly walked in and passed the phone to Daisy respectfully. "Hello! This is Daisy." Daisy believed it was hard to tell whether someone in a manner matched their family education or not. Just examining the words would be not enough. Actions speak louder than words. So she just turned a deaf ear to them. "Honey, are you busy at work?" Edward had been waiting for quite a long time, but he didn''t see his little woman. So he got the phone from Luke and made the call. He didn''t mean to nag her. He was just a little worried. "Oh, a little bit. But I''m already back in town. Are you feeling okay now?" Daisy frowned for an instant. She had wanted to go to t stopped her from pping Daisy in the facest time, he was supposed to do the same this time. He didn''t know the history between Mr. Mu and her, but he would never allow her hurt his colonel. "You again! Are you a dog? Why are you always following her?" Jessica had only concentrated on the words ''Mr. Mu''s calling'' when Mark came in just now. She hadn''t paid much attention to other things. But now seeing Mark standing in front of her, she recognized him as the guy who grabbed her hand when she was about to p Daisy. "Sorry, no! I''m a dragon, not a dog. But how kind of you to ask about my birthday. Oh, what''s more, I''m Colonel''s apanying officer, namely her bodyguard. I''m in charge of her daily life and safety. So it''s reasonable that I am always following her." Mark exined in a serious manner. His words, together with his good-natured expression were so funny. If they were not in the wrong ce at the wrong time, Brian would burst intoughter at what he saw now. Mark looked like a good-natured man, but he actually insulted Jessica. What he said was damn ironic! He mocked her without a single dirty word. Chapter 480 I Have A Gun and Im Not Afraid to Use It (Part One) "Miss Lin, you don''t need to worry about him. You''d better take care of yourself! After all, you are pregnant now, aren''t you? Mark, let''s go." Daisy left without hesitation as soon as she finished speaking. She looked extremely charming in her olive green military uniform when she walked towards the entrance of the cafe. Daisy was tall, slender and good-shaped. But her face was cool and solemn. She looked too dignified and too aloof to wee attention from anybody. "Behave yourself. Next time I hear you insulting our colonel, you won''t get off easy. I have a gun, and I''m not afraid to use it." Although Mark still looked like a simple honest boy, he tried his best to speak like a mature senior officer. He would despise himself if he behaved otherwise in front of this arrogant woman. No sooner had Mark finished speaking he scurried to catch up with Daisy. He cared nothing about who Jessica Lin was and what she could do! Mark respected Daisy a lot. He was willing to defend and fight for her, and would turn into a tiger in front of those who intended to hurt Daisy. "Mary, we''ll discuss this when we''re back home. I''m going to give you a piece of my mind." Brian swept a nce at the girls before finally settling his gaze on Mary. Then he turned and left without hesitation. Jessica bit her lip in fury, and clenched her hands tightly into firm little fists. When she thought of Daisy''s arrogance, she felt a strong desire to tear her apart. Everyone had warned and threatened her, taking Daisy''s side. She hated that feeling. Jessica wondered whether she was a pushover in everyone''s opinion. Even a young soldier dared to insult and threaten her. Who the hell did he think he was? Jessica would stand for no more of this humiliation. She must fight back and take revenge! ''Just wait and see, Daisy!'' Jessica said to herself, ''I will never forget what happened today. And you are the one who humiliated me to the point of no return. You are the one! I will never forget what you did to me. And the day wille when I settle all the grudges between you and me!'' "So that''s it?" Coco asked Jessica with a frown. She knew Jessica very well. It was impossible for Jessica to swallow any indignity. Blood for blood, that was the principal philosophy that Jessica believed in her life. She would do everything she could to take revenge for the embarrassment she suffered. And she never failed in carrying out that philosophy. The only difference was how she did it. "But what can we do now? Do you have any better w ver met each other until today. Was it possible that Coco was one of Edward''s ex-girlfriends? "Was it because of Edward?" Brian asked tentatively. Fighting over a man was the mostmon cause for the enmity between women. Edward was charming and was born into a wealthy family. Brian believed that many women were willing to vie for his love. He was fully aware why those woman hated Daisy so much. "Just forget it! They are just exes. Whatever happened between them and Edward is over. I don''t want to spend too much time and energy on the past. It means nothing to me. The future is the only thing I want to look forward to. Obsessing over the past will not help me to build a better future." Daisy didn''t want Brian to know about her embarrassing past. Even she herself felt ashamed about it. What would happen if Brian knew? He always tried to protect her. Could Brian stay calm after knowing all this about her miserable past? Daisy didn''t want to ask for trouble for her own sake. "Okay, let''s look forward to the future. The past has nothing to do with us. But what matters now is where we are heading?" The question suddenly struck Brian when they were far off from the cafe. "The hospital. Edward was injured." Daisy trusted Brian a lot. She had no intention to hide Edward''s injury from him. Besides, there was something Daisy wanted to know from Brian. "What? Was it serious? How did it happen?" Actually, Brian didn''t ask for Edward''s sake, but Daisy''s. He just worried about her. Edward was the man Daisy loved, after all. "It was my fault he got into a gunfight. He would be perfectly fine otherwise. Lucky for us, the wound wasn''t fatal. He''ll recover soon." Chapter 481 I Have A Gun and Im Not Afraid to Use It (Part Two) Daisy forced a bitter smile. She didn''t want to experience anything terrible like that again. Gunfights were stressful all on their own, let alone this one. Killing was never easy. If it was, you''d be insane. The battle had frayed her nerves. Daisy had to admit that she was incapable of facing such a scene again. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Brian asked and studied Daisy carefully up and down. He only felt rxed when he was sure that Daisy was not hurt. "I didn''t get hurt. But I would be the one lying on the bed in the hospital but for Edward. He used his body to shield me and was shot as a result." Daisy stretched out her hand and touched Brian on his head. She fondled his hair in an amiable way. She was satisfied with her life. She had everything that all women were dreaming of: a husband who loved her heart and soul, a cute son, and beloved family members who cared for her very much. Now, Brian, her lovely brother, was back. She had one more person to love and one more person to love her. She was given everything she longed for, she couldn''t wish for more! "Sis, it''s okay." Brian took Daisy gently into his arms. He knew well that Daisy was still haunted by bad memories arising from the horrible gunfight, even if it was in the past. Brian could feel how Daisy felt about Edward from her words and actions. She must love Edward very much. She looked gentle and affectionate whenever she mentioned Edward. But Edward almost died for her. How could Daisy bear the terrible memory of the ident that had nearly killed him? "Thank you, Brian!" Brian''s gentle hug was different from Edward''s. Edward always smelled of a hint of jasmine, a scent that was sexually alluring to Daisy. But in Brian''s arms, what Daisy felt was the vigor belonging to a young man. Brian''s hug was as warm as sunshine, and gave Daisy the energy and vitality that she needed when she was in the darkness. Daisy felt peace in Brian''s hug, and lingered longer in his arms to absorb the positive energy she needed. Mark knew nothing about Brian, he didn''t even know he existed. He felt puzzled when he picked up and answered Daisy''s cell phone that she had forgotten in the back seat. He wondered where the hell this so-called brother came from. Daisy seemed l d such words tofort Brian. Brian could clearly feel it. "I want to ask Brian something. I''ll be back soon." Daisy gave Edward a gentle peck on his forehead. Although the kiss was as mild as a drop of rain falling into ake, it immediately appeased Edward and quenched his wrath. Edward smiled heartily. "Hmm! I''ll wait for you." Although Edward had no idea what Daisy wanted to get out of Brian, he had no desire to figure it out. Everybody had his or her privacy. Even the most intimate lovers had their own secrets. Edward didn''t mind if Daisy told him everything about her or not. He just hoped that Daisy was honest with him and was willing to tell him her true feelings if she had any doubts about him. Frankness and honesty were the only ways to dispel misunderstandings. "Okay! I must be as transparent as the air. You guys were going at it like I wasn''t even here, " Brian grumbled and expressed his disapproval. But he felt happy in his heart when he saw Daisy and Edward were in such a close rtionship. Daisy''s happiness was his greatest wish as well as his greatestfort. But he wondered what Daisy wanted to know from him. "Sorry if we two lovebirds upset you so much, why don''t you find a girlfriend, and get intimate with her in front of us? Then we''ll be even." Edward said and looked at Brian with a satisfied expression. He smiled at Brian like an immoral winner would smile at a pitiful loser. Edward was so mean that anyone would fly into a rage over what he just did. Chapter 482 The Dowry Was The Whole Property Of The Company (Part One) "Not for me. Women are all unreasonable creatures. Of course, my sister is an exception." Brian reached out his index finger and shook it to show his disapproval. He was not a nut. He wouldn''t be that bored as to have to find a woman to torture himself. "Let''s go! you''re talking too much!" They were separated for too long, and inevitably they both had changed much since they parted. But one thing always remained the same, their feelings for each other which they treasured in their hearts would never change. These were the true emotions they had developed in their childhood. "Okay, spit it out! If I know the answer, I''ll tell you all the things I know. If not, you''ll have to suffer, " he teased. As soon as they walked out of the ward, Brian sat down on the sofa in the small living room, looking utterly carefree. "Is it true about what you said back there? That Ouyang Foreign Trade is the asset left by my grandfather?" Daisy actually knew nothing about her mother''s family background. It wasn''t because she didn''t remember anything, it was because her mother had never mentioned it to her. So she was very curious when Brian brought up the topic about her grandfather. "Yes, probably everyone in the upper ss knows about it. It''s old news, so maybe it looks like more rumor than truth. But if you really want to know the truth, it''s not difficult, " Brian sneered in self-mockery. In fact, he had already lost his faith in his so-called family. He couldn''t feel warm with his family anymore, on the contrary, it pushed him to desperation, he felt even colder in his heart. He viewed them with disdain. In his family''s eyes, interests were the first priority. They never considered how other member in this family felt about. O isfortune. Not because she was shocked by her grandparents'' death. After all, she had never seen them before or spent time with them, so she didn''t have deep feelings for them, let alone be heartbroken for their death. "Mommy! Uncle Brian!" Before Daisy could regain herposure from the sadness, Justin ran towards them with a sweetugh, followed by his grandparents. "Ah! Justin, you''re even more handsome now!" Brian opened his arms and took Justin into his arms. He intentionally rubbed his barely-visible stubble on Justin''s tender cheeks. "Dad, Mom." Daisy smiled gently, trying to hide her sadness. "Daisy, why don''t you get some rest at home? Besides you, there are many people working for the army. What if you fall ill due to exhaustion? We''d feel bad." Cynthia frowned and was very worried about Daisy''s health. "I''m fine. I''m used to it. Don''t worry about me." She liked to be cared for like this, she felt very warm in her heart when she was cared for by others. "It makes me more worried if you have already gotten used to it. I can''t imagine how much work you are doing every day that the toil has already be a habit for you." Chapter 483 The Dowry Was The Whole Property Of The Company (Part Two) Cynthia reached her hand and slicked back Daisy''s hair. Such a gentle move gave Daisy a familiar feeling. Edward also liked to twiddle with her hair, Daisy realized this habit was inherited from his mother''s tenderness. No matter how much he rejected her mother''s love, his cold heart had already been melted by this love. Blood is thicker than water, the saying goes, and this seemed to hold true now. The leaves on the trees by the side of the road moved with the gentle breeze, like mischievous spirits dancing wantonly. Kevin drove fast along this road. He felt anxious about what Daisy had said to him this afternoon. He had thought to call Leena to show that he cared, but he always got a busy line when he called. He licked his chapped lips caused by the dry weather in the autumn, his eyebrows furrowing deeper. He could have gotten off work earlier. But he was dyed by some urgent affair. This was ordinary as a soldier and Kevin couldn''t do anything about it. He actually had no time at his disposal. It only took half an hour for Kevin to arrive at his apartment, he usually would spend an hour in traffic. Obviously he drove very fast. He took a deep breath in front of the door. He had thought to ring the bell, but he paused before pressing the button. He gave up on the idea and took the key out of his briefcase. He had imagined that at the moment he opened the door, he would see a sweet scene as Leena would smile gracefully at him under the soft light in surprise. It was his turn to be surprised, for when he opened the door, what embraced him wasplete darkness in the house. He turned on the light in doubt, the whol s? When did he ever take the initiative to call her before? And when did he care about her? She stupidly waited for him the whole night yesterday, because she still had a glimmer of hope for him. But she had already be numb and desperate after waiting for him so long till now. From the moment when she came back home from the hospital, she had imagined numerous scenes how she could face him when he came back. But he didn''t show up the whole night, and worse, he didn''t even call. Okay, he was a soldier, and probably there were cases when it was not convenient for him to make a call. For that she would not take offense and it was forgivable. But from yesterday night till tonight, she didn''t eat anything. She had tried hard to persuade herself to go out to rx a bit, because she worried that her mind would explode with nervous tension. but she didn''t think that she''d be confronted with Kevin''s harsh interrogation the moment she walked in the door. And this finally led to the burst of her emotions which had umted in her heart for awhile now. It had been a long timeing. Chapter 484 Take My Responsibility As Your Husband (Part One) Kevin heaved a deep sigh as he stood still, trying topose himself. He then gently knocked on the door and said, "Leena, please open the door. I''m sorry for what I said; but believe me that I didn''t mean it. I can exin. Would you please open the door for me?" Kevin didn''t mean to me Leena or anything. He only raised his voice because he was worried about her, a beautiful young girl wandering around alone in the night. He made a mistake by blurting out those harsh words without thinking too much about it, and he didn''t expect that it would hurt Leena''s feelings. Inside the bedroom, Leena remained silent the whole time. She didn''t know what was wrong with her either. Why would she get upset and sad like this simply because of something he said? She knew that he wasn''t really mad at her, nor did he try to give her an earful. Leena had always been a generous girl, who never held grudges against anyone who didn''t mean to hurt her. But why would she act like this? Was it because the person was Kevin? "Leena, if you don''t open the door for me, I''m afraid I''ll have to break the door. You should know that I''m a soldier, and this door won''t stop me if I want to go inside." Leaning against the door, Kevin tried to be as patient as he could with Leena. In fact, he hadn''t had slept properly for two whole days. Almost on the verge of breakdown, he was too exhausted to have a fight with Leena. He only hoped she could open the door and listen to him, and then maybe he could get some sleep. "I... I''m fine. Don''t worry about me. I just want some time alone. Please don''t mind me." Trying to suppress the urge to burst into tears, Leena said between silent sobs. She had to make some random excuse in case Kevin did break in like he said. She didn''t know how to face him at this point. Her mind was in a mess; neither usation nor suspicion was the way she wanted to use to settle what had been going on between her and Kevin. "You''re crying!" Kevin said, as he heard Leena''s slightly trembling voice. He went nk for a second. He then got even more anxious. He thought Leena locked the door simply because she was annoyed and didn''t want to talk to him, because of what he had said downstairs. He had never expected that Leena would cry over that. He did put on a stern face, but everything didn''te out right and he didn''t mean to scold ing in the air, in the distance and covered with mist. Maybe she was really exhausted, or maybe she was telling herself that she needed to fall asleep to help her forget things she didn''t want to think about anymore. Either way, Leena was worn out, both mentally and physically. She soon fell into slumber. Only in her dreams could she forget about the disturbing thoughts, the sharp pain in her heart and the deep sorrow that couldn''t find a outlet. What''s more, only in her dreams could Leena avoid facing Kevin or thinking about what exactly she felt about him. After hearing Leena''s words, instead of waiting outside and trying to talk Leena into opening the door for him again, Kevin decided to respect Leena and give her some space as she wished. There were too many problems going on between them two, and what they really needed was a sit-down and face-to-face talk rather than guessing one another''s minds through a closed door. Keeping things to themselves would do them no good in the long run as a couple. Kevin knew they needed to talk, but now wasn''t a good time. Leena got a little emotional and upset, so he''d better wait for her to calm down first. Having made up his mind, Kevin turned around abruptly and went downstairs. He went directly into the kitchen to make some noodles for both him and Leena. He could sense that Leena didn''t have any dinner just like him. Although he wasn''t sure whether Leena would forgive him and eat the noodles cooked by him, he had to try his luck, because he couldn''t sit around and let her starve, at least not in his house. Chapter 485 Take My Responsibility As Your Husband (Part Two) After a while, Kevin went back upstairs with the noodles. He gently knocked on the bedroom door again, but he heard no response from inside the room. With a frown, he tried again and knocked harder on the door. Still, Leena didn''t open the door nor make any sound. He could only hear the sound of his knocks echoing in the corridor. Kevin tried to turn the knob, but to his disappointment, Leena had locked the door from inside when she came into the bedroom. Staring at the closed door for a short while, Kevin turned around and headed to his study. If Leena wouldn''t open the door for him, he could always use the spare key to open the door himself! After Kevin fetched the spare key and opened the locked bedroom, he was stunned to see the woman who was soundly sleeping in their bed. Holding the noodles, Kevin suddenly had no idea what he should do at the moment. He wasn''t gone for long, and he definitely didn''t expect that Leena would fall asleep so soon. He thought maybe she was just locking herself in the bedroom and secretly angry with him. Slowly and gently, Kevin made a beeline for the bedside. Leena was curling herself up like a little kitten, a delicate porcin doll. No matter what Kevin felt about Leena before, his heart softened all of a sudden at the sight of the sleeping beauty. Men were always like this. They had an issue with the heroplex. They tended to y the alpha male and protect the weak and delicate. As a man, and more importantly, a Major General in the army, Kevin couldn''t help feeling like keeping Leena under his wings to protect her from any harm all of a sudden. Kevin pulled the quilt over to cover her in case she would catch a cold. Then he gently tucked the hair falling on her face behind her ear. Upon seeing the tear stains on her pretty face, Kevin froze for a while. Her tears somehow bruised his heart. Hesitant, he reached out his fingers to caress her creamy skin. The touch of her fair skin was so fascinating that he couldn''t help but slightly pinch her rosy cheek before wiping the tear stains for her. He went nk for a few seconds as his fingers met her tender lips. It felt like he was spellbound and couldn''t move his eyes away from her. Finally, Kevin forced a bitter smile and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. He then sat back while fixing his eyes on Leena''s sleeping profile. He sighed heavily as he That was why she didn''t bring her pajamas or changing clothes with her into the bathroom. When she got out of the tub, she just casually dried the water off her body and walked to the closet to find something to wear. While she was humming a tune and going through her closet, naked, Kevin, the one who she thought couldn''t be there, showed up at the door. Kevin''s face slightly twitched. He felt a bit awkward because he had seen everything whether he intended to do so or not. Now that Leena had wrapped herself up, was it necessary for him to turn around? He didn''t see the point anyway. But he knew she was coy and embarrassed at the moment. Thinking about all the problems between them that they hadn''t found a proper way to settle and make their rtionship less awkward, Kevin then decided not to provoke her any further and simply turn around as she demanded, in case she got mad at him this time. Upon seeing Kevin turn around with his back to the door, Leena turned to the closet and randomly grabbed her underwear and her clothes before hastily dashing into the bathroom again. She blushed as she ran. She secretly med herself for not checking whether she was really alone in the house before she went out of the bathroom without wearing anything. She was a married woman and this was not her home; she should have been more careful! Leena felt so humiliated that she didn''t even know how to face Kevin right now. What would he think of her? What could she say to exin herself? Leena could only sigh heavily in distress. This was going to be harder than she thought. Chapter 486 Watch This Video Leena stumbled into the bathroom. Hearing the noise behind, Kevin couldn''t help but turn his head to see Leena trip over the long sheet. Fortunately, she didn''t fall down. Kevin strode to pick up the bra that Leena dropped in a panic. There was a wicked smile on his handsome face. He knew that Leena would be upset once she realized that her bra was missing. Sure enough, Leena pulled a long face when she couldn''t find her bra. She muttered to herself, ''Come on! Where''s my bra? I remember bringing it with me. Why can''t I find it?'' Kevin stopped outside the bathroom. Pursing his lips, he cleared his throat and knocked at the door to attract Leena''s attention. He could imagine how anxious Leena was in the bathroom. "Please wait a few more minutes. I''ll be ready soon." Leena looked into the mirror sullenly, on the verge of tears. She racked her brain for solutions regardless of her restlessness. "Are you sure you only need a few minutes? Do you need my help? I have something in my hand." Kevin fiddled with thece bra that he picked up from the ground. He didn''t expect someone who seemed petite and cute like Leena to have avant-garde ideas and good taste for clothing. Leena blushed at Kevin''s words. Thinking of Kevin shaking his head at her bra in disdain, she subconsciously looked down at her small but plump breasts. She got angry at her carelessness. "Give it to me." With a flushed face, Leena opened a crack in the door and stretched out her delicate hand. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as her nervousness grew. "The pattern and color look nice, but it''s a bit small." Kevin smirked, cing the bra on her shaky hand. "So what? You''re behaving indecently." Leena withdrew her hand as soon as she got the bra and immediately closed the door. To be sure, she deftly locked the door. "Hey, do I behave indecently?" Kevin was stunned. He had always been a wless man in the eyes of others. Why did Leena say that he behaved indecently? "Yes. Beyond the shadow of a doubt." Leena shivered at the thought of Kevin holding her bra between the fingers and staring at it with lecherous thoughts. "As the saying goes, he who wants to beat a dog will easily find a stick. It''s difficult to get along with women and viins. Fine. I won''t argue with you. Come out after you get dressed. I have to take a shower." Kevin smiled helplessly. This was the real Leena, charming and energetic. Mncholy didn''t suit her at all. Instead, she was supposed to be cheerful and outgoing. "I''m ready." The mini skirt and chiffon blouse gave Leena a graceful, aristocratic and elegant temperament. T the video. She had doubts about Hank and Jessica, but she didn''t know why Hank would do this to her. Was she really the reason why he didn''t get promoted? His deep resentment must be the reason why he wanted to bring her down. No matter how much Hank had provoked Daisy, she thought that he only desired to excel over her. She didn''t think that he would be so narrow-minded. He assumed that he would get what he wanted and be promoted if he brought Daisy down. What a pity. Didn''t he know that he had to pass various assessments before he could get a promotion? "You really have no idea of this? I assumed it was sent by order of Mr. Mu. I thought you would know something. Now I''m confused." Themander started to doubt if the video was sent by Edward. By the look of things, Daisy seemed to be ignorant of the matter. "Did he? I didn''t even know that he had this video. When did he find out that someone filed an usation against me?" Daisy was stunned. She didn''t mention it to Edward, but it seemed that Edward knew about it. Mark most likely told Edward about it. He catered to Edward''s wishes so much that it looked like he worked for Edward. "The background of the video is the anniversary venue of the FX International Group. Someone clearly recorded the conversation between them. I think only someone who works for Mr. Mu would link the rtionship between the two. Otherwise, who else would know you were being investigated in the army base?" Kevin analyzed calmly. He had carefully observed the security situation at the venue and found that it was heavily guarded. This must be credited to Luke. Luke was apparently Edward''s bodyguard. Impressively, he considered every aspect of the security. He shouldn''t be underestimated. Chapter 487 No One to Blame but Himself (Part One) "There''s a reason behind his actions. He sponsored the military equipment purchase and invited the military officials to attend the anniversary party. He did these things for me, didn''t he?" Complicated feelings surged in Daisy''s heart. She didn''t know how to describe how she felt. Edward had done so many things in secret for her. Usually, she would be angry that he had kept everything from her. But at this moment, she wasn''t upset at all. Instead, she felt warm-hearted. Was this how it felt to be doted on by Edward? He removed all the barriers for her and never talked about his ns to her. All he showed in front of her was his sweet concern. Sometimes, he pleased her through ttery. "The sponsorship cooperation started before you were reported anonymously. We discussed about it during our meeting. At that time, we thought the president of the FX International Group was strange, because he didn''t state any terms that would be advantageous for hispany. He only reserved rights for one requirement. As for what he wanted in detail, none of us knew. But he promised that his requirement would not pose any threat to the army and cause any problem. He said it would just be a minor requirement. Now, I understand him. He reserved the rights for you." Themander had a high opinion of Edward. He was young, but he managed such a bigpany. What''s more, FX International Group was well-developed in every aspect under his management. Though it was a family business he took over from his father, it couldn''t have developed into such a grand tycoon without his clever brain and diplomatic shrewdness. The FX International Group was currently part of the top 10 most powerful corporations. "I don''t know. He didn''t tell me about it at all. I only found out about the sponsorship the day before yesterday." Daisy grew slightly flustered. She had talked with Edward about it yesterday morning. Although she had been a little aggressive at that time, she didn''t me him for it. She just didn''t like it when he kept things from her. She understood that it was his unique way of protecting her. But she preferred to face all difficulties together with him instead of being under his protection. Kevin''s heart g out the thin ss window. He watched the clouds float across the sky. He was bored with his lonely life in the hospital. There was nothing he could do as a patient. He fiddled with his new cell phone. It was one of thetest mobile phones with a modern and unique design. But he wasn''t used to it because there weren''t any pictures of Daisy in it and he couldn''t save one as the screensaver. He wanted to see her beautiful face every time he unlocked his phone. Now, the phone was just a cold electronic product to him. He''d rather watch the changing clouds in the sky. It would be more interesting. "Mr. Mu." Luke caught Edward''s lonely face when he came in. He knew Edward must be feeling quite bored in the hospital. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be showing such a dull and lonely expression. Luke anticipated that he would grow bored, so he went back to the hospital as soon as possible. But he first went to the suburbs after handing the video in, afraid that his men might torture Paul Du to death. Before everything was clear, he didn''t want him to die. "Yes! You''re back. How are things going?" Edward tore his gaze from the clouds. He already anticipated the result. Although Daisy looked cold and indifferent, her soft heart might make her forgive Hank if he begged her. That was why he deliberately didn''t tell her about it. He didn''t want Hank to get away without any punishment after all the things he had done to set Daisy up. Hank was a sinister man who deserved no mercy. Chapter 488 No One to Blame but Himself (Part Two) Daisy must have seen the video by now. Edward wondered how to exin it to her when she came back. He was a little worried that Daisy would be upset with him. After all, she had emphasized yesterday that she didn''t like it when he kept things that concerned her from her. But what about now? He had thrown out a grenade. How would she react to it? Edward had his doubts. Moreover, there were more powerful bombs in the future. He felt like he was walking towards his deathbed. "I didn''t show myself. I asked someone to hand it in. But I think they must have figured that we have something to do with the video. Anyone with a brain could easily link it to us. Otherwise, there would be no one smart enough to manage other people''s business. Besides, apart from the army and us, no one knows the tip-off about Mrs. Mu." Luke looked at Edward with a firm gaze. He shared his reasoning and thoughts with Edward. No one in the army was mediocre. They could easily figure things out and find out a reasonable exnation for the whole matter if they put a little thought to it. "I''m aware of this. Besides, we did it because we want them to know that the video came from us. This way, they will have no excuse to cover someone up." Edward chuckled to himself. He didn''t care about their thoughts. All he wanted to know was Daisy''s opinion. As for the other things, he didn''t want to waste his time pondering about it. "But Mrs. Mu¡­" Luke hesitated. He didn''t know if Daisy would me him because he hadn''t discussed it with her before making the decision about the video. But it seemed that he didn''t need to worry about it. Anyway, Edward would be the first person that Daisy would be upset with. Even if a meteor were to hit earth, Edward would be the first one to hold the responsibility. He had little to do with it. "It''s fine. I''ll exin to her. Tell me what you''ve gotten from Paul. I need to plot carefully as soon as I get discharged. A long dy may cause trouble." Edward didn''t like staying in the hospital. He nee n he heard them. "Are you saying I''m more devious than her?" Edwards narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Luke. Oh, good. He was evenpared to such a vixen! Was he such a despicable man in his eyes? "No, sir! Mr. Mu, I didn''t mean it like that. You know how bad I am at getting along with women, unlike you. You''ve always been expert at dealing with them." Luke immediately exined. But he hadn''t expected his response to cause even more dissatisfaction. "Oh, I see your point. So you mean to say that I''m always involved with women, right?" Edward said in a mischievous tone. Why didn''t Luke keep his thoughts to himself? It would be a disaster if Daisy heard them. Daisy might think he was flirting around with other women! He couldn''t afford living like that anymore. "I¡­" Luke immediately regretted his reply as soon as he spoke. He realized that no matter how he exined himself, Edward would find fault in his words. So he decided to keep silent and not say another word. The more he spoke, the more mistakes he might make. He would be safe if he didn''t say anything. "No more excuses? It seems that I read your mind, " Edward quipped. He enjoyed asionally teasing Luke who always seemed so serious. He considered it a way to relieve his boredom. After all, it was extremely boring to stay in the hospital all day long. Chapter 489 Rip Off (Part One) "Oh, Luke, are you out of your mind? How dare you act so cool in front of your boss?" Rain smiled yfully while leaning against the door. He had a pile of documents in his hands. Luke wondered why Rain had brought over so many papers here. Jesus, did he think that an ailing patient like Edward could effectively look over this much paperwork? "You''re barking up the wrong tree." Luke rolled his eyes and sulked. He turned his back to Rain and decided against interacting with him. He was always quiet and was unwilling to argue with anyone. "Oh, Is that so? So do you think Edward was just teasing you?" After putting the papers on the table, Rain kept on ridiculing Luke. He wanted to test Luke''s limits to see how far he could push him. For Rain, teasing Luke was one of the biggest joys of his life. Unfortunately, Edward was there, too. In the end, Rain failed to provoke Luke to violent rage, but he unwittingly offended Edward. "Rain, what the fuck are you doing here during working hours? Go back to the office and get to work right away! Or I won''t mind giving you a beating of a lifetime." Edward said menacingly. He stared at Rain with an intimidating gaze. ''Is Rain implying that he is a homosexual who has fallen for Luke? Maybe Rain doesn''t have enough work to keep him busy.'' Edward started thinking about the tasks that could be assigned to Rain. "Damn it! Don''t nag me. The papers need to be signed by you. If I can''te here, would youe to the office in person? I don''t mind carrying you on the stretcher." Rain Xia shook his shoulders as he spoke. The implication was clear, he did this out of kindness. As a matter of fact, Rain hadn''t even read these papers. Since Edward signed the papers, there was no need for him to review. He always did it like this. "S -hanging shoulder, he still felt as cold as falling into an ice house. "Did you justpare me to a pig? Uh-huh!" In fact, Edward had declined this damned ward. But Tom had made great efforts to arrange him into it, and he finally had to ept it. But now Rain brought up the subject again. No wonder he was furious with Rain. Besides, Rainpared him to a fat pig. Edward had been away for just a few days, had Rain forgotten who the boss was? "Err! I never said that." Rain shook his head, trying to recall what he had said moments ago. Suddenly, he stared at Tom with his eyes wide open. Rain was disappointed with his dimwitted words. Tom continued to smile vaguely. ''Am I had by Tom?'' he thought quietly. "Do you remember now?" Said Edward calmly with his eyes fixed on Rain. There was no smile on his face but a cold fury in his heart. "No!" He wouldn''t admit it even if he got killed. Because that would be worse than being killed if he admitted his mistake. He was no fool. Luke curled his lips mockingly. Rain was an excellent actor. He said it just a few minutes ago, but now he was pretending that he had lost his memory. It wouldn''t work with a smart man like Edward. Chapter 490 Rip Off (Part Two) "No? Well, I get it. You can go now." Although Rain feigned ignorance, Edward showed as if he didn''t mind it. Edward knew that he would get lots of chances to torture Rain. "Please sign the papers before I go." Rain was stunned. Edward mentioned nothing about the papers just because of his small slip up. What a narrow-minded man. "What papers? Sorry, I have no idea." Edward lifted his eyebrows and shook his shoulders as he said this. He looked extremely innocent. "Boss, please don''t pull my leg. I''m really sorry. I beg you to forgive me. Your Majesty, sign the papers, please. I''ll take the papers after work." Rain had nned to give his work to Edward, so he couldn''t leave before he got what he wanted. Otherwise, his visit would have gone in vain. "So you are allowed to y tricks, but I am not?" said Edward. Although Edward seemed disinterested, the truth was that he felt bored as he did nothing buty around in the hospital bed all day. Reading the papers might be a pleasant distraction for him, after all, it would kill time. Wouldn''t it? But these were just some thoughts in his mind; he didn''t say them out loud in front of Rain. He was afraid that Rain would be eaten up with pride if he realized that what he thought was just what Edward needed at this time. "It is the case about the Lin Group. Are you sure you want to postpone the paperwork?" Rain could not believe that Edward could stay so calm after hearing his words. "What? Lin Group, Give it to me at once." Just as expected, Edward got in a frenzy on hearing his words. Anything rted to Daisy Ouyang was always his first concern. "Yes, sir. Here you are. By the way, excep tter one." Tom was freaked out, but he still pretended to be calm. He began to worry about the few medicines developed by him. The best medicine was the fruit of his painstakingbor. It meant a lot to him. Nobody could rob it from him, not even Edward. "Don''t y innocent. Try your best to cure me with your best medicine and skills, and help me get out of here. Otherwise, I will consider canceling the investment on your test. Which is more important, medicine or test? Have it your way!" Threatened Edward. He was confident that Tom would give him the best medicine when he controlled the finances of Tom Qin. As a person who was too keen to do tests, Tom Qin could not resist the temptation of a significant investment in his tests. So finally Tom reluctantly offered his treasured good drugs to Edward and cursed him in his mind, without showing any reluctance on his face. He waspelled to suffer in silence in order to get free investment from Edward. But, he only lost time and energy, and he wouldn''t be hurt by anything. He would get more from Edward than what he suffered. Just wait and see. Chapter 491 It Feels So Good To Come Back Home (Part One) When they were busy, people often felt that time flew quickly. And it was true for Edward who was recovering from his injury. So when the phone beside his bed rang, he immediately picked it up and answered without even bothering to check who was calling. "Hello, who''s calling?" This was Edward''s unique way of answering the phone. He was not like Daisy who always answered the phone with politeness, nor like any other gentlemen who gracefully introduced themselves as soon as they picked up the phone. His style was influenced by arrogance and mboyance, yet not going too far to make people feel ufortable. Although he was answering the phone, his attention was still focused on the report in his hands. Daisy frowned when she heard Edward''s voice. This was not what she had expected to hear from Edward. Wasn''t her number saved in Edward''s phone? Why else would he ask who was calling? This was not like Edward''s usual style. The only possibility was that he was in the middle of doing something, and he answered the phone without even noticing who was calling on the phone''s screen. He was a patient, what would he be so engrossed in? Daisy''s mind was filled with numerous questions. "What are you doing?" Daisy ced the file on the table andid back in the chair, waiting to hear his reply. "Work." The reply was simple and to the point. He hadn''t shifted his attention from the document to the call. "Work? What work?" Daisy narrowed her clear and aggressive eyes and wondered, Edward could hardly walk and he dared to tell her that he was working, was he ying with his life? "Oh! Honey, it''s you! No, I didn''t mean work. I was just talking with Luke." Edward was shocked by Daisy''s anxious voice and came back to the call. He immediately made up for his slip of the tongue. "Edward, do you think that I could be fooled around so easily? Daisy yed wit erything by himself and hide everything from her while iming it was for her own benefit. This was uneptable for her. Because if it really went like that, she would feel that she wasn''t equal to Edward and they didn''t stand on the same level as he''d be the only one facing all the problems. She would indulge herself in enjoying all his achievements. This was the most humiliating thing for a soldier. She was not inclined to bing a worthless person. Moreover, she didn''t want to be the woman who hid behind his back and squandered all the things he achieved with his selfless efforts for her. "Honey, you know how it is, right? The most convincing reason you''d like to hear is that I love you. You know that I''m too shy to say it, but you push me to say it. You are awful!" Edward said with a bashful grin and acted sultry as if Daisy was actually standing in front of him. Hearing Edward''s words, Daisy slipped and almost fell down from the chair. He said he was shy, huh, if that was true, then there were no shameless people in the world. He tried to tell such a brazen lie to her; it was insane. Daisy felt that she had underestimated the extent of his shamelessness. where did he get to learn these sissy words? His tone was so effeminate! Chapter 492 It Feels So Good To Come Back Home (Part Two) "Edward, can''t you talk like a normal person? You almost made me throw up my lunch." Daisy scratched her ears and wondered if she had misheard him. Wasn''t that effeminate demeanor Rain''s specialty? When did Edward begin to behave like Rain? "I''m talking like I always do. Nothing is wrong. No crap." Edward slightly heaved a sigh of relief. As long as Daisy didn''t bother him to give a better exnation, he didn''t mind acting like an effeminate guy. Although, Edward also felt creepy about what he had said. In the end, he got the oue he desired. And he chose to ignore the means of achieving it. The usatory call ended with Edward''s trick of ying effeminate. A few dayster, Edward was discharged from the hospital, and he left that insanely expensive ward. He missed his home immensely, and he was finally back. "It feels so good toe back home." Edward threw himself on his bed and indulged himself in the feeling of getting his old life back. The week-long life at the hospital had driven him crazy. He was a bit of neat freak. But during the days in the hospital, he was unable to take a shower. They simply wiped his body with a wet towel, but that didn''t work for him. It was useless because it didn''t feel any different. He felt like he was drenched in sweat. "Does it really feel that good?" She ced his things in order and smiled at Edward''s amusing and exaggerated remarks. She shook her head helplessly. While she asked the question, her eyes were full of affection and tenderness. "Yes! I''m going to take a shower now, " Edward said, and then he reluctantly left his soft bed and walked towards the bathroom. He couldn''t stand the cleaning process at the hospital. He desperately needed a real good shower. "Be careful. Although the wound has healed, you are still at risk of infections. in the hospital, he didn''t dare to go ahead with that n. "Really? Did you forget it or did you do it purposely?" Edward gently pinched his lovely face and gave a yful smile. He knew Justin was naughty, so he didn''t believe Justin''s far-fetched exnation. "No, definitely not. Mom, you believe me, right? Because you love me the most." As per Justin''s theory, it wasn''t embarrassing to act adorable. On the contrary, he believed he was a lovely boy and he would feel ashamed if he didn''t take advantage of it. So he kept using his trump card and pulled his mom to his side. "No, I don''t believe you. You''re more like your dad now. You are bing more cunning and less reliable. So you two can continue to argue about this topic. I will go down stairs and help Mrs. Wu to prepare dinner." As soon as she finished her words, Daisy turned around and walked out of the room. She didn''t want to be involved in the mischievous arguments between the father and the son. Because she was eager to go to the kitchen and prepare nutritious food for Edward. Only by eating food with rich nutrition for the dinner could he recover faster. Then she didn''t need to be worried about his health condition all day long. Chapter 493 Who Wants a Divorce To celebrate Edward''s return to home, Cynthia threw him an impromptu party. Only a few close friends, as well as Anna and Aaron, were invited. As soon as the evening fell, the Mu''s vi was bustling with noise and excitement. "Belinda, why is your wedding put off?" Daisy asked softly when Belinda was alone. She somehow sensed that it had something to do with Rachel. "It''s nothing. I have started feeling that we know very little about each other. So I thought it would be wise if we took some time to get to know each other before getting married." Belinda was optimistic. She smiled even when she was talking about such an unfortunate event. "Come on! I know you. It''s about Rachel, isn''t it? You''re upset that she is back, which means you really care about Duke." Daisy sounded positive. She thought if Belinda hadn''t liked Duke, she wouldn''t have postponed her wedding just because Rachel suddenly showed up. "Daisy, have you lost your mind? Why would I care about him? We''re together only because Leena set us up. We don''t love each other." Even though Daisy was right, Belinda was too proud to admit her feelings for Duke, which kept growing as the days went by. "Belinda, did I do it wrong? Is that why you are angry?" A voice asked timidly. It was Leena, who was looking at Belinda while biting her lip and tilting her head. The joy on her face was reced by gloom. "Um... Leena, when did you get here? Did youe here alone?" Belinda didn''t answer her question. She looked around, but Kevin wasn''t there. She frowned and wondered how angry Duke would get if he saw this. It appeared she had already begun to worry about the people Duke cared about no matter how hard she was trying to conceal her feelings for him. "Yes, I came alone. You haven''t answered my question yet." After months of married life with Kevin, Leena gradually realized the importance of love in a marriage. She understood why Belinda wasining. She felt sorry about what she had done. "It''s toote to talk about right or wrong, isn''t it? So don''t think about it. If I didn''t want to marry your brother, I wouldn''tpromise. You know that. If anybody is wrong, it''s me. But since I''ve made my choice, I won''t regret it." Belinda was the kind of person who went through her decisions. Now that she had decided to marry Duke, she considered him hers and wouldn''t let him marry someone else, no matter how mad she was at him. "You are right. We share the same personality in this regard. We stick to our choices. So don''t worry about it, Leena. Your brother and Belinda''s rtionship might be full of twists and turns, but the oue will be perfect." Daisy stood up and pulled Leena over so that she could sit beside her. She affectionately stroked her hair which was messed up by the wind probably because the roof of the sports car had been lifted. "Who shares the same personalit you any good. Haven''t you learned your lesson yet?" Cynthia sighed resignedly. She wanted to help Rain but she couldn''t because Edward wouldn''t listen to her. Rain hade to the wrong ce. The safest strategy was to stay with Daisy. Since she was the one who mentioned thinking about divorce in front of him, she must have a way to deal with Edward. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have attempted to echo Rain''s remarks. "But auntie Cynthia, those women started the topic. I just picked up the thread of the conversation. Why is he only staring at me, but not them? It''s unfair." Rain said to Cynthia dismally. He timidly used his hands as a shield against Edward''s icy stare. Daisy sipped a mouthful of tea from the cup in her hand. She casually nced at Edward. She was enjoying seeing Edward so angry. She found it amusing to provoke her arrogant husband now and then. "Maybe you didn''t start it, but you aggravated the tension. Of course, you are the one to me." Tom gracefully swirled the wine ss in his hand. He took a sip asionally. To him, Rain was a troublemaker. There was actually nothing he could do about it. Perhaps influenced by him, Tom had made a few mistakes in front of Edward recently, which had continuously put him to a disadvantage. Thinking of the check Edward signed that morning for hospitalization expenses, Tom felt his heart was bleeding. He drowned his cares in wine with knitted brows. Tom not only didn''t make money from Edward''s hospitalization but also lost a lot of it because of the expensive medicine he had used on him. He felt as if he had been cheated. The fruit of his hard work vanished in a second. With a stroke of Edward''s gold pen, everything was finalized. He had been shocked to see it happen. He had known from the beginning that Edward wouldn''t willingly ept the rip-off, but he hadn''t expected him to rip him off instead. He felt restless in such a pathetic situation. Chapter 494 Insurmountable Barrier "Shit! Jerry, what the hell is this? You look all upset like someone''s been up your butt!" This was exactly like Rain, always restless. Before one thing ended, he was already ready to stir up some new trouble. He was indeed a troublemaker! "Up my butt? Wish fulfillment? You look so much like a permanent bottom that it gives me chills." Raising his eyebrows, Tom looked at Rain in disgust. "Damn, Jerry. Are you jealous that I look better than you? Is that why you''re trying to ruin my reputation?" Rain was simply pulling Tom''s leg, because he realized the boss already turned his fatal gaze to Daisy. So Rain had to get himself out of this mess, and the most effective way was to try to change the topic. Otherwise he''d meet a terrible fate. "Narcissist. You''re not good-looking, just girly." Aaron looked very much lost in thought and bored as he teased him. Although he didn''t really consider Rain effeminate, but Rain did have an enchanting charm that was even more seductive than a woman''s. Aaron felt justified in calling Rain girly. Besides, Rain had put a lot of work onto Aaron''s shoulders these past few days. So Aaron wanted to get back at him to let out of some of that bottled up anger. "Aaron baby, are you sure you want to be a part of this?" Instead of getting fired up, Rainughed. Since Aaron threw a barb at him, Rain decided to give him a nice whirl. "Forget it. I was just venting, so please ignore me. You guys continue, and I''ll just watch. And stop calling me baby. It makes my skin crawl." Aaron had no intention in being caught in their meaningless "fight." At this crucial point, he only wanted to protect his own skin. Although Rain couldn''t really affect his daily life, it would be a different story at his job, since his position was one level lower than Rain''s. "Coward, I''d ept his challenge." Anna looked contemptuous. Rain had given her quite a hard time when her actual boss was in hospital. She was exhausted by the overtimes, so she had a lot against Rain. Edward was extremely efficient whereas Rain always drove her like a ve. How could such different people hold the reins of power here? "Anna, if that''s the case, then you go, girl! I''m out of this." Aaron would be insane to cross the newly ascendant and insidious acting president. Or by tomorrow, the unbearable workload would crush him, and even breathing would be a luxury. "Ady won''t fight a man. I''m not interested in this childish scuffle between you men." Anna smiled coldly. Every man seated here ranked higher in thepany than she was, so targeting any one of them would end up badly for her. Why would she recklessly cause herself trouble? "A gentleman doesn''t fight a woman is the expression. Please, Anna, don''t take liberties with ancient proverbs." The argument seemed to shift from between Aaron and Rain to between Aaron and Anna. What an intriguing sight! "They mean basically the same thing, don''t they? What''s there to argue about?" Anna frowned and peeked at him from the corner prehend why he blew his top this time. She already told him that the gossip was only a topic for chit-chat, but he also took things seriously. And his already unweing face became even colder and unforgiving. Without evening close to him, one could already feel that sense of severity. "Brother, are you sure it''s a good thing to leave my sister-inw like that?" Leena was actually concerned for her own health, too. When Duke grabbed her keys and got in the driver''s seat, she didn''t dare to say anything in protest, and just followed him in the car. Now that Duke''s face appeared less austere, Leena quietly asked the question. In the meantime, she was cursing Rain as much as she could in her mind. He had created such a mess that not only Mr. Cold but also Edward would be unapproachable for the rest of the night. Duke terrified Leena so much that she didn''t even attempt any sudden movement in fear that he would take it out on her. If that happened, Leena thought, she would have no one to turn to. "It doesn''t matter if it was a good thing. How have you been? And tell me about Kevin." Duke tightened his lips. Although he said he wouldn''t care, he still checked the rear view mirror asionally to see how Belinda acted. Seeing that she froze at where he left her, his eyebrows furrowed automatically. He closed his eyes for a moment and kept the thought of her out of his mind. He then stepped on the throttle and quickly sped away from Belinda. "I''m fine! Kevin is doing some field work. He''ll probably be back tomorrow." Leena avoided eye contact. She didn''t want Duke to see her sorrow. She felt like there was an insurmountable barrier between her and Kevin. She wouldn''t cross over and neither would he. Both were just staring each other across the barrier, as if waiting to see who would be the one to volunteer his or her body and soul. And because of Kevin''s feelings for Daisy, no matter how their rtionship turned out, Leena knew that she would be the person who got hurt the most. Chapter 495 Do You Regret It (Part One) "Do you regret it?" Duke turned around and shot a concerned look at her. He was worried about her. She was his only sister and he devoted himself to love and care for her. Though she had married and became the wife of another man, she was still the little sister needing his protection in his eyes. She would remain one of the most precious people in his heart. "No. Why should I regret it?" Leena raised her eyebrows and smiled brightly. She looked so adorable with her sweet smile. But she could not help questioning herself in her heart; Really? She didn''t regret it? But why did she feel a pang of sorrow and sadness in her heart when she felt that Kevin thought nothing of her at all? "I''m d you don''t regret it. It''s your choice. So I hope you''ll be responsible for it and don''t give up halfway through. It shouldn''t be easy to end a marriage." Duke disliked Kevin and still resented him, but he still hoped his younger sister could live a happy life with him. After all, they were wife and husband. So no matter what happened, he didn''t want to see them end up in tragedy. "Don''t worry, brother! I''m a grownup now. I know what I''m doing." Leena certainly knew what he meant. She understood how he cared for her. He was her brother and she was his beloved one. So she always kept his words and suggestions in her mind. "Well, perhaps you''ll need a nanny? Or a part-time maid or someone? In that case, you''ll have more time to concentrate on your fashion design and we won''t feel so worried about you." Duke couldn''t help shivering in his heart at the thought of Leena''s scalded handst time. He didn''t want that kind of thing to happen again. It would definitely be a great challenge to him because thest thing he wanted was to see Leena get hurt. He hated it when he had to endure the possibility that Leena might hurt herself. He didn''t want to have another terrible experience. "Oh, thanks, but I''m fine and I don''t need any nanny or st, not really a 9 to 5 girl." Leena was trying to find a way to wriggle out of that kind of responsibility. If she had been really interested in managing apany, she wouldn''t have chosen fashion design as her major. So she shook her head immediately to refuse the offer from Duke. "Well, good. Then don''t be a stranger to meter. Let''s go! I''ll walk you upstairs." Before finishing his words, Duke opened the door and got out without waiting for Leena to respond. He stood by the door, waiting for Leena to get out. "Brother, I can go upstairs on my own. You''d better go and talk to Belinda! We were just chatting. No one''s getting divorced. Don''t listen to Rain." Leena was concerned about Belinda. As a wife, her husband left her and went away with another woman. Although the woman was his sister, she must feel a bit unhappy in her heart! "I see." Dukeughed at himself. He knew he should go and care for Belinda. But he chose not to talk to her deliberately. Recently, he felt frustrated, and he had never felt that way before. He couldn''t figure out why Belinda was getting so confrontational these days. He felt she was so near to him, yet so far too. He disliked this kind of feeling, as it made him feel terrible, as if there was a cat scratching his heart with its septic ws. Chapter 496 Do You Regret It (Part Two) "You see? Then why did you get angry with her? When a man acts childish, and makes mountains out of molehills, he''s more difficult to be understood than a woman! This much is true!" Leena shook her head. She could notprehend this line of thinking. Meanwhile, she got more curious about Kevin. He looked mature and serious. Would he sometimes also act childishly like her brother did? She paused for an instant; she thought of him again! Why did hee into her mind? People always say that the more difficult it was to reach something or someone, the more interested one would be. Was it true? "My dear girl, when did you see me get angry with her? I just don''t stay around her. Is that a mistake too?" Just then Duke started to walk towards the building. Leena had no alternative but to follow him inside. But a man always walked more quickly than a woman. So Leena was left behind a little. She didn''t catch up with him until when the elevator reached the first floor. "The fact is that this is *not* normal. You''re acting strangely, and now she''s back there, confused and hurt! Is that what you want? You''re not afraid that Belinda might think badly of you because of it?" Leena ran and caught up with him. She leaned herself on Duke, panting slightly. She felt her heart beat violently and attributed this phenomenon to theck of exercise. She thought to herself; maybe from next week, she should go hiking, or do some sports in the gym. Or else, she might get fatigued easily! "What? Are you tired already? You haven''t got any exercise recently, have you?" Duke reached out to soften her breath. Leena had a weak constitution. She used to be weak and sick when she was a baby. He knew about her condition, so he had spent years training her in proper fitness and nutrition to strengthen her. And as expected, Leena was much healthier than before. He didn''t want her to hurt she didn''t want to answer his phone. Duke Leng grew chagrined. He threw the phone in the passenger seat as soon as he entered the car. He started the engine and drove towards Leng House. He started thinking about this. If she wasn''t answering her phone, then she''d probably refuse to talk to him, even if he showed up wanting to talk face to face. So it would be a good idea to calm down, and let her do the same. Maybe they''d be calm enough to deal with things if they slept on it. However, Daisy was a master strategist -- the kind who would figure everything out as soon as disagreements cropped up. So she immediately went back to the bedroom once she finished her work. She sighed, looking at the sleeping man. He really seemed to be angry with her, so he hadn''t waited for her toe to bed like in the past. Daisy walked carefully towards him to avoid making any noise and left a gentle kiss on his forehead. Then she turned around and walked to the bathroom. She had different living habits than Edward. She didn''t like to take a shower as soon as she got home. Usually, she would take a warm shower after she finished her work before she went to sleep. That way, she could rx and feelpletely relieved after a busy day to sleep soundly. Chapter 497 The Devil Rebuking Sin Edward opened his eyes the moment Daisy turned around, but kept quiet, only caressing the ce where she kissed. A sweet smile crept over his face. The truth was that without her around, he couldn''t sleep well, however tired he might be. He just pretended to be asleep when he heard the sound of the door opening. He didn''t want Daisy to know that he stayed up to wait for her in case she forgot he was around. It would make the surprise that much sweeter. Daisy, on the other hand, had no idea Edward had these thoughts. After showering, she got into bed and cuddled into his arms as usual. It had been a long time since she could enjoy his hugs so freely. After all, before Edward recovered, she was worried about either his wounds or being seen by medical staff in the hospital. But tonight she could savor his embrace without any concerns. She moved her hand and stroked his handsome face. Atst she began smoothing his knitted brows. Her movement was so gentle and affectionate. She wondered why Edward had so much to worry about. Did his worrye from her? Honestly, even today when they loved each other so much, she still felt him hard to see through. He was like an inviting enigma -- making her constantly ponder all the possible ways to walk into his world, not the real life world of course, but his world of thoughts, or even his soul. She wanted to know him, his head, his heart, all of him. But that was a pure wish, a remote dream. But surely she was happy enough now as Edwardy beside her. She could snuggle him into her arms by only reaching out one hand. It was so warm a hug that it always set her heart racing. But at this sweet moment, Edward turned his back to Daisy, which seemed to be an idental move. That sent Daisy from the apex of happiness to the valley of distance. Aggrieved, she bit her lip, then turned a cold shoulder to him as well. They remained back to back till the next morning. She could tell now that Edward was mad at her, but judging from what happenedst night, there was no way that she would budge. They would just wait and see who lost their cool and made a concession first. Too sullen to eat any breakfast, Daisy went to the army base early in the morning. Yet there was no peace to be found on base either. When she got out of the hummer, she found herself face to face with Hank, fists up, ready to fight. Daisy prepared as well as she could, but Hank stillnded a blow on her. The fit of pain made her frown. "Hank, are you serious? You want to fight me?" Daisy scolded and dodged, her eyes cold. She was just upset and mad about Edward ignoring herst night. She would love to take it out on someone. But get the justice. How did Hank, the one who plotted this, even have the right to stand there arguing with her? He was so shameless. "You already turned in the video then? And you acted as if you knew nothing and questioned me. You are indeed calcting." That was ssic Hank -- awfully arrogant and selfish. He picked on others but never admitted his own mistakes. He acted as if all the bad things happened to him were engineered by others, but thought it was okay to gain benefits by hurting others. "Suit yourself. I don''t care what you think. I will not deny what I do, but equally I will not be used for things I didn''t do. Yes, the source of the video has something to do with me. But I''m not involved in this. So if you want to find out who sent it, go to the FX International Group. I''m sure they''ll give you a satisfactory answer, " Daisy sneered. She knew that Hank wouldn''t dare seek justice from Edward. it would only make Edward angrier, and demotion would feel like light punishmentpared to what Edward would do. "Colonel Ouyang, you are just throwing your weight around now. You are so proud to be the wife of the president of the FX International Group." Hank would be Hank. He could talk ck into white. He was really good at distorting what anyone meant. "I don''t think there is anything to show off as the president''s wife. The only thing that makes me proud is the military uniform on me. So...it sounds like something else makes you proud. Mind telling us what?" Daisy slightly shut her eyes in displeasure. After all, it was not so cheerful to stand here and argue with him early in the morning. Consequently her tone grew frigid and more aggressive. Her look was all chilly and impatient. Hank had better choose his next words carefully. Chapter 498 Be Relegated to A Lieutenant "Huh. Everyone knows how to make excuses. If you could get promoted on your own, why would Edward woo the military chiefs? It must have been for the uing appraisal cycle. Rumor has it that Colonel Ouyang stands a big chance of getting a promotion. But the problem is what you have traded for this promotion." Hank questioned and startedughing loudly. He stared at Daisy with contempt as if Daisy had pulled some strings to get promoted this time. He believed there was an ulterior motive behind inviting the military chiefs to FX International Group''s anniversary party. Hank believed it was nned to gain the army leaders'' favor. "You seem to be obsessed with my business. You must know a lot about me. There is no need for you to ask me any more." Daisy sneered and turned around. It seemed that she wouldn''t be able to persuade certain people that she got promoted simply because of her outstanding performance. So far as Hank was concerned, Daisy had climbed up the militarydder only because of her connections. No matter how much she exined, Hank just insisted on his own view. Then Daisy decided not to waste any more time in giving exnations to him. "It''s not just me. All the military officers in the army base are of the same opinion. It''s quite unlikely to have a young woman like you in such a high rank. I am sure there have been plenty of dirty deals behind the curtain." Hank didn''t let go of Daisy, he followed her closely and continued his insults. "If they have a problem with my promotion, they should report to the superiors, instead of sending you as their representative to bother me. I don''t call the shots. As for the so-called dirty deals, you specte that because I am a woman. In your mind, women cannot have any achievements without an inappropriate rtionship? You sound quite sexist." Daisy hated such office politics. She hadn''t done anything yet. Still, she was being dragged into all these disputes. ''Am I really that invidious in their view? Or they just regard me as a pushover who can be bullied by anyone? They couldn''t possibly get through a day without defaming me?'' Daisy condemned deep down. "Indeed. Mr. Hank, why do you always bother our colonel? If you feel anything unreasonable is going on, you should discuss it with themanders. Our colonel doesn''t have a say in the promotions." Mark retorted. He was sick of Hank''s persistent provocations. If it hadn''t been for Daisy''s kindness, she or any other officer in her position would have already beaten up Hank or even kicked him out of the army. An officer in Hank''s rank wasn''t supposed to defy officers of higher rank. "Who are you to interrupt our conversation? You are merely a sergeant. Colonel Ouyang, you seem to be too tolerant of your subordinate." Hank said while casting a cold re at Mark. He couldn''t take it out on Daisy because she was in a higher rank. But he couldn''t allow a sergeant to scold him. "Mark, go finish aplete set of basic military exercise especially at this moment. "Of course it''s my business. As your superior, I''m supposed to help you address your disputes. You don''t want to be used of viting military discipline, huh?" Kevin guessed that their disputes stemmed from the arbitration concerning Hank. The army work was quite efficient. "No, I wouldn''t want to be used of that." Hank didn''t dare to mess with Kevin. After all, he intended to spend the rest of his life in the military and Kevin was in a much higher rank than him. "Then you should leave and get back to your work. Tick tock..." Kevin seldom put on airs as a senior officer. But he disliked Hank too much to be enough polite to him. "I..." Hank would have continued but stopped when he saw Kevin''s cold look. After all, Kevin was much more difficult to deal with. Daisy might look aloof, but she was a woman, thus no matter how cold she seemed, she would never be so brittle. But Kevin was different. He might be easy to get along, but if you messed with him, you would face dire consequences. "Thank you for saving me from the trouble. Did you juste back from the grassroots? You must have started offst night since you arrived at this time." Daisy asked after Hank was out of her sight. "Yes. I came back as soon as I finished the inspection. Recently the army base may not be too amicable for you. Watch out for any possible traps set by others, especially the devious ones like Hank." Kevin said. He knew Daisy''s bark was worse than her bite. She might act aloof and cold, but deep down she was kind and sweet. Or she wouldn''t possibly put up with Hank''s provocation again and again. "I will. Every year before themendatory ceremony, there are some unavoidable ''incidents''. I survive them every year. Don''t worry about me. You seem quite tired. Maybe you should go home first and get some rest." Daisy didn''t ignore Kevin just because he had feelings for her. She believed in Kevin''s integrity; she didn''t think Kevin would go overboard. Chapter 499 As Bold As Brass "It''s okay. I will go home to take a shower. What did Mark do? I saw him squirming through the 300-meter barbed wire alone at the training ground." ording to the past experiences, Kevin knew something was up. If Mark was doing the physical training alone, he must have made an unforgivable mistake and so Daisy had to punish him. What mistake did he make this time? "He deserves it. It''s a well-known fact that Hank is an expert in saving face, yet, he offended him. He just asked for trouble." Daisy knew that Mark was quite right and he didn''t mean to contradict Hank, but Hank didn''t think so. "It doesn''t matter. He has been idle for a long time. He needs some exercise lest his skills may not be as good as before. What''s his punishment this time?" Kevin was curious about what Mark''s punishment was this time. Daisy always punished him in different ways, so Kevin was prying to know more about it. "A full set of daily physical training. Am I being too cruel?" Daisy pushed the door open and walked in. Kevin followed her behind. She hadn''t given the answer he wanted. "Wow, it''s a really strict punishment. After he finishes, he will be tired out." Kevin leisurely sat down on the couch as if it was his office. "If I didn''t punish him, do you think Hank would let him go? I will make some tea for you." Daisy turned to look back with a frown. "Don''t bother. I will leave now. I bet you have a lot of work to do. I won''t bother you. By the way, has Mr. Mu recovered?" Kevin gave a soft smile. He sat cross-legged casually and cozily. "Yes, he has recovered very well. He was discharged yesterday afternoon. Thank you for your concern." Daisy gave Kevin a cup of warm water with a bright smile. She felt warm at the mention of Edward. "d to hear that he was discharged from the hospital so soon. He must have strong resistance to illness." Kevin took a sip of water. He detested his feelings in the face of Daisy''s winsome manner at the beginning, but now he had be ustomed to it. "Indeed. It was a bit beyond my expectations." Daisy was also confused about this. Ordinarily, any patient who had undergone the thoracotomy procedure couldn''t be discharged so quickly, but Edward left the hospital as approved by Tom. Daisy didn''t ask any questions. Going to the hospital every day had wearied her. "Anyway, it''s a piece of good news. I will go home. Carry on with your work." Kevin ced the cup on the tea table and stood up. "Okay. Take a break before you resume work. Or you may run off your legs." After Edward got injured, Daisy began to feel worried about the people around her. "Okay. Don''t worry." Kevin walked away with a contented smile. He knew he couldn''t fall in love with Daisy, but he enjoyed her asional care. He didn''t have any extreme demands. He cherished these small opportunities to get along with her. Daisy bit her lip. Aft Qing Dynasty?'' "It is hard to say. I have to protect myself from something unfavorable. If that happens, I will have no choice but to make you the scapegoat. Anyway, Daisy won''t do anything to you, but if anything goes wrong. she''ll be harsh on me." Edward was as rude as ever. He went so far as to make these thoughtless remarks. If Hank was shameless, then Edward was as bold as brass. "Please take off the ne. I don''t want her to hunt me down with a gun. I will be exhausted. Moreover, I am not nning to go abroad any time soon. Please raise your hand high in mercy. Don''t involve me." Leena was scared. She wanted to take off the ne. She assumed that Edward gave this ne to her for a specific purpose. But she shook in her shoes when she thought that she''d have to run for her life and live a wandering life if she lost the ne. Before Edward dragged her into the mire, she had to save her life. "Leena, I know you are an outstanding fashion designer. Surprisingly, you are also talented in acting. How about joining the entertainment circle? The entertainmentpany under the FX International Group grows regrly. You can receive some training. I promise that I will make you famous." Edward chuckled and grabbed Leena''s hand. If Leena quit, he wouldn''t be able to continue his n. "Edward, don''t make fun of me. The entertainment circle is dirty. Do you want to see me in the headline news in theing days? It may say, Leena is taken out by someone born with a silver spoon in his mouth, or Leena''s nude photos are made public. Let''s leave these things aside. Do you think Duke will let you off?" With a naughty grimace, Leena politely declined Edward''s request. She enjoyed her life now and didn''t want to go to the bad. Moreover, she had more than enough money, so she didn''t need to go that far. She was only posing, and she didn''t really want to take off the ne. Chapter 500 Who Are You Calling Aunt (Part One) "Leena, don''t forget who is running the business. Unless I intend to do so, do you think it''s possible that I would let these negative reports appear on the newspaper? Don''t underestimated me." Edward smiled conceitedly. Did Leena really think that these ugly news were dug out by the paparazzi? Without his permission, they wouldn''t have had the nerve to report any of these at all. "Yes, it seems so. Whoever upsets the FX International Group would pay for it with their life and career. No wonder Rain always ims that you''re a vicious, greedy, and ruthless capitalist who always enves workers and watches them work themselves to the bone." Leena narrowed her eyes and pretended to look at him with disgust, as if Edward really worked his employees to death. "Leena, are you praising me? Or ming me? Why do you sound so strange? Or do you really believe what Rain said about me? You know how Rain is, he likes to exaggerate things." Edwardid back against his seat like azy lion about to go out to hunt for prey. There was a gentle smile on his handsome face, resembling warm and hazy morning sunshine. "Of course I''m praising you. But whom are we meeting with?" Leena was very clever, she quickly realized Edward''s true intentions for inviting her out. If it hadn''t been to ask her to meet with someone, he wouldn''t have demanded her to dress like this for a simple meeting. Moreover, he put the antique ne around her neck. "You''ll find out when we arrive. Don''t ask any questions when we get there and don''t talk too much. Just follow my lead and do as I say." Edward was a fascinating man. Every movement he made looked graceful and dignified. Even when he reached out his hand to pinch Leena''s cheeks, the charming smile he showed could take anyone''s breath away. "Why are you treating me like a fool?" Leena gently waved his hand away. The more he spoke, the more she felt like she would need to act dumbter. She wasn''t allowed to ask or say anything. Was she a fool in everyone else''s e n take it easy and discuss this question." Edward led her to the table situated in the middle of the hall and near the entrance. Then he sat down with Leena on the same side, facing the entrance. The position put them in a good view for the public. Whenever customers entered, they would easily notice them. "Edward, do you think you''re not striking enough? Why do you want us to sit here?" Leena drew back her neck. She regretted giving the coat back to Edward, because the glowing eyes boring into her from the crowd almost melted her. Their attention was focused on the sensitive spot under her neck. Although she wasn''t that curvaceous and her breasts and hips weren''t that sexy, she was a gracefuldy with a slim and tall figure. They all gazed at general direction of her breasts. Even though Leena knew that they were intrigued with the ne, she wasn''t used to being under the spotlight like this. "This is exactly the effect I want. Just wait patiently. We''ll watch a good showter. But before that, let''s eat something. I''m afraid we won''t feel like eating once the drama begins." Edward grinned yfully at her. On a regr asion, he would have gone to a private box, instead of sitting out here and being watched like monkeys. But because they came here with a special purpose this time, he needed to keep a high profile. Chapter 501 Who Are You Calling Aunt (Part Two) "Edward, why does it seem like I''m in the tiger''sir right now? Are you going to sell me here?" Leena wrinkled her nose, looking yful and lovely. "Yes, I had this idea earlier. Since you bring it up, I''ll reconsider it now. I wonder if someone will offer a good price. I don''t want to make a loss in doing business." Edward lifted the fragrant tea that the waiter had just served and took a sip, looking contemtive. "Never mind, forget it. I''m not angry. I really don''t care about it. I''ll go along with it as if I''m doing it for charity. I won''t die for the sake of entertaining someone else anyway." Leena fiercely ate the snacks in front of her and bit them hard. She looked as if she were biting Edward''s head instead of the snacks. Edward smiled gracefully at Leena''s actions. There was deep fondness on his face. He asionally nced at the direction of the entrance with a carefree look on his face. Time passed by as they teased each other and enjoyed their delicious meal. They didn''t look like they were waiting for someone. Instead, their intimate behavior made them look more like a couple in love. They caught the woman''s attention as soon as she entered. Her eyes brightened at the sight. Then she grinned wickedly. "Oh! Isn''t it Mr. Mu? Wow! You have a different woman with you today. It wasn''t long ago that you showed your love for Daisy in public. Things change so quickly. The true nature of men never changes." Yakira smirked. But as soon as she noticed the ne, her smile froze and her face became pale. "Edward, it''s you! What a coincidence to see you here! Where have you beentely? I haven''t seen you around. I missed you so much!" Mary greeted with a flushed face. She didn''t expect to see Edward here. The pleasant surprise excited her a lot. As soon as Mary finished talking, Leena couldn''t hold back the urge tough and spit out the water she just drank. "Oh! Please excuse my rudeness. You may continue." Leena''s beaut lied that Mary was old. "Um... Sorry. Edward, did I say something wrong?" Leena stuck out her tongue and acted like an innocent child who made a mistake. In truth, she was very proud of herself. Mary dared to say that Leena''s temperament was not fit for the ne and even went as far as to say that Leena failed to show off the luxurious and dignified property of the jewelry. Although she found it to be true, it was really humiliating for her to have Mary say it in front of her face. ording to Leena''s personality, she would seize every chance to avenge herself. An eye for eye, a tooth for tooth. If she didn''t upset Mary enough to make her explode today, she would be ashamed of herself. "For this question, it''s better to confirm with Miss Ouyang herself. I''m not sure of her age. I don''t know if it''s more appropriate to call her big sister, or aunt." Edward smiled lightly. He knew it was impossible for Leena not to say anything. He decided to let nature take its course. There was nothing wrong with it. The process wasn''t important, he only needed to reach his goal. "Edward. That''s not fair. Why are you also mocking me?" Mary acted coquettishly, looking at Edward''s handsome face obsessively. Her obsession with Edward grew every time she saw him. She was even more determined to win him over. Chapter 502 Making a Fool of Yourself (Part One) Leena burst into a fit of coughs. She couldn''t help choking when she heard Mary''s tone as she talked to Edward. She kept coughing and felt rather ufortable. She swore not to eat anything until Mary and Yarika left, including her favorite dessert that she had started enjoying just now. "Are you okay, Leena? Even if you lose your appetite from someone''s way of speaking, you still need to make sure you don''t hurt yourself." Edward was also extremely shocked by Mary''s words and tone. But he kept his expression calm and didn''t show any emotion on his face. "I was just caught off guard. I promise I''ll pay attention and not be so careless next time." As a matter of fact, Leena knew Yakira Mo. But she didn''t know that she was Daisy''s stepmother. As for Mary, she didn''t know her at all. "Edward, who is she? Are you not going to introduce us?" Mary red at Leena coldly. She was resentful that Edward and Leena were so close. But when she turned to face Edward, she revealed a sweet and gentle smile. Despite how much his words hurt her, she just couldn''t help being attracted to him. She chose to ignore his taunt about her and smiled brightly. "Oh, yes! Mr. Mu, who is this pretty and elegant girl?" Yakira was a well-informed and shrewd woman. She wasn''t as shallow as her young daughter who mistakenly thought that Leena was a girl of humble birth. Yakira immediately realized that Leena was born and raised in a prominent family at the first sight of her. Moreover, she confirmed that Leena wasn''t a sophisticated girl for her innocent personality. Yarika could tell clearly that Leena was well-protected by her family for her to keep up her innocent act. "Mom, are you trying to embarrass Edward? This woman isn''t pretty or elegant at all. Who knows where this bumpkin came from? She looks really tacky." Mary pursed her lips for an insta ddle-aged man whosest name was Du. He said he just returned to the country and was in need of money, so he decided to sell his heirloom. I bought it from him when I met him. I also heard that it used to belong to some imperial concubine from the Qing dynasty, but I''m not sure if that''s true or not." Edward observed Yakira''s reaction as he spoke. He bet that she had given the ne to Paul Du. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have turned white as soon as she saw it. The purpose of having Leena wear the ne was to try and sound out Yakira with it. But after seeing her noticeable reaction, he decided to change his original n and strike from the sidelines. "Who? A middle-aged man called Du?" Yakira immediately grew anxious. But sensing her improper reaction, she forced herself to calm down and pretended to cough. She looked away to avoid Edward''s scrutinizing gaze. "Yes, a Du. Do you know him, Mrs. Ouyang?" The corners of Edward''s mouth turned up slightly. He raised his eyebrows and looked at her intently. He was curious how Yakira would respond. Would she leave anxiously? Or would she stay here and act nonchnt? No matter how she responded, it didn''t matter to Edward. He''d already gotten what he came here for. Chapter 503 Making a Fool of Yourself (Part Two) "No, I don''t know any Du." Had Paul returned to the country? Why was shepletely unaware? Oh, god! How could he sell the ne to Edward? What a devil! Did Daisy remember it? If she recognized it, she might look into it. That would cause a lot of trouble! Yakira hated Paul for not keeping his promise. He had promised her that he would never return to the country. But why did he break his word? Wasn''t he afraid that people would find out what he had done to Daisy''s mother? "Oh, you don''t know him! I thought you knew each other from your reaction just now." Edward didn''t expose her lie. He had decided to wait for her in the restaurant today only to see her reaction. He hadn''t expected her to admit it so easily. He''d gotten what he wanted and didn''t waste any more of his time. "Are you making fun of me? How could I know some middle-aged Du? Excuse me, but we won''t be able to stay any longer. Mary, let''s go!" Yarika stood up as soon as she finished talking. She had to confirm one thing as soon as possible. Did Paul Due back? Or was the man Edward talked about another person who happened to have the same ne? But this kind of coincidence was a million to one! Yakira got increasingly anxious at the thought. "But aren''t we going to eat something? Why can''t we stay a bit longer? We don''t have anything to do now." Mary frowned. She didn''t want to leave with Yakira at all. She stubbornly kept looking at Edward with her eager eyes. She didn''t have many opportunities to see him. Now that she finally bumped into him here, she didn''t want to leave at all. "Just do as I say and leave with me! Don''t stay here anymore. You won''t die without this meal." Yakira felt helpless with her daughter''s ob anxious because of Edward''s words a few moments earlier, she wouldn''t have hit Mary. "Don''t make up some eptable excuse for your selfishness. That''s the way you want to live. I''m only following your lead. After all, like mother, like daughter. If you didn''t divorce my father and insist on marrying Leo Ouyang, I wouldn''t be a stepdaughter! And I wouldn''t turn out to be such a selfish person either! Besides, Edward is not dismissive towards me. He has the same attitude towards all women." Mary got pped in the face. She had already been feeling inferior because of her miserable experience and now, her mother was rubbing salt on her wounds. Because of this, her tone got more and more agitated. She shouted so loudly that every passer-by looked at her with an odd expression on their face. But she didn''t care about them. She also ignored how her words might hurt Yakira badly. "Then are you saying that I did a bad thing to you? Do you think that I wanted to take you with me to the Ouyang family?" Yakira''s lips couldn''t help trembling. She didn''t mean what she said, but she got so angry at Mary that she spoke without thinking. Chapter 504 Are You In Love With Him (Part One) "See? I knew it! I know everything you have done serves a purpose. You''ve been using me in your own ns, even when you were driving Daisy away from the Ouyang Family, you used me to achieve your goal. No wonder Brian has been hostile to you the whole time. He must have learned about your malicious nature!" Said Mary with hatred, every word cold as ice. She hated it when Brian ignored her. If it weren''t for Yakira, Brian would treat her as good as he did to Daisy. But now he was indifferent to Mary, but behaved lovingly to Daisy. The difference between them drove her crazy. "How dare you! How can you talk to your own mother like this? Where are your manners?" Yakira was both ashamed and angered. She raised her hand and yelled at Mary, threatening to p her again. Brian''s indifference had wounded her deeply, thus she couldn''t bear to hear Mary to mention that again. Why would a son treat his own mother as aloof as a stranger? And why would a daughter yell at her mother in disgust? "What? Do you want to hit me again? Do it then! But don''t you mention manners to me again, because you have none! If you knew what decency was, you wouldn''t be Leo Ouyang''s wife. And the CEO of Ouyang Foreign Trade''s wife would be someone else." Eyes wide open, Mary glowered back at her mother. They red at each other with hatred, as if their opponent was their mortal enemy. Mary always hated her mother for the original family she was born to, and even more for making her a stepdaughter of a sessful entrepreneur. For that, the youngdies of wealthy families never thought much of her. "Alright! Whatever! You''re too young and stupid to know what is right and what is wrong. And you are too self-centered to heed my advice. Whatever I say or do, you would think it is an excuse. But just wait and see! One day...one day, you''ll understand everything I''ve done is for your own good." That said, without looking at Mary, Yakira got in the car and drove away. Her da to get robbed, " he said. Edward sensed that there was something wrong with her. Or else, she could never be so depressed. "But you are never interested in going shopping with women, Edward. What''s gotten into you? Normally, when the subject is brought up, I invite you all the time, and you just say no, " said Leena with a smirk. She was happy to be hanging out with Edward. But she looked up to the sky and paused for a while, as if she was considering whether she liked the idea or not. "I am not keen on shopping. But since I''m married to Daisy, I am used to it." Edward smiled fondly, as the topic reminded him of Daisy. Then he reached out and removed the ne from Leena''s neck. He missed the happy hours when Daisy and he were wandering on the snack street and eating, even if a lot of it was foreign to him. And he was lost in his thoughts as he was thinking of the three of them living happily together. "That''s right. The conqueror is now conquered. Let''s go and have fun then. To me, having a handsome guy aspany is fun enough, however much fun we''re going to have, " Leena giggled. She shouldn''t refuse him again. Thus she delightfully epted his offer. "Mr. Mu, would you like me to drive you home?" asked Luke curiously, as he saw that Leena and Edward weren''t walking back to the car. Chapter 505 Are You In Love With Him (Part Two) "No, thank you. I''m going shopping with Leena. And I''d like to have a nice, long walk." That said, Edward followed Leena away. He had no idea how horrified and helpless Luke was when he heard his decision. Although Luke was unwilling to ept it, he couldn''t talk back to his boss nor could he try to change Edward''s mind. All he could do is to follow his order, and to call up another bodyguard of Edward''s, asking him to drive Edward''s car following them, in case Edward was tired or needed to get in the car. Edward didn''t know his bodyguards were having such a dilemma. Being the center of everyone''s attention, he was enjoying his time, and gazing at the goods through the shop windows casually. At this moment, he felt joyful and care-free. He was no longer the CEO of FX International Group, nor the dream lover ofdies, the Mr. Mu, but a happymoner, who was enjoying himself freely. "Edward, can I ask you a question? What does it mean if the same person pops into your mind from time to time? And what does it mean if you can''t helpparing other men to that person? Does it mean that he''s special to you? Does it mean he''s the right one? I don''t even know how to put this..." Leena suddenly asked. Her voice was low and uncertain, little greater than a murmur. She sounded like she were questioning herself rather than asking for Edward''s opinion. "I think so. Are you talking about Kevin? Are you in love with him?" When he heard her question, Edward paused for a while, and asked. The one who fell in love first was often the one who suffered greatly, whose heart was hurt. Love was painful sometimes. He didn''t want to see the lovely Leena struggle in pain. Moreover, it reminded him of Daisy. He had wronged her for so long a time... "No, just asking. I''m not into him yet. Speaking of which, Edward, why have you never asked me how I met Kevin?" Leena turned her head to Edward, and sh get caught in the middle of what''s between Kevin and Daisy. However, there is no hiding the truth, and you figured it out much earlier than I expected you to. Okay then. If you didn''t figure it out, when your feelings for him get deeper, you''d be hurt even more. But now you''ve known, and that''s a good thing. You should get prepared for whatever is going to happen next." That said, Edward patted Leena on her shoulder. Leena was more sensible than she looked. She tended to observe the subtle changes that other people would overlook, but it was also easier to hurt such a sensitive heart. "That''s such a relief. It would be a disaster if all our friends thought that he was hot for your wife. By the way, does Kevin know that you know?" Asked Leena. She cared so much for Kevin, and didn''t want him to feel guilty or resentful, for whatever reason. "You tell me." Edward didn''t give a direct answer. He intended to help her forget about Kevin, and had teased her more often than before. Knowing what was bothering her now, he just hoped that she wouldn''t get too carried away. Since she had started to fall for Kevin, it would be highly likely for her to fall in love with him. Though he was once a romantic rival, Edward couldn''t deny that Kevin was a charming man. Chapter 506 The One And Only (Part One) "I know you well enough to know one thing. You won''t stand by and watch someone drooling over the woman you love. You must have warned him, am I right?" A steamroller, that was how Leena saw Edward. So it was easy for Leena to guess what he did. "You know me too well. I''ve been taking care of you all this time, and it clearly paid off. Let me think, what can I give you as a reward? You''re very clever." Edwardughed. Leena saw right through him. But he was not embarrassed at all by her words. He did whatever he wanted and never cared what people thought. "Did you forget? I''m a fox, the one and only fox. I know every trick you y, " Leena said, making a funny face at him. Edward looked at her and let out a loudugh. Ande to think of it, she had a point there and that was what made her so special. That was what made everyone like her so much. "Now you know that he loves someone else, how do you feel? Sad and lost?" Edward handed her the drink Luke had brought them and screwed open one bottle himself and drank. Luke was tall, robust and masculine, yet he was way more thoughtful and observant than he looked. He took care of even the little things, like bringing them some cool drinks to drive away the heat. "Not that bad. I''m not that into him. Maybe I''m a little unhappy but I am sure this feeling will fade soon. I''ll be fine. Don''t worry." Leena took a sip of the drink and licked her lips. She tried to look upward at the sky high above but was blind g was a set-up. And this could exin why Edward had been acting oddly today. Normally he had barely looked at her, but today he was so talkative and asked her so many suspicious questions. "What happened? You look terrible. You''re acting like you''re being chased by some ghost." It really irritated Leo that Yakira secretly took the whole five hundred million dowry. And what was more infuriating was that she just refused to admit it. "Ah¡­ Why are you home? Shouldn''t you be at thepany?" Leo''s sudden voice shocked Yakira so much. She couldn''t help staggering back a few steps and her handbag slipped from her fingers and dropped to the floor. "This is also my home. Do I have to get your permission to be here? Why are you panicking? Have you done something wrong?" Leo asked. His tone was almost sarcastic. He had seldom spoken to Yakira this way. What angered him most was her deception rather than the five hundred million. And now her shifty behavior fueled the suspicion. Chapter 507 The One And Only (Part Two) "No, l didn''t mean it like that. You just appeared out of nowhere. I was scared." Yakira crouched down to pick up her bag. She dusted off the bag, carefully avoiding Leo''s prating gaze. She didn''t dare make eye contact with him, fearing that her look might betray her secrets. "Scared? Do you seriously expect me to believe that? You went behind my back and secretly took five hundred million from somebody. You know I''m not happy about that. But you don''t seem like someone who gets scared very easily. How could my words frighten you?" Asked Leo with a sneer. He looked at the woman and began to wonder if he had made a mistake to trust her. And then his mind went back to the report Luke gave him. He had refused to believe it was true, but now he kept thinking that maybe it was not forged after all, that maybe Yakira had nned all this and he fell for her trap like a fool. "Why do you still believe that? There is no five hundred million! Jonathan Mu made the whole thing up! He set me up! He wants to turn us against each other. He wants to avenge the p you gave Daisy. Don''t you see what he''s doing?" Yakira never dreamed that Jonathan would mention the money again. After all these years, why did he try to stir things up now? Hatred for the man ran like poison through her every thought. "Of all people, why do you think he chose to set you up? Your defense is a little weak, don''t you think? Five hundred million! No wonder Jonatha his moment Yakira finally realized one thing, after all that she had done for Leo, after so many years of being together, she was still no match for Grace. Just her name could make Leo lose control. What would he do if he found out that she was partly to me for Grace''s death? Would he kill her? "Huh! You know what she means to me. If I find out you crossed the line, I will make you suffer. I promise you this, you don''t want to feel my wrath." It seemed very normal if the housekeepers told Yakira something about Grace. After Grace died, he didn''t change the housekeepers, yet Yakira said she was the woman in charge of the house now and would need some submissive housekeepers, so slowly she had fired everyone who had been in service to Grace. Dismissing some housekeepers was not a big deal and he took no notice. But now as he listened to her exnation, he sensed something fishy. Was it possible that deep in his mind he just didn''t trust Yakira anymore? Chapter 508 The Lin Group Changes Hands "Grace died many years ago. Leo, why don''t you just forget her? Why do you still love her so dearly? Even if she cheated on you, you still value her?" Yakira stroked her sore chin. She harbored serious jealousy against Grace. So many years had passed, but she still couldn''t win Leo''s love. Why? Leo was always courteous to Yakira. But Yakira had never gotten the love she wanted from Leo. "In the past, I was convinced that she cheated on me, but from today on, I won''t believe anything you say. You''d better tell me the test report you gave me is authentic; otherwise I can''t guarantee if you''ll still be able to stand in front of me safe and sound." Once a couple ceased to trust each other, the good feelings between them would be gone. Yakira was trapped in a loveless marriage and felt helpless. "Why are you so cruel to me? You should know she didn''t leave anything for you, but I gave you a son to carry on the family name. You can''t doubt my loyalty to you." Yakira thought, ''Has something changed quietly? Why did he suddenly mention the test report?'' "Don''t use your son as a bargaining chip after you make mistakes. It''s true that you gave me a son, but thanks to you, I have lost my daughter. Wait and see. Once I find out the truth, I will drive you out of my house!" Leo looked at Yakira with contempt. It was necessary to re-do a DNA test. He decided not to trust anyone else. To set his mind at rest, he had to do everything on his own. "Mom, what is dad talking about? What''s the test report? Is it about Daisy? You gave dad a false report, so dad kicked Daisy out?" Brian quietly listened to Leo and Yakira at the beginning. He gradually figured out what was going on from what they were saying. As he said, Yakira gave Leo a fake DNA test report, so Leo said he lost a daughter because of her. "That''s what you think of me? Now I know I''m of no importance in this family. All of you can criticize me indiscriminately. Brian, mind your own business. Stay out of this matter." Yakira didn''t think that her son would help her. Her mood could not have been grimmer, so she didn''t want to argue with him. Brian always defended Daisy and treated Yakira as a stranger. "Do you still care what I think of you? I couldn''t show any respect for you starting at about age five. You''re not fit to be a moth she failed to see the truth and had extravagant hopes for something that didn''t belong to her. "Where is Edward? I want to see him! What did we do? Why does he have to eliminate us?" Jessica suddenly rushed over to sway Rain. "Sorry. He doesn''t want to see you. I am in full charge of the handover. As a matter of fact, you didn''t provoke him, but you really shouldn''t have offended Daisy. You make trouble for yourself. You can''t me others." Rain shook Jessica off. If her assistant hadn''t caught her, she would have fallen to the ground. "Is this because of Daisy again? Why is she involved in everything? Why do all of you like her so much? She is the apple of your eye. Daisy, I hate you! Wait and see. You''ll regret it!" Jessica pushed her assistant away and screamed hysterically. Her eyes were blurred by tears, but the vicious expression was apparent. "Hey, bitch! Leave Daisy out of this. You framed her in the first ce. Try to be sensible about this, okay?" Rain hadn''t thought that Jessica would overreact. She actually med Daisy for what happened to her. "How can I be sensible? Can I regain the Lin Group? Can the baby in my belly enjoy his father''s love after hees into this world? Can the bitch Daisy give Edward to me? No! Then why should I be sensible? It means nothing to me!" Jessica angrily swept the items on the desk down to the ground. She had lost her mind and closed her ears. She firmly believed that Daisy caused all this. To vent her hatred, she swore to make Daisy''s life more miserable than hers. Chapter 509 Impatient "Jessica, watch your mouth! Or I will take you to a veterinary hospital to cleanse it. Bitch is a more suitable word for you." Rain hated the way women fought. Particrly the ones who used foulnguage. So when Jessica tried that, his brows knitted and his face darkened. The cheeky grin on his face a minute ago was nowhere to be seen. "Huh! Good! You''re all protecting her. I wonder if you will still think she''s a goddess when you find out she is actually a tramp!" Jessica''sughter sounded creepy in the afternoon sun. Her insolent tone made Rain feel uneasy and get goosebumps. "Listen up. Don''t y dirty tricks. You should know youe to a sticky end every time you mess with Edward. Just think about what happened to Lin Group. Are you still willing to take that risk?" Rain thought she was bluffing and wouldn''t do anything to Daisy. Besides, it would be a piece of cake for Daisy to handle her. "Things have gone this far, I have nothing left to lose. But you, on the other hand..." Jessica looked at Rain with a sarcastic light in her eyes. Her hands touched the desk that she had used for many years. From now on, she would live a life that she had always despised. Every day was not Sunday. She was arrogant, and had every right to be. But now, she was on the lowest rung of the socialdder. Her father would fall ill again with the news. In that case, she would be too ashamed to see him. "I wouldn''t know. Miss Lin, time to pack your things and leave. I need this desk to reassign work." Rain smiled. Did she really have nothing to lose? Fine. Now that her mind was made up, he wouldn''t waste any more time to talk her out of it. "What can you do if I don''t leave? You''re acting like a bunch of bandits." Jessica gritted her teeth. She was used to kicking someone out, but now she was the one being kicked out. "Bandits? I like that title. Today I''ll show you what a real bandit is like. Security, get her out of here!" Rain was special in some ways. Ethics and courtesy didn''t work on him. Since they didn''t matter to him, he didn''t extend them to others, either. "Miss Lin, we''re sorry. But we''re only acting under orders. So it would be better if you leave under your own power. Then it won''t be too awkward for us." Two guards walked up to Jessica, embarrassed. They didn''t drag her out but asked her to leave willingly in a friendly way. After all, she used to be their boss, who paid them. Since she wasn''t anymore, they had to follow their new boss'' order to save their means of livelihood. "You! You flunkeys! You used to be just my dogs. Now you are groveling to your new owner. You disgust me! Go away! Keep your dirty hands off me!" Jessica nced at the guards coldly. She wa sn''t as aggressive as she had been a moment ago. Nothing left on her face but misery. He found her pitiable. "Why would they summon me? I did nothing wrong. It''s my right to report someone as a citizen." Hearing the investigation department would cite her, Jessica was flustered. All she did was write a letter. Howe it had be so serious? "Do you think the army is full of dumbasses? You reported a colonel, not just some average soldier. Of course it would attract a lot of attention. Forget it. You wouldn''t understand. You have no idea how strong ss awareness is in the army." Hank waved his hand. The ferocious look on his face disappeared. It seemed that Daisy was the only pain in the ass to him. He had a heart for others after all. "What do I do?" She asked in despair, clutching at straws. Suddenly Hank became herst hope, like thest piece of floating ice in the vast ocean. "Keep saying you know nothing. They can''t torture you anyway. Since you are already in a fine pickle, I don''t want to make it worse for you. Take care. I hope we can still be friends. Bye!" He cast a lustful look at Jessica''s pretty face and gave a vile smile. Then he turned and got into the Jeep parked at the roadside. He would definitely make that woman his if it weren''t for his identity''s sake, he thought. Watching the Jeep drive away, Jessica fell into a daze, uncertain if Hank was telling the truth. Could she be under investigation merely for writing a fraudulent letter? She felt like a traitor. She threw the files into her car and exhaled deeply. Her eyes hurt. She closed them, crying inside. She had lost everything, all for the sake of a man who didn''t love her. Even the Lin Group was gone. But he still didn''t love her. Was he really worth it? Or maybe she just hated to see Daisy win. Chapter 510 Jonathans Tea (Part One) "Have you fully recovered? Where were you going?" The moment Edward stepped into the living room, a cool and calm voice sounded. There was a pot of fresh-made tea on the table. Jonathan sat alone, slowly pouring the tea into the cup. His cold handsome face concealed his real emotion. You could never tell whether he said those words out of care for Edward or to tease him. But no matter which one was right, in Edward''s mind, Jonathan would be thest to care about him "What do you care? Why does it matter whether I''m fully recovered or not?" Like always, Edward said this in a cold tone. No one talked to Edward about the situation surrounding his surgery and recovery. He didn''t know that Jonathan had donated his blood to him. Therefore, Edward had no clue that Jonathan actually loved his son. He didn''t show his love because he wasn''t good at expressing himself. "It doesn''t matter. I just don''t want you to run FX International Group into the ground. Since without a strong and healthy body, you could never manage such a grandpany." Jonathan said indifferently. He wasn''t impatient or angry. He cozily nestled himself into the soft couch, enjoying the tea in his hand. "You don''t need to worry about it, since even if you were sick, I would be still strong and healthy. So FX International Group will never step off the stage of history under my management." Edward frowned for an instant. His father never allowed him to defy his authority. But what happened to him today? Why didn''t he get furious at all? "I don''t have the time to worry about it. Even if FX International Group copse some day, I would still have e ea for me several times. It was not bad. So I started trying to make tea for myself. But somehow, I can''t get it right. The tea I make doesn''t have that kind of aroma and taste." Jonathan took a look at his tea bag and the tea set when he spoke. He didn''t know where he went wrong. "Of course. She is my wife." Edward became highly pleased when he spoke about Daisy, though he was angry with her now. His wife was praised, which meant he was indirectly praised too, wasn''t it? So he felt quite ted at Jonathan''s words. "You are proud. Would you like to try to make a cup of tea?" Jonathan said in an interested tone. He pushed the tea set in front of Edward and leant backward. He raised his eyebrows at him. "Do you think I''ll do as bad as you?" Edward said easily, raising his eyebrows defiantly too. It was as if he was really an expert at making tea. But he didn''t have any confidence in his heart at all. After all,st time when Daisy made tea, he didn''t see the way she made it at all. All he had done was merely drinking some tea. So he had no idea about tea-making at all. Chapter 511 Jonathans Tea (Part Two) "Actions speak louder than words! Show me. I never hurt people''s feeling without any reason." Jonathan smiled tenderly. It turned out that being a good father was not that difficult. The point was whether you would like to show your kindness and tenderness at first. "Well, I''d better stop. My wound hasn''t fully recovered. Tom said I can''t drink something that''s too much of an irritant." Every child wanted to be the excellent child in front of his/her father. This thought had nothing to do with age but the eagerness to show off his/her talent. That''s why Edward didn''t want to act clumsy in front of Jonathan and tried to find any excuse. Although his father would not necessarily pay attention to him, he still unconsciously avoided this kind of situation. "Tea can''t be an irritant. Are you trying to find an excuse?" Jonathan continued enjoying his tea. Although it was really hard to drink, he kept calm on his face and didn''t show it at all. There was no emotion showed on his face. He was such a calm man. No wonder he was a masterful figure. "No, I am not finding an excuse. You don''t believe me? You can call Tom." Edward was sure that Jonathan would definitely not call Tom himself. So he wasn''t worried that he would see through his lie. "He is your friend. Of course I can''t get any useful information from him." Was he getting old? He felt touched by the conversation with his son, though they kept pointing barbs at each other. "Well, now that you won''t call him, I don''t know what to do with an interesting smile. So he involuntarily pulled the bath towel on his body with the thought that he might not be well covered by it. "Nothing. I''m just bored. So I am here to enjoy spending time with my son after his shower." Cynthia took the clean towel aside and waved at him, indicating he should sit next to her. "You are bored? Didn''t you see someone lonely there?" Edward twisted his mouth. He was uncertain what his mother was nning in her heart. But he did what she had asked him to do and sat down in front of her. He acted like a cute boy. Well. He had no way to refuse his mother at the sight of her gentle smile. His heart would melt unconsciously and he would forget to keep his distance from her. "But why do I feel you''re even lonelier?" Cynthia wiped his wet hair gently. She felt a lump in her throat. This was the family atmosphere she wanted. She didn''t expect that Edward would be very close to them, but she wanted to change current situation and be more loving to him. Chapter 512 I Dont Need An Apology From You (Part One) "Is it because you have something to say to me?" Edward''s voice trembled at the sudden care. Cynthia was very gentle to him today. Probably because he was used to the life without his parents'' love or concern, he felt a wave of sadness when he suddenly felt being cared for. "Is it so obvious from my look?" Cynthia asked in a tender voice, just like her temperament, which was as clear and pure as water. "You must have something bugging you. Otherwise why would you leave father downstairs alone ande up here looking for me?" Edward said with a bitter smile. He was not that narcissistic as to think that he was more important than his father in Cynthia''s heart. He was pretty sure that this would never happen. "Don''t you think that you and your father are equally important in my heart?" Cynthia sat beside him. She looked affable and approachable as any other mother did when they showed care for their children. But Edward didn''t notice the helplessness in her expression with his head down. "This thought is too distant from me. So I never overestimate myself in your heart. You only have each other in your hearts anyway. And I''m just like a toy to you, a disposable person. When you are happy, you will look at it. When you''re not, you simply take it back to the storehouse and will not remember it in ten days or half a month." Edward said it calmly with a smile, as if he was talking about anyone else. "Sorry!" Cynthia couldn''t think of any other excuses to spare herself excep at he would do such thing for him. Because Edward thought that Jonathan always hoped that he had never existed in this world. So how was it possible that he would donate his blood to him? "Do you think it''s necessary for me to lie to you? I wish you had seen it with your own eyes. You didn''t know how nervous he was in the hospital. If it was not because that the nurse refused to take more blood from him, he would rather give all his blood to you. Only by then did I realize that he was wronged to be thought that he didn''t care for you. He is just used to cheating himself. He unconsciously hide his feelings for you deep in his heart and doesn''t want to touch them. But these feelings were awakened when you were in danger. He knew what he should do when he was thrust into that situation." Cynthia knew he would not believe her. If she were him, she would also have doubts. How could it be possible that a man who was always indifferent to his son would suddenly show his great love to him? Chapter 513 I Dont Need An Apology From You (Part Two) "Why didn''t you tell me?" Edward was deeply shocked. Because he had lost his hope for Jonathan long before. So he was ustomed to his indifference and estrangement. He felt it unbelievable when he heard the news. "Why would I bring it up randomly? I wanted to wait for a good time. If it was not for the painful words you said just now, I wouldn''t tell you this. Are you okay? Does the wound still hurt?" Thinking of the sight of the scar left by the surgery when Edward was naked just now, Cynthia felt heartbroken. At the same time, she was pretty depressed. Was it really so difficult to be close to him? "I''m fine. You may go downstairs first. I want to be alone for a while." Edward seemed to be in a trance. It was incredible to hear such news. He needed time to think about it. "Okay. Don''t feel trapped. We will pick up Justin at the schoolter. If you need anything, you can call Mrs. Wu." Cynthia looked at Edward with concern. She heaved a sigh and then slowly walked out the room. She knew Edward had always been emotional. So she understood what he might feel after he discovered this. He must be afflicted with mixed feelings. Edward threw himself on the big bed. His eyes were empty and his mind wandered. No wonder his father looked very strange today. He had wondered why he suddenly became so friendly to him. It turned out that there was a big secret behind it. But why did he do this? Didn''t he need only Cynthia? He acted that way all the time. Why would he rself. Her purpose this time was to interrogate the criminals and find out the hideout of the remnants of the arms dealers. But in the end, it was fruitless. It seemed that she had to change her strategy to deal with them. Some people were so stubborn. They would not confess if they were not tortured by force. "To the jail? Why did you need to go there?" Edward suddenly sat up from the bed and naturally put his hand on her shoulder. Daisy suddenly let off a light ouch at his act. Edward was surprised at her reaction and immediately took back his hand. Did he hurt her with his hand? He wondered. On second thought, it was strange. Even if he had used so much strength, was it necessary for her to be in such great pain? She looked anguished. "It''s about the gun fight. I have to write a report, so I need to know more about some details." Daisy looked evasive in Edward''s eyes. She hoped he would ignore the sound she uttered because of the pain. Otherwise he would be very worried. Chapter 514 Do You Want Me to Undress You Again "What''s wrong with your shoulder? Let me have a look at it, " Edward asked, easily undoing the first two buttons of her uniform. He turned the uniform out and saw the bruises. His eyes instantly turned cold. He stared intensely at Daisy, waiting for an exnation. "It''s nothing, just a couple of scrapes from training. I''ll be more careful next time." Daisy blushed, reaching for her uniform to put it back in order. Although she and Edward had already been intimate, she still wasn''t used to being naked in front of him. "Be still. Do you think I''ll get turned on right now?" Edward stared at her. There was underlying anger in his tone. He got off the bed and walked straight out of the door. Daisy watched his retreating back in slight difort. This was not how she had imagined things would go at all. He used to care about her so much. He wasn''t supposed to react this way at the sight of her bruises. Daisy bit her lower lip and sighed. She straightened her uniform and buttoned it up slowly, wondering what was getting on Edward''s nerves this time. What an arrogant and moody man! But it didn''t matter why he was mad right now, as long as he didn''t grill her about how she had gotten the bruises. She had no idea how to exin them. "I told you not to move. Why did you button up your uniform? Do you want me to undress you again?" Just as Daisy moved to stand up, Edward returned with a white porcin bottle in his hand. He walked up to her with furrowed eyebrows. "I..." Daisy twitched her mouth, feeling wronged and too upset to say a word. Should she have just sat there with her bare shoulder? That was not like her. And Edward wasn''t acting himself today either. He hadn''t said a single caring word to her yet. All she felt from him was cold anger, theplete opposite of how he usually acted towards her. She wanted to get away from him. "Unbutton your clothes, " Edward said coolly. He hadn''t intended to use that tone with Daisy, but when the words came out of his mouth, he sounded like he was in a bad mood. He wasn''t upset because she hadn''t told him about the blood donation, he was upset because she never took good care of her body. Whenever he saw her get a new bruise, he felt helpless for not being able to protect his woman. But Daisy had a unique profession, there wasn''t much he could do about it. "Edward, what''s the matter with you? What are you so upset about? What did I do? Why do I have to unbutton my clothes?" Daisy raised her voice in agitation. Because her attention was focused on the expression on Edward''s face, she didn''t notice the bottle he was holding. She was irritated by his request. First, he ripped open her clothes and walked away without a word, now he was making her unbutton them h ocent. I know you." Edward sighed and let go of Daisy. Justin disyed a cunning smile as Edward red at him angrily. "Mommy, daddy doesn''t want to answer my question. Can you tell me?" Justin ran into his mother''s arms with a smile. "No, I''ll only say the same thing as your father did." Justin thought his mother couldn''t see him through, but he was wrong. Daisy knew that Justin was only pretending to be ignorant. Justin pouted. "My innocent heart is broken. What kind of parents are you?" Justin cried dramatically on Daisy''s shoulder. "Innocent heart? What innocent heart? Why don''t we see it right now?" Edward asked as he looked at Justin. He enjoyed family moments like this, something he had never dreamed of before. He originally thought that he would spend the rest of his life switching from one woman to the next as he used to, but not anymore. His family brought him so much happiness. "That''s because you don''t love me anymore. You both ignore me." Justinined about their recent neglect of him. He was about to shift to Daisy''s other shoulder when Edward stopped him. "Be careful. Your mom''s shoulder is injured." Edward pulled Justin away from Daisy. Apparently, he cared about her a lot. His cold attitude earlier was only a pretense. "Were you on an assignment today? Or did Hank pick on you again?" Justin stopped smiling. He guessed the answer was thetter. That guy was a troublemaker. He had picked on his mom a lot ever since they moved in the residential quarters. Luckily, she seldom got hurt unless she was distracted. Hank was far from her match. But why was she injured this time? "Hank again? I guess he never learns." Edward smiled grimly. This was the reason Daisy had been avoiding his question. But he had gotten his answer through Justin. He could stop pushing her now. Chapter 515 What Was Happiness "Rx. I can see why he was furious. He has been demoted to a lieutenant. It must be tough for him. We both got promoted on our own merits, so I know how difficult it can be. I don''t me him." That''s the kind of person Daisy was. No matter how much others provoked her, she would always put herself in their position to understand their perspective rationally. It was both a strength and a weakness. People took advantage of her kindness a lot, leaving her helpless because of this. "But I don''t think he understands you. Do you forget that he tried to bring you down? You''re considerate towards a deceitful viin like him, but he doesn''t appreciate your kindness. Look at your injury. This is the price you pay for being too kind." Edward''s eyebrows furrowed tightly. Admittedly, it was good to be kind, but Hank kept deliberately making trouble for Daisy because she was too nice. Edward didn''t agree with Daisy. Everyone needed to strive hard to achieve what they wanted, despite their different life experiences. "Daddy, you''re right. Mommy, don''t keep putting up with a wicked viin like Hank. Because he thinks that he can bully you, he keeps finding fault with you." Justin didn''t like Hank''s two-faced smile. The sight of Hank made him sick. Back when he lived in the army base, he often hacked hisputer and deleted all his files. Because Hank couldn''t recover the files, he had to retype everything. It took up so much of his time, that he didn''t have time to stir up trouble. "That''s why I didn''t intercede for him this time. Why are you both criticizing me?" Daisy felt that she was isted by Edward and Justin. She knew that she was too indecisive in dealing with the issue of Hank, but it wasn''t because she was afraid of him. She did it for the sake of his amiable mother. Otherwise, she wouldn''t bear his constant hostility patiently. "We aren''t criticizing you. We''re only giving you a piece of advice. Don''t treat us as your enemy and overlook the actual viin, " Edward sighed. He didn''t think that Daisy was a cold woman. She was too easy on Hank, but she was fierce against him. She was never brusque with others. "I know what I''m doing. Do you really find me so weak? I just want to pay back his mother''s kindness. Although Hank is horrible to me, his mother was always kind to me. When I gave birth to Justin, she visited Hank in the base. She apanied me throughout the whole childbirth like a mother, and took care of me while I was in confinement. I can''t help ho you are to my mom? Apart from being her husband, do you have any other identities that I don''t know about? Let me guess. You can''t be her lover, because you''re not romantic enough. You can''t be her confidant either, because you keep flirting with her. You also often molest my mom. Well, it''s really difficult to describe what you are to her!" Justin counted on his fingers as he enumerated Edward''s behaviors one by one. He had a serious look on his childish face. The adorable expression on his face pleased Daisy. Daisy burst intoughter. She agreed with her son. Edward cast dark looks at him. "I''m not romantic enough? Tell me. What should I do to be romantic?" Justin''s words reminded Edward that he had never done anything romantic for Daisy, which made him feel guilty. Justin reopened Edward''s old wounds. "I don''t know. I''m an innocent child. Don''t you think it''s inappropriate to ask me this sensitive question?" Justin raised his eyebrows smugly. Because Edward ignored him, he wanted to embarrass him. "What? You, an innocent child? No one believes that. Don''t make meugh." Edward held Justin by the ear angrily. He was helpless against his mischief. Justin always did naughty tricks, but he often yed innocent. Edward wondered if he ever got tired of his antics. What was happiness? It wasn''t about a high status, expensive sports cars, or arge sum of money. Edward''s family was a perfect example. They enjoyed each other''spany andughed heartily. They loved each other. Although they kept teasing one another, they never bore grudges against each other. It was what Edward wanted. Every man who wanted a home felt the same way. Chapter 516 The Birthday Party (Part One) Leena didn''t like to dwell on other people''s shorings, so she didn''t overreact when she noticed Kevin''s feelings for Daisy. She clearly knew from the beginning that they got married for convenience, and that there was no love between them. Before she married Kevin, she never knew that a military officer could be so busy. Kevin needed to participate in military exercises, go down to different grass-roots units, and execute many tasks among many others. Although they''d been married for quite some time, they didn''t spend much time together. It seemed that he never took the initiative to call her. But she was used to it, and she rarely called him to avoid disturbing him at work. She only did what a wife was supposed to do, cook. Although she didn''t know if he woulde back home tonight or not, she still waited patiently. She stared at the dishes she had prepared with a dazed look. This was bing a recurring scene as ofte. Recently, Leena had been spending dinner time waiting for Kevin. A gentle breeze blew as night gradually fell. The dark night seemed topel people to go home as early as possible. But Kevin wasn''t in a hurry to get home. He frowned slightly, staring at the soldiers who were training in front of him. "Major General." A strong and loud voice suddenly sounded in Kevin''s ear. He turned around to face the person. "What''s the matter?" Kevin asked. The man was one of themander''s bodyguards. Kevin didn''t know why the bodyguard woulde to him at such ate hour. "Major General, Commander is looking for you." Everyone said that Kevin was the mildest officer in the military base. But Luo was themander''s youngest daughter. Both her face and her figure were exquisitely beautiful. Butpared to Leena, she couldn''t hold a candle at all. Leena was sweet while Louisa was sensual. "Oh, Louisa! I remember you, themander''s daughter. I apologize." Kevin smiled gently. He was a little embarrassed that he didn''t recognize her. "It''s fine. We just met once before, so it''s understandable that you don''t remember me. Besides, there are so many beautiful women around you, " Louisa replied, trying to figure out if Kevin had girlfriend or not. She never imagined that Kevin was a married man at all. "What beautiful women? I''m surrounded by men." Kevin''s response rang true. He spent all day in the military base. Everyday people around him were male soldiers besides Daisy, who was a female colonel. He wasn''t exaggerating at all. "Are you telling a joke? Pleasee in!" Louisa was pleased to hear Kevin''s reply. It was good he didn''t have a girlfriend. This way, she wouldn''t be upset. At least, she didn''t need to figure out a way to steal him from another woman. Chapter 517 The Birthday Party (Part Two) "Yes, thank you." Kevin followed Louisa and walked in. Because every house in the residence had a garden, it was much warmer inside. Themander paused for an instant when he saw Kevin show up at the door. But he suddenly burst intoughter. "Kevin, I didn''t know you had the time to attend. I didn''t invite you because I knew you''re quite busy these days. I didn''t expect you to be here, what a coincidence!" "Didn''t you call your bodyguard and ask me toe here?" Looking at the guests in the house, Kevin frowned. He didn''t understand what themander meant. "Dad, I invited Kevin. It''s my birthday today, so I invited him to be here and attend the party in your name." Louisa giggled and walked to themander. She held his arm and turned the charm on her father. "Naughty girl. Kevin is too busy, and you tricked him intoing here. You''re making me worry." Themander doted on his little daughter. Her way of dealing with things was quite unique and he couldn''t control her at all. So he just let her be and didn''t restrict her so much as long as she didn''t go overboard. The corners of Kevin''s mouth twisted unhappily at the realization that he was tricked into attending a party. He had only met this girl once a few years ago. Why did she want him to attend her birthday party? He hadn''t prepared a present for her birthday at all. "Kevin, I''m sorry. I haven''t seen you for a long time. I wanted to invite you for dinner or something when I graduated and came back and filled Kevin''s ss with wine. "Dad, I want to drink too! I need to toast Kevin to thank him for attending my birthday party. And we''re going to the bar for another round. Do you think Kevin can be our escort?" Seeing Kevin smiling the whole time, Louisa was encouraged and took it as confirmation that he must like her back. "Louisa, Kevin is kind enough to have dinner here. You can''t demand more of him. You can go and enjoy the bar on your own. Kevin was busy at work the whole day. He''s too tired to go with you. Besides, he''s wearing his military uniform. It''s not proper for him to go to a bar like this." Though themander berated Louisa, his voice was still gentle. He was gratified by Louisa''s change these past few years. Because no matter what, she was no longer the party girl that she used to be. He hadn''t expected her transformation at all. Despite her obstinate behavior, it was still much better than before. Because of this, themander wasn''t too harsh on her. Chapter 518 The Strong Perfume Smell "Miss Louisa, I''m sorry. Another time? We''ll get together when I''m not so busy." Hearing themander mention he had been busy all day, Kevin realized that he forgot to call Leena to tell her he hade back from the grassroots unit. He had decided to call her after his shower this morning, but he was too busy to remember it. Kevin wondered if she''din about this. "Well, in this case, Kevin, I''ll take a raincheck. And you can drop the ''miss'' moniker! Call me Louisa!" Although Louisa was a little arrogant and imperious, she would be thoughtful when she was around a man she liked. So she didn''t even let Kevin politely refuse her request. "Indeed! Kevin, you''re not a stranger. You are both young people, so you should feel free to call her by name directly." Themander thought highly of Kevin and liked him very much, because he was as capable as Daisy. "Okay. Well, I have to leave now. Enjoy your time! I''ll get you a birthday gift. Promise, " Kevin said and stood up, wondering if Leena had taken good care of herself during these two days when he was away. He was desperate to get home and check on her. He realized she knew how to cook, but she still hadn''t gotten used to a lot of things as a daughter born to a rich family. "Ah! So soon? Kevin, are you sure you can''t stay for a while? Or, perhaps we could go together." Louisa wanted Kevin to go with her to the bar, which could also indicate that she was hitting on him. "No. I think we''re headed different ways. Commander, thanks for the nice time. Good night!" Kevin said and took his arm from Louisa''s hand naturally. He was unustomed to the strong perfume smell that Louisa was wearing. It smelt good, but she put on far too much. It made it hard to breathe. "Um! Have a safe drive home. Louisa, see him out for me." Themander didn''t persuade Kevin to stay, because he knew Kevin must be exhausted after a long journey from the grassroots unitst night. Moreover, he hadn''t taken a break all day, so themander understood how tired he must feel. "Got it. Kevin, let me walk you to the door!" Louisa said with a big sweet smile, because she thought her dad was giving her an opportunity for her and Kevin to be alone. "Don''t bother. I can see myself out. It''s better for you to stay with your friends, Louisa! No, really, have fun!" Kevin declined themander''s proposal, then took his briefcase and rushed out. He didn''t want to waste his time on this, so he was gone in a sh as if he were being chased by some predator. "Hey! Kevin, wait up!" Louisa didn''t imagine that Kevin would leave so quickly, so she shouted out his name. "Never mind. Just let him go. Stay here! Enjoy yourself! You don''t see your friends as often as you should. I guess he has other things on his mind." The e you thinking about? So focused." Kevin asked and walked towards her to touch her forehead. He felt relieved when he made sure she had no fever. "You...did you drink?" Actually what she wanted to ask was where the perfume smell on him came from. "Yep. Good nose. I just had one, but you could still smell it, " Kevin said and pinched her nose. He felt the faint flower scent from her more attractive after smelling the strong perfume on Louisa. "Definitely. People say I have a dog nose. So I could smell it if you ate secretly." Leena said and thought, ''So he went out for drinks with a woman. I can tell from the perfume. Who was she? A friend or a confidant? It can''t be the woman he loves, because Daisy never wears such a strong perfume.'' "Girl, do you think I''m the kind of man who mistreats his wife? Would I eat in private and let you smell the odor of yummy food all through the house?" Kevin said, then flicked her forehead and held her hand walking upstairs with her. "It''s hard to say. A bad guy would never have the words ''bad guy'' written on his forehead, " Leena said. She wanted to take her hand back, but she decided to quit after thinking about it for a second. She thought, ''we''re a couple, aren''t we? So a normal touch would be okay even if we don''t love each other.'' "So, I''m the ''bad guy'' you''re talking about, right?" Kevin asked, tilting his head toward Leena, and thought, ''Being alone at home, this girl is still so optimistic. It seems I don''t have to me myself too much.'' "I didn''t say that, but it''s not my fault if you pigeonhole yourself as the ''bad guy'', " Leena said with her pretty face flushed. She felt her heart beating faster when Kevin was holding her hand. However, at that moment she could never anticipate that she would weep a lot in the future because she never confronted him directly about the perfume. Chapter 519 Show No Respect To Your Elders (Part One) The next morning, news of the acquisition of Lin Group by FX International Group was reported on the front pages of all the newspapers, and everyone was talking about this overnight. Some showed glee, just because of schadenfreude, a pleasure in seeing others suffer. Mary was one of the best representatives, because there would be noparison between her and Jessica any more. Jessica had turned into a poor Cindere from a noble princess. Mary thought to herself, ''I''d like to see how arrogant she''ll be in front of me in the future.'' "Brian, you''ve been back awhile. You''ve had enough ytime, but like everything ytime ends. So you can start to go to work for thepany! It''s time for you to get familiar with the business." Leo put aside the newspaper. He didn''t talk about the acquisition of Lin Group by FX International Group, even though it was a top issue. It hardly surprised him. After all, Lin Group had been hit hard once before. Everyone in the business circles knew full well that it was Edward''s doing. So the acquisition would happen sooner orter if someone offended Edward the smiling tiger. "Can I say no?" Brian stopped eating his breakfast, frowning with a determined look on his face. He had no intention of working for thepany. "Dad, Brian just came back. Could you let him off a little longer so he can get used to all this? I''m still working for you, right?" Mary said. She got nervous hearing Leo''s remarks. She had nned to establish her own connections and strength her foothold in thepany before Brian stepped in. She didn''t expect to hear this kind of bad news in the morning at all. For her, if the bankruptcy of Lin Group was a surprise, what Leo had said was definitely a nightmare. "I agree with your father! Brian. Go back to work to give your father a hand! You can also gain experience, right? You need to know that Ouyang Forei orgotten about it, " Leo said. It was always a load on his mind, because he had a reputation as a kept man. So he had to change the name of thepany which also led to temporary chaos and unnecessary losses. But he kept it afloat. And it turned thepany with deep pockets into a small scale operation. "Dad, will you leave Ouyang Foreign Trade to Daisy?" Mary asked and thought, ''No way!'' She was justughing to herself that Jessica had be the Cindere. She didn''t expect herself be as poor as her the next minute. If this happened, how would she show off in front of Jessica? This was not a big deal. The most important thing was she didn''t want to go back to the miserable life of her childhood. She had gotten used to life as a richdy over the past years at the Ouyang family. She would fall apart if she had to revert to living as one of the lower sses again. "Do you think she would be interested in Ouyang Foreign Trade? Don''t forget who she is now. How could a smallpany like Ouyang Foreign Trade attract her attention?" Leo said, frowning. He nced at them. He had to do the DNA recheck as fast as possible, but he had no idea what kind of excuse he could use to ask Daisy out. It seemed this was the only problem for him. Chapter 520 Show No Respect To Your Elders (Part Two) "Am I sure she wouldn''t like it? I''m positive. I just don''t understand why you drove her out? Were you afraid that she would take control of thepany as soon as she found out?" Brian asked, smiling ironically while he squinted at Leo. He was wondering how his father would exin it to him. "You should ask your mom about it, who wouldn''t let her stay. I believe she will give you a satisfactory answer, " Leo said, looking at Yakira with loathing. How could he have turned a blind eye to that if she hadn''tined about her day after day? "Why is it my fault? Besides, she was the one who was willing to leave. I never meant to kick her out of the house, " Yakira said. She would never admit that she couldn''t keep Daisy around Brian. After all, he already had a problem with her. If he knew about it, then he would surely hate her, despite the fact that he was her son. "How could she do something like that if you didn''t pamper her?" Brian smiled coldly. Was it because Daisy wasn''t his daughter? So he treated her cruelly. But Mary wasn''t his daughter either. Why he could stand Mary but not be tolerant of Daisy? "Are you questioning me now? Keep in mind that I''m your father, " Leo said. He almost lost it, when pushed by his son. He liked to think of himself as a calm man, but he had his limits. "No. I was just telling the truth. Now that it''s done and over with, why are you being concerned about what I said?" Brian said. It was obvious that he was challenging his father on purpose. Only he knew why. "Brian, how could you speak to your father like that? Leo, don''t take it to heart. He''s just talking nonsense, " Yakira said. No matter how much Brian disliked her, he was still her son. So she couldn''t stay calm when her son deliberately annoyed Leo. After all, Ouyang Foreign Trade came with a lot would make you feel like you have a mother? Don''t even tell me Daisy fits that role! Do you think you could have lived afortable life abroad without me? It is said that "parents do nothing wrong". If I didn''t act like a mother, did you act like a son?" Yakira said, and became a bit emotional. She epted less education and didn''t know how to teach her children, so her children looked down upon her and yelled at her. But was it her fault? Was she supposed to die because she fought for a better life for them? Finally they didn''t even take her seriously. "I admit I made a mistake, so I apologize sincerely. But don''t think you can direct the course of my life, because you can''t control me, " Brian said with cold eyes on her. Then he turned on his heel and walked upstairs. He didn''t want to stay there arguing with her any more. She was right. As a son, it wasn''t proper for him to dictate to her. Yakira threw the tes in front of her with resentment. ''What a life I''m living!'' she thought. It was okay she wasn''t the woman that her husband loved. But at the time, her treasured son even didn''t take her seriously. How could she keep living this terrible life? Had the day of reckoninge for her? Chapter 521 Are You Trying To Turn This Army Into a Laughingstock "Hello. This is Daisy Ouyang." When the phone rang, Daisy picked it up without checking who was calling. She fixed her eyes on thetest missile test data disyed on herputer. She didn''t tear her eyes from the screen when she answered the phone. "It''s me. Are you free at noon? How about having lunch together?" Leo finally made up his mind to call Daisy. He no longer trusted any data provided by others, so he had to collect Daisy''s DNA in person. "What''s wrong?" Daisy finally turned her gaze and listened to this familiar voice attentively. She sneered, ''Have lunch together? You must be kidding. We are on bad terms. Why should I eat any kind of meal with you?'' "Really? You can''t even let your old man take you out to lunch? How rude." Daisy kept Leo at arm''s length, which annoyed him. Leo thought she should show her due respect as he was her elder. "The tension between us is palpable. Do you think we could dine together calmly?" It was presumptuous of Leo to think Daisy was rude. Years ago, Leo denied that Daisy was his daughter and kicked her out. Given what he did, Daisy thought he didn''t deserve any respect. Her bitter suffering gave her no illusions. She had given up on Leo, so she didn''t need to be nice to him. "Just tell me if you have time. Nothing else!" Leo didn''t want to snarl at Daisy, but what Daisy said made him fly into a rage. His heart pounded, face flushed -- he needed to blow off steam. "I can''t make it at noon. The army base is pretty far from the downtown area. I still have to work this afternoon. But we can have dinner together. Wherever you want is okay. I see no reason to refuse, really. I''m bighearted like that." Daisy said in a sarcastic tone. She knew Leo must be up to something and would hurt her again. "Okay. Let''s meet at Westin Western Restaurant. I''ll wait for you there." Leo hung up the phone immediately without waiting for Daisy''s answer. He was afraid that Daisy would change her mind. A faint sneer crossed Daisy''s face. She put the phone aside and went on with her work. She quickly dismissed all thoughts of Leo from her mind. Her calm look seemed to suggest that she never got his call. "Colonel, bad news! Our soldiers are fighting with Hank''s." Daisy was immersed in her work when Mark rushed in, gulping for air. "What? Why? What the hell is wrong with that guy?" Daisy sprang to her feet. As she told Hank, she was sympathetic to him but unable to stop any demerits he got. Why did he start yet another fight? "Hank isn''t involved in this. They started to fight with each other in the middle of a chat. Everything is spinning out of control, so I have to turn to you." Ma "Why? Are you trying to turn this army into aughingstock? Tell me. Why didpanymanders and toon leaders also join in the fight?" Daisy wiped the sweat from her forehead. She panted for breath because her physical strength was severely depleted, and her hair was a little messy. Fortunately, she finally stopped them. The soldiers looked at each other and dared not answer. They turned to look at theirpanymanders and toon leaders, hoping that they could find an excuse to convince Daisy. Otherwise they would be hurting for days. "Say something! Cat got your tongue?" Daisy looked at the soldiers coldly and fiercely. The soldiers lowered their head and dared not catch Daisy''s eye. "Colonel, punish us. It has nothing to do with the soldiers. We stirred up the trouble, " apanymander said in a serious tone, walking out of the queue. The bruise at the corner of his mouth damaged his overall image. He seemed less confident. "It''s good that you admit your mistake. Do you think you can escape punishment? But before we y the me game, tell me why you were fighting." Daisy was serious in speech and manner in front of the soldiers. She always looked cold and hard to approach. As usual, now she was poker-faced. "Colonel, could we write down the reason in the report?" Thepanymander bit his lip. He was embarrassed to tell Daisy why they started the fight. He had a dispute with otherpanymanders, which led to a fierce fight. The soldiers had no idea what was going on. They joined the fight to help theirpanymanders, so the scene was chaotic just now. No one was willing to admit defeat. Fortunately, Daisy came in time. Otherwise the fight would continue. Daisy rolled her eyes. This would be a long day. Chapter 522 So Nice To Be Young (Part One) "Well. Now fall in! Ten hut! Dress right! Eyes front!" Even if she tried her best to be cool, it was really hard to change her feminine nature that she was born with. No wonder there still was a sweet girlish tone in her pretended indifference when she shoutedmands. But, as a matter of fact, nothing could cover up the dignity of the blood that flowed through her veins. This was another side of Daisy that Edward saw for the first time. She waspletely different from the charming and soft woman in his arms. She was always abashed by his teasing when they were alone, but now she was so cold with a majestic and solemn face. Yes, she looked very regal. But there was something wrong. She looked so strange andpletely unfamiliar to him. Edward was puzzled by this, thinking, ''Oh, my god, what kind of person is she really? How many faces does she have and which is the real Daisy?'' Too many questions came to his mind. Just a few minutes ago, Edward still felt quite confident that he knew Daisy well. But now, he was aware of a brutal truth that he knew her so little and he had never gotten a deep understanding of the real Daisy. "All you men seem to have a problem. And you''re getting cabin fever. All energetic and nothing to do! Then I would like to do you a favor. I could give you something to do, to help release your pent up energy. I''m guessing you wouldn''t mind, right?" Daisy took a look at all the officers and men. Hearing her words, all the soldiers around her got goose bumps right away. But no one voiced aint. Even though everyone disagreed, they still held it in and stayed silent. Because everybody knew that she wasn''t named "Devil Drillmaster" for nothing. They would have iting if they dared toe out against her. "No Ma''am!" they said in unison. There were half of the soldiers under the direct administration of Hank, but Daisy was of a higher rank than him. So they had topletely obey her orders, without any objection. "All right, now listen to my orders carefully." She barked them out in session, giving them time to do as shemanded. "All of you, ten hut! Right dress as to leave his stomach empty. "Honey, how are you doing? Are you okay?" Edward carefully looked her up and down with worry. He dreaded that she might get hurt just now. He knew she was strong, but not so strong to be unharmed after fighting against so many soldiers. "What are you doing here? To pick up the treasure?" Daisy looked askance at him. Instead of answering his question, she asked him another question. That was because she did get hurt and she did not want him know it. He always worried too much. It was impossible to be safe and sound in such a chaotic scene. After all, she was made of meat and bone instead of steel. But it was just a flesh wound. The soldiers punched and kicked her only when they did not know it was her. And they stopped their attacks immediately once they saw who they were fighting against. After all, nobody was not afraid of being punished for attacking their superior. "Yes! I came here to pick you up." Edward did not mind her mocking words at all, instead, he took out a handkerchief from his pocket. Poor man. The yboy got used to carrying extra handkerchiefs with him all the time since he had a crush on her. Edward wiped her sweat softly with the handkerchief, then he kissed her on the forehead dotingly. Wow! Those who were out of breath and exhausted were taken aback. They could not believe their eyes. Come on, she was ''Devil Drillmaster''. How could he kiss her? Chapter 523 So Nice To Be Young (Part Two) In fact, they saw him as soon as the man came in. They all were trying to figure out who he was. The army was over-saturated with men, but not that kind. He was apparently a man of high rank and high taste. He looked so handsome and graceful. God must have given him all the best traits. They were all jealous. Now he got close to the Colonel and kissed her intimately. They were d to see how he would end up. "Are you deliberately shaking your ass to attract attention?" Daisy ground her teeth in anger. Her cheeks were flushed right away when he kissed her abruptly. She pinched his waist unnoticed with her hand, but her face looked so innocent. It was like she did nothing to him. "Uh-huh, aren''t you the joker? And you''re the only woman here, right? So whose attention am I supposed to attract apart from yours?" Edward ignored the pain where she pinched him. Hesciviously smiled and stared at Daisy with his beautiful eyes. Immediately, all the soldiers were stunned by his unique beauty. What a gorgeous and breathtaking man. And how could a man be seductive and fascinating like him? "It is hard to say. Maybe you prefer a man. There are a good deal of tough guys here." Daisy rolled her eyes and sulked. She turned around and left. It would not end well if she kept flirting with him here. That shameless guy might go further in front of her soldiers. In order to keep her good image in the future with the troops, she had better get away from him. She was not stupid enough to actively create headlines for their pleasure. "Man, a good idea. I should listen to you and seriously think about it. Could you find a man for me? After all you know them better than me. Rmend a pretty boy to me ." ''Aha, dummy, how dare you taunt me? Do you think I am really easy to deal with? Okay! Now, open your eyes and see what''sing. Then you will know better stant without any tenderness. she darted an angry look at Edward. As to his question, she did not want to answer it directly. "No, you are absolutely not boring and idle, but I am. So I am here to surprise you, and the purpose is to see how you make all the young boys crazy for you in the army, " said Edward calmly. His handsome face bore an ambiguous smile. He would like to see how long a cool woman like Daisy could hold up in a war of words. "Do you get it now? Open your eyes and watch carefully how I show my charm to attract them." She knew he was mocking her up, so she would not hand over her arms and surrender easily as he expected. It was impossible to ruin her perfect image in the army. She wouldn''t let him win. "Yep, I have gotten a good look. I am sorry to tell you a cruel fact -- no one is fascinated with you. You were so fierce and malicious just now that all of them were scared away." Wow, the soldiers looked so young! They were full of youthful spirit. Edward, by contrast, was much older. Therefore Edward felt ufortable right away. Although he looked much like them, he was actually much older than them. Age was his most sensitive spot. He would never get over it. That''s why he said "so nice to be young." Chapter 524 Its Better For A Woman To Be Fierce (Part One) "Edward, I finally know why you''re here now. You''re here to make me angry." Daisy stopped suddenly. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Edward. Her behavior made her look a little arrogant and unreasonable. She seemed to be even more charming and attractive wearing the handsome olive-green military uniform. "Oh, I won''t make you angry. I want to live a long time." Was it true that he wouldn''t do that? His tone of speaking betrayed him. It seemed that he wanted to make her angry anyway. "You won''t? I doubt it. Are you telling me I''m a fierce woman and not gentle at all, and you''re not fond of women like that." Daisy pouted. This woman was the one Edward was familiar with when she asked for affection from him, instead of being cold as if she were about to reject everyone approaching her. The cold woman made herself a stranger to Edward. Edward didn''t like this feeling, so he said such things to irritate her deliberately. "Who said that I am not fond of you? It''s better for a woman to be fierce. This way, those lewd men will not try to get close to you. And I will feel better too." Edward looked back at her with a bright smile on his face. But Daisy was almost about to stomp her feet when he said that. It turned out he was just thinking of himself when he told her that. "Look at you. You''re obviously taunting me now. Well, forget it. Why am I serious about it? I don''t need to mess with you. I need to get back to work. So go! Stop following me. Or I might get in trouble for acting improperly on base. I''m not going to sacrifice my career for you." Although Daisy said it in a joking tone, this could still happen. The anonymous tip-offst time was a lesson. "Yes! Mr. Mu, had already pleased him that Edward agreed to meet him here. "Commander. I''m sorry. I got distracted when I arrived here, and took a little tour of the base. So I''m a bitte." Edward reached out to shake hands with themander with a smile. This was his diplomacy. It was his fault that he waste. But he said that he waste because he was dyed due to his tour of the army base. This way, he wouldn''t be responsible for beingte anymore. The corners of Luke''s mouth twisted heavily. He found that Edward had be more shameless. A tour of the army base? Not at all! He spent too much time at home, okay? Apart from that, he followed Mrs. Mu and kept talking to her. Now, he came to themander''s office unwillingly because he was kicked out of the office by Mrs. Mu. "No, no. You''re notte. It''s my honor that you''re here. Talking about this, I feel a little awkward. You just left hospital a few days ago. And now I''m asking you to drive all way here. Are you feeling better now?" Themander invited Edward to take a seat. He gestured to the couch and walked towards it, indicating Edward should sit there. Chapter 525 Its Better For A Woman To Be Fierce (Part Two) "Thank you for your concern, Commander. I''m much better now. But I''m wondering why you want me here." He wasn''t an expert at official manners. But he was able to speak in an official way. After all, he was a business man and it was a necessary skill for him to manage things tactfully. "You are too modest, Mr. Mu. I was supposed to pay you a visit. But I heard that you were staying at home, and not going into the office. And I don''t think it''s proper for me to go to your home. So I invited you here." Themander passed the tea prepared by an orderly to Edward. Because Daisy liked tea, so he thought Edward liked tea too. Therefore, he prepared the tea to treat him without asking him what he would like to drink. "It''s fine. I''ve wanted to find some chance to pay a visit here too. You did me a favor by inviting me here, Commander." Edward spoke his mind. He''d been on base twice, but the only ce he went was the residential area. Besides, it was at night. So he didn''t see the surroundings clearly. Despite that, he didn''t get a close look at the base this time either, he still had a rough impression of it but got to know it better. "Ha-ha! Maybe Mr. Mu is more interested in Daisy than theyout of the army base! That''s why you want to know more about her working environment." Themander smiled and was able to suss out what was on Edward''s mind. He knew how Edward cared about Daisy and reasoned that Edward intended to explore the army base because of her. "You know me, Commander. Now that you''ve read my mind, I would be pretentious if I continued to hide my thoughts." ch time. Through this negotiation, themander finally knew what a real negotiator was like. Edward convinced himpletely without any aggressive words and any personal attack. All he showed during the whole process was his manners as a gentlemen. He was so calm and nimble. No wonder he could manage such a big multinationalpany so well. "Mr. Mu. It''s already lunch time now. If you like, why don''t you have lunch here? You can see how our soldiers eat, and experience it for yourself." Themander stood up and shook hands with him. There was a big smile on his face. They hade to a fantastic agreement, and had a sessful negotiation. "What a nice invitation. I think it is better for me to ept it respectfully than to decline it. I''m sure it''ll be an unforgettable experience to have lunch with the soldiers.." No matter what suggestion themander would make, Edward would take it. He didn''t care about the lunch. He cared that he could have chance to stay with Daisy. That was the most important thing. He arranged everything for Daisy. Chapter 526 Colonel Ouyang’s Husband "This way, please. I''m afraid you won''t like the food in our canteen, " Themander said while walking toward the canteen with Edward. He hardly ate in the canteen himself. His food was usually brought to him from the canteen by his orderly. Of course, it was a little different from the soldiers''. It was an open fact, so there was no need to hide it. "Of course I will. I''m not a picky eater." Edward smiled faintly. Luke, who was following behind, rolled his eyes at him and thought, ''Since when?'' No one could have lied so naturally and easily as Edward. "Okay then. Let''s ask Daisy and Kevin to join us." Themander liked young men like Edward who were from a rich family yet not arrogant, so he was very happy to talk to him. "Commander, Major General Gu has left the army base for the army in H City, " Themander''s aide reminded him. As themander''s confidential secretary, he had to know everything. "Oh, it will be the three of us then. Go find Colonel Ouyang." The smile on themander''s face paused for a second. He had thought if Kevin ate with them, there would be moremunication among them, since Kevin, Edward and Daisy were the same age. Unexpectedly, he had gone on an experience exchange visit to another army base. "No need. She''s alreadying." At the sight of that familiar figure, Edward smiled and winked at her. "Commander, have you two talked business yet? I want to make sure I''m not intruding on something." Daisy ignored Edward''s smile with knitted brows. He was either getting eye cramps or just showing off his teeth, she thought. "Yes. Daisy, how about having lunch with us in the canteenter?" Themander said, not noticing what was going on between Edward and Daisy. "Sure. But doesn''t Mr. Mu have to go?" Some of the people didn''t know Edward was Daisy''s husband, so they thought everything was normal. But the ones who did were surprised to hear how Daisy had addressed Edward. Edward smiled and could tell from her tone that she was still in a bad mood. "Colonel Ouyang, I''m not working right now. In fact, I''m not allowed to. You can say I am unemployed now. So since I''m here, can you buy me lunch?" She wanted to y? So game on. He had plenty of time. Luke and Mark looked at each other. Neither of them could understand what was going on. To them, couples were weird. They talked about so many things that other people wouldn''t understand. "Huh! You two are interesting. It''s all o apuse which had apanied him since his childhood. But today''s des meant a lot to him. He was proud of himself, not as a sponsor but as Daisy''s husband. "Thank you, everyone. Please help yourselves. I was just curious about what my wife eats every day and decided toe here to have a taste of it myself. That''s all. So pretend I''m not here." No matter how angry he made Daisy in daily life, in public Daisy would always be the one spoiled by him. He wanted her to be the center of attention. This was Colonel Ouyang''s husband? It seemed they had been all wrong in the past, the soldiers thought. Her husband being too ugly, running away with the other woman, going abroad, none of these conjectures had been right. If this man was ugly, then no one in the world was handsome. But a new question came along. Why did Colonel Ouyang live with Justin alone for so many years since she had such a wonderful husband? The soldiers had heard a lot about FX International, although they didn''t know its CEO. So they got even more curious. But it wasn''t something they could ask in person without being impolite, so they had swallowed their questions, and made up their own stories about him silently. They had already been discussing who this man was on the training field. Now they knew. They all agreed that only an excellent man like this deserved a brilliant woman like Colonel Ouyang. For the first time Daisy blushed in front of the soldiers, which had been beyond imagination before. Their gaze made her ufortable and unsure where to look. This lunchtime was turning out to be more interesting than she had imagined. Chapter 527 A Considerate Perfect Wife (Part One) "Okay, everyone. Sit down, continue eating." Daisy quickly regained herposure, recovering from embarrassment. She raised her exquisite eyebrows, her ordering through loud and clear. Her intimidating manner was felt in every corner. Edward felt delighted to see Daisy''s behavior. Because he hoped that Daisy would be forbidding and harsh to all the other men except for him. Then no one would think of getting their hands on his wife. He was such a cunning man. "Mr. Mu, this way, please." The Commander led Edward to a table which was prepared by the batman beforehand and asked him to sit down. The usually boisterous canteen became very quiet today because of the arrival of several special guests. All the soldiers kept quiet, it was obvious that they wanted to overhear any juicy tidbits they could. Looking at all the dishes on the table, Daisy bit her lip and walked towards the kitchen in silence. This strange act confused everyone, except for Edward. Because when Daisy frowned, he followed her gaze and found out she was looking along the table. So he was certain that she was dissatisfied with the dishes and wanted to find some food which would be helpful for the recovery of his wound. She did this every day since he got hurt. For this considerate care, Edward felt very warm in his heart. At the same time, he became ustomed to it. "What happened to Daisy? Are the dishes not to her taste today? She is never particr about food. Strange." The Commander looked at the dishes on the table. There was no such luxurious food as shark''s fins or cubilose. But the abundant fish and meat portions could make it a hearty meal. And that was a good enough treat for any guest. "Don''t worry. Probably it is because of me. She cares much about my health recently. So she is very ve he would asionally do for her. The Commander had been wearing an affable smile all the time with an approving look. No matter what made them separate before, as long as they were happy together from now on, he would also feel happy for them. It was said that beautiful things always attracted people''s attention. During the whole process when Edward ate his meal, he disyed his graceful manner to the fullest. This influenced all the rough soldiers. They unwittingly slowed down the speed at which they ate. They all chewed carefully and swallowed slowly, totally opposite from the way they usually ate. Their typical speed was in a terrible hurry after being exhausted by the training. Daisy was surprised to see their change of manner. It seemed that no matter how hot-blooded the soldiers were, sometimes they would asionally show off a bit. They were also unwilling to lose to others, with a stubborn streak a mile long. Just like now, they were deeply impressed by the inborn temperament of Edward. It illustrated one thing: if you wanted respect, using force was not the shortcut to achieve it. Because the cultivation and temperament you showed could also be your trump card. Chapter 528 A Considerate Perfect Wife (Part Two) "Is this your office? It''s very clean andfortable." Edwardid back on the sofa, rxing. His handsome face looked a little tired. The Commander found an excuse to leave after the meal, but he didn''t forget to remind Daisy to show Edward around the army base. So after the trip, he felt very tired. He was discharged from the hospital not too long ago. And he was not in the right condition to be fatigued. And Daisy had taken this into ount, so under all the soldiers curious eyes, she only showed him around briefly, not taking him to all the ces in the army base. The army base was veryrge, it was hardly possible for anyone to walk it through in such a short time. "Yes! Are you tired? Drink some water first!" As soon as Daisy entered the gate, she hurriedly poured some water for Edward. So when Edward sat down, a ss of water was handed him to drink. "It''s okay. Only the scorching sun was a little unbearable." Edward took over the ss naturally and then drained the ss. The sun was really hot, and it made Edward so thirsty that he forgot to keep his good manner and image when drinking the water. "You need to get out in the sun more frequently. You''re a man, you don''t need to be afraid of getting a little burned." Daisy pinched his face. His good skin made her feel quite jealous. She didn''t know that in fact her skin was also very good. Otherwise it would be impossible for her to protect her fair skin from the sun in the army base. It went without saying that it was attributed to the inborn good nature and quality of her skin. "Daisy, are you jealous of me?" Edward gave the ss back to Daisy and indicated to hav t jasmine fragrance of him. He obliged her and draped his arms around her. She felt peaceful there. She felt relieved after pretending to be calm the whole morning. She didn''t feel nervous tension like she did this morning. Although she had constantly told herself that she didn''t care about her father. she still felt uneasy about the meeting with him tonight. If you want your happiness of love tost forever, you should learn to give your lover space, and time to get used to you while enjoying your time together. More importantly, you should trust each other; only by doing this can you be firmly bound together, and no one would have the chance to separate you. And you would not feel worried your love would change with the passage of time. Westin Western Restaurant was a yground for the very rich. The decorations and service were of the highest standard in the city. Many knew the delicious food in the restaurant was made by famous cooks, but only a select few knew that Edward was the boss in this establishment. FX International Group would set foot in every business that made money. Chapter 529 God Is Always Watching Unlike Edward who was alwayste, Daisy was a stickler for punctuality. She arrived at the restaurant right on time. Leo was already there waiting for her. Daisy strode confidently toward him. She looked fabulous with her neat uniform and her pretty face. Ordinarily she didn''t wear a military uniform when she was off duty. If she was going out, she wore civilian clothes, and how dressy she looked was dependent on the situation. She always avoided being the center of attention. But ofte she went to the Mu''s house directly after work and so now she was still in her uniform. "There you are, Daisy. I thought I''d have to wait longer for you. Come and sit down." Leo said in an almost unctuous way, considering that it would ruin his wholesome image if he had a fight with her here in public. What''s more, he hadn''t gotten what he wanted yet. "Punctuality is a basic principle for soldiers. I didn''t expect you to be here so early. Sorry to keep you waiting." Daisy''s voice was polite, but cold as if the man sitting opposite her was not her father but aplete stranger. "Check out the menu and order whatever you want. The food''s great here." Leo handed her the menu with a graceful smile on his face all the time. He behaved throughout like a perfect gentleman. "I will have the steak medium well and vegetable sd. Thanks!" Daisy said in fluent English without checking the menu. She was quite familiar with western cuisine, thanks to all those years spent training at JC Military Academy. "Okay. Coming right up." The waitress was a pretty foreign girl. She nodded to Daisy and left. "So why did you ask me toe here?" Daisy pressed her lips together and gave a sideways nce to the man sitting in front of her. A ghost of a mocking smile flickered across her lips. "Nothing special. I just want to have dinner with you, " Leo said, and his eyes fell on the hat Daisy put aside on the table. He was trying to find a way to get a DNA specimen from her. It would be convenient if he could get a hair from her hat. "Do you believe that yourself?" Daisy asked and smiled, with a look that said she didn''t believe his words at all. "Am I such a horrible person in your eyes?" Leo managed to swallow his anger. He never understood why Daisy was always contentious and made their rtion tense all the time. "Ah. I''m no judge. You should know what you''re like. Don''t forget, God is always watching, " Daisy said casually and toyed with the ss in her hand. She didn''t care if he was a horrible person or not. She knew he was not a dutiful father and that was enough. "Could I have a look at your hat?" Leo decided to ignore the defiance in her tone and focused on the hat. "Huh¡­ that''s okay, but¡­" Daisy frowned a litt ake another route." Mark nced at her through the mirror. He didn''t mean to interrupt her thought but he had to ask for her advice before they got caught in the long line of cars. "Oh. Let''s stop and figure out what is happening there. Maybe they''ll need help." Daisy''s mind came back to the present. She rolled down the back window of the car and looked out before she gave hermand. "Yes. I''ll get right on that." Mark got out of the car and walked forward among the other vehicles. It took several minutes before he came back. "What is happening?" Daisy frowned. She didn''t like troubles. But she knew that being a soldier she should take more responsibility. "It''s not a big deal. A small car ident. A punk girl scratched a BMW X6. They''re arguing over it." Mark answered with a twist on his lips. That girl was very arrogant and nked by somerge men. But the owner of the BMW didn''t seem like a nice person either, and also surrounded by some bodyguards. So he didn''t ask around to get more details. "Shouldn''t the police be brought in to deal with it if they can''t reach an agreement? Why is the road blocked?" Daisy nced back to where more and more cars lined up. It was impossible to change another road now. They had to wait or she could try to solve it in person. But it was outside the scope of her authority and she didn''t like it. On the other hand she had a report to finishter. This really put her in a difficult situation. "The traffic officers are not here yet. Maybe no one called the police. So what now? The road is jammed with cars now and we can''t move at all." They wouldn''t get stuck if they had turned around as soon as they came on the scene of the ident. It was against the traffic rules but army cars always had priority over other road users. But now they could do nothing. Chapter 530 Obstructing the Operation of a Military Function "Never mind. I''ll just go down there and see what''s happening." Daisy got out of the car. She saw heavy traffic with cars lined up on the street. The drivers were honking impatiently. Beneath the flickering street lights, she looked prettier than ever before as she walked past the long trail of cars. The military uniform that she was wearing amplified her beauty. She looked like a perfect amalgam of beauty and power. Mark closed the door, and followed her. Luckily, it wasn''t one of those busy traffic hours. Otherwise, the honking might have driven people crazy. "What''s the matter?" There was a hostile tension between the two parties. Looking at the tainted BMW, Daisy got a little impatient. It was just a scratch. The whole matter could have been settled with some repair and damagepensation. Why did people have to stand in the middle of the road and paralyze the traffic? "Why do you care? You''re just a poor soldier. Do you think you can fix this? Just take a look at the make of my car and then dare to open your mouth!" A middle-aged man, who was seemingly rich, looked at Daisy disdainfully and said. To him, she was just an ordinary soldier who knew nothing about the worth of this car. "Watch your tongue! If it weren''t for soldiers, you wouldn''t feel safe in your country, let alone drive a fancy car." Mark lectured him. Seeing the man disrespect Daisy, he was pissed. It was just a damn BMW X6. What was in it to show off? Although Daisy didn''t own a BMW X6, she did have a Lamborghini and a Rolls-Royce. It wasn''t this man''s fault that he hadn''t seen a really luxurious car in his life, but he shouldn''t have tried to show off in front of Daisy. "Are you going to beat up amoner? I''ll report this matter to your superior." The middle-aged man sneered, ncing at Mark in contempt. His eyes were filled with arrogance. "Mark, back down." This was why Daisy didn''t like interfering in other people''s business. She would have turned a blind eye to this matter if she hadn''t been in a hurry. But now that she was involved in this, she couldn''t let it go, no matter how powerful this man was. "Are you that colonel?" Suddenly, she heard a cheerful voice, and saw someone walking up to her. "You are-" Daisy didn''t recognize this wildly dressed girl standing in front of her. "I''m Michelle. Don''t you remember me? Duh-duh-duh... Remember now?" Michelle made a gesture and sound of a shooting gun. She had the devil-may-care attitude, but she was smart enough to keep the gunfire matter low key since they were surrounded by people. "Oh, it''s you. What''s going on here?" Daisy was grateful to this little girl. No matter who she was, she once saved her life. "Sister colonel, it''s just a little scratch. On dn''t have bothered exining anything to him. Her heart had been melted by Edward so she didn''t mind talking more now. "Do you mean I deserve to get my car crashed?" For a few seconds, the man didn''t know how to respond to Daisy''s words, but then he started being unreasonable again. "Mister, for starters, this girl is willing topensate you for the repair; secondly, trying to rip off a little girl? Seriously? Don''t you have any sense of shame at all?" Daisy gave a cold and disdainful smile. "It didn''t happen to you, so it''s easy for you to say all this. Moreover, you know each other. You are biased in her favor from the beginning. In this case, why should I listen to you?" Although he still didn''t want topromise, he really got scared when Daisy said he was obstructing the operation of a military function. As people said, no good came out of confronting the government. "Then there is nothing to talk about. Mark, pull his car over." If it had been someone else, they wouldn''t have wasted their breath to reason with him. "Help! I''m being robbed by fake soldiers. You''re all witnesses." Just as Mark started to walk toward his car, the man began screaming like a horrified pig. His bodyguards started tounch attacks toward Mark. Yet as Daisy''s guard, Mark seemed untouchable to them. He got in the car after imposing several brisk moves. Seeing that Mark was already in the car, the bodyguards shifted their attention to Daisy. They charged toward her. Facing the bulky men, Daisy didn''t even blink. The bodyguards were already on the ground after a couple of rounds. She pped her hands without looking at them. The on-lookers were amazed by her. She had once stopped a fight of hundreds of soldiers and officers in the army within a few minutes. Handling these bodyguards was too easy for her. Chapter 531 Change Your Mind "Is this enough? Do you want another fight? You could have just moved your car. Why did you have to go this far?" Daisy stepped aside. Mark had moved the BMW standing in their way. Now, the cars behind could finally move forward. "Which army do you serve? I''ll tell your leader that you abuse your power!" The middle-aged man had been reduced to absolute inferiority now, so he became angry and red-faced. "I''m Daisy Ouyang from the garrison headquarters in the S City. You canin against me to anyone you want." Daisy sneered. Another report? Hank had impeached herst time. The man now threatened toin against her. Daisy felt star-crossed. "Colonel, I have also parked our car. Should we go back now?" Mark ran over, but didn''t look at the middle-aged man. Michelle who was standing there attracted his attention. He wondered how Daisy knew this tomboy as she was totally different from Daisy in appearance and character. "You can''t leave. You have topensate me." The middle-aged man turned to Daisy, and ignored Michelle who hit his car. He was sure that Daisy couldn''t do anything to him in public. "Hey, you should turn to me forpensation. Why are you asking forpensation from Sister Colonel?" Michelle was chewing a gum. Her careless and casual manner suggested that she was a free and wild girl. "She offended me. I won''t let her go." The middle-aged man had decided to create a scene. "Mark, call the head of the transportation department. Ask him to personallye here, and solve this problem. I want to see how he arranges this work. The traffic congestion hassted for a couple of hours. Why isn''t the traffic police here?" Daisy''s eyebrows knitted in a frown. Since the middle-aged man wanted an exnation, she would satisfy him. He didn''t know what the probable consequences could be if the head of the transportation department personally came to settle the dispute. "Come on. I wasn''t born yesterday. Don''t try to browbeat me. How can a humble soldier like you invite the head of the transportation department here?" The man despised Daisy because he thought Daisy was a nobody. He did acquire a lot of wealth and stature, but failed to recognize Daisy. "Our colonel thinks nothing of the head of the transportation department. Do you know who she is? She is very influential in the S City." Mark didn''t exaggerate. No government officials in the city were as powerful as Daisy. They had to ept Daisy''s instructions without an argument. "Creak¡­" Following a long and harsh brake sound, a fiery red Maybach stopped at the roadside. Rain opened the door, and got off the car. His curly hair fell carelessly on his smooth forehead. His blue earrings looked even more dazzling under the neon light, highlighting his fascinating look against his mboyant style. "Mr. Xia, what brings you here? I owe you an apology for beingte for the appointment. Look, I didn''t lie to you. There is really a traffic congestion here." The middle-aged man let out a smile at th "I''ll go home too. It''ste. I won''t go to visit Edward." Rain smiled. He had been ustomed to Daisy''s cold expression. "Okay. Drive safely." Daisy walked over to the Hummer which was parked not too far away. Mark followed her behind. He thought Daisy should seize this chance to embarrass Lewis Yi. "Mr. Xia, let''s meet some other day. What do you think?" As Rain said he would go, Lewis Yi''s face screwed into an obsequious smile. "No need. There is nothing left to talk between us." After Daisy''s car left, Rain jerked his head in Lewis Yi''s direction, with ridicule in his eyes. "What? Why?" Lewis Yi couldn''t believe his ears. He didn''t expect that Rain would say No to him. Rain himself came to him and showed his interest to cooperate with him. He used to be a partner of the Lin Group. After the Lin Group was purchased by the FX International Group, he fell into a passive position. "Why? It''s because you offended someone you shouldn''t offend. All our agreements are cancelled now." Rain was cold. Although he didn''t witness the whole argument, he learned from their talk that Lewis Yi made things difficult for Daisy. He didn''t allow anyone to bully the people he cared for. Since Lewis Li went against his rule, he wouldn''t forgive him ever. "Mr. Xia, would you kindly make an exception for me this time? Ignorance can be forgiven, right? I didn''t know that she was Mrs. Mu, so we had a dispute." Lewis Yi followed Rain to his fiery red Maybach and almost begged him for mercy. "Lewis Yi, you should be d that you meet me today. If my boss finds out what happened here, you won''t be able to stay in the S City. It''s known to all that he loves his wife dearly. You shouldn''t have offended his wife. Today might be the worst day of your life." Ignoring Lewis Yi, Rain got in his car and closed the door. After he pressed the elerator, the engine roared, and the car leapt forward and soon disappeared at the end of the road. Lewis Yi sat down on the ground, depressed and helpless. Chapter 532 Fight Between The Parents Yet Lewis Yi wasn''t the only one feeling weak in legs. Upon hearing the audio recording on the phone, Yakira was flustered. It was Paul. He had been out of touch for a while. Now it all made sense. He had been held captive by someone. Yakira wondered who had captivated Paul and why they had sent her the audio recording. On the recording, Paul listed all the things Yakira had done. Yakira''s face turned deathly pale while she was hearing it. In the end she was so furious that she picked up the phone and smashed it onto the floor. Seeing the phone broken into two pieces, she finally calmed down, as if by doing this the recording would disappear permanently and would no longer bother her again. But the peace didn''tst long. Her mind started wandering and all kinds of questions started popping into her head. Who could it be? Why had they made Paul confess the things she had asked him to do years ago? Did they want money? Was the recording a warning from one of her enemies who had been trying to get back at her? She had so many questions. Suddenly, a man''s image sprang to her head. Edward! It must be him! He was so distinguished and arrogant. He wouldn''t ever eat in a public seat unless he was up to something. However, the other day he hadn''t dined in the box. And he had asked someone to wear "A Beauty''s Tears of Blood" and sit in a conspicuous spot. He must have been waiting for her. At the thought of that possibility, Yakira''s face became white with fright. If that was true, what was she supposed to do? Had he nned the whole thing on his own? Had Daisy asked him to do this? Anyway, since they both hated Yakira so much, she would be doomed this time. "Mom, what''s the matter? Why are you sitting on the floor?" Mary was here to talk with her mom about something. She was surprised to see her mom so pale and miserable. "Mom! Mom-" Mary kept calling her, but Yakira didn''t respond at all, as if she was lost in her own world. Mary waved her hand before her eyes. "Oh, Mary, it''s you." Yakira finally came to her senses. She stood up in a hurry with her hair a little messy. Light came to her eyes. "Did you and Dad have another fight? Why did you smash your phone?" Mary asked as she picked up the broken phone. But Yakira rushed over and snatched it from her. "No. I just dropped it identally. What brings you here?" Yakira said and then hid the phone behind her back quickly. She didn''t look as calm as she sounded. "Nothing. I just wonder if you have any jewelry that I can wear." Ma ive with yourself?" Yakira grabbed Leo''s sleeve like a virago. She had already lost parental authority over Mary. And now she also lost her dignity. How could she exercise her right on her as a mother ever again in the future? "Mom, let go of Dad. Whatever is the problem between you two, you can talk it through." Mary''s parents had seldom argued or fought in the past. But ever since they met Daisy again, they had been fighting a lot. She had torn her happy family apart. Right now Mary hated her even more. "You see how he treats me! If you were me, would you be able to talk nicely to such a man?" But Mary eventually managed to persuade her mom to let go of her father. Her hair had be disheveled after the drama. "You''re crazy! How on earth did I choose to be with you in the first ce? What was I thinking?" Leo said sarcastically. Looking at Yakira, he thought he must have been out of his mind years ago. Otherwise, how could he possibly have chosen such a vulgar woman over Grace, who had been a lot gentler and prettier than her. "What? Are you regretting marrying me? Or do you think I am not as good as that woman in your heart?" Ever sincest time, Yakira had never dared to mention Grace''s name in front of Leo again, no matter how angry she was, fearing that he might really be able to strangle her in a fury. "Don''t tter yourself. You and her are as far apart as heaven and earth. In which respect do you think you canpare yourself with her?" Leo smiled disdainfully. Grace had been a well-known beauty of the city, the daughter of an eminent family, adored by young sessful men. How dare a philistine like Yakirapare herself with her? Chapter 533 I Dont Think So "So that''s what you really think. Since she was so good, why did you betray her and choose to be with me in the first ce? Maybe the truth is you didn''t love her as much as you think, " Yakira sneered in self-mockery. In Leo''s heart, she couldn''t hold a candle to Grace? But at least for all these years, it was her that was with him, not Grace. "Yakira, you''re asking for trouble. I would have never cast a second nce at you if you hadn''t seduced me, " Leo answered coldly. Betraying Grace was a wound that he never wanted to reopen. Maybe it was just like what Yakira had said -- he didn''t love Grace as much as he thought, or he wouldn''t have fallen for Yakira''s trickery and betrayed Grace. "You..." She loved, but was not loved -- that was the sharpest pain for any woman and that''s the story of Yakira. As heart-broken as Yakira was, Leo added even crueler words. Now her heart was torn into pieces. "Dad, how can you say that? No matter what she did in the past, she''s loved you with all her heart and soul for all these years." Mary held Yakira tightly, her eyes full of ill will for Leo. "With all her heart and soul? I don''t think so, " Leo sneered. He threw a re at Yakira, then walked out of the room resolutely as if he could leave Yakira forever without the slightest bit of regret. There was no affection left between them in that moment. "Mom, are you okay?" Mary asked with a caring tone after she carried Yakira to the bedside. Now she knew that her own ce in the family was threatened, as well as that of her mother. "I''m alright. Just leave me alone. I need some time to myself, " Yakira answered. She looked so weak and fragile, like a fallen leaf waiting to be swept away with a gust of wind. The night was tranquil, but in that house their thoughts were stormy. All of them felt they''d been through a lot, and their thoughts were still roiling in their heads. Everything looked gloomy and chaotic, and the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel could not be seen. As the morning sunshine prated the dark night, people woke up from their dreams. Daisy opened her beautiful eyes, her long eyshes pping. After a long while, her eyes finally adapted to the bright sunlight. Today being a weekend, she sleptte. She stretched her limbs and turned around, hopeful of seeing Edward sound asleep, yet nothing. The fact that Edward was not by her side quite surprised her. She wondered when Edward got up and why she didn''t notice. Were her senses less sharp now? Or did it show that Edward was even more agile than her senses could detect, that he could sneak out without her notice? Her brows knitted, Daisy felt a sinking feeling, waking up and not seeing Edward around for the first time. She was used to opening up her eyes and looking at Edward sleeping like a log; she was used to his kiss in the morning. Now w rs all sat or stood aside. "No, I''m good. You should eat them now. Or they won''t taste so good when they get cold." Cynthia looked at Daisy''s outfit. She looked more approachable without the military uniform. "So do you give up?" Jonathan looked at Edward beside him and asked provocatively. No matter how young he looked, he had aged after all. That was why he sounded breathless now. "Why would I quit? You''re still in the game. Of course I won''t give up, " Edward said, his teeth grinding bitterly. He would have already defeated Jonathan if he had beenpletely recovered. But he was still injured. So now they were stuck in this stalemate. Hares may pull dead lions by the beard. "Son, wouldn''t it be too much for your recovering body?" Jonathan asked whileining deep down, ''why can''t he just think of me and give up? I''m not young anymore. There are so many people around. He could just quit to save my face. If I were younger, I would be running far ahead of him and win the race. This way we wouldn''t be stuck in such a dilemma.'' "Don''t worry about me. I''m okay. Just tell me, you give up or do we keep racing?" Edward frowned and cast a look at Daisy. She was being inconsiderate. He could barely walk anymore, let alone run. But Daisy just sat there and ate her breakfast. Was she enjoying watching him making a fool of himself? "Huh. Indeed, like father, like son. But being stubborn is no good thing. Alright, I will be the big man and quit first, just to save your face. After all, I''m your father. So I give in, " Jonathan said, presenting himself as a fine gentleman. But the truth was that he couldn''t hold on any more. He was almost dehydrated. He needed water. You could hear it in his voice, along with thebored breathing. After all, sweat came from the water in his body. For the past two hours, he didn''t even drink a little bit of water. His mouth was already parched. Chapter 534 The Shocking DNA Result (Part One) "Are you sure you did it on purpose? It seemed like you had to stop because of the exhaustion." Edward shed a condescending smile as he fought the urge to cry. It was the first time his father gave in to him and let him win apetition. He had never expected the feeling of being loved and indulged to be so warm and satisfying. His heart softened. "Nonsense. No matter how exhausted I am, I can''t lose to an injured man, " Jonathan retorted as he stopped to take a rest. He always felt like he owed his son a lot for the past many years. He had never pampered him, or been a loving father towards him. Today, he wasn''t just letting his son win, he was also trying to be a good father. He owed it to his son. "You''re lying, old man. I outyed you, " Edward panted as he took a seat on the bench beside Jonathan, beads of sweat rolling down his handsome face and dropping onto the ground. "I''m sorry, son, " Jonathan said all of a sudden. His apology came out of the blue, but Edward knew what he meant. Both of them fell silent as an awkward atmosphere surrounded them. If this had happened before he got shot, Edward would have brushed it aside as nothing. But he couldn''t do that now. He had learned about Jonathan''s blood donation, and was touched by his father''s actions. Knowing what his father wanted to hear, he replied, "It''s okay. I''m used to it." Men never held a grudge. No matter how much misunderstanding they had had in the past, they would let it go if the right time came. In the past, Edward thought that he would never forgive his father. But his heart softened in line with recent events. But even then, he couldn''t put aside everything in the past so quickly, as true forgiveness was not something that could be achieved overnight. But he believed erance. "Okay. Your mother is the coolest person in the world, as well as the greatest member in our family. We admit it. Are you happy, brat?" Edward was displeased to hear Kevin''s name. He wondered if Daisy had done what he told her to and had settled things between them. "Oh, I see. We have ourselves a hater. Of course, I''m the coolest person in your son''s eyes. Are you unhappy with it?" Daisy walked slowly towards them from her spot nearby. Although she had a smile on her face, she pretended to be angry. She studied Edward''s face as she put the cup filled with water into his hands. "Of course not! Even if I don''t usually support anyone, I would still support you, Colonel Ouyang. But what about you? I''m sweating blood to win apetition, while you''re enjoying your breakfast. Are you starting to ignore me already? Wow, that hurts." Edward drank the water in a gulp. Heid his eyes on Daisy as he whined and feigned anger. "I''m sure you''ve heard of the saying, ''Bread is the foundation of life.'' You can''t expect me to cheer you on while I''m hungry, " Daisy said, averting her eyes. She had to be careful with her words, or her husband would be unhappy again. Chapter 535 The Shocking DNA Result (Part Two) "Are you sure you were cheering me on, not adding insult to injury?" Edward rolled his eyes. He always saw through this woman. "Oops, you noticed that? I''m sorry, I''ll be more subtle next time." Daisy pulled him up to his feet. A sly smile shed in her eyes, though she dared not be too obvious about it. Her husband might get agitated and seize the opportunity to have a tantrum. In her eyes, men were even more unreasonable than women. "Next time? How dare you! Alright, I''ll forgive you this time in the spirit of generosity. But I feel so unwanted and unloved, and I have to lick my wounds alone." Oops. Men were indeed more unreasonable than women, and Edward Mu was especially so. He started whining already. Daisy didn''t even know what was worth all this drama, but she knew better than make things worse. No one said anything yet, but Edward had already started ying the victim. In response, Daisy tightened her grasp around his wrist. The expression on her face was still calm and cold, revealing no sign of her actual feelings. But Edward had been with her for a long time, he knew that she was giving him a warning. "What now, old man? Just admit it already, you''re but an old and grumpy grandpa." Compared to Daisy, Cynthia was much gentler in character. Although she wasining to her husband, her tone remained elegant and soft. She had the gift of expressing any emotion in a flirtatious manner. "I didn''t lose anything! I was being kind by letting the brat win. Do you really think there''s anypetition I couldn''t win? Didn''t you see how he was crawling and panting like a dog? He was exhausted from physical exertion, but ive himself. It was clear that everything was his fault, and he was the only one to me. He was stupid for questioning his beloved woman, just because someone defamed her and set her up. Leo always thought that he had been in love with Grace, but he finally realized today that he didn''t deserve to love her. He was a stupid and filthy man, just as Yakira said. His love for Grace was superficial and pretentious. He never ced a sliver of trust on her, so he didn''t trust her loyalty. Driven by jealousy and doubt, he even sent their daughter away on nothing but Yakira''s words. He thought that Daisy was the result of Grace''s extramarital affair, but it turned out that she wasn''t. She was their child, his child... Daisy, his good daughter, whom he had never loved. Now, fate pped him with the fact that he had always treated her horribly. It tore his heart apart. How could he possibly make it up to her? How could he have her forgive him, despite how cruelly he had pushed her away? He was haunted by remorse. As the sentiment took roots in his heart, it started to grow out of his control. Chapter 536 A Day at the Amusement Park Leo didn''t rush home to confront Yakira right after he got the DNA test results. He came to the graveyard. Standing in front of Grace''s tombstone, looking at her smiling face in the picture, he was enveloped by agony. He realized that his past was full of mistakes. He tried not to think about it, but it was useless. He felt trapped. He stroked the face in the picture that he was so familiar with, leaned against the stone, and fell onto the ground. The pain was too much to bear. He seemed to have aged a hundred years all of a sudden. And he felt so alone. He forced a sad smile and thought that he was the biggest failure in the world. He had doubted his own daughter and treated her badly just because of an unsubstantiated test report. How could he be such an asshole? Grace''s face was still so young, so beautiful. The smile remained captivating. But they were now so far apart. He would never be able to touch that face, see that smile, or hug her again. "I''m so sorry, " Leo said to the tombstone. He knew he owed Daisy an apology too. But he had made too many mistakes in his life and had hurt her deeply. He couldn''t just say sorry and expect her to forgive him. He had to earn it. Now that he knew Daisy was his biological daughter, no matter how much she hated him, he had to try to make up for everything. On the other hand, how was he supposed to deal with Yakira? To kick her out of the house? Or let her stay and torture her? Yet neither of the two ways could properly vent his hatred. However, Leo didn''t know that something more agonizing was brewing. The truth would bury his happiness for the rest of his life and make him live in remorse forever. It was a fine day. On the day full of love, even the air was sweet. That was how Daisy was feeling -- happy. Nothing even approaching what Leo was experiencing. "Mommy, I want to ride that, " Justin said excitedly, pointing at the busy mega drop tower not far from where they were standing. He couldn''t wait to have a ride. "No, it''s too dangerous." Daisy frowned. Other kids chose mild rides, but Justin liked the exciting ones. The pendulum swing he had just tried had almost scared the life out of her. She couldn''t let him try this one, no matter what. Her heart would burst from her chest if she rode it with him. "Daddy, I want to have a ride." Sensing his charm wouldn''t work on his mom, Justin turned to his dad. His face had turned redder in the sun. "Well-" Edward took off his sunsses and looked at Daisy, afraid to say yes, because Daisy was gazing at him, as if she was sending him a warning with her eyes, which said if he agreed to let Justin try on that ride, he should prepare himself for any subsequent punishment. "Mommy, just say yes, " Seeing his dad''s reaction, Justin turned to his mom again and pleaded. He realized that his mom was the head of his family after all. "I said no. The rules sp of bottled water in the freezer. Why did you have to take mine?" Edward sighed and reached for another bottle in the freezer, but Daisy took it away too. "Drink this." Sensing Edward was going to get mad, Daisy smiled and handed him a bottle of cold water. "I want ice water." They came here in a camper. There was everything in it. Otherwise, Edward would have thought Daisy was trying to make him die of thirst. "You are still recovering. Ice water does you no good. You should pay more attention to your diet to help you heal, " Daisy said as she opened the bottle for him, avoiding the angry light in his eyes. "Believe me. Right now I''m strong enough to eat you up, " Edward said and didn''t mind Justin''s presence at all. "Should I excuse myself?" Justin asked, blinking. A sly smile appeared in his big eyes when he found that his dad was so angry but he couldn''t do anything about his mom. "What do you think, kiddo?" Every time they were together, Edward was amused and angered at the same time. He started to feel that Daisy and Justin meant to make him angry, that they teamed up on him on purpose. But he couldn''t just ignore them like he had ignored the others. "The RV is big enough, but daddy, don''t you think this is a bad ce for you to do it with mom? You should find somewhere quiet and secluded. Not in public. It''s bad for both your reps, " Justin said earnestly, as if he knew a lot about sex. "Justin, noputer for you from now on!" Daisy said seriously. She felt awful. How could a kid say something like that? Should she me society? Had she failed as a parent? She always knew that Justin was smarter than other kids, but she couldn''t allow him to learn about things beyond his age. In a word, she thought it was a problem caused by the Inte which was developing faster than ever. Therefore, Daisy decided to take away hisputer until he could realize exactly what he had done wrong. Chapter 537 I Want A Divorce (Part One) "Mommy, please don''t! I''m bored without aputer. How about this? I promise I won''t go to any websites that I am not supposed to. Don''t take away myputer, please." After Daisy leveled her punishment, Justin looked at her with beseeching eyes. Then he turned to his dad to seek help from him. "Don''t look at me. As you can see, I also have to obey your mom''s orders." Edward leaned back on the seatzily and smiled yfully. With the cool air, the car was no longer sweltering. Edward felt pleasantly cool, but he was still upset because Daisy didn''t allow him to drink ice water. "I knew I couldn''t count on you! Darn it!" Justin looked sad, but soon he let out a sly smile. A good idea urred to him. Although his mom took away his ownputer, there were otherputers at home. "You can''t use otherputers at home either. I''ll password protect those." Daisy knew what Justin was thinking and nipped his hope in the bud. Edward looked at Daisy with amazement. His son was aputer expert. He could even break throughplicated firewalls. How could simple passwords stop him? Edward had a sudden fear. Justin hacked into hisputer once at hispany. Did Daisy have no idea how much Justin knew aboutputers? It was weird. Edward just spent a couple of months with him, but he got to know Justin through and through. Daisy had been taking care of Justin since he was born, but she was absolutely ignorant of what Justin could do. "Fine. I won''t use theputers at home, " Justin promised. Then he turned to Edward with a big smile, "Daddy, when will you go back to work?" Breaking intoputers was a piece of cake for Justin, but he didn''t want to annoy his mom. Since his mom didn''t allow him to y on theputers at home, he would do as she said. However, she didn''t say that he couldn''t use the co ard for her ce in this family, so the first thing to do was to please Leo. "Well, my phone ran out of juice, " Leo answered in an expressionless tone. He felt revulsion for Mary. In fact, the battery didn''t wear out. He turned off his phone, so that he could have more time to figure out his thoughts. He didn''t turn on his phone until he called Daisy just now. Before he could say even a few words, she hung up coldly. What he did in the past bitterly disappointed Daisy, so Daisy gave him the cold shoulder. He was seized with remorse for this. "Did your phone really run out of power? What really happened is you found a beautiful woman to satisfy your lusts, so you turned off your phone and we wouldn''t disturb you." Yakira slowly walked down the stairs in dismay. She was given to using bitter sarcasm. It was difficult to imagine she was a pitiful woman. "Yakira, I wanted to solve the problems in a civilized way, but I didn''t think that you would be so eager to start a fight. Then let''s be frank and put our cards on the table. Truth be told, I couldn''t exhaust my hatred for you even if you died a hundred times, but you deliberately provoke me again and again. Don''t you feel guilty for what you have done?" Chapter 538 I Want A Divorce (Part Two) Leo seized Yakira by the throat, with anger in his eyes. She had deceived him for years. He raised her daughter Mary as his own and drove his biological daughter Daisy out. Daisy lived as a drifter, and he became a cruel father. Yakira had to be responsible for this! "Dad, what are you doing? Let go of mom! You''ll kill her!" Mary opened her eyes wide, anxiously trying to loosen Leo''s hand. She had no idea what was going on. They used to be on friendly terms with each other, but recently, Leo was hostile to Yakira, making the atmosphere foul. Mary had never seen Leo be so indifferent in the past. In her eyes, he had always been gentle and cultivated. When did he begin to get angry so easily? "I won''t kill her. I don''t want my hands stained with her blood. Yakira, take a careful look at this!" Leo flung Yakira to the ground and mmed a piece of paper straight onto her face, covering her fearful look. "What''s this?" After reading the paper, Yakira looked green around the gills. Her lips trembled, and she could no longer say anything to defend herself. There was a look of horror on her face. "Let me see what it is." Mary took away the paper from Yakira''s trembling hand and read it eagerly. She didn''t expect it to be a DNA test report. When she wondered why Leo did this test, she saw the subjects were Daisy and Leo, which greatly shocked her. The simrity of 99.99% threw her into a panic. "Have you seen the test results? Tell me. Why did you turn me into aughing stock? Why? Tell me!" Leo talked down to them in anger. Now he also hated Mary because she used to treat Daisy with great cruelty in the past. He thought that Daisy was not his own daughter, so he turned a blind eye to what Yakira and Mary did. However, since he knew the tr in the past, so Leo and Yakira couldn''t get a divorce. "Sorry, I don''t want to get involved in your vicious plot. If you hadn''t treated Daisy brutally in the first ce, we could have been a happy family. You asked for it. You can''t me anyone else, " Brian sneered. He knew how heartless his mother was. Years ago, Daisy was a weak little girl. To satisfy her selfish desires, Yakira treated her maliciously and even kicked her out of the house. With her as his mother, he felt too ashamed to face Daisy. Therefore, even though Yakira was in hot water now, Brian wouldn''t lend a helping hand. It was not because he wasn''t loyal to his family, but because he couldn''t ept that his mother was such a vicious person that she even faked a DNA test report. More incredibly, his father even believed her lie so easily and didn''t throw doubt upon the test report until more than twenty yearster. Was his father too stupid? Or was his mother too evil? "Pah! You''re so naive Brian! It''s not as simple as you think. Don''t you know who your mother is? Do you think that you can keep out of this?" Mary raised her hand with anger, trying to p Brian hard across the face. Chapter 539 Lose All Reputation (Part One) "Brutal and reckless as always, sis. You think you can p me and get away with it? Not today." With a mocking smile, Brian grabbed one of her hands that she was trying to p him with. "Why? Why don''t you feel sorry for your mother at all? Why are you so heartless to her? How can you just sit back and let Dad divorce her? Who do you think you are?" Pulling her hand away. Mary bombarded her brother with usations. She didn''t know why could he be so cold to his flesh and blood. "Why should I help her? Did she do something for me that I should appreciate? She''s the one who got herself into this. There''s nothing I can do." Brian looked at his mother as she slumped on the floor. Every word he just said was so merciless to Yakira that she couldn''t help bursting into a rage. She jumped to her feet and raised her hand to p Brian across his face, no longer caring about how Leo would think of her. But this time, Brian stood still and received the p without escaping. "Hahaha, look what a lovely boy I have! Now that you want to side with outsiders. I am not your mother anymore." Yakira thought Brian would dodge, or at least grab her wrist to stop her. She was surprised to see Brian stand still and take it without a word. It made her heart ache to see Brian was so determined to deny her. From now on, Yakira became a stranger who Brian had nothing to do with. Thinking of that, her face was convulsed with grief and she stepped back. Brian chewed his lower lip and walked upstairs silently. He responded to the mess as if he had nothing to do with it at all. But his swollen face pro s about Ouyang Foreign Trade as her husband owns the FX International Group? That''s a stupid assertion. So stop finding excuses for yourself and ming someone else for what you did. I am divorcing you anyway! End of discussion! Take care!" Leo was done with the mess, He began to walk out in case Yakira should harass him again. "Leo, you''re such a heartless man! You must have a mistress! I know it! That''s why you threaten me with this report to get a divorce. You saw everything I did. How could you use me of being devious? You can''t hold me responsible for what happened! You''re such a loser!" Yakira shouted at Leo, but he left without looking back. What Leo wanted now was to leave this house full of bad memories. "Mother, what do we do? It seems that father is determined to divorce you. What if he takes all our money away from us? How could we support ourselves? Let me make everything clear first. I don''t want to be poor again!" Mary pouted. The first thinging to her was not how tofort her mother, but how to sustain her luxury lifestyle. Chapter 540 Lose All Reputation (Part Two) "As long as you capture Edward''s heart, you will never be short of money through your whole life." Yakira wiped away her tears. ''Leo, you such a heartless jerk. You drove me to this. Since you think you can divorce me for that bitch, then don''t me me for destroying her. I look forward to see how you are going to stay cool when your beloved daughter is on the brink of breaking down. Let''s see who is going to win.'' Yakira thought to herself. "Mother, don''t worry. I won''t let you down as long as you can help me." Whenever it came to Edward, Mary forgot all her concerns and couldn''t help giggling. No matter how strong Daisy became, there''s no way she could take on Mary. Mary would steal her husband, the same as stealing her father. After all, Mary learned all her tactics From Yakira, the mistress of maniption. But Edward totally had no idea that he was an attractive piece of meat coveted by someone. That was thest thing he could have on his mind, for right now he stared at the man in front of him with a disgusted look on his face. "So you are Paul Du?" Edward sat there with such regal dignity, like a king sitting on his throne. He was born with amanding presence which made people want to worship him. "Yes, I am. Why am I here? Who are you? And what is all this about?" Paul looked upset and slouched over with a pale face. "You know what you did." Edward squinted at him. He always kept in mind being nice to others and tried to avoid sounding arrogant when talking to someone beneath him. But as for Paul, such a bastard didn''t deserve to be treated nicely. So Edward just did wha d pretty fancy, he didn''t expect it could be an antique. Besides, Yakira wasn''t generous enough to give him such a priceless treasure. "What did you just say? 50, 000? Shit." Even though Edward tried to be courtly, he could no longer hold back his rage. The ne which cost him 100 million was only pawned for 50, 000. How could he stay cool after finding that out? "Right. The price is reasonable! Think of it, 50, 000 for an out-of-fashion ne!" Paul said as he couldn''t sense how furious Edward was now. He exined it further to Edward. "Luke, take care of this guy. I don''t want anybody to think that I am easy to deal with. You feel me?" Paul should not have tried to exin anything. It wouldn''t do him any good and only added fuel to the mes. Edward got furious with him and told Luke to take care of him. Luke was his man and certainly understood what Edward meant -- teaching Paul a lesson. That was typical of Edward, He''d never curse you right to your face, but would certainly never let up when he wanted to teach you not to mess with the best. Chapter 541 Lost Home "Yes, Mr. Mu. I understand." The corner of Luke''s mouth twitched. A rare smile appeared across his stern face. Even though it disappeared in an instant, it was already a miracle for it to happen. He was usually so reserved that he wouldn''t even say unnecessary words. Witnessing him smile was quite a luxury. Having confirmed the origin of the ne, Edward didn''t need to stay any longer and quickly returned downtown. Since he now knew everything that he needed to know, the next step would be toe up with a n to bring Yakira to justice. "Luke, are there any developments on Yakira''s side?" Edward leaned back against his seatzily, like a resting leopard waiting to pounce. He looked attractive and charming with his handsome and sly appearance. "Mr. Mu, ording to reliable sources, Leo is trying to divorce her. We haven''t found out exactly why." While driving the car, Luke turned his head to nce at Edward. He had long gotten used to his roguish young master but despite being a man, his heart still couldn''t help skipping a few beats whenever he saw Edward like this. "Oh! Is that so? Could it be that Leo has discovered something already? I wonder how different his findings are from what we have." Edward stared at the traffic outside. Faint sarcasm slowly appeared in his smile like a poppy flower that no one would discard. "I heard from the people working for them that Leo went straight to the Judicial Expertise Center after his dinner with Mrs. Mu. It''s not certain if these two events are rted." Luke spoke calmly. He never sent anyone to tail Daisy. He only had his people watch the actions of the Ouyang family. It was only a coincidence that he learned that Daisy had a meal with Leo. "Yes, I know. Daisy mentioned meeting with Leo when she came back the other day. But I didn''t realize Leo''s true purpose. What I want to know is how he was able to acquire a sample from my wife." Edward found it interesting that Leo never believed the documents he provided him. What happened this time? What made him so interested in seeking the answer himself? The question puzzled Edward. "I''m not sure, since we didn''t get near them at that time. Are we heading home right now?" Luke frowned. He was worried that Daisy would discover that his people were following Leo. When he learned that Leo was meeting her, Luke didn''t approach any closer and only observed from afar. "Yes, let''s head back. I already made up an excuse earlier today. It wouldn''t be good to go homete." It was alreadyte in the afternoon. When Edward got back from the amusement park, he immediately took a shower and left with Luke. It was about time that he went home for dinner. If he was still living alone like before, his cold home would be thest ce he''d want to return to. But everything was different now. Edward''s precious family was waiting for him. "Mr. Mu, are you going to tell Mrs. Mu about this?" Luke pursed his lips. Although the elders always rei easily. It seemed that Yakira had indeed lied to him. She contacted Grace behind his back. As Leo read on, his face turned paler and paler. ording to the materials that he had gone through, not only had Yakira contacted Grace, but she also intentionally provoked her on many asions. Leo always thought that he had hidden everything well, that she never knew that he had another woman outside his marriage. He didn''t expect her to have found out everything. How could she have endured this? She always appeared so unaffected around him. Did she not care because she didn''t love him? Or was she trying to keep their shaky marriage for the sake of giving their daughter a whole family? When Daisy was kicked out by Yakira in the end, he didn''t even bat an eye or try to stop her. But this was not enough to break Leo''s heart. Apparently, when Grace saw him in bed with Yakira, it was all ording to Yakira''s n. The car ident was all because of her. Leo started trembling at the realization. Ultimately, Grace''s death was not some random ident. He had indirectly caused it as well. The truth immediately turned Leo into a frail old man. He was utterly devastated. He turned page after page. As the man had said, there was not much to be found, but it was enough to open Leo''s eyes to Yakira''s evil machinations. One of the documents was a DNA report, but it was no longer important to him because he had already verified it himself. Because of this, his heart sank even deeper. Leo used to think that divorcing Yakira was a little too harsh for her. But right now, even ten divorces couldn''t diminish the hatred he felt for her. Yakira should be d that she was not here with him, or he would have choked her to death with his bare hands. Leo slowly put away the scattered papers. He wasn''t prepared for so much shock within one day. The DNA report had already angered him, and these documents pushed him further into an endless darkness, consuming him almost entirely. Chapter 542 Beautiful Woman (Part One) Daisy enjoyed her weekend a lot. She had tons of spare time, and she could finally spend more time with her family members. She would always take some time and cook something delicious for her beloved family. Her home-made food was both hearty and tasty, and today was no exception. As soon as Edward stepped into the house, he smelled something amazing in the air. It boosted his appetite in no time. "Hey you, we were just about to call you! Where have you been? We were looking for your everywhere! Come on then! Time for dinner! Where is Lukie?" Cynthia called out to Edward the moment she spotted him. She smiled warmly at him as she earnestly pushed him towards the dining table. "Maybe still outside, parking the car? He''ll be here in no time." Edward curled his lips. Lukie? What a childish nickname his mother had used for Luke! Edward found it absurd to call a tall and handsome young man like Luke such silly name! However, he did understand that his mother only used this name to show how much she cared about Luke. So he didn''t really tell her how he felt. That would be cruel. Instead, he onlyughed hard in his heart. "Daddy, why were you out ying again?" Justin really loved to stick around Edward as his father was seldom home. Recently Edward spent more time at home, therefore Justin took great advantage of the situation and spent as much time as possible with his father. It was a rare treat for Justin to have Edward''spanionship as usually he was always busy at work. Justin cherished every second spent with his father. Edwardughed and said, "I had some work to finish up. Nowe on, let''s wash our hands and get some dinner." Edward bent down and cradled Justin in his strong arms. Thanks to all the rehab and rest that he had, Edward was now fit enough to lift his son with little effort. The reason he recovered so soon from his injury was because of the medicine Tom created himself, and used on Edward. The meds had an immediate effect and worked like a charm. Edward took Tom''s effort for granted and did not show much appreciation, which distressed Dr. Qin a little bit. However, such distress was easily alleviated by a big fat check from Edward. Tom e rd could not encourage his mother''s further attempts on more food creation. Before Justin could say anything, Edward jumped into the conversation and tabled the topic. He was afraid that if he didn''t speak out loud first, Justin might even convince Cynthia into more daring endeavors. After all, he hated to be the guinea pig for her creations! "I agree with Edward fully." Jonathan nodded his head sternly to show his support as well. It was quite rare for him to agree with his son. However, as he had been "poisoned" by his wife numerous times before, he knew what was the right thing to say now to avoid future tragedy. Just like Edward, Jonathan didn''t want to be the poor victim of some food poisoning crime. "Was my cooking this scary? Howe both of you are acting like cowards?" Justin was confused at their reaction. Their universal decision on forbidding grandma making more dishes made him wonder whether he should insist on his original proposal. It seemed that he needed to give it a second thought. As a kid who loved delicious food, nothing was more important to him than his own health. As long as he had a healthy body, he was able to enjoy the pleasure of devouring gourmet delicacies. "Just eat your food! Stop talking already!" Edward gave him a warning look and then quickly ced a big chunk of meat onto his te to make sure he didn''t talk anymore and ruin their n. Justin with his big mouth might cause them big troubleter on. Chapter 543 Beautiful Woman (Part Two) Luke remained silent. He seldom talked at the table. As he had been an orphan since he was young, Luke suffered coldness and hunger. It was a very fortunate thing that someone would extend a helping hand and offer him some warm food. He couldn''t ask for more. Therefore, any food prepared by Cynthia he would finish it with a grateful heart. Although the food did not agree with his stomach and usually caused him loose bowels for some time afterwards, he neverined. For him, the food carefully prepared by Cynthia was a rare treat in the world and was simply precious. Right now, he heard them teasing each other but didn''t say anything. He just looked at them with a gentle smile, enjoyed the good ambience at the table, and appreciated the love and warmth he had felt. Daisy gently gazed at her precious family. Each one of them meant so much to her. The look on her face said it all: at this very moment, the cold female colonel was grateful for everything she had in her life: the caring family, an adorable son and a perfect husband. Daisy was intoxicated with her own thoughts. She felt so blessed. The night was long, and the moon had generously shed its light all around. A beautiful woman bathed herself in the moonlight. Her fragrance seemed so close and yet her look seemed distant. Her lips were like the finest rare ruby and her hair was like the most expensive ebony satin. Her beauty easily took Edward''s breath away. His breath caught in his throat. He fondly gazed at her as he was powerless against the burning desire within him. "How''s it going?" He quietly approached her andid his eyes on her beautiful neck. He wickedly curled his lips as he secretly sniffed her fragrance, the unique flowery smell from her shampoo. "Fine! You done with the chess game?" Daisy raised her head and looked at him curiously. After dinner, Jonathan proposed that he would like to y chess with his son. This indeed surprised everyone as usually he would go straight to Cynthia and hang out with her alone. Everyone knew how important the sweet time he spent with his beloved wife meant to him. Now he actually suggested spending hi so much right now. "What about my excuse? I think it''s a good one! What did you expect? We end up in a big fight over trivial things like that?" She was giving him the cold shoulder for no reason. Edward''s face turned darker. He was so innocent but she dared to use him of doing something he didn''t do! He never intended to argue with his father. However, ording to her, he was the bad one here and should be med. It made Edward pretty sad that his beloved wife actually saw him as a trouble maker. "You are still quite vulnerable at the moment. I don''t think you are a match for your father. He might be old, but he is definitely a tough guy." His back talk made Daisyugh. Greatly amused by his words, she deliberately mocked him. Then she bent down and picked up the clothes he had thrown randomly to the ground. It seemed that this nasty habit of his was really difficult to get rid of. As the saying went, "A leopard cannot change its spots." Edward was quite spoiled and she might need more time to correct his habits. What a big task life had given her! "Woman, are you doubting me now?" With these words, Edward moved to her and embraced her tightly from behind. Daisy was not a small woman but still he captured her easily in his strong arms. His burning gaze roamed over her tender and juicy lips. Time seemed still as his look got steamier and they both knew that something romantic was about to happen. Chapter 544 Celebration Of Their Love (Part One) "I''m not doubting you, I''m just being honest." Daisy clenched her hands into tight fists and put them above her head, hoping to put some distance between them. Because of Edward;s dangerous gaze, she felt a chill running down her spine. "The fact is, I''m going to kiss you..." Edward said slowly, putting emphasis on each word, and before finishing his words he hurriedly put his thin lips right on her mouth and kissed her fervently, passionately. His slender hands reached under her pajamas, gently touching and caressing everywhere. It seemed that he was yearning for her to melt into him. "Umm..." Compelled to respond to his passion, and with the words she wanted to say swallowed by his intense kiss, she couldn''t help but unclench her tight fists and snaked her arms around his firm waist, pulling herself closer to him. All his thoughts were lost in the sweep of his tongue against her lips. Their passionate love was like a cup of sweet milk tea, stirring the most primal desire in his abdomen. Both of them were lost in the heat, feeling the thirst from the deepest part of their hearts. With the expression of their love, a simple kiss was not enough to resolve the broiling sexual tension between the two. Edward''s lips explored, moving to kiss her neck. "Wait..." After what seemed to be an eternity Daisy finally found her voice again, but her sultry tone was not that convincing. "Um! How do you expect me to wait?" Edward caught her earlobe between his teeth with a smirk and nibbled at it. His heavy breath ghosted against the shell of her ear, hitting her most sensitive nerves, making her shiver involuntarily. She lowered her gaze to avoid looking into his lustful eyes. "Your body... is not healthy enough for this." Daisy was leaning bonelessly into his arms, breathing heavily. But she did not forget to remind him of this problem that couldn''t be ignored. "So you also think that our previous act an. When faced with a man who was as pretty as a beautiful woman, it was indeed the right word. "Nonsense! I don''t like being on top, " Daisy retorted quickly, but didn''t realize that her words would be her undoing. Edward gave her a flirtatious grin and said, "So you mean that you enjoy being underneath me." Edward''s smiling eyes twinkled. No doubt that he was seducing her, but he was just teasing her relentlessly, not in a hurry to eat her up. He was like a sly cat, and she was his prey. A cat always loved to y with its catch before starting the meal. "I..." Daisy was at a loss for words, and Edward didn''t allow her another chance to speak. He leaned to press their lips together, taking the words right from her mouth. Dragging his tongue through her mouth, he easily gained entry into it. Their tongues dancing, it was a start of a wonderful journey. Her clothes were stripped off piece by piece. Daisy gradually lost her mind in Edward''s feverish kisses. She couldn''t think of anything else, only the fascinating man in front of her eyes. She was willing to show him all of her passion and ready to give him her everything. So when he turned them over andid on top of her, she was already boneless and unable to resist, submitting to his almost tyrannical assault. Chapter 545 Celebration Of Their Love (Part Two) Edward pressed his lips against her wless skin, trailing heated kisses all over her body in his wake. He indulged himself in her sweet taste, leading her into the wave of sizzling lust with endless tenderness. At this moment, the night was drunk as well. Her beautiful face seduced him, and he alone was enough. Therefore, she was not afraid to show him all of her charm and attractiveness. She had fallen for him, hard, she was already past the point of no return. The night was young, and the lust was building, charming and intoxicating. In this quiet night, their desires intertwined, making the lovey-dovey couple fall deeper in love with each other. They gave themselves to each other with no reserve. And during the endless celebration of the love between the two along with their sweet love-making, the moon hid coyly behind the clouds, too bashful to face the most primal activity of the couple. Usually, a brand new day always meant a fresh beginning and new hopesing. But for Yakira, it was an embodiment of disaster, because Leo was serious about divorcing her. It was not a spur of the moment decision. It had only been several days, but Leo had already had thewyer draw up the divorce papers. What''s worse, he didn''t even show up, he just had thewyer hand the papers to her in haste. "Where''s Leo? Why didn''t he give them to me himself? Is he really that embarrassed to face me?" Yakira didn''t spare a look at the divorce papers, she just aggressively bombed thewyer of Ouyang Foreign Trade with a series of questions. "Mrs. Ouyang, the president said that he would not be present before you sign the divorce papers. So I highly rmend that you sign as quickly as pos these threatening words. "Mrs. Ouyang, don''t forget that apart from the job in Ouyang Foreign Trade, I still have my ownw office. So I don''t solely count on Ouyang Foreign Trade to make a living. I''m just doing the job of a counselor for thepany. Losing this client won''t be a problem for me." Thewyer calmlyid it all out, not even paying attention to Yakira''s threats. After all, he was a hot-blooded young man, how could he be so easily hurt by others? "Huh! Big talk. But no matter what you say, there''s not a chance in hell for me to sign these today. So get out of here with your papers! You''re annoying me." Thewyer''s calm reply made Yakira suddenly feel so humiliated that she shouted at him, image be damned. "I will leave the divorce papers with you. Whether you decide to sign them or not, it''s between you and Mr. Ouyang. I won''t bother you again." After he said this, thewyer picked up his briefcase and quickly trotted out of Ouyang''s house. He was afraid that if he stayed a little longer, he would be unable to restrain himself and explode. That would make the situation tooplicated to handle. Chapter 546 Who Would Have the Last Laugh "Ah!" Not only did Leo treat her badly, but awyer disrespected her. Yakira lost her temper. She tossed the file on the floor furiously and then stomped on it hard to channel her anger. "Mom, what''s the matter? Why are you so angry?" Hearing Yakira''s shouting, Mary rushed downstairs, looking worried. "It''s nothing. Is Brian upstairs?" Yakira didn''t want to tell her daughter about her frustration. Leo had made her lose all confidence. She wanted to retain herst bit of dignity. "No, he might be gone. What''s all this about?" Mary asked and bent over to pick up the file. "Nothing. Give it to me." Yakira tried to get the file back, but Mary seemed to have anticipated her move and quickly took a few steps back, just out of Yakira''s reach. "Mom, this is out of line. Dad just mentioned divorce yesterday, and today he has already signed the papers and had someone deliver it? How can he be such a bully?" Mary said angrily after reading the file. "A woman is better off marrying someone whom she doesn''t love than marrying someone who doesn''t love her. I''m a perfect example. And about Edward, you''d better think carefully before you do anything. I don''t want you to end up like me and regret everything. It will be toote by then, " Yakira said. Since Mary had seen the file, it would be pointless to keep it from her. She felt obliged to remind Mary of the importance of choices. "Mom, we''re in totally different situations." Although Mary was worried about her parents'' divorce, she wanted Edward too much, she wasn''t going to give up her ns. "Don''t be too confident. Edward isn''t easy to manipte. Think about Jessica. Didn''t you see what happened to her? Do you really think you''re smarter than her?" Although Yakira was selfish and wanted to use Mary to get what she wanted, she didn''t want something bad to happen to her daughter. She had to help her think clearly. Sound advice often sounds harsh. "Men change. They all abandon the old for the new. Just wait. Edward will get tired of Daisy one day and I won''t miss that opportunity." Mary sounded sure of winning, as if Edward woulde to her with the slight move of her little finger. "Don''t underestimate her. She''s not the same girl we drove out. She''s stronger, more confident." Mary had thought that Daisy would be miserable and live among the dregs of society after she left the house. Unexpectedly, she had b . "What would you like to drink? My treat, " Edward said. Then he frowned at the perfume Mary was wearing. It was too strong. He preferred the jasmine fragrance Daisy usually wore. It was his favorite. "No. We agreed that it was our treat, " Yakira said. Sexy World was a fancy ce and its customers were all upper-ss. However, Yakira felt ufortable there. As a senior, clubs didn''t suit her. Besides, she was conspiring against Edward, so right now she had a guilty conscience like a thief. "It''s okay. It won''t cost much. And you are a senior. I can''t let you pay, " Edward said calmly. He had been polite the whole night. He used to be very aggressive every time he was around Yakira and Mary. "Mr. Mu, you are too polite. Okay, since you are familiar with this ce, I''d like you to order for me." Yakira didn''t say that out of courtesy. It was her first time to be in a club. She was clueless. "No problem. What about you, Miss Ouyang?" Edward asked. He sounded formal and indifferent. Tonight his target was Yakira, so he didn''t want to waste time on Mary. Yet he had to put on a performance, in case Yakira saw through him. "I trust your taste, Edward. Call me Mary. I am not used to you calling me Miss Ouyang. It sounds weird, " Mary said, pouting. She didn''t like Edward''s indifference to her. "It''s just a form of address. There''s no need to take it seriously, " Edward said with a smile. Things had just gotten started, he had to maintain his friendly attitude. Yakira was much smarter than Mary. His whole n would be finished if Yakira sensed something was amiss.. Chapter 547 A Secret (Part One) "Mr. Mu, it seems like you are not very busytely. We run into each other often." Yakira said carefully, to see if he was busy investigating how her and Paul Du were connected. She had to proceed cautiously to see what he knew. "Yeah, that''s right! "I am on a vacation recently, so I have more free time. And with time on my hands, I have some things that I''m interested in." Edward grinned wickedly and his smile seemed meaningful. Because his injury was kept under wraps, no one knew about it. And thus, it became his best shield at this moment. "Really, Edward, these things must be important to you, right? As you have put aside your other work for them." Mary was secretly pleased, guessing that Edward was flirting with lovelydies. In that case, Daisy would soon be out of the picture. Mary also assumed that her opportunities to be Edward''s new lover were rtively much greater than before. "Well, It''s true that it''s very important. It''s also a secret which I discovered by ident." Edward was bending his head down, looking askance at Yakira. He wanted to know what reaction Yakira would have to what he said. Just as he had expected, Yakira''s face turned pale in an instant. "Um, about that... Edward, could you tell us what kind of secret you''re so interested in?" Yakira''s panic was only temporary, and soon she calmed herself down. She was thinking that, maybe what he said didn''t have anything to do with her. She could not fly off the handle before everything was clear. It might be none of her business anyway, but if she showed any irrational reaction, it might make trouble for her. That was not a good thing. "Speaking of this, I don''t know whether Mrs. Ouyang still r is friends." Yakira didn''t want to miss such a good chance, because it was too difficult toe across him in such a ce. So she had to do something tonight anyway. Fortunately, after they figured out a n, they got the medicine they wanted to use. There was no need for them to look for drugs everywhere. The only disadvantage of this drug was that it had to be stirred into the wine to get the best effect. So no matter what, she had to try her best to let him drink. "No, of course not. I totally respect you. After all, I have to show respect to you for Mr. Ouyang''s sake. No matter what happened before, he still is my biological father-inw, right?" Edward frowned lightly and deliberately emphasized the word "biological". His eyes were full of meaningful expressions. He could not understand why Yakira would suddenly be so picky. So just for a while, he was almost confused by her question. "Edward, my father has never admitted Daisy was a member of the Ouyang family. How could he possibly be your father-inw? It seems that you are really sick and quite ill. Otherwise why would you talk nonsense suddenly?" Chapter 548 A Secret (Part Two) Mary pouted her lips. What''s the use in obtaining a DNA paternity test? As long as she was still at home, that bitch girl would not get chance to step into the door of the Ouyang house. Anyway, as long as her mother didn''t sign the divorce agreement, she would still be the little princess of the family. It was such a noble position that she could not allow Daisy to take away. And not to mention that it was still a question whether the divorce would actuallye true. Even after so many days, Leo, her father hadn''t found any way to settle her mother''s hash, had he? "Whether Leo is my father-inw or not, I think Mrs. Ouyang knows best. Am I right? After all, the DNA paternity test report is the reality and right in front of us." Hum! As a matter of fact, he himself didn''t want to call him father-inw. If it were not for some specific purpose, how would he possibly subdue himself to stay in the same room with someone like these two? "How do you know about that? Does that mean you gave it to him?" Suddenly, Yakira felt that Edward was bing more and more dangerous. Instead of plotting against him sessfully, she might find herself in some hot water. "And why would I do that?" Edward crossed his slender legs and shook them for a while. He looked very leisurely and at ease. "That''s it, mom, how could Edward be so bored to do such a thing? It is none of his business." Mary said to her mother,pletely standing on Edward''s side, She had never looked away from him even for a second, and her delicate body also intentionally leaned on him. "No, as long as it''s rted to Daisy, it''s all my business. Being her husband, it makes good sense for me to solve her problems." Edward between us on some things. And You are not trying to start any arguments, right?" What Yakira said seemed to be very polite, but in her mind, she had scolded Edward thousands of times. It''s clear that he was the one who brought it up, but in the end, it was her who was described as "too picky". "I have never been interested in devising any plot against others. Only those narrow-minded people would do a harmful thing like that to hurt the interests of others." Edward would have stopped the argument. However, it was a pity that the other one didn''t think that way. If he couldn''t shut it down, he would go for the jugr and plunged her into the deepest misery. "I am Sorry! I got a little too excited, but please, Mr. Mu, please don''t tale what I said to heart. Maybe I''ve had too much wine, so I''m already a little drunk and start rambling." Yakira suddenly remembered that she did note here to argue with Edward, but had something else more important to do. So her tone was rxed and her words became peaceful. And their argument made Mary break into a sweat. She was afraid that her mother would spoil her good n again. Chapter 549 Conspiracy (Part One) "It''s okay. I''m not a vengeful guy. I didn''t get mad at Paul. Although he got me really angry, I let him go easily. I just hung him over the center of a crocodile pool. But is it true that Paul is not one of your acquaintances, Mrs. Ouyang?" Edward had an immediate impulse to punch Paul in the face, whenever he thought of the disparity in the price of the ne. So, it was obvious that Edward''s deration of his not being a vengeful guy was nothing more than a lie! But in the presence of the two women, Edward spoke in a subtle manner. He put it as if it was the most justified fact under the heaven. He was so brazen that he didn''t mind at all that the two women sitting here would spot his hypocrisy and feel ashamed of him. "Who is Paul? I know nothing about him." Yakira replied in a hurry. She could not help but feel nervous now, as she had figured out Edward''s intention to test her and get her into revealing something by mistake. So, Yakira thought carefully before giving any answers. As Yakira was engaged in fabricating her wless answers, she paid no attention to the few sensitive words in Edward''s sentence and the real threatening implication behind them. But those words did catch Mary''s attention. Mary was, of course, scared of Paul''s woeful destiny of being hung over the crocodile pool. It was terrible if it was true. Mary wondered whether it was just one of those Edward''s jokes. But in case she offended or cheated him in the future, would Edward treat her in the same manner he treated Paul? Mary was eager to know the answer. "Oh? You know nothing about Paul? But he told me otherwise. He said he is your cousin, and you two are on good terms. Did Paul lie to me?" Edward looked with a confused expression. He could not help but feel happy on seeing Yakira panic. In Edward''s opinion, psychologically tormenting someone was definitely a better way to torture his foes. Compared to physical pains, it was more agonizing, stressful and unbearable. Even tough people, who were fearless of physical affliction, tended to easily surrender when afflicted with psychological suffering. Edward was a pro in driving his enemies crazy psychologically. He was wondering how long Yakira nothing to do with us? What a disappointing topic! Let''s drink and forget everything unpleasant! A little wine will not get you tipsy. Don''t be afraid!" The riddle-like conversation between Edward and Yakira puzzled Mary. She looked visibly upset. So she interrupted in between to divert the topic. "All right! As Mrs. Ouyang refused to answer my questions, I have to hand Paul over to the police." Edward didn''t believe that Yakira would have the luck to escape justice forever. She might not believe it either! But it was indeed difficult for him to bring her to justice at present. Except for one witness, he had no other evidence that would help to prove Yakira guilty. But a witness'' testimony was far from enough to convict Yakira. Powerful evidences would be needed. But where could he get the evidence he needed after so many years? As a result, Edward had to resort to other means to manifest Yakira''s guilt. But if Yakira insisted on her innocence and refused to confess her crime, even the court could not convict her because ofck of evidences. The evidence was the key! Edward would get mad whenever he thought of his inability to acquire those necessary evidences. He felt so desperate and helpless that he ran out of his patience to test Yakira any further. "Hmm! That Paul...What crime did hemit? Why will you take him over to the police?" Mary seemed to have grown more confused. The more she heard this conversation, the more she became perplexed. Chapter 550 Conspiracy (Part Two) "You should ask Mrs. Ouyang about this! I think she can give you a more appropriate answer than me." Edward lifted his eyes in a resolute manner. His face suddenly became as cold as ice. He was no more the idle dandy in ordinary days. "Mom, what is going on here? What happened?" If Mary was even half as smart as her mother, she would not ask such a stupid question at this critical moment. Mary was dumb. She did''t realize the subtext behind the conversation going on between Edward and her mother. "How would I know? Drink your wine and do not cut in, Mary!" Yakira rolled her eyes at her daughter. What a foolish daughter she had given birth to! ''Stupid girl! Do you want me to admit my guilt in front of Edward! How I wish that Edward could listen to my exnation and believe every word I say. But that might only happen when the sun starts rising from the west. It is impossible!'' Yakira could not help but sneer at her daughter in her heart. "Mom, why did you get angry? I''m just curious." Mary was irritated by Yakira scolding her in front of Edward. She felt embarrassed for her impaired dignity, and her face darkened. Edward furrowed his brows. He somehow felt helpless at Yakira''s obstinateness, which was far beyond his imagination. She carefully designed every word she said, and was clever enough to avoid every bait he prepared for her. It was difficult to convict her. Without her own testimony, there would never be a chance to bring her to justice. He knew she was the culprit, but he was unable to prove her guilty because ofck of evidences. It was unfair to Daisy. His beloved wife must have been sad to see his ipetence. The atmosphere became serious all of a sudden. The former tepid attitude of the three people in the room now led to an embarrassing silence. Both Edward and Yakira were racking their brains to find a means to their ends. To be frank, Yakira had consulted several legal documents to solve this problem. She was certain that no one would be able to convict her without evidences, provided that she refused to admit her crime. As for Paul''s usation against her, she could perfectly escape it, by charging him nk the wine. But Mary had spoken up for him just now. He had to consider Mary''s feeling and save her face. She had already upset her mother and quarrelled with her for his sake. So, he had to ept her toast. It''s just a small ss of wine. No more than half a ss. A cool wind was enough to dispel the smell of the wine. There was no need to be afraid that Daisy would know about him drinking the wine. Besides, he had seen Mary pour the wine with his own eyes. There was nothing peculiar, and nothing to be afraid of! Just a small amount of the wine, and he could leave. "Thank you, Edward! You really are doing me an honor! Let me finish my drink first." Mary gulped down her wine while speaking to Edward. Regardless of the fact that wine was usually tasted by sipping, she swallowed the wine in one big gulp, as she was so eager for Edward to finish his drink as soon as possible. She got excited and was ted now. She settled her eyes on Edward and watched him raise the ss to his mouth. Edward looked elegant and charming while doing all this. Mary would be fascinated to him even if she wasn''t under the influence of alcohol. She felt a desire for Edward in her body. Edward would be hers after he gulped down his wine. Soon, they would have a happy moment on bed. Their bodies would belong to each other. In spite of her wantonness, Mary still felt flushed when she thought of the fantastic moment with the man she dreamed of. Chapter 551 Mr. Mu Was Drugged (Part One) Yakira Mo was also quite nervous now. But she was nervous about very different things than Mary was. She remembered that Edward''s bodyguard, Luke, was waiting outside. He had a gaze that was cold enough to freeze others. If she left the room, what excuse could she use? Could she say that she needed to leave because Edward and Mary were having sex inside? And what of Luke? What would she do if he tried anything. She was in a real pickle right now. And this was the most troubling thing for her. Edward did not suspect anything at all as he did not believe that there was anyone who was bold enough to try and trick him. Therefore, he drank all the wine in the ss without hesitation. He was finally healed, and didn''t drink any alcohol during his recovery. So he was really craving a drink. Now he finally dampened his desire by drinking the wine. "Would you like another drink, Edward?" asked Mary Ouyang. She didn''t notice how worried her mother was. Instead she focused her eyes on Edward. And she was looking forward to the fierce and passionate scene that was bound to happenter. "No, I have something else to do. I need to go, " answered Edward. He checked his watch. He was supposed to meet Daisy outside the barter. He had gotten ustomed to making others wait for him, but he wouldn''t do this for his darling wife. He cared about her so much that he didn''t want to make her wait for him at all. Of course, she warned him not to drink when he called her there to meet up. But she didn''t ask who was in the bar with him, and Edward didn''t bother to tell her. Maybe she thought that Rain or some of his other frie always been cold to us? So you''re suddenly friendly. Isn''t your change in attitude evidence that you were waiting for us?" Yakira was not as ignorant as Mary. Mary might think that he really wanted to apany them to have a drink. She didn''t believe that he could show them any respect if he hadn''t approached them on purpose. Everyone knew that the CEO of FX International Group wasn''t even willing to give face to the mayor. Why would he really treat them any differently? "Mrs. Ouyang seems to know me well. However, you think too much. Do you think that everyone is up to something? Quit projecting your passive-aggressive behavior on others. What''s more, don''t forget, I''m not you. I can''t do wicked things at the drop of a hat like you guys do. So unfortunately, this time, you''ll be disappointed. To be honest, you two are not worthy of my time, " said Edward calmly. As proud as Edward was, even if his opponent saw through him, he would always maintain his dignity and honor, and would never get upset. So no matter what, he would not admit that he did anything on purpose. Chapter 552 Mr. Mu Was Drugged (Part Two) "So you''re saying I think too highly of myself? I hope it''s really as Mr. Mu said, that such unimportant people like us aren''t worth pulling a fast one, " said Yakira. Her mouth raised up with a hint of irony. ''Edward Mu, no matter how evil and cunning you are, you wouldn''t be so arrogant to think that we would be willing pawns in your game!'' she thought silently. "Hum! May I also guess that all your attempts to keep me here are connected with the ss of wine which you have just given to me?" asked Edward. At the same time, he quietly phoned Daisy under the table, and in that moment, he suddenly felt his strength drain away. "You already figured it out, Edward?" said Mary. Mary wasn''t smart at all. She admitted that they drugged the wine right away. As a silly girl, she was also quite arrogant. So, even if Daisy weren''t in the picture, she still wouldn''t match up to Edward''s exacting standards. He was excellent, she was not. "So I''ve figured it out. Well, spit it out! What do you want? Do you want to turn me into the second Leo Ouyang? But do you think I will be as kind as he is? You messed with the wrong guy, and this won''t end well for you, " As Edward was talking, he secretly nced down at the phone in his hand. When he found that the call went through, he was relieved. "What? Second Leo Ouyang? I have no idea what you''re talking about, " said Yakira. She stared at Mary peevishly. Others would never admit what they did was wrong even if they were caught in the act. However, Mary herself admitted to her crime so quickly. ren on the roof of the car and pushed the button. For an instant, the harsh police siren screamed into the night along the city streets. They drove at full tilt towards Sexy World. To tell the truth, it was the first time for the colonel to sound the rm for a personal affair. Mark frowned. Except for Mr. Mu, no one could make her behave so oddly. At this moment, Edward stared at Mary angrily. He was angry that he had no strength to push her away. Under the circumstances, he was unusually curious. They drugged him with such a strong aphrodisiac. However, he could not move at all. Did they want to force him to have sex? Otherwise, no matter how big his erection was, he didn''t have the strength to take action! "Mary! I will send you to some ce where you can act as a whore if you touch me again, " Edward said angrily. His whole face flushed red as he endured Mary''s caresses. They even could see his blood vessels expand. His forbidding eyes were so horrible. Anyone who bothered to look into them would see their doom. Chapter 553 I Dont Like Trash "Edward, believe me, you won''t want to blow me off anymore once you sleep with me, " Mary said. Despite her mother''s presence, sheid her hands on Edward''s chest and moved them around with lust filling her eyes, as if she couldn''t wait to throw him onto the bed at once. "You? How many men have you slept with? C''mon, why would I want to have anything to do with you? I''m afraid I''ll have to pass, because I don''t like trash. So stay the hell away from me. Mrs. Ouyang, is this how you educate your daughter? You taught her to be a whore?" Edward asked Yakira sarcastically. Now he could see that she was trying to use Mary as bait to control him. Pathetically, she had chosen the wrong chess piece. Edward would rather be celibate than be with Mary. Daisy was the only woman in the world that he wanted, or needed. "Nothinges free, right?" Yakira said, afraid to look Edward in the eye. She knew Mary had lost her virginity a long time ago, but still, when she watched her teasing Edward so adeptly, she couldn''t help but blush with shame. She had to make Luke go away, so that Edward and Mary could be alone and she didn''t have to stay and watch that anymore. "Do you really think you''ll get your wish? You''re wrong. First of all, I''m not interested in Mary. Secondly, I''m not a puppet." Mary''s hands were all over Edward. He ignored them and looked at Yakira, her head bowed. Could she be ashamed to see her daughter like that? It seemed she still had some sense of shame after all. "It''s worth a shot. You''ll never know if it will work or not unless you try. If you think you can resist the drug''s potency, you''re being stupid. You will only make it stronger. No matter how much you resist, you''ll lose your rationality and mental power soon. Why don''t you just stop struggling? It''s useless, " Yakira said, but her mind was actually focused on making up an excuse to make Luke leave. The drug made the person very weak at first, but when it started to work, the person would be very strong. She was worried that things might get out of control. "To tell you the truth, I would rather hurt myself than touch your daughter. Although I''m not a saint, I''m afraid a loose woman like her would dirty me, " Edward sneered. Beads of sweat were rolling down his forehead, although the box was air-conditioned. He was doing his best to resist the drug. In the meantime, Mary was shamelessly pressing her plump breasts against his body. "Edward, how do you have the heart to talk about me like that?" Mary said as her mouth approached his lips. She acted flirty, as if her mother weren''t there. "Mary, you touch my lips, you''re dead meat!" Edward rolled his eyes grimly. He didn''t care where else she touched, but his lips belonged to Daisy. Nobody but her could touch them. "I..." Mary had returned f him into making out with me if he didn''t want me?" Mary watched the intimacies between Edward and Daisy. She was burning with jealousy. She had tried everything to seduce him, but he didn''t respond to her at all. However, Daisy kept rejecting him and he kept trying again. What did he see in her to make him drop his pride and devote himself to her? "If you hadn''t drugged him, you wouldn''t even have been able to get near him. Stop dreaming. Seriously, You''re not his type." Edward kissed her on the lips as soon as Daisy finished herst sentence. She had to put his head in her bosom. She felt bad to see him like that, but he needed to learn his lesson and take her words seriously. "You! You think you are his type? Don''t be smug. A wonderful man like Edward wouldn''t need just one woman. Think about Jessica. You will end up like her one day." Mary said sarcastically without a trace of embarrassment for her behavior. "Never mind how I will end up. Start thinking about what will happen to you. Mark, put them in prison under the charge of physical assault. They can''t be released unless I say so." Edward''s condition seemed to be getting worse. Daisy decided not to waste any more time on Yakira and Mary. "Yes, colonel." Mark always acted quickly on Daisy''s orders. He was dedicated as a guard, and devoted to Daisy. "Daisy, your father won''t forgive you for doing this to us." Yakira had remained silent until now. No matter how cunning and shrewish she was, she felt she was in the wrong after being caught on the spot. So she didn''t dare to be too arrogant. Furthermore, she hadn''t forgotten that she was a senior here. "I fear nothing and I don''t have a father." Hearing Yakira mention Leo, Daisy became more upset and sensitive. Although she pretended she didn''t care about Leo at all, that was not true. She was Leo''s blood. Nothing could change that. Chapter 554 Do You Know Who I Am (Part One) "Daisy, do you dare to tell me that it was''t you who told Leo to divorce me?" Right now, Yakira was like a mad dog that wanted to bite anyone who was in front of her. This was why she med her misfortunes on someone else. "I swear it wasn''t me. But for the sake of God, I''m so happy to hear such a delightful thing. I have to congratte you, this day finallyes. It seems that every cloud does have a silver lining." Usually, Daisy would not be the kind of person who would hit someone when they were down. But facing such an infuriating situation, she couldn''t help acting all snarky and mean when she was speaking. Even without a single dirty word, she could still take down the her enemy a few notches. "What do you mean? So you are saying that you''ve been hoping that your father would divorce me? For such an innocent face, you are really malicious inside." Daisy had always been the thorn in Yakira''s heart. Because right from the start, Daisy had never really cared about her, let alone called her mother. Ever since she joined Ouyang''s family, Daisy had always acted high and mighty in front of her, making her feel lowly and small before the girl. "No, I have never hoped for something so trivial and meaningless to me like that. Because it has nothing to do with me and isn''t worth my precious time. But speaking of being malicious, I would say that I can neverpete with you. So just set your heart at rest, you will always be the most malicious one. Nobody will ever take the title from you." Daisy just coldly raised an eyebrow, looking sarcastically at the shameless couple of mother and daughter who had no morals in her eyes. To be honest, she really felt very sorry for Brian. Who would have thought that such a reasonable big boy had such a mo a few tissues from the napkin dispenser to wipe the sweat from Edward''s forehead. Though she was upset with him for not listening to her and drinking behind her back, she still didn''t have the heart to me him, like many times before. And this guy, he surely had a clue of what Daisy''s attitude would be when he acted without thinking, right? "Got it, colonel." Mark gave her a military salute, then turned around and looked at the two women that he didn''t like either. For a man who seldom frowned, he couldn''t help but frown and said : "Now! Are you leaving voluntarily or you want me to kick you out? The first choice will be so much better, while the second one will be really embarrassing for you two." "Why would we leave? Try andy a finger on us and see what happens. I will let everyone in the whole city know that you are using skills learned in the army to take vengeance on us. That you''re using your position to settle a personal score. A colonel bullying us ordinary people, what a joke!" Yakira didn''t want to choose at all. She had a personal dread of the police stations, so she didn''t want to be sent to one. Maybe this was her so-called guilty conscience. Chapter 555 Do You Know Who I Am (Part Two) "You''re not leaving? Mark, call Mr. Yi toe here and take them to the police station himself. Yakira, you should be very proud of yourself! Picked up by the chief of Public Security Bureau. Luke, let''s go." The corner of Daisy''s mouth twitched, but the smile didn''t reach her eyes. She walked to the door, supporting Edward with her hands. If they would rather ride in a police car than in a military vehicle, then let them be. She would let them know what using her position to settle a personal score really meant. "Got it, colonel. Don''t worry about it." To be honest, kicking two struggling women out was not good for Mark''s image as a soldier. So what the colonel suggested was fantastic, and devious. He wouldn''t need to do anything himself to get this task done. And why not? "Daisy, you will go to hell for treating me like this! Won''t you even think of Brian''s feelings? I''m his biological mother!" Yakira didn''t expect that Daisy would set her mind on sending her to police station, without even considering Leo''s reputation. So eventually, she had to bring up Brian, to see if Daisy would change her mind. "Brian? I''ll exin it to himter. It''s none of your business. Mark, watch them carefully. Without my permission, nobody can let them out." After she finished talking, Daisy paid no mind to what the woman and her daughter were saying, and left without even looking back. She helped Edward out to the car. "Mrs. Mu, where are we going? Home or hotel?" Once out of Sexy World, Luke asked hurriedly, he himself also felt sorry for Edward. Who would have expected that a proud man like him would be drugged by two women? It might be th "Don''t cry, or I''ll feel sad too." The kiss was soft. Even though he was surely under the influence of the drug, he could still smell the slight aroma of jasmines from her body and feel the familiarity. It was the instinct of love that made him know this was the woman he loved deeply in his heart. So he really didn''t mean to be like this. "Honey, you know who I am." Daisy cried from pure joy. She didn''t me him for being rough. What she was worried about was that he didn''t know who he was going to sleep with, and that was the reason why she suddenly felt so sad. Now hearing hisforting words, her heart started to beat for him again. "Woman, in your eyes, is the man you love really that weak? Don''t you trust your judgement? Or don''t you trust me?" Edward said softly, eyes full of unfocused affection. "I just don''t trust myself. Because I''m rarely this lucky. But I''m really happy that I''m lucky enough to have you." Daisy put her mouth on his thin lips, even bit lightly on those lips with a hint of anger. Her eyes were still full of tears, but this time, they were happy tears. Chapter 556 I Always Know That (Part One) "Honey, I love you, " said Daisy. She looked at Edward and locked her beautiful eyes on him with great admiration and love. At this wonderful moment, she didn''t want to spoil any of this happiness. She didn''t want to ask for too much. All she wished for was simply to be with him, to be with the man that she loved so deeply. And she did hope that from now on, they could go through all the hardships and difficulties together, and they would never have to be separated again. She was grateful to him, for the thoughtfulness and gentleness that he had kept even when he was drugged, for the care and respect he had given to her even when his mind was controlled by such a strong drug. She would love to thank him with her love for the rest of her life. "Sweetie, I always know that, " said Edward. Sometimes, when love reached a certain state, they felt like they were bing immortal celestial beings who lived in heaven. Their love for each other was so deep and great that they wished this perfect moment would never pass, and their minds and feelings hade to a level beyond perfection. The night was long, but not as deep as their love. After experiencing all these hardships, they finally earned their precious love and happiness. They cuddled with each other and fell into a good night''s deep sleep underneath the night''s beautiful sky where stars were shining and reflecting each other. When the first morning sunlight came through the curtain and shone on this happy couple, Daisy didn''t wake up as usual. She was still sleeping sweetly, snuggling in Edward''s arms, like azy kitten, so petite and so cute. Perhaps for every man on Earth, sex with their loved ones could never be too much, and their bodies would never be too fatigued to have more. So just as every time before, Edward was still the one that woke up first after their love making. He opened his deep and intoxicating eyes, and what he saw first was his petite wife who slept like a cute baby, which had made up such an enjoyable scene that he felt a very profound peacefulnessing from his heart. Probably he had asked for too much from her body time after timest night, so she was too tired to wake up. Daisy was still sleeping quietly, and wasn''t even slightly affec ?'' But after heined about Mr. Mu''s weird behavior, Mark still had to obey his order. He called the army base and asked for leave for Colonel. Otherwise, if Commander couldn''t find the Colonel, he might make a series of desperate phone calls, which would definitely get everyone into trouble. After taking the cozy warm bath, Edward went out the bathroom feeling totally rxed, without the tension and fatigue that had covered him since he woke up. He waspletely refreshed now, even his mood got better. He took a look at the beauty on the bed, who was still in her sweet sleep, and he knew he didvish love and affection on her, because he just couldn''t help smiling when seeing her. He opened the wardrobe, looking at all the clothes of different styles. He thought for a moment, and then decided to put on a casual looking off-white suit. It was his habit that every hotel under FX International Group would reserve a suite for him, and there would always be all kinds of clothing for various asions in his suite, which would be much more convenient for him. But unfortunately, he forgot to ask his staff to get some clothing for Daisy in the wardrobe. It was his fault this time. Because after his reunion with her, he had never thought of spending a night with her in a hotel of this city. After all, their home was always much cozier and morefortable than a hotel room. Even if this was his hotel, it still couldn''tpare to their home, where he could feel the warmth of love. Chapter 557 I Always Know That (Part Two) Edward opened the suite door gently to get out, then he closed it carefully as well. He was so thoughtful and considerate that he tried to make his movements as gentle as possible, not wanting to disturb his petitedy''s sleep. He knocked softly on the door of the room next to his suite. Very soon, Luke came out and answered the door. "Mr. Mu, you''re up. Are you alright?" asked Luke. He nced at his watch, and didn''t expect Mr. Mu to be this early. He had assumed that because of what might have happened between Mr. and Mrs. Must night, Mr. Mu might get up muchter than this. "I''m fine. What about Yakira and her daughter?" What concerned Edward most was Yakira and her daughter. The moment he saw Daisyst night, the tension that had been tightened for too long in his mind had suddenly gone. Then he had fallen into some sort of disorientation. It wasn''t until he saw the tears falling down Daisy''s face that he gained his mind back a little. But he still didn''t know what had happened to Yakira and her daughter. He assumed that since he had been set up this time, Luke would never let them get out of trouble easily. "They were sent to the police station by Mark. It was an order from Mrs. Mu, " answered Luke. Just like reserving a suite for Edward in every one of his hotels, there would alsways be a room next to his suite reserved for his bodyguards as well. So Edward could be sure that Luke was in this room, which was something he had been so used to. "Oh! That''s unexpected. But what was the charge?" Edward frowned, then heughed yfully. He was quite curious about what kind of charge had gotten Yakira and her daughter in trouble with the cops. "It''s said that they were used of intentionally injuring another person, " answered Luke. He believed that such a charge was somewhat unsubstantiated too, for they hadpletely forgotten about collecting evidence at that time, and if hen Mr. and Mrs. Mu needed to leave hereter, the car would be here already and they wouldn''t need to wait for the car toe, which could save them some precious time. Luke was a careful man and he always took care of the little things. That''s why Edward had trusted him all the time. After watching Luke get into the elevator, Edward got back to his own thoughts. He was quite excited about what would happen next. What kind of show would they be ying for him to watch? But before the showtime came, he would have to ask Daisy to release Yakira and her daughter first. Otherwise, if these two leading roles of the show were absent, how could the show go on? To be honest, Edward had to admit that he was quite an evil man from this point of view. He could always punish those who had offended and provoked him without getting his hands dirty or leaving a clue. This time, however, he would see if Yakira and her daughter were strong enough to take his punishment. Edward headed back into his room. He had thought that his petite wife would wake up now, but instead, he saw her still sleeping quietly, which made himugh at himself a little. It seemed that he exhausted herst night, or she wouldn''t have slept for so long without even the slightest sign of waking up. Chapter 558 Just a Petty Official Edward moved over to the bedside and looked at Daisy with a tender expression on his face, as if she were a painting he never got tired of looking at. He was afraid that he would lose her one day. Daisy was always giving him surprises. He was touched. Edward pinched her nose lightly. Daisy woke up, batting her long beautiful eyshes. When she saw Edward, she closed her eyes again before suddenly sitting up in bed. But she had to lie back down because her body was so sore and numb. "Slow down. No need to be so excited to see me." Edward joked with a charming smile, but Daisy wasn''t attracted. "Edward, what time is it? Why didn''t you wake me up? Damn it. I''mte, " Daisy said angrily. Edward seemed rxed while she was sore all over. She felt a lot more tired than usual after training. She just wanted to keep lying down and not move at all. "It''s okay. Go back to sleep. I already asked for leave for you." Edward sat on the bed andforted her. He patted her shoulder as if she were a baby. "Really? Okay, I''ll just sleep a while more. Then I''ll go to work." Daisy mumbled. She held Edward''s waist and stroked his arm. Feeling peaceful and safe in his presence, she soon fell asleep. Edward sat still helplessly. He wouldn''t be able to keep the same position for long. After a while, his body would be stiff. He sighed and climbed onto the bed. He lied down next to her and settled her head on his arm. He watched her quietly, feeling grateful to have her in his life. Otherwise, he would never have known what true love was. Yakira and Mary spent the night in the police station. Every person who went in and out looked at them curiously. The intense humiliation they felt made them hate Daisy even more. "Mom, it''s morning already. Is that bitch really so ruthless as to keep us here all night? Forget dad. You are Brian''s mom. He has always been good to her, she shouldn''t have thrown us here! We''re not even allowed to post bail. What the hell? Does she think we know nothing about thew? What''s wrong with the legal counsel of Ouyang Foreign Trade? I called him so many times but he never answered the phone. Is he trying to get fired?" Mary gritted every word through her teeth. Edward had been a sitting duck to her, but then Daisy came and ruined everything imself. Everything left him puzzled. "Important? She''s just a colonel. Who cares?" Mary assumed that a colonel was simr to a manager in a firm. There was nothing to be afraid of. "What? Just a colonel? Tell me, what kind of position do you think is important enough?" The policeman stared at her in disbelief. He couldn''t believe his ears. These were the most ridiculous words he had ever heard. How could they be so arrogant? Were they more powerful than Daisy? "How powerful is a colonel?" Mary asked. They weren''t going anywhere and she had nothing better to do anyway. She took the opportunity to find out more about Daisy and why she was so haughty. Yakira''s mouth moved, as if she had something to say, but in the end nothing came out of her mouth. Daisy had made the chief of the Public Security Bureau pick them up himself, but her stupid daughter still couldn''t see Daisy''s power. Mary thought Daisy was only a petty official. Since Yakira was too pissed to talk to her, she decided to remain silent and let the policeman exin it to Mary. "What do you think? She doesn''t even give a damn about our chief, you can imagine how powerful she is. It''s not your fault that you can''t understand all this. After all, you''re not a politician. It''s bad luck that you have offended her, though! Pray for yourself." The policeman sighed and shook his head. He was rendered speechless by Mary''s ignorance. He decided to go back to work. It was always wise to talk less and do more work. He didn''t want to get into trouble. Chapter 559 Don’t Look At Me Like That "Really? Is it really that serious? I don''t think so. You must be exaggerating. Mom, what do you think?" Mary found what the policeman said a little hard to swallow. She didn''t expect that Daisy could wield such tremendous power. She was always eager to be superior over Daisy. But Daisy was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and was happily married to Edward who loved her dearly. On the other hand, Mary was a single woman from a poor family. Moreover, Daisy was a colonel, while Mary was an ordinary woman. In short, Mary was inferior to Daisy in every aspect. The harsh truth was devastating to her. "We''re currently detained in the police station. Why are you still asking such a stupid question?" Yakira replied angrily. She shouldn''t have offended thewyer of the Ouyang Foreign Trade a while back, or she wouldn''t be suffering bitterly here. But she would never beg Daisy for mercy. She would rather stay here than ask Daisy to release her. She wanted to keep her dignity. "Why did you yell at me? Wait and see. Daisy will pay the price soon." Mary disyed a vicious smile. A lot of people hated Daisy, and Jessica was at the top of the list. In that case, they could find a chance to cut Daisy down to size. They had to destroy Daisy. Then she couldn''t pretend to be pure and noble anymore. Yakira looked at Mary with a frown. She didn''t understand what Mary meant, but she knew her daughter like the back of her hand. Mary was an impetuous person and always acted without careful consideration. Ovee with rage, she would go to any length to get what she wanted. At the thought, Yakira couldn''t help but heave a sigh. She didn''t ask Mary about her n. As a result, Mary would repeat her mistaketer. Daisy ignored all the members of the Ouyang family, but because she cared about her younger brother Brian, she didn''t want to make any trouble. After waking up, she called the police station and told them to release Yakira and Mary. Deep in her heart, she didn''t want Brian to know that he had such a shameless and despicable mother. He would be heartbroken. She couldn''t bear to see that, so she decided to hide it from him and protect him from the painful truth. Brian was her only brother. She couldn''t afford to lose him. "Is it done?" Edward looked at Daisy tenderly. She didn''t open her eyes until noon, which surprised him. Instead of waking her up, he went back to sleep with her. When she woke up, he asked her to release Yakira and Mary. He had a bigger surprise prepared for them. "Tell me. Why did you want me to release Yakira and Mary?" Daisy narrowed her eyes at Edward, wondering. She just wanted to teach them a lesson, but Edward''s request was contrary to how he usually behaved. She didn''t know why he asked her to release t lways improved herself to achieve what she wanted. Since she never relied on anyone, she was afraid that she would be obsessed with the feeling. Even though she enjoyed the excellent conditions that her husband provided, she felt constantly uneasy. After the bath, Daisy''s skin became crimson and smooth, which gave her a delicate and morous look. Moreover, she looked petite in Edward''s baggy shirt. She felt like she was naked, and it made her ufortable. She kept pulling down the shirt, but no matter how much she pulled, the shirt didn''t be any longer. She was frustrated. Edward was greeted with the amusing scene when he pushed the door open. He couldn''t help but burst intoughter. He didn''t expect Daisy to be so adorable. This was a rare and good chance to see the brilliant Colonel Ouyang so charming and adorable in private. "Do you need my help?" With a gentle smile, Edward put the paper bag in his hand on the bed. Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked at Daisy with a mischievous look in his eyes. He couldn''t move his gaze from Daisy''s slender legs. "No, thanks. Get some clothes for me. I can''t go out like this." Daisy covered her thighs with her hands in embarrassment. "You look good. Don''t worry. No one willugh at you." Edward walked up to Daisy and gathered her into his arms. Looking at the woman in his shirt, he couldn''t help but nt a kiss on her forehead. She was the first woman to wear his shirt. Her stunning look fascinated him. "You''reughing at me. Don''t make fun of me." Daisy angrily pinched Edward''s waist. Edward was neatly dressed. But there were no women''s clothes in the wardrobe, so Daisy had to wear his shirt. She desperately wanted to wear her military uniform. But because Edward had violently torn the buttons off itst night, she couldn''t wear it anymore. Chapter 560 You Win (Part One) "Did Iugh? Are you sure about that? Your eyes are ying tricks on you. You must be so starving that you start seeing things." Edward reached out and smoothed her inky hair gently. In his arms, Daisy let her guard down and she looked more vulnerable and feminine. He loved this side of her as much as he loved the authoritative colonel in military uniform. "And you''re the one to me. This is all your fault!" Daisy tilted her head back to re at him. His words earned him a pinch on his waist. Even though she was angry, she didn''t pinch him in full strength. She couldn''t help worrying about him. If he got hurt, she would feel his pain. "Oh, you''re right. This is all my fault. How about I make it up to you by buying you dinner?" He hugged her tightly, his slender arms wrapped around her waist. He looked into her eyes and indulged himself in the soft touch of her warm body. It felt amazing. He was always so easily turned on by her. "Huh! I have money. I don''t need you to buy me dinner. I need clothes. Get me some clothes now." Edward tried to pinch the tip of her nose, but Daisy quickly evaded it. He liked teasing her like this. It always made her feel like she was a puppy. She refused to give him the satisfaction. "So¡­ you want clothes. Tell me, how are you going to reward me after you get them?" Flirting with her was something he could never get enough of. Edward enjoyed spending time with her. He especially liked teasing her. "Damn it. That''s enough. Do you have to bargain with me over everything? I''lI just walk out like this, I don''t mind. I just hope y k! My silliness brought out your cleverness. But who did you ask to send this over?" Daisy asked curiously as she found her underwear in the bag. Whoever packed her uniform was very thoughtful. "Your aide. Don''t give me that look. Mom packed your clothes." Before Edward could say another word, there was a knock on the door. Daisy grabbed her clothes and rushed into the bathroom. Her quick reflexes showed her expertise as a soldier, but it also made Edward realize one thing. Given that she was so afraid of being seen now, he was stupid enough to believe that she would dare go out wearing nothing but a shirt. But it was no use crying over spilled milk now. "Come in." Edward opened the door to see a waiter outside with a food cart. He didn''t just go out to fetch her clothes, he also checked the food on the way. Since he didn''te to this hotel often, he wasn''t familiar with the food choices here. He carefully chose the food and had them sent to their room. It was more convenient for Daisy, and it also gave them more time to be alone together. Chapter 561 You Win (Part Two) "Yes, Mr. Mu." The waiter nodded politely. He knew the young and handsome CEO even though he didn''t see him frequently. He wheeled the cart into the room and put the food on the dinning table. His movements were quick and smooth the entire time. Edward stood aside and watched him with a smile. He waited patiently and didn''t say a word until the waiter finished all his work. Some guests might prefer to tell the waiter how to do his job orin while waiting, but Edward wasn''t like that. "It''s all set, Mr. Mu. Is there anything else I can do for you?" The waiter asked as his hand dropped to his side. He kept his head down, avoiding the eye contact with Edward. Though Edward seemed approachable and nice all the time, there was something intimidating about him. "No, that''s all. Thank you." Edward was always friendly with his staff. He wasn''t an overbearing, ill-tempered boss. This was the reason his staff loved him and respected him all the time. "You''re very wee. If you excuse me, I shall go back to work now." The waiter took his leave and closed the door behind him. He rarely met the CEO, only several times in a year at the most. Edward wasn''t a boss who would criticize people for no reason, but he emitted a very powerful aura with his looks and actions. Under Edward''s gaze, the waiter started to feel a cold sweat all over his body and couldn''t wait to get out of his sight. "Ah! That smells really good. When did you order room se as about her mother and Daisy deserved the truth. At the moment, he was a bundle of nerves from the apprehension. If Edward''s worries were a fuse, then Luke was the one who ignited it. Leo was heartbroken when he read the report the private investigator had handed in. But the feeling was nothingpared to what he felt now. After he heard the audio tape that Luke brought him, he felt as if his heart was being pierced and twisted by a thousand knives. He sat immobile for a long time. His mind went nk, his face was grey, and his eyes looked empty and dead. Grace''s death wasn''t an ident. Yakira had ned everything. Not only did he fall for her lies, but he also married her. It was all unfair to Grace. He married the woman who murdered Grace without hesitation. He let that wicked woman take away everything that belonged to Grace. He remembered that he had promised Grace that he would love her forever. This was his so-called love and promise? What a joke! Chapter 562 Dont Be Too Cruel To Me (Part One) Leo tried to slowly get up with his palms on the table supporting him. But a great cloud of grief came upon him again, his knees gave way and he eventually sank to the ground. What shocked him the most was the fact that Grace was actually pregnant at that time. The knowledge hit him like a sharp knife that ripped his soul and left him breathless. Bitterness started to creep in and ovee him, forcing the tears that had gathered in his eyes to stream down his face. Men only wept when they were deeply hurt. His mind was preupied with thoughts of Grace, his petite and gentledy. Her otherworldly beauty and deep affection for him added to his remorse. He couldn''t bear it anymore. Raising his hand, he pped himself across his face several times. The sound was so loud that it echoed throughout the quiet room. It still couldn''t drive away the chill of anguish that haunted and suffocated him. He suddenly burst into manicughter. ''Yakira, you nasty woman. Do you have any idea what a heartless person I''ve be because of you? Come what may, I must kill you today, or my rage will never subside. How dare you use me as a puppet! Well, I have to admit that you are indeed maniptive enough. You managed to wrap me around your fingers and lead a luxurious life, while sessfully hiding all your vicious behaviors from me. How cruel you are to me!'' Leo started banging his head against the table, as if he could tear it open and see what exactly it was that had blinded him. He couldn''t believe that he had put his faith in such a scheming woman like Yakira. He then recalled the way he had treated Daisy, and what he had done to her. He felt too ashamed to even see her again now. Just imagine, would ay to tell Daisy the truth about Grace''s death. The truth would definitely hurt her, and he wanted to make it less painful for her. But his efforts were to no avail. He had to surrender to the fact that since Grace was Daisy''s mother, the truth would be a devastating blow to her no matter what. "What''s on your mind, Edward? You look like you''re in a trance." Daisy frowned. She took some documents out of her briefcase carefully, andid them out neatly on the table. Edward seemed to be acting strangely the whole day, but she couldn''t figure out the reason. "Come here, honey, " Edward gestured to her with a grim face. He found it difficult to imagine how she would react to his news. Would she storm off and rush to confront Yakira? Or would she simply be motionless and speechless from the overwhelming shock and grief? Edward was unwilling to see either of them. "What for? I''ve got work to do, " Daisy replied solemnly. She was still in her military uniform, which added to her dignified bearing. Although she didn''t want to stop halfway through her work, she walked over to him because of his strange behavior the entire day. Chapter 563 Dont Be Too Cruel To Me "Remember what I said this morning? Do you still want to hear it?" Edward took her hand in his and settled her on hisp, wrapping his long and slim arms around her waist. But he dared not look into her clear dark eyes, where he could see the reflection of a cruel man, a man who was about to tell her the harsh truth. "If you are able to speak it out, then I''d love to hear it. But if you are unwilling to talk about it, I won''t force you to." Daisy was quite rxed as she rested against his chest. She was very eager to know everything. But if Edward didn''t want to tell her about it, she wouldn''t make things difficult for him. She left it to him to make the decision. "I''m not worried about myself, I''m worried about you. If the news will cause you pain, do you still want to hear it?" He bowed and kissed her head gently. He never found himself to be an indecisive man. But he would always have trouble making up his mind when it came to matters that concerned Daisy. He would make every effort to make things less difficult for her every time. But every time, he found himself helpless to do nothing but watch her suffer in the end. To be honest, he often hated himself in those cases. He loved her deeply, yet he could not protect her from all harm. Most of the time, he could only watch her struggle painfully and shoulder the burden that had already be too heavy for her. "It sounds like it concerns me. And judging from your serious tone, is it safe to assume that something bad has happened?" Daisy asked, turning her face towards Edward all of a sudden. She looked him straight in the eye. Her gaze was full of innocence, as if she was earnestly trying to tough on the outside, but my heart is not always strong. Just don''t pose any problems that are beyond my ability. I think this request is reasonable enough." That''s right, Daisy was scared. After enjoying the passion of love, she found the gut-wrenching harshness of death much harder to bear. Now, she had things that she held dear. This was the reason she was so afraid that something terrible and cruel had happened. She never liked it when other people thought of her as a weak person, but that didn''t mean that she was invulnerable. "As you recall, what was your mother like?" Edward asked softly. He was trying to make it seem like they were having a regr conversation, hoping to get into the main topic gradually. Because he also understood the duality of her character, she was both strong and weak. He wanted to reveal the shocking truth in a gentle and mild way. "My mother? Does she have anything to do with this? Or are you simply trying to change the topic?" Daisy was now confused. She didn''t have the slightest idea why Edward would suddenly mention her mother. Panic slowly began to set in. Chapter 564 I Am Here For You (Part One) "What I am about to tell you is rted to your mother, so I would like to know your impression of her. Darling, what can you tell me about your mother?" If he did have another choice, he would not make Daisy relive the pain like that, but she had the right to know the actual cause for her mother''s death. Nothing could be hidden for very long, she would hear it from someone else sooner orter. Well, he preferred to tell her himself. Anyway he loved her and was always ready to console her when she felt sad or upset. Okay, it was time to let the cat out of the bag. He was well prepared to provide his shoulder for her to cry on. "From what I remember, my mother was a beautiful and gentle woman. She was full of ssical grace and nobility. Her gestures and the way she behaved would remind everyone of her noble elegance, and her blue blood. I could never learn that. She treated everyone she met with a sweet smile and friendliness. She was the ever-burning sun, shining every day of my life. She loved me very much and I just wanted to melt into her love." Speaking of her mother, her face showed signs of a happy smile. It was imperceptible but Edward noticed it. Daisy was lost in the memories about her mother. She admired her mother, and she really missed the woman. Edward could tell from her face and her words. "Wow, that''s a loaded description. And you almost never speak so highly of anyone. I''m really starting to wonder how beautiful your mother was." As a matter of fact, Edward was more interested in why Leo Ouyang betrayed her and preferred Yakira Mo when Grace was such an extraordinary beautiful woman and Yakira was such a disgusting vulgar sow. It was beyond his understanding. If there was an answer, only Leo knew what it was. "Err! There are all kinds of beautiful women in the world, but I have never seen the same beauty as my mother. She was elegant but mncholy, noble but friendly. She was a charming and soft ssical b !" Daisy trembled all over. This was so dreadful. She could not believe it. If that was true, who could be so awful to such a good woman? How could he or she hurt such a beautiful fairy? Did he or she feel guilty after killing the most friendly and innocent woman? "I know this is important to you. I won''t make jokes. I wish it were one big joke, but sorry, darling, it''s true. I have a clear mind. I know you have the right to know the truth." Yes, he wished it were a bad joke that he made, so she wouldn''t be hurt. However, it was nothing but a brutal truth. "Who killed my mother? Don''t tell me it was Leo Ouyang." Her face looked nched. She was afraid her father killed her mother just as she suspected. What if father murdered mother? Mother used to love her so much but had been dead for years. Father had never liked Daisy but was the only person alive with a blood rtionship to her. What should she do? Should she avenge her dead mother, or let her father go? It was hard to decide. Whatever her decision might be, it was destined to be painful. "No, he wasn''t. He didn''t do it in a direct way, but he was rted to it indirectly." Edward paused. Daisy was a clever woman. She would figure it out when she got a hint that her mother was murdered and her father was indirectly involved. Chapter 565 I Am Here For You (Part Two) "It was her. But for what?" Daisy swallowed hard. Her eyes were full of tears, but she fought them back. She grabbed his hand so forcibly and she forgot Edward was not the killer, but the man she loved and valued. Edward felt her emotions, he didn''t remind her although he felt the pain as she tightly held onto his hand. "Nothing but high position and great wealth could drive a heartless person to kill an expectant mother." Edward closed his eyes and decided to tell her all he knew. He ignored the pain from his hand. He would bear all the pain for her if she could feel better while holding his hand tightly. "What did you say?" Daisy squeezed his hand with more strength. Her eyes became terrible. She stared at Edward, struck with awe. She could not believe her ears. There was something wrong. Her mother was pregnant. No, it was not true. "I said your mother was pregnant at that time." Edward made up his mind to tell her the whole truth. She had already gotten hurt, so he should take the chance to speak everything out. It would be better to have short and sharp pains than long and dull pains. If she could not bear the pain like this, how could she face up to the following words that Edward was about to say? "Haha... Edward, very funny. Why aren''t you smiling? Don''t you think this is funny?" Her nerves were on edge for a long time and stretched to the breaking point. Daisy could not help but burst outughing. It broke Edward''s heart. He would feel better if she cried. He loved her so much that he would like to shield her from the wind and rain of the world. He wanted her to be happy forever. "Honey, it''s okay. I''m here for you. Whatever difficulties you meet, I will work them out. I will do anything for you. Don''t be brave. You can cry if you want to. Don''t hold back. I feel so bad when you hold pain back." Edward could not find e resentful after she listened to the recording. It was necessary to make a deal with her, just in case she wentpletely bananas and smacked him. He was not fully recovered from the gunshot yet, so he could not control her right now. "I promise that I will try my best, but I cannot guarantee that nothing would happen." Daisy bit her lip. She knew she lost control just now. Her ugly crying had ruined her perfect image. But she didn''t care. After all, he had seen worse. She would not feel embarrassed when he saw her crying. And she never made a promise that she could not keep. That''s why she promised him that she would try her best. "Okay! Good girl. That is the valiant Colonel Ouyang that I know." Edward gently wiped her tears away and lovingly kissed her mouth. Then he turned on theputer and yed the recording about her mother''s death. But unluckily, he obviously overestimated Daisy. Our valiant Colonel Ouyang did not keep her words. Yes, she tried her best to calm down while listening to the recording. She was absolutely quiet, as if it had nothing to do with her. But once the recording stopped, she ran to the door right away. She bristled with anger. Nobody dared get in her way, even the most ferocious dragon. Chapter 566 Daisy Went Bananas (Part One) "Daisy, stop!" Edward rushed out and tried to stop Daisy. However, Daisy was trained in the army. How could Edward even catch up with her? "What''s going on? Are you two mad at each other?" Hearing the noise, Cynthia walked out of her bedroom and tried to stop Edward and ask him what happened, but the answer she got was only his rapid footsteps. "Colonel, are you going out for a mission?" Mark also ran out with his gun. As a security guard, he did own a gun. He wondered why Daisy looked so angry and walked hastily. Did she receive a notice of some mission of prime importance? "Give me your gun. Don''t follow me." Daisy stopped and grabbed the gun from Mark''s hand. Before Mark could say anything, she continued to rush outside. "Mark, take your gun back!" Edward yelled anxiously. When Edward was running after Daisy, he lost his bnce and fell down on the stairs. Fortunately, he just missed a few steps, so he didn''t get hurt, but as he fell, Daisy ran further. "Colonel, where are you going? You took my gun!" Hearing Edward''s words, Mark began to run after Daisy, wanting to get his gun back. Daisy kept running forward furiously. Looking at her running like this, Mark thought there must be something serious. It wasn''t just any other mission. "Go back! This is an order!" Daisy raised her eyebrow and gave an order in a dignified voice. Mark stopped immediately and didn''t dare to go forward. As a soldier, he must obey orders, so he didn''t dare to act against Daisy''s order. "Mrs. Mu, where are you going?" Luke just came back from somewhere. Before he could get off the car, Daisy pulled him out and got in the car agilely. "Luke, hurry up! Stop her!" Since Mark failed to stop Daisy, Edward turned to Luke for help. H ht that her mother bore bitter pain tore her heart into pieces. Such a feeling was not alien to her. She could feel how devastated her mother must have been after she found out that Leo cheated on her. Being deceived by Leo who she loved so dearly, she must have been heartbroken. At the moment of the crash, she must have been scared. As a mother, she must have been frightened. She had always been a considerate woman. At that time, whatever she thought was definitely not to protect herself, but to protect the baby in her belly. However, the baby died against her will. Every hope she did have was killed, and her love for this world was over. She was reluctant to leave Daisy alone, but she couldn''t do anything. Daisy''s face was covered with tears, and her heart was broken. She had never felt like this before. She kept honking and overtaking other cars on the road. It was so cruel to deprive her mother of her hope. Leo''s betrayal had already disappointed her. What could be worse? The baby that she wanted to keep the most died. Worst of all, she also died. At this thought, Daisy felt breathless. Was this the so-called justice? It was totally unfair! Chapter 567 Daisy Went Bananas (Part Two) Daisy thought to herself, ''Leo, now I feel very resentful and angry about what you did. No matter how cruel you were to me in the past, I never held a grudge against you. I just disliked you. However, now you have activated the hatred deep in my heart. I''m overwhelmed with this feeling. I''ll not think about our rtionship anymore. I won''t forgive you ever!'' Wiping her tears, Daisy calmed herself down a little bit. She wished to shoot Yakira dead. This thought had consumed herpletely. She had forgotten her identity as a colonel, her family members who loved her very much, and her husband who would love her till hisst breath. She let these all go. She was blinded by hatred, and could no longer figure out who was the most important to her. She just stepped on the gas to the limit and drove amidst the constant flow of traffic. "I can''t see Daisy''s car." Edward was drenched in sweat of fear and anxiety. Although the car was air-conditioned, sweat dripped from his face. The thought that Daisy took away Mark''s gun in a violent rage scared him to the bone. He hoped Daisy could calm herself down on the way and wouldn''t make any irreparable mistakes. "Mr. Mu, shall we call Brian and ask him to stop Mrs. Mu?" Luke had been working for Edward for long, so he knew about their rtionship. "I forgot to bring my phone. Moreover, I don''t remember his number." Edward closed his eyes. He didn''t like to memorize phone numbers. He could rattle off the numbers of the people who were close to him, but others'' numbers were saved in his phone. He didn''t like Brian, so he didn''t m She finally realized that she shouldn''t have extravagant hopes for what didn''t belong to her. No matter how hard she tried, she would gain nothing in the end. However, she didn''t regret falling in love with such a heartless man. "Dad, let go of mom! You''ll kill her!" Mary turned ghastly pale with fear. She stepped forward and tried hard to loosen Leo''s hand but failed. Leo was so angry that he further tightened his grasp. "Yakira, how do you want to die? How about throttling you? Or making it look like an ident?" Leo gritted his teeth. The gloomy atmosphere made everyone tremble with fear. "Brian, why are you standing still there? Come and help me! Dad will wring mom''s neck!" Mary snarled. Yakira''s face turned blue. She could feel her heart pounding. Mary''s yelling brought Brian back to reality. Although he didn''t like his mother, she brought him to this world anyway. If Leo strangled Yakira, he would be put in prison. In that case, Brian would lose his parents. It was thest thing Brian wanted to see, so he had to stop his father. Chapter 568 A Substitute (Part One) "Dad, what are you doing? Can''t we just sit down and sort it out?" Brian stepped forward and pushed Leo and Yakira apart. After all, Brian was young and vigorous. He saved Yakira from Leo''s grip easily. "Ahem! Ahem!" Yakira began to cough violently after holding her breath for a long time. She leaned against Brian, feeling limp. She trembled with fear as she thought she would be killed by Leo today. "Brian, get out of my way! Otherwise, I won''t spare you. Do you know how evil this bitch is? She is utterly devoid of conscience. I must settle ounts with her today." Leo shouted as he tried to push Brian away, in an attempt to take Yakira by the throat again. He was blinded with rage. What he only desired now was to have Yakira dead. "I won''t move. If you want to kill mom, you will have to kill me first." Brian closed his eyes in despair. Had he known that so many bad things would happen, he wouldn''t havee back from abroad. He wouldn''t have been bothered like this, and he wouldn''t have been sandwiched between his father and mother now. "Dad, how can you do this to mom? You don''t even care about what happened to usst night? You only want to hit mom. What''s wrong with you?" Mary questioned as she stamped her foot angrily. She didn''t notice that Yakira was shooting her a warning nce. "Bah! No matter what happened to this bitch, she deserves it. If there is divine justice, why is she still alive? I don''t want to see her face ever again." Leo taunted. ur family against my conscience. You should be the one held responsible for whatever happened. It''s not anyone else''s fault." Brian sneered. If Mary had never treated Daisy with such cruelty, he wouldn''t have treated her like this. If Mary had never tried to snatch everything from Daisy, he would have treated her as his sister. However, what Mary did was way out of line and Brian couldn''t force himself to consider her as his family now. He was not a sage and he couldn''t forgive anyone who dared to harm his family. He did a good job at blocking painful, unnecessary things from his mind and life. "Hahaha! Brian, stop making excuses and stop insulting me. I''m not that kind of evil person like you think of me. Actually we both know that you dislike me because Ie from a humble family. In your eyes, your sister shoulde from a rich and powerful family just like Daisy. I know I was from a poor family, and you look down on me. That''s why you never treat me as your sister." Chapter 569 A Substitute (Part Two) Mary was a bit mad this time. She neither wanted to live in this house, nor she wanted to go back to the life she had lived in the past. Like Yakira, all of Mary''s hopes were ced on Brian. She believed that Brian would be nice to her since she was his sister. However, Brian had never regarded her as a sister and he only cared about Daisy. Mary was so envious of Daisy that she waspletely losing her mind. Yakira stood behind Brian, feeling much relieved. Mary had somehow distracted Leo and Leo forgot about her for now. Yakira finally got the time to think about why Leo behaved so weird today. Leo had mentioned "an ident" just now. Yakira realized that Edward must have retaliated for what happenedst night. Edward was indeed a man who fought over the smallest trifles. At this time, the doorbell came from the entrance, which startled the servants who were watching the drama. The butler ran to the entrance to find out who was there. Through the screen, he saw a female soldier standing angrily at the entrance. He turned to Leo, terrified. "Who is it?" Leo asked impatiently. The idea of the tragic death of Grace was a torture to him. He hated Yakira even more. "It is a female soldier. Shall I open the door?" The butler asked in fear. Leo had a straight face today, and just now he wrung Yakira''s neck. So, all of the servants were frightened and dared not look Leo in the eye. "A female soldier? It must be Daisy. Come on, open the door." Brian imme ry. Daisy stood still, while Mary fell down heavily on the ground. Daisy was a firm, steady soldier. She looked coldly at Mary as if she was a ghost from the hell. Mary trembled with fear. "Bitch! How dare youe to our family? You have ruined our lives!" Mary yelled hysterically on the ground. She vent her anger on Daisy, not noticing how vicious Daisy was at this moment. "Bitch? Let me tell you, I''ve never tried to seduce someone''s husband nor hurt an innocent person like some real bitch did. You should feel lucky now as I''m not here for you. Otherwise, I would give you a lesson!" Daisy stated coldly as she pointed her gun at Mary''s forehead. Mary widened her eyes and dared not say anything more. She was afraid that Daisy might pull the trigger out of anger. She crumpled to the floor, with no energy left to argue with Daisy anymore. Mary was not the only one who was shocked. Everyone present was frightened by Daisy''s movement and wondered whom she was aiming at. Chapter 570 I Will Pull the Trigger (Part One) "Daisy, we can talk this through. Let''s put down the gun, okay? This is getting really dangerous." After all, Leo was a seasoned man, so he immediately reacted to this situation. He looked at Daisy with concern. His uncontroble anger against Yakira turned into soothing tenderness for Daisy, but Daisy did not budge at all. "Ha! Dangerous? So Mr. Ouyang does know what danger means in this world. Then howe it eluded you when you were having an affair before? Howe you didn''t see the danger when your acts were leading to my mother''s death?" Daisy instantly shifted her target to Leo. Although he wasn''t the one who killed her mother, he was undeniably responsible. If he had ignored Yakira, no one could have had the chance to set him up. If he had been firm, then how could she have been able to exploit his weakness? So in the end, he was the person who needed to answer for his crime. "I... So you know about it as well. Alright, I''ve never hoped to somehow exonerate myself. If you still consider my petty life worthy of anything, then kill me and allow me to use my own life to atone for the sin!" Leo closed his eyes, gravely saddened. He was wondering earlier why Daisy suddenly came over. It turned out she was here for revenge. If that was the case, then he had nothing toin. After all, he owed her that much. "Nonsense. Every injustice has its own perpetrator. Why would I take your life? Yakira, how long are you going to keep hiding? Do you think you can ge t that moment? No, you can''t empathize, because you never have a heart. Otherwise how could you be so ruthless that you couldn''t even spare a pregnant woman?" The muzzle of the gun was stuck right in the middle of Yakira''s forehead. Daisy looked down at her with cold disdain. This woman unflinchingly destroyed her mother''s young life. This woman also brutalized the other life that never had the chance to face this world. And now she lived in a luxurious mansion with her conscience buried. She robbed everything that was supposed to be Daisy''s, and then lived her happy life in fine clothes and was served with delicacies everyday. "No, I didn''t do that. Brian, help me." Yakira stepped back in panic, but Daisy closely followed and kept the pressure up step by step. She was not giving Yakira any chance for escape. "You didn''t do it? You really didn''t?" Daisy abruptly burst intoughter which seemed so imposing yet so tragic. One couldn''t help but feel heartbroken at the scene. Chapter 571 I Will Pull the Trigger (Part Two) "Do you think you can fool me so easily? Let''s be clear, I am Daisy Ouyang, not Leo Ouyang." Daisy abruptly stoppedughing. She bent down and stared directly into Yakira''s eyes. A starkly chilling atmosphere wildly encroached on the space around Yakira. She realized how terrifying and unrelenting the soldier before her was. Compared with Leo who just now tried to kill her, Daisy instilled in Yakira an intense fear of death. "Daisy Ouyang, don''t think I''ll be afraid of you with a gun pointing to my head. Don''t you forget that murder is against thew. Even though you are a colonel, you aren''t above thew." Yakira was talking tough, but her trembling voice betrayed her pretense of fearlessness. As a result, her words sounded somewhat ridiculous. "Against thew? Not exactly! You''ve killed someone too, right? Then why weren''t you punished by thew? So thew is not omnipotent. So tell me, is it easier for me to simply shoot you here? Or should I send you to prison to spend the rest of your life?" A dark intrigue arose in Daisy''s eyes. She kept moving the gun gently against Yakira''s forehead, challenging the limits of her mental capacity. Yakira was filled with horrid guesses of where she would be shot today. Meanwhile, Edward raced all the way to the Ouyangs'' house. He saw the familiar car parked outside and was finally relieved that Daisy had arrived here safely. This was more important to him than anything. He was hoping that he got here in time, so he exite Through his eyes, he begged and pitied her. As long as there was a chance, he would never let her do something stupid. He would not want to live a life that didn''t have Daisy in it. "Edward, don''te forward. I''m really going to pull the trigger." Because of Edward''s increasing proximity, Daisy suddenly grabbed Yakira and even more forcefully stuck her gun against her head. She tried to deter Edward''s incessant steps. Why couldn''t he arrive just a littlete? Daisy had driven the car as fast as possible, yet she still didn''t buy herself enough time. "Don''t be afraid. No matter how this ends, I will be there with you." Edward kept walking towards her without hesitation. It turned out that the most romantic line in the world was not "I love you, " but "be with you." No one could notice its moving power, but he dropped it at such a crucial moment. He truly loved her just as much as she could imagine. It was an earnest affection that would dwarf millions of simple "I-love-you". Chapter 572 I Don’t Want To Die (Part One) Daisy''s lips trembled, but she didn''t seem to have the slightest intention to release Yakira. She winked at Edward with her intelligent and artful eyes, indicating him not to force her to make a choice between Yakira and him. Because what she needed the most now was not hispany, but his cooperation. "Daisy, keep your hands off my Mom. Is it because of the drink? You don''t need to make a fuss about it and get everyone annoyed. As a soldier, you''re being too mean to hold a grudge on such a trifling thing." Mary narrowed her eyes and looked at Daisy with derision. The jealous feeling got the better of her, Mary forgot the terror she felt when the gun was pointed at her before. She only saw the affection in Edward''s eyes when he looked at Daisy. This got her insanely jealous. Why did Edward only care for that bitch Daisy? Mary also crazily loved him, but he seemed to havepletely ignored her. "Shut up! Are you trying to make more trouble for yourself?'''' Brian stared at Mary. He was angry that Mary didn''t realize how dangerous the situation was. She didn''t do anything to diffuse the tension. On the contrary, she was fueling the mes. He really didn''t know what was on her mind. "Didn''t you see? It''s she who started all this. Why are you angry at me?" Mary said while raising her chin. She was fed up with the different attitude people showed to her and Daisy. She was like a hateful tumor in their eyes. On the other hand, Daisy didn''t look wrong to them even when she held a gun and pointed it at anyone she wanted. Mary thought that she was only c ink that I don''t know what''s on your mind? I am telling you, no way. You''re dead today." Seeing that Edward stopped forcing her to make decisions, she breathed a sigh of relief. But she still looked intimidating with her menacing face. "But didn''t Mr. Mu just say I have two choices? You can''t eat your words." Yakira felt the silver lining that had juste to her went up in smoke at Daisy''s cold voice. But she was now kidnapped by Daisy, so she didn''t dare to show the slightest disrespect. She was worried that if Daisy got irritated by her, she might shoot her in the head. As the saying went, "The man who recognizes the facts of a situation is a paragon of men." She understood what it meant. "He said that to you, but that doesn''t mean I agree to it, " Daisy said. How could it be possible for her to not know Edward''s concern? But it was impossible for her to stay put nonchntly after she knew the truth. At least she needed to find someone to vent her anger on. And that person had to be Yakira. She would not let it end so easily. Chapter 573 I Don’t Want To Die (Part Two) She could not kill her, but she could at least frighten her. It was impossible that she would risk her whole life and career for such an unworthy woman. She was not that stupid. Although in the beginning, she really wanted to kill Yakira but as a soldier, she was clear what woulde to her it she did so. No matter how painful and furious she felt in her heart, she tried her best to get through this. "Brian, call the police now, I don''t want to die. I will confess to the police that I''m guilty." Yakira was so clever. What she said was only a tactic to gain some more time. When the alert was averted, she would tell the police that she was threatened by Daisy. In this case, she would ovee the fate of dying a miserable death. "No need anymore. We''re already here." While they were speaking, several policemen came in. One of them was special in his demeanor. He didn''t seem like amon policeman. "Ah! Sir! Help! This crazy woman is going to kill me!" Yakira was overjoyed at the sight of the chief of Public Security Bureau who took her away yesterday. ''Daisy, I will see how you end this drama today. Mr. Yi, the chief, has seen you kidnap me with the gun. I will use you of crime of intentional injuryter, " Yakira thought. "Sorry, Colonel Ouyang, we arrived a littlete. Please let us handle the suspect." Yakira was surprised to see that Mr. Yipletely ignored her. Moreover, he behaved respectfully towards Daisy. She was dumbfounded and didn''t know what the situation was now. "Thank you, Mr. Yi, nel, it was not possible that she would do anything against thew. So hepletely ignored Yakira''s usation. "Say something for me! Brian, tell the police what happened. It was really Daisy who threatened to kill me with her gun." Yakira looked at her family for help. But no one pitied her or said anything in her favour. How poor she was as the hostess of the house! "Can you tell me what really happened with all this? Dad, you know everything, right?" Brian closed his eyes, trying to pull himself together. He waspletely confused with the scene before his eyes. He didn''t know what unforgivable crime his mother hadmitted, that it had made such a scene and even invited the police. "Yakira, do you want me to state what you did one by one?" Leo narrowed his eyes and looked at Yakira with coldness. In fact, he didn''t want Brian to know what a vicious woman his mother was. He didn''t expect that Daisy would suddenly appear and create such a frighting scene. He had no reasons to hide it any more. Chapter 574 Frustrated Daisy (Part One) "OK, fine. No need to do that. Police, I''ll go with you." Yakira gave Edward an angry look. It was definitely all his fault to push her in such a bad situation. Why did he have to bother himself with such matters? Why did he have to investigate the things that happened 20 years ago? What did he gain out of all this? Could the deade back to life by doing so? "You two,e and take her back to the police station. Take note to put her through a thorough interrogation." Mr Yi, the chief of police,manded this to the policemen beside him. It was improper for them to get involved in that kind of family affairs. "Dad! Help Mom, please, help Mom! It was Daisy who rushed into our house armed with a gun. How could we let them take mom to the police station without any clear reason?" Mary helplessly pulled Leo''s sleeves and murmured to him. Her mother was her only shelter in this family. It was certain that if Yakira really had anything to do with some unknown crime, Mary would never be able to live the luxurious life as a rich man''s daughter. She even could not stay herefortably. "No one has wronged her in this, She always knows what she has done before. It is all her own fault. And she deserves it. Speaking of which, she must thank the police for taking her away from here. Otherwise, I am not sure what I will do to her in the future." Leo was reluctant to let Mary hold him tightly. As things hade to a point like this today, the situation was not something he wanted to see. But this was the consequence of her own evils that she hadmitted in the past. She had to swallow what she had reaped. No one would pay for her wrong doing. As soon as Edward saw Daisy handing Yakira over to the hands of the police, he immediately stepped forward and held her tightly in his arms. Irrespective of what she just did was acting or real, he was frightened by her irrational behavior all this while. Hence he only for my mother''s sake." Daisy said, with her footsteps stagnating a bit. However, all this while, she did not look at Leo, even once. She no longer intended to call him her father. Moreover, she did not even wish to have a rtionship with him. If they were not rted by blood, she wouldn''t mind beating him up. But she knew she could not do that. Because her moral philosophy and professional ethics did not allow her to take such a step. Even if she had so much resentment and anger for him, she could only hold back it to the bottom of her heart. "I know that you hate me now, but I still have the audacity to hope that you can consider talking to me, for the sake of all the love that I gave you while you were little." Leo said imploringly, with his mouth twitching slightly, His senile face looked much older. What? How dare he say that? "If you didn''t mention this to me, I might still have a bit respect for you. But how could you think that you can still have any rtion with me, after all that happened? Never say such things to me in the future? It is absolutely impossible for me to forget those things and forgive you." Daisy replied coldly, without filtering her words. She did not give any chance to Leo to speak further and walked out of the house quickly. Chapter 575 Frustrated Daisy (Part Two) "Mr. Mu, please, please help me exin it to her." Leo turned to Edward, and said that. Hisst hope of having any rtionship with his daughter was Edward who was gently walking behind Daisy. Even though he knew this domineering man would be more difficult than Daisy tomunicate with, he did not want to miss any opportunity to ease the tense rtionship between him and his daughter. "Mr. Ouyang, your remorse came out prettyte. If you recognized your mistakes when I first gave those documents to you, I would be more than happy to help you. But now, as you can also see, the situation has reached to the stage where it is irreversible. I am sorry I can not help you this time. See youter. Goodbye!" Edward smiled, with his lip slightly up, He then turned around and walked out. No matter how deep resistance Daisy showed to Leo, nobody could deny the fact that he was her father. So on the whole, he still had a little respect for him, but that did not mean that he could ignore the harms Leo once brought to Daisy. "Mr. YI, thanks for your hard work, " Daisy said, as she went out and saw Mr. Yi waiting for them in the doorway, She expressed her appreciation for Mr. Yi''s great support in this case. "You are wee, Colonel Ouyang. It is our responsibility to do this. And it''s worthwhile for me to remind you that in the absence of any evidence or witnesses, we can only detain her for the next forty-eight hours at most. Under normal circumstances, it is only twenty-four hours, but considering that the situation is very special, I can try to extend it to forty-eight hours." Mr. Yi said, short and to the point, with a sense of concern towards Daisy. He was afraid that Daisy might force him to abuse his powers. After uld like to be with him only. Even though, she seemed to be normal, superficially at least, it did not mean that her heart was no longer in pain. When they were discussing on who would drive the car, Brian followed them all the way out closely. Inparison to Mary''s cries and shouting, Brian looked very calm and indifferent, as if what happened there did not bother him. He looked subtle and peaceful. He was calm and quiet and just stood there silently watching them leave the house, without making a sound, After tonight, he clearly knew that, there was a tall wall erected again between Daisy and him. The wall was so high that it was harder than before for him to climb over it. As for Yakira, no matter how big her mistake was, he had to try his best to help here out of jail. All this was not because he had any love for Yakira but it was simply because she was his mother. It was his responsibility to do this for her as a son. He could not be too indifferent to her. Now he just hoped that the mistake she made was not so serious and it still could be redeemed. Otherwise, even though he wanted to help her, he might not have the ability to do that. Chapter 576 Lets Go on a Trip "Edward, sing to me, " Daisy requested abruptly in the car. Upon hearing her words, Edward stepped hard on the brake. Fortunately, the traffic wasn''t heavy on the road. "Be careful." Daisy narrowly escaped bumping her head. Edward was worried that she might be a bad driver. But he didn''t seem to be any better than her. She stared at him angrily, seeming like it didn''t ur to her at all how much her words had affected him. "I''m sorry. Are you hurt?" Edward carefully scanned her. Assured that she was fine, he was relieved. Her words took him by surprise and they sounded illogical to him. He reached for her forehead to see if she was having a fever. "It''s just singing. Why are you acting so dramatically?" Daisy took his hand off her forehead angrily. She had be unreasonable and irritable, a sharp contrast to her usual self. "Honey, it''s not strange to sing a song. I''m just wondering why you suddenly asked for it under the given circumstance." Edward wasn''t mad. He was more than happy to tolerate all her unreasonable behaviors. This brought forth her feminine side and made him feel that she needed him. "I see. You must be a terrible singer. So you are scared. Don''t be. I won''t make fun of you." Daisy said. Edward didn''t know why she thought he couldn''t sing. He just wasn''t keen on singing. "Maybe you didn''t realize it. Your words sound sarcastic right now. But I don''t mind. You will know in the future whether I can sing or not." Edward smiled resignedly. So far she was the only one that thought he couldn''t sing. But he didn''t want to take it seriously. A song wasn''t really what she wanted right now. She was still in the shock that her mom had been murdered. What saddened her the most was that she knew who killed her mother, but she didn''t have any solid evidence to put the murderer away. "Honey, I don''t want to go home." Daisy leaned on Edward. She was exhausted. Her eyes wandered. It seemed she had said those words unconsciously. She might not even know what she was doing. "Okay. Where do you want to go?" Edward said. He thought it mig oing?" The views on either side of the street shed back. Daisy was curious why Edward had chosen that route. It wasn''t the way back home. "I''m going to sell you." Edward gave a mysterious smile. Daisy had suggested a trip, but by now she hadpletely forgotten all about it. Edward wondered whether she was confused or she was just messing with him. No matter what, he had made his decision, and that was it. She couldn''t go back. "More likely, I''ll sell you. A pretty boy with fair skin like you is exactly what some perverts are looking for. If I were you, I would think carefully about where we are going right now." Daisy smiled. She had survived so many life-or-death situations, selling her definitely wouldn''t happen. "You are lucky that I love you. Otherwise, you would have been in trouble because of the ''pretty boy'' you said. Dispose of the filthy thoughts from your mind. I will never be some pervert''s toy boy." Edward hated it when someone described him with words like pretty or beautiful, as these were usually used for females. If Daisy hadn''t been the woman he loved, he would have thrown her out of the car. "Should I feel ttered?" Daisy smiled and secretly feltcent that she got him angry so easily. He didn''t seem to be as arrogant as people used to say. She wanted to tell him that he was the one who had filthy thoughts in his mind all the time. Chapter 577 Almost A Good Man "What do you think?" Edward bit his lip and said calmly. Resignation was written all over his face. He had been proud all his life, but in front of her, he had always been patient and he liked it that way. "Thank you, my lord. I just said it to satiate your arrogance, " Daisy joked. As an excellent man, he had a thousand reasons to be arrogant. The women who had been pestering him were all charmed by him. "You''re being naughty. Do you want to see the ocean? There you can walk on the serene paths, enjoy the beautiful view, watch the streams running, and listen to the birds singing. Isn''t it great?" Edward said with a smile. The ce was not far from the city, only a three or four-hour drive. When they got there, it would be midnight at most. They still could get some sleep and then watch the sunrise in the morning. It was exciting to think about it. "Yes, it sounds great. But don''t we need some time to pack?" Daisy furrowed. She was anxious to be there, but she was also a little worried. "We don''t have to. Money is everything." Edward gave an arrogant smile. It was true. Money could buy everything. Except love. The love that could be bought with money wasn''t true love. It was just an attachment to wealth. Edward loathed that kind of rtionships. "Do you have your wallet on you?" Daisy sized Edward up. He was dressed casually. He must have been in a rush to catch up with her and must have forgotten to change. She figured that he had left both his phone and his wallet at home. "Luke will bring it with him. Don''t worry, honey. I won''t really sell you." Edward shook his head. She was too naive. He couldn''t imagine how much she must have struggled in the past years. Yet it was her simplicity that attracted him in the first ce and made him lose his heart to her. "Edward, sometimes it feels good to be around you." Daisy turned around and pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek, which was like a petal, soft and captivating. "Only sometimes?" Edward was surprised by the kiss. But he remained calm and looked at Daisy, smiling. "Yes. That''s what you do." Daisy forced herself to forget the pain. So she started to make fun of Edward, which was umon. Edward was impressed by her resilience. She knew how to change her mood. Maybe it was an ability she acquired from her profession. R quinted his eyes at her smiling face. "Almost a good man. But since I haven''t met a better man than you yet, I''ll just make do with you for now." Daisy rolled her eyes cleverly, opened the car door and stepped out. She smelled the fragrance of jasmine in the air. It suddenly urred to her that Edward hadn''t chosen this city only for its views. There might be a story here for him to tell. Otherwise, why did he like jasmine so much? However, she didn''t intend to ask him about it. After all, the past stayed in the past. What they had now was the present. "Colonel Ouyang, what you just said makes my fancy run wild." Bending on the car roof, Edward smiled at Daisy. Apparently, he was trying to make a fuss about some words in her remarks again. He was good at twisting the meanings of her words. "Noment on that. Luke, Mr. Mu''s thoughts are filthy. Be careful when you are with him, " Daisy said to Luke, who was walking toward them. She took a deep breath of fresh air. The air here was much better than that of the S City. Luke looked at Edward. Seeing Edward wasn''t mad, he twitched his lips awkwardly. Daisy was the only one that dared to talk about Edward like that. Edward hated two things. One was when people said that he was pretty or beautiful. The second was that people assumed he was gay. Therefore, normally, afraid of the consequences, people took care not to cross these lines with him. Surprisingly, Edward wasn''t affected by her words at all. He smiled and talked as if nothing had happened. He really doted on her. Chapter 578 Jasmine Fragrance Hotel Edward cast a sidelong nce at Daisy''s smiling face. He didn''t take her caustic remarks to heart. All he wanted was to see her happy face. Anyway, her caustic remarks wouldn''t do any wrong to him, right? Therefore, he didn''t care about Daisy''s taunts. Instead, he let out a doting smile. "Let''s go. Take a shower in the hotel to relieve the fatigue of the journey." Edward closed the car door and walked up to Daisy, leading her to the hotel with his arm around her slender waist. "Sorry. I don''t know when I fell asleep. You must be really tired after driving for so long." Daisy looked up at Edward. The expression in her eyes showed her affectionate tenderness and apology. "No, I am not tired. I''m just worried that you may be tired." Edward answered her with aforting smile. In fact, this was the first time that he had driven for such long hours. If he went on a long journey in the past, Luke would drive for him, or he would travel via his private ne. However, he decided to go on this trip hastily, and since the destination was not far away, he drove himself. "Mr. Mu, wee to Jasmine Fragrance Hotel." The hotel manager came up to greet Edward and Daisy just when they stepped into the lobby. He was a little bit surprised to see Daisy standing beside Edward. As a matter of fact, Daisy was also stunned. She thought the name of the hotel matched perfectly with the characteristics of this city, and she began to wonder who its owner was and why he gave this name to the hotel. Was it someone like Edward who had a special liking for jasmines? "Mr. Wu, thank you. We onlye here for a vacation and not for an inspection. You don''t have to worry about anything." Edward knew the name of every senior executive. It was not only because of his good memory, but because of his respect for his employees. After hearing what Edward said, Daisy was enlightened and smiled. It turned out that the hotel also belonged to the FX International Group. She was right. The owner of the hotel was really crazy about jasmines, but what interested her more was the story hidden behind it. "It''s our pleasure. You rarelye here. We are greatly honored by your gracious presence. If I am not wrong, this must be your wife, Colonel Ouyang." Mr. Wu asked with hesitation. In the past, their CEO only came here to inspect the work. It was the first time that he had brought a woman here, so he wondered whether this woman in the military uniform was Edward''s wife who gave rise to a lot of discussion among the employees recently. "Hello. I''m Daisy Ouyang." Daisy''s answer was concise and polite. It was neither too indifferent nor too intimate. As usual, she looked elegant and heroic. "Hello, Mrs. Mu. The female staff here admires you so much." Mr. Wu began to get excited as he was right in his gues I will show you all the beautiful rivers and mountains of the world, if I can. Now go take a shower. I have already filled the bathtub with warm water." Edward kissed Daisy''s lips soulfully. He didn''t doubt her words, whether good or bad. He was deeply grieved by what she just said, so he made a promise. "Thank you. I''ll keep it in mind." Daisy smiled softly. She didn''t expect to really enjoy the beauty of the world, but what Edward said was the most beautiful scenery in her heart. It showed her the most luxurious trip of the world, because it was a painting he drew for her with his deep love and affection. "I will be with you wherever you go, even if it is the remotest corner of the world." After Daisy hurried into the bathroom, Edward stood by the window andmanded an open view of the distance. Smelling the floral fragrance, he seemed to see the girl in his memory. She was so close to him, but as he stretched out his hands to touch her, she turned into a cloud and drifted with the wind, and he could do nothing to stop her. Daisy was right. This city had the most profound meaning and nostalgia for Edward right from his childhood. He often thought of the girl who was as beautiful as a princess and missed the scene of their first meeting. However, like most storylines, they passed through each other and finally lost each other amidst the faint floral fragrance. They never met again after that. Edwardughed at himself. What happened? Why did he suddenly think of that distant memory again? Was it because he was now in this city? Maybe he had a different feeling for that girl, but he didn''t realize it. On this thought, he frowned at himself because he knew that this was not his purpose foring here today. He thought he owed Daisy an apology, because at this moment, he was thinking of another girl who was only a part of his distant memory. Chapter 579 Edwards Secret (Part One) Immersing her body into the hot water, Daisy finally let her tight muscles rx. Thefortable feeling that followed it, made her unconsciously close her eyes. Her mind suddenly travelled back in time, to the deepest part of her memory. This was the time, when she was still a highly enviable princess in her family, who had a loving father and an indulgent mother. They all lived happily together, making everyone else gasp in admiration. But all these things started to fade gradually with time, bing a distant dream for her. Moreover, now that she knew how her mother died, she felt herself slipping deep into a dissociative state, like a soulless body. So she decided to take some time off, splurge a little and be a little woman pampered by her husband. She hoped that all of this would change her mood. However, she was constantly irked by one thought. With her bodypletely drowned in water, she thought about Edward''s past. She was very eager to know about the story in his heart. Daisy badly wanted to know what kind of person that girl was. What made Edward constantly think about her, so much so that he ended up naming the hotel in such a special manner. The pressure of the water didn''t let her hold on long. She popped her head out of the water, suddenly remembering that she was nursing her broken heart. She had forgotten to ring her family to let them know that she was safe. They must be worried about her because of the riot she caused before she left the ho m I thest one to know everything?" As Edward had expected, she didn''t let that slide. It looked like he knew her very well. "I''m really sorry! I broke my promise again." Edward smiled helplessly. Like her words suggested, it seemed that he was lying to her again and again. Though he meant well, he still stepped on her sensitive nerve. "Never mind, I know you just want what''s best for me. No need to worry, and don''t look so forlorn. I''m not an unreasonable woman." Daisy raised her head and looked at him. No matter how days passed, she still didn''t like it when he frowned deeply. Because deep in her memory, his smile was forever radiant and enchanting. "Do you want to listen to a story?" All of a sudden, Edward badly wanted to tell her a secret that had been buried deep in the bottom of his heart. And in this way, it wouldn''t count as an emotional betrayal, perhaps! He never saw his feeling for that girl as love. He liked her but only treated her as a sister next-door. Chapter 580 Edwards Secret (Part Two) "No. I''m really tired. I just want to sleep." For some reason, Daisy suddenly felt very afraid of hearing him talk about the girl who had always been in his heart. So she refused to listen to anything connected to her subconsciously. Because the most terrifying thing between lovers wasparison. And she had always been somewhat unsure of herself. So she was worried that she wouldn''t be able topete with the beautiful girl in his heart. "You really don''t want to know the story? It might be a very sweet love story!" Edward raised one of his eyebrows, trying to get her interested. "Maybe some other time! When I really want to hear it." Upon hearing his words, Daisy''s heart started beating a lot faster. She didn''t dare to listen to his words anymore, so she just covered her ears to show that she really didn''t want to hear it. "Then okay! It''s reallyte. Let''s have a nice sleep. And tomorrow I will take you out and show you around town, to see the gorgeous scenery of this city." Edward reached out and touched her hair, feeling that it was almost dry. He stopped what he was doing, but still went on to get a hair drier and blowed her hair for a while. He never really liked men doing such things for women in general however after he met this little woman, he waspletely smitten. Seeing that he wasn''t nning on talking, Daisy breathed a sigh of relief secretly. That was when she suddenly realized that even though they had been through death together, she still couldn'' nder his breath. How could hepletely forget such an important thing? He was now anxious too. "What? Then I assume that she didn''t eat anything either?" After hearing this, Edward felt more and more guilty. He had a feeling that he failed as a husband, for he didn''t even realize when his own wife went out of the room. "I''m afraid so, Because she left quite early, just past six o''clock. How about this! I take the car and drive around the city to see if I can find her." The more questions Edward asked, the more guilty Luke felt of this matter. Even he started feeling anxious now. "Okay! We will split up to look for her. She''s not like herself now, she must have forgotten that she doesn''t have any cash on her. Whoever finds her first will contact the other via car phone." Edward said these words while walking up to change his clothes. In his mind, Daisy was not the almighty colonel right now, she was just his wife. That was why he got so anxious on her going out all by herself. Chapter 581 Dont Test My Patience (Part One) The sunlight inte autumn was not as scorching as it was in summer, but it was still intense enough to get someone''s delicate skin sunburned after prolonged exposure. Daisy took a break to rest for a while. She sighed as she looked up at the relentless sun. After getting her breath back, she suddenly realized how far she''de. Although the trip didn''t exhaust her, she was now dehydrated. Daisy raised her hand to wipe the sweat off her face. She assumed that she must look a lot more terrible than when she was doing field training at the base. At least at the base, she was wearing tbat boots instead of high heels and camouge attire instead of this full-length dress which trailed along behind her and made walking difficult. At the moment, she felt like a drowned mouse. But there was no one to me but herself. She originally just nned to walk around but before she knew it, she had strayed off the path and ended up on the peak of a natural forest park. Although she enjoyed the beautiful sunrise and the fresh mountain air, she found that wearing high-heeled shoes while trekking along the mountain was a big mistake. To be honest, when she opened the closet and found the glittering array of dresses this morning, her heart started racing. She stood in ce and stared at those women''s clothes for quite a long time without even touching a single one of them. She finally breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that they were brand-new with price tags still attached on them, so they could not be some other women''s clothes. But she had trouble making up her mind while looking through the collection. There were a lot of brands and styles avable, but none of them seemed to suit her. All the clothes were either strapless or backless, even if the upper part was eptable, the lower section could barely cover her hip. In the end, she reluctantly chose this long snow-white dress, which furth Luke said as he kept looking around the street, hoping to spot the missing woman. "Checking out higher ces? Wait a second, I might know where she is." Edward then turned the car around sharply. Luke''s words reminded him of a ce where people could see the first rays of sunlight in this city. But the odd thing was, that ce was quite far away from the hotel. If Daisy went out on foot, then she was less likely to have walked that far. Nevertheless, he still decided to try his luck and check it out. After all, it was better than running around like a headless chicken. In less than twenty minutes, he stood at the gate of a forest park. He wasn''t familiar with this park, but wasn''t a stranger to it either. Because it was exactly the ce he described to Daisyst night. It was a ce where people could stroll around in the secluded pathways and watch the mountain spring cascade into waterfalls. People who were unfamiliar with the ce could hardly be expected to know the existence of such a beautiful scenery. Edward trotted all the way up the steep and winding mountain road. He prayed in his heart that Luke was right, and that Daisy actually dide here to watch the sunrise. This way, he could put an end to his worries and their hit-and-miss strategy. Chapter 582 Dont Test My Patience (Part Two) Probably because the heat was most intense in the middle of the day, Edward could only see a few people in the park. From his point of view, the ce looked more like a mountain than a park. Along the way, he had seen vast stretches of bushes,e across birds chirping melodious and soothing songs, and passed through woods where sunlight filtered through the tree leaves to create golden halos. The entire ce was quiet, peaceful, and sweltering. For a moment, Edward thought that he was visiting a tropical rain forest. After running continuously for a while, Edward found himself a bit exhausted. He stopped on a t ce, panting heavily. While he was trying to catch his breath, a familiar figure came into his sight. The woman was slowly moving down with her flowing white dress fluttering and dancing in the autumn breeze, like a fairy who lost her way deep in the mountains. Edward couldn''t take his eyes off her. By now, Daisy realized that her sprain was more serious than she thought. Half an hour had nearly passed and she had only trudged a short distance. How long before she could reach the bottom of the mountain at the speed of a tortoise? What a nightmare! She sighed and wiped off the sweat brought out by the pain from her, and looked down at the seemingly endless road in frustration. Suddenly, she caught a pair of ring eyes that stopped her thoughts. Then she saw Edward''s darkened face. Startled by the intense look, she subconsciously took a step back, only to trip over a small stone. When her sprained ankle twisted again, she was unable to maintain her bnce and fell on the ground. "Be careful!" Edward eximed while rushing up to Daisy quickly. Although he was fuming with anger, he got very worried when he saw her tumble down. "How did you know I am here? ingle word. Everyone else would always be at his beck and call. Since when did he have to put up with a headstrong person like her? He was too exasperated to mind his words at the moment. "Sorry to have troubled you. You go ahead, I can go back on my own." Upon hearing his reply, Daisy straightened her face and looked very much the colonel she was. She stood with her back facing him and responded in an even colder and more distant manner. "So this is your answer?" Edward asked in a chilling hard voice, with veins throbbing in his temples. Gnashing his teeth in anger, he glowered at the back of the stubborn woman. He kept clenching and unclenching his fist, as if trying to control his rage. He firmly held the idea that Daisy was simply in a bad mood. He didn''t know that she was hanging behind because of her injury. "Yes. If you don''t mind." This was the way Daisy had always been. In a weak state, she was willing to throw herself into her beloved''s arms and act like a spoiled child in a delicate and sweet manner. But if anyone dared to offend her tender sensibilities, she would automatically put on a mask of indifference at once, and keep people at a distance with cold detachment. Chapter 583 The Big Fight "Good! I shouldn''t havee to look for you in the first ce. I''m just a God damn fool making myself ridiculous!" Edward had been worried. After about three hours of searching for her, he got really irritated. Daisy''s words made him think that all the things he had done for her were unnecessary and she didn''t need him or his efforts. He lost his temper and for the first time he cursed in front of her. Daisy still didn''t turn around to look at him. She tried to hold back the tears, but in vain. Fierce tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Watching her back, Edward felt she didn''t appreciate his concern at all. He closed his eyes dismally. When he reopened them, he walked down the hill, alone. As Edward''s footsteps became thinner, Daisy turned around. She watched him go farther and farther away from her through tearful eyes. Grief ran through her. She always knew that a distinguished and arrogant man like Edward wouldn''t love her deeply enough to humor her all the time, and she had been reminding herself to be discreet. But when he got mad at her, the indifference he showed was still too much for her to bear. She felt as if she was reliving those painful days when Edward had treated her like no more than a stranger. Edward mmed the car door and sped away, as if he had forgotten the woman he loved was still on the hill. He looked grim, eyes elusive. His mouth was a tight line. One single nce at him could give people chills. "Luke, you don''t need to look for her anymore. I found her, " Edward answered on his vehicr telephone and slowed down his car. Luke had been trying to reach him. "Mr. Mu, where are you? Do you need me toe over?" Hearing that Edward had found Daisy, Luke stepped on the brake and pulled over. "No. You go back to the hotel." Edward frowned and made a U-turn. "Okay, be careful." Usually Luke was at Edward''s side. He and Edward were now separated because they had gone in different directions to look for Daisy. He was worried to leave him alone. His ultimate aim was to protect him. Only when he was with Edward could he stop worrying. "I will." Edward hung up. The look on his face softened a little. Luke sensed Edward''s bad mood over the phone. He was worried and confused. Edward was supposed to be happy to find Daisy. Why did he sound angry? Had they been fighting? But since Edward always pampered Daisy, fighting seemed unlikely. Daisy was still in the same ce where Edward had left her. She was sitting on a rock, rubbing her yes?" Edward clenched his fists, suppressing his anger. He hadn''t expected her to be so unforgiving with him. "No. I''m in a too embarrassing situation to see you." Daisy didn''t know why she was being so pushy. Where were all those harsh wordsing from? "Are you saying I can''t even take care of my wife?" Edward''s brows were tightly knitted. On a second thought, he did seem like an irresponsible husband. He didn''t even notice when she left the hotel. "I didn''t say that. Don''t fabricate charges against me." Daisy sounded frigid. If he couldn''t bring herfort, she would rather he stay away from her or ignore her. She felt extremely mortified right now. "It''s not about what you said. It''s what you did. Your behaviors make me feel that way. Why did you take off your shoes?" Edward took out his handkerchief from his pocket. He bent over to clean the sand off her feet. Nheless, Daisy took several steps back and tripped over her dress. She fell on the ground and the cuts on her feet were exposed to Edward. "What''s the matter with your feet?" Edward was surprised to see the small cuts on her soles. His gaze slid upward. What he saw next pained him as if the injuries were not on her body but on his heart. "None of your business." Daisy withdrew her feet and shielded herself from his cold gaze with her dress. He looked angrier than he had beenst night. "Daisy, I told you that you could do whatever you like, as long as you don''t hurt yourself. Is this how you keep your promise?" Seeing her covered with cuts and bruises, Edward shut his eyes. She seemed to have never taken his words seriously. A violent surge of rage forced its way through him. Chapter 584 I Dont Need Your Help (Part One) "External factors are beyond my control. It was my own fault that I didn''t take care of myself. But do you really care for me?" Daisy raised her head and looked at Edward with a questionable expression of satire. There was overt provocation in her eyes. "Damn it. Is it really necessary for you to speak to me in such a hateful manner? Daisy, do you know how badly I wish to care less about you? I even tried to ignore you as much as I could. But Daisy, I love you so much that I have no choice but to love you with all my heart." Suddenly, Edward took Daisy into his arms with all his tenderness. Yes! He was always the loser when it came to Daisy. He surrendered himself at the pitiful sight of Daisy''s helplessness, pain and suffering. His arrogance was gone. The only things he felt now were his reproach toward himself and the anguish when seeing Daisy like this. The warm embrace as well as the familiar scent in the embrace wasforting for Edward. However, it seemed strange to Daisy. The love was still there, but there was a stronger sense of frustration that overwhelmed Daisy. A realization dawned upon her. She understood that Edward was a man who was not to be tamed or perhaps, she was incapable of taming him. She underestimated his arrogance and spoilt temperament. He was no more than just a young master brought up in a wealthy family. She must have overestimated the love Edward had for her. She was depressed and gloomy. It was as if, she never really won Edward''s heart. Did she even know the real side of Edward? All Daisy felt now was confusion and helplessness. "Opportunities are always there as long as there is determination to grab them. But there is a vast gap between us, a gap that is almost equivalent to the distance between the sky and the earth. No matter how hard I try, your elevation is always going to be beyond my reach." Daisy put forth her innermost feeling of frustration for the first time since their marriage to Edward. She manifested her fragility and humbleness without sugar coating or anything. For the first time in her life, Daisy felt a surging impulsion to drive herself away from E Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. any appropriate reason to exin her weird behavior? "Don''t worry. I will be careful." Regardless of Daisy''s struggle and reluctance, Edward gently wiped dirt and sand off her feet. He had to do it as gently as possible lest he would touch her wounds and aggravate her pain. Tears welled up in Edward''s eyes when he saw Daisy''s ankles. They were all red and swollen. Seeing Daisy''s wound, Edward was certain that she must have been injured when he came here earlier. She wouldn''t have had to take off her shoes and walk barefoot on this trail if he didn''t get mad at her and run off from here in anger. He was Daisy''s culprit for all the pain inside and outside. Edward finally understood why Daisy refused his care and love, and why she wanted to run away from him. Both his words and actions had caused pain and suffering for her. He wished to bring Daisy to this city for a happy and rxed time. But he never expected that this city would only add to her pains and suffering. Daisy bit her lip to prevent herself from peeping at Edward''s handsome face. She would rather turn to look at the trail leading to the foot of the mountain. A strange feeling seized her. She was trying to recall something, and a picture seemed to appear in her mind soon. But just in an instant, it was gone before it could manifest itself. Daisy racked her brain and tried to recall it as hard as possible. But nothing could be retained. Chapter 585 I Dont Need Your Help (Part Two) "Come on." Edward turned to Daisy, crouched in front of her, and signaled at her to climb onto his back. Now, he felt extremely heart-broken for Daisy''s injury and apologetic for his irrational words and conducts. He was depressed, and his arrogant temperament was gone. Even a trace of depression could be distinctly felt in his tone. "I can walk." Daisy said while casting a nce at Edward''s stalwart back. She was too shy to obey Edward''s instruction. Besides, she was worried about Edward''s body as well. He just recently recovered from a serious injury. Although Daisy wished to run away from Edward as soon as possible, she could not help but take his physical conditions into consideration. She had this habit of caring for him, no matter what happened between them. "You can walk! Daisy, do you want to embarrass me to the point of no return?" Edward was angry again. This time, however, he was angry at himself. It was all because of his male chauvinism and his arrogance that he had caused a wedge between him and his beloved wife. And in the end, he reaped what he had sown. He hurt Daisy, the woman he loved the most, and himself. How could he maintain his happiness if Daisy was in such great misery? Daisy didn''t show objection this time, and climbed onto Edward''s back like a docile cat. Her slim arms closely circled around Edward''s neck. Now, they were close to each other. Although they were the only people in this park, Daisy still flushed for such an intimacy between them. Daily kept silent all the way. Edward furrowed his brows as this really upset him. But he had no idea how he could pacify Daisy and eliminate her preventive attitude toward him. So, he kept silent, too. Neither of them had the nerve to break the ice. They just felt the heart beat of each other in sheer silence. But the beating of the heart was as elusive as their love for each other. It vanished before a clear throb could be felt. Although their bodies were close to each other at this moment, there seemed to be a great distance between their hearts. "Why didn''t you tell me about your injury when I was here earlier?" asked Edward sullenly. He finally surrendered. This question weighted like a heavy stone in his heart. He had to figure it out a Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. to the back of the vehicle, opened the trunk, and fetched a bottle of water for her. "Thank you!" Daisy was really thirsty. She took the water, and drank a mouthful of it. But she drank it in such a hurry that she almost choked herself. Daisy coughed violently. "Take it slow. Will you go out without your wallet next time? You''ll have no money to buy a bottle of water." Edward gently patted on Daisy''s back to relieve her choking. Then he picked up the car telephone to call Luke. "Hello! Mr. Mu, where are you? Why haven''t youe back yet? What happened?" Luke seemed worried over the phone. He didn''t go back to the hotel as Edward directed, as he was worried about Edward and Daisy. He had been waiting in the car since Edward calledst time. "Hmm! Please call the hotel to check whether the doctor is present in the hotel. If the doctor is not in the hotel, tell him toe back immediately." FX International Group offered thoughtful services, like medical treatment, in its hotel. There was a clinic in every hotel owned by FX International Group in case of any medical emergence. This nice arrangement made guests feel asfortable as at home. It also won FX International Groupmany many loyal guests. FX International Group was famous for its people-oriented services as it always took guests'' various needs into consideration. Their guests were always their prime focus. To meet the guests'' requirements was the most important principle in FX International Group''s management. Chapter 586 Vacation Cut Short "Sure. Who is injured?" Luke was getting nervous upon hearing Edward''s words. He started the car and drove towards the hotel. "Well, Daisy hurt her feet." Edward briefly exined the situation and then hung up the phone. He stepped on the elerator and left the ce, where he experienced both happiness and panic. Daisy bit her lower lip, lost in thought. She had been too impulsive in the past few days. Was it because she had someone to rely on? She had been a calm and reasonable person all her life. But now she had allowed herself to be a wilful person. "Hey, Daisy! What are you thinking about?" Edward paid attention to her even while driving. He was afraid that she hadn''t forgiven him yet. "I have changed a lot recently. I have be more wilful and acted like a spoilt child. I feel a bit uneasy about it." Daisy sighed. People are never satisfied. In the past, she only wanted to have him by her side, but now, she wanted more. "I know. You have be more emotional. I don''t think it''s a bad thing. On the contrary, you are more real to me. You are no more a ghost wrapped in a cold skin." Edward didn''t expect Daisy to have so many thoughts after he lost his temper on her. He felt guilty, and became more aware of the saying that females are fickle by nature. "Bah! I''m not dead yet. I''m not a ghost." Daisy rolled her eyes at him, feeling more relieved. When they reached the Jasmine Fragrance Hotel, they found Luke waiting at the entrance. On seeing the familiar license te number, he immediately trotted towards the car. "Mr. Mu, the doctor is waiting for you. Is Mrs. Mu seriously injured?" Luke asked anxiously when Edward got off the car. "Well, she sprained her ankle. Ask the doctor toe over to my room and tell him about the condition." It would be better if Tom was here. Edward was worried that Daisy would be in great pain during the treatment. "Got it. I''m going to tell him right away." Luke turned around and walked towards the hotel. Edward was a little amused by his swiftness. He paused for a while, and then opened the car door for Daisy. "I''ll walk it through myself." Daisy said in a light voice. There were too many people around, and she might get embarrassed to be carried by him. "No! I can''t agree with you on this." Before she could say anything, he bent down and picked her up. He closed the door with his foot as if it was just another ordinary car and not some luxurious car worthy of tens of millions of dors. He walked towards the entrance with her in his arms. A handsome man and a beautiful woman ¡ª t inine and delicate. However, since he was with Daisy now, he realized how narrow-minded he had been. Daisy was so tough and strong. Shepletely changed Edward''s perspective of women. "You tried to tell me a storyst night. Are you going to tell me now?" Daisy asked as she stared out of the window and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Suddenly, she was interested in the story. Maybe that was because she had left the city, or maybe because she now looked at things with a broader perspective. She felt she would now be able to ept any news from Edward. "How about another day? I will tell you the story in detail then." Edward rubbed her hair and gave a bitter smile. He wanted to smile to her, but she didn''t even turn to him. Heughed at himself and believed that she wasn''t eager to know the story. She just mentioned it casually. Judging from her behavior right now, Edward could tell that she didn''t take it seriously. He didn''t know what she was thinking. Daisy seemed like a wonderful book, enticing him to read and taste carefully. "Okay. You can tell me the story whenever you want. I believe it must be a good story. I''m looking forward to it." Daisy turned to Edward and looked at him in the eye as if she could tell there was a secret story deep in his mind. "Sure! It is a beautiful story, but it''s just a crush in the youth. Don''t be so nervous." Edward pulled Daisy into his arms and kissed her hair affectionately. He asked himself why he still remembered that little girl after so many years. It was as if time had stopped at that moment he saw her. Many years had passed, and that girl must have been someone''s wife now. Even if he met her in the street, he might not be able to recognize her. Chapter 587 A Plot Was Born "She must be very beautiful. Otherwise, you must have forgotten her already." As Edward said, he met that girl in his boyhood. Daisy thought it must be about 10 years ago as Edward was still very young. So the girl must be a young and active teenager at that time. That''s why Daisy felt a little unhappy when she was told something about this encounter. She could sense Edward had a crush on her. "Maybe!" Edward never had a chance to meet her after that, so he didn''t know how that girl looked like now. Was she attractive or not? He didn''t even ask what her name was, which was also a regret to him. Daisy chewed her lower lip. She didn''t know what to say. She rested in his arms, and fell asleep immediately. Daisy woke up early this morning, because she had passed a wakeful night. After such a tough day, she felt really exhausted now. Edward saw that Daisy was silent. He looked down on her to see what''s wrong. He smiled as Daisy was sleeping in his arms like a baby. Edward loosed his arms and put Daisy''s head on hisps, so that she could feel morefortable. "Mr. Mu, can I turn the temperature up?" Luke saw Daisy was asleep in the driving mirror. He was worried that she might feel cold. So he suggested adjusting the temperature in an undertone. "No thanks. I will cover her with my coat." Edward said while doing so. Daisy really needed rest after such a long day. So he did everything gently to avoid waking her up. Edward didn''t feel surprised to see that she fell asleep so soon because he knew what she had gone through today. Edward moved a wisp of her hair aside, so that he could see her beautiful face clearly. She looked so sweet in a deep sleep. Moreover, today she wasn''t as cold as she used to be. Edward looked at his gentle wife with a tender smile. Daisy never showed her weakness and it made Edward''s heart ache to see she was strong all the time. As he was powerful and attractive, every woman tried to get close to him. But Daisy was different, remote and cold, attracting Edward''s attention. That''s why Edward started to get to know her and finally fell in love with her. At first, Edward was interested in her, because Daisy was the first woman who kept ignoring him. They didn''t start out as a couple, but Daisy grew on him. Suddenly Edward realized that Daisy had be a part of his life and he couldn''t live without her. That''s why he went ahead and pursued her. Edward was wondering how she could capture his heart so easily, without throwing herself on him like most other women did. Was it because she was this hot? Or was it because there was something special about her, such as her aloofness? "Luke, any news about Paul?" Edward looked up to Luke. "He has been trying to reach Yakira, but failed as you know Y e to put her down now. "Do you really think Edward will be in love with her forever?" Jessica sniffed. ''Edward is a clean freak. What if Daisy has sex with others before him? Will he still love her?'' Jessica thought to herself. "So you finally realize that it is Daisy and not me who is your biggest rival?" Mary sneered. ''Jessica, I am d to see that you are so jealous of Daisy. Go attack her. When you two are busy bringing each other down, I can get close to my beloved Edward, '' Mary thought to herself. "Mary, without further ado, tell me when will we act up to what you saidst time." That''s typical of Jessica. She would cooperate with anyone to get everything she wanted no matter how evil the person was. "We can act anytime. But I am worried whether you could afford to pay for it since your family business is bankrupt." Mary raised her hands and blew air on them. She was pleased with the nail polish she used before going out as it ttered her tapering fingers, making them look fairer. "Don''t worry. You won''t miss my part." FX International Group took over the Lin Group and its debts as it attacked the Lin Group to death. So now Jessica and her family didn''t have to pay in full to its creditors. This allowed them to keep a part of their money and enabled Jessica to lead a fairly good life as long as she wasn''t extravagant in her living. Jessica thought Edward didn''t destroy her because he still valued those days they spent together. But truth was that it was Daisy who saved her. Edward was badly wounded at that time and Daisy ran into Rain when he went to the hospital to give Edward those files. Daisy felt sorry for Jessica because she was pregnant and said some nice words to Edward for her. That''s why Jessica could still survive. But Daisy never expected that her kindness could put her in trouble. Chapter 588 An Unacknowledged Bastard "I just want to give you a gentle reminder, " Mary said unhappily, because she had thought Jessica would be so miserable that she was going to sleep on the street. Mary didn''t expect that when Jessica heard the big figure, she wouldn''t even frown. She couldn''t help but wonder¡ª was Lin Group really bought by FX International Group, or did Edward still have feelings for Jessica? If so, the so-called takeover would just be a formality. "I am the one to remind you. How reliable is the person you hired? Don''t forget, Daisy is not as fragile as any other ordinary women. It''s not easy to take her down." As her belly was getting bigger and bigger day by day, Jessica got more desperate. She couldn''t wait any longer. "Don''t worry! No matter how tough she is, as long as she is drugged, she will be as docile as amb." Mary said firmly with a trace of evilness in her eyes. She couldn''t wait to humiliate Daisy. "The question is, will she give you the chance to drug her?" Jessica hated the evil smile on Mary''s face. Mary''s smile was like Jessica''s fancy to Edward, which also mocked her coldly. "I can make that happen. You''ll see." Mary curled her lip. It seemed Jessica wasn''t as smart as she thought. She was just an ordinary woman. "Mary, if you want to cooperate with me, you''d better watch yournguage." Jessica stared at Mary angrily. She knew that Mary despised her at this moment, but she wouldn''t allow others to talk to her like that. "Watch mynguage? Jessica, you are the one who needs to watch yournguage! Don''t you think you are superior? You didn''t expect to be miserable, did you?" Mary didn''t care if she could cooperate with Jessica this time. Right now, all she wanted was to humiliate Jessica, and ruin her pride. "You lunatic, tell me when you are ready. Now I am going to have an antenatal care. I don''t want to waste my time talking to you, " Jessica said, while taking money from her bag to pay for her coffee. Though she didn''t drink, she didn''t want to owe anything to a person like Mary. "Pah, just an unacknowledged bastard. I don''t know why she is so proud." Mary looked disdainfully at Jessica''s back, and thought Jessica might be unable to have this baby sessfully even if she underwent an antenatal care. The afternoon was so sultry that it looked like it was about to rain. This made people feel extremely irritated. Jessica frowned as she walked out of the cafe. She turned around and smiled coldly at the transparent window. ''Mary, do you really think I''m going to work with you? Since there is a scapegoat, I must be stupid if I don''t take advantage of it. I won''t let such an opportunity slip through my hand, '' Jessica thought. Mary nned everything herself. And if Mary failed, Jessica could me everything on the stupid woman, Mary, and she cou like other children. This made Edward feel distressed at times. Edward could not help but think how miserable they have been. After all, it was all his fault. So every time he looked at Justin, he felt guilty. "Daddy, I won''t worry about her. I''ve seen her suffer more serious injuries before, so I''m not worried about her minor injuries like this. " Justin talked about Daisy''s horrific past like an adult. After hearing Justin, Edward felt so worried and frightened that his eyes widened. "You mean your mother got hurt a lot before? Every time she got hurt, were you the only one with her?" Edward had read what Daisy wrote on the newspapers at the military base, but that was Daisy''s side of the story. He would like to know more about their former lives through Justin. After all, the newspapers couldn''t let Edward really know their past, so he wanted to hear what Justin would say. "No, I was not the only one. Uncle Kevin and the Commander were there too, but they couldn''t stay with Mom all the time, so usually, I was the one who would stay with my Mom. Daddy, why are you asking that? " Obviously, Justin couldn''t wait to see Daisy, so he was a bit distracted. "OK! Never mind. I''m just curious. Just go, little buddy." Edward knew that Justin was a bit impatient, so he stopped questioning him further. Moreover, he would get plenty of opportunities to ask him about it. So there was no need to hurry now. Edward thought so, but Justin''s words touched his sensitive nerve. He was lost in his thoughts until Jonathan who walked down from the open-air garden on the roof of the building called him. "What are you thinking about? Why do you look so absorbed in your thoughts? Didn''t you go on a trip? Why did youe back so early?" Jonathan frowned. He was puzzled by Edward''s contemtive look. He wondered why Edward was standing in a daze on the stairs. Chapter 589 Daisy’s Injured Feet (Part One) "Oh yeah. Something was wrong. So we are back here, " Edward replied. He and his father had had a nice fight,id all their emotions out on the table, and mended fences. So now they were getting along well. "What''s wrong?" Jonathan frowned. Last night Edward and Daisy hurried out the door, one after the other. Although Edward had called him to tell him they were safe, Jonathan still did not know why and what all the fuss was about. "I thought you really didn''t care about that stuff. Why are you suddenly interested?" Edward was so surprised to see the changes in his father''s attitude these days. In the past, Jonathan didn''t even want to waste a nce on him. He knew very well where he stood. Why was his father so talkative now? "Never mind. Forget it. I understand if you don''t want to talk about it, " Jonathan said, with his poker face as usual. After saying this, he walked past Edward, and went downstairs. Despite his changes, he was still elegant and haughty. His expression stayed stony, as if he didn''t care about any reply from Edward. Edward just shrugged. He had to ask, but he also didn''t expect any answer or reaction from him. But his dad left so suddenly. He hadn''t had the chance to consult with him about something really important. He was kind of hoping to eventually get some advice from the old man. Oh well. All in vain now. "Mommy! Why are you hurt again?" Little Justin shouted, wrinkling his small face. But he still remembered what his father told him, and stayed a few steps away from her, in case he hurt her yet again. "Don''t worry, little one. I''m fine. Just twisted my ankle, nothing serious. Did your father exaggerate again?" Daisy consoled him, with her lip slightly shaking. She also watched Jonathan head downstairs as well. To be honest, she was still a bit afraid of him -- he was so domineering and so cool. "You know Dad knows when not to joke, right? Mommy, you ne nges in expression. Hence, she found out that Daisy became a little nervous when Jonathan came down and talked to her. "Yeah, I agree. Grandpa, could you smile? Do like I do, s-m-i-l-e!", said little Justin. He pouted his tiny mouth, staring at Jonathan seriously. It seemed that he was not frightened by his grandpa''s poker face. And he wasn''t really affected by Jonathan''s cold demeanor after living with him for a time. "Hi all! What''s up? Oh wow, something did happen!" At that moment, Tom showed up. His voice was so loud that everyone could hear him even before he entered the house. His good-looking face was full of curiosity. Anyway, his appearance was a good thing for Jonathan. The old man was ufortable with his wife and grandson putting him on the spot like that. Smile indeed! "Hi Tom, you got here fast." Daisy also shot Tom a greeting to shift attention to him. Not only did she not want people to focus on her injuries, she was also embarrassed by Cynthia and Justin teasing Jonathan. She wanted to ease the tension in the air. Considering that she was not so familiar with her father-inw''s temper, she was not quite sure whether Jonathan would be angry about their badgering. Of course, she didn''t want to make their family affairs any moreplicated. Chapter 590 Daisy’s Injured Feet (Part Two) "Edward called, how dare I note here soon enough. What? Can I dawdle? Not if I want to live. By the way, Daisy, what''s up with all your problems recently? It scares me and makes my heart skip a beat every time I receive a call like that, " said Tom. "I am worried about you two." He put his hand over his heart, patting in an exaggerated way. It seemed that he did really care about their health. Edward wasn''t fooled. The CEO went downstairs after hearing Tom''s voice. He thought this guy cried more about his expensive medicine than anything else! Still, wasn''t the medicine made to be used? Was Tom going to keep it for show? He just could not understand why Tom was so stingy when it came to his meds. "In this case, I think a heart transnt is necessary for you. If this heart is so weak, you should change it for a new strong one. Do you need a knife? I can lend one to you, " said Edward coldly. He looked askance at Tom, and eventually put his eyes on Daisy, as if he were not talking with Tom at all. "Damn it, do you really think I can do this surgery on myself? I should be ttered. Oh my god, how could you think up such an idea? No, don''t answer. How could I expect someone without any medical knowledge to understand how to perform a heart transnt surgery, " said Tom. He had thought that Edward was not here. That''s why he said those words to Daisy. Edward just popped up, like a ghost flying into the house. It shocked him and his fragile heart. It was better for him just to keep silent, otherwise he''d have to face up Edward''s anger. He might die and never know how it happened. "As long as you''re here, I don''t need to learn how to be a doctor, " Edward said, looking at Tom as if he were an idiot for asking such an idiotic question. Edwa cold. "Given how active you are, I''m not surprised by your sprained ankle. But how did the soles of your feet get injured? Did you take off your shoes and walk on broken ss? I just don''t get how you got so many small cuts. It is lucky that you did the first aid well, washing off the cuts before you bandaged your feet. You really don''t want sand trapped in there." Tom looked at Daisy''s feet carefully, with his forehead knotted in a frown. He still could not understand how Daisy could injure herself so badly. "Well, Tom, because my ankle was twisted so badly, I had to take off my shoes to walk. If I shed just one shoe I wouldn''t be able to keep my bnce. But I didn''t think things would go from bad to worse like this." Daisy bit her lip. She just wanted to get off the mountain quickly and the pain in her feet didn''t bother her. She just kept walking, till she felt the pain get worse and more intense. When it was sheer agony, she looked down and saw how bad things were. Both her feet had tiny pieces of gravel embedded in the flesh. It would be fine if the gravels were normal. But all these rocks seemed to be man-made, with sharp points designed to hurt people. Chapter 591 Who Are You (Part One) "Edward, is this how you take care of Daisy? She sprained her ankle, why did you let her walk by herself? You are so careless. In any case you should have given her a piggy-back ride. Don''t tell me you can''t lift her. Daisy is thin and slim. There''s no excuse." Tom seized every chance to scoff at Edward. It was such a good opportunity, he was not going to miss it. So he kept nagging and ming Edward the whole time he was there. "Tom, it''s not his fault. He wasn''t there when I got injured." Daisy was not a person who liked to falsely me others. So she eagerly tried to exin why Edward "allowed" this to happen. Edward wasn''t around when she got injured, and she didn''t tell him when they met up. All in all, she caused the injury all by herself. There was no reason to be angry with him. And she knew it wasmon that a rich young man like Edward would be moody and petnt sometimes. He had a temper, but she could bear it. Moreover, what he did was not totally uneptablepared with what other people did when they got unhappy about something. "You weren''t with her when she got hurt? Edward, what''s wrong with you? I am wondering how you take care of Daisy. You seemed oblivious that she got injured so seriously. What were you doing at that time?" Tom seemed to indulge himself in the roasting he was giving Edward. He applied the medicine he brought with him to Daisy''s feet while he kept ming Edward. He was like a whiny and annoying housewife, reluctant to stop talking even for one second, while Edward was strangely silent today. He didn''t try to make any excuses and took all the me. Because he thought he was responsi y, I use only the finest medicines. Nothing but the best for her." Tom stared at Edward. Did Edward really think that he was that mercenary? Of course, only Daisy could receive such special treatment. If it were Edward, it would be another case. After all, he was so rich. If Tom didn''t exploit Edward, he would feel guilty for not doing so for all the poor people in the world. Jonathan watched their exchanges in silence. In truth, whenever he saw this, he admired his son. Not because Edward was young, it was because no matter how lonely Edward was, he had several close friends that he could turn to and have fun with. Such friendship was a foreign thing that Jonathan had never experienced. Therefore he was deeply touched by this. "Okay, let''s go for a walk in the garden. Let the young people enjoy themselves." Cynthia was the one who knew Jonathan best. The subtlest change in his emotions would not escape her eyes. Except for her, no one knew the sorrow which was hidden in the bottom of his heart. Even if he thought he had covered it without leaving any trace, nothing got past Cynthia. Chapter 592 Who Are You (Part Two) They quietly retreated from the boisterous scene and walked towards the garden holding each other''s hands. " Hold your hand and grow old together with you, " that was what they were like now. Looking at such a warm and harmonious scene, Daisy''s eyes became red. She wished one day she could enjoy such happiness with the man she loved. No matter how much time passed, she always had him beside her and they would love and care for each other. As Edward figured, Tom really came for the sake of tasting the delicious food made by Mrs. Wu. The whole time when she was making dinner, he ttered Mrs. Wu from head to toe. Compared with the harmonious atmosphere in Edward''s house, the Ouyang family was a scene of great sadness. "Stop, Brian, aren''t you close to that cold-hearted woman? If that''s true, why don''t you ask her to release Mom?" Mary sat on the sofa in the living room and tried to stop Brian from leaving. In fact, she really hated Brian''s indifference, as if she had no family connection with him. He had never given her a friendly or warm look, but he seemed to always take Daisy''s side. She wondered whether he would still think of Daisy the same way the day after tomorrow. "Why would she listen to me? She''s not too keen on me either, right now." At the thought of what Daisy said to himst night, Brian closed his eyes in anguish. He thought he had unwittingly hurt her by making a choice between her and his mother. He repeated what had happened in front of her. He still remembered w od. It couldn''t hurt to do this." Having said that, Brian walked out, turning his back on Mary. If she took Brian''s words to heart, she would not do something that she would regret for the rest of her lifeter. As soon as Luke freed Paul, the criminal tried to secretly contact Yakira. But no matter how hard he tried to call her, no one answered. What he heard was always the automatic machinery voice, "Sorry, the subscriber you dialed is not avable." After calling her numerous times, Paul got impatient. He directly went to her house. But when he arrived at the door of her luxurious house, he didn''t dare to ring the bell. He paced back and forth outside, pretty annoyed. He only hoped that he could identally find Yakira around her house. "Who are you? Why are you sneaking around here?" As soon as Brian drove the car out of the garage, he saw a man anxiously look inside the cottage. He wondered what he wanted here. Was he a thief? But no thief would be so tant, Brian thought. Chapter 593 The Murderer’s Son "I¡­ Excuse me. Does Yakira Mo live here?" Paul didn''t expect to be spotted, so he tried to be unobtrusive. He wanted to run away, but he couldn''t as he was penniless now. "Yes. She lives here, but she is not home now. I''m her son. Is there anything I can do for you? If you don''t mind, I can pass your message on to her." After learning that the man wanted to visit his mother, Brian opened the car door and got out. He stared at the man''s dreadful appearance with sharp eyes, wondering how he knew his mother. "You''re her son? She has never told me she has a son. You''re not lying to me, are you?" Paul looked Brian up and down, skeptical about who he was. Yakira had never told him that she had a son around this age, so he didn''t believe what Brian said. "Sir, didn''t you see that I came out of the house? Why would I lie to you? Look at you. You''re a mess. What could I possibly want from you?" Brian disyed a helpless smile at Paul''s scrupulousness. In his opinion, Paul looked like a bad person, but he thought Brian was a liar. "So you really are her son. What''s your name?" Paul still didn''t believe Brian. He was detained on Edward''s orders earlier, so he became particrly cautious about everything and refused to trust others easily. "My name is Brian Ouyang. Why are you here? Well, if it''s not urgent, you can tell her to her face when she gets back." After stating his piece, Brian opened the car door again, ready to leave at any time. "Wait! I believe you. My cousin didn''t mention you to me, so I wasn''t sure. Please don''t take it to heart." As Brian was about to leave, Paul panicked. He hadn''t had a bite to eat for almost a day and a night. He thought to himself, ''As this guy said, he''s Yakira''s son, which means he''s my nephew. Since I can''t find Yakira, I can turn to him.'' "Cousin? You mean my mother is your cousin? Then how should I address you? Uncle? She didn''t tell me anything about you either." Brian began to doubt Paul''s words. Once again, he stared at Paul in disbelief. "You weren''t born yet when I left the country. I can understand why she doesn''t mention me to you. Anyway, she doesn''t want to see me again." Paul took a sidelong nce at Brian. He thought, ''So to Yakira, I''m dead. She has never told me she has a son. Basically, I''m screwed. She wants nothing to do with me, and probably doesn''t care whether I''m in the country or not. So I can''t even hang with my family.'' "What do you mean? Does she have a grudge against you? Or do you have something on her?" Brian was sensitive. He didn''t know what Paul meant. In his opinion, the man standing before him was too weird. He had never seen him before, but now he appeared directly to the police station. Like attracts like. I think she''ll be very happy to see you, " Brian informed Paul. Then he strode out of the restaurant without looking back. His steps were heavy and ponderous as he saw no hope for the future. Brian desperately flung himself into the car. Now he had no strength to ask Leo for the truth. To say the least, it wasn''t necessary. The truth was so cruel that he could hardly swallow it. Given what happenedst night, they must have found it out before he did. The baby in Grace''s belly died. It would have been a few years older than Brian if it had lived. However, it wasn''t as lucky as Brian. It couldn''t live a safe and healthy life. Nobody knew whether it was a baby boy or a baby girl, but Brian stepped into the role the child would have yed if s/he lived. That was why he was so close to Daisy in childhood. However, what happenedst night changed everything. After knowing the truth, he felt too ashamed to face Daisy and didn''t have the courage to tell her that he would always be her only good sibling. If his mother hadn''t killed Grace cruelly, Daisy would have had another good brother or sister who would treat her as a princess. In that case, he would never be the only one on her side. Before Brian left home, he was still thinking about how to get his mother out of prison and how to plead with Daisy for his mother''s life. However, he could do nothing now. To put it bluntly, his mother killed her mother, so he felt too ashamed to ask her to spare his own. Brian sighed tiredly and mmed his fists down on the steering wheel in anger. Now he went into hysterics. The truthid bare everything that he had thought impossible. Now everything came crashing down. How could he clear up such a messy situation? Chapter 594 Marys Scheme (Part One) Now, Mary was busy too. After Brian left, she got out of the house too. Right now, she was lovingly leaning into the arms of a man whose eyes were full of lust and sensually whispering in his ear, seducing the man like a minx. "Wolf, just tell me! Are you going to help me or not?" She made her voice high and sweet to entice him, and she looped her arms around his neck like a serpent, eyes glinting with the same lust. "When you do that, babe, how can I refuse? But before I help you, what do I get out of this?" Wolf said, then copped a feel of Mary''s exposed flesh. He was really a wolf like his name implied, a real Lothario. "Uh! Damn it! You''re teasing me again, " Mary pouted with fake annoyance, intentionally rubbing her breasts against his body. Her bold behavior was nothing like the good-girl image she put up in front of others. "Don''t you like it when I tease you? Huh! You slutty witch." After he finished talking, Wolf stole a kiss from her lips. Though this woman had slept with many men, one had to admit that she was really good in bed, and that was exactly why he was attracted to her. "But I''m being serious right now!" Mary dodged his kisses, pushing his wandering hands away from her body with slightly puckered lips. However, her fake resistance made his blood boil. And that was exactly what Mary wanted. This was the trick that she learnt after sleeping with so many men. "We can get seriouster on! Besides, what''s serious for me right now is putting you underneath me was in private. "A woman who uses her beauty to seduce her superiors can''t be bad looking. But if what you say is true, then I wonder what kind of power she has. I''m not real interested in doing time..." Wolf nced at Mary, raising his eyebrow, wanting to know the answer to his question. "Just a woman with martial arts. What, are you afraid, Wolf?" Slender fingers lightly tracing the pattern of Wolf''s muscles, Mary didn''t dare to tell him Daisy''s status, or the n she had been drawing up would go down the drain. "Bullshit! There''s no woman who can scare me. But you have to trick her first, otherwise how do we make this work?" Wolf arrogantlyughed. He was a harsh man, with a harsh reputation. How else would he make it in the biz? "Isn''t it your duty to get her out?" Mary couldn''t care less about her exposed skin and quickly sat up, staring at him with astonished eyes. If she asked Daisy out herself, everyone would know this had something to do with her. No, it had to be him. Chapter 595 Marys Scheme (Part Two) "That''s okay, but we''ll need info. What does she look like, where does she work, and also her address and where she goes often. So we can find the right chance to get her." Wolf squinted at the beautiful naked body in front of him, eyes fixing on Mary''s big breasts. Lust appeared in his eyes again. "What, you need her address and work ce, that''s not going to happen." Mary fanatically shook her head. If she told him Daisy''s work ce and address, then he would know that the woman was the wife of the CEO of FX International Group and the colonel of the army base in the city. With the two identities, who would dare toy a finger on her? So she couldn''t take the risk. "Slut, do you think she will appear at my doorstep like you if you don''t tell me anything about her?" Wolf smiled wickedly, pulling Mary underneath him again and he started their second round. Tonight, there were people out partying, there were also people trying to drown their sorrows. It remained a mystery if they all would have a new beginning when the daylight came and what new challenges they would face. But for Daisy, it was the beginning of a disaster for sure. The warm sunlight was always the best view in the morning, waking thezybones who didn''t have to work on weekends. The autumn wind blew up the leaves, making them dance beautifully then kiss the ground when the wind stopped. Daisy opened her beautiful eyes and caught the small hand that had been touching her face. A s was not strained like the inw rtionships in other families. Or her getting up thiste would cause problems. "Okay, I''m going downstairs to get prepared. Mommy, hurry up, " Justin said, running downstairs, happy like a kid on Christmas. Daisy freshened up in no time as she was used to the quick routine during her years in the army, so it saved her quite some time. Within a few minutes, she was ready to go. Just when she was about to get out of the room and go downstairs, her phone suddenly rang. So she had to stop her slow steps and turn to the phone sitting on the head of her bed. It''s Mary, why was she calling? Was she trying to beg for leniency? But as arrogant as she was, it didn''t seem like that. So what possible reason would she have to call? Daisy looked at the name on the screen, all kind of thoughts running through her head. But she didn''t pick up the phone immediately, she waited until the ringing was almost over, then she reluctantly picked it up. Chapter 596 Things Left By Her Mother (Part One) "Just spit it out. What''s the matter?" In many people''s eyes, Daisy was always polite when she answered the phone. But this time, she didn''t think it necessary to be polite to Mary. She even didn''t want to pick up the phone. She picked it up because she didn''t want Mary to constantly call her. "Huh! Do I need to have a reason to call? What if I just want to talk to my dear sister?" Mary blew on her nail polish which was still wet on her nails. She waspletely exhausted after a whole night''s sex with Wolf. Feeling sore all over her body, shezilyid back on the sofa and ced her slim legs on the tea table in an unsightly move. Obviously, she was drying her polish on her toes in the air, rather than rxing. "Since you don''t have anything to say, I''m hanging up. I''m not in any mood to deal with you." Daisy was about to hang up the phone when she slowly walked out of the room. "Wait, Daisy, don''t you want to get your mother''s belongings back?" Mary sneered as she reached out her hand and picked up the album from the table. Little Daisy in the album was dressed beautifully like a princess. It was a pity that she was reduced to a Cindere in the end. "What? My mother''s belongings? But..." She became intrigued as soon as she heard Mary''s words, her hand which was reached out to hang up the phone pausing in the air. "Yes, if you want to get them back,e here. I will wait you at Tea Fragrance. But you can only take them by yourself. Remember,e here alone, don''t bring anyone else." Finally Marypromised and promised to carry out the n by asking Daisy out by her iately. "Mom, hurry up. I know what games we are going to y." As soon as Daisy finished dressing herself, Justin ran into the room with an innocent smile on his face. "Sorry, Justin, I have to go out to deal with something urgent. So sorry that I can''t y with you today." Daisy bent down and nted a gentle kiss on his pink cheek, looking apologetic. "Oh! What''s the matter? Did you get a mission assignment? And what about your hurt feet?" Hearing Daisy''s words, Justin''s bright smile faded away. He was not as excited as he was when he ran upstairs. "No, it''s an appointment. It''s okay with my feet. I''ll be back soon. Stay home and y with your grandpa and grandma, okay?" Daisy said as she held his hand and walked downstairs with him. She was helpless that she had to disappoint him again. "But they just left. Uncle Luke went to the office with Daddy today. Even Uncle Mark is not here, he went to join in the trial performance of the new weaponsst night." Justin puckered his mouth, was he going to be alone at home? It would be so boring. Chapter 597 Things Left By Her Mother (Part Two) "Oh! No one at home? What about Mrs. Wu?" She knew Mark went back to the army base, but she didn''t expect that Jonathan and Cynthia would also go out. She didn''t know what to do at the moment. "Mrs. Mu went out to buy some vegetables with Sunny, they haven''te back yet. All the other people are busy with their work. Mommy, please bring me with you. I guarantee I will behave myself and won''t cause any trouble." Justin raised his head and looked at Daisy with his watering eyes, rather pathetically. "Oh, okay, let me think." Daisy frowned. Bewildered, she tried to think a solution. If Mary didn''t require her toe alone, she wouldn''t mind bringing Justin with her. But he was a child, so she suppose Mary wouldn''t take offense. "Okay, Think quickly." A sly smile shed in his eyes and disappeared immediately. In fact, his true intention was not to go out to have fun with her mother, he wanted to go with her because he was really worried about the injuries on her feet. He had promised Edward this morning that he would take care of his mother when Edward was away. "Alright. You cane along, let''s go!" Daisy smiled helplessly. She decided to bring him, because she hadn''t spent much time with him recently. She could bring him to his favorite KFC after the meeting with Mary. It was okay for him to asionally eat fast food. "Oh! Yeah! I know Mommy is the best!" Justin broke free from Daisy''s hands and ran towards the garden with excitement. Daisy s his head and honestly acknowledged his fault. In fact, if he raised his head a bit, he could notice her mother''s suppressed smile. She almostughed out seeing Justin''s poor face. "Only fifty?" Daisy bit her lip and tried her best to hold back the urge tough. She continued to tease him. "How about fifty-five? It can''t be more than fifty-five. I''ll probably be dead-dog tired." Justin showed his five fingers to her mom and widened his eyes, his mouth pouting with fake grief. "That''s because you haven''t done enough exercises recently and you seem to be overeating. I have to be more strict with you. Besides exercises, you also need to watch your diet." Daisy frowned when she brought up the topic of eating. She wondered where Justin inherited his taste for food. He was such a foodie. "Oh! My god! Kill me!" Hearing Daisy''s words, Justin bumped his head on the cushion with an exaggerated expression. He let out a pitiful cry, like he was waiting for doomsday toe. Chapter 598 What Kind Of Person You Are (Part One) "Justin, don''t you think you''re being too dramatic?" Unlike usual, Daisy wasn''t very enthusiastic about indulging her son today. As the buildings and trees along both sides of the road quickly moved backward and disappeared from the rear view mirror, she felt a touch of sadness filling up her chest. She thought about Brian, and wondered how he was doing now. Would he ever treat her the same after what she had done to him the other night? Learning the truth about her mother''s death was too much for her to handle and she had lost it. Although she never meant to, she hurt his feelings. She only hoped that he wasn''t too upset with her and would let her exin everything to him when the time was right. "Er... I was only saying what I felt, all right? You really think that was too dramatic? Okay, maybe I should keep my mouth shut for a while." As Justin spoke, he turned to look out of the car window. Soon, his attention was drawn to the other cars on the street. Resting his elbows on the window frame, he started to make faces at the people in other cars driving by, amusing himself more than them. Seeing that he was perfectly content to y by himself, Daisy rxed and smiled at him. The car became a lot more quiet now that Justin wasn''t talking. Letting out a sigh, Daisy gathered her thoughts and focused her attention back on driving. Since she was not familiar with Tea Fragrance and its surroundings, she needed to use the car navigation to get there. Tea Fragrance was a coffee house far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Despite its location, Daisy was also curious about why the owner would give the ce a name that didn''t quite describe the cafe at all. People could have mistaken it for a tea house. But apart from that, the ce looked perfectlyfortable and elegant. It was very suitable for someone who wanted to indulge in an afternoon''s solitude. With Justin''s hand in hers, Daisy walked slowly towards the house. As they stepped into the cafe, the quietness of the ce became more intense, sending a chill up Daisy''s back. She immediately had a bad feeling about the ce, but couldn''t exactly tell why. From left side to right, she studied the entire coffee house and tried not to leave out any suspicious spots, but found nothing unusual. Finally, she shook her head with a sigh and gave up, telling r revenge. "My manners are reserved for people who deserve my respect. As for you, I don''t think it''s necessary. My parents have nothing to do with how I treat people. It depends on what kinds of person they are." Justin could be very protective, especially when it came to his parents. If Mary hadn''t involved his parents and only messed with him, he would have let it pass. But deliberately hinting that his parents hadn''t done a good job in raising him was absolutely uneptable. He fought back mercilessly with cutting words. "What? What kind of person I am? With that attitude towards me, your elder, what kind of person you are then? You have some nerve talking about that with me!" retorted Mary. ''I''ll let you talk whatever nonsense you want for now. I''ll teach you real mannerster. The very first thing I''ll make you understand, little devil, is that your mouth is for eating and not for offending people, '' Mary thought as she shot a sardonic smile at Justin. Instead of getting intimidated by her words and hard stare, Justin showed even more confidence. "I only know that we are not the same kind. Please don''t mistaken one thing for another. Your criticism of my character is inevitable because yourck of depth hinders you from making good judgments, so I don''t me you. How can I me someone for something that she doesn''t know shecks? I''m only asking you not to put yourself in the same category as me. We are from different worlds. As a woman of your age, I''m sure you can understand that. Unless it''s something you can''t ept." Chapter 599 What Kind Of Person You Are (Part Two) Underneath his childlike and naive face, Justin''s clever mind and sharp tongue couldn''t be ignored. Every word he said was like a fistnding on Mary''s nerves. Despite witnessing it with her own eyes, Mary found it hard to believe that such shrewdness and indifference could exist in such a small child. Although Justin might have gained the upper hand over Mary now, his actions would unfortunately bring himself trouble very soon. "Daisy, is this the way you''re raising your child? By letting him insult other people and doing nothing about it?" Mary snapped indignantly. Her dignity had been ripped off, thrown into the dirt, and trampled on. After getting nothing but humiliation from the boy, she started tosh out at Daisy, who had been sitting silently the whole time. "I know my son. Under normal circumstances, he would be a proper gentleman. I think the problem in the way he treats you lies in you. I''ve always upheld the right of an individual''s freedom of speech. Even if he''s a child, Justin has every right to freely express his feelings to those he likes and dislikes. I''m in no position to stop him from doing that, " Daisy replied calmly. She wouldn''t be so tolerant of Justin''s impudent remarks if the person he was talking to wasn''t Mary. But given that Mary had already shown so much hostility since she and Justin entered the cafe, Daisy didn''t think it was proper to sit back and take in the verbal abuse silently. Therefore, she just let Justin exercise his right to express himself. "So you mean that he doesn''t like me, " Mary said, and then turned to face Justin, "Hey, did I ever do something to offend you? Why are you always so mean to me? Every time we meet, you stir up trouble for me. Are you really expressing yourself or are you just holding a grudge because your mom told you to do so?" As she was talking to Justin, Mary shot a challenging look at Daisy from the corner of her eye to see how she would react. Justin was enraged by her insinuation. "Since you asked, let me put it to you straight. It''s not that I don''t like you in particr; I just don''t like any woman dn''t want to look too desperate. Before she arrived, she thought about what Mary would want from her in exchange for her mother''s belongings. And if she was right, Mary would demand for Yakira''s release. In that case, she would be perfectly fine with it. The police would release Yakira anyway if they couldn''t find any solid evidence within 48 hours. She had nothing to lose in this deal. Besides, she would be doing Mary a favor, which would make her "the good guy". "I want you to call the police and tell them to release my mother immediately. After it''s done, your things will be delivered here very soon." Tilting her head to the side, Mary shot a sideways nce at Daisy. She wondered how important the wooden case was to Daisy and exactly how much she would give to get it. "I can do that. I can make a call to have your mother released. But you didn''t expect me to do all that before reassuring me that you actually have the things I want, did you?" Daisy asked, leaning back in her chair and folding her arms. She was amused to see the unconcealed excitement on Mary''s face the moment she agreed to the deal. ''I''m not stupid. Does she really think that I would trust her easily andply with her demands without hesitation? I''m not even sure if she is lying or not, '' Daisy thought to herself. She decided not to do anything until she saw with her own eyes the items that Mary imed to have. Chapter 600 Release Yakira Mo (Part One) Maryughed heartily. "I knew you would say that. Why don''t you check this photo album first?" she replied. As she spoke, she threw a small photo album in front of Daisy. The album was yellowed with age. It was easy to see from the faded marks on the surface that it had been kept for many years. "So you did hide the photo album. I thought you and your mother threw it away, " Daisy said happily, picking up the photo album with great excitement. She couldn''t wait to open it. At the first sight of her mother''s gentle face in the picture, her eyes turned red. "Although your mother didn''t have a good sense of fashion, she was beautiful and had a kind of ssical charm." Mary curled her lip in distaste. She had to admit that the woman in the photo was very elegant and beautiful. Even her mother couldn''t learn such gentle temperament. "Mom, let me see. Is that my grandma?" Justin asked curiously. He leaned against Daisy to get a better view of the album. For Justin, his memory of his grandmother was limited to the small photo on her gravestone. When he heard that the album contained his grandmother''s photos, he also got excited. "Yes! Here you go. You can put it in your bag after you finish looking at it." Daisy smiled as she handed the photo album to him. This album was just a small part of her mother''s belongings. She knew that if she wanted to get them all back, she had to agree to Mary''s demands. "So? You ought to believe that I have your mother''s things now! Will you call the police and let my mother go?" Mary raised her eyebrows as she spoke. She didn''t expect the raggedy th t gunfight. Then, he understood why Major General Gu mentioned the FX International Group to himst time. He was so ignorant to not even notice such a sensational event. He made such a big mistake. "Yes, I should. There''s a lot more things to bother youter. Don''t be so polite to me. Again, thank you very much. I still have something else to do, so I won''t bother you anymore. Goodbye!" Daisy never liked dragging things. She hung up after finishing her words. "Mary, are you satisfied?" Daisy shot her a cold nce as she put her phone on the table. Feeling a little thirsty, she picked up the coffee in front of her and took a few sips without hesitation. Then she ced the cup back on the table. "Don''t worry. Someone wille over to give you the things you want in ten minutes." Mary couldn''t help getting a little excited when she saw Daisy take a sip from the cup of coffee. Before that, she was thinking of a way to make Daisy drink it. Unexpectedly, she didn''t need to say anything at all. Daisy saved her a lot of trouble and drank it on her own. Chapter 601 Release Yakira Mo (Part Two) "That''s fine. I''m not in a hurry." Daisy reached out her hand and patted her long hair that was tied-up in a high ponytail. She looked outside, smacking her lips lightly to get rid of the foam that was left behind from drinking the coffee. "Mom, I''m done looking at all the photos. Finally, I know why you''re so beautiful. You inherited my grandmother''s good genes! And you were so cute when you were a small child! You looked elegant and noble like a little princess." As Justin spoke, he closed the album and carefully ced it in his bag as Daisy had instructed. He pulled up the zipper to close the bag tightly. "Hah! Little princess? Little devil, didn''t you know that when your mom was a little girl, she was just a maid? How could you say that she was elegant and noble? Is there something wrong with your eyes?" When Mary heard Justin praising Daisy, she couldn''t help but sneer in response. Despite all her efforts to be elegant, she always failed. Daisy possessed a kind of natural temperament that she could never achieve. "Unlike someone, my mom is elegant inside out. Someone may think she is a princess because she''s rich, but the ugliness she possesses inside makes her even inferior to a maid." Once Justin was in protective mode, he dropped all pretenses of being polite. He inherited his sharp tongue from Edward. "Little devil, who are you calling inferior to a maid?" Mary red at Justin in rage. She didn''t expect someone as small as Justin would say something terrible enough to make her furious. "I''m talking to you now. I''m obviou ? The feeling is mutual. You have no right to ridicule me." Trying to get back at Justin through sharp words was pointless. Although he was still a child, he''s more capable than an adult at fighting back. He had always been a gifted child with high intelligence. Mary burst into peals ofughter. "Jessica, I thought the little brat was only mean to me. But it seems he''s just as mean to you! I feel much better now!" Mary giggled happily. Seeing Justin insult someone else made the resentment she felt lessen. "Are you an idiot? Do you think his insult was just referring to me? Don''t be stupid. Don''t you know that he just taunted you as well?" Jessica rolled her eyes at Mary. She sat at the table in an arrogant manner. Sometimes, she had no idea how to read Mary. At first, she thought Mary was stupid. But today, she was smart enough to insist that shee here to prevent her from washing her hands clean of the plot. But times like these showed how stupid she was. She did not even understand the meaning behind Justin''s words. Chapter 602 A Trap "I know that! I just enjoy seeing himugh at you, that''s all." Mary was the kind of woman who could make fun of herself. To hurt the people she disliked, she would go as far as get herself involved. "Shit, " Jessica realized that she made a mistake by coborating with such a crazy woman. As the saying goes, man proposes and God disposes. Her n was only as good as her weaknesses. Having a stupid ally could get you killed, and Mary was such a fool. "Jessica, enough! Quit insulting me." Mary wasn''t always that stupid. Soon, she would be prepared to strike back. "Did you bring them? If you did, give them to me or I''m leaving. I''m quite busy at the moment. You can continue your conversation without me." Daisy frowned. She was in no mood to hang around and argue with them. As soon as she got up this morning, she hurriedly left the house and hit the road. She didn''t even have time to eat breakfast, she just bought coffee on the way. She was hungry now. She just wanted to have breakfast with Justin. "No need to rush, Daisy. We need to talk." Jessica gave Daisy a challenging look and a wry smile. "We have nothing to talk about. You''re talking to the wrong person." Daisy smiled darkly and shot a cold nce regardless of Jessica''s gaze. "No, you''re the one I want to talk to. For the sake of my unborn baby, can''t you just give up Edward and bless our happiness?" Jessica was way too confident and a bit foolish. She firmly held onto the belief that Edward still loved her and that his indifference towards her was because of Daisy''s interference. "Why would I make such apromise?" Daisy sneered. She hadn''te after Jessica to settle a score for her tip-off to the military superiors. But now, Jessica had the audacity to ask Daisy to make such a sacrifice. "Aren''t you a solider? The people''s welfare should be your priority." Jessica smiled in satisfaction. She wanted to test Daisy''s limits as a solider. She wanted to know if Daisy was noble and selfless enough topromise on her own marriage. "Bullshit. I know my duties as a soldier. To protect the citizens''s safety and welfare, I would give up my life. To protect the country from invasion, I would fight to death. For the sake of myrades, I would take bullets for them and die for them. These are the duties of a soldier. But a soldier would never make apromise to fulfill a person''s selfish desires. I would never let myself be provoked to vite my military discipline. I would never hurt innocent people for unreasonable demands." Daisy recited her duties with confidence. Should a soldier give up his family to meet other people''s selfish and unreasonable demands? The answer was negative. She knew deep down in her heart that she would never do that. If she did make that sacrifice, would Jessica eventually get what she desired? "Mom, that''s amazing! I''m proud of you." Justin gave his mother a thumbs- Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. here? You''re wasting your time and energy on ruining me, " Daisy bit her lip in apprehension. If she hadn''t been drugged, she might be able to fight her way out. But now, that opportunity had disappeared. To make matters worse, her feet were injured and Justin was trapped with her. Although her son knew some Chinese martial arts, these hideous men wouldn''t treat Justin as gently as the soldiers who liked him and would never harm him. He might get hurt. ''What should I do?'' Daisy thought anxiously. "Wasting? I don''t think so. You are worth all the trouble, Colonel Ouyang." Suddenly, a man walked inside. Daisy turned pale in an instant. It was Hero, Hawk''s brother. He wasn''t present during the gun fightst time. Daisy thought he had fled. Apparently, she was wrong. Unexpectedly, he dared to make an appearance in S City again. How did he end up getting involved with Jessica? What a mess! "Hero, are you following your brother''s footsteps? I''m warning you. You still have a way out. Surrender yourself to the police and you''ll only need to serve a sentence of several years before you can be free. Don''t be stupid and get yourself killed." Daisy clenched her fist tightly. Even though she had dug her fingernails into her palm, she didn''t feel any pain. She did her best to maintain herposure. Heroughed incredulously. "Colonel Ouyang, I''ll let you in on a secret. I''m the real mastermind behind everything. Hawk was only working for me. Besides, he isn''t my brother. He was just a mere puppet in my hands, and you ruined my puppet. I should make you pay for everything." Hero and Hawk were very different. Hawk was the type who kept assaulting women, while Hero had always been the cautious type. Hero''s deviousness made him the worst of his kind. You wouldn''t figure out his motives or what kind of trap he had set up, until you''ve already walked into it. This kind of talent made him the most horrible kind of viin. Chapter 603 I Will Love You Dearly (Part One) "It seems that you''ve been fooling us all this time. Did you set up this trap to take me as a hostage and use me as leverage to get Hawk back?" Daisy kept her usual cold countenance and looked fearlessly at Hero. When she saw Mary drink the coffee, she also took a sip. But she underestimated them. She didn''t expect Mary and Jessica toy a trap for her. "It''s my great honor to set up a trap for you sessfully. After all, you are smart and beautiful. I have always dreamed of capturing you, but never got the chance. You''ve always been a cautious person, so I had to seek help from others. Luckily, these twodies have a profound hatred for you and came to me to coborate with me. I came here for you. Hawk is no longer important. He is useless to me now. Rest assured that I won''t use you to rescue him." Hero leered at Daisy''s pretty face. It would have been extremely hard for him to capture her without the help of these two women. After all, Daisy was a tough woman and a skilled fighter. Hero was fascinated with her strength and beauty. "Hero, what are you doing? You promised me that you would get rid of her for me!" Jessica started to get nervous when she heard Hero''s words. She thought he was going to help her. Why was he praising Daisy and looking at her in admiration? "I promised you that you would never see her again, but I never said that I would get rid of her. She is such a delicate beauty. How could I hurt her? I will take good care of her, treat her gently." Hero looked like a gentle person. Someone who had no idea of his true identity would never think that he was an arms dealer. "You''re a bad person. You can''t take care of my mom. She only needs me and my dad." Justin red intensely at Hero. If Hero wasn''t their enemy, Justin would admit that he was a man of impressive cleverness. But anyone who tried to destroy his family was a bad guy to him. "Don''t worry, little boy. I love her even more than your dad does. If you want to be with her, I''m okay with that. I will treat you as my son." Hero came up to Justin and reached out his hand in an attempt to pi Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e thugs became more passive against Daisy. The fight started to be more favorable for her. She elbowed a thug, sending him lurching backwards with a howl. Moving to the left, she dodged another opponent''s punches. She thrusted her leg towards the thug''s face despite the pain in her foot, knocking him to the ground. Judging from the sweat on her forehead, she was suffering a great deal from the pain. Justin clenched his teeth, face covered with sweat. Instead of giving up, he shifted his stance and kicked Hero from various angles to catch him off guard. He hadn''t lost yet; his small size gave him more speed and flexibility. "It seems I underestimated you, kid. I didn''t expect you to be so skilled. Colonel Ouyang must have trained you well." As a child, Justin had limited strength. His blows didn''t seriously injure Hero, but they still hurt. As a result, Hero focused his attention on his fight with Justin. He could no longer take this lightly. Hero felt lucky that Justin was only a child, or he might be no match for him. "I shouldn''t have underestimated you either. I thought you were just a weak wimp. I didn''t expect you to be such a skilled fighter. But no matter how strong you are, you''ll be dead if you dare to hurt my mom." Justin didn''t stop fighting as he spoke, dodging Hero''s attacks and hitting him from time to time. He didn''t even give Hero a chance to get close to him. Chapter 604 I Will Love You Dearly (Part Two) "Well, we''ll see soon enough." Hero was quite different from other gang leaders. Even though he was being threatened by a child, he still seemed calm. It was as if he wasn''t fighting against Justin, but ying with him. Hero was having fun with the boy, and wasn''t angered in any way by his young opponent. By this time, Daisy was soaked in sweat. The effect of the drug and the pain of her injury slowed down her movements. Feeling like her legs were weighed down by heavy sandbags, she no longer had the strength to jump up. She knew that her wounds were bleeding, and the sprain in her ankle had worsened. "Mom, what''s wrong? Do your feet hurt?" Justin found an opportunity to run towards Daisy and stood back to back with her. He knew that his mom was skilled enough to defeat the thugs by now. She must be suffering from the pain in her feet, and that must be the reason she was slowing down. After all, speed is a vital factor in a fight. Once a person slows down, defeat would be more possible for him. "Jessica and Mary drugged me. I''m getting weaker. I don''t have the strength to keep fighting. You must run away when you get the chance, okay? Otherwise, we''ll both be captured." Daisy whispered to her son as she wiped the sweat off her face. "Got it, mom." Justin replied, squatting down to dodge a thug''s fist. He realized that Hero was easier to deal with. He was merciful during the fight, while his thugs ruthlessly hit him despite the fact that they were fighting against a boy. Daisy knocked down a thug with a swift chop. The man was clearly not one of Hero''s thugs; he belonged to Wolf. Wolf''spanions weren''t skilled fighters, so it wasn''t difficult for her to knock them out. But Hero''s men were much harder to deal with. "Great job, Colonel Ouyang! It seems that I made a mistake. I shouldn''t have let my guard down against you. I didn''t expect you to be still so tough af ning chip. Miss Lin, are you satisfied with my answer?" Daisy was a proud woman. She would never show any weakness in front of her enemies. No matter what difficult situation she was in, she would always keep her head held high. "Really? What if you are raped? Do you still think that he will love you? Don''t forget, he is a germophobe. He won''t even let a woman kiss his lips. Do you think he will ept a woman who has been tainted by other men?" Jessica couldn''t bear Daisy''s arrogance. She firmly believed that Edward only loved her because of Justin. She didn''t understand how Daisy could be so confident in Edward''s love for her. She was also carrying a child of her own. "If it happened to you, I guarantee that he wouldn''t want you anymore. But I am the woman he loves dearly, he won''t ept any woman besides me. Even I''m raped, he won''t abandon me. He will definitely avenge me." Daisy remained calm as she spoke. But deep in her heart, she was scared. As Jessica had said, Edward was an exceptional person and a germophobe. If his wife was raped, what would he do? Would he abandon her? Daisy wasn''t so certain about the answer. But she had to pretend that she had faith in her husband''s love. She didn''t want to show any weakness in front of Jessica. Chapter 605 Dont Hurt My Son (Part One) "Hehe! Daisy, you ought to take your words back. It''s a good thing to be confident, but you should know when to draw a line, " Jessica said this with a forced smile, so as to conceal her anger. But when she saw it had no impact on Daisy, she just ground her teeth awkwardly. "It''s just like a coin with two sides. Comedy and tragedy are both happening all at once. The most important thing is how you see things. For me, I will be fine as long as I can find a perfect bnce between the two, " Daisy said. She wasn''t impetuous or perturbed. The harder the things were to deal with, the more she wanted to stay alert. Only in this manner could she find a way to rescue herself. After all, she was at an absolute disadvantage. She couldn''t see anything happening in her favor. Fortunately, they didn''t n to kill her. This did give her a hope to escape from the danger. "Actions speak louder than words. Honestly, if we didn''t have Edward between us, you would be the type of person I would genuinely admire. It is sad, that we are standing on opposite sides. Now, we can be nothing but enemies to each other." Jessica said with smiling eyes and a joyful look on her face. Nobody could guess what she was thinking. However, irrespective of what she was upto, Daisy would always think of it as something against her. "Indeed, but you can never be the person I would admire even if we didn''t have Edward between us. So we''re destined to be enemies, " Daisy said, pinching her lips coldly. She squinted at her with a faint sarcasm floating in her eyes. She couldn''t stand a self-righteous woman like Jessica. "Daisy, you¡­¡­" Jessica didn''t expect Daisy to have changed so much. She was not the same Daisy she knew from the past. Daisy today was extremely harsh both in her tone and attitude. In fairparison, Daisy was just as bad as Jessica, if not worse than her. Daisy''s hostility made her speechless for a while. "Come on. Cousin, don''t be mad at her. We can''t stay here for long. It''s better if we find a safe ce!" Hero said and frowned. She didn''t maintain any contact with him in the past solely because she didn''t approve of his criminal ways. However, one day, she aff who passed by saying hello to him. He decided to call up his home phone as he was upset that he couldn''t hear their voices. He didn''t know why, but he had got this strange feeling bothering him since morning. This was why, he couldn''t wait to call Daisy as soon as the meeting was over. "Hello, Mr. Mu, can I help you?" Mrs. Wu asked on the phone. She trotted out of the kitchen immediately when she heard the phone ringing. She paused for a second after she saw the number disying on the telephone because Edward rarely called to the home phone. "Yes! Mrs. Wu, is Daisy at home?" Edward asked and listened carefully, with his stiff body resting on the chair. His lips moved at the sight of the huge pile of files in front of him. He could sense that there was a lot of work pending to be done no matter how much he tried to escape from work. "No, she isn''t! Even your parents are out now. Are you not able to connect with Mrs. Mu?" Mrs. Wu asked and rubbed her hands against the apron. She hadn''t seen anyone at home ever since she came back home from the vegetable market with Sunny. She thought all of them went out together. It seemed as if they were all together. "Got it. I''ll call someone else!" Edward said, frowning more tightly. They''re not at home, then where did they all go? Edward thought to himself. Daisy''s feet were still recovering, so she shouldn''t have gone anywhere! Did anything importante up that she had to go out? Chapter 606 Dont Hurt My Son (Part Two) Edward took his car key and headed out. He wasn''t the type of person to sit around and wait. He knew he would only feel reassured after he went out and figured it all by himself. "Edward, where are you rushing? There''s an important document that needs to be concluded!" Rain shouted at Edward''s back with a surprised look. He looked at the files in his hands and shook his head since he couldn''t stop Edward. He felt pathetic on having to do the extra work over the weekend. What''s worse? He was now being ignored by his boss directly. Never mind, he thought. At least, he''d already known that Annie was safe and she just didn''t want to go home for the time being. It was enough for him to know this. They would meet again if they were destined to be together. No! He must rather create his own destiny even if they couldn''t meet. Because Annie had been a thorn in his heart, something he couldn''t just pull out and throw away. "Luke, call my dad and ask him if Daisy is with him. I tried to call her and Justin, but couldn''t get through." Edward met Luke and asked him to do it for him as he incessantly called Daisy. "Okay. I''ll call him right away, " Luke said. On seeing Edward this anxious, he got really nervous but he had no idea about what had happened. Edward took a deep breath. He wanted to smash his phone in anger but he thought it over and dialed Mark''s number. "Hello, Mr. Mu. Is there anything I can help you with?" It was time for lunch at the army base. Mark pushed his lunch box a little further and asked slightly. "Mark, is Daisy at the army base?" This was the only ce he thought she might go to regardless of her injury. Apart from this, he couldn''te up with a reason of Daisy going out in her condition. "No, she''s not here! What? Isn''t she at home?" Mark felt confused on hearing Edward''s words. He came back to the army base for the rehearsals. Daisy didn''te with him because of her injury, and Edward already knew about it. ''Why would Mr. Mu think that the Colonel is here?'' Mark thought to himself. "Um! She''s not home and her phone is turned off. I thought she might go bac hat any bad thing would happen to him again. After all, God wouldn''t be unfair all the time. "Well. Be careful. I''ll keep you updated." Luke was still worried about Edward. He treated Edward like a baby and warned him about everything. "Um! Go! I''ll take care of myself." Edward dialed another number in the meantime. He worked out all possibilities to find Daisy. She never but once did something like this in the past. This was when she saw Jessica kissing him. "Hello, this is Kevin." Kevin felt very puzzled on receiving this call. "Why is he calling me all of a sudden?" Kevin thought. He was so confused that he stopped what he was doing and listened to Edward carefully. "I know it''s you. I am just calling to ask if there is some special mission going on in your army base today. Or do you have anything important happening which needs Daisy to be around?" Edward asked cautiously, hoping Daisy was safe and at the base. He was in an entangled state of mind. "No! At least, I haven''t got any notification like that. Why do you ask me suddenly? Is there anything bad going on with Daisy?" Kevin said and frowned. He could feel something was wrong. Otherwise, Edward would never take the initiative to call him. "I''m not sure. I can''t reach her phone, so I''m a little worried, " Edward said. He didn''t n to lie to Kevin. If something happened to Daisy, it wouldn''t hurt him to get help from him. Chapter 607 Mrs. Mu’s car (Part One) "When did this happen? Have you searched all the ces?" Kevin asked, standing bolt upright. It was obvious that he was very worried. "It has only been half an hour since I lost contact with her. However, before that I was in a meeting. So I wish to know when she left home. I will find it out after I go back home, " Edward said as he started the engine and drove away quickly. "Don''t worry, probably she is in a no signal zone. You continue trying to contact her. If there is still no information about her, call me, I will arrange some people to search for her." Hearing that Edward lost contact with her only about half an hour ago, Kevin felt a little relieved. He knew while Daisy was on a mission, it was impossible for people to reach her sometimes even for one or two days. Kevin thought it must be a routine thing. He was used to such situations. Probably Edward was overreacting. Daisy was not an ordinary woman, she was a colonel, it was not easy for others to hurt her. "Okay, I hope it''s really like what you have said. Bye!" Edward didn''t feel relieved after talking to Kevin. It was impossible for him to calm down till he saw Daisy and Justin safe and sound with his own eyes. Today, the sun was shining bright in the S City, but for Edward, it was darkness all around. Things became worse for him, when he heard the bodyguard say that Daisy and Justin left the house at around 10 am this morning. He had never been more scared. "What happened? Daisy and Justin are still out of reach?" As soon as Cynthia and Jonathan received Luke''s call, they weren''t in the mood to y any more. They hurriedly rushed back home. When they reached home, they saw Edward''s pale face. "Yes, no news so far. However, I will try to find her at all the possible ces. Probably I am a little too worried. And maybe she is just enjoying her lunch somewhere." Edward tried to stay positive in front of his parents. He was reluctant to think that anything bad could happen to Daisy. "Do you have any clues to look for her? If no, you''d better stay here and think carefully about all the possibilities." Jonathan frowned and took out his cellphone. He walked to the window to make a call. "Yes, Edward, don''t worry too much. You should calmly analyze the situation before you go out and look for her. It will only be a waste of time if you head out looking for her without any clues." Standing beside Edward, Cynth ple. Colonel Ouyang called him about an hour ago, he didn''t expect that Mr. Mu would also call him today. He wondered what made him so important to them all of a sudden? "Mr. Yi, sorry to disturb you. I only want to ask you if my wife came to your office today." Edward was his most humble self with people. So he had always been very polite in the manner of dealing with people. He never behaved pretentiously. "No, but she called me an hour ago to release Mrs. Ouyang. Is there anything wrong?" Mr. Yi was confused. He didn''t know why Edward would ask about Daisy. "What? When did she call you? At what time?" Edward didn''t feel relieved. On the contrary, he felt that the situation was more serious than he thought. On a regr basis, she would not take the initiative to ask him to release Yakira. He knew she would rather keep Yakira there for a longer time. How could it be possible for her to ask Mr. Yi to release Yakira in advance? This would be possible only when she was being threatened by someone. But who would threaten her? "At about half past eleven. I was about to get off work early to handle some private affair. I cancelled that because she called then. Mr. Mu, is Colonel Ouyang all right?" Mr. Yi asked cautiously. He knew something was amiss. He suddenly became very nervous. As the Police Chief of the S City, if something bad happened to Colonel Ouyang, he couldn''t get out of it. "Yes! She is suddenly out of reach. I don''t know if it is rted to her sudden request of releasing Yakira. No matter what, I hope the police can help me to locate her position as soon as possible." Chapter 608 Mrs. Mu’s car (Part Two) Now Edward was pretty sure that his inability to contact Daisy had nothing to do with her being in a no signal zone. He sensed that Daisy was in trouble. He wondered whether it was only for releasing Yakira or there was some other reason behind it. He wanted to solve the mystery as soon as possible. "Of course, even if you didn''t mention, we would try our best to assist you. Mrs. Mu is a Colonel. If something happens to her, I really don''t know how I will face the military." Mr. Yi didn''t dare to take things lightly. Edward and Daisy were important people with high social status. He could not trifle with them. "Okay, thanks, Mr, Yi. One more important thing, our son is with her, please take this into ount and be more careful when you are handling the case." It would be helpful if more people were looking for them. Unlike most people, who had second thoughts about contacting the police in such a situation, Edward knew he needed help and the police was a good choice? In most cases, if people didn''t call the police on time, they would unwittingly miss the best time to rescue. Edward didn''t want to make such a mistake. "You''re wee, Mr. Mu, I will arrange people to search and will inform you immediately if we get anything." ording to the regr legal procedure, they would not handle such a case if the person was missing for less than 48 hours. But this was an important case. He didn''t want to make any mistake in handling Daisy''s case, so he arranged the search immediately. "Is there any news about Daisy?" Cynthia asked anxiously as soon as she saw Edward hang up. She was extremely worried about Daisy just like Edward. "No, I only know that she called Mr. Yi an hour ago, asking him to release a suspect. It''s possible that she was forced to do so." At this time, Edward was certain that Daisy was in danger. He started to panic, but he didn''tpletely lose his head. He knew it wouldn''t do any good to him if he wanted to get his wife and son back. "What? You mean she is in a very dangerous situation right now? What about Justin? What should we do? Jonathan, have you asked the Mayfly to search for Daisy?" Cynthia turned around and asked Jonathan who just hung up the phone. She had no idea that the cellphone he was holding in his hand was only u alms about untying the rope on your wrists." The only thing Justin felt lucky for was that they didn''t take away his backpack. Moreover, they didn''t tie him up on the way here. So as soon as he went out of the coffee house, he secretly turned his phone off. He didn''t want the bandits to take his phone away if it rang on the way. The cellphone was the only medium to save themselves. "Yes, we must be careful in every step, " Daisy lowered her voice and said. Because only she knew what useful things were inside Justin''s backpack that would help them to get out of here as soon as they got a chance. "Mommy, do you think there are any monitors installed here? Something like a detectaphone or a micro camera?" Justin knew what Daisy was concerned about. So before he was certain that there was no surveince on them, he would not have any move. "What do you think?" Daisy raised her eyebrows and hinted at the table beside them. If she was right, they had installed the monitor under the table. Otherwise, why would they ce a table in this deste ce? "Okay, got it. I will try my best to escape the detection." Justin showed an understanding smile. He knew that it wouldn''t be that simple. The bandits certainly knew his mother was good at fighting. It was impossible for them to leave Daisy untied with zero precautions. It turned out the bandits were watching them via the monitor. This saved them a lot of energy. But they seemed to forget a popr saying "precautions cannot ward off sudden attacks". Chapter 609 The City Was On High Alert (Part One) Daisy smiled gently and said nothing more. Under the given circumstance, they had to be very careful. Any error on their part could cost their only chance to get out of here. They couldn''t afford that kind of mistake. "You look leisured." Jessica came, followed by Hero and others. She stood at the door with a smile and her arms crossed over her chest. "Didn''t you bring us here to enjoy a leisure time? You have done all this because you have too much time, " Daisy sneered. Jealous women were vicious. Jessica had done all kinds of crazy things out of jealousy. Daisy wondered whether she thought about the baby when she was doing all those things. Didn''t she worry that her radical actions might harm the baby? "Say whatever you like now. You''ll cryter." Jessica smiled in disapproval. She just had to wait a little bit longer. Once Hero was gone, she could do whatever she wanted to do to get back at this arrogant, rude woman. "I''m afraid I will have to let you down. Soldiers sweat and bleed, but they don''t cry, especially in front of scumbags like you." Daisy stretched her limbs to find that she still hadn''t regained her strength. She was worried, wondering what drug they had made her drink and why its effect hadn''t gone away yet. "Colonel Ouyang is not only good at martial arts but also very eloquent. That''s quite a mouth you have. I''m impressed." Hero pped his hands. He felt more and more attracted to Daisy. "I''m sorry to hear that. I shouldn''t have attracted the attention of an animal like you." Daisy was disgusted by the admiring look on Hero''s face. She was trying to provoke him. "Huh! You want to irritate me? I''m not that petty-minded. On the contrary, I love the way you are when you get angry. I thought you were always aloof. Now, I see you have other sides too. I''m even more interested in you." Hero expressed his adoration for Daisy in front of the others. It se hat kind of mother are you? Do you even love Edward?" Daisy hated it when people used their children as chips in negotiation. She despised what Jessica was doing. "Daisy, can you swear that you have never used your son to get to Ed? Come on! In this respect, you''re more despicable than me." Jessica looked at Daisy in contempt. She didn''t believe that Daisy never used Justin to get Edward''s attention. Daisy''s lips trembled. But words were frozen on them. She wasn''t sure if Edward had taken interest in her because of Justin. He hadn''t even recognized her when she took Justin to his office that day. It seemed Justin was indeed the key to their reunion. Words dried up. She didn''t know how to retort to Jessica''s remarks. Seeing Daisy''s silence, Jessica went unbridled. She then said with a sense of victory in her voice, "Running out of words? You always think highly of yourself, don''t you? But you''re actually just a phony." "Jessica, my silence doesn''t mean I am epting every bullshit you are putting my way. There was nothing wrong for me to take my son to his father. I only wanted him to meet him. We were and are still married. If I have ever used Justin, it might have happened only identally. I wouldn''t ever go around betting on my unborn child, " Chapter 610 The City Was On High Alert (Part Two) Daisy said with a frown. She had never shied away from her acts, be it good or bad. She wasn''t afraid of admitting her mistakes. It was her nature. "Nothing wrong? Your mistake is that you shouldn''t have appeared in Ed''s life with this kid. You ruined my rtionship with Ed. He loved me so much until you showed up. You stole him from me! You''re the other woman!" Jessica got very excited. She raised her hand and pped Daisy. But Daisy dodged it quickly, although she was still weak. "Jessica, are you done yet? Quit pestering. I have to go and deal with some businesster. Listen up. You can''t hurt them. Or I''ll be very mad." Hero was now curious to know more about Edward. Why was Jessica so obsessed with him? How did he make an aloof woman like Daisy fall in love with him? "I''m not pestering. You can''t be biased in her favor. She has been bullying me all the time. She stole my boyfriend and destroyed Lin Group. Everything bad that happened to me was because of her. And now even you''re choosing her over me. Is she that perfect? Howe everyone is bewitched by her?" Hero''s words triggered Jessica''s pent-up rage. He was here to help her deal with Daisy. But he seemed to have forgotten it. Rather, he had be Daisy''s ally. Jessica couldn''t take such an embarrassing oue. "I''ve agreed to take her out of the city, even out of the country. What are you still angry about?" Hero wasn''t a tolerant man. He had tolerated Daisy''s rudeness solely because he was obsessed with her. She was an exception. Not anyone could do the same thing to him. "I... I''m angry because you are protecting her." Jessica pursed her lips and lowered her voice. She knew well how cold-blooded her otherwise gentle-looking cousin actually was. When Edward arrived at the Tea Fragrance -level official like Kevin. Seeing how much their chief respected Kevin, the policemen assumed he must be very important. Picking a lock was easy for the police. Within several minutes, the door was open. To preserve the scene, they all went in carefully. There were traces of fights. Broken tables and chairs were lying around. Everyone was convinced that this ce did have something to do with Daisy and Justin''s disappearance. "Find out every little thing about this ce''s owner, including name, background, and social connections, " Kevin quickly seized the key to the issue and said to Mr. Yi grimly. Then he called the army base to gather more man power to locate Daisy and Justin. Edward just got off the phone. He was thest to walk in the scene. At the sight of the mess inside, his face went deathly pale. He staggered in distress. His phone almost slipped from his hand. Daisy and Justin''s disappearance brought the entire city to be on high alert. Men in ck, policemen, soldiers and military officers who were usually scarcely seen, were all mobilized to look for Daisy and Justin. Everyone in the city knew that something was amiss, but not many knew what was wrong. Chapter 611 Jessica Had a New Plan (Part One) "Mr. Mu, are you alright?" Luke helped Edward keep his calm. The messy cafe suggested that there was a fierce fight here. Unfortunately, they still didn''t know if Daisy and Justin were fine or not. Luke could see how sad and anxious Edward was. "I''m fine. Have you got any news? What is Paul doing?" Edward closed his eyes, trying to get rid of the darkness surrounding him. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t ovee the fear gripping him. "Not yet. Paul went straight to the casino after meeting Brianst night. Maybe he is living a fond dream of getting rich overnight there." This is what all gamblers think. They are obsessed with some wild ideas that they may get rich overnight. However, they hardly realize that despite the hopes that gambling brings to them, it''ll not take long for it to give them a fatal blow and make them penniless one day. In many cases, gambling is also known to bring death and destruction to people. "What? He met Brianst night? So Brian has known the whole truth?" Edward heaved a sigh. Daisy tried hard to protect Brian by keeping the truth a secret from him. Sadly, he found it all out. "Yes. He went to the barst night and got massively drunk. Our bodyguard had to send him back atst." The bodyguards who were sent to keep an eye on the movements of Paul told Luke about the meeting between Paul and Brian. Luke was afraid that Brian might do something extreme after knowing the truth, so he asked one of the bodyguards to follow him. "Well done. Thanks." Brian was the only person in the Ouyang family that Daisy genuinely cared about. Edward disliked Brian. Sometimes Brian got him so annoyed that he would want to beat him to a pulp, but he never did that solely for Daisy''s sake. Instead, he hoped for Brian''s safety. If anything untoward happened to Brian, Daisy would be devastated. Edward could bear anything but Daisy''s tears. "Mr. Mu, I think Colonel Ouyang must have left under duress. ording to all the signs of the fight here, Colonel Ouyang was definitely outnumbered. This may be one of the reasons why she could be controlled despite being so powerful. As for whether or not she was drugged, we n y. He was suddenly enlightened after they reached the destination. "Yes. Thest call Daisy made was to Mr. Yi. But before that, Mary called her. Mary must have been behind all this." "Mr. Mu, what brings you here?" The steward was quite surprised to see Edward standing in the doorway. He didn''t know why Edward came back again. He knew there might be some trouble following soon. He wondered if Edward would stir up another trouble today. The steward regretted answering the door hurriedly without checking via the camera who was knocking. He was scared that Yakira might scold him for this. As a result, he broke out in cold sweat with fear as soon as he saw Edward. "I want to meet Mary." Edward went straight in with a wild look. He thought there must be a hidden story behind Yakira''s release. "Yo ho! Mr. Mu, you finally are thinking about my daughter Mary? You came here for her?" Yakira came out upon hearing the noise and taunted Edward at the sight of him. "Tell me. Where is Mary?" With a malicious look, Edward went straight up to Yakira and grabbed her by the neck. Yakira didn''t expect that. The arrogant look on her face vanished and she instantly turned pale. "I¡­ I¡­ I have no idea." Yakira looked at the angry man in front of her with eyes wide open. "You have no idea why you were released so quickly?" Edward further tightened his grasp on her neck. He was so furious that he might just wring her neck the next minute. Chapter 612 Jessica Had a New Plan (Part Two) "Mr. Mu, let her go! She can''t answer you like this." Luke rescued Yakira from Edward''s grip. Edward was boiling with rage. He wouldn''t mind killing this woman right now. "Cough¡­ Cough¡­" Yakira stepped back with fear. What lousy luck! Everybody was seizing her by the neck to kill her these days, she wondered. "What happened? Have you found Daisy? What are you doing here?" Brian rushed down from his room. He wanted to go out, but his mother instructed him to stay at home so he was still here all this while. "Brian, drive them out! Their fierce looks scare me." Brian''s appearance made Yakira feel protected. She walked up to him hurriedly. "Your timing is just right. Where is Mary?" Edward spluttered. He kept calling Mary while he was on his way to Yakira''s home, but the automated voice on her phone told him that her phone was switched off. She was smart. In order to prevent the signal from being tracked, she turned off her phone. "I don''t know. I haven''t seen her since morning. Did she do anything unforgivable again?" Brian frowned. Something serious must have happened, or Edward wouldn''t be so angry. "She called Daisy before Daisy went missing. Do you know why she called her up?" Edward looked at Yakira with a scowl. In his opinion, all of this was done to get Yakira out and take revenge from Daisy. "What? Daisy is missing?" Brian originally thought that Daisy left home as she was mad at Edward, but now it soundedpletely different. He turned to ask Yakira, "Mom, what the hell is going on? What do you know?" "I know nothing. I just came back from the jail about an hour ago. How can I know what happened while I wasn''t here? Don''t point the finger at me. I know nothing. There are dozens of people who hate Daisy. Maybe one of her enemies have kidnapped her to take revenge. My daughter is innocent!" Yakira gloated over Daisy''s disappearance. She didn''t care why she was missing or where she was. Anyway, it was a good thing for her. "Are you sure of that? Yakira, if I find out that Mary is behind all this, details of the n in a low voice. Justin had been looking for an opportunity to call for help. Unfortunately, after Hero left, he and his mother were tied up again. What was worse, there were two men watching over them now. So, it was almost impossible for him to do anything. He couldn''t turn on his phone or even reach out for his backpack. Edward and Justin were very alike in character. Justin didn''t resign himself to death. He took out the de hidden in his watch and tried to cut off the rope around his hands quietly. Soon he cut off the rope, but his hands also got hurt in this. To avoid catching the attention of the two men watching over him, he still hid his hands behind his back. He couldn''t act rashly till he had total confidence of sess. What Justin was doing made Daisy''s heart ache. She knew that this little boy liked ying with some gadgets, but she didn''t expect that he would hide such a sharp weapon in his watch. His watch must be unique, or how else could he hide a de in it without hurting his hand? Daisy tried to gather her strength, and she was surprised to find that she had regained most of it by now. It seemed that the effects of the drug were now beginning to wear off. She was overjoyed in her heart, but she still remained cold. They were still in danger, so she couldn''t get excited unless they were both safe. Chapter 613 The cellphone (Part One) In all fancy love novels, the macho hero would eventuallye to save the love of his life but Daisy didn''t count on Edward to appear out of the blue and rescue her from here. She was a smart and realistic woman. She didn''t believe in such coincidences. Daisy knew that she was her biggest savior every time she was in danger. But, today she didn''t feel the danger approaching her yet. "Daisy, don''t you feel good being tied up like this?" Immediately, she saw some people walk in the room, followed by Jessica. "You can have a try if you want to know how I feel. Be my guest, don''t be shy." Daisy sighed secretly. She had no idea what was on Jessica''s mind. "No, I''m not interested in being stupid. I don''t wish to dig my own grave. Now, I need something more exciting." Jessica reached out her hand, shaking her finger at Daisy and sneering. "Sorry. I''m not a fan of your insane tricks. You may have to find another person to y with instead." The prospect sent a chill down Daisy''s heart. She was a bit scared now. "No, you''re wrong. You can be a good yer in my games. You have a pretty face. It would be a shame if we didn''t do anything to it." Jessica rubbed Daisy''s cheeks with her long fingernails. "Bitch, don''t touch my mom." Justin looked at Jessica, frightened. He was scared that this crazy bitch might hurt his mom by ident or on purpose. Although he knew Edward would still love his mom no matter how she looked like but he still was worried for Daisy. "Bastard, shut up, or I''ll cut your tongue off." Unexpectedly, Jessica turned around and pped Justin on the face. Her act numbed his face. He was shocked at Jessica''s retortion. Justin now became extremely angry. He knew he would strike back at the first opp Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. cked her down with his body. "Ouch! Go catch this bastard. Why hasn''t he been tied already? How could he free himself and assault me like that?" Jessica stepped back. She was supported by somebody standing right behind her. Then, she regained her bnce. Looking at Justin, she got so angry that she wanted to kill Justin without hesitation. She had no mercy left for this kid. "Jessica, don''t you dare hurt my boy. If you do that, I promise I will hunt you down. You know the consequences. I''m not joking." Daisy had no time to feel sad for her facial wound or the blood dripping down her cheek. Justin''s safety was her only priority right now. She looked at Jessica in the eye, thinking that she had to act before it was toote. "Leave this little man to me. I''ll make him ountable for all the damages he has done to me." Mary''s hatred for Justin was only adding up bit by bit. From the day she joined in the FX International Group, Justin had been challenging her. He always cracked a joke on her. She was forced to swallow her anger and hatred for Justin all the time. Now, it was time to seek revenge, punish him and make him suffer for his deeds. Chapter 614 The cellphone (Part Two) "Mary, you can''t do that. You can take revenge on me. But please do think about Brian once? He will be really disappointed." Daisy tried to invoke some goodness in Mary by persuading her to do something good for the sake of Brian, after all she was his sister. She hoped that by doing this, Mary might find a twinge of conscience and correct her wrongdoings before it was toote for her. "Brian? Haha He has never treated me as his sister. All he cares about is you. Why would I even care about how he feels? Daisy, you''re so naive. Are you scared already? Why didn''t you see iting when you argued with me?" Her face was distorted hideously with anger and jealousy when Daisy mentioned Brian. "If you want to punish me or kill me, I won''t fight back. But if you n on hurting my son, I beg you not to do that. Isn''t this what you want all this while? Me begging you like this?" Daisy closed her eyes. She could smell the blood on her face. She had no time to think of the blood or her facial wound at the moment. She was rather focused on finding a way to get Justin out of here unhurt. She knew that if anything happened to Justin today, she would never be able to forgive herself for putting her son in such extreme danger. "Daisy? Are you begging me now? Should I give you a chance to be good and make me feel satisfied?" Mary giggled. She had known it her whole life that no matter how hard Daisy had tried and irrespective of all that she had aplished, a housemaid would never be able to outdo her master,. When it came to the very end, the housemaid had to lower her head and beg for mercy from her master. "Mom, don''t beg. If we''re to die today, we''ll die together and b Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. news about Daisy and Justin?" Duke had been more and more worried since he received a strange phone call from Edward. He thought that instead of letting his imagination run wild, he would rathere here and find out what had happened. "No, I haven''t, " answered Edward. Edward found Justin''sptop. He turned it on immediately. It was getting hard for Edward to control his anxiety. He was continually praying for his wife and son''s safety. Meanwhile, he was wondering what he could do, if theptop too didn''t lead him to anything concrete. "Edward, you left the office in a hurry this morning to find your wife and son? Why didn''t you tell me about it?" Rainined. He hadn''t been told about Daisy''s disappearance until Duke called and exined to him briefly. "Even if I did tell you, could you be of any help to me? You''re not a policeman or Sherlock, " answered Edward nonchntly. When Edward was required to enter the password before he could review Justin''sptop, his mouth twitched slightly and he smiled wryly. He knew Daisy did this. It seemed that she wasn''t just doing small talk with Justin. Chapter 615 The cellphone (Part Three) He had never expected that woman to set password for theptop as she had said. Being realistic, she did what she said, which was exactly why Edward loved her so much. But he had no idea of where she was, or whether she was still alive or not. "You are right about that, but I''ll help you with something sooner orter. When everybody adds fuel, the mes rise high, " murmured Rain in a low voice. He didn''t dare to make a loud sound, because he had no clue about what Edward was up to. "If you want to help me, please go and bring Tom here. I need him with me right now." Edward looked away from him, and tapped the keys on the keyboard quickly. In less than a minute, the password was cracked. Justin''sptop was now open for ess. He knew Daisy had only set a password to test Justin or else she wouldn''t have used such simple and predictable numbers as the password. "No need to do that. He''s already on the way here." Rain touched his nose and thought that if Tom wasn''t performing a surgical operation when he called, he would have been here already, and then Edward wouldn''t have to ask him to bring him here. Edward was certain that there would be all kinds of applications on Justin''sputer. However, when he saw too many icons on the screen, he felt a bit of anxiety. He felt that Justin had really made up his mind to test his daddy''sputer skills. Edward''s confidence in locating Justin and Daisy was reinforced by the fact that Justin had installed so many applications on hisputer. One of them might help him. He knew J e hadn''t been tied like that. Jessica liked seeing Daisy helpless like that. "Bitch, you''ll be punished. You have my word. If you let me live, I will torture you, and make you scream painfully, like a pig at the ughter house, " shouted Justin. Justin knew how painful his mother must have felt from the p. However, he also knew that his mother was a brave soldier. She could endure all sorts of pains psychologically and physically solely to protect her honor and dignity. She was not only an honorable human being but also a qualified solider. "Bastard, you can neither save your mom, nor save yourself today. I''ll make you a pig first, " said Mary sarcastically. Mary had lost her consciousness and kindness since ages ago. So, she didn''t mind being tough and cruel to anyone who she thought was her enemy. She was ready to hurt a little child who was doing nothing but protecting his mother. Mary came over to Justin and knocked him down. Everyone in the room could see Justin''s head hitting the floor with a sickening thud. Chapter 616 Stab Herself (Part One) "Justin, are you all right? Does it hurt?" Daisy was panicking. She immediately rushed to Justin but was restrained by the two rascals watching her. Her eyes were fuming with anger. She gave Mary a fierce look and said, "I assure you that I''ll make you pay for hurting my son." "Huh! You still think you can escape from here ande after me for revengeter?" Mary looked at Daisy evasively. Though Daisy was held tight by the two men, she still didn''t dare to look directly into her fierce and terrifying eyes. "Mommy, I''m fine." Justin gritted his teeth and got up. He was a soldier''s son. So, enduring pain came naturally to him. Justin knew if his hands hadn''t been tied up, Mary wouldn''t have been able to knock him down so easily. "Open her mouth and force that water down her throat immediately." Jessica was taken aback for a moment, but she immediately regained herposure and shifted her eyes from Mary to her target Daisy. As soon as Jessica instructed the men, they got to work. Seeing this, Wolf, who had been watching all this silently from one corner of the room, became ecstatic. He was initially a little hesitant as he knew that Daisy was a Colonel but Daisy''s beauty invoked the lustful desire in him. He was so immensely attracted by Daisy''s beautiful face and hot figure that hepletely overlooked what Hero had warned him about before he left here. His mind was upied by the lewd thoughts of savoring a female colonel. He had tasted numerous women before, but never a female soldier. Wolf was drooling over Daisy with great anticipation of what was going to soon follow. "Um.. Um..." Daisy was a strong and intimidating woman. Her spirit to fight back was relentless. But with too many people holding her back and her hands being tightly tied up, Daisy did get a little weak. The men forced open her mouth and poured the water in. Although she firmly clenched her teeth, Jessica won in the end. "What did you put into my mother''s mouth?" Justin was really frightened now. He really wished that his father could appear from somewhere and fight all these bad men, just like the hero in every fairy tale. "Do you want to know? Sorry we can''t tell you. This is not something that a child should know. So, you better shut up." Jessica giggled with a cunning smile. Daisy closed her eyes. Was this the end of her day? She sure rd he tried to protect his mother, he was forced to leave the ce in the end. Soon, his voice trailed off in distance, leaving only Daisy and several sleazy men in that ce. "Colonel Ouyang, don''t be afraid. I always believe that woman should be loved and cared for. I will be very gentle with you." Seeing that Mary and Jessica finally left, Wolf itched to flirt with Daisy. He didn''t dare to say anything before. It was not because he was scared of Jessica but because he knew she was a very cunning woman. Had he done anything beforehand, she would have used him as a scapegoat in front of Hero. He certainly didn''t want to irritate Hero. "If you don''t want to die, I suggest that you let me go. I believe, I don''t have to tell you who I am. I am certain that you already know me. You''d better think carefully about the consequences before doing anything to me." Daisy ground her teeth. Damn, the drug was now having an impact on her body. It was so strong that despite the will to fight back she was also experiencing a wave of hot amorous feelings. "Haha! If I have to die for having sex with a beauty like Colonel Ouyang, I will be more than happy. I will have no regret." Wolf greedily stared at Daisy''s breasts. They were waving up and down with her breath. He couldn''t help but blow out a loud whistle to appreciate her beauty. Now, his dirty hands unscrupulously reached out to her beautiful face. "Rascal, don''t you dare, touch me with your dirty hands." Daisy turned her head and dodged his touch. She became more nervous as she hadn''t untied the rope yet. Chapter 617 Stab Herself (Part Two) "Ah! What a beautiful face! I really feel bad that Jessica ruined it like this." Wolf didn''t mind any insult that came for him from Daisy''s mouth. He believed that every beautiful woman had a unique personality. And Daisy was not just any other woman, she was a female colonel. He reached out his hand to gently wipe off the fresh blood stain on her face. After that, he wickedly sucked the blood off his hand. "You all get out! Just get out of here!" Daisy took a deep breath. She was trying hard to suppress the ongoing fever that wasing out from inside her body. Unfortunately, what came out from her mouth was only a faint and soft sound. Her feeble voice sounded sexy and charming. It sounded as if she was flirting. "Haha! Colonel Ouyang, I forgot to tell you that I really admire such an aloof beauty like you. It will be exciting to y with you and this thought just makes me want you more and more." Wolf said as he came closer to Daisy. Daisy escaped with a dodge. "Get out, or I will shoot you in your head." Daisy bit her luscious lip and thrust the rope open, thereby freeing her hands sessfully. Simultaneously, she rolled to the other side. "Huh! A good move. Buddies, let''s work together. We must control her." Daisy''s moves made Wolf crazy. He scratched her clothes and happened to rip them off. Her white skin above the breasts and thece bra were now showing up. "I''ll kill you." Overlooking the risk of getting injured, Daisy threw herself onto the ground and swiftly picked up the knife left by Jessica there. She quickly cut off the rope on her feet and pointed the knife at the scoundrels. At the same time, she covered her bare chest with her other hand. "Colonel Ouyang, don''t you feel empty and ufortable now? How about letting me fill in your empty and lonely heart?" Wolf gradually approached Daisy. He was certain that the stamina of a massively drugged woman wouldn''tst very long. On the other hand, a huge group of men led by Edward were approaching this ce. The closer he was to the ce, the faster his heart was beating. He was hoping and praying that both Daisy and Justin were safe and sound. "Mr. Mu, why is the ce so deste? Is this a trap?" Luke frowned with concern. "It''s okay. We have the people from The Mayfly to back us." This was also one of the reasons why he didn''t notify the police when he got the cellphone signal of Justin''s phone. He didn''t want to divulge Jonathan''s s p, several scoundrels fell down to the ground. Seeing the situation go out of his hands, Wolf was startled. He pulled out a knife from his waist and joined the fight. Daisy shook her dazed head, and looked unyieldingly at the group of scoundrels approaching her. She ground her teeth and made up her mind to stab herself again. This time, she stabbed on the shoulder. She had to win this fierce battle. The drug would not only cause illusions, but also erode her senses. All the people trembled at her firmness. Moreover, they were surprised that such a vulnerable woman could stab herself like that. Even the strongest of the men would think twice when it came to stabbing themselves but Daisy did it without a frown. Surprisingly, she stabbed herself not once but twice. They marveled at her toughness but they had to defeat her. So, now all of them came at her desperately. As Daisy had sensed, there was definitely a wharf and also an old rail track nearby, probably used for freight. Now, even Edward was close to the location. He was not more than a few minutes'' ride away from Daisy. Edward kept praying for Daisy''s safety. "Luke, speed up. We are very near to the destination." Edward''s eyes brightened because of excitement. He stared firmly at the shing spot on theputer screen and didn''t dare to shift his eyes away, as if fearing it might disappear. "Mr. Mu, I have already floored the petal, " Luke pursed his lips and said. There had been another car in front of them all this while. It was heading to the same direction as Luke and Edward. He wondered whether the people in the car their friends or foes. Chapter 618 The Rescue (Part One) Daisy was now driven into a tight corner, her desperation was beyond description. But her enemies had also suffered a major setback. She spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva as her grip on the knife got tighter. She felt like a drowned rat with holes in her clothes. Since she was utterly exhausted, she didn''t even notice that her clothes was so badly torn. She didn''t even have the energy left to cover herself anymore. "You have proved yourself to be a good colonel bying this far in times of adversity. I admit that you are really something as a woman. And I would have expressed my admiration and surrendered to you, had you not activized my appetency of conquest today. Sorry, colonel, but now I must have you." There is safety in numbers. Given his people containing Daisy''s actions, Wolf had not been totally defeated. However, Daisy still managed to keep him at arm''s length. So he changed his strategy now. He decided to wait, until she spent thest ounce of her strength left in her. He certainly had time on his side. "I am afraid I won''t let you touch me today." Daisy said firmly while biting her lip. She hoped that Justin wasn''t looking at the monitor with Jessica and Mary. Otherwise, it would definitely break his heart seeing his mother suffer like that. "You must be kidding, my dear colonel. I don''t think you can keep me away anymore. And just so you know, you look even more coquettish to me whilst you are covered in blood." Wolf was a pervert. There was no two ways about it. How could anyone in sane mind find someone''s misery charming? "Monster¡­" Daisy gnashed her teeth in disgust. She closed her eyes and tried to stay conscious. Daisy didn''t want the pain or the effect of the drug to overpower her. Had she not been in such kind of pain, she wouldn''t have waited to break the neck of this sleazy and dirty man, let alone allowed him to cast a covetous gl a waste. After all, you are my woman now, " Wolf burst into manicughter. Her naked body had again stimted his sexual passion. He couldn''t wait to tear off her bra, which was her only protection. It was all doom and gloom for Daisy. Her hands were tied tightly behind her back, and she was buried under a man who was trying to rape her. Much as it pained her, she had to admit at this moment that Jessica''s n was working. And no matter how things would turn outter, that woman did insult her terribly. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Just as she was closing her eyes helplessly, a loud piercing scream filled the air. The next thing she saw was that the man who was on top of her was suddenly lifted. She opened her eyes at once and saw Wolf being flung into the air. Raising her head with immense difficulty, she then saw four men in ck tights fighting the other gangsters. But they were all wearing iron masks, so Daisy couldn''t figure out who they were. What she saw next was not less than a dream. She saw Edward rushing into the room. Edward waspletely numb when he caught sight of Daisy. Her cowering and shivering figure really pierced him like a knife ripping down his soul. He gathered all his courage, and came forward tofort her, trembling. Chapter 619 The Rescue (Part Two) She was only a few steps away from him. However, it seemed to him that it would take his entire life to get to her. Men do not cry easily unless they are deeply hurt. The moment Edward touched Daisy''s bloodstained body, his heart missed a beat and his eyes blurred with tears. "Edward..." She curled up and tried to hug herself at the sight of him. Was he really here? Or was it just an illusion? Was it only the remembrance of her man moments before her death? "It''s me, Daisy." Holding back his grief, he murmured to her with his lips quivering. In the meantime, he quickly took off his coat and wrapped it around her as gently as possible. He tried not to touch her wounds. "So it is really you. You have reallye for me..." Clinging on to his coat, Daisy simply gazed at him. Her lips were dry and chapped because of dehydration. "Sorry, I amte!" Then with profound gentleness, he held her tight in his arms. A drop of tear fell quietly from the corner of his eyes and rested onto her neck. She could feel the chill of his sadness when his tear touched her skin. "I''m fine, really. Because I knew you would definitelye and save me." She dared not meet his gaze or move a muscle. Daisy would rather let him wrap his arms around her waist, and feel his tenderness. "Thank you for your trust, my dear. But I''m sorry that I failed you today, " said Edward in a deep and shaky voice, which was full of regret and bitterness. "Don''t cry for me, Edward. Not now, not in front of so many people. They mayugh if they see you like this." She bashfully looked around, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that others were still involved in a fight. "I don''t care. They can justugh if they want, " sniffed Edward indifferently. But he suddenly noticed that in the very air he breathed in, there was a smell of blood. He snapped out of his remorse and lifted up the coat to check her over. him guessing. "I knew it. I know you still love me. It''s all this woman''s fault! She has been trying to steal you from me!" Raising her head high, Jessica glowered at Daisy gloatingly. "I won''t let her hurt you, and that''s for sure. But it doesn''t mean that I won''t do it for her. You are such a malicious woman. I can''t let her contaminate her hands with your blood." As soon as he finished his words, Edward grabbed Daisy''s dagger and before everyone knew it, he sliced Jessica''s face open without any hesitation. Now everyone could hear a piercing shriek. Mary freaked out by the scene and her legs started shaking involuntarily. She really wanted to take to her heels, fearing that she would be Edward''s next target. But because her hands were tied behind her back by the two men who looked like bodyguards, she couldn''t move at all. "NO! I don''t believe it. You cannot treat me like this!" eximed Jessica. Edward gave his response by cutting a second gash on her face. By now, all hercence was gone. She was shocked. Jessica stared at this ruthless man standing in front of her with astonishment. She was filled with desperation and pain after her pride and confidence was badly snapped by him. Butpared to Daisy''s suffering, she still faced nothing. Chapter 620 The Rescue (Part Three) Daisy watched all this coldly. If this had happened in the past, she would have definitely stopped Edward from hurting a pregnant woman, but not today. She came to realize that mercy to the enemies means cruelty to herself. And she knew Jessica deserved no mercy. Her heart was full of bitter hatred and there was no room for regret orpassion for people like Jessica. She had to pay for all her sins today. "Don''t be so confident about yourself. Blind confidence will do you no good. You want to have fun? Let me grant you your wishes now." Edward was never a nice and merciful man. He might appear soft and gentle, but if there was an enemy who had to be tackled, Edward showed no mercy. He was literally like a sleeping lion, ready tounch an attack if people crossed a line. "As for the rest of you, get up if you are not dead already, " demanded Edward sternly while his eyes running down those gangsters. He wasn''t in a hurry to deal with them since they were already knocked out. They didn''t have any energy left in them to attack or run away. Before he did anything, he wanted to take his time to find out exactly which one of them humiliated his wife. As soon as he did, he would chop those hands off and feed them to a fish! "What do you want? Don''t forget that I''m pregnant!" Jessica was clever enough to read through what was on Edward''s mind. So she watched his each and every move with a tingle of horror. "So you actually know that you are expecting a baby? Do you really think you still deserve to be called a mother given all of this vicious behavior? But there is no need to get tensed. Be assured, I''m not as twisted as you. So I wil nd lift me up?" He nced around the room with his big, round eyes resting on those masked men standing behind his grandfather. Justin looked at them up and down curiously and thought they were really cool. When being asked, the men immediately looked in Jonathan''s direction. It was not until Jonathan nodded his head that one of them squatted down and lifted Justin up. Clearly, they would only follow Jonathan''s order. "I suggest that you stand still, olddy! Otherwise, I can''t gurantee that I won''t cut your scalp identally." Seeing Justin take a sharp little de out of his backpack, everyone knew what Justin was up to. Now, they all understood what he meant when he said he would make it easier for Mary to confess to the Buddha. He was going to shave off her head. Although Justin did it mostly for fun, it could be a nightmare for a woman who cared so much about her appearance. "How dare you!" Mary now realized what Justin was about to do with her. She tried to squirm out of the grip regardless of how embarrassing it looked like. Anyway, she would rather die than turn into a nun. Chapter 621 The Only Woman I Respect (Part One) Justin pursed his lips, and began to shave off Mary''s hair mercilessly. Within a few minutes, Mary had turned bald. Justin threw the de to the ground and pped his hands in disgust. "Well, old woman. You''re not that bad, so it is just a small punishment. You better pray for everything you''re about to face now." Compared to Jessica''s cruelty, Mary wasn''t that bad, so Justin had no intention of getting back at her in a serious manner. Only children would think this way. As for Jessica, Justin''s father would never spare her, so he didn''t bother to do anything to her. "It is not a time to celebrate. I am going to kill you." Without looking in the mirror, Mary knew how ugly she must be looking with a bald head, so she shouted angrily. "You think you can do that?" Justin shrugged off her threat and looked at her coldly. He was happy to see Mary look like this. Justin''s face was a little red and swollen, which made it difficult for him to even smile properly and made him look a little bit funny. Edward frowned. Moments back, he was so far from Justin that he couldn''t even see his face but now when he looked at his face closely, he felt guilty. Justin''s face was covered with bruises. Seeing this, the look in Edward''s eyes became crueller and fiercer. "Come here, all of you, " Edward said coldly with a raging anger in his eyes. He coldly looked at the sleazy gangsters, "Aren''t you trying to have fun? Today, I will let these two women apany you to have some fun. Let''s make everything clear at first. None of you is allowed to leave without my permission, or I will feed your bodies to crocodiles." "Edward, are you threatening me? You can''t do this to me. You can''t!" Jessica shook her head in panic. Although she knew Edward was not a soft hearted person, she expected him to forgive her for the sake of the past. "I can''t do that to you? Then why did you do that to my wife and son? Jessica, when did you be so naive?" Edward said sarcastically. In all honesty, Edward never expected Jessica to be behind all this. Sadly, he was the first time Jonathan hadforted anyone other than Cynthia, so his tone sounded a little stiff. "Grandpa, is it true?" Justin asked Jonathan childishly with tears in his eyes. "Yes! I give you my word. Your uncle Tom will take care of her. Don''t you believe him?" Jonathan frowned at his bodyguards and instructed them to leave. If Jonathan''s guess was right, it would not take too long for everyone else toe here. Jonathan''s bodyguards disappeared in the face of the crowd. No one saw how they disappeared, just as no one saw how they appeared. The horror of such a thing frightened everyone, and they all secretly got nervous. It was only then that Wolf and his buddies realized they were fighting the wrong guys. "It turns out that these two ugly women are behind all this nuisance. Are you crazy to turn into nuns now? You, you even shaved your head before bing a nun? What a pity! To be honest, women like you are not qualified to be nuns at all. Give up the idea of bing a nun and do some good to the society. Don''t stain the sacred temple." Rain was definitely a venomous man. He already hated these two women, and after seeing Daisy bruised like that, he hated them even more. "Luke, did Edward tell you how to deal with this group of people?" Unlike Rain, Duke was a serious person. He wanted to reach the conclusion fast and quick. Chapter 622 The Only Woman I Respect (Part Two) "Yes. Let them have some fun." Luke''s mouth twitched and he repeated Edward''s words shyly. Luke knew that Jessica was pregnant so he didn''t want to hurt her ealier. But she broke free of Luke''s grip and let Daisy and Edward get hurt. Luke regretted that he hadn''t held Jessica tightly. "So, it''s time to have fun! What are you waiting for?" Duke was a hard man, he didn''t show any tenderness in handling matters like this. No wonder people called him a man with a poker face. "Duke, you fucking faggot, how did you think that you can take the ce of Edward and decide all this?" Duke didn''t know what to say to Jessica. Why did she act so arrogantly even when she knew she was in trouble? Was she not afraid to die? "How? Let me tell you. You hurt the only woman I genuinely respect in this world. Are you happy with my answer now?" Duke smiled coldly. One could easily see the coldness in his eyes and expressions that went well with his aloof personality. "Haha! Did I hear that right? You are cheating on your own brother." Jessica shook her hands when she was caught. She became crazy and nervous. ''Is Daisy really that charming? Why are so many men nice to her?'', Jessica thought. "Jessica, you are such a disgusting woman. We''re not like you! You should not regard your ignorance as a virtue. Our respect for Daisyes deep from our heart. A woman like you cannot understand what I am talking about." Rain gave Jessica a disdainful look, and sneered. One look at Rain, and people around could tell how much Rain hated Jessica. Jonathan wanted to punish those people himself, but after watching Duke''s reaction, he smiled, held Justin in his arms, and left without saying anything. Jonathan knew that Duke and Rain would never spare these thugs. Although Edward knew how bad Daisy''s wounds would be when he saw Daisy, he was still frightened by Daisy''s wounds when he saw Tom skillfully treating Daisy''s wounds. He couldn''t overlook the fact that Daisy might have endured so eally hold back?" Wolf approached them step by step. He went for Jessica, who he had liked since a while ago. Although Jessica''s beauty was destructed by a knife wound on her face, she still looked charming in Wolf''s eyes. "NO! Damn it! Duke, let me go!" Jessica staggered to the door. She was panicking. She didn''t want to be raped by these gangsters. "You really drugged her with the philtre?" Duke stared at the video, and then gave Rain a cold look. "What? You really think I am a pervert? Why would I carry that thing with myself? I was just bluffing them. I will never use such a nasty thing to anyone." Rain crossed his legs with an evil smile on his face. "Who knows. Forget it. Watch them. I''d like to go out and see how Daisy is doing." Duke nced at the video again. Then, he got up and walked out. "Are you kidding? I can''t stand this erotic scene. Luke, you''re here to watch them. I''ll go out and see Daisy too." Rain looked at Luke, the only man here, with crafty brightness in his eyes. "I am not interested in such things. As for you, don''t you always want this?" As soon as Luke finished his words, he ran out of the room. He didn''t want to be left alone in that room. Luke had several important things to do. He had to take care of something even more important after hearing Jessica''s words. Chapter 623 Help Me (Part One) "Damn it, everyone is gone. Fine, I should go too! Why should I be here watching them? No, it is emotionally scaring. And I don''t give a shit about what happens to them. it''s none of my business." Rain muttered to himself. He looked at the screen, then got up and walked out of the monitor room. Maybe Fortune favored Jessica and Mary! They were saved by the special troops who cameter. The special troops thought they were victims. That came across as a relief for Duke and Rain. Although Duke and Rain didn''t like Jessica, they didn''t have the heart to watch a pregnant woman get raped. That was too sick. Come on, they were not beasts. "Duke, you are here, too." Kevin Gu didn''t expect to meet his brother-inw here so he was quite surprised when he saw Duke. "Yeah, this is not your military area. It''s a public ce. If you cane here, so can I." Duke didn''t know why he was so mad at Kevin but he got angry as soon as he saw Kevin. He could not help it. That really didn''t sound like something a gentlemen like Duke could do. "No, no, no. That''s not what I meant. I''m a bad talker. Sorry, Duke. Is Colonel Ouyang all right?" Among those who were here, Duke was the only person who Kevin knew well. So Kevin had no choice except to talk to Duke to know how things were going. "How would I know? I have all the same information that you have. The doors of ambnce are shut. Can''t you see?" Duke rolled his eyes and sulked. As a matter of fact, he was jealous of his little sister''s partiality to Kevin. Leena Leng was his only sister. He really cherished Leena and Leena used to put Duke first. But everything changed after Leena met Kevin. Kevin married Leena without asking his permission. This was why Duke hated Kevin so much. "Excuse me, Major General, I have to tell you something." Luke Luo rescued Kevin from the embarrassment. Obviously, Luke was unaware of the awkwardness between Kevin and Duke. He didn''t care either. "What''s the matter?" Kevin followed Luke and they walked to the other side. Kevin nced at the special ambnce inadvertently. "I overheard Jessica saying that there were more people involved in the kidnapping of Mrs. Mu and Justin. But they aren''t here. They might be tougher than the rest of the men. I heard, they will be back any minute." Luke was a deeply sensitive person. He did not put his mind on torturing Jessica and Mary. Rather, he listened to them carefully and finall es, we kept them under strict surveince. But they said they wanted to go to the bathroom. So we let them go and waited outside. We waited for a long while but nobody came out. When we went inside, we saw that nobody was there. There was another exit in the bathroom and we had no clue about it. They must have run away from the exit in the bathroom. You know the yardyout is soplicated. This is why, we couldn''t find them easily. But we are certain that they are hiding somewhere in this house." The special solider didn''t dare to look in Kevin''s eyes. Kevin thought that it was possible for them to run away because the solider guarding them was a new recruit and had no experience in guarding. "All right. They are still in the yard, so we will find them out sooner orter. Just set it aside for now. Let''s focus on Hero. Watch it, Hero is a piece of work. Pull yourself together." So, here they were. They had no other choice but to divert their attention to the more important things. However, things became moreplicated just because of their ignorance in watching over Jessica and Mary. "Yes, Major General." It seemed that Kevin didn''t me him. The special solider felt relieved. He quickly walked away from Kevin before Kevin changed his mind and took out his anger at him. Kevin raised his head and looked up at the house. He realized that it was not a simple house. The ce upied a vast area and several small backyards were attached to the main building. They wouldn''t see the backyards when they were in the foreyard. He understood that while he was arranging the security a few minutes ago. Chapter 624 Help Me (Part Two) Kevin sighed deeply. ''Even if I count Luke and his men in, we are still understaffed. The police are still on their way. Oh, God bless us. Please don''t let Jessica and Mary meet Hero.'' Kevin had put his major security at work on the ambnce in which Daisy was being treated. He was thus, left with no extra men to track down Jessica and Mary. Furthermore, it wouldn''t be appropriate to conduct an inch-by-inch search. They were under a fear of ambush and had no idea from where the gangsters might appear all of a sudden. Luckily, they parked their cars in ces that were hard to find. Just as Justin expected, Hero dide back. Though he was aware of some anomalies, he had toe back for Daisy. So, instead of breaking in directly, he sneaked undetected into the house. He was shocked when he saw Jessica and Mary there. He was d he saw them first. Thank goodness! He could hold the two women as hostages to make his rivalspromise with him. "Cousin Hero, please, take me away." Jessica grabbed Hero''s hands forcibly as soon as she met him. She literally abandoned her pride now. "Rx, Jessica! I came here to pick you up. But who did this to you two? What happened?" Hero wanted to fully understand the situation. He was wondering if he had any chance of winning the uing fight. "Nobody but that bitch Daisy. Someday I will bring her down myself." People like Jessica were rare. She immediately forgot all her pain when she saw the little hope of escaping. Though she was still in danger, she got a little carried away. Now, she wanted to take revenge on Daisy along with Hero. "Do you really think you still have a chance to hurt Colonel?" Kevin Gu said grimly, pointing his gun at Hero who was standing next to Jessica. Bad luck, Jessica and Mary met Hero. "But, I have a chance." Hero moved so quickly. He immediately grabbed Jessica in front of him. Jessica was nothing but a pawn for him. It would be a shame if he didn''t use her now. "I thought you are her cousin, right? Why are you so cruel to her?" Kevin couldn''t believe Hero could hold Jessica in front of him to take a bullet for him. Now, Kevin was hesitant. He didn''t know if he should shoot or not. Yes, Je hen he saw Edward with his own eyes. Edward was strong and smart. This man was a real king in spirit. Although he admitted to the excellence of Edward, he didn''t change his mind to take Daisy away. He knew this was his only chance to have Daisy. "Yes, you are right. So are you still confident enough to take my wife away?" Moments back, Edward was in the ambnce with Daisy. But after Tom finished treating Daisy''s wounds, Edward left Daisy to talk to his sweet son. He heard from Justin about Hero. Justin told him Hero was crazy for Daisy. He bristled with anger, so he came here to see the wretch who dared to kidnap his wife. "Do you really think you can stop me?" Heroughed loudly and arrogantly. He didn''t want to be defeated by Edward in vigor. "It doesn''t bother me, really. Because Daisy would never go with you." With both his hands inserted in the pocket, Edward raised his eyebrows while he stared at Hero. To tell the truth, Hero was a wonderful guy. Edward admired him for the fact that Hero risked everything for the woman he loved. This made him feel, that they were a bit alike. "Edward, please help me. I don''t want to die¡­." Jessica begged and stared at Edward pitifully. Even though Edward ignored her, she didn''t give up, hoping that Edward would save her for old times'' sake. In her mind, Edward loved her before. Edward could not be so cruel to the woman he loved. But obviously she was totally wrong. Edward never really loved her. Chapter 625 The Tough Punishment (Part One) "Save you? Why? I can''t wait to see you get shot." Edward gave an evil smile. Since Daisy fainted suddenly, he didn''t get a chance to deal with Jessica and Mary. Now they were Hero''s hostages. There was divine justice after all. "Why are you so cruel to me? I did everything only because I love you!" Jessica wasn''t desperate yet. She was filled with hatred. She hated Daisy for taking everything from her. She hated Edward for ignoring her love. She hated the fact that the baby she was carrying was not Edward''s. "You don''t love me. You just like having me. You enjoy the feeling you get when people see you with me. You love nobody but yourself." Edward looked Hero in the eye. He was not saying this to Jessica alone. He was directing it to both Jessica and Hero. Hero was clever. He understood what Edward was saying. But he pretended to not hear anything. He stood there quietly because he didn''t want to be embarrassed. "Mr. Mu, don''t you think I am a better choice for Colonel Ouyang than you?" Hero was still pointing his gun at Jessica as he talked to Edward. He never let his guard down. "You can''t judge a pair of shoes simply by looking at it. Only the person who wears it knows whether it would suit him or not. Therefore, only the person in a rtionship knows how it feels to be with the other person. I''m not sure if I am the perfect guy for Daisy, but I know one thing, I am the person she wants the most, " Edward retorted casually. He made his point and told Hero how important he was for Daisy. His answer was short yet powerful. The idea was to kill two birds with one stone. "That''s because she hasn''t been with me yet. So she doesn''t know who is the best for her. You''re not her. You don''t ge out it. "If you are talking about the women in your hands, they are nothing to me. You can do whatever you want to them." Edward twisted his mouth contemptuously. Other women''s lives didn''t concern him. "I mean dying together, you and me. Can you still remain calm?" Hero looked at Edward provocatively. He wasn''t as overbearing as Edward. But he didn''t believe that Edward loved Daisy enough to die for her. He was such an outstanding man after all. "Can you do that? I don''t think so. Since you can''t, why should I be rmed?" Edward raised his eyebrows. He treated Hero''s provocation as nothing and wondered why this man was interested in Daisy. Didn''t he know that he and Daisy were on two opposing sides? "Should I give up on her?" Hero wasn''t a sour loser. It was just that he had taken a huge risk toe back for Daisy, but now he couldn''t even see her. He wasn''t ready to give up like that. "You think about it. All I can say is that you came a littlete in Daisy''s life. I don''t hate you much. Despite you being a part of the abduction, you didn''t harm my wife and my son. So I won''t interfere in what you do next. Take care." Chapter 626 The Tough Punishment (Part Two) Edward leftposedly, as if it wasn''t an arms dealer but a business partner who he had been dealing with. Hero''s feelings for Daisy seemed to be sincere. It was only because of Daisy that he hade back despite knowing how dangerous it was. Edward admired his courage and devotion. It seemed that he wasn''t the only one who appreciated Daisy''s virtues. There were many other men who admired his wife. It seemed he had to be alert now. It was a troublesome issue. Kevin twitched his mouth. Edward didn''t seem to be helping. He was only making the situation worse. The tension hadn''t been eased but rather aggravated now. Besides, he had to stand there listening to Edward and Hero talk about the woman he loved too. They could talk about it openly but Kevin felt bitter listening to that. Yet from Edward and Hero''s conversation he figured out what Hero hade back for. "Major General Gu, what''s going on here?" Mr. Yi, the chief of Public Security Bureau, hastened here with some policemen. He had no idea who the abductor was and why Kevin was doing nothing. "What does it look like?" Kevin was angry now. He didn''t dare to yell at Duke or be mad at Edward. Yet he sure could take it out on Mr. Yi. Mr. Yi gave an awkward smile. He actually couldn''t tell what was happening. This was why he asked. But as a lower-level official, he couldn''t tell Kevin that. So he quietly put up with Kevin''s bad mood. "Major General Gu, do you want us to leave safely or die together with you? Either way, I don''t care." Hero smiled bitterly. Edward had ignored his provocation and left indifferently. The contempt in his attitude was like a de stabbing his heart. That man was too powerful. He felt like a clown in front of him. He had lost miserably. Su ro did it for him. In this disaster, Jessica lost her child and she could never be a mother again. This was the toughest punishment for any woman. Hearing the result from the doctor, Kevin sighed. Jessica had brought on this to herself. She shouldn''t have made so many troubles for Daisy in the first ce. Fortunately, Hero was caught atst. But Kevin thought Hero surrendered on purpose. He had been found too easily. Most likely, Hero had turned himself in because of Daisy. Apparently, he was crazy about her. Sadly, just like Kevin, he too had fallen in love with the wrong woman. The sky wasn''t clouded because of someone''s misfortune. It didn''t rain because of someone''s sorrows either. It was a new sunny day. Daisy finally woke up. She had been sleeping for two days. It was either because of the effect of the anaesthetic or because she was just too tired. Edward had been worried to death. Tom had been requested to stay in the Mu''s vi so that he could be around Daisy round the clock. He wasn''t even allowed to go anywhere. Edward finally realized what Daisy must have gone through during the days when he was in aa because of the gunshot. Chapter 627 Youre Still Beautiful In My Eyes (Part One) "Have I been sleeping the whole time? Daisy frowned when she saw the man standing in front of her, with deep-set eyes, sunken cheeks, a furrowed face and un-groomed beard and hair. Hadn''t he always been careful about his dress and appearance? Why had his habits changed so drastically? "Not very long. But it seems like ages to me, " said Edward sadly. He took her hands gently, and put them on his face, feeling her soft skin. He was so ted and relieved that he had forgotten how bad he looked right now. "I''m so sorry. I''m sorry to have worried you." Daisy''s mouth twitched slightly. She wanted to give Edward a broad smile andfort him. But a fit of pain assaulted her, and nearly took her breath away. "What''s wrong? Does it hurt? I''ll bring Tom in." Daisy''s pain made Edward panic. He was about to turn around and rush to Tom. "Don''t bother. I''m fine. It hurts slightly when I try to smile, " exined Daisy in a hurry. Meanwhile, her heart trembled. She was afraid that her face might have been marred by scars. Would Edward care if he had an ugly wife? "Well, the wound on your face hasn''t healed yet. It takes time. So you might feel pain from time to time. But believe me, you''ll be fine." Edward shot a worried nce at Daisy. Although her health was much better through Tom''s heroic efforts, Jessica had injured her face so badly that the wound hadn''t scabbed. Due to immense guilt, Edward didn''t dare to look Daisy in the eyes. However, as far as Daisy was concerned, Edward had deliberately avoided her nces because she now looked ugly, and he didn''t love her any more. "Am I that ugly? Am I disgusting?" Daisy suddenly went pale. She thought she must be disgustingly ugly, otherwise, Edward wouldn''t have averted his eyes. "Don''t be silly. You''re irreceable and beautiful no matter what you look like. I love you, darling. I love you forever. Now, get some rest." Edward bent over and kissed Daisy tenderly on her eyelids. As he said, Daisy was his one true love, and no other women couldpete with her in his heart. "I''m not being silly. I just said what all of you are thinking of right now." Daisy bit her lip slightly and sadly. She knew that human beings had the right to pursue whatever they believed was good and beautiful. So, she wasn''t surprised at Edward''s response. "Do you really think of me that way? Am I a shallow and ungrateful man in your mind, who abandons his wife because of a scar on her face?" Although Edward had been well prepared to be doubted a his wife. Especially after he found the yellowish album in Justin''s bag and reviewed it, he was actually in no mood to deal with other things. "Edward, do me a favor and tell me the truth. As far as you''re concerned, why does everyone hate me?" She sighed and got confused whenever she recalled what Jessica had done to her and her son. She rarely made enemies, nor contracted enmity with others. Howe she was hated by almost everybody? "It''s not your fault. You know, you just fell in love with an outstanding man and made other women jealous. It''s more my fault than yours. And their hatred of you means they''re sad and inadequate." By saying this, Edward sounded extremely proud of himself and overly confident. But honestly speaking, he wasn''t. After all, it was because of him that Daisy got involved and hurt badly. "Don''t make a fool of yourself. You''re just embarrassing yourself." If possible, Daisy would like to get his ass kicked. How could he be so self-centered and narcissistic? However, she had to admit that Jessica hated her and treated her that way thanks to Edward. So, you should never be overly happy when the man you married was far more outstanding and excellent than others. This kind of men would also make trouble for you. "Jasmine, I''m fascinated by you, as always, " said Edward, looking his wife in the eye intently and passionately. His sudden burst of emotion surprised Daisy. "What''re you talking about? Did you just call me Jasmine?" Daisy''s lips trembled. ''Was it just an illusion, or did I hear it wrong?'' she wondered. Nobody had called her by that name ever since her mother died. Edward shouldn''t have known that name. Chapter 628 Youre Still Beautiful In My Eyes (Part Two) "No, I didn''t. I called you my Goddess." Edward tried to smooth things over, and make an excuse for what he blurted out. He hadn''t expected her to know this so soon. He nned to tell herter. As for the exact timing, he wasn''t sure. There was a whole life ahead them, he would finally find a suitable time to tell her, to surprise her. "Did you? I must be tired and getting sentimental." ''I might have heard it wrong. Have I lost my mind to think that Edward knows my childhood name, a name which hasn''t been called for a long long time?'' she thought to herself. "What is it? Does that name mean something to you?" asked Edward expectantly. He wondered whether Daisy still remembered their chance meeting in childhood. If she had no clue about it, how could she fall in love with him at first sight? "Yes, it means a lot. My mother used to call me that. She once told me that I was born in a city filled with the fragrance of jasmine. So she always called me Jasmine. I haven''t heard anybody call me by that name since she passed away. So, I must have heard you wrong. I''m sorry for misunderstanding what you said." Daisy recalled her childhood, when she would cheerfully and happily throw herself in her mother''s arms whenever mother called her by that name. However, that was ages ago, and she could never get that back again. "So, can I call you Jasmine?" asked Edward tenderly. He never expected that, Daisy who was a lovely girl in the past, would grow up to be a cool and aloof beauty twenty yearster. He had thought that the little girl with broad and sweet smiles would live a happy and harmonious life. However, he had been terribly wrong. "Piss off. Never treat me like an innocent kid." Although she liked that name, it was only a memory that nobody should mention it again. Without her mom alive, it meant nothing. "Mom, you''re back finally." Justin walked in cheerfully. The bruises on his face had disappeared thanks to Tom''s efforts. As expected, Tom followed him and also walked inside. "Yeah, my dear boy. Are you alright? Does it still hurt?" asked Daisy anxiously, observing Justin up and down. She would never forgive herself for getting Justin involved, frightened and hurt. "Don''t worry, Daisy. I have got him covered. He''ll be fine, " said Tom. "Thank God, you finally woke up. uld stay here checking up on Daisy''s health or he should just leave. "I think so too. Let''s get out of here so that my parents can hug and kiss, " said Justin, winking. Justin''s words brought a warm flush to Daisy''s face. His mouth twitched slightly, and he giggled. "You two are too much. Now get out of here, " said Edward in a fury. He had expected Justin and Tom to leave as soon as Tom finished the physical examination. However, he had been disappointed and increasingly annoyed. He glowered at them, hoping that he and his wife could be left alone as soon as possible. "Haha! Dad, we''re just admiring you two." Justin cheerfully threw himself into his dad''s arms, and winked at Tom, "What about you? Uncle Tom, " asked Justin. "Justin''s right. We''re just jealous of you, a sweet couple. Your public disy of affection and love surely makes us feel jealous." Rain had always been the funny one. But Tom had somehow learned how to make fun of other people. "Uncle Tom, don''t do that. I''m not one of you guys. I''m just a kid, and have no clue about how love works. And don''t tell me, either!" Justin prevented Tom from saying anything more. He hadn''t forgotten why hisptop was locked up by his mother. So, he wouldn''t discuss love with three adults. "Damn, little man. You set a trap and I walked straight into it." Tom knew Justin was smart, and had outwitted himself. He hoped that Edward wouldn''t lose his temper for this. He didn''t want to lose his opportunity of gaining some funds from Edward to finish his experiments. Chapter 629 Just Go With The Flow (Part One) "Come on, Uncle Tom. I didn''t set a trap for you. You set the trap, and I just pushed you into it." Draping his arms around Edward''s neck, Justin smiled slyly and made a face at Tom. "Justin! You are such a naughty brat!" Tomined. He furrowed his brow when checking Daisy''s face. The wound was so deep that he had to try his best to treat her. "How is she? How bad is it?" Edward let his eyes settle upon Tom''s face, so that he wouldn''t miss a single expression. "Not bad at all. It''s just very time consuming." Tom straightened himself. Other doctors might carry out cosmetic surgery to eliminate the scars, but Tom was the exception. He had conducted experiments for so many years and had developed effective scar elimination products. "Great! Time is not a problem." Actually Edward didn''t care about the scars on Daisy''s face and he would love her in any case. The reason that he was so nervous was that she cared about all that. "What are you talking about?" Daisy looked back and forth between Edward and Tom, wondering what they were talking about. "We''re talking about your wounds. What do you think we''re talking about?" Edward lied because he didn''t want Daisy to worry about her face. He didn''t want her to know how serious the wound on her face was. She didn''t need to know that right now. "Daisy, please rest assured. I''m a capable doctor. I can cure any wounds without leaving a scar. I promise you will be the prettydy that you were before." Tomforted Daisy. He was very confident in curing her as he had the strength. He knew what he was doing. "Don''t stress out. I won''t me you if I get scars, " Daisy stated indifferently. She was about to give Tom a smile, but when she recalled the sharp pain thest time she tried that, she didn''t. "Come on! If I couldn''t cure the wound on your face, I would deserve to be called the Genius Doctor." Tom swore he would cure Daisy no matter how hard it was. But if any other woman had the same problem, he would not go to so much trouble. It was only Daisy that he cared about. "I like that, bro! You may leave now. Remember,e and change the dressing on the wounds ways believed that she could manipte anyone. But now she realized that she was nothing. "What are you going to do in the future?" Coco asked as she sat down. After seeing Jessica''s tragedy, she had totally given up on Edward. "Just go with the flow. Don''t tell my parents what happened. I don''t think they can withstand the blow." Was it toote for her to think of her parents now? At least she knew she had been wrong in the past. If she still went up against Daisy, she would be totally screwed. "They will figure it out sooner orter. Jessica, what about you? Is it a blow to you?" Coco frowned after asking the question as it was a stupid one. A woman had been left hideously disfigured and would be unable to be a mother. If it wasn''t a blow to her, then she must be a machine with no feelings. "It was more than a blow to me." Jessica lifted her hand to touch her abdomen. There was once a baby there, but it was destroyed by her ignorance and envy. The baby was both unfortunate and fortunate; unfortunately, it had no chance toe to this world, but fortunately, it would not have to have such an irresponsible mother. "Jessica, don''t be so sad. You can have stic surgery. You''ll be the same beautifuldy for sure. As for the baby, you can adopt one. It''s not a big deal." Coco tried tofort Jessica. But she couldn''t help but sigh when saying this. After all, Jessica was unable to have her own child. Chapter 630 Just Go With The Flow (Part Two) "Never mind. I don''t care. Just go and leave me alone." Really? She didn''t care? Jessica was not sure. She closed her eyes and was not in the mood to chat with Coco anymore. She didn''t know whether she would be able to stay calm if she saw Edward again. She wasn''t sure whether she would move on. But she was sure that no matter how hard she tried, Edward would never fall in love with her. Coco tried to say something, but she bit back the words. Sometimes when people did something wrong, their lives would be totally ruined. Luckily, Coco pulled herself back from the abyss before it was toote. Otherwise, she might have ended up like Jessica. She had such a panic attack after seeing Jessica''s situation and she felt lucky that she was not that stupid. Sometimes, giving up on someone wasn''t a bad thing. She was lucky that she hadn''t provoked Edward. Compared to Jessica, Mary was a lot luckier. After all, her hair would soon grow back. As for being raped, she didn''t care about that at all. She had always been a loose woman. So she was not sad about that. She was more concerned with the fact that she was kicked out of the house. From now on, she was not the person from a rich and powerful family. Instead, she was merely an ordinary woman at the bottom of the society, living among the dregs. "Mary, how could you be so stupid? Your father has often wanted to kick us out. Why did you do that? You know he cares about Daisy the most. Why did you provoke her? You were asking for this!" Yakira had long lost her husband''s love. What Mary had done put her into a more difficult position. Paul''s appearance added to her misfortunes. She was in a sorry state, weighed down by numerous troublesome problems. "Stop yelling at me. I am the only one who was booted out. You still live with the family." Mary''s heart broke when thinking of Leo''s attitude after he knew the whole story. She had never expected her father to turn against her. She was also a victim, but her father ignored that and threw her out of both Ouyang Foreign Trade and the family. Mary smiled bitterly, and thought to herself, ''After all, I''m not his o Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. st admit it, Edward is an amazing puppet-master. Come on, never mind that. Just give me money." He had investigated Edward during the past few days, and then knew that Edward''s wife Daisy was Grace''s daughter. He finally understood why Edward confronted him. "What should we do? We can''t just sit and wait for the cops." Yakira panicked. After all, she was a woman. No matter how borate her schemes were, she freaked out when policemen were involved. Edward was a powerful man and wouldn''t spare them. "Come on, you''ve been to jail once. But you got released, right? We did that more than twenty years ago and we have eliminated all evidence. Rest assured, no one will find out. There is no Sherlock Holmes in this world." Paul snorted. He was amused by Yakira''s reaction as he couldn''t believe that Edward would find any evidence against them. Though he had left this country for more than twenty years, he still had channels he could go through for information. He had investigated many things over the past few days. "Don''t think so little of modern forensic techniques or Edward. If he wants to do something, he would have it done for sure. Just look at what you are suffering now. He can even freeze your foreign bank ounts. He is a powerful man. We can never underestimate him." Yakira was not trying to rain on Paul''s parade. She was deeply aware of the importance of money and power in today''s society. Chapter 631 Seeing Is Believing (Part One) "So why did you bother him in the first ce? I just can''t believe that he was just acting on impulse or that he hadn''t been informed of what we might have done before." Paul was gripped by a fit of anger. He could have lived afortable and carefree life abroad. Now he was forced toe back to China to face a boatload of troubles. "I''m not a fool. It wasn''t me. I was in no mood to provoke him face to face. It was just that Mary wanted to be his wife and made a real mess." How could their family have broken up if Mary hadn''t clung to her silly and hopeless infatuation for Edward? She even ignored all the other guys who wanted her. So, extravagant and fruitless hope was a real bitch in life. "What''s wrong with her, always making so much trouble? Twenty years ago she prevented you from marrying Leo. Now, she''s the main problem. Everything crushing us now is her fault." Paul hadn''t seen Mary since her childhood and he had lots of memories of her as a mischievous kid. Mary never made a good impression on him. Apparently he was a good judge of character. "Forget about it. What''s done is done. There''s nothing to be done about it. Our next move should be the main concern. If you hadn''t been such a fool as to blurt out everything while you were being recorded, we wouldn''t be in such dire straits. We should be ying offense, not defense, " Yakira sighed. Without evidence, they couldn''t be used or charged even if their enemies had known the facts. Paul had told them everything in detail, which was bad, because cops were more likely to investigate further, and the results might lead to them. When that happened, they would be doomed and there would be no way out. "Nonsense. What would you do if you were hung over a pond with ferocious crocodiles swimming in it? Could you stay calm? Come on, I like living." He had always been smart and bold. Nothing could scare him, except dozens of those beasts opening their wide mouths and waiting for him to fall. The prospect of him being torn apart and his body parts being chewed and swallowed by those nasty animals sent chill to his balls. Otherwise, he would never have given in and told them everything. "What? Crocodiles?" Hearing his words, Yakira couldn''t help taking a deep breath. The images in her mind''s eye made her hair stand on end. "Yeah. Now we understand each other, right?" Paul sneered. He had thought his cousin was afraid of nothi Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ew it to him. She felt disgusted by her cousin''s greed. "Please, don''t lie to my face. I''m not a kid. Did you just say that the wife of Ouyang Foreign Trade''s president is out of money? I don''t buy it. By the way, how much do you have on this card? I hope that you''re not as mean as Brian, " said Paul, smiling and wielding the card aggressively. He blurted out his recent meeting with Brian before he knew it. "What? Did you talk to Brian and ask for money?" asked Yakira in a fury. She grabbed him by the cor and looked at him, her eyes zing with anger. "Don''t make a scene. A half mil means nothing to your family or Brian. You can spare the cash for me. Am I right? Cousin?" Paul giggled. Paul removed her hand from his cor, and arranged it calmly, which further angered Yakira. She clenched her teeth, and tried hard to refrain herself from hitting him in the face. "All right. You can have the money. But what did you tell him?" said Yakira hysterically. She glowered at him and finally knew why Brian became meaner to her after she was discharged from the police station. Paul was a bastard who dared to make troubles for her. "I told him nothing but the very truth. By the way, he doesn''t look like your son, haha. He''s so nice and kind." Paul was bold enough to get Yakira so riled up and shoot contemptuous nces at her. As far as he was concerned, Yakira was as evil as himself, being no better. "Fuck off, " said Yakira indignantly, pointing to the car door and asking him to get out of the car. A woman, no natter how evil she had be, would never show her dark sides to her kids. Chapter 632 Seeing Is Believing (Part Two) "Don''t be mad. I''m leaving. But before I go, give me the password." Paul shrugged his shoulders, hoping against hope that his cousin wouldn''t be too angry to take the bank card back. "Just go. Get out. Never let me see you again." Yakira found that her maternal dignity had been ruined and was gonepletely. How could she stand in front of Brian and call him son? "You''re crazy." Paul got out of her car in a hurry to avoid further provoking her. This woman could be more terrifying than a viin if she went insane. So, he decided to disappear before it was toote. Yakira didn''t care what Paul thought. She started the engine and pulled away before Paul could stand up outside the car and say goodbye. She disappeared down the street, while Paul cursed and screamed. The city was enveloped in a curtain of darkness and some stars were twinkling in the sky. Brian pulled over beside the Mu Family''s vi. After some hesitation, he got off the car. He leaned against the car door, and stared at the grand house standing before him. Honestly speaking, he was ashamed of knocking at the door and getting inside. However, he was engulfed by worry and remorse. So he drove his car here before he knew it. He blinked and his loneliness was reced quickly by his usual optimism. He took a deep breath, smiled with self-mockery, opened his car door and was about to leave, ready to head back home. "What''s wrong? Come on in, " said Edward, smiling wryly, hands in his pockets and leaning against the wallzily. He looked at Brian, intrigued. "Is Daisy all right?" Brian stopped and asked timidly. Although he had been informed what happened to Daisy, he was also discouraged froming over and visiting her, especially after his father was refused by the Mu family. He wasn''t sure whether he would be kicked out of this vi or not. Anxious and worried as he was, he was too ashamed to knock at the door, after all Daisy''s suffering and ident were deeply involved with himself. "Seeing is believing. Come on, you cane inside. Don''t be shy, " said Edward. His mouth twisted darkly. He turned round and walked to the vi without looking back at Brian. He knew Brian would surely follow him ande inside. Brian hesitated, debating whether it was a good idea to visit Daisy or not. Atst, his worry and love towards Daisy won over his shame and timidity. He got in the car, stared because it came from the same blood flowing in their veins. "Sis, I felt ashamed when you thanked me, " said Brian, embarrassed and sad. He knew that he was in no position to be thanked by Daisy. Although he didn''t hurt Daisy personally, the perpetrator was closely rted to him by blood. He didn''t deserve forgiveness. "Brian, I know you better than you think, and I''m a reasonable woman. So don''t me yourself for what you didn''t do. It''s not your fault. You''re my only brother no matter what happens." Daisy stretched her hand and fondled Brian''s hair. If there was anything in Ouyang Family worth her memories, it was Brian. Nothing else mattered to her anymore. "Daisy, don''t you hate me for all your suffering and pain?" said Brian bitterly. Then, he raised his head and saw theforting nce from Daisy. When he noticed the bandage tied around Daisy''s head, his heart trembled with remorse and shame again. "Have you done anything to me that you should apologize for? Or, have you done anything that hurt me?" asked Daisy, observing Brian''s face carefully. "No, I haven''t. I would never do that to my sister, " Brian blurted out before he was interrupted again. "Then, you shouldn''t feel ashamed. I don''t like this kind of weird rtionship between brother and sister. We should be closer. You''re too hesitant, and it''s gonna make us feel embarrassed and drive us further apart." Daisy knew Brian''s worries and his unusual sensitivity. However, she never refused her brother nor med him for anything. On the contrary, she almost felt sorry for what had happened to him. Chapter 633 She Is My Sister (Part One) "Okay, I won''t hold back anymore. So be prepared to see all my shorings. You might not like what you find. I''ll annoy you till you are sick of me." Brian buried his head in her neck to hide his reddened eyes because he was incredibly touched. "That''s not going to happen. Because all this time, you never upset me. So how could you even annoy me?" Patting his back, Daisy''s eyes were also a bit red. To be honest, she was willing to lose everyone in her original family except Brian. He was the only one that she didn''t want to lose, because he was the only one who shared blood with her that she still cared for. "Kid, you know you''re making me a little jealous?" Edward''s eyes were smiling, but his tone suggested otherwise. "That''s what I want. What, are you really that jealous? Come and bite me." Brian didn''t move away from Daisy, and he even pressed his face to hers, looking at Edward yfully. "Huh! You must be in need of some tender loving care, given what''s going on in your household. I''ll lend my honey to you to hold for a while." Edward was wearing casual clothes. The neck of his shirt was a little low, showing his tight, fair muscles, making him look a bit wild and enticing. "Lend? She''s my sister. Watch your mouth, jerk! I won''t warn you again." Brian was still clinging to Daisy without a care, again fighting with Edward. It seemed that this was their way of getting along. Because Daisy was caught between them, they would never get along well with each other. They were like Duke and Kevin, only Duke was obsessed with his younger sister while Brian was obsessed with his older sister. "Don''t forget that your sister is now my wife, the one who''s going to be by my side for life. But you, you''ll eventually belong to another woman in the future. So you tell me, who will win in the end?" Edward didn''t take the bait at all. His face was still rxed, while his eyes glittered with spirit. With just a few words, he brutally crushed Brian''s pride. "So what? I''m her only brother. While husband... husband can be swapped out at any time. Lots of women treat their husbands like potato chips -- they can''t have just one." Brian only felt dejected for a second. Then he quickly struck back. He didn''t know the reason, but he always felt happy when seeing Edward at a loss for words. "Brian, are you trying to terrible monster? Why in hell was there a photo of Daisy in her own house? Why did her own son keep her photo in his room like she was some kind of saint? She couldn''t ept this no matter what. "What are you doing? Also, who told you that you could be in my room?" Brian nced coldly at Yakira, eyes full of fury and nothing else. His eyes fell on the photo frame that she had smashed in her anger, giving off a frozen aura. "Brian, you... you''re back." Yakira raised one hand to fix her hair, which had gotten messy because of her rage. She looked at her son in surprise. She didn''t think that he''d be back this soon. Not only was she freaking out, she also held a slight grudge against him. "I said, what the hell are you doing?" Brian asked, frowning. His voice was stern and cold. Yakira had never seen such a cold side of him, so she couldn''t help but shiver. "I..." Yakira moved her feet btedly, too awkward to answer his question. It wasn''t a very good feeling to be caught red-handed. "To be honest, your behavior is disgusting. It''s just a photo, why get angry over that? You''ve gone off the deep end." Brian walked closer step by step, then bent down to pick up the photo, but got cut by the broken ss. However, he didn''t say anything, just silently drew a few tissues from the napkin dispenser to wipe the dirt off the photo. He frowned, not caring what Yakira thought at all. "You said yourself that it was just a photo, then why do you care so much? So your mother isn''t as important as a photo? You''re the one with mental issues." Chapter 634 She Is My Sister (Part Two) Yakira red at the photo in his hand, eyes full of hate. Until this moment, she finally knew clearly that not only had she lost to Grace in the eyes of Leo, she had also lost to the daughter of that woman in his son''s eyes. This was a fact that she didn''t want to ept no matter what. "If you want to embarrass yourself so much, I can''t stop you. To me, this photo is way more important than you." Brian snorted. He wasn''t throwing off the responsibility of being her son. It was because what his mother had done totally disappointed him. For the life of him, he really couldn''t care less about the mommy card when facing her. "Why? Brian, I''m your mother!" If there was anything that could take the wind out of Yakira''s sails, it would be her shattered rtionship with Brian. "Do I have to remind you of what you''ve done? You know, damn you! Howe you think you still have the right to call yourself a mother?" Brian raised his voice a little, probably because he was quite agitated. He then gently closed his eyes for a moment. His heart was bleeding, slowly but steadily. He really wanted to be a good son if possible, and he also wanted a close rtionship with his mother like everyone else. But cruel reality forced him to bow his proud head. "You know, you know everything. That''s why you hate me so much, right? You don''t think that I deserve to be a mother, right? But if I hadn''t done what I did, do you think you would still be here now disrespecting me? No! You wouldn''t even be born!" Yakira stumbled, face pale, staring at Brian, a trace of sadness starting to show on her face. "I really wish I hadn''t been born. Honestly. Every time I remember that I was born at the cost of the blood of others, my heart get cold. Do you really care about my feelings, for once?" He then carefully put the photo in the drawer. His eyes were sad, but what he felt more was guilt. "If I tell you that it is just an ident, would you still hate me so much?" Yakira''s lips trembled, and she fell onto the edge of the bed, looking up at Brian, hoping he would give her his hand. "ident? How convenient! Didn''t you sabotage the car?" Brian was so indifferent. He nced coldly at her, then finally looked at the window. Yakira killed Daisy''s mother Fortunately, there was a very rich sponsor backing him, or he couldn''t afford all these. "You are an outsider after all. Don''t try to pretend that you''re close to us." Edward''s mouth was definitely the reason why it was always so easy for him to offend people. Every word he said just made people gnash their teeth in hatred. But they couldn''t do anything about it because of his status. Tom had that same feeling of helplessness right now. "If we''re not close, then next time something happens, you won''t need my help. We''re not that close anyway." Tom red at him, feeling annoyed with his smugness. He''d love to wipe that smile off his face. "Don''t worry! You always ask more from me than I do from you." Though Edward said these words, deep in his heart, he was really thankful for all the things Tom had done for Daisy. But there was no need to say ''thank you'' between those two; they just engaged in yful banter as usual. "Come on boss! Would it kill you to let me have thest word sometimes?" Tom couldn''t understand why he was always the odd man out. It really came down to money. All of his experiments needed Edward''s support after all. If Edward pulled the plug, then where would he turn for funding? So Tom could do nothing but back down from him every time. "Yes, it would. Because the word ''lose'' doesn''t show up in my dictionary." Edward''s eyes gleamed, he slyly looked deep into Tom''s eyes for a second. But he returned to his calm, cold self, like he had never been any other way.. Chapter 635 We Are Family (Part One) "Well, I shouldn''t have expected anything from you. Daisy, I''d better get back to the hospital now. I need to prepare for the operation this afternoon, " said Tom. Since he was used to Edward''s oppressive behavior towards him, he wasn''t affected by his sharp tongue at all. He just promptly picked up the medicine box. "Are you leaving now? It''s almost time for lunch. Why don''t you have lunch here before you go back to the hospital?" Daisy asked. After ensuring that Daisy''s wound was healing nicely, Tom was eager to leave. While Edward took his help for granted, Daisy was a little embarrassed. After all, they had troubled Tom for a long time without even thanking him. They couldn''t let him leave without showing their gratitude. "No, I''ll have lunch after I return to the hospital. I''m afraid that if I eat in front of him, I would lose my appetite. If I don''t have enough energy, it will affect the operation in the afternoon. That will be horrible for the patient, " Tom answered. Tom shot a meaningful look at Edward. Obviously, he was referring to him. Actually, he really needed to get back to the hospital now. It wasn''t rted to Edward at all. He was only saying that to get Daisy''s sympathy. "Good! Tom, I haven''t abandoned you, but you''re abandoning me first. It seems that you''ve gained a lot of courage these days." Edward said the words one by one through gritting teeth, narrowing his eyes quietly at Tom. Although Edward currently looked calm, people who were familiar with him knew that the expression on his face meant that he was in a bad mood. If they didn''t quickly escape, the consequences would be dire for them. At the sight, Tom hurriedly walked out of the room without waiting for Edward to finish talki ully recovered yet." Edward looked at her anxiously and began to regret not agreeing to her request. If he had, would she not be in such a hurry to go back to work? "It''s fine. I just need to deal with some paperwork. There aren''t any special tasks toe out recently, so you don''t need to be worried, " Daisy reassured him. Speaking of work, Daisy felt a little guilty towards Leena. During this time, there was a special training ongoing abroad. It was her turn to go to the training. But because of her injury, Kevin had to take her ce instead. Because of this, he didn''t have time to spend with Leena. "It''s good that you know I''m worried. No matter what, I hope you will value your own life above all else. I''m most insistent on this point. I hope that for me, you will take good care of yourself, " Edward said seriously. His eyes dimmed a little. How would he be naive enough to believe that she would only handle regr documents once she went back to the military base? There should be all kinds of training waiting for her! But it was her job, and he couldn''t interfere too much. He could only plead with her to take good care of herself. Chapter 636 We Are Family (Part Two) "Oh, are you reluctant to part with me?" Daisy asked. She settled herselfpletely against his arms. Her slender fingers kept ying with the buttons on his shirt. Under the circumstances, she was a bit like a spoiled little woman who enjoyed thefort of her husband''s affections. "Of course not. Once you leave my side, I can invite beautiful women for a meal." Edward deliberately teased her. But his eyes were full of love when he looked at Daisy. The meaning behind his gaze waspletely different from his words. "Then we''ll be even. In the military base, there is no shortage of handsome men." Listening to Edward''s words gave Daisy joy. The man was really surprising. She used to think that he was a stiff and boring man, but the appropriate banter between husband and wife was enjoyable. "Honey, are you mad at me?" Edward''s eyes narrowed dangerously. He stared fiercely at the cozy little woman in his arms. When did she be so mischievous? She even learned to tease him! "No, I''m only describing the facts, " answered Daisy. Now, she was even daring to say no to him! Her attitude clearly showed that she was actually mad at him. Hearing Daisy''s reply drove him crazier. "It seems you''re honest enough despite the cost of upsetting me, " Edward growled. His tone was a bit aggressive. As he spoke, his handsome face slowly loomed over Daisy. "Hey, what are you doing?" Daisy gulped, finally feeling a trace of uneasiness. The wicked look on Edward''s face made him seem dangerous. "Are you afraid of me now? Toote." His thin lips covered her mouth without warning. A hint of anger was evidently showed in his punishing ki o find an excuse to leave because he didn''t know how to get along with Cynthia. After all, Rome wasn''t built in a day. They needed more time before they could reach the same intimacy that other mothers and sons had. Because she was in the same situation, she could really understand his actions. If she was faced with her father, she would do the same thing. "Oh! He went to the Mayfly. He said that he has a surprise for youter." Cynthia knew about Jonathan''s surprise. But she didn''t want to tell Daisy and ruin it. It would be appropriate to let Jonathan tell her himself. "Oh, I wonder what it is..." Daisy trailed off and immediately dropped the question. If Cynthia told her now, it wouldn''t be a surprise anymore. As for the Mayfly, Daisy just found out about its existence a few days ago. It was also then that she understood why Edward had to be sent abroad when he was a little child. After all, Jonathan and Cynthia just wanted to protect him. In the beginning, it was all right. Edward was just a little boy at that time. But it was a bit cruel to make him stay abroad on his own. Chapter 637 We Are Family (Part Three) The Mayfly was neither a righteous nor an evil organization, so it was difficult to evaluate its existence at this time. But as long as it did not threaten the interests and peace of the country, it yed a certain role in society. For now, Daisy decided to wait and see before making further judgments about the Mayfly. After all, it was not surprising that such an organization existed. It was just a matter of how people perceived it. "Don''t worry. We''ll know the answer soon enough, " Cynthia replied, patting Daisy on the shoulder. She always thought that her daughter-inw was too thin. Especially after the injury, Daisy looked thinner now. The first time she saw her, she was in high and vigorous spirits. But now, she was quite different. It seemed that she was in need of Mrs. Wu''s nutritious cooking. "Well, I''m in no hurry." Daisy smiled lightly, maintaining a calm demeanor. Although she was a little curious about the surprise, she didn''t insist on finding out more about it now. She was convinced that since it was a surprise, it would definitely be a good thing. There was no need to think about it so much. But she did not expect that Jonathan would give her a wonderful present when she nearly gave up bringing Yakira to justice for her crimes. Jonathan had the inspection records of her mother''s car ident, with photographic evidence attaching to the documents. Moreover, the photos ced Paul Du at the scene. With so much evidence against her, Yakira was sent to prison again. And this time, she could never be released in her lifetime. Although Daisy felt sorry for Brian, she needed to avenge her poor mother. " ay, she neglected her mother''s expectations and did not live as her mother had wished. Fortunately, she lowered her pride and gave Edward a chance. They could live happily today. Now, she cherished this hard-earned happiness very much. Not only for her own sake, but also for her mother''s ardent wishes, she wouldn''t allow herself to live in a horrible life. She needed to live happily as her mother wished for her. This would be the best gift she could give her mother. As for Leo, she did not want to forgive him. Even though he was already alone, the hatred she felt for him was a kind of deeply rooted resentment that she couldn''t let go. Maybe one day, she would be able to forgive him and not hold onto his mistakes anymore. But that was nearly impossible. However, she was not a cold-blooded animal, so she would never hinder anyone around her from contacting him. This was the only thing that she would do for him. If he wanted to repair their rtionship, it would be very difficult. After all, they didn''t have a mediator that would provide the opportunity to help her forgive him. Chapter 638 A Visit to the Cemetery (Part One) Daisy visited the cemetery once again. The different thing about it this time was that besides Justin, Edward also came with her. Daisy''s heartbeat pounded in her ears. Today, she would introduce her husband to her mother. Because of her mother''s wishes, she ended up marrying her beloved Edward. She thanked her mother for bringing her into this world and arranging a happy marriage for her. "Mom, I bring a very important man with me today. Are you excited? You chose him for me." Daisy gently stroked her mother''s portrait with deep affection. There was a touch of mncholy in her eyes, but she disyed a happy smile on her face. Edward was the best present that she wanted to show to her mother. "Thank you for your deep love for me. Thank you for carefully arranging my life before you passed away. Thank you for your constant attention to every aspect of my life. Thank you for everything you did for me. I know that you don''t want my gratitude, but I still want to express my gratefulness for all the things you''ve done for me. All because I''m your daughter, the little girl you cared most about, " Daisy murmured in a choked voice. To prevent the tears from running down her cheeks, she bit her lower lip. She didn''t want her mother to see her cry. She just wanted her to see her most beautiful smile. She owed her mother so much. Even after she was gone, she was still taking care of her. Edward pressed his lips tightly together. He gently ced the bouquet in his hand in front of the tombstone. With a sad look, he slowly knelt down in front of the grave. Daisy''s eyes widened in shock at the sight. "Mom, thank you for bringing Daisy into my life. I know she suffered miserably before we got married. I promise you right now that she''ll always be your little princess Jasmine. I vow to love her dearly until myst breath. After all, fate brought us together when we were little." The expression in Edward''s eyes was sincere. Despite his trembling voice, he was resolute in his determination. He had expected that mentioning the name ''Jasmine'' would definitely catch Daisy''s attention, but he didn''t intend to continue concealing it. He wanted to show Daisy that she wasn''t alon hing his lips, not until Daisy appeared. "Nonsense! Do think that you can nder me just because I can''t remember what you''re talking about. I am never a flirt! More importantly, I like handsome men. Were you handsome when you were a child?" Daisy instantly blushed. She didn''t believe that she would kiss an older boy when she was a young girl. "You just said that you can''t remember it. Then how can you say that you didn''t do it? It''s clearly obvious that I was a cute and handsome child. That''s why I''m so stunning now." As Edward fixed his eyes on Grace''s warm smile, he decided from the bottom of his heart that he would love Daisy ardently for the rest of his life no matter what happened. "Dad, you''re a liar! Mom is shy. She wouldn''t take the initiative to get close to a boy." Justin had been quietly listening to his parents and finally expressed his opinion. In his heart, he had to protect his mom. It was natural for him to take her side. "Your mom only became shy after all the suffering she endured. She was bold back when she was a little girl. Son, don''t talk about things you don''t know about." Edward waved his hand in an attempt to shut his son up. "I agree with Justin on this. I don''t admit that I have a congenitally bad gene. If you want to discredit me, you''d better find a better excuse." To be honest, Daisy wasn''t sure if she really did that in the past. But because she didn''t want Edward to tease her afterwards, she denied it. Chapter 639 A Visit to the Cemetery (Part Two) "I don''t care if you believe it or not. I''m the one who benefits the most from the knowledge anyway. There is no need to argue with you over this." Edward gave a soft smile and tucked Daisy''s windblown hair behind her ear. Although he had done this countless times before, the action always moved Daisy every time. "Can you tell me what makes you so sure that the little girl was me?" Daisy couldn''t help bing curious about it. Edward never mentioned the matter before. Even when they went to K City a while back, he didn''t hint anything about this. "I found a photo album in Justin''s backpack. It was filled with photos of your childhood. The little girl in the photos is just as beautiful as the image I have kept in my memory for many years." Edward didn''t hide the emotions he had kept hidden in his heart for so long. The girl from his memory turned out to be Daisy. The fact excited him to no end. "You can''te to the conclusion that I''m that girl just from a few old photos." Daisy confirmed Edward''s words step by step. She knew very well that the higher she raised her hopes, the more disappointed she would be. She didn''t dare to get too excited before she was absolutely certain. "And the pet name Jasmine. That should be enough to dispel your doubts." Edward frowned. Daisy was very confident in everything else. But why was she always so suspicious when it came to him? In his opinion, this wasn''t a good thing. "So you really did say ''Jasmine'' that day. I thought I had misheard you." Daisy stopped questioning Edward''s certainty. Her pursuit in the past hadn''t been in vain. It turned out that Edward fell in love with her a long time ago as well. "Yeah. I knew that you weren''t smart enough, but I didn''t expect that I could fool you so easily. You''re as innocent and pure as a child in front of me. I like it." Edward ignored Justin''s presence and gathered Daisy emotionally into his arms. Justin disyed arge smile on his face without making a sound. He basked in the happy moment that his parents shared in front of him. The presentation of the new weapons would proceed as scheduled. Since Kevin was training overseas, Daisy w e past few days. To save time, she just slept in the residential building at the base. She had originally nned to go home tonight tofort her husband who seemed aggrievedtely, but Edward unexpectedly called her himself. "So you do know it." Edward didn''t call to me Daisy. He just wanted to tell her that he had to go abroad for a business trip for a couple of days. "Yes. I''m your wife. I know it clearly." After staying with Edward for long, Daisy found that she had be quite cheeky. She didn''t know if it was a good thing. "Good to hear that. Do you know how many days you have been away from home?" Edward felt wronged. He knew that being in the military was difficult, but he didn''t expect how tough it was to be a colonel''s husband. "It has been four days by now. But you dropped by once. Can you cross one out from my charges?" Daisy started to miss Justin. She was so busy that she didn''t have time to think about things outside work. "I have no objections if you don''t feel ashamed." Edward grinned. Daisy knew Edward well enough to bargain with him. She knew that he wouldn''t get angry from her teasing. "Why would I feel ashamed? I am with the most shameless man in the world and he is such a good teacher. I have much to learn from him." Daisy enjoyed teasing Edwardtely. It was fun to tease him when she knew he wouldn''t get angry and had no chance to retaliate against her. He had taught her well. Chapter 640 Thank You For Coming (Part One) "Honey, people don''t praise someone like that." Edward felt speechless. It seemed that Daisy practiced all the things she had learnt in the past on him. "Is there anything wrong?" asked Daisy. Daisy was not asfortable as Edward was. Let''s look at Edward. He was leaning on the chairfortably, making a phone call with Daisy. How about Daisy? Daisy had to focus on the documents that Hank just gave to her. Simultaneously, she also had to spare part of her attention to talk to Edward. "Forget it, I should not be so serious with you. It is me who alwayspromises atst. By the way, I have to go abroad for some urgent businesster, " Edward replied. He lifted his hand to look at the time on his watch, to know how much time he still had to talk to Daisy before he left for his business trip. The decision of going abroad was made just now. This decision was made in a rush because those urgent cases could only be solved by Edward. So, he had no other choice but to go there himself and take care of the matters. "What? What about the performance of the new weapons? You''re not going to be around for the performance, right?" On hearing this, Daisy finally stopped her reading, with her eyebrows knitting together in a little frown. "Don''t worry! I wille back on time to participate in the performance. But inparison to the performance, I think, you should care more about me, shouldn''t you?" Edward said. Just then he stood up, as Anna came in again, pointing at the watch to remind him that it was time to go. "Then, will you make me worry? " Daisy did not answer Edward''s question, but rather asked him a new question. It was impossible for her to say that she wouldn''t be worried about Edward. However, Daisy really did not want to let her fears be another pressure for him. Therefore, instead right or not. I could only reassure myself by seeing you with my own eyes. Anyway, it seems that you are much better than I expected you to be." This had always been Hero''s aspiration truly from the bottom of his heart. His desire became more intense when he saw Jessica was badly disfigured. He could not help but feel worried and even scared for Daisy. He did not know whether Daisy also got injured just as badly as Jessica who had her face full of scars. He felt so sad every time he thought about that scene and was eager to see Daisy face to face to ensure that she was safe. That''s why Hero insisted on seeing Daisy. "So, now you have seen me. Anything else that you want to tell me? Anything about why you''ve taken all the me on yourself? " Daisy asked. She was not a sensitive person. Her insensitivity was mainly because of the environment she grew up in and the military training that she received all these years. However, Daisy could still feel whether others were sincere to her or not. Such was the case with Hero. Daisy knew that Hero''s care for her was real and so she also had some sympathy for him. Hence, she wanted to know the real reason why Hero did that. She wished to help him, if possible. Chapter 641 Thank You For Coming (Part Two) "For many years, I have chased fame, money, reputation and other mary gains. I got a lot and even lost a lot in the past. And then, I realized that what I really want the most is you, Daisy. But I could never have you. So, I could not figure out if there was anything else that was worthwhile for me to go after?" Hero sighed. He fixed his eyes on Daisy, with deep love and wordless resignation. In his eyes, Daisy''s beautiful face looked even more charming than what he had retained in his memory. Hero cherished the moment he had with Daisy and could not take away his eyes even for a second. "Have you ever thought in your mind that maybe I''m just one object that you wish to conquer? Perhaps there are no other emotions involved in this. In other words, you might think that you love me, but maybe that ain''t your real feeling." Daisy tried to help Hero understand his real feeling. Inparison to the previous fierce sense of resistance that she got when she was held as a hostage, Daisy now became much calmer. She was now able to analyze Hero''s behavior in a much rational way. "I also thought about it once. Maybe I want you so badly because I could not conquer you. However,st time, when I found out that you were seriously injured, I suddenly realized that I actually underestimated your influence on me. My feeling is not rted to any kind of conquer, but to love." Hero moaned, like a wounded wolf roaring in a low voice. And his sadness also expressed his failure in getting Daisy''s love. "Thank you for your love, but I can only say sorry to you. Because I love my t soup and various other nutritious food items again! Daisy had eaten a lot of that foodst time when she was injured. One more time now? Oh, no. Besides, she was only a few pounds less in weight. It was not so horrible as what Cynthia said just now. "Yes, Mom. You indeed need some more nutrition. You know, chubbiness is a strong quality for a woman. And all men love it. So, now you understand how Grandma wishes to help you keep dad''s heart! " Little Justin talked like an adult. His words surprised Daisy. "Little Justin, " said Daisy, "tell me, who taught you all this? Or where did you learn all this from?" Daisy wondered. She had locked theputer and iPad. And she really did not know from where Justin had learnt all these messy thoughts? "From where? Does this thing need to be learnt? Isn''t that what all TV series on TV depict? Nearly all TV series have such a stupid plot. It is not difficult to know that. " Little Justinughed. His mom was too busy to watch TV series. Thus, she did not know what was popr in the society now. Chapter 642 Thank You For Coming (Part Three) "It seems that I have to lock the TV too, considering what all you have learnt from the TV, " Daisy said. And she immediately put her words into action by going ahead to turn off the TV that was on. "Oh, no. To be or not to be, that is a question. Mom, is it wrong to be honest? I just told you the truth!" Justin pitifully looked at the ck screen, speechless. "There is nothing wrong in telling the truth itself. The point is that the TV content is not suitable for kids like you." Daisy did not worry that Justin would turn bad watching this. However, she just wanted to tell him what kind of TV shows he could see and what kind of things were not suitable for kids of his age. "Mom, it seems that there are also a few drawbacks of you being with Mr. Mu for such a long time. Now, you have learnt more and more of his style, full of sophistry." He realized that he should not have spoken anything. All he said was mistaken. Thest time, he was banned from using theputer, and this time, even the TV was forbidden. Woo. Were there any more happy things left in his life? Withoutputer! Without TV! It was hard to imagine his future life without these fun things! "So, you have any other opinions?" Daisy asked, with her eyebrows raised doubtfully. Since they left the residential building at the military base, this little boy had be more and more lovely. He was no longer that little Justin with a cool face. "No, no. How dare I?" Justin said. "However, as the old saying goes, there are always measures to counter. I am sure I can live just as happy as I am now." Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. rth in her hand several times, waiting for Edward''s call. However, there was not a single text or call till now. Didn''t Edward reach the destination yet? Or was he too busy to call her? But that''s not what it''s supposed to be! Edward said that he would call her as soon as he reached his destination. But it was also her fault as she did not ask him where he was going for the business trip and which flight he took. Otherwise, she could have checked his arrival time by the flight number, instead of waiting like that. Tossing and turning for a while, Daisy still felt nervous as she could not lie on the bed with ease. She sat up, procrastinating for a few seconds whether she should call Edward first or not. Finally, she decided to act proactive this time and dialed Edward''s number. But all she heard was a busy signal. It was an abnormal phenomenon. In case Edward was still on the ne, the answer should be, "The subscriber you dialed is switched off". Since she heard a busy signal, it made her feel more anxious and nervous. How could it be busy? Chapter 643 Thank You For Coming (Part Four) After thinking for a while, Daisy then dialed Luke''s number. "The subscriber you dialed is busy now, please dialter." The same busy signal came from his phone too. Daisy frowned, and she could no longer stay in her room. She got up and hurried to the study, opening theputer to find whether there was anytest report of air crash or terrorist attack, and so on. After surfing all the news websites, fortunately, she found that no such mishap happened. She felt a little rxed. At least, Edward was safe. He might just be in a no signal zone, Daisy thought to herself. A long night passed, Daisy could not fall asleep at all. She woke up with puffy eyes in the morning. Daisy went downstairs with ruffled hair and baggy eyes. She thought of having a simple breakfast before she could leave for work. Unfortunately, on her way to the dining room, she came across Jonathan, who was going out for some sports. Her weary and untidy look gave Jonathan a big shock. "Good morning, Dad." Daisy was in no mood to look in the mirror after she got up. So, she did not know how she looked like at the moment. She was so confused and lost that she did not even understand why Jonathan could not endure to look at her straight. "Hmmm. Morning. Don''t work too hard. Daisy! Take care of yourself. See what you have be now, especially look at your eyes." Jonathan shook his head, frowning and walking out. Daisy felt puzzled even now. She touched her face but couldn''t understand what was wrong with it. ''What is wrong with my face?'', Daisy thought to herself. Why did Jonathan suddenlye up with such a sentence to her? "Mrs. Mu,e here. I have already prepared some breakfast for you." Mrs. Wu caught sight of Daisy and waved to her. If Daisy was at home, Mrs. Wu w Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. the ears to listen to it. But she did not say anything, probably because the call didn''t get through. Sometimes, she stared out of the window silently. "Mark, could you lend me your phone?" Daisy suddenly asked, stretching out her hands to the front seat. "OK, here you are. Besides, is there anything wrong with your phone? May I take it to repair centerter? " Mark said honestly, handing over his mobile phone to Daisy. ''I also think that it is not ringing because my phone is broken. " Daisy murmured, with her fingers dialing up the phone immediately. It was magical that this time the call finally got through. It made her more convinced that there was a problem with her mobile phone. "Hey, Mark, it''s me, Edward. Why are you calling me? Where is your Colonel?" Edward''s familiar voice came from the phone. Daisy could sense a strong sense of tiredness in his voice which was mixed with a hint of tension. "Edward, you''re a liar." On hearing that familiar voice, Daisy could no longer keep herposure. The whole night of uncertainty and worry finally found a way to vent out. Daisy started to cry. She looked so dedicated and charming even when she was crying. Chapter 644 B Country (Part One) "Oh honey, it''s you. I was going to call you. Didn''t expect you to call me first. Wait a minute, why are you using Mark''s phone?" Edward had a long day involving a lot of travel, so he waspletely exhausted. After his nended, he rushed to cater to some urgent business matters and then headed to his hotel immediately. As soon as he entered the room of the hotel, he got a call from Daisy. Before even putting down the bags in his hands, he answered the call. "Well, that''s a good question. You know what the irony is? For the past couple of hours, I''ve being trying to reach you with my own phone, but couldn''t get through. And now, when I tried with Mark''s phone, it worked! Care to exin why?" questioned Daisy grumpily. Though Mark was sitting near her, Daisy was unable to resist the rage, so she ignored Mark and snapped at Edward. She had been trying to call him all night, but all she got was voice mail recordings. She even started having those weird thoughts that something bad might have happened to Edward. "You must have gotten really worried. I am sorry. After the nended, I rushed to deal with some emergencies here. I know this is bad excuse and I should have called you sooner. I am sorry Daisy, I really am. Please don''t cry. You are an army woman, remember? You don''t want others to see you like this, right?" Hearing Daisy cry made Edward feel guilty. He realized that his carelessness had frightened his wife. She was a really strong woman. It must have been immensely torturous for her to be unable to reach him for the whole night, or she wouldn''t have lost herposure like that. "I don''t care what other people think about me. Where are you?" asked Daisy with teary eyes. Last night was like aplete nightmare to her. When she couldn''t get through her husband''s number, she panicked. What''s worse, she had absolutely no clue about the destination of Edward''s trip. At that moment, she swore to herself that she wouldn''t let that happen ever again. "I am in B Country right now. It''s said to be one of thergest diamond producing countries. Have you ever been here before?" asked Edward with a wry smile on his face. He never thought Daisy could be so demanding. Edward always thought of her as a strong, independent and organiz needed rest, so she wanted to end their talk and let him sleep. "I am okay, honey. Talking to you never tires me." Edward meant it. If it weren''t for Daisy, he would have already cut the conversation short and hung up the phone by now. His tender passion and patience were there only for Daisy. "That''s really sweet of you! If you aren''t really tired, then I can go on talking with you endlessly and use your words as lubies." Daisy hadn''t been able to sleepst night, so she was just as tired as Edward. As they were talking, she reclined on the back seat of the car, continually struggling to keep her eyes open. "I am sorry you didn''t sleep wellst night because of me, " said Edward apologetically. As a matter of fact, he didn''t do all this on purpose. He knew Daisy must have been worried back home. As soon as hended in B Country, he rushed to deal with a few emergencies. Once he was done, he quickly headed to the hotel. He knew he wouldn''t be able to talk to her properly while he was on road. But he had no intention to leave her waiting. "That''s all right. I miss you, Edward. Pleasee back soon." Daisy wasn''t used to expressing her feelings so openly; but with Edward, she didn''t mind. She cared for him so much that sometimes she forgot the principles she set for herself. "I miss you too. Don''t worry, I will be home by tomorrow, " said Edward tenderly, his face lit up with happiness. When he heard Daisy said ''I miss you'', he was immediately filled with a lot of energy and joy. Chapter 645 B Country (Part Two) "Okay. Go have some rest! I will reach the army base in a few minutes. Take care of yourself. Bye." Despite saying bye, Daisy didn''t cut the phone. She waited to hear bye from Edward. "Okay, bye, " responded Edward, blowing a gentle kiss over the phone before finally hanging it up. After putting down his phone, Edward walked towards the bathroom while undoing his shirt button. Like a leopard after a hunt, he looked worn out. This strangely added anotheryer of charm to his appearance. No wonder numerous women were crazy about him. How could anyone resist such a hot man! B Country was andlocked country located in the southern hemisphere. Most of the areas of the country had a savanna climate. The western part of where Edward was staying was mostly a desert or a semi-desert region. The year here was divided into dry and rainy seasons. The rainy season was hot, while the dry season was dry and cold. Both with huge temperature difference between the day and night. Right now, it was rainy season here. For someone like Edward, who couldn''t stand the warm weather, it was especially difficult to stay here at this time of the year. Edward added somevender oil in the hot tub and got in it to rx his muscles. Now he could finally clear everything out of his head and just rest. It was three in the morning, nine o''clock in the morning for Daisy. He had a twenty-hour long journey during which he did nothing but reviewed the documents he received from the head manager in B Country. Such workload could take a toll on anyone. However, to deliver what he had promised, he had to speed up the tasks in hand so as to catch up with the exercise of new weapons at Daisy''s army base. If it was about someone else, he wouldn''t push himself so hard. To him, everything about Daisy was important. He would rather keep all the hard work to himself than let Daisy down by not showing up when she wanted him. After the water in the tub was lukewarm, he opened his eyes and turned on the shower to let the warm water run down on his body from head to to gh time nurturing her rtionship with her partner. For the first time in her life, her mind was upied with personal things during working hours. As she leaned against the window, a wave of memories of Edward flooded her head. She remembered the things he had done for her and how much he had changed for her. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if she had been taking his love for granted. After all, he didn''t owe her anything and there was no need for him to do everything she asked for. Looking back, she realized that she failed to give back Edward enough in this rtionship. ''He has so many choices. He can practically have any woman he wants. Will such a man really be happy tomit to me? Though he seems pretty content with it, but will itst long?'' thought Daisy to herself, sighing deeply. If she were to answer the question, it would be a no. She wondered if she should make some changes in herself, to make it easier for both of them to be together. Ever since their reunion, things Edward did had been more than enough to prove his sincerity for Daisy. Sadly, she had been constantly taking his intentions for granted. Taking this recent incident for instance, she didn''t even bother to ask where he was going before his business trip, and it wasn''t untilst night that she finally realized how aloof she kept herself from him. Chapter 646 B Country (Part Three) "Report!" A resonant baritone interrupted her thoughts. She looked at her watch and realized that she had been musing for quite a while now. "Pleasee in, " Daisy replied. Judging from the way he knocked, which was very formal and polite, she knew it wasn''t Mark. He was a lot less serious but always looked as if he was on his way to deal with some kind of emergencies. Entering the room was a young man full of vigor and vitality. His name was Lee. He saluted Daisy first and then reported, "Colonel, Major General Gu asked me to give these documents to you before he left. He said you might need them." After saying that, he stepped forward to hand over the documents. "I see. It''s very nice of him to be so thoughtful, but it seems that he doesn''t really trust my working abilities, " said Daisy with a faint smile, as she picked up the folder and sat down on her chair. "No, you should not get it wrong. I am sure this was not his intention. He sorted out this information for you to use it as a source of reference. The next call of action and the final decision are in your hands only, colonel." Daisy was amused by how Lee took her words so seriously. She obviously knew Kevin well and didn''t take any offence in getting help from him. To reassure him, she said, "Okay, I get it. I appreciate both yours and his help. Please don''t take me so seriously. I was just joking." ''Why couldn''t he see that I was only joking?'' thought Daisy to herself, knitting her brows, ''Have I always been serious in the past?'' Lee moved his lips but couldn''t think of anything to reply. In fact, he didn''t even think that Daisy was joking, because he didn''t find anything funny about it. He had always been used to Daisy''s conscientiousness and preciseness. So, today when she talked in a rather casual way, it was a little hard for him to ept. Seeing that his work was done here, Lee excused you mean Major General Gu. No, of course he didn''t. He is undergoing a discreet training course. Nobody is allowed to get in touch with him. So, rx, you still have the whole house to your self. Even if you put all of his stuff up for auction, there is nothing he can do about it right now." It was obvious that Kevin had been using the same tactic on Leena as he did on her - flooding her with tips, rules to follow, and whatnot. "Poor Leena, '' she thought, shaking her head slightly with a smile. "For the record, I have no interest in his stuff. I''d be more than happy as long as he doesn''t make me listen to him talking about how to take care of myself. Sis, is he also like this at work? Setting millions of rules and giving orders to other people?" It wasn''t that Kevin liked nagging people. It''s just that, to him, Leena was like a child, and he felt the need to protect her. This was why, before he left home, he repeatedly ensured that nothing would go wrong while he was gone. "How do you think he is like when he is at work?" said Daisy with a sly grin. An idea of ying a little trick on Leena had just crossed her mind. It turned out that Justin didn''t inherit his evil character solely from his father; his mother contributed her share too. Chapter 647 The Dinner (Part One) "How would I know? Sis Daisy, I asked you first. Why are you asking me back?" Leena said, pouting. "You can ask Kevin in person when hees back. I don''t talk behind people''s back." Daisy smiled, imagining Leena''s disappointed face. "Never mind. I''m not stupid, and I don''t want to interfere in what he does at work, so I won''t ask." Leena rolled her eyes. She wouldn''t do anything reckless like that. "Do you want to get together tonight? Dinner''s on me." Daisy smiled affectionately. She loved everything that Edward loved. "Sis, is today April Fool''s Day?" Leena asked carefully and checked the calendar, like an adorable little girl. "Am I that unreliable?" Daisy smiled resignedly and wondered when she lose all her credibility. "It''s not that I don''t believe you. It just sounds a little unusual to me." Leena pped her head. It waste fall. How could it be April Fool''s Day today? Dumb! Dumb! Dumb! She said to herself. "Stop asking questions. Are you free or not?" Daisy asked sullenly. It wasn''t easy for her to make time to have dinner with her. Yet Leena didn''t answer her question directly. She just went on bbering irrelevantly. "Of course I have all the time in the world to dine with you. Even if I didn''t, I would do everything to clear my schedule and grab this opportunity." Leena was d that she didn''t have to eat alone tonight. Simultaneously, she was also surprised by this feeling. Where did ite from? She had always yearned for a free lifestyle. No restraints. Since when did she dread eating alone? "Save it. See you tonight. You pick the ce." Since Daisy used to live at the military residential quarter and she spent most of her time on the army base, she wasn''t familiar with the fancy restaurants in the city. Leena, on the other hand, was a rising star in the fashion business, Daisy was afraid that Leena wouldn''t like the restaurant she picked. "Okay. Let''s go to Westin Western Restaurant then. The FX International has a special kind of VIP card called Dragc Card. It''s only for its most important clients." Leena raised her brows and handed the waiter the menu with her order on it. "I didn''t know that. But does it have anything to do with this meal?" Daisy was curious. She gave the waiter her order too. "Of course it does. The clients with a Dragc Card enjoy a free service in all the properties of FX International. Huh, I knew Edward didn''t tell you this. You two go everywhere together after work. He must think you might never need this card. It makes sense, " Leena said, nodding her head. "Are you trying to tell me that this restaurant belongs to FX International?" Daisy frowned. Suddenly she felt bad, not because Edward didn''t give her a Dragc Card, but because she felt that she was a lousy wife. She seemed to have paid no attention to Edward''s work. Daisy scarcely knew him. "That''s right. I knew you didn''t know about it. Enjoy the meal. Someone else is going to pay for it anyway, " Leena said, without noticing the subtle change of expression on Daisy''s face. Daisy was silent for a while. This was when Leena realized that something was amiss. "Sis, are you all right?" Seeing the sadness on Daisy''s face, Leena was worried that she might have said something wrong. Chapter 648 The Dinner (Part Two) "Oh, I''m fine. I''m sorry. I was just in a daze." Daisy gave a bitter smile. She was sitting in her husband''s restaurant, but she had no idea about it until someone else told her about it. She felt bad. "Are you thinking about Edward?" Leena joked with a mischievous smile. "No. You''re reading too much into it." Daisy blushed and drank some water hurriedly to cover her embarrassment. "Look at your face. It is all pink. What are you embarrassed about?" Leena kept joking, looking lively and stunning. "Speaking of which, don''t you miss Kevin?" Daisy took a deep breath and asked casually. Leena was surprised by the question and didn''t know how to reply to that. Whether she missed him or not, did it really matter to Kevin? He didn''t love her after all. "Sis, why are we talking about me all of a sudden?" Leena felt a trace of sadness in her heart. When did she start to care about him? "Even if you do, there''s nothing wrong with it. As you just pointed out, there''s nothing to be embarrassed about." Daisy gave a smile and retorted with Leena''s exact words. "I''m in a different situation from yours." Leena pursed her lips. She started to think Daisy had invited her to dinner to crack jokes about her married life. "Different how? We are both married couples." Daisy suddenly paused. She remembered the conversation she had with Kevin once. She felt sorry and looked at Leena guiltily. "Just different. Forget it. Let''s drop it and enjoy the food here." At this point, the waiter served some dishes. Leena felt relieved and changed the subject immediately. "I''m not a picky eater." Daisy sensed that something was wrong between Leena and Kevin. She tried to get more information, but Leena was obviously not in the mood to continue the subject, so Daisy didn''t push it further. "Actually I''m not a picky eater either. I just feel like treating myself to a nice luxurious meal once in a while." Leena was a fun loving girl. She k ting. "Why should I give a damn about how you are? You should thank Brian. He''s a good brother. If it wasn''t for him, you wouldn''t be able to stand in front of me today." Given the uniform she was wearing, Daisy kept her voice low. But anger was still written all over her face. "Huh! Daisy, have you lost your mind? Do I know him? He''s only your dear brother!" Mary wasughing so hysterically that tears wet her eyes. She wiped the corners of her eyes. She had sincerely treated Brian as a baby brother all her life. What saddened her was that he never liked her and had abandoned her when she needed him the most. What kind of brother did that? "No matter what, you got lucky this time because of him. Treasure him." Daisy shook her head. So far, the only thing she could do was to remind Mary to behave. She hoped she coulde to her senses. If she did anything stupid again, no one would be able to help her next time. "I don''t care! As you can see, I can live afortable life even after leaving the Ouyangs'' house. So, save the crocodile tears of yours! Who do you think you are to preach to me?" Mary red at Daisy, who stayed calm. After the abduction, although Mary was still unwilling to give up, all she could do was trash talking, she wouldn''t dare toy a finger on Daisy now. Chapter 649 Mary Is In Danger (Part One) "You are such a weird person! You came up to us and provoked Daisy. What''s wrong with you? Have you gotten no shame?" Leena scolded her as she was infuriated by Mary''s words. Leena was always ready to defend the weak and helpless; she couldn''t bear Mary talking to her best friend in an aggressive manner. "Who do you think you are? It''s between me and Daisy. Mind your own business and stay out of it!" Mary sneered and cast a stern nce at Leena. Mary didn''t think much of Leena. "Well, Daisy is my best friend. I won''t let you harm her. By the way, your wig is about to fall off your head." Leena was a fashion designer and worked with models. She could tell at a nce that Mary was wearing a wig. Mary immediately touched her wig on hearing her words, and then she realized that she was fooled. She gave a murderous look and yelled, "Bitch! How dare you make fun of me?" "Bah! You look so ugly with that face. Look at the old man over there. He is waving at you. Is he your boyfriend?" Leena asked in disdain as she pointed to a fat old man sitting at a little distance from them. "Duh! You are so lucky today. I will settle ounts with you next time." Mary stamped her foot and cast a warning nce at both of them. Then she turned around and walked towards the man. "Damn! Who is she? Daisy, what''s the story between you two?" Leena asked as she looked at Mary''s receding figure. Mary sat down beside the man and threw herself into the man''s arms. He rubbed her over-sized boobs. His dirty actions disgusted Leena, so she turned her head and looked at Daisy''s pretty face. "I''m rted to her. Let''s not talk about her. Just eat your food. Your food is getting cold." Daisy gave a tiny smile and looked at Mary and then at that man. She furrowed her brow when they were flirting with each other in public. She looked away, ignoring Mary. Since Daisy didn''t want to talk about Mary, Leena didn''t push it further. After all, everyone had his or her own taboo subject; Leena was no exception, so she fully understood Daisy''s reaction to it. After the dinner, it was dark outside and neon lights lit up the streets. The pedestrians calmy in him. Women flirt with him all the time." Speaking of Edward, Leena''s eyes lit up. She just went on and on so much that she didn''t even notice that she was talking about Daisy''s husband. "He is such adies man, huh?" Daisy murmured and thought to herself, ''I''m also one of those women. Perhaps I''m just a little bit luckier than others. But how long can I have such an exceptional man to myself?'' A myriad of thoughts came to Daisy''s mind. Even after going through thick and thin together, Daisy didn''t trust Edward as much as she should. She felt insecure. It was perhaps true that something was missing in their rtionship. "Yes, he is. He has spent a lot of time in dealing with these women." Leena stated in an adoring tone without noticing Daisy''s awkwardness. "That''s why he had no time for me, right?" Daisy signed. Though her miserable days had long gone by, they left an indelible mark in her life. Every time she thought of herself as one lucky woman, those thoughts from the past bothered her. This made her cherish Edward more. She always reminded herself that getting back Edward was not easy. So, she should pay more attention to his life and not take him for granted. "Sorry! Daisy, I got too excited. I didn''t mean it that way..." Leena patted her mouth, feeling sorry for Edward. Damn! She just exposed his absurd history. ''Edward, I''m so sorry. I didn''t mean to set a trap for you, '' Leena thought to herself. Chapter 650 Mary Is In Danger (Part Two) "Never mind. It wasmon gossip that he once dated countless women. I knew this before too." Daisy stated indifferently as she looked up at the neon lights, staring nkly at the sky. "Daisy, that''s not true. You must have read them in papers, but Edward really was not a yboy. These were all false usations. Please don''t be mad at him, otherwise, he would me me for it." Leena immediately exined, but Daisy didn''t take it seriously. She bit her lower lip, falling into a depression. "I''m not mad at him. Let bygones be bygones. I won''t bother him with that." Daisy patted her shoulder tofort her and gave her a friendly, reassuring smile. "Great! If you get mad at Edward because of me, he will absolutely kill me!" Leena made a face and stuck out her tongue at Daisy. "Rest assured. Edward dotes on you. He will never ever me you for anything." Daisy pulled Leena back to avoid a speeding car. "Well, he used to dote on me. But now, you are the person he loves the most. He has never cared about some woman like that, you are the first one." They chatted while wandering on the streets. Their pretty faces and Daisy''s military uniform did attract a lot of attention. "Leena, no matter how much he loves me now, you will always be his beloved sister. There is no two ways about it. So, please don''t be sad." The first time Daisy saw Leena, she could see how much Edward cared about her. She remembered that she got jealous of Leena too at that time. But now she knew that Edward treated Leena as his own sister. "Come on, Daisy. I just want you to dote on me." Leena swung Daisy''s arm and acted like a spoilt child, looking rather adorable. "If I didn''t dote on you, I wouldn''t have found the time to have dinner with you. Come on! Be contented!" Daisy rubbed Leena''s nose, feigning anger. But the affection in her eyes revealed her true feelings for Leena. In her eyes, Leena was a loving sister. She was also her best friend now. Every time she saw Leena''s sw d her big boobs with hisrge hand. Then he raised her chin and looked at her in the eye, trying to kiss her lips. "HELP! Daisy, help me..." At this moment, Mary saw Daisy running towards her. She immediately cried out loud for help, overlooking how rude she had been to her in the restaurant. "Wow! A female soldier! Are you feeling alone in the military camp? Are you out for some fun too? Let us satisfy you, huh?" A man whistled when he looked at Daisy from top to bottom with his dirty eyes. "You will never be able to satisfy me. So, you''d better let her go. Otherwise, you''ll end up in the hospital." Daisy narrowed her eyes, staring coldly at the men around her. She didn''t take them seriously as she believed she could knock them out easily. "Hah! Bros, listen to her, she said we will not be able to satisfy her. It must be exciting to y with a soldier. I now have an itch to have a wild sex with her right away." A man reached out his hand towards Daisy''s pink cheek. She dodged and grabbed his hand, breaking off his wrist. "Ouch!" The man couldn''t help but howl as he experienced sharp pain in his wrist. All of this happened in a fraction of few seconds. Daisy stood still and seemed rxed. In her eyes, these people meant nothing to her. After all, she was a tough woman, who had trained in martial arts. Chapter 651 The Fight (Part One) "Watch your mouth if you don''t wish to end up like him." After Daisy finished her sentence, she threw the handsy man on the ground with a flick of her wrist. She raised her eyebrows and began tough at the others. She had thought that they could actually be a threat. But it turned out that she had been wrong. "Hey! I don''t believe that you guys here can''t handle a little girl like her. Go inside and get more guys. Let''s see how proud she can be." The men never wanted to lose to a woman. If they did, they would lose all the credibility on the street. So within a couple of minutes, they grew even bolder since they were on their own turf. "What? Are you all piling on me?" Daisy smirked. As long as her opponents were just regr street thugs, she knew she could handle them irrespective of their number. It would only take a bit more time and strength, but the oue would stay the same. "Huh! Afraid now? You can still do as told." The cocky leader shook his body. He provocatively looked at Daisy as if he owned the world. The look in his eyes made it clear that he was definitely lusting for Daisy and wanted her right away. "Afraid? It''s not even a word in my dictionary. I''m just going to say it one more time: let her go." Daisy''s pretty eyes gave out an intense stare. She darkly chuckled like a imer of souls from the underworld. The way she looked could make people shiver uncontrobly. The atmosphere around immediately turned unsettling. "All right. Let''s see who''s going toe out on top. I don''t think a woman like you can win us men. Guys, listen up. If you take her, then tonight''s going to be a happy night for you all." The man was giving orders left and right. He was perhaps the local leader here. Otherwise the other guys wouldn''t be taking his orders. "Sen, we''ll hold you to it. Haha! We''ve had all types of girls in the past, but we have never had the chance to y with a girl in uniform. Looks like tonight is going to be a great treat." When the group heard that they could take Daisy back as a winning prize, everyone cheered. People were whistling one after another, totally disregarding the fact that she was a soldier. It was obvious that they were all out of control. "Watch what you''re saying. Or do you want me to help you clean your mouths?" Daisy frowned a little. She was somewhat excited as she hadn''t been involved in a fight for quite some time now. She thought this one would be her exercise after dinner. Since a bunch of guys were throwing themselves at her, why ll speaking, he attacked Leena all of a sudden. But Daisy immediately came to her rescue and stopped him. "Do me a favor, huh? You call that a favor? I''ve never seen anyone as shameless and brazen as you." Leena was glib. Nobody could defeat her in an argument. Moreover, she was really clever. She was doing all this on purpose. She wanted to talk as much as possible so she could stall the situation till the police arrived. However, attacking people with words couldn''t really be considered as a wise way to fool men like them. One would only be more infuriated by her bitingments. Just then, the men who were resting, got instructions from Sen again. They were all ready for a fight one more time. "Foolish girl, you asked for it. Let''s see how you''ll fool around with meter." No man could allow a girl to trample on his pride. So before his gang could take any action, Sen came after Leena. He failed to understand how somebody like Leena who looked so delicate and sweet could be so sharp-tongued and exasperating. Leena didn''t expect these people to suddenly turn hostile and be so scary. She was stunned by their actions. She only recovered from the shock after she was pulled back by Daisy. There was no time for her to think anything through. She instantly raised her fist to knock down a man who tried to touch her. Leena wasted no time and kicked the man with her long leg and trampled on him with her high heels. She no longer looked like a sweet fragile girl. Now, she was the evil mistress who could take anyone down. "You know how to fight?" The kicked man was distracted by what was under Leena''s skirt when she raised her leg. He asked in a dumb tone. Chapter 652 The Fight (Part Two) "5th dan judo and 6th dan taekwondo. What do you think?" Leena proudlyughed. Being a daughter from a wealthy family, she had to be prepared for all kinds of emergencies. Duke was not the kind of person to be persuaded by her begging and pleading. He sent her to tough training sessions when she was little. There was no getting away for her. "What, you have learned those?" When Daisy heard Leena, she was actually a little surprised. She got so distracted that she was almost hit by a guy with a wooden club. No wonder the girl dide around without fear. It turned out that she could handle herself pretty well. She was trained young, so she could reach such high dan ranks! Daisy thought that Leena was just a princess spoilt by everyone, but she didn''t expect her to have secrets like these. This made Daisy look at Leena in apletely different way. "Daisy, be careful. I''ll exinter." Leena was scared for a moment when she saw Daisy almost being hit by a wooden club. She couldn''t afford to be careless. Though, she could fight, she had very littlebat experience. Besides, she was wearing a skirt, so she was much more restrainedpared to the flexible Daisy. Originally, the hooligans thought that their number could be an advantage. But they didn''t think these two women would be so good at fighting, especially the one in military uniform. Not only did she know all the moves, she also had the efficiency to overpower her opponents. So within just a few minutes, half of the attackers were put down to the ground. They were so badly bruised that they couldn''t stand up or fight back. Daisy was a truly decisive and resolute woman. Mary watched when the fight was on. She was shocked to see them fighting like that. In this moment, she felt a slight change of emotions in her heart. Given the damage she brought in Daisy''s life, Daisy could havepletely left Mary alone in a situation like this. But Mary was surprised that Daisy came forward without thinking twice. Did she help her because she was a military officer? Or did she step forward because of Brian? Or was she just a very good human being? This was a question that Mary needed to figure out at this moment. But no matter why Daisy helped her, Mary was indeed thankful to her for her rescue. "Damn, you bitch. Are you all dead? You couldn''t even handle two w an? Make a choice." Sen said creepily, putting a knife against Mary''s neck. "What if I choose neither?" Daisy closed her eyes, angry. She wondered if Mary was stupid. The girl had a good chance to escape earlier, but she had to stay here and be a helpless hostage. Daisy had no idea how Mary came up with all those conspiracies against her in the past. "No, you will have to choose one. Don''t forget that you are wearing a military uniform. I don''t have to remind you about upholding the honor of the military and loving the people, right?" Sen didn''t expect Daisy to be so good at hand-to-handbat. Without any knowledge of ranks, he had no idea who she really was and treated her like a regr soldier. Perhaps, this was the reason why he treated her so lightly. "You don''t have to remind me. All I know is that the police will be here in any second. And then, none of you will be able to get away from here. This is not an empty threat." If it were not for Brian''s sake, Daisy would have just turned around and left. But just like Sen said, she hadn''t forgotten what she was wearing, so even if someone other than Mary was captured here, she was obligated to step forth as a soldier defending her country. "Shit, you guys called the cops." As Senined, he pressed his knife harder onto Mary''s neck. Mary was so scared that she didn''t dare to breathe, in fear that her delicate neck would be cut open by the knife. Just then, the police sirens could be heard from a distance. Daisy was certain that the police was heading closer to the location. Chapter 653 Daisy Got Hurt (Part One) "You should have expected that from the beginning, " Daisy sneered. The police didn''t arrive until half an hourter. It seemed that a tea with the chief of Public Security Bureau was inevitable. "Bitch, you wait. I won''t let you off." Sen was on the verge of losing control of his emotions. The dagger pointed at Mary''s neck dug deep into her skin. She was bleeding. Hearing the word bitch, Daisy squinted her eyes grimly at Sen. "Please don''t. Don''t kill me!" Mary begged, trembling. Feeling the pain in her neck, she feared that Sen would slit her throat the next second. "Be quiet! Or I''ll kill you!" The police were getting closer. Sen kept a close watch on them and was on the alert against Daisy''s ambush at the same time. Mary''s pleading disturbed him a bit. Daisy took the opportunity and approached him swiftly. She grabbed the de and got Mary out of his embrace. She kicked Sen hard in the balls and struck him with her elbow. Sen was caught, yet Daisy was cut by the de and her hand was bleeding profusely. "Sis Daisy, are you all right?" Leena came back with the police. She had intended to call the police again, but then she ran into them before she could run far away from here. "It doesn''t matter. It is just a scrape." Daisy indifferently looked at Mary, who was sitting on the ground. The pain in her palm made her frown. "Ah! Sis, you are bleeding. Hurry. Let''s go find Tom." Leena screamed at Daisy''s bleeding hand. "Excuse me. Are you Colonel Ouyang?" A policeman asked, head tilted. He felt that he had seen this female military officer before. She looked like the colonel who had been to their bureau several times to see their chief. "Yes, I am. The police should arrive at the crime scene within five minutes. Why did it take you half an hour to get here?" Daisy peered at the man with a calm face. Yet the calm was just a prelude to a burst of rage. "Sorry. We didn''t know it was you who called the police. And there was an ident on our way here, so..." Once the policeman confirmed Dais nel everybody''s been talking about? No wonder she can fight." Sen swallowed some saliva. He had been wondering why the woman was so arrogant, it turned out she was a high-level military officer. "You are lucky she didn''t make you a cripple. I admire your courage, though. Have a good time in jail!" The policeman shook his head speechlessly. It was a horrible thing to be this ignorant in life. The moron had started a fight without even checking on Daisy''s identity. Even if he didn''t know who she was, couldn''t he see her epaulets? On seeing the hooligans lying or sitting here and there, the policeman could know that there had been a fierce fight here a while ago. Daisy had handled all those hooligans on her own. Her bravery and strength was indeed impressive! "Sis, the bleeding is not stopping. I''ll call Tom again and ask how far he has reached." Leena was sobbing. She med herself for suggesting Westin Western Restaurant. If they hadn''t been to that restaurant, they wouldn''t have been involved in this fight and Daisy wouldn''t have hurt herself. Edward would be very furious enough to kill her. "Leena, don''t worry. It''s nothing. I''m used to this kind of small cuts and bruises." Looking at Leena''s disheveled hair and tearful face, Daisy tried to soothe her. This must be her first time to experience something like this. She was frightened. Chapter 654 Daisy Got Hurt (Part Two) "Look at how you are bleeding. The cut must be deep. It can''t be a small one." Leena sniffled. Then she bent over, ripped the lining of her skirt, and bandaged Daisy''s cut with it, hands trembling. Although it didn''t stop the bleeding, it slowed down the flow of the blood. "Leena, thank you. Now I get why they all spoil you. You''re such a sweet girl." Daisy reached out her other hand and stroked Leena''s hair. Who wouldn''t love such a kind and thoughtful girl? If only Kevin could see that and forget the past. "Sis Daisy, don''t make fun of me. Tom said he was near. Why is it taking him so long to get here?" Leena wasn''t cheered up by Daisy''s praise. She looked at the traffic on the street anxiously. "Leena, rx. You''re too intense. I am afraid you''ll faint before I do." Daisy patted her shoulder. With the torn skirt on, Leena looked embarrassed. As a carefree girl, this kind of situation was new to her. "Herees Tom. Tom, here!" Leena waved at a Maybach and finally smiled. When Tom got Leena''s call, he had just finished a seminar. When he heard that it was Daisy who got injured, he immediately rushed over without eating anything. He didn''t want any dys when it came to Daisy. When Leena called, she was only crying. So, all Tom could hear was her mumble. Fortunately, Tom had been very close to where they were. So he drove there as fast as he could. "Daisy, are you okay?" Seeing Daisy standing, Tom was relieved that the injury wasn''t severe. At the sight of Leena, he took off his coat, tossed it to her, and said, "Wear it around your waist." Leena bit her lip and did as told. She assumed that Tom must have noticed what was wrong with her skirt. "It''s nothing serious. Just a small cut from a dagger. I''m sorry to trouble you at suchte hours. Leena shouldn''t have made a fuss about this." Although Tom and Edward were good friends, Daisy felt bad about getting free treatments from him. "Don''t mention it. Get in Daisy''s hand, which was thickly bandaged in gauze. She was terribly worried. "Mom, were you on a mission today?" Justin raised his mom''s hand and blew on it gently, as if it would make the pain go away. "No. Something happened. The cut is not deep. Uncle Tom has already taken care of it. So no need to worry about it." Daisy looked at Cynthia apologetically and stole a nce at Jonathan. Then her gaze fell on Justin''s face. She had been injured a lottely. It worried her family badly. She felt sorry about that. "It''ste. Let her go upstairs, freshen up, and get some rest, " Jonathan said. He could see that Daisy was tired. And she looked like a mess after the fight. She could use a good night''s sleep to rx herself. Hearing Jonathan''s words, she looked at him gratefully. "Right, right. I''m too worried to think about that. Justin, go upstairs with your mom. I''ll ask Mrs. Wu to make some soup for her. She''s too thin. And now she has lost so much blood. Poor kid!" Cynthia worried a lot, just like every other parent would. Seeing Daisy''s injury, she started to bustle around. Yet Daisy was faced with a dilemma. After Daisy''sst injury, Cynthia had made her eat a lot of soup to help her recover. Daisy was still having that soup hangover to this day. Not again, she thought! Chapter 655 Trap And Kill (Part One) "Mom, Dad will get really mad if he finds out that you are injured again." Justin went upstairs with Daisy, disying a gloating look on his round face. "Justin, why are you so happy to know that I will be scolded by your dad again?" Daisy said as she pinched his lovely round face. Had she been neglecting him recently? Why else would he favor his father instead of her this time? "Yes. I''m very happy. You must be scolded this time because you never listen to him and end up getting yourself hurt time and again." When it came to Daisy''s safety, Justin and Edward were definitely on the same page. "Justin, do you still love your Mom?" Daisy felt sad just thinking about it. She worked really hard to bring him up. But he switched his sides so soon. Now, he was singing the same tune as his father. Daisy knew, if the father and son aligned with each other to deal with her, it would be a major disadvantage for her in the family. "Of course I love you Mom! But more than that, I wish to see you healthy. I want to make sure that you alwayse back home safely." Justin said in a calm yet serious tone just like an adult. When Justin talked like that, Daisy had an illusion that it was not Justin but Edward sitting right in front of her. "I''m so sorry Justin. I got you worried again." Daisy gently embraced the adorable Justin into her arms. Despite the passage of the time and the change in the environment, Justin would always be the one to care for her the most. "Mom, you should be okay all the time. Dad and I both need you." Justin took a deep breath, sniffing the unique fragranceing from his mother''s body. Although it was a mixed smell with a slight odor of sweat in it, he still found her fragrance to be the best. "Don''t worry. I will not leave you. To me, you are the most imp f. He regretted not bringing more people with them. "It''s toote now. They''re too far away to be able to help us here. We''d better be careful by ourselves, " Edward paused and said. No matter what, he would never get himself in danger, at least for the sake of Daisy. "Are we still going to fetch the ringster?" Although he knew Edward would definitely go to get the rings, he still wanted to confirm. "Of course, don''t forget that Ie here mainly for the rings." The rings were bted wedding gifts for Daisy. No matter how dangerous the situation was, he would not give that up. "But it''s more dangerous if we leave the hotel." Luke tried to persuade him not to go out. He knew the rings were really very important to Edward. However, he also knew that inparison to the rings, it was Edward''s safety that was more important to Daisy. "It''s okay, it won''t take too long. And they wouldn''t dare to hurt me so tantly. If something really happens to me, the prime suspect would be KG. They are not that stupid to dig their own grave." Edward took a napkin and gently wiped his mouth. Then he took a small sip of the red wine andy back on the chair. He was lost in his thoughts. Chapter 656 Trap And Kill (Part Two) Finally, he reached out his hand and picked up his cellphone from the table. Looking at Daisy and Justin''s broad smile on his mobile phone''s screen, his ferocious eyes suddenly softened. He gently swiped the screen and dialed the familiar numbers. Then he put the phone to his ear and listened carefully. "Hello, it''s me. Have you finished your business there? When are youing back?" It took Daisy a long time to finish her shower because of the wound on her hand. She was about to start her work when she suddenly heard the phone ring. She quickly picked it up when she saw the familiar number sh on the screen. "I know it''s you. Do you miss me so much that you are so eager to have me back home?" Edward was very slick in front of Daisy. No matter what, he would be happy as long as he took advantage of her. And that got Daisy pretty annoyed. She really wanted to strangle him to death now. "Yes! I''m thinking of you now, thinking whether your face is thick enough to block the bullet of my gun." In fact, she missed him a lot, but she wouldn''t let those words slip from her mouth. Otherwise Edward would feel as if walking on air. He would be too narcissistic to remember who he was. "If you want, I don''t mind taking the bullet for you again." This was how the narcissistic Edward was like. But he actually had the advantage to behave like that. Even if you were pissed off at him, you would rather bury your grievance in your heart than show it off to him. Because there was only one Edward in this world, if you missed him once, there was no second chance. "Why should I care? It''s not me who will take the bullet." She do it tomorrow." Edward kissed her through the cellphone and reluctantly hung up. Remembering Edward''s arbitrary request of never hanging up the phone first, Daisy patiently waited for him to hang up first. She shook her head helplessly and ced the phone on the desk. After that, she got back to her work. Not sure why, but Daisy felt a little uneasy and couldn''t concentrate on her work. Like Edward said, KG was not that stupid to do anything to them during the broad daylight, so nothing special really happened during the day and they sessfully got the rings. But that didn''t mean they were totally safe. This was because night was usually the best time for any hideous crimes to transpire. In the luxurious presidential suite, the sound of keys of the keyboard clicking could be clearly heard. Edward quickly typed a series of numbers while checking the files in his hand, then he set several firewalls on hisputer. Any man who was passionate about his work indeed looked very charming. And by that logic too Edward was undoubtedly the most fascinating man in the world now. Chapter 657 Trap And Kill (Part Three) Edward suddenly heard a loud and rhythmic sound of someone knocking on the door. He stopped his work and raised his dashing eyebrows. But he still stood up and went to open the door. He thought it must be Luke who was back after buying some stuff from the market. So he opened the door without even checking who was knocking. Unexpectedly, a beautifuldy with a soft and hot figure fell in his arms as soon as he opened the door. "Who are you?" Edward asked coldly while blocking her hands which were trying to envelope his waist. He could make out from her face that she was an Asian woman. But he didn''t know whichnguage she spoke, so he was not sure which country she was from. But undeniably, this woman was indeed a gorgeous beauty. "Handsome man, aren''t you the one who called for the room service?" The woman reached out her hand and frivolously touched Edward''s handsome face. She cast several amorous nces at him with her lovely eyes. "Miss, don''t tell me that you are the night snack for me tonight." Edward suddenly reached out his arms and held her slender waist with his hands slowly wandering on her back. "That depends on whether you have the guts to eat me up or not." The woman''s voluptuous body clung closely to his body and her fingers slowly caressed his strong bare chest. She brought her luscious lips near his ear and blew some warm air from her mouth to arouse all his senses. "How do you know when I haven''t given it a try yet? I feel honored to please such a beautiful woman like you." Edward put his hands on her lower body. His sexy voice had her spellbound, leaving the originally cold presidential suite burnt with passionate desire. Amorous air filled the whole room. "You n? Do you really think I won''t dare to do anything to you?" Edward said while fiercely bumping her head hard with the gun handle, showing no mercy to such a beautiful woman. "If Mr. Mu, you think that I will sumb because of this hit, you''re wrong. We are willing to venture our lives to finish the task right from the time we enter the business. Do you think I will care about suffering this little pain?" The woman smiled gracefully, irrespective of the blood streaming down from her head. "Oh? What if I destroy this beautiful face? Will you still not mind?" Edward slowly stroked his fingers over her delicate cheeks. The more beautiful a woman was, the more she would care about her face. And for some women, their faces were important than their lives. And Edward firmly believed that this woman was a typical example of one such woman. "Please don''t. We didn''t do anything to him. We only temporarily dyed hising back to the hotel." It turned out that Edward was right. Hearing that Edward was going to ruin her beautiful face, the woman began to panic. It was obvious that to her, beauty was more precious than her life. Chapter 658 The Love Trap (Part One) "You better make sure that he gets back in a whole skin. Otherwise, I will let the whole KGpany pay the price." Edward said in a cold voice, looking at the woman with flinty and cruel eyes. He considered Luke not only his bodyguard, but also his family. Like anyone else, he would indeed lose his temper if anyone came after his family. "s! Do you think that you are still in your territory, Mr. Mu? It is not certain whether you can survive the night or not, let alone have a final say here." The woman smiled contemptuously. Now that they were in the B Country, whichy within her master''s sphere of influence, she just couldn''t be more arrogant. So she wasn''t frightened by Edward''s threat at all. "If you don''t believe me, let''s give it a try and see what will happen, shall we?" Edward let out a wicked smile, approached her, and touched her face with his fingers lightly and flirtatiously. He looked liked a total womanizer, a dissolute yboy. The woman was soon distracted, and before she could say a word, Edward suddenly hit the nape of her neck with his gun. The beauty then slowly sank to the floor. Edward seized the chance and rushed out. He took out his phone and dialed Luke''s number while running at full speed. But the phone was not answered and the dial tone went busy soon. Just like the woman said, Luke was pinned down at the moment. However, it was not his own safety that worried him, but rather Edward''s safety. When he thought about his young master who had been left alone in the hotel, he tried to fight the most out of each and every attack with explosiveness in a hope to break free from the group of gangsters who had besieged him. But his enemies were not to be underestimated, for he failed to get rid of them even after fighting for a long time. To make things worse, he was now feeling both physically and mentally exhausted. As they narrowed the encirclement, he was driven into a tight corner, and fell into despair. There was no prize for guessing who had sent these gangsters. So Luke knew it clearly in his heart that not only he was in trouble but Edward''s life too was in danger at the same time. The problem was, he was held here while Edward was totally out of his reach. The fact that there was nothing he could do to save him now made him feel anxious and frustrated. He even feared that their enemies might have sent more people to assault Edward. If that happened, then the situation was even more intense. In fact, the hotel noise rxed him a bit, for it proved that Luke was safe for the time being since he was still able to fight. Following the sound, he soon found the alley where Luke was surrounded by enemies. But his heart sank at the sight of the battle scene. "Luke, are you all right?" Without any hesitation, Edward joined the battle. He came up to Luke as quickly as possible, and helped him knock out a gangster beside him. He then asked about Luke''s safety with concern. "I''m fine, Mr. Mu. I''m so happy to see that you are safe and sound, " said Luke, who breathed a sigh of relief on seeing Edward. Edward''s arrival provided timely support, and had tipped the bnce in no time. He was not as strong as Daisy, but they were almost equally powerful. So he and Luke could cooperate very well and fight everyone around. In less than twenty minutes, the gangsters were defeated. Many of them fled from there to save their lives. Those who stayed at the scene kept moaning on the ground and had zero strength to run away. "Ha! What a bunch?of?scums!" eximed Michelle while she gave one of the gangsters a good kick presumptuously. Being unable to fight back, the gangster glowered at her with hatred and anger. Michelle squinted at him, and forcibly stepped on him this time. She just would not show any mercy to them, nor was she scared of looking at them in the eye. "What? Not you again." Edward frowned and sighed the moment he spotted Michelle. Like Luke, he just couldn''t understand why they would run into her whenever and wherever they were in a trouble. But he actually thanked her in his heart. After all, she had been such a big help again today. Chapter 659 The Love Trap (Part Two) "Sorry to let you down, but yes, here I am." Michelle giggled. She winked at him with a bright smile, and stared straight at his face. What a handsome guy, she thought to herself. One just couldn''t afford to miss the chance to appreciate his charming face. "If I remember right, you are Michelle Mi, correct? We owe you a debt of gratitude today, " Edward said. He mildlyughed it off when he discovered that Michelle was in fact lusting over him. She kept looking at him flirtatiously. Usually, it repelled him when he saw a woman act in this way in front of him. But he didn''t take it seriously this time. Instead, he considered it as a demonstration of her frankness and sincerity. "Not at all! I''m surprised that you remember my name. You are such a gentleman especially when Ipare you to someone, who hasn''t even rapped to me till now! What a cold person! Calling him Mr. Chilly is too good for him. I think he needs another name that suits him better. Probably, the zombie would do!" Michelle looked in Luke''s direction while she wasining. It was clearly evident that the person she just mentioned was no one else, but Luke. However, Luke remained straight-faced. He gave no reaction to her words, as if it really had nothing to do with him. He only frowned and shot a nce at the gangsters lying on the ground. He was thinking that it would perhaps be better for them to leave this ce right away. "You actually caused quite a stir back then, and it did leave asting impression on me, " said Edward with one eyebrow cocked teasingly. But when he turned to look at Luke, his brows quickly wrinkled. He had not noticed that Luke was badly injured until now. "Can I take it as apliment? Well, it sounds more like a criticism to me." Michelle stroked her chin with a confused look on her face. Soon enough, she read between the lines and found out that Edward was probably making fun of her. "Definitely not. I''m afraid that you might be thinking too much. Anyway, thank you for your help today. Now, I think it''s time that we get out of this ce. After all, Luke''s wounds have to be treated as soon as possible." Luke quite agreed with Edward. It was not wise to stay here for lo expect and find a Chinese doctor so easily in a foreignnd. "You, get out." Michelle heard Luke demanding when the doctor had to take his clothes off to check his wounds. It was rare to hear him speaking to Michelle. He then looked away, with shyness passing fleetingly and unconsciously across his grim yet handsome face. Michelle didn''t notice it, but Edward already saw it. Edward looked at him with a sly grin. It seemed as if he just discovered something interesting about Luke. "I beg your pardon, Mr. Chilly? So this is your attitude towards someone who just saved your life? You seriously are something, sir. Now listen, I am staying, and I don''t think there is?anything that?you can?do?about?it." She was fuming with rage on hearing Luke''s words. After all, she was the one who helped him drive those gangsters away, and she was the one who found him a doctor. But did he ever express his gratitude? No, he hadn''t even said a word to her. And the first thing he said to her now was ''get out''. Enough was enough! Now, she decided to show him a tougher face. "So you are not getting out?" asked Luke, casting a nce at her coldly. When he saw that Michelle was still standing at the same spot, he had no choice but to undress in front of her. He remained calm and peaceful during the whole process, as if nobody was watching him. But Michelle freaked out by the scene. She gave a loud scream, covered her eyes with her hands and immediately ran out of the room. Chapter 660 The Love Trap (Part Three) "You know, I quite admire yourposure. But I am afraid that she has an unforgiving temper. Be careful, she might settle scores with you in the future." Edward said to Luke with a malicious smile. He was rather astonished at first, too. But he then rejoiced inwardly, thinking that something good might happen here. Something probably rted to a crush, or love. "So what? She''s just a little girl, what can she even do to me?" It seemed like Luke wasn''t paying any attention to Michelle, and was even looking down upon her Edward wondered whether she would kick up a big stink if she found this out. Judging from her hot temper, he believed that she definitely would. "I have been there. And mark my words, one should never ever underestimate a woman. Offend them once and you are doomed for life!" said Edward, winking at Luke gloatingly. If he saw things right, Luke and Michelle were actually into each other. It was only a matter of time before Jack could have his Jill. But given the fact that Luke was very clumsy in the matter of love, they still had a long way to go. Although Luke had wounds all over his body, they were not very severe. So the doctor had only disinfected the wounds and applied medicine to them. But it was still quite an ordeal for Luke to have so many wounds treated at one time. He might have managed to disy a calm exterior, but it was truly a gut-wrenching scene for Edward. And Luke''s suffering further added to Edward''s hatred towards Joseph, KG''s CEO. No sooner had Michelle seen the doctor off than she stormed in the room. She walked up to Luke, gnashing her teeth. She only became increasingly irritated when waiting outside. It was true that she wasn''t the kind of perfectly charming or coquettish girl, but she was pretty and cute. How could someone like her, ever disgust anyone? How could he be so rude to her? "Hey! Mr. Chilly. What wrong did I ever do to you? Why do you treat me like this? I want an exnation!" huffed Michelle ord to him, not even when you are angry, and no matter how angry you are, just stay mum." Edward stressed. Although he appeared to be serious, he wasughing inside. It was so much fun to trick an innocent and unsophisticated girl like Michelle. ''I am being so nice to you, Luke, for I have found you such an interesting girl to add spice to your life. Now you owe me a lot!'' "There is really no need to worry. Do you think that I will ever get a chance to tell him anything? You too have seen the way he treated me just now. He never talks to me properly." Michelle replied with a great deal of frustration in her voice. She was too depressed to notice that she was actually falling into a trap set by Edward. "So as I see it, you should first try to make him like you. That way, he will not give you a cold shoulder anymore." Edward became as bold as brass in an attempt to set them up. And not only did he arouse Michelle''s interest in Luke sessfully without her even noticing it, but had also made her think that he was only helping her out. "Absolutely! Why?haven''t I ever thought of such a good idea? That''s settled?then. Let''s see how I manage to tame this cold fish now." Well well, now she was doing it all to herself. And that was how our lovely Michelle got totally brain-washed by the naughty Mr. Mu. Chapter 661 Paternal Love (Part One) "You go, girl!" Edward snickered. He was d that Michelle believed him. Michelle was too simple after all. "Howe you became the target of those people? They don''t seem to be nice people. Did you offend the local gangsters?" Michelle recalled the dangerous situation they were in about a moment ago. Luke would have been seriously injured if she and her sidekicks hadn''t appeared in time. "Yes. It''s about business. You have to bow your head under low eaves. This is their territory. We have been put into a very tight spot." Edward frowned. He had been too careless this time and was now led by the nose. The situation was dangerous and crucial. If he and Joseph still couldn''te to an agreement by tomorrow, he would have to seek help from his father as ast resort. Honestly, he was reluctant to ask for help from Jonathan. Bygones were bygones. He had put the past behind and didn''t hate him anymore. Edward was a proud man. He just didn''t want his father to think that he couldn''t even handle such a trifle. "You should be more careful. If there is anything that I can do for you, do let me know. I came here only for fun, but my father''s friend is a powerful man here. Perhaps he can help you, " Michelle said as she patted her chest like a man. "No, thanks." Edward didn''t want to owe anybody anything. If he had to ever ask for help from someone, it would rather be from his own father than from anyone else. After all, blood is thicker than water. Edward didn''t want to be burdened. If he took help from his father, he wouldn''t feel like he owed him. Certainly, his father wouldn''t ask for anything in return. "Okay. I should go. Look out for yourselves." Michelle checked the time. It waste. She wanted to trash Luke more, but it would be inappropriate for her to stay any longer. She knew the protocol. "See you back in the city. Remember what I told you, " Edward reminded her, resuming his trick. "I will. Bye." Michelle was scatter-minded. By the time she briskly ran out of the room, the anger she felt at Luke was a athan was the only person who could help them out. In the past, Edward would rather die than seek help from his father. Now he was willing to call him. It seemed they were eventually reconciled with each other. "Yes, that was him. We came here in a hurry without proper preparations. Now we need The Mayfly''s help to protect us. After I handle Joseph, we can go home on time." Edward walked to the sofa and sat down. The frustration on his face had disappeared. He seemed in a good mood now. "With your father''s help, we can fight back tomorrow, " Luke said. He was used to Edward''s confidence. Yesterday was the first time he had seen Edward cornered. As someone close to Edward, he had felt bad about it. Edward had promised Daisy that he woulde home safe, so he had been suppressing his anger while negotiating with Joseph. He had tried his best to be tactful with him. And atst, he had almost gotten himself killed. The old Edward wouldn''t everpromise like that. But now he was a husband and a father. That changed everything. He had to put his family and his own safety first and think everything through before taking any action. Daisy had the same nightmare repeatedly all night. In the dream, she ran and ran, but every time she got caught by someone. She had never had this nightmare before. When she woke up in the morning, she felt exhausted. Chapter 662 Paternal Love (Part Two) Her sweat-drenched hair clung to her skin. She stroked it back and got out of bed,pletely forgetting the injury on her hand. When she tried to get off bed with the support of her hands, it pained a lot. The pain reminded her of her injury and she slowed down her pace. She thought that the nightmare was probably linked to the fight. She habitually looked back at the other side of the bed. It was empty. She felt a sense of loss. Then she went to the bathroom to freshen up. When she walked downstairs, she looked refreshed. Seeing Jonathan sitting on the sofa in the living room, she paused a little, and then walked on. "Morning, Dad. Aren''t you going out to exercise today?" Daisy greeted him, wondering what he was pondering so early in the morning. Jonathan looked at her injured hand, "Morning! Are you going to the army base?" He replied in a low voice, sounding grave. "Yes. There''s been a lot of work to do recently, so I want to start early. Dad, is there something on your mind?" Daisy frowned. Jonathan had never been so dejected before. "No, there''s nothing. Have some breakfast before you go for work. You barely eat anything in the morning. That''s unhealthy." There was indeed something on Jonathan''s mind. He had started to make arrangements as soon as he finished the phone call with his son. But he couldn''t stop worrying before his men arrived in B Country. This was new to him. Now he realized that he actually cared a lot about all the members of his family. He felt bewildered and scared. The change was too abrupt and too much for him. He felt he didn''t even know himself anymore. "Okay. Are you going to join me or do you want to wait for Mom?" Decades had passed, and Jonathan and Cynthia were still deeply in love. Daisy envied them. They did everything together. There was no space for a third person between them. Daisy understood why Edward had felt neglected by his parents. I drunk? Isn''t your daughter Mary? Do I even know you? You havee to the wrong ce." It was toote for Leo to show his paternal love. "I came here for you. Daisy, tell me, what am I supposed to do to make up for my past mistakes? Just say it and I''ll do it." Leo had slept badly these days. The past shed back to his head every night as soon as he closed his eyes, reminding him of how badly he had treated Daisy. The memory was eating at him. He felt suffocated. "Huh! That''s absurd! I wish someone could tell me how I am supposed to change the fact that ''you'' are my father!" Daisy shut her eyes painfully. She wanted her family, her mom, but nothing. Now she had nothing. Whatever he did, her mom was still dead. He wouldn''t ever be able to bring the baby in her mom''s womb back to life. Then why should it matter now what he did? "Daisy, I''m so sorry. I was stupid to be fooled by Yakira. I destroyed our family. It was all my fault. I know you won''t forgive me, but please let me redeem myself, " Leo pleaded, hoping she wouldn''t hate him so much. "I''m sorry. I''m not the one you should show your repentance to or beg for forgiveness. Please leave. I have no time for you, " Daisy said frigidly. She neglected all his feelings and stayed aloof from his regrets. Chapter 663 The Commanders Daughter (Part One) "I know it''s hard for you to ept me over night, but I hope you can understand how much I crave to see you everyday." If Leo had known that things between Daisy and him would turn out to be like this, he would not have ever listened to Yakira''s words to drive Daisy out of the house. "It doesn''t matter whether you wish to see me or not. It''s all the same. Nothing can be changed." ''Who made me so aloof? It''s him! He made me so aloof! Who could he me now?'' Daisy thought. "What''s wrong with your hand?" Leo asked in a feeble voice when he saw the wound on Daisy''s hand. Leo was afraid to answer Daisy''s question because he didn''t know how to face that. "It''s none of your business. Save your concern for your baby daughter. Excuse me, but I have to go. I am going to bete for work." As soon as Daisy said that, she went to her car. She behaved very politely, which hurt Leo even more. "Daisy, Daisy, listen to me." Leo shouted, trying to quickly catch up with Daisy. However, Daisy didn''t hesitate to close the door hurriedly as if she did not hear him at all. "Let''s go." Daisy said to Mark calmly. She didn''t want to see Leo any more. ''He wants me topletely forgive him for what he''s done to me? I am sorry. That''s impossible! I can''t be that kind!'' Leo ran after the car for a few steps, but finally he gave up and stopped. Although Leo anticipated Daisy would be very aloof to him before meeting her, he still felt very sad when he was really treated by Daisy in this manner. Leo watched Daisy going away in the car until she was out of his sight. Then he slowly went back to his car. For Leo, home was not home anymore. Yakira was put into jail, Mary was kicked out of the house, and even Brian was not here. He was the only man left in this family now. So he was eager to have Daisy forgive him. He knew Daisy would not forgive him easily, but he still hoped for the same. "Colonel, are you all right?" Mark couldn''t help asking her, because he saw there were tears in Daisy''s eyes. "I am fine, really. I am fine." Daisy seemed to be answering Mark, but all she was doing was in fact consoling herself. Actually, she did see Leo''s expression of disappointment on his face, but it was really hard for her to forgive him for what he did to her in the past. Daisy''s Humvee was hurtling along the road. Her heart became exceptionally soft. At this moment, she missed her overbear If I had known Louisa''s personality, I wouldn''t have made us all so embarrassed." To be honest, Daisy wouldn''t have even looked at Louisa if themander hadn''t always treated her like his daughter. Daisy had seen too many proud women like her in her life. "s! I have to say. I am a terrible father!" Looking at hispetent colonel, Daisy, themander sighed. He thought, ''she''s about the same age as my daughter. Why are they so different?'' "You must be joking. How can you say that you''re a terrible father? It is only that Louisa''s character is different from others. You are still a majestic general." Daisy smiled. She never looked at Louisa. Since Louisa didn''t like her, she didn''t have to try to please Louisa. "Daisy, you always know what I''m thinking!" In fact, it was pretty understandable why themander would think like that. Thinking about what Daisy must have experienced in all these years, he couldn''t help but feel sad. She was just a little girl several years ago, but almost everyone knew how difficult her life was. As for Louisa, she was just a few years younger than Daisy, but her behavior right now utterly disappointed themander. "Dad, I''ll leave you guys alone. I have to go now. " Louisa gave Daisy a meaningful look. ''She is just an ordinary pretty woman. Why does daddy think I''m not as good as her?'' Louisa thought. "Okay. Okay. Just go. Leave us alone." Themander regretted having Louisa apany him to the military base. Louisa had not only lost her own face, but also let others know that he could not teach basic discipline to his daughter. Chapter 664 The Commanders Daughter (Part Two) "Miss Ye, goodbye." Even though Louisa had just been so rude to her, Daisy said goodbye to her politely. No matter whether Louisa was polite to her or not, Daisy would always disy her grace and self-cultivation in front of people. "Bye!" Although Louisa hated that her fatherpared her to Daisy, she reluctantly said goodbye to Daisy to show her maturity. And then, she turned her back with her lips curled in disdain. Louisa thought she could meet Kevin in the military base, but he was not here. ''It''s okay that I can''t see him here, but why did Dad have topare me with that poor solider. That is really annoying!" Daisy thought. "You see that? That''s her. My daughter. She is really annoying me." Themander shook his head helplessly. Although he was really good at leading soldiers to fight, he couldn''t teach his own daughter well. "Young people are all the same. Don''t be angry. she will be mature in a few years. I used to be like that too." As they spoke, they walked towards the office building. Daisy looked so calm, which was her usual expression in the military base. "Nonsense! She can''t bepared to you. You are so much better than her. Everyone but you will be angry at the rudeness she portrayed just now." Themander heaved a deep sigh. He thought to himself, ''It''s all my fault. If I had cared more about Louisa, she wouldn''t have turned out like this.'' "Don''t say that. Girls are always wayward. I can be capricious sometimes." Daisy was speaking the truth. she blushed at the thought of acting like a little woman in front of Edward. "Really? Our Colonel Ouyang would be capricious? That'' so strange. Howe I haven''t seen the wayward Colonel Ouyang? " Themander certainly knew when Daisy would be wayward, but he couldn''t help but make fun of Daisy. He thought, ''it would be nice if my daughter could be as sensible as Daisy!'' "Commander... I have to leave for the office now." Daisy blushed. She was a little bit shy, and quickened her pace to her office. Looking at Daisy''s blushed face, themanderughed heatedly. Themander''sughter made Daisy even more shy. She wished she could just disappear from his sight right away. "Mark, is Colonel Daisy shy?" Themander asked Mark who had been following them. Mark wanted to catch up with Daisy, but now he had to stop. ''s words. Edward gave Joseph a sneer, and didn''t intend to exin anything to Joseph. "Joseph, you don''t have to worry. What I said just now has so much meaning that it is difficult for you to understand. So don''t bother to understand. Let''s get down to business." Edward was a venomous man. This trait about him was known by everyone. It was the first time for Joseph to deal with Edward, so he must be really bold to challenge Edward. "Didn''t we have a deal yesterday? You just have to sign on the document. " Joseph was surprised that Edward was able to bring so many people in such a short period of time, but he thought this was his country, so he behaved very tough in front of Edward. "Ha! Do you think I''ll sign such an unfair contract? Who gave you that level of confidence?" Edward sneered with his long legs crossed. He gave Joseph a nce in disdain. "Don''t forget, this is my ce. If you want the mining base to work safely, you must sign on the document. " Joseph respected Edward, because he looked so calm, as if he were drinking coffee leisurely, rather than negotiating with him. ""You don''t know me at all. If I were really afraid of what you said, I wouldn''t have nned to build a mining base here." Edward''s eyes suddenly became fierce. He hated being threatened by others, and Joseph kept getting on his nerves, which really made Edward angry. "So, you mean we can''t work together now?" Joseph tactfully turned the ring on his thumb. He nced at Edward with his triangr-shaped eyes and burst outughing wildly. Chapter 665 The Power Of The Mayfly (Part One) "I''ll just ask you one thing, if you were me, would you sign a contract like this?" Edward didn''t answer his question, instead, he returned a question to him. His gorgeous face now looked stone-cold. Did Joseph really think of him as a dumb schmuck who would do as he was told? "I always thought that you, Mr. Mu, was a man who knew what was best for him, but now, it seems that I was wrong. I was overestimating your intelligence." Although Joseph knew that the FX International Group was a very powerful and strongpany, he still paid no heed to it. He believed that the influence of this bigpany was within its own country, not here in the B country. So he didn''t have anything to worry about. "Don''t tter me too much. After all, I''m just an ordinary person in front of you." Edward remained calm. He even picked up the cup of coffee ced on the table and gracefully took a sip from it. Then he raised his head and looked straight into the defiant eyes of Joseph. A yful smirk stayed on Edward''s face all this time, making him seem sexier and more enticing than ever. Even Joseph who was a male chauvinist, was dumbstruck by his sheer beauty. He couldn''t take his eyes off him for a while. "Are you really sure that I am going topromise on this matter?" Joseph snorted in front of Edward''s face. He then stopped staring at his charming face and looked somewhere else. He didn''t bother to hide his ambitions at all. "But I''m not the kind of person topromise that easily. As for the mining base, I can give you 20% of the profits at most. But if you want half of the profits, then sorry, I can''t help you." The reason why Edward was ready to give them 20% of the profits was because he still wanted to use their influence in the local area. If he could sessfully get their support, otherpanies wouldn''t dare to cast their greedy eyes on the mining base, thereby indirectly making them safer in this ce. "I can''t help but wonder, why are you so confident that I will ept a cooperation n like this?" Joseph threw the same question back at Edward. 20% of the profits, was this a joke? Did Edward consider him a beggar? In this case, why in hell did them put in a lo ion. "Haha! Are you not afraid that we will take theplete mining base?" Now that the gloves had alreadye off, Joseph didn''t have to pretend to be nice and hide back his real ambition anymore. "You? To be honest, you really don''t have the game." Edward didn''t n to be vague with him anymore, so he directly showed his disdain for him. "It''s not you who can decide whether I have the game or not, it only depends on the gun in my hand." As soon as he finished his words, Joseph took out his gun and pointed it directly at Edward. And at the same time, there was also a gun pointing at Joseph''s forehead in the blink of an eye. The entire move was so fast. "I thought that 20% of the profits would be enough for you to hide your ambitions. But it seems that I was awfully wrong. You are indeed insatiable. You want more than I can give. In this case, I guess that we can''t continue our cooperation anymore. So now, let me tell you, the cooperation between FX International Group and KG ends right now." Originally, Edward wanted to choose the easiest way to solve this problem, and then hurry back to the S City as soon as possible. But he didn''t expect Joseph to be this awfully difficult tomunicate. It seemed that he really had to look for a new partner to cooperate with in order to prevent any more problems from happening in the future. Even though this would take a lot more time and money, it was still better than being restrained by others. Chapter 666 The Power Of The Mayfly (Part Two) "Do you really think that you can walk out of here alive?" Joseph didn''t expect that the people Edward brought with him would be this good. This did leave him a little shocked for a moment. But once he thought of the killers he had brought with him in advance, he became arrogant all over again. "Yes, of course. As long as I want to, I''ll definitely walk out of this room unscathed." Edward sneered at Joseph''s words. He was certain that the helpers that his father sent were definitely very good, so he didn''t worry if they would be trapped here. "You can try with all your might." Joseph put down the gun that he pointed at Edward and lightly pped his hands several times. Then all of a sudden, a lot of men dressed in ck swarmed in the room. All of them seemed to be very well equipped and trained. "Joseph, right? Do you want to have a bet with me? To see if we can get out of here in one piece or not." The man that pointed his gun at Joseph also put his gun away, and nced at these men in ck in disdain. In his opinion, these men were just some roughnecks, and it was a piece of cake to take them down. "Why would I bet with you? There''s no point in that. We all can see clearly who has got the upper hand." Joseph looked at him in suspicion, and right at this moment, his eyes suddenly widened in surprise. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing. All of a sudden, a look of utter fear appeared all over his face. "It seems that you finally have an idea of who we are. In this case, do you still think that you have any chance to win?" The man lowered his voice on purpose. He was aware that Joseph saw the badge he intentionally revealed to him. On seeing the badge, Joseph got really scared. Edward looked at the change of expression on Joseph''s n effort? In fact, he was just a father who was worried about his own son. So in case anything happened, he had to send his best men in order to protect his son. Edward didn''t expect this would turn out like this. He was not only surprised but also very delighted with the way things turned out to be. But thinking about the next n of action, he felt a little sad once again. He knew it was not easy to find a newpany to cooperate, and it surely would take some time. "Mr. Mu, are we going to look for a new partner?" As soom as they were back in the hotel, Luke hesitantly asked Edward. He, too, was not very familiar with B Country. He didn''t know much about it except that this country was among the 10 countries that abounded in diamonds. Besides that, he didn''t have any crucial information about this country or the people here. "Yes, we are. But I have to go back to the S City today, so for now, this n has to be postponed." After saying these words, Edward slightly frowned. Because from here to S City, it would take him at least 20 hours, even by ne. So if he wanted to make it to the new weapon performance in the army base, he had to leave right away. Chapter 667 The Power Of The Mayfly (Part Three) "Mr. Mu, our leader said that for this n, you can cooperate with the Mayfly. In this case, you don''t have to spend anymore time and money on this. We can help you lead all these onto the right track." The man told Edward thetest order he received from his leader. Now, his suspicion rting to Edward''s identity was intensified. He knew, Mayfly, wouldn''t gain anything out of this cooperation. Despite knowing all this, his leader was determined to participate in it. All these things confused him further. "What? Cooperate with you?" Edward also felt very surprised at their offer. He didn''t understand what his father wanted from this. "Yes, with us. Our leader meant it." Although the man was quite confused himself, he didn''t dare to question the decision of his leader. So he just did as he was told by him. "How about this? I will just call him first and discuss it directly with him." After saying these words, Edward took out his phone and started walking towards his guest room. He had to think it through very carefully. Although the Mayfly was a group that was just and wicked at the same time, it still had its side of gangdom. Did he really want FX International Group to cooperate with The Mayfly? In this case, FX International Group would be pushed into another situation by him, and that was not the kind of result he wished to see. "Hey! Dad, can you exin to me what is going on in your mind?" Edward didn''t have any doubt. He knew for a fact that his father was spying on everything that was happening around him, or else he would not know every detail rted to the deal this fast. "Aren''t you unfamiliar with B Country? So I''m just leading the way for you at the moment. Of course, the Mayfly won''t participate in your cooperation, so don''t you worry about that. I''m merely helping you to get on the right track, that''s all. So be re ords not only tofort themander, but also to console herself. After all, her previous night was spent in consistent worry and insomnia yet again. "Haha! After hearing your words, I''m much more rxed. Now, I''m going to say hello to the leaders of the army group. You can get back to your work!" After finishing his sentence, themander made his way to the rostrum. But his joyousugh made Daisy feel a little uneasy. Taking a deep breath, Daisy took out her phone from her pocket. Staring at the phone in her hand, she gently bit her lip and thought for a little while. In the end, she still couldn''t help but dial the number she had been thinking about. But right at this moment when she was about to move the phone to her ear, someone called her name. So she had to hang up in an instant and run to the ce where she was needed. And at the same time, in front of the international airport of the S City, a handsome man looked at the phone that only rang once before hanging up. His eyes were full of puzzle and worry. But in the end, he didn''t say a word, instead he got in the Lamborghini that had stopped in front of him. He left the airport immediately to go to the army base where Daisy and others were waiting for him. Chapter 668 Edward Is Back (Part One) The minutes ticked past and the new weapons were undergoing trials. Since all of those were high-end weapons for the army, some of them couldn''t be tested at the scene, and their functions and performances had to be demonstrated by a lecturer, who was none other than Daisy. "Now, you''re looking at the newly-manufactured armored vehicle with brand-new radars. It is equipped with world''s leading navigation system, positioning system, electronic system and digitalmand system. As a result, its capabilities in navigation, positioning and filtering friendly forces from enemies have been greatly improved. It can deal with two objects at the same time both during the night and in the daytime. The digitalmand and control system provides the real-time data link between the vehicle and the headquarters, " Daisy lectured on the vehicle''s performance in a confident, smooth and brief manner. It turned out that she did well in the army. Edward now thought more of her. However, he didn''te over to her. On the contrary, he stood there quiet, and stared at the charming Daisy with admiration and happiness. He was really proud of her. "Now, let''s move on to a main battle tank. It can fire while it moves. This one is capable of destroying its enemies from over 4.5 miles away. It can urately fix positions on its enemies on the battlefield and deliver dialogues at any time. Besides, it can hardly be prated by any shell. It''s known to be the best tank you can get in the world." Although Daisy was stared at by a massive crowd, she got really excited to lecture on the weapons,. She seemed to have forgotten everything, including herself. Only those weapons mattered to her at the moment. However, she felt a hot nce lingering on her. But she didn''t dare to let herself be distracted by it and make any mistake in front of all those superiors. Edward had never seen Daisy that way. She confidently demonstrated her rich military knowledge and spoke with fervor and assurance. Edward knew Daisy love her job. This was why, despite his worries over all the following years, he never asked Daisy to give up her sacred career as a soldier. "Mr. Mu, Mrs. Mu is awesome. She''s really good at expounding on the performance of those equipment in details." Luke rarely had any words in praise of a woman. However, at that moment, he did speak highly of Daisy. "Of course, my wife''s indeed awesome, isn''t she?" said Edward cheerfully. His mouth twitched slightly and then he smiled. He just coul itched. He found the entire scene funny. He was wondering why Daisy would y with him. Was it because Daisy had developed some of Edward''s traits after living with him for so long? But howe he hadn''t been deeply affected by his master yet? Luke wondered. "Are you..." asked the Commander in bewilderment. He got confused by this couple exchanging courtesies formally, like two strangers. "Well, I just said hello to Colonel Ouyang, " exined Edward absent-mindedly. His attention was drawn by something else now. He had only been away for a couple of days. However, Daisy got injured again. It seemed that she never listened to him carefully. "I get it. You two have a special way to be together, " said the Army Commander amusingly after he heard the manner in which Edward talked to Daisy. "Sorry, Army Commander." In moments like this, Edward tended to show his other side of macho bravado and be very considerate, defending Daisy who already felt very embarrassed. Thus, he had to drop his thought of ying with his wife in front of so many soldiers. "You don''t need to apologize. Young people are supposed to have fun. However, Colonel Ouyang really surprised us by being so energetic and funny, " said the Army Commander amiably. He stared at Daisy and mused on that charming Daisy who had always been a cool and aloof girl and would only disy her affection sometimes. "You''re right. As far as I''m concerned, Daisy''s always serious. It''s good to see her solemn face break into a smile, for a change, " said the Commander, echoing the Army Commander''s words. Then, the topic returned to Daisy again, which brought a warm flush to her face. Chapter 669 Edward Is Back (Part Two) "I can''t agree with you more. A smiling and funny Daisy will be much closer to our soldiers, " said another officer. All of a sudden, they seemed to have forgotten the lecture, and became thoroughly interested in Daisy and her husband, Edward. "I''m sorry to interrupt your conversation. But I hope that Daisy can love me much more than her soldiers." ''Are you guys kidding me? I hate you for staring at my wife. Don''t you dare think that you can touch her, " thought Edward to himself darkly. "Haha... Edward, I never thought that you could be so sentimental. Daisy, you better watch out, otherwise your husband will be really jealous, " said the Commander. He roared withughter, which sessfully drew the attention of all those soldiers sitting in the hall. "I should apologize again. I''m pretty serious about loving my wife. No offence, " said Edward. However, he didn''t look very apologetic. Loving and protecting his beloved wife wasn''t embarrassing at all to him. Other people''s judgments didn''t worry him, since he couldn''t love Daisy more and would do anything for her at any costs. "None taken. We know your love stories and your duties as a responsible husband. Besides, we really appreciate yourpany''s support for the army. So, thank you for everything that you have done for us." The Commander nodded in approval. He felt content to see Daisy have a husband who really loved her. "You''re wee. We have indeed done very little for you, " answered Edward politely. Edward always maintained a low profile in this respect, so he rarely got smug, which made him different from many other businessmen. "Well, Since Colonel Ouyang is done with her lecture, the rest of the work can be finished by others. So, Daisy, go and show Mr. Mu around. Your presence here isn''t required right now. But don''t forget to make a speech on the stage in a while." The Commander knew that Edward just got off the ne so he needed some time alone with his wife. Young people always cherished those sweet private moments. The Commander and his peers were reluctant toe in between them, so they chose to leave them alone. "I appreciate your kindness, Commander. See youter, " answered Edward cheerfully. Edward appreciated the Commander''s understanding, since he urgently needed to know how his wife got hurt again. "Alright, let''s go and leave them alone. They can enjoy some fun when we''re away, " said th nce that the performance of the new weapons is now over. Next, let''s all wee our sponsor of these equipment, the CEO of FX International Group, Edward Mu to make a speech." As soon as the Commander stopped, the thunderous apuse was heard in the hall. "Hello,rades, I appreciate what you have done for our country. Yourmitments and sacrifices are making you great soldiers. Thank you for your services." Edward stopped, he then turned to look at Daisy, and continued. "Now I''m going to cut the long story short ande straight to the point. If I have guessed it right, some of you are more curious about my rtionship with Daisy than anything else." Edward''s eyes ran down the soldiers sitting off stage. He thought that some of them had never met him, although he had been here once in the past. Probably, this is why they were continually looking at him ever since he entered the hall. "Are you interested in Daisy''s private life? I know a lot of you people have made all kinds of assumptions about her. Now, let me tell you something. As you just saw, I have established a really delicate rtionship with Daisy, because I''m her husband." With Edward''s those astonishing words, the audience roared in surprise. A few momentster, they all calmed down, and shot curious nces at Daisy. Now it was clear why Daisy never came out in public about her marriage before. Her husband was not any ordinary man. But, something must be wrong here. If she did have a husband who happened to be the CEO of an internationalpany, why did she still live a lonely life with her son all those years? Chapter 670 Back Home (Part One) "I know there are several things that you can not understand right now. For instance, why wasn''t I on Daisy and Justin''s side in the past few years? But to tell you the truth, I cherish the present and the future. I believe we will live a happy life in theing years. On behalf of my family, I would like to thank you all for your concern and support. That''s all, thank you!" After saying this, Edward made a deep bow. The soldiers present responded with thunderous apuse. Let bygones be bygones. After all, the present and the future were more important than the past. However, some people didn''t understand this simple truth and buried themselves in their miserable past. In this manner, they not only made themselves but also others miserable. Daisy let her eyes settle upon him with a sweet delight drifting along her body. Her lips moved as if she was trying to say something. There was no sweet talk, but rather a innguage. However, she was deeply moved by him. She was still immersed in a kind of joy after she heard his speech. She didn''t care about other additional factors like appearance, family background, etc. All she wanted was just pure love. As long as she loved him, she didn''t care about whether he was rich or poor. She knew she was not perfect, and she was not the kind of woman who men found attractive. She couldn''t believe the fact that Edward fell in love with her. But the longer they stayed with each other, the more she trusted him. He proved his sincerity and love with practical actions. He valued her above his life! "You... Are you still angry at me?" Daisy stammered as she looked at his handsome face, disturbed. His eyes were shut and he didn''t respond. Even though he just showed his love for her in public, he was still at odds with her. "I know you are mad at me because I hurt my hand. But it''s a tiny wound, really. It''s actually less severe than you think. So please don''t worry about me." She was grateful that Luke arranged a caravan for them. Her soldiers were not able to see how embarrassed she was at this moment. "Are you really concerned about the way I feel?" Edward opened his eyes and coldly stared at the face he had been thinking about all this while. "I''m so Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ossy man he used to be. The reason that she epted his tyranny was simple: she loved him. She sighed as she moved away a little andy his head on her leg. They were quite away from home. She decided to let him take a good rest before reaching home. Actually Edward did not n to take a nap. He just closed his eyes in order to not argue with her anymore. But now he felt a little sleepy with her movements. Surrounded by familiar smell, he fell asleep quickly. After all, he hadn''t had a good sleep for several days. When they reached the downtown area, the sunset glow tinted the sky red. It was a rush hour, so unfortunately, there was a traffic jam. Daisy had been seldom trapped in traffic jams before. She always went home from the military basete. When she arrived at the downtown, it would be evening and there would not be any traffic jam. "Are we home?" Edward opened his eyes and looked at Daisy in the eye. He was reluctant to admit that he might go soft on her again this time. "Not yet. We are trapped in a traffic jam. Why don''t you sleep for a few more minutes?" She yed with his short hair softly, feeling guilty. She thought about all the things over all the way. She did behave totally unconcerned about many things, especially about his feelings. She never really took his feelings seriously in the past. He was an exceptional and proud man with a high self-esteem. No wonder he lost his temper when she showcased an indifferent attitude towards him. Chapter 671 Back Home (Part Two) "I''m good. Are you feeling wronged?" Edward asked in a low voice as he kept lying on her leg. She could sense that he was still tired from his tone. "No, I''m not. I was just too naive in the past. I thought I had the right to use my body without caring about anyone else''s feelings. I was wrong. I''m not alone. Many people love me and care about me. I should take better care of myself for them." Bitterness welled up in her mind when she said this. As a soldier, she had to do some things not out of her own free will. Though she was self-reviewing her acts, she was unable to change this situation. Many friends advised her to give up on her position as a soldier. However, being a soldier was not only a work for her, but a kind of affirmation to her life. She had tried really hard and put his heart and soul into achieving her goal. She still remembered the joy when her goal came true. "Nice self-review." Edward touched her soft lips. He knew it was unavoidable for her to get hurt as a soldier, but he had no option but to ept it. This was perhaps the sorrow of being the husband of a soldier. He couldn''t stand the frustration of not being able to help his wife. "Are you still mad at me?" Anxiously, Daisy bit her lower lip. She had always been firm and unyielding and would never sumb to anyone. But now, she gave in to Edward in such a manner. She didn''t feel embarrassed at all, rather she felt a gush of sweetness. He loved her, and that''s why he was worried about her safety. "Uh-huh." Edward grinned. What a silly woman she was! If he still was mad at her, he would not be sitting here talking to her in a calm mood. Since she didn''t want him to be upset, he decided to pretend to be angry to see what she was going to do to make him happy. Daisy bit her lower lip for a moment and finally made a decision. She bent down slowly and pressed her soft lips right on his. Kissing his cold lips, she calmed down and felt at ease. The very first moment she saw him today after being apart for a couple of days, all she wanted to do was to kiss him and tell him how much she missed him. Looking at h Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. that. I''m not fat at all! I was so stupid to take your words seriously at the beginning. It seems that you not only make fun of outsiders, but also make fun of your own son!'' Justin thought to himself. "Come on, you are talking nonsense! I never said that. Honey, don''t listen to him. He is trying to frame me." Edward turned to Daisy and gave her a ttering smile. Then he cast a warning nce at Justin. "You said I was a monkey. Does it mean my mom is a female money?" Justin smiled slyly and wanted to know how Edward would exin this to Daisy. "I also said you looked like a panda. Does it mean your mom is a female panda?" Edward knocked on Justin''s head. How dare he call Daisy a female monkey? "Look! You just admitted that. You not only said mom was a monkey, but also called her a panda." As the saying goes, "Eagles do not breed doves." Edward''s son was as cunning as him. "Right. I treat your mom as a panda. Don''t you know, the panda is known to be a national treasure. You are just a monkey, and nothingparable to a panda." Edward pinched Justin''s nose and thought, ''You are too young to set up a trap for me now.'' Staring at Edward and Justin, Daisy smiled and said nothing. She wouldn''t take any side; otherwise, the other side would me her for being partial. She also wanted to know who would win this game. Anyway, both of them were the most important people in her life. Chapter 672 Family Dinner (Part One) "Is everything all right with you?" asked Jonathan as soon as he saw Edward entering the house. Though his men had already informed him that both Edward and Luke were safe, he still couldn''t be sure of it. He might not have noticed it but it was evident that he was unable to take his eyes off his son ever since he came back. This wasn''t his usual self. Jonathan too wasn''t used to behaving like this. "Luke has got a few injuries, but we are all right, " replied Edward, putting down Justin. He then walked toward his father and sat down. He always wondered how his father managed to look this young even after all these years. It seemed like ages had forgotten to leave any traces on him. If they ever walked on the street side by side, nobody would believe that they were actually father and son. "That''s good. Next time you go abroad, always remember to keep your guard up in order to avoid getting into a dangerous situation like this one." Just like any other parent in the world, Jonathan too was genuinely worried about his son''s safety every time he got out of his sight. "Yes, father. I have learnt my lesson well this time. And I promise it won''t happen again." Now that he had the time to reflect on what just happened back in B Country, Edward admitted that, to arge extent, it was because he had underestimated his opponents that he and Luke were ambushed. Though he felt a little embarrassed to still need his father''s help at this age, he was thankful that everyone around him was safe at this moment. Standing just a few steps away, Daisy was furrowing her brows. She heard them talk, and was wondering why Edward didn''t tell her what had happened to him while apparently his father knew it all. From their conversation she understood that something very critical had happened when Edward and Luke were in B Country, and that they had asked Jonathan for help. It must be very serious. Luke''s injures confirmed her spection. "Daisy, sweetheart. Is everything all right? I called you several times but you didn''t seem to hear me, " Cynthia said, waving her hand in front of Daisy. She was a little worried to see Daisy not saying anything but standing in the center of the living room. She lookedpletely lost in her thoughts. "Oh, I''m sorry, mother. I was absentminded. Were you asking me of anything? Do you need any help?" Daisy replied, as she immediately gathered her thoughts and tried to force a smile. "No. I was just checking on you. You have been standing here still for a while. You look tired. Is ormous attention from Cynthia. She hoped that Mary had learnt her lessons and would stop messing up with her in the future. "Do have some of the soup, Mrs. Mu. Your mother-inw has spent the whole afternoon preparing it, " Mrs. Wu said while looking at Daisy with tenderness in her eyes. She knew that Cynthia never really cooked, but for the soup, she had put in a lot of effort. "Do I have to finish all of this?" asked Daisy nervously. There was a whole pot of it on the counter, and the thought of having to finish it all made her want to run away from here. "Of course not. A small bowl of it will be enough. This is the first time she has cooked this kind of soup. She identally added too much water to it. Though it smells weird, it''s not as horrible as you think it would be. Don''t worry, just drink it up, " said Mrs. Wu with a reassuring smile. Despite being a little amused, Mrs. Wu was also touched by Cynthia''s gesture of preparing this soup for Daisy. Cynthia didn''t have any daughter of her own, but she always took care of Daisy as her own daughter. "Thank God!" murmured Daisy to herself. It was quite a relief to know that she only had to drink a tiny bit of the soup. ''Onerge gulp will do, '' she thought. "Don''t be such a coward and drink the soup already, will you?" Edward said teasingly, as he leaned against the door frame. "Mr. Mu, " Mrs. Wu greeted Edward with a smile and then stepped out of the kitchen to leave the two lovebirds alone. Nodding his head as a reply, Edward waited until Mrs. Wu went out of the kitchen. He then walked up to Daisy. Edward was seemingly worried about her so he excused himself from the living room and came here. Chapter 673 Family Dinner (Part Two) "Are you here tough at me?" said Daisy, rolling her eyes. The bright smile on Edward''s face, which she used to love so much, didn''t seem to be very attractive to her today. "No, mother asked me toe here and make sure that you have every drop of this soup. Hahaha." As Edward said this, he put his hand around Daisy''s waist and pulled her closer to him. He was a little surprised to know that his fearless wife could be scared of having herbal soup. And he couldn''t help but wonder what her soldiers would think of her if they found out about this weak spot of hers. "I don''t need your supervision. It''s just a bowl of soup. Not a big deal for me." Finishing her words, Daisy took the bowl, closed her eyes and drank off the soup in one big gulp. Though it was done quickly, the taste of the soup lingered in her throat and made her want to vomit it all out. Just as she was about to push Edward away and find a bucket, she felt Edward''s lips pressing against hers. Slowly, he grazed his teeth over her lips which soon drove away her nausea. "Tastes not bad at all, "mented Edward, as he withdrew from the kiss and licked his own lips. Daisy was standing there speechless. Edward just took advantage of her yet made it sound like he was doing her a favor. She wanted to scold him, but seeing his gorgeous face, especially with that yful, yet dazzling smile on it, she just couldn''t help but fall for him yet again. "Edward, I just found another trait of yours, " Daisy said seriously, with a flicker of mystery and mockery in her eyes. "Really? You are finally seeing something nice in me? What is it?" Hearing Daisy give him apliment greatly boosted Edward''s confidence. He was already feeling heady and euphoric. "You are thick-skinned. Seriously, you are the most thick-skinned person I know, " said Daisy, raising her eyebrows. Then she skilfully slipped out of his arms, as she had done lots of times in the past, and walked briskly past him and headed back to the living room. It was Edward''s turn to be in shock now. Rubbing his chin, he mused, ''She just set a trap for me without me even seeing through it. Nice move! But wait until tonight to see who is the boss here, and oup; it never urred to her that Edward might also be injured and have wounds that couldn''t be seen right now. "Everybody calm down. I am sorry but it''s only Luke who got hurt. Nothing bad happened to me. I promise! And mother, please don''t call me Eddie, it gives me goose bumps. You can call Luke by his nickname, but not me, all right?" said Edward impatiently, ignoring all the concerned looks from other people at the table. He tried to divert everyone''s attention back to Luke. "What were you doing? You didn''t just stand there and let other people hurt Lukie, did you? Can''t you see how badly he is hurt? You really have the nerve to say that you didn''t get hurt even a bit?" Though Luke was only her adopted son, Cynthia treated him just like Edward. So, when she heard that Luke got injured while Edward was safe and sound, she wrongly assumed that Edward hadn''t been watching out for his brother, or at least he didn''t do a good job at it. "Are you serious, mother? Do you really want to see me get hurt too, so that Luke won''t be the only one?" Edward found it a little hard to understand the way his mother saw things. But apart from judging that in his head, he didn''t really make an effort to defend himself. He wasn''t hurt, and it was a fact that couldn''t be changed. "You sure you are okay?" Daisy asked again in a low voice, checking Edward up and down anxiously. Though she heard him tell everyone that he was all right, she was still worried. Chapter 674 Family Dinner (Part Three) "How about waiting until tonight? We can get in bed and you can clearly see if I am okay or not. What do you say, honey?" Edward whispered in Daisy''s ear. Daisy blushed and got red instantly. She looked up at Edward and gave him a hard stare. To her surprise, Edward didn''t seem to be bothered at all. He kept that flirty smile on his handsome face and looked back at Daisy daringly. Daisy was amazed by the way her husband didn''t feel ashamed at all after implying intimacy even when people were around them. Though other people might not have heard them because they were speaking in very low voices, Daisy still felt really embarrassed. She felt as if she had done something really bad. "Daddy, what did you just say to mommy? Her face looks so red!" asked Justin curiously. Back when he and his mother stayed at the army base, there were only two of them who ate together. Sometimes Kevin and Mark would join them, but it was never like this. Today, having dinner at a big table with all his family members around was indeed very new and exciting for him. He felt immensely happy and cherished every minute of it. "Do you really want to know what I said to your mommy?" asked Edward, grinning wickedly at Justin. His message of ''Keep Off or Else'' was so evident that Justin instantly realized that he should stop probing any further. "No, no. I think I''ll pass, " replied Justin hurriedly. The look on his father''s face made it clear that he didn''t want him to make a topic out of his little talk with his mother. Even though Justin was a little curious, he wouldn''t dare to mess up with his father. As a famous expression warned, curiosity killed the cat. He thought he might as well behave himself for the moment. ''Astute observation and quick response. That''s my boy!'' mused Edward to himself. He was d to see that his uncle hated the soup and would sooner orter make some unwise remarks on it and he could use that against him. He just didn''t expect that this moment woulde so soon. "Hold on! All right, I will take you to the taekwondo kwan tomorrow if your dad doesn''t have any special ns for me. But first, we have to make a deal. We are only staying there for a couple of hours, not the whole day, okay?" Luke admitted defeat. He grabbed Justin as he was about to walk away, and gave in to his threat. Luke knew Justin always tended to get too excited when he went to a taekwondo kwan, so he thought it was better to set some rules before taking him there. "Deal! I am d we worked this out. And I am sure my father won''t have any problems with it." Justin was overjoyed by his small victory. He was confident that his father wouldn''t have time to make ns for him tomorrow. Because his father would be busy tonight, and after this long trip, he would be needing more than one night to spend alone with his dear wife. Justin was aware that grown-ups had needs. As to how he found out about that, well, let''s just say he wanted to keep it a secret, or there would be more rules and restrictions on him from his mother. Chapter 675 The Late Wedding Ring (Part One) Luke was sad to find that he was sessfully trapped by this little child. Although, he had been serving Edward for a long time, he was still too clumsy to learn any of his tricks. As the performance of new weapons was now over, Daisy finally got a chance to rx and unwind. It was rare for her to spend a night on anything other than her work. She began reading her favorite novel after she finished washing. Today was Friday. Since, weekend was around, Daisy''s mood just got better. Since she had no burden of work or anything in general to worry about, Daisy freely enjoyed this precious leisure moment. "Mommy, can I ask you for something, please?" said Justin with a ttering smile. Only Heaven knows when this little boy sneaked into the room. "Go and take it! It''s in the study." Daisy replied even before Justin could name the thing he was asking for. It must be theputer. As a mother, Daisy knew his son very well. Just a look at Justin''s expression was enough for Daisy to know about his innermost desires. Justin had been abstained from using theputer for quite a few days. The punishment should get over now! "Really? Mommy! Oh, I love you so much!" Daisy''s amiable attitude was really beyond Justin''s expectation. He felt so ted that he awarded his dear mother with a fervent kiss. "But on one condition, Justin. Do no watch anything that is inappropriate for your age. Otherwise, not only will yourputer be taken away but you will also be sent to the army base for a harsh training." Daisy put forth a cold face and said in a very serious tone. She never spared her love when Justin was in need of it. But she was not willing to spoil him. Daisy knew well when he must be instructed and directed. Kids must be properly educated. It might at times be harsh for a mother to toughen her heart in doing this, but Daisy was clear she must do it to prevent his son from repeating the same mistakes time and again. "Hmm...Yeah! Thank you, Mommy! I''ll get it." Justin rejoiced and yelled. There were many games developed by him in hisputer. The game development had been suspended for many days since hisputer was taken away by Daisy. Now, Justin could resume it atst. He hated to sit idle and have nothing to do all day long. He must engage himself in something, and the game development was always his favorite. "Go ahead! But don''t y on theputer too much." Daisy believed that Justin was capable of controlling himself. He had ore freedom when it is time to foster their independence. "I have to ept the reality even though I still feel worried about Justin. Anyway, I cannot enforce him to do things against his wish! Well, there''s another thing I want to tell you, Edward. I went to see Hero a couple of days ago, because he wanted to see me." Daisy looked into Edward''s face and observed his reaction. Her face tautened with nervousness when she told this to Edward. She was afraid that Edward might get angry again. "Oh? Then what did he say? Edward shed a gentle smile tofort Daisy. Actually, Hero was indeed the type of man who deserved his respect. But it was a pity that Hero fell in love with Daisy. He should have never fallen in love with his wife. In Edward''s opinion, he was the only man who had the right to love Daisy and have her love back. No other man was allowed to love Daisy, not even in his dreams. "Do you mind it?" Daisy looked into Edward''s eyes. She was eager to dig the truth from Edward''s eyes. But they were so calm and unchanged that not even a slightest hint was revealed. "No. I''m not interested in what he said. What I do mind is how you answered his questions. Obviously, I''ve known what I want to know." Edward had faith in Daisy. He knew how Daisy felt about him, and was fully aware of her love toward him. No matter how honey-lipped Hero was, Daisy would never change her attitude toward him. Edward was certain that he was the only man who Daisy loved. It was impossible for her to fall in love with another man. Daisy''s love made him feel confident and bestowed him with fatal weapons to defeat all his potential love rivals. Chapter 676 The Late Wedding Ring (Part Two) "Then you can take a guess on how I answered." Suddenly, Daisy''s aloof attitude changed and a teasing smile broke across her cold face. It must be fun to y a joke with Edward. "I know how you answered, of course. There''s no need to guess. You must have said you love your husband very much and you will die if your husband discards you." Though Edward spoke that as a joke, he indeed got the point. "You are confident of my love toward you, aren''t you? How can you be so sure that I will die without you?" Daisy didn''t get angry. She just cast a nce at Edward and then lowered her head down. What mattered was not the conversation between her and Hero, but the things Edward said just now. Yes, she loved this man very much, with heart and soul. She loved Edward so much that she had no reason to refute his seemingly joking truth and his confidence in her love toward him. "Oh, I''m sorry, Daisy. I got it wrong. I will die if you discard me. So, please close your eyes now. I have a gift for you." Edward never hid his love toward Daisy in front of her. He was willing to speak it out and show it whenever he got even a slightest chance. In Edward''s opinion, there was no need to conceal the true feeling if you were truly in love with somebody. The right way was to follow your heart and love the one you wanted to love. "What is it?" Daisy felt happy. She seldom received gifts from Edward before. Daisy was not a shallow woman who worshiped money, but she still expected some romantic gestures and surprises from her husband every now and then. "Close your eyes now." Edward looked at Daisy with infinite tenderness and helped her close her eyes with his hand. Then he took out the tiny box from his pocket that he had been carrying around for the whole night. Daisy followed Edward''s instruction and closed her eyes. She bit her lip to smell Edward''s jasmine scent that she was already very familiar with. Then she felt something cold being put on her ring finger. Her heart beat fastened and a thought struck in her head. "All right, it''s okay. Now, slowly open your eyes, Daisy." Edward raised Daisy''s hand and kissed it. How he wished to put on that ring on Daisy''s finger! It finally happened now! That ring represented their eternal love for each other, and would witness their love for each other until the end of th moment. Edward increased the pace and length of his kisses to go deeper into Daisy''s lip to enjoy the right exclusively owned by him. Daisy fervently responded to Edward''s crazy kisses. Her tiny fair hands were quick in undoing the buttons of Edward''s ck shirt, and her eyes were deeply looking into Edward''s eyes. She didn''t shift her nce even for a second. They werepletely captivated by each other. Sensing Daisy''s passionate response, Edward''s body was on fire. He ced his hand into Daisy''s clothes to feel her smooth skin. The soft caress triggered the imagination of Daisy''s sexy body in Edward''s mind. He showered fervent kisses on every part of Daisy that he fancied in his mind. The beautiful neck, her charming corbone, and the sexy chest...His sexual fire was ignited. Everything went on perfectly. The air was filled with moans of pleasure. The night manifested its brilliant side in the darkness. Every single word was redundant in expressing the love between the lovers at this moment. The physical contact, the caress, and the kisses were the only things that were needed to quench their sexual thirst. With intoxicating pleasure, both Daisy and Edward started the night in which they solely belonged to each other... Daisy flushed under Edward''s body. She felt extremely happy tonight. Both her love and marriage was perfect now. She caressed Edward''s back with the fingers on one of which she was wearing the ring. It sparkled with every movement of Daisy and Edward. The moaning only intensified and got louder and louder. Chapter 677 The Late Wedding Ring (Part Three) But the same night witnessed a quarrel in Duke''s home. Belinda shut herself in the bedroom. She was grieved. For the first time in her life, she felt heart broken. She furrowed her brows and kept sighing from time to time. Although she had tried to suppress her fury, there was still a trace of it in her eyes. "Belinda, please listen to my exnation. Will you? You have been locked in that room for a couple of hours now. Can you open the door please?" A hasty knock could be heard on the door. With it was Duke''s voice that was filled with frustration. A bitter smile broke across Belinda''s face. What''s the use of any exnation? Even if everything Duke exined was true, Rachel was already there, like a wedge between both of them. Rachel was like a bomb in Belinda''s rtionship with Duke. No matter how hard Belinda tried to avoid Rachel, she was doomed to face Rachel and there would always be a possibility of her losing Duke to Rachel. "I really have no idea who recruited Rachel into thepany. You know, I have entrusted the HR Department with the full authority to recruit. I never step in this matter." Duke leaned on the door frame in depression. He kept knocking the door time and again, although he was certain and fully aware that the stubborn woman inside would not open the door for him even if his fingers were broken from all the knocking. Duke felt regret now, and med himself for being careless in the process of recruitment. He should have himself conduct an interview with the person to be recruited. He had no idea who the person was before the contract was signed. Had Rachel not been there to deliver him the documents, he would not have known anything about it. But Rachel was really good at ying tricks. He never thought that she would be willing to give up her supremacy and work as a sales nner in hispany. Belinda felt heart-broken by Duke''s words. She didn''t care who had recruited Rachel into thepany. But she did care that she saw her today. Moreover, she saw them in each other''s arms. Duke once told her that he had broken up with Rachel and had nothing to do with her. But they still seemed to be on intimate terms. Be oment of our own to calm ourselves down?" Belinda stared into Duke''s eyes without fear. She didn''t want to concede in front of Duke. "Belinda, you don''t have faith in me, or you don''t have faith in yourself? Or you have fallen in love with me crazily?" Duke''s tone was as cold as ice. His cool behavior could drive coldness down along the spine of anybody and was powerful enough to make anyone tremble. But Belinda was an exception. She was a proud woman who would never yield in face of any challenge, especially the overbearing attitude of Duke. "Ridiculous! How can you make me have faith in you? And why should I fall in love with you?" Belinda was unwilling to admit that she was fascinated by Duke, although that was a fact. In Belinda''s opinion, no matter how she felt about Duke, he was not her only choice. After all, she hadn''t felt the sweetness between them that lovers should feel. "If you don''t love me, then why did you get mad at me? Whether you believe it or not, I knew nothing about Rachel''s employment in thepany until today. What happened today was just a misunderstanding, and you happened to be there when it all happened. You are smart, Belinda. Our rtionship should not be affected by other people. We have nothing to do with her now!" A mocking smile emerged on Duke''s lips. ''Rachel, don''t let me know you nned all of this on purpose. Otherwise, you are doomed to have your consequences!" Duke thought to himself. Chapter 678 Belinda And Duke (Part One) "Do you really have nothing to do with her? I remember that she is your first love!" Belinda said. Her tone was casual. But obviously, her words contained a kind of envy. "First love? Perhaps even I don''t know if what I had for her could be called love. There is no need for you to be worried about her, " Duke answered. He admitted that he really liked Rachel for a certain amount of time in the past. But now when he recalled that time, he thought it was just a period of ignorance while he was young. It was not really love. Otherwise, how could he have no feeling when he thought about her now? "Now you are telling me that you don''t even know whether what you felt for her was love or not. You have not yet understood your own thoughts. How can you expect me to understand you? After all, in her eyes, even though you got married to me, the woman you love so dearly will always be her, " Belinda said in a sarcastic tone. This was the first time for Belinda to fight with Duke. She just knew that she would be a traditional housewife who was so easy to believe in some idle reports about her husband. She always lived very free and easy. But today she realized that she was behaving strange and different from her usual behavior. This was really not her style. "It''s just her thoughts. This has nothing to do with me. I just need to remember who my wife is. I do not give a damn care about what other people think, " Duke answered. Heughed wantonly. He was not a man who would ever return to his old me; especially to a woman who was so arrogant. It would make him lose all the appetite. "It is very easy for you to say it in front of me now. But have you ever thought that she will work with you every day in the future. And can you promise that you will never recall the things that happened before and will not get attracted to her ever?" All right! Belinda admitted that she was a little petty this time. But it was the character that every woman owned, wasn''t it? She was not a saint. Duke was her husband now. Therefore, she could not tolerate a woman like Rachel getting closer to her husband. "I''ll go to thepany and fire her tomorrow. Is that okay? You should believe me now e one who left him without a second thought. To tell the truth, Duke indeed was heartbroken about it. However, it was not because he loved her so much. Every person would have such a state of mind. After all, they had been together for such a long time. He did have some feelings for her. But surely, it wasn''t love. And this woman was quite ridiculous. He did not know how she was confident and felt that he still loved her and even worse, only loved her? He had to say that she was really presumptuous and opinionated. Did she think that there was only one woman left in this world? But even if she was thest woman in the world right now, he would not like to have any kind of involvement with her. He rubbed his face with water, and then turned off the switch. He reached out his hand and picked up the bath towel on the side. Duke then wiped the water drops from his hair and face. After that, without further drying up the rest of his body, he walked out of the bedroom. His sharp eyes nced across the room and he found out that Belinda was no longer in the room. Such a perception made him feel sad. He hurriedly walked out of the room without even wearing the clothes. But all of a sudden, an idea shed through his brain. He came back to the room quickly. When he saw the briefcase still quietly lying on there, he finally calmed down. As long as her briefcase was still there, it showed that she did not leave. He thus didn''t need to get too nervous. Chapter 679 Belinda And Duke (Part Two) Duke wore his pajamas. And immediately, he walked towards the study room. Usually, when she was not in the bedroom, she ought to be in the study room. But she was not there either. Therefore, he had to look for her in every room on the floor. However, she was nowhere to be seen. He felt nervous again in such a situation. He stood near the stairs to look for her downstairs. Then he looked upstairs. Leena''s bedroom was upstairs. Did she run to her room? Anyway, he could know only after he went there and checked for himself. Belinda sat on the bed, looking at Leena''s picture leisurely. That girl was really lovely and sweet ever since she was a little child. No wonder these men who had been gathering together all the time liked her so much. It''s not hard to see from the photo album that she was really a little princess and everyone liked her. "What are you looking at?" Suddenly the husky male voice sounded in the room. The voice startled Belinda. After she found out that it was Duke, she felt relieved. "Nothing, why did youe up here?" Belinda closed the photo album in front of her and looked at him angrily. "Of course Ie to find you. What else do you think I can do?" Even when Belinda treated him so bad, Duke did not get angry at all. He just took over the album in her hands and leafed through it casually. When he saw those pictures that were full of memories, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on his face. "Do you also think that Leena was very cute when she was a child?" Duke asked. He just thought that everything in the picture seemed to have happened yesterday. But this little girl had long been out of his arms. Now she was in the arms of another man. He also did not know if that man would be able to protect her and keep her happy everyday just like him. e carrying some object around?" Belinda did not know that Duke would suddenly do that. Therefore, she panicked and shouted at him. "I don''t mind if you go on shouting like this and attract the attention of all the people in the house." Duke patted on her ass, and scolded her in a low voice. "Then you put me down first!" Belinda kept struggling. It did no good to her and he only tightened his grip on her. "I will certainly put you down. But not now. So you just keep quiet right now." Duke slightly frowned. Why this woman could never be gentle? He had never seen her soften up to him. Except when she was excessively drunk thest time, that was the only one time she showed her pitiful side to Duke. She spent most of her time struggling. "Duke, you are really a mean man." Belinda silently bit her teeth firmly. Her malicious eyes looked towards him. She hoped that she could directly kill him with her eyes. "Thank you for all these praises. Sometimes, it takes a lot of energy to be mean to a woman." To her abuse, Duke always replied back casually. Quickly, they returned to their bedroom. Duke directly threw the little woman in his arms t onto the middle of the big bed. Chapter 680 Belinda And Duke (Part Three) "Shame on you..." Belinda stared at him angrily. It seemed that in terms of strength, women were always weaker than men. So in that area, she would always be at a disadvantage. It seemed that from the first day she saw this guy, she was in for some deep distress. "In fact, I can do a more shameless thing. It totally depends on whether you are willing to cooperate or not..." Duke suddenly bent down, and pinched her chin evilly. His eyes stared at her eagerly. "You... You can''t. I''m not convenient these days." Belinda shivered. She unconsciously moved backward. She was very afraid of the kind of evil that she could sense from him. "What do you think I''m going to do to you? Eh?" She did not expect that as cold as Duke was, he could behave so charming. She had a kind of impulse to run away from him. "Shit, I am not you. How could I know? Anyway, don''t get so close to me." She had never seen such a Duke before. In her heart, such charming looks could only be seen on Edward and Rain. Only those two evildoers could be like that in her opinion. But she did not think that Duke could be so evil too. "Why, are you afraid?" Duke smiled evilly. He changed his cold expression and now became a little tender. He looked at Belinda gently. This gave her goosebumps all over. "Yes, I am afraid of you. Is that Okay?" As the ancient saying goes, "Those who suit their actions to the times are wise." Belinda had no interest in exploring the unknown things. Because if she insisted in exploring them, she would be more tragic. What''s more, now Duke was behaving abnormally. She felt she had beenpletely controlled by him. "It''s good. to cook either. Her skills in cooking were terrible. She thought if someone asked her to cook, she could only y at it. "Woman, don''t you trust my cooking? In that case, don''t drink it." Duke looked down at her. She felt really ufortable this time. If it were for another woman, he would definitely not do it on his own. Of course, other women did not include her sister, Leena. The reason why he went to learn cooking was also because of Leena. "You are really a mean man. I am just kidding. I did not say that I won''t drink it." Belinda rolled her eyes at him and then took the bowl to drink it. In fact, the reason why she would say so was that she was so moved by his gentle behavior. She did not want him to find that out. Therefore, she just found an excuse to cover it. The tightened face of Duke finally eased down. He looked at her. After she finished drinking it, he took over the bowl from her. It was the first time for him to take care of a woman beside Leena. Therefore, something was really brewing in his heart. It was just that no one knew when it would alle out. Chapter 681 You Are Mine Only (Part One) The next morning Rachel turned up at Leng Group, dressed enticingly and with delicate make-up. She walked in with confidence, still surprised at the size of Leng Group. She regretted leaving Duke years ago. Instead of Belinda, it was she who could have been Mrs. Leng. Rachel always got what she wanted. She was convinced that she would win Duke over in the end. Seeing the way Belinda dressed, Rachel thought she was no more than an ordinary clerk. She didn''t consider Belinda to be a threat. As a graduate from a prestigious university, Rachel had once worked for a sessfulpany as a senior executive. She was certain that inparison to Belinda, she would make a much better assistant to Duke. She looked at the exclusive elevator for the CEO with greed, and imagined that one day she would be the one riding on it. Before she knew it, she was moving toward it. She was about to walk into the elevator when a guard stopped her. "Excuse me, Miss. This elevator is for the CEO only. Please take another one." It was a weekend. During busy times employees were asked to work on weekends as well. The guard wasn''t surprised to see Rachel in the office building. Even the CEO had gotten to the office much earlier. "Oh! Thank you, I didn''t notice." Rachel humbly thanked the guard for reminding her, but she cursed him mentally. When she became the CEO''s wife, she would sack the guard first. The day before, she had gotten the information that Duke would be in office on the weekend. So she hade too. Rachel didn''t mind that he was married. He could get a divorce, which was verymon these days. She would do everything in her power to get Duke back. Although smaller than FX International, Leng Group was a well-known enterprise that ranked among the top three in the city. The building had avish decor. Rachel took another elevator and arrived on the top floor where Duke''s office was located. Realizing that he had been avoiding her, she racked her brains on how to get to him. Eventually she mana y in the presence of people he didn''t care about. "Rachel, you''re a hypocrite. Don''t me it on others. In your heart, money is everything. Don''t make me speak harshly. I wasn''t born yesterday, I can tell right from wrong." Duke wasn''t moved by her pitiful expressions. Bygones were bygones. It was pointless to bring up the past. "You still hate me for leaving, don''t you? That means you still have feelings for me, right?" Rachel was a good performer. Her eyes were filled up with sadness. "You are not worth hating, " Duke said in contempt. He didn''t even want to waste energy hating her. How could he possibly have feelings for her? "Why? Is it because of that woman? She''s not the one who should stand beside you. I am! Don''t you see that?" Rachel bit her lip with her teeth and decided to forego her dignity. She darted over to Duke and circled her arms around his waist. Pressing her face against his back, she breathed in his faint scent deeply. "Go away. Don''t make me say it again, " Duke warned her, recovering quickly. He was caught by surprise for a moment. "No, I won''t. You''re mine, only mine. You once told me that you wanted to marry me, that you would have nobody else but me. Have you forgotten everything?" Rachel could feel the warmth of Duke''s body and closed her eyes. She wished time could stop at that moment. Chapter 682 You Are Mine Only (Part Two) "I don''t remember saying any of those flowery words. If I did say them, I must have been out of my mind. You would do well to forget them. It didn''t mean anything." Duke broke free from her embrace and stood up swiftly. Rachel was nearly knocked to the floor as he steered away from her. "Duke, the more you deny your feelings for me, the more it means you care. You just wait and see. I''ll prove who is the ideal woman for you." Rachel watched him intensely, with her chin up. "Whatever. Get out, " Duke spoke sternly. He wasn''t interested in what she wanted. He wouldn''t ept her, no matter what happened. He was sure about that. "I won''t give up." Things hadn''t gone well in Duke''s office. But Rachel felt that she still had a chance. Belinda couldn''t hold a candle to her, Rachel believed. She was positive she could find something against Belinda that she could use. "You won''t get your wish. There''s the door. You can leave on your own or I''ll call security to escort you. Your choice." Duke grimaced, wondering if her barging into his office would be amon urrence in theing days. "I won''t give up until youe around." Rachel looked back at Duke again, before leaving reluctantly. Duke closed his eyes and sighed. He wouldn''te around. That was as certain as the sunset. He was married and Rachel wasn''t his type. She must be insane to think that Duke had any lingering feelings for her. If she persisted, all she''d get would be disappointment. Duke sank back into his chair and was ready to resume his work when the phone rang. He picked it up immediately. "Hello, Edward. Are you back?" Duke answered, remembering Belinda''s joke that Edward was his boyfriend. He couldn''t help but snicker. Only Belinda coulde up with something so absurd. He didn''t understand where she got that idea, he was definitely not gay. "Yes, I came back yesterday. y that. But if you want to jump to the conclusion, feel free." Daisy slipped from his embrace and walked slowly toward the bathroom. She felt more exhausted than usual afterst night''s sex. That man had too much energy. Edward shook his head, walking toward the bedroom door, then he saw Justin rushing downstairs. "Justin, slow down. Be careful. What''s the hurry?" Edward frowned. He was going to look for him. There he was. "Daddy, Uncle Luke and I are going to the taekwondo gym. You don''t have any work for him today, right?" Justin asked as he smiled at Edward sweetly. "Oh. You are going out with Luke! Does that mean you aren''t going to the nice restaurant with your mom and me?" Edward sighed, pretending to feel pity for him. Justin was caught in a dilemma. "Is there going to be good food? Can you reschedule it to tonight?" It was a hard choice between gym and the food. Both of them appealed to Justin. "No, I can''t. You''ll have to choose one." Edward knew Justin would choose the restaurant. Food was his weakness. "Give me a minute." Justin thought hard and arduously, as if it was a decision of life and death.. At longst, he made his crucial choice. "I''ll go with you and mom. The taekwondo gym can wait until tomorrow." Chapter 683 Purple Mystery (Part One) "You''re such a little glutton. Let''s go downstairs first and wait for your mother." Edward held Justin''s hand and walked him downstairs. He would have picked his son up, but Daisy didn''t allow it. She didn''t want him to spoil their son. It was rare to see Daisy in a pair of hot pants that put her tapered, long legs on disy. The shorts paired well with a tight purple top that showed off her curvy figure. Daisy wore her ck and shiny hair in a high bun. The new get-up was a great change from the cool demeanor that she normally exuded. She looked gorgeous. Edward stared at his wife, stupefied. Daisy seemed like a stranger. He always knew that she had a great figure, but seeing her like this was making his blood pump. "Why are you staring at me? Is something wrong?" Daisy felt uneasy under his steady gaze. She hastily looked herself over. "No, nothing is wrong. It just seems to me that my beautiful wife can pull off anything." Edward smiled, cocking his eyebrows. He was happy to see his beloved look this stunning, but it annoyed him that other men would stare at her too. "''Wasn''t it you who bought me these clothes? Didn''t you check if they were appropriate for me before you paid for them?" It was said that if a woman didn''t change her styles constantly, her man would change his heart some day. However, Daisy was a smart woman and knew it didn''t always do her good to stick to her dull style. She wanted to unt herself for a while and amaze her husband. It was Leena who put the idea into her head. As a fashion designer, Leena had inspiring ideas about how women should dress. Edward''s reaction proved it. "I imagined how you would look in them. I didn''t expect you to actually wear the clothes." All her clothes were bought by Edward, but they were too casual for work. She mostly dressed in the military uniform. And while she loved wearing it, sometimes she felt like changing her style. Changes could turn out to be pleasantly surprising. Daisy enjoyed seeing herself in the new look. Edward had never expected Daisy toe out of herfort zone. H ld hardly stand Edward''s behavior anymore. He was always anxious about Daisy, even around Leena, who wasn''t a guy at all. "Aunt Leena, where is Uncle Kevin?" After getting a severe scoldingst time, Justin had begun to call her ''Aunt'', even though he didn''t want to. "You little monkey, isn''t it enough that you get to meet me? Why do you have to ask for Kevin?" Actually, Leena didn''t know where Kevin was either. He had only told her that he was going abroad for a military exercise. "Don''t you meet me often? It''s been a long time since Ist saw him though." Justin frowned. He knew how Aunt Leena was. He had asked a simple question, but now she was looking at him grimly. "I can''t see him even though I live with him. How would you?" Leena exined as her heart stung. She shook her head, distracting herself from thinking about Kevin. "What''s wrong? Do you miss him? He should be back in half a month." Daisy patted her. It ached her heart to see Leena so upset. Daisy understood how hard it was to be a military officer. She didn''t see her husband often either. A girl of Leena''s age should be leading a morefortable life. She should be hanging out with friends and hosting parties. "No, I am not missing him at all. What a beautiful ring, though! Sis, did you get it from Edward?" Leena asked excitedly, noticing the shining, attractive ring on Daisy''s finger. Chapter 684 Purple Mystery (Part Two) "Let me see. Someone could have fooled you with a fake one." Their conversation had interested Belinda who approached to examine the ring. Leena sat between her and Daisy. Justin came to sit at Edward''s right side and joke with Rain. However, Belinda''s words made everyone zero in on Daisy''s ring. Then they turned around to see a simr ring resting on Edward''s finger. "Edward, did you cut Purple Mystery and make it into the two rings?" Rain grasped Edward''s hand to survey the ring. His eyes grew wide when he saw the violet diamond. "Goodness! Isn''t this the most precious treasure of the mine at B Country? I was told you refused to sell itst time, even when someone offered 500 million for it." Duke looked at Edward with confusion in his eyes. He was shocked Edward had cut the precious diamond into pieces. "Yeah, it''s Purple Mystery. Why? Can''t I make a ring for my wife with it?" Edward asked, raising his eyebrow. If he could, he would bring down stars for her. A single violet diamond was no big deal. "Of course you can! You''re such a high roller, I''m impressed, " Rain spoke in awe. Edward had cut a diamond worth 500 million to make two rings. He truly didn''t care about money when it came to his wife. "He is! That''s a pure violet diamond. It doesn''t have a w. Do you have any idea how rare it is? Cutting it into pieces definitely damages its value." Duke still remembered how popr the diamond was when it was first discovered. Everybody wanted it. It ended up getting locked in a bank vault so it wouldn''t go missing. Less than one year had passed since the incident, and now this high roller wore it on his finger. Wasn''t Edward worried about theft? "Is the diamond that expensive?" Daisy gaped at the diamond on her finger with curiosity. She knew nothing about jewelry. She hadn''t known its worth. "It''s okay, it isn''t that costly. Don''t let what they said get to your head. Honey, you deserve even better, " Edward whispered in her ear. He didn''t want these two nosy guys to disturb her. "But..." Daisy looked at th atients. "Yes, it has almost healed. Thank you, Tom." Daisy bothered Tom all the time, and so always felt like thanking him. "Anytime for you, Daisy. It is expected of me since we are friends, " Tom answered with an embarrassed smile. Daisy thanked him every time they met as if they weren''t old friends used to mucking around and making fun. They were too close to say the words ''thank you''. He was unustomed to it. "Daisy, did you hurt yourself again? Why didn''t you tell us?" Belinda raised her voice upon hearing that Daisy had been hurt. She looked Daisy over to see where the wound was. "Belinda, it''s no big deal. My hand has already healed." Daisy flushed and hid her hand under the table. It was a minor wound. She was mortified at how everyone worried for her. "How did that even happen? You should take care of yourself!" Anybody could tell Belinda cared deeply for Daisy. "It wasn''t Daisy''s fault. It was Mary''s. She was so foolish. We went to rescue her, but she didn''t run. She just stood still and ended up being caught as a hostage." Leena had gotten to know Mary afterward and knew that she was Daisy''s stepsister. Leena wasn''t her fan. "What? Why did you go to rescue her? Don''t you remember how much trouble she has put you in?" Belinda was furious. Daisy had gotten hurt a lot because of Mary who stole everything Daisy had ever had. Chapter 685 Profiteer (Part One) "I know that, and you know that, too. It''s my duty." Daisy exined to Belinda, with her cherry lips held in a tight, steady smile. She knew Belinda would be angry with her for saving Mary from the gangsters. But she couldn''t help it. She just couldn''t stand by and watch someone get hurt. She was a colonel, and she worked for everyone. She couldn''t forgive herself if anyone was in danger and she refused to save him or her. That worked on Mary, too, even though Daisy hated her. "That''s bullshit! She''s a bitch. She even went to the trouble of framing you and setting you up. We were all witnesses. Nobody would me you if you didn''t help her." Belinda rolled her eyes and sulked. Daisy was too kind-hearted so she was always bullied by bad guys. If she were Daisy, she would have walked away and left Mary to her fate. Belinda was not tenderhearted like Daisy. "Oh! Have some water, Belinda. You''re way too excited." Leena affably offered Belinda some water. Anger was a fire, and it should be put out lest someone got burned. Belinda should calm down and get a grip on herself. Edward kept a close eye on the women while they were talking but he said nothing. He ordered the meal and then handed the menu to the waitress. He waved his hand to dismiss her. He pretended not to notice Daisy''s awkwardness and refused to help her out. He was beyond anger when he learned that she risked her life to save that bitch Mary. Did she even know what she was doing? What if she had been killed? He loved her so much and was unwilling to me her even when she did something wrong. He was d Belinda was trying to talk sense into her friend. "Hey! What''s wrong with Belinda? Did you mess things up with her?" Rain said to Duke, raising his eyebrows with an evil smile on his face. He was interested in why Duke wasn f." She wasn''t asking for help. She teased Edward instead. "You''re all grown up. You can cut the steak by yourself!" Edward shook his head and put Daisy''s te back. He rolled his eyes towards Leena when he took her te. "Daisy is a grown-up, too. Why cut her steak, then?" Leena shot him a reproachful pout. She pretended to be angry. "Daisy''s hand isn''t healed yet. Don''t be jealous!" Edward smiled affectionately when he exined this to Leena. "Hee hee! Sorry, it just slipped my mind." Leena stuck out her tongue and waited for Edward to cut the steak for her. She took what he did for granted. "Leena, let me give you a suggestion. You should sit between Tom and me. Then we can serve you better than anybody." Rain blinked his eyes and derided Leena. "No thanks. Sitting with you would ruin my appetite." Leena made a wry mouth at Rain in scorn. Really, she was half-teasing, but she hurt Tom''s sensitive heart. Tom was so innocent. "Ohe on, Leena! What did I do to deserve that? Why did you mock me, too!" Tom said,pletely confused. He was hurt, andshed out. He was a gentleman, with graceful bearing. How could he be anything less than attractive in Leena''s eyes? Chapter 686 Profiteer (Part Two) Dear Tom, you don''t know? Where there is Rain, there is also heavy contamination. That contamination settles on everything and everyone around him. No one should sit that close to him." Leena smiled conspiratorially andcently raised her eyebrows when she caught Rain''s angry face. "Auntie Leena, am I contaminated too, since I''m sitting so close to Uncle Rain?" Justin pursed his lips and disagreeably stared at Leena. He was sitting next to Rain, too. ording to what Leena said just now, he was also dirty. Oh, no. He was quiet, sitting in his seat. He said nothing bad to Auntie Leena, so how could she insult him like that? It was unfair. "You''re even more devious than them. It''s good enough that you don''t contaminate other people. Why would you think that you can be contaminated?" Leena didn''t know why she enjoyed teasing Justin. She liked Justin a lot, and liked making him angry. She thought the angry Justin was particrly adorable. ''Oh, my god, am I a sick puppy?'' Leena thought in her mind. "Uh-huh! No, I''m really a good guy,pared with someone. After all, I am not as calcting as someone is." It was obvious that the "someone" in his sentence referred to Leena. Leena sessfully irritated Justin as she expected. Justin offended Leena with rude remarks. He should be not med because Leena started the war. "Aha! Somebody got mad." Instead of caring about his taunt, Leena jeered at Justin. Leena looked more unsophisticated and lovely thanmon girls because she was well-protected and well cared-for. But Justin knew who Leena was. She was a scheming and shameless woman, always looking out for herself. In this regard, Leena wasn''t like Uncle Duke at all. Uncle Duke was an honest Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. thers follow her rules. "Yes, ma''am! But You''ll be following me. You''ll be there before you throw me in jail. Don''t forget that you are my wife, Mrs. Mu." Look, that''s who Edward really was. He was probably the most shameless man in the world. Daisy couldn''t even touch that. "Profiteer, I will draw the line and disown you." Daisy looked calm and had no expression on her face even though she was really freaked out by Edward. However, others only saw them intimately whispering to each other and they looked so sweet that nobody noticed there was a smoke-free war. "Belinda, what happened between Duke and you? Why do both of you wear a shit look on your faces? Do you two eat shit?" Leena observed Belinda and Duke for a long time and thought they really looked weird. "You mean little girl, you and your brother Duke ate the shit! Watch your mouth, by the way. And don''t even try and connect me with Duke. I don''t want anything to do with him." Belinda rolled her eyes and sulked. Leena was really a bad girl. If Leena didn''t drug her before, Belinda wouldn''t be bothered by a thing, and would never have to deal with...with...well, this. Chapter 687 Profiteer (Part Three) "Sorry! I just misspoke. Please forgive me! I did badly in school. I always make lousy choices when ites to words." Leena smiled with self-mockery and begged Belinda for forgiveness. She felt upset and unlucky. Why she was so annoying that nobody liked her today? "Save it! You did badly in school? Then how did you end up college?" Belinda knew Leena was a good liar, so she didn''t believe what Leena said. She was no pushover. "Aha! Belinda, what''s up with you today? What happened to you? Why are you harping on everyone you meet?" Daisy sniggered when she asked Belinda. Daisy knew Belinda was ill-tempered. But she rarely went ballistic like today. That''s why Daisy felt surprised and confused. "Leave me alone. Maybe the season''s too dry. I know my skin is. I can''t help losing my temper." Belinda clutched a hand to her forehead. She had no idea about her restlessness. She couldn''t help herself from freaking out. "Belinda, you tell me if you''re bullied by Duke. Don''t worry. I will get even with him for you." Leena was a little girl-like tornado. She ran over to Duke before Belinda stopped her. "Leena, what are you doing here?" Duke frowned. But he tried his best to stop himself from using her. He moved himself a bit to let Leena sit next to him. He fixed her hair that fell over her eyes and blocked her sight. "Duke, just tell me! Did you mess with Belinda?" Leena said in a low voice. She was a smart girl with a sense of propriety so she wouldn''t speak loudly and make their conversation heard. Unfortunately, nobody here was blind. Everyone else had already noticed the awkwardness between Duke and Be Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. have gotten through all the hard days in the past. "Come on. It''s a little over the top. They may think we''re lesbians." Belinda pretended to be shy and gave Daisy a look. Anyway, Belinda felt better after she heard what Daisy said. "Auntie Belinda, what is a lesbian? Tell me please!" s! Where there was a sensitive topic, there was Justin. It was one word out of many that she said to Daisy. But Justin heard the sensitive word "lesbians" and came to her to ask. What a bad boy he was! "Little guy, I won''t tell you. I asked you to sit next to me, but you didn''t. So I hold grudge now." Belinda loved Justin like crazy. But she pretended to be mad at Justin because Justin ignored her just now. "Oh, my god! Auntie Belinda, don''t be mad at me! You sit next to Auntie Leena. Auntie Leena seems to have a problem with me, so I had better stay away from her." Justin didn''t lie. He was afraid of being framed by Leena, so he didn''t sit next to Belinda, who was near Leena. Who knows what weird thing Leena would do to him? So he had to protect himself by staying away from her. Chapter 688 The Ring Bearer (Part One) "Little boy, as soon as my back was turned you talked shit about me, huh? You are such a brat!" Justin''s words had barely faded away when Leena came over to him and spoke to him in a chilly voice. She had been standing only a short distance from him, so she heard what he just said. "Come on! I was telling the truth. You are such a tigress. I don''t understand how Uncle Kevin can stand you." Justin pursed his lips, grumbling as he looked fearlessly at Leena. "What? Say that again! To my face this time!" Leena couldn''t stand being derided by a child anymore. She decided to teach Justin a lesson this time. "Aunt Belinda, help me! Aunt Leena is scaring me." Feigning fear, Justin threw himself into Belinda''s arms andined in a childish tone. His sweet voice immediately softened her heart. "Belinda, don''t be fooled by his innocent appearance. I''m telling you, he is a spoiled brat." Leena stared defiantly back at Justin who was making faces towards her unnoticed by Belinda. She was infuriated and wondered if she was really able to get along with him. He never seemed to have a kind word for her. "Come on, Leena. He is just a kid. Why sink to his level?" Belindaforted Leena with a frown. She didn''t understand why Leena always argued with Justin. He was always a well-behaved boy! Why couldn''t they just get on well with each other? "Exactly. Aunt Leena, you are a married woman. Why do you always have it in for a little kid? You are so rash!" Justin feared nothing now that Belinda had his back. Leena, meanwhile, was fuming at his words. But she couldn''t do anything to him, not with someone around to protect him. "So you like ying at being just a little kid. In my eyes, you are so much like Edward -- and more cunning than most adults. Never mind, I won''t stoop to your level. We''re done." Leena shook her head and sat down on the chair that used to belong to Justin. She felt stupid arguing with a little boy. Justin just chalked this up as a win. He was delighted, and shared his delight with Belinda. He got her involved in a game, lighting up her gloomy face with joy. Duke had let his eyes settle upon Belinda all this time. Seeing her smiling face, he gave her a knowing smile. Since she had time to make unfair usations and go mad with jealousy, he decided to find something for her to do, so that she wo near the Entertainment Company. You know how terrifying those women are. Everyone of them thinks of herself as number one in thepany. They just won''t stop fighting for the leading role. I will be screwed if they find out I will be responsible for deciding the role." Though Rain liked to date different women in the past, he never dated anyone from the entertainment circle and kept himself away from them. Aaron used to deal with this kind of thing. "Are you sure?" Edward asked coldly as he took a sidelong nce at Rain and sipped the booze in his ss. He still had no expression on his face. "Fine! Leave it to me." Rain knew he shouldn''t push too hard against Edward, otherwise there would be more serious consequences. If he refused to deal with those women, Edward would definitely assign more difficult tasks to him. As the saying goes, "Those who suit their actions to the times are wise." Rain decided to take the orders and bring them topletion. He couldn''t help but scold those women who just wouldn''t stop fighting for the lead role. He was drawn into the women''s war for no reason. "Rain, don''t be so upset. I know you like pretty women. The female celebrities are all A-list stars in this country. I figure they are all beautiful women, huh?" Rain became even more upset after hearing Leena''s words. Those women were all A-list stars. No matter which one he chose, the rest would hate him for sure. Edward was too cruel to ask him to be the one deciding the role. He could picture the scene of so many A-list stars staring angrily at him. Chapter 689 The Ring Bearer (Part Two) "They are beautiful, but they have no brains. In order to get the role, they have exposed each other''s scandals on the web. All of that is just silly!" Rain murmured as he cast a warning nce at Leena. If it were not for her, he would not be put into such a difficult position. She stared back at him confidently, smirking at his misfortune. "What kind of movie is it? All the A-list stars are interested in the leading role. There is a fiercepetition for it. Is this some kind of hype? They haven''t even started filming yet, but it has attracted much interest. In my opinion, the director of the movie is a weirdo. Why doesn''t he just pick the cast himself? Why does he arrange for auditions? He''s the one to me." As a fashion designer, Leena had paid attention to news rted to the entertainment circle all the time. That was why she knew about this. "Leena, you don''t understand. It was a kind of marketing gimmick, but somehow got out of hand. But you can''t deny the director has captured everyone''s attention, and everyone''s talking about the movie. That''s why those women are fighting so hard for the leading role. They know the film has a high chance of doing well. After all, the actress who gets role might even win the award for Best Actress, " Edward exined indifferently. He didn''t mind that his subordinates promoted the movie like this, but he didn''t want to be bothered with it. He was quite busy normally, but now he had to steal time to deal with it. He got fed up with those annoying women. He had set up Vast Media just for fun at the very beginning. He didn''t expect thepany to develop so rapidly and be the front-runner in the industry. "Women are horrible creatures." Leena pursed her lips, grumbling as if she forgot she was also one of them. "Leena, don''t forget, you''re a woman, too." Rain rolled his eyes at Leena as he wanted to knock her out. She got him into such big trouble. He had to deal with a group of arrogant A-list stars and pick up the pieces for them. It vexed him to think of holding a press conference and dealing with countless journalists. "Come on, I mean the women in the entertainment circle." Leena got closer to Edward as if Rain was one of the horrible ." Leena rolled her eyes. If Belinda''s wedding was next month, Kevin would be unable to attend the wedding. After all, Daisy just said Kevin wouldn''t be back until after that. "You haven''t made yourself clear." Justin threw himself into Belinda''s arms, giving Leena a challenging look. Leena was so mad at him. "You have no brain!" Leena rolled her eyes and looked at Justin right in the eye. Neither of them was about to make a concession. They just looked like two kids fighting in the schoolyard. "Come on, stop arguing. I think we''d better separate you two next time. Otherwise, you just won''t stop fighting." Daisy sighed in resignation. Justin was her son and Leena was her sister. She couldn''t take sides. But they didn''t look like enemies. Maybe there had always been a mixed rtionship between them. "No!" "Don''t!" Justin and Leena rejected Daisy''s suggestion with one voice. Apparently, they were not foes like everyone thought they were. Maybe they had no ymates before and regarded each other as their best ymate. Daisy believed that they could actually team up if there was a damn good reason for it. The gathering ended soon, but their friendship developed in the pleasant hours. Though they looked rather weird in others'' eyes, they showed their concerns to each other in a different manner. There was no flowerynguage, but only a warm embrace and simple words. They could feel each other''s love and care, and in the end that''s all that mattered. Chapter 690 What Really Matters Is Your Heart (Part One) "You can do what you want with your good buddies. We girls want to get together and have some girl time." As soon as they walked out of the Westin Western Restaurant, Belinda dragged Daisy over to her and aggressively nced at all the men around them. "Where are you going?" Edward was unhappy that his beautiful wife was being taken away. "We haven''t decided yet. What? You want to say no?" Belinda held up her chin, and looked at Edward arrogantly. "No, I just want to make sure she''s safe." Edward was not a domineering husband. Under normal circumstances, he would give his wife enough private space. "Don''t worry. It''s only an impromptu gathering. We''re not going out to fight. She''ll be safe. And she''s a colonel, Edward. She''s not the one likely to be scared if we do run into some kind of danger." Belinda stared at Edward with a sullen look. Why didn''t she notice that Edward was such a preachy man before? "So you don''t think I''m justified in feeling worried? But can you tell me how she often got injured before?" Edward sneered and gave Belinda a cold nce. It was obvious he didn''t approve, and didn''t appreciate her attitude. He went away for a few days on business, and Daisy got hurt. How could he possibly not worry about Daisy''s safety? "This is because she loses her mind sometimes. Okay, just let her go! Quit being so paranoid. Man up!" Belinda was always straightforward and had a fiery temper. It didn''t matter if she was facing someone more normal, or Edward. "You know she does dumb things sometimes. And that is exactly what I am concerned about." Edward snapped his fingers, for the first time, they saw eye to eye on something. "Hey, am I invisible to you? "You two are talking smack about me like I''m not here." Daisy stared at them in anger. Edward and Belinda both saw her fierce look. Daisy felt irritated -- she got these wounds because she was devoted to her work, so why did they say she got hurt because of her stupidity? Did they really think she was that dumb? Or hopelessly clumsy? "Yes, they''ve gone too far. Sis, let''s go. Don''t mind them. They don''t know what they''re talking about." Seeing the situation deteriorate, Leena immediately took Daisy''s hand. She offended both Edward and Belinda with her words. "Wait, bring the wallet with you." Edward took out his wallet and handed it to Daisy. Because he brought her out here, and she didn''t take anything along except for her cellphone. "It''s okay, I don''t need it. I don''t have anything to buy." Daisy hesitated. She thou She brought them to a table which was unnoticeable in the corner, she didn''t want to be disturbed. "What kind of coffee would you like?" Belinda raised her eyebrows, subtly telling them to choose some drink they wanted by checking the menu on the table. "Okay, you choose one and I''ll take the same." Daisy smiled. She was not very particr about food or drink, she always chose what she would like ording to the person she was meeting with. "I''d like a mocha." Leena showed a lovely smile. Although she didn''t know what Belinda would ask herter, she knew it must be about Duke, otherwise Belinda wouldn''t have brought her here. "Okay, we''d like twottes and one mocha, please." Belinda said to the waiter with a smile. Like Daisy, she was always polite in public. "Okay, wait for a moment, it''ll be ready soon." The waiter nodded and immediately turned around and strode away. Daisy gazed firmly at Belinda with curiosity. "Why are you looking at me like that? Did flowers just sprout from my face?" Belinda touched her own face doubtfully. She was confused. Why was Daisy looking at her with curious eyes? "Belinda, spit it out! What happened between you and Duke? You two didn''t exchange one word during the whole meal. Are you two fighting?" Although Daisy didn''t say anything before, she had noticed how odd this couple was acting. She knew the moment she saw them, and her sharp eyes detected something was slightly off. She didn''t ask during the meal because she knew Belinda would tell her the reason when she was ready. This was what Belinda was like. So Daisy put these thoughts out of her mind and continued to silently watch them, noting anything weird. Chapter 691 What Really Matters Is Your Heart (Part Two) "You should ask Leena." Belinda narrowed her eyes and looked at Leena, smiling yfully. This expression sent a shiver down Leena''s spine. "Ask me? Why? How would I know what happened between you?" Leena was confused. She wondered why it had anything to do with her. "Rachel. Does that name sound familiar to you?" Belinda sneered. That was why she brought Leena with her. She didn''t know much about Duke''s past before they met. But Leena had been around him the whole time. "What? Why did you suddenly bring her up? Hasn''t she been married since a long time ago?" Leena looked at Belinda and Daisy, dumbfounded. In fact, she didn''t like Rachel. When Rachel was with Duke before, Leena even used to y tricks on her because she thought Rachel had stolen her brother from her. Butter she heard that Rachel abandoned Duke and ran off with a rich guy. And she hadn''t seen her since. But why did Belinda suddenly bring her up? "What did you say? She already got married?" Belinda frowned. It was impossible. If that woman was really married, why would shee to pester Duke now? Or did she want him to start up an extra marital affair, Belinda wondered. "Yes, she did. I remember my brother felt very sad when this happened and had been depressed for a long time. But he eventually recovered from the heartbreak and continued to live his life." Leena''s words made Belinda sad. Didn''t he say that it was not love? If so, why would he have felt heartbroken? "So what you''re telling me is that your brother really liked her a lot!" Belinda asked tentatively, narrowing her eyes. She looked at Leena as if Leena was a little rabbit approaching the hunter''s trap. "Who said anything like that? He was frustrated because he didn''t want it to end like that. I think, it was more like a friendship than a love rtionship, just judging from the way they got along with each other, I had never seen him be affectionate towards her like a lover should be." Leena smiled slyly. She almost fell into Belinda''s trap. But she was quick to realize Belinda''s trick, otherwise Duke would be really angry. But what she told Belinda was true. She really thought that woman had never loved her brother, and Duke''s attitude towards her was not very passionate or indifferent. That was why she always felt the oo greedy. It''s enough when you get what you want most. You can''t get everything you want. Because love is also vulnerable, it''s so vulnerable that it can''t bear the slightest touch. Otherwise, it will develop cracks. When it bes like this, no matter how hard you try to fix it, it will be difficult to feel exactly what it was like before things fell apart." Daisy seemedpletely lost in thought when she was saying this to Belinda. In her way of love, she had been very humble and careful. It was fortunate for her that she had bet on the right man and got what she wanted in the end. "So do you think I can get the love I want?" Belinda looked at Daisy with eager eyes. All of a sudden, she pinned all her hopes on Daisy; as long as Daisy had her back, she would fear nothing. "It''s useless. No matter how many suggestions other people give you, what really matters is your heart." Daisy wanted to help her, but only to a certain point. Because she believed that Belinda was a clever woman, it was impossible that she didn''t know the core of this problem. "My heart?" Belinda murmured. Was she really going to follow her heart? What if the road before her had a dead end? Was she still going to move forward regardless of the possible sad ending? If so, she had to suffer from the pain of love first. "Yes, your heart is the most important thing, and nothing else matters." Daisy raised her head and gazed at Belinda, but she suddenly saw the woman she would least expect. And that made her furrow her brows deeply. Chapter 692 Cocos Accusation (Part One) "What''s wrong?" Belinda asked as Daisy abruptly stopped talking. Belinda looked around to see if anything was amiss, but she couldn''t see any cause for rm. "Oh, nothing. I thought I saw someone. I might have been mistaken." Daisy gave Belinda a reassuring smile. If her memory served her right, the woman she just saw was Coco, a famous movie star who showed up in a coffee shop with Jessica by her side not long ago. Coco was bad news. Last time they met each other, Coco took a strong dislike to Daisy. If Coco came over to pick a fight, it wouldn''t surprise Daisy. But maybe she was just overthinking it, Daisy thought to herself. Not everything had to be a struggle. "Everything all right?" Belinda was still worried. She could sense that Daisy must have seen something since all of a sudden Daisy''s face changed and her mood got dark. "Everything''s fine. Excuse me for a moment. I need to use the restroom." Daisy said with her lips curved into a smile, then she rose to her feet and headed in the direction of the restroom. She was tall, slender and dressed in a stylish outfit, so naturally she attracted a lot of sideways nces as she walked. The restroom was deserted. This coffee shop chosen by Belinda was quiet with only a few customers. But Daisy could see from the decoration and furnishings that this was an upscale coffee shop. There were white bowls for coffee and sugar, ss jars with coffee beans, cloth napkins, and gorgeous, homey paintings. There were some old newspaper clippings that were also framed and behind ss, and the tables and chairs were a perfect mix of rustic and modern. The music selection was usually independent folk artists, and there were speakers in the restroom so you didn''t need to miss a particrly good song. Daisy shed a nce at her reflection in the mirror and lowered her head to wash her hands. When she finally looked up at the mirror, she was horrified to see there was another woman standing right behind her and ring at her. Daisy ignored what she saw, got a hold of herself and walked towards the door. "Wait. You are Daisy Ouyang?" Coco called out when she saw Daisy ignore her and head for the exit. Last time they met, Daisy was in her neat military uniform. But this woman before her was wearing a sexy outfit. Coco couldn''t be sure if they were the same person. This woman looked almost entirely different, but the eyes gave her away. "Miss Coco, is there a problem?" Da nto pieces but she didn''t dare. She learned the lesson from her cousin''s bloody experience. "I''m not discussing this with you anymore. It''s a waste of breath. The records are easily found -- I am Edward''s wife and we married legally long ago. Your cousin is lucky I didn''t press any charges against her. She did try to wreck a military officer''s marriage, after all. I''m a good person, but I''m no pushover. I wish you''d just learn to leave well enough alone." As Daisy spoke, she moved toward the door. She had no obligation to answer Coco''s questions about her personal life. If not for the pity she had for Jessica, Daisy wouldn''t even waste a nce on her. "What? Are you going to run away? You realized how weak your case is? No matter when you got married, you are a hubby-thief to all of us who know the truth. You don''t really love him, and that marriage license you tout so proudly means nothing. Get out." Coco gave a mocking smile as she saw Daisy''s face darken. She thought Daisy could keep herposure all the time. It turned out she did have feelings. "So you''re just ying dumb with me. You''re not actually as stupid as you look. Even if I were a...what did you call it? Even if I were a hubby-thief, that''s between Jessica and me. This has nothing to do with you, unless you have a thing for Edward. So just shut up and spare me your stinky breath!" Coco was getting on her nerves. If Daisy''s temper hadn''t improved a lot, she wouldn''t have paid any attention to her, wouldn''t have stopped to talk to her. She would have ignored Coco as dead air, and would have pushed right past her and left the restroom. Chapter 693 Cocos Accusation (Part Two) "Daisy Ouyang! Stinky breath? Stinky breath? Really? Just think about the horrible things you''ve done to my cousin. You destroyed herpletely and now you ask her to step up and defend herself? You know she''ll never argue with you again. She doesn''t have the will. God knows what else you''re nning!" Coco met Daisy''s eyes without fear. Anyway, she was an actress, she knew how to act in all situations and forge a strong case to her advantage. "I don''t think I stuttered. Think twice about who you''re facing before you act, or you will pay for real." Now that Coco hadbelled her as an absolute viin, there was no need to keep the courtesy. She would show Coco what a queen''s ferocity was like. "And now you threaten me! Is that what a soldier should do?" Coco was indignant, but still she backed away from Daisy. Daisy was seething, her fists clenched. If looks could kill, Coco would surely be a corpse. "Think what you want. Just remember this, don''t mess with me. I won''t hold back, and it won''t go well for you at all. Think of your cousin." It didn''t matter if she was overbearing or discrediting the image of soldiers. This woman was really pissing her off and she couldn''t bear it longer. "What would people say if the papers ran stories about you? Stories about how vicious you are? I can see the headlines now: ''FX CEO''s wife a violent woman, witnesses say.'' That''ll sell some papers!" Coco recovered quickly and looked at her provocatively. Coco knew that Daisy wouldn''t actually do anything to hurt her. She was just a talker. "You can have a go. I don''t mind making headlines, but you don''t seem to have the influence." Daisy nced at her coldly. This Coco was just an actress. If Coco was fine with the exposure then why should she be afraid? "Daisy, What is taking you so long? We''ve been waiting for ages. Did you fall in?" Belinda said as she walked over. Daisy had been in here unnaturally long and Belinda was worried. Belinda was surprised to see Coco here, but she realized who Coco was right away. "You''re Coco! That''s why your face is so familiar!" "You know me!" Coco didn''t expect that someone would recognize her. She was surprised and happy. After all, nothing mattered more than fame to a washed-up actress. "Not really. I remember you from that scandal not long ago. It really created a stir. Daisy, is she your friend?" B rsonality and was forever feisty. She said whatever she wanted and never feared to upset others. Coco was knocked sideways by the unexpected twist. she did not get any benefit from confronting Daisy. On the contrary, she was taunted by this woman who appeared from nowhere. Her anger at Belinda burned through her veins like venom, but all she could do was to stand there, her eyes boring into Belinda''s back. "Hey! What''s the matter with that woman? Who is her cousin?" Belinda nudged Daisy gently. It was quite dramatic to meet a nut in a restroom. "Jessica. She''s the only one who has a grudge against me." Daisy sank into a deep mncholy. Although she wasn''t the one to me for what happened to Jessica, Daisy still feltpassion for her. After all Jessica lost her baby and the ability to get pregnant again. That was a cruel blow. As a woman and a mother, Daisy knew how she felt. "What? After all she''s been through, she still wants to stir up trouble?" Belinda had heard a lot about Jessica from Daisy and could hardly take any pity on Jessica. That woman deserved a lot worse for what she had done. "I have not seen Jessica since that awful thing happened. Maybe she came to her senses already. Maybe it was Coco''s own decision to pick on me. Anyway, it''s none of our business. Let''s drop the subject. Don''t let her spoil our day." Daisy sighed lightly. It would be best if Jessica could think things through and try to do better in the future. If she must walk down a dark road, she would be making a cage for herself. Some damage could never be undone. Chapter 694 Three Women Shopping (Part One) "You''re right. Let''s go shopping. I haven''t rxed myself in a long time. And you rarely take time for yourself. Let''s have some fun today." Belinda was hot-tempered yet outgoing. She didn''t stay mad about anything for too long. By now, she had already forgotten the unpleasant meeting with Coco in the bathroom. And now she was ready to have some fun.. "Er ... shopping? I don''t know." Daisy frowned. She wasn''t keen on shopping. The shopping centers and the malls were always crowded. Shopping was just a waste of time to her. What use was fashion anyway? She would rather spend time studying and improving her skills. "If you''re my friend, you''ll say yes." Afraid that Daisy might turn her down, Belinda made her tone threatening. She yearned for some kind of diversion right now, otherwise she would go nuts. "I was going to say yes. My husband was brilliant to give me his wallet. Now I won''t have to watch you and Leena buy things. I can buy something nice for myself." Daisy actually didn''t have anything specific to buy. But girls tended to spot things they liked while they were window shopping. So the wallet was actually useful. "Huh, your husband? That''s new. You never referred to Edward as your husband before. Did you say that on purpose after you saw Duke and I were fighting? Maybe just to annoy me?" Belinda asked angrily, gritting her teeth. "Um ... I just blurted it out. I didn''t mean to." Daisy was surprised too. She had never referred to Edward like that in front of people. What on earth did it mean? "Even if you meant to anger me, I can''t do anything about it. We all see how happy you and Edward are. I''m happy for you. Your dream has finallye true after so many years. You are my heroine. I really mean that." Belinda looked at Daisy in admiration. She was gratified that her best friend had found her happiness. And Belinda hoped that one day she would too. "Thank you. You''ll be as happy as I am. Trust me. We''ll all be happy, " Daisy said, squeezing Belinda''s hand. True friends cared about you and adult. To her, she was like a spoiled princess. "I think so. Just give her a chance to prove herself." Daisy held Belinda and Leena by hands. They dropped the topic soon, because they were attracted by something else. "Sis, I believe you''ll look great in this." Leena put a cap on Daisy''s head. Daisy looked wild and mysterious in it. "I don''t think so. I rarely wear a hat." Daisy twisted her mouth. She had only worn the army cap. She wasn''t used to wearing other hats. "It looks good on you. And it matches your clothes. Take it." Before Daisy knew it, Leena had already paid for the hat. She had to pack it in her shopping bags. "Yes, it does. Let''s go look at the ceramics." Belinda led Daisy and Leena to the next shop. Today there was no businesswoman, no colonel, and no little princess. Today, they were just three ordinary women shopping. Except their upper-ss status, they were the same as the others. "Do you like this pair of ceramic kissing figurines?" Belinda was eyeing a pair of kissing figurines, Daisy took them off the shelf, put them in her palm, and teased her. "Don''t you think they are just adorable?" Belinda looked at the figurines, and loved them. "Oh, I know. Belinda, you want to put them in your bridal chamber, right? The boy is my brother and the girl is you." Leena winked mischievously. She had hit a nerve. Chapter 695 Three Women Shopping (Part Two) "Who told you I was going to put them in my bridal chamber? I will put it them in my own home." Being seen through, Belinda rolled her eyes at Leena. It seemed as if Leena could read her mind. She began to regret that she had let Leena tag along. "Your own home? What''s the difference? Aren''t they the same ce?" Leena was confused. "Of course they aren''t. What''s the matter with you? Are you picking on me?" Belinda patted Leena lightly with a sullen face. "You and my brother are married. Isn''t your home the Leng residence?" Leena persisted. "Why are you arguing with me? Although we are married, we haven''t had our wedding ceremony yet. In addition, my own home isn''t the Leng''s residence, and it will never be." Belinda felt wordless and mad. "I think Leena is right. When you are married, your parents'' home isn''t your home anymore. Wherever your husband is, that''s your home." Daisy never knew what it felt like to have two homes. She felt she never truly had a parents'' home to go back to. When she was living with Justin at the army residential quarters, they had a house, but it was far from a home, because there was no man in it. It was after she moved into the Mu''s vi that she started to understand what a home was. "That''s right. Belinda, don''t say that to my brother. It will upset him." Despite her young age, Leena was tactful and of good character. "Upset him? I''m upset right now. I have a home. Why should I see the Leng''s residence as my home?" Clearly, Belinda was still mad at Duke. But at the same time she was wistful, because after her marriage, she had to leave her parents and move into a new home. That was one of the disadvantages of raising a daughter. "What''s going on? You''ve been angry all day, " Daisy asked, nudging Belinda with her arm. "I''m sorry. I got my period, so I''ve been in a bad mood these days. trying to avoid facing Duke. And she couldn''t go to her parents'' house. They would be asking her questions relentlessly. She would definitely be quite annoyed. "No, thanks. I can tell him myself. But don''t you want to call Duke and tell him about your whereabouts? He will be worried." Daisy sighed. Love hurts, she thought. She had struggled in love. And Belinda was struggling and hurting. "He won''t. He''ll worry about somebody else, but not me." It sounded Belinda was jealous. "Belinda, do you mean me?" Leena said, although she knew well what Belinda was talking about. She didn''t want to see her brother and Belinda split up. That would be the worst thing in the world. "You wish. He won''t even think about you now that he has someone else on his mind." Belinda sat back in the chair sluggishly, sneering. Suddenly she felt good to have a sister-inw like Leena, who she could hang out with. "Why, I sense jealousy." Daisy smiled. Belinda cared about Duke, but she was pretending otherwise. "Really? I don''t." Belinda knew what Daisy meant, but she wouldn''t admit to her feelings. Of course she cared. The image she had seen the day before was haunting her. It would be some time before she could be honest with herself. Chapter 696 A True Beauty (Part One) "I also sense it. Actually, you shouldn''t be mad at my brother. Rachel is nobody. Are you afraid that you might lose?" asked Leena knowingly. She bet that Belinda would take the bait for a dare. "Bullshit! "I''m not afraid. I just don''t want to be looked down upon because of her. That''s all." Belinda roared withughter. Rachel meant nothing to her. However, Duke''s attitude was another thing entirely. She cared what he thought. "You''re right. There''s no need to worry about all this BS." Leena was sitting at the table sipping lemonade, with a sly smile. "Silly, do you call that BS? Well, forget about it. I can''t be serious with you. I might go crazy. By the way, why are you so mischievous while your brother''s so dull and boring?" It finally urred to Belinda that arguing with Leena was a waste of time and energy, since she could never be reasonable. "He''s not boring or dull, My brother''s cool, ok? What''s wrong with you?" Leena''s mouth twitched slightly, with a mocking smile shing on her face. She was definitely teasing Belinda and defending Mr. Cold. Daisy sipped her jasmine tea with pleasure. Watching those two girls arguing and chattering, Daisy felt her life was perfect right now. She had a family who loved her, several good friends in whom she could confide, and plenty of leisure time. She was happy, and had felt this way almost every day recently. At that moment, her mobile phone rang, jarring her back to reality. She picked it up and put a smile on her face, answering the call. "Daisy, are you finished? Should Ie pick you up now?" She heard Edward''s attractive voice on the line, which warmed her heart once again. "I was gonna call you. I''ll be backter than I expected. So, you might need to have dinner without me, " answered Daisy. Daisy looked at those two women who had stopped arguing and were now staring at her nervously. Daisy knew what they were thinking about. They were afraid that Edward might disagree. "Are you still out shopping?" asked Edward. He leaned the chair backzily, dropped his pen, and his brow furrowed, sullen. "No, we''re done with shopping already. We will go to a pub and have some fun. Are you ok with this?" Daisy tensely asked. She sensed Edward''s displeasure from his voice. "If I don''t like this idea, will youe home right now? Will you listen to me?" Edward stood up from the chair, walked to the window, and looked down at the cars on the street. This city was really such a dynamic and prosperous one. "What do you think?" Daisy could imagine that Edward must be frowning wi e and order me to do anything." Daisy was smart enough to figure out her mistakes and apologize for them. "Daisy, I know Edward rarely cares about a woman this way. His love is special and unique. He wouldn''t give a shit about the safety or welfare of any woman he had before. He didn''t even talk to them nicely. Do you know that?" In Leena''s eyes, Edward was the best of those outstanding men, so countless women would make sacrifices for him so they could win his heart and his love. "Shut up. You''re always ready to defend those men. You''re like a traitor to our women." Belinda looked at Leena coldly and finally knew why those men liked Leena. She was like a defensewyer who would do anything to make her defendant look not guilty. "I''m telling you the truth. I don''t lie." Leena was hurt and her full lips pouted slightly. Each and every man she loved had unique characters and deserved her love and defense. "Stop. Shut up. Don''t talk nonsense in front of me, please." Belinda was afraid of Leena being stubborn and arguing. So, she decided to silence Leena first. "Belinda, you better call Duke, otherwise, he might get anxious and worried, " said Daisy. Daisy knew Belinda well enough that she was sure Belinda had turned off her cell phone so that Duke could not talk to her on the phone. "Don''t we have a traitor here to tip us off? So, don''t worry about him." Belinda gave Leena a quick nce and was sure that Leena must have told her brother about where they were going and what they were gonna do. "Haha, I told him nothing but that we won''t be back home early." Leena smiled with a guilty conscience, knowing that she had been exposed. She attempted to gloss over this embarrassing moment. Chapter 697 A True Beauty (Part Two) "You know you''re a traitor, don''t you?" Belinda looked at Leena contemptuously. She turned off her cell phone so that he wouldn''t call and bother her. Meanwhile, she also knew that Leena would tell her brother about where they were. So she didn''t give a second thought about Duke getting worried. Loud noise and dancing people were what you saw in a pub. So, as soon as they entered this ce, they felt its rhythm and attraction almost immediately. "Belinda, can''t we go to another ce? I don''t like it." Leena frowned, debating whether she should go inside with Belinda. Recalling what had happened here, she really wanted to escape. "It''s a nice pub. Although it''s not as luxurious as Sexy World, it''s still well-decorated inparison with other pubs. We can have some fun here." Belinda shot a curious nce at Leena and wondered why she looked so anxious. Leena seemed to dislike this ce already. "We can leave and find another one if you don''t like it." Daisy also saw Leena''s embarrassed expression. She looked around and found theyout and decoration weren''t bad. They could enjoy a good night here. "Forget it. I''m fine. Let''s go inside." Leena took a deep breath, and decided to rx. A long time had passed, and she was sure that nobody would recognize her in the pub. This was where she had her one-night stand with Kevin. "Are you sure?" Daisy looked a bit worried, since she still sensed a slight hesitation in Leena''s voice. "Yes, I''m sure. Don''t worry. Stop treating me like a kid." Leena smiled sweetly, which was typical of her. She was always optimistic and nothing could depress her for a long time. Nevertheless, she was still a bit afraid that some waiters or waitresses might recognize her for seducing Kevin that night. She''d be embarrassed if she heard one of the rumors. "Let''s go. We can ask for a private box if you don''t like the noise outside." Actually Belinda rarely went to a pub, although she never felt it was beneath her to go there. She might meet some strangers, drink some liquor and get drunk. The noisy atmosphere in the pub was fine with her. However, she was afraid that Daisy might be unused to this. "Whatever you want. It''s fine with me, as long as you enjoy it." Although Daisy had always disliked noisy surroundings, she could reluctantly do this to lift Belinda''s spirits and have her rxed. "I don''t want a private box. We can sit here, and look at those beautiful boys and girls on the dancing floor." Belinda raised her eyebrows and on me for our argument?" Leena wore a fashionable jumpsuit which made her look lovely and sexy. She had already been a beauty at a young age. At that moment, her full lips pouted slightly, a man might be unable to restrain himself from kissing her. "Don''t think about me that way, please. Do I look like a bitch to you?" Although Belinda did think that way, she would never acknowledge her thoughts in front of Leena and Daisy. She must teach Leena a lesson for arguing with her. "You are the definition of a bitch, as far as I''m concerned." Daisy looked at Belinda coldly. Belinda had the audacity to do things like that and refuse to acknowledge it. "Look, Daisy agrees with me that you''re doing this to punish me. By the way, can I go home first?" Leena thought it was unwise for her to stay here with them in a pub, so she decided to leave. "You tell me. If you leave now, I''ll tell your brother that you suggested that we go to a pub and have some fun. What do you think he would do?" said Belinda threateningly. Belinda felt so good to threaten Leena and piss her off. She believed that Leena would surely learn some lessons today. "Belinda, how could you set me up this way? Mr. Cold will lock me in the house for a month." The thought of this sent a chill through her heart. She had been punished by her brother this way countless times. "Don''t be a fool. I got you covered. I won''t allow him to do that. Besides, you don''t live with him. How could he lock you in your own house? So, stop being a dumbass." Belinda snapped at Leena''s head and thought that there was nothing more funny than seeing your husband''s little sister get punished for your actions. Chapter 698 An Old Acquaintance (Part One) "As long as it''s what Duke wants to do, then he''ll probably follow through. He''s got a bad temper, and there''s no telling what could happen. I thought you should know, " Leena reminded her. She trembled a bit at the thought of Duke''s previous actions, sending her back to Paris. Duke was very angry then. Fortunately, Kevin was with her and he took the brunt of it. Otherwise, Duke might have torn her to pieces. "At the worst he''d yell at me. what else would he do?" Belinda said that, caring less about what Leena said. She did not know that in addition to yelling, Duke had various ways to make her beg him to stop. "Miss, here is your wine. And, our boss told us all your orders are free tonight." The waiter said. And his words caught the attention of the threedies. They looked at the waiter in surprise. "Who is your boss and why is it free?" Belinda asked. She was wondering whether they had fallen into a subtle and deadly trap. "I don''t know either. But my boss said that Ms. Leng would know the reason. I''m sorry! I have to go now." The waiter said, giving a meaningful look at Leena. And then he turned and walked away. "Girl, tell me what the hell is going on! Is that the reason why you didn''t want toe in just now? You know the boss here?" Belinda stared at Leena with a thoughtful expression on her face. She could not understand why Leena, such a naive young girl, had a friend who ran a nightclub? "Uh! No. This is the second time I''ve been here. How could I know the boss? But I think the boss is Kevin''s friend, " Leena exined, looking around the bar. She did not tell them that Kevin was one of the co-owners of this nightclub. Kevin once mentioned that the soldiers could not go into business, so she didn''t mention it to anyone, not even close friends or rtives. She didn''t want to make trouble for Kevin. "So, why did you have a probleming here? Wouldn''t it be nice to be fr elinda could imagine how lively the Leng House would be. At least, it would be a very pleasant thing to fight with this little girl every day. "Are you sure you are my sister-inw, not my stepmother?" Leena was not afraid of Belinda''s threat at all. After all, if Belinda talked about it frankly, that meant she would not really do it, but was just ying tricks. Anyway, if Belinda was really that kind of vicious person, Leena wouldn''t let her marry her brother, Duke. She wouldn''t have even tried to arrange it. "You can think whatever you like. But it depends on how I do it." Belinda took a sip of her champagne, turning her eyes to the center of the stage. She was attracted to the fast-paced melody and the inspiring music and would like to have a try. For all the arguments between Belinda and Leena, Daisy always kept quiet and never intervened. It''s because it had nothing to do with her, so she stayed calm. So, even if Belinda and Leena made a lot of noise, Daisy still maintained her usual calmness. "Daisy, why don''t we dance? Let''s go!" After all, Belinda was a very active youngdy, and she also had a bold character, being a professional woman. She watched the crowd dancing and swinging in the middle of the stage, and suddenly wanted to dance herself. Chapter 699 An Old Acquaintance (Part Two) "Well, I don''t know how to dance, so, not me. How about you two go out there? " Daisy refused to dance with them. She only learned some social dancing before and really knew nothing about how to dance at a nightclub. Not to mention she was also too shy to dance in front of people, especially in a ce like the nightclub. She was not used to being the center of attention, and didn''t intend to start now. "I''m not going either, Belinda. I prefer to drink quietly." Leena did not want to dance either. She was pretty sure Duke was going to get there soon. She did not dare to irritate him. "You''re both staying here? Well, okay, I''ll go by myself!" Belinda had no problem dancing in public. She''d studied abroad, and was quite worldly and open-minded. "Okay. Go and have a good time! We''ll just sit here and watch you, " Daisy said, giving Belinda a tender smile. Really, she thought Leena was worried about nothing. It was good for Belinda to get out there, dance, and forget her cares. There was nothing to be concerned about. Anyway, it was just dancing; Duke should not be angry about it! Once Belinda approached the stage, she immediately attracted a lot of attentions and whistles from countless men. After all, such a youngdy with a beautiful face and a curvy figure was rare in the nightclub, Belinda was hot and she knew it. Hence, everyone began approaching her, flirting with her while dancing. Surrounded by the dancers, Belinda just smiled, like a powerful princess looking down upon her subjects. "Daisy, you think she''s okay out there?" Leena said worriedly. Her heart was?about?to?jump?out of?her?throat, especially when she saw a man dancing closely with Belinda. "Oh my god! Is that really Belinda? She''s dancing dangerously. I hope Duke doesn''t see that. " Daisy also felt uncertain now. She thought this went way beyond rxation, and it seemed that Belinda had drunk too much. "So, what do we do now?" Leena could only rely on Daisy now. She looked at the door from time to time for fear t ing. Nice to meet you!" His smile was disarming. But even Leena did not like this man who just suddenly popped up, but she still gave him a sweet smile in return for his gentle grin. "Hi, Mr. Ling, right? Please call me Leena. My friends do. No need to be so polite." Leena didn''t know who this man was, but she could tell from the way he looked at Daisy with those gentle eyes that he must harbor some affection for her. So she must keep him away from Daisy. "That''s fine. Then there''s no need to call me Mr. Ling, just call me Zemo." Zemo Ling smiled gently again. He was not put off by Leena''s boldness. He might be arge man in a suit, but underneath he was a gentleman, and generous to a fault. The behavior matched his looks. "Sorry, we still don''t know each other well. So I still need to behave properly and politely." Leena sneered and thought, ''A good-looking face? Who cares? Inparison with Edward, there is still a huge gap between his appearance and Edward''s. Edward is the most handsome man I have ever seen.'' "Don''t mind her. She''s angry with everyone today!" Daisy frowned, simply exining to Zemo. She was confused -- why did Leena behave in that way? Leena was certainly a very easy person to get along with. How could she be so fussy about Zemo? Why did she speak to him only in polite tones, and not friendly ones? Chapter 700 An Old Acquaintance (Part Three) "She''s fine. By the way, you have changed a lot too. I didn''t recognize you at first and it took me a long time to confirm that it was you." Zemo was not as handsome as Edward, nor as elegant as Rain. But he was a tough man, with determination in his eyes. It was rare to see such style nowadays. "Of course. I am much older than before. I was a teenage girl thest time you met me. And now I am nearly thirty. How time flies!" Daisy sighed, recalling the past time when she was young. There was an old saying that, those who knew nothing feared nothing. This saying best described what they were in the JC Military Academy. However, she could not find such impetus now. "Don''t say you''re old in front of me. I am older than you are. But you are more attractive now." There was a glint of sadness in Zemo''s eyes. If he hadn''t been injured at the time, would the situation be different now? Was there any possibility that he would be in love with Daisy? "Thank you very much! You look good too! Much more mature and reliable. " Daisy smiled, raising her lower lip and again cast her gaze to the center of the dancing floor. Surprise! Belinda was not there any longer. This discovery made her stand up in a panic, with her keen eyes searching the crowd. And she finally locked her eyes on the hottest ce. However, she was unable to figure out whether Belinda was among therge group of people there because there were so many people standing around. "Sis, what happened? Belinda is not there! I could not see her now." Right when Daisy stood up, Leena also realized that something was wrong. Looking out there, she also found that Belinda who had danced crazily in the middle of the dancing floor had disappeared. It was all her fault. She only cared about the man in front of her but neglected that the person who could actually be in danger was Belinda. "Don''t worry. Let''s go and find her. She sh Duke suppressed his anger, giving the man a cold look. And then he turned to Belinda, who was trembling at the sight of Duke''s cold eyes. "What? Your woman? We were dancing together and you were nowhere to be found. Who do you think you are anyway?" The man shouted, without feeling afraid of Duke''s anger. His bravery even impressed Leena who was nearly pping for him. It seemed that the man did not notice Duke''s cold look, and wasn''t even aware that Duke nearly exploded in rage. But he dared to provoke him. Leena had to say that this man was really brave, and she just did not know how he''d end up. He couldn''t stay in the city long if Duke decided to go after him. "I hope you got some prayers today, or I will definitely let you know what kind of death is the most miserable one." After saying that, Duke pushed Belinda to Daisy''s side. Duke wasn''t worried about Daisy because he believed in her. Then he quickly kicked out, forcing the man to retreat several steps. Duke did not stop after that and threw the man to the ground with only one move. His action was so smooth and quick that Daisy finally got it: these delicate men were all very good at fighting. She found Edward first, and then Duke this time. So this meant Rain should not be weak either. Chapter 701 He Really Meant Nothing (Part One) Seeing the scary look on Duke''s face, Belinda couldn''t help flinching. She had always thought that even though the man looked cold and distant, he was still gentle and soft inside. But right now, from the deadly cold look on his face, she finally realized that she was terribly wrong. This man could be very dangerous and scary. It seemed that she didn''t know him as well as she thought. "Belinda, I think you''re really screwed this time, even God can''t help you right now." Leena wanted badly to leave here and go home right away. She really didn''t want to be stuck in this kind of situation at all. "Did -- did I really go too far this time?" Belinda asked with a guilty look on her face. She gently pressed her fingers to her head, feeling a little bit dizzy. As the alcohol started to leave her body, she felt ill, and not at all sure of what she had done. "What do you think?" Daisy frowned at her words. Because of the fight that happened earlier, the people surrounding this ce all went away by now. So they were the only people left standing in the center of the dance floor. Duke stared coldly at Belinda for a couple of seconds, then looked away. He didn''t say a word, just walked past them, like they wereplete strangers. He didn''t even look at them or make any gestures, he just walked away. No one thought Duke would react this way. So they just stood still on the dance floor, paralyzed from shock. Leena was the first one to recover. She saw Duke leaving, then hurriedly ran after him. "Brother, wait up! "You''re leaving?" Edward slowly walked in, immediately had a teasing smile on his face when he saw Duke walking quickly towards the exit. But after a second nce, he couldn''t help but frown, especially when he saw the familiar figure standing on the center of the dance floor. Brow furrowed, he had no idea what was happening. "Edward! Boy are you a sight for sore eyes! Talk with Duke, please! He really needs you right now, I think!" Leena''s face was all screwed up tight in worry. She was concerned about her brother, but she really didn''t know what to do now. Why was it so hard to b was quite nervous. She snuck a peek at Duke from time to time. "Save it. I don''t want to hear your excuses. I saw what you did with my own eyes, and you can''t exin that away." Duke''s tone was cold and distant, as if what he was saying had nothing to do with him. There was no warmth in his voice. And as for Belinda, she could be mad all she wanted, and she could also start some meaningless drama, but she couldn''t get that close to any other man, and that was his rule. "Ha... Really? If you really think so, then please, just go." Belinda was quick to admit when she was wrong, and had no problem apologizing, but she had her own rules. The first one of them was that she would never be the one to back down every time, just to please somebody else. She admitted that she had gone too far earlier, but that was just dancing. Why did he have to make such a big deal out of it? "Yes really. I should be asking you the same thing. Do you mean that? This is messed up." Duke closed his eyes for a short moment, and he couldn''t help but feelpletely disappointed in her. All this time, he had thought that she was different from others, that she was not like other women who only saw his appearance and money, that she was someone special. But right now, it seemed that he waspletely wrong. It turned out that there was no difference between her and other women, that she was just as shallow as them. Chapter 702 He Really Meant Nothing (Part Two) "Ha! What do you want me to say? Do you want me to beg? Don''t forget that I wanted to exin everything to you, but you didn''t even want to listen to me! If you''re not willing to give me a chance to exin myself, then what do you expect me to do? You can give me the cold shoulder all you want, I don''t give a damn." Belinda was a stubborn girl, and she would never back down once she thought that she was in the right. So how could she just stand there and take it from Duke? "So you think that there''s nothing wrong with your behavior, at all? You really think that it''s all my fault? That I''m the unreasonable one?" Duke said, bottling up his anger. He looked at her small face full of stubbornness, and his heart was bleeding from the heartbreak he tasted. "I didn''t say that! Yes, I did something wrong, but I don''t need your attitude. me me all you want. That''s great. But don''t expect me to take that. Not going to happen. You can take your attitude and stick it! I don''t beg. That''s not me." Belinda had always been the spoiled girl. Usually, it was everyone else who conceded to her, not the other way around. However, Duke was the exception. She had always been the one to back down, but she couldn''t keep doing that. "Alright, I get it. So we can''t solve this. You made it very clear what you want. I guess I have no choice. I think we need to take a break and cool down, figure out what we really want! I guess that''s for the best. Maybe it''ll do us both some good." Duke was also a proud man, and his pride wouldn''t let him bow his head to Belinda. So he just looked deep into her eyes for a moment, then turned around and quickly walked away. His retreating figure seemed so determined and hard-hearted. Belinda''s hands clenched into tight fists, and she gently bit her lip. He just walked away like this? Really? Shouldn''t he say some nice words to her and try and make her happy? Or he could even have a big fight with her and tell her off! But instead, he didn''t do anything. He just walked nk it straight from the bottle. Her style of drinking was bold, just like her quick temper. "Belinda, are you out of your mind? And where is Duke? Why are you alone?" Daisy quickly grabbed the bottle from her hand, and Belinda, started by Daisy''s action, began to cough. "Yeah! Sis, where''s Duke? Why isn''t he here with you? He took off, didn''t he?" Leena was anxious too, looking around to see if she could see her brother. But no matter how hard she tried, she still couldn''t find Duke. Where did he go? "Huh! Why would I know? It has nothing to do with me anyway. Gimme back my booze!" Saying these words, Belinda reached out to grab the bottle of champagne from Daisy, but Daisy was quicker, holding it closer and twisting so the bottle was out of Belinda''s reach. "Will you just sit down first? Drinking isn''t the solution to everything. You can''t possibly drink your problems away." Daisy helped Belinda sit down next to her, her eyes full of worry for her best friend. Why was she acting like this? And more importantly, where was Duke? "I''ll give him a call." Leena immediately took out her phone and called her brother, but it went straight to voice mail. Duke had turned his phone off. Leena turned to look at Belinda. She was really curious what they talked about earlier. What had made Mr. Cold simply turn off his phone? Chapter 703 He Really Meant Nothing (Part Three) "Can you reach him?" Of course, Daisy didn''t imagine that it would turn out like this. She thought that they had talked it all out and made up. But it seemed that not only were things not fine between them, they made their situation even worse. "No. His phone must be off." Leena shook her head, she had a very frustrated look on her face. "I just told you to have a nice talk with him! Now what the hell did you do?" Daisy''s brows were deeply frowned, and she looked at Edward, who was calmly sitting there. He must know Duke''s temper, after all, Duke was his brother. "Why are you looking at me? I wasn''t even there." Edward was not very happy in the first ce, and especially when he saw Zemo, he was in a worse mood. "You can stop looking for him. There''s no use. He left the bar." Thinking of Duke just leaving like that, Belinda felt bitter all over again. She snapped her fingers to the waiter beside them. Did they really think they could stop her from drinking just by taking the bottle from her hand? Well, she could always ask the waiter to bring her some more booze, right? The waiter quickly walked towards them, lowered his head and then asked Belinda, "Miss, what can I do for you?" "Give me a bottle of Absolut." In Belinda''s mind, she could only drown her sorrow in liquor as strong as Absolut vodka. Only then could she forget about what happened between her and Duke earlier, and be happy again. "Please don''t listen to her! We don''t need any more alcohol, but thank you anyway! She''s had too much already." Daisy stopped the waiter without a second thought. She didn''t think this was a right ce for Belinda to stay, considering her state right now. "Daisy, are you my friend or not? I haven''t had that much! Waiter, get me a drink!" Belinda was always eager to do well in everything, and she wouldn''t easily admit defeat. But now she seemed fragile. Daisy hadn''t seen her like this before. And this also broke Daisy''s heart. "Come on! Let''s get had thought that when she was not angry anymore, at least she would worry about him and give him a phone call. But he didn''t expect that he would be disappointed again. He guessed that in her mind, he really meant nothing. Dialing the phone number he knew by heart, he moved the phone to his ear. His call was picked up in no time, and an angry voice shouted in his ear, "Where the hell are you right now? And what the hell happened? Belinda is drunk out of her mind, and she won''t let us take her home! We don''t know what to do right now! For God''s sake, juste back and pick her up!" Edward angrily shouted at his phone, a furious look on his face. He was so mad at his friend right now. What was he thinking? Leaving his own wife in the bar like that? "So you''re still there? I will be back right away." Duke gnashed his teeth, quickly started his car and drove back there without thinking. No matter how mad he was at Belinda, he still could notpletely stop worrying about her. "We''re at the front of the bar. Hurry up!" Edward quickly hung up the call. It seemed that no matter who, once they fell in love with someone, they would all be this jumpy over every little thing that happened. But much to his surprise, even Duke, who was always calm and distant to every woman, still couldn''t escape this. Chapter 704 Male Confidant (Part One) "How''s the call? Got in touch with Duke? What did he say?" asked Daisy hastily. She was very anxious for Belinda, who was so drunk and couldn''t keep her consciousness at the moment. So Daisy had to hold her hand out to support Belinda, while Belinda was leaning almost her entire body on Daisy. On the other hand, Daisy really didn''t know what to do with this drunken girl if Duke was not going to show up tonight. She just might have to take Belinda home with her. But if so, Belinda would definitely feel embarrassed when she finally woke up. "Yep! Don''t worry! Duke will be here in a minute. Let''s get Belinda into the car first, " answered Edward. Then he reached out and pulled the door open, signaling Daisy to put Belinda into his car. "No need. Since Duke ising soon, I think it''s better to let her stay outside and catch some wind through her. It should help reduce her drunkenness and hopefully, get her a little consciousness. Besides, it could also blow away the alcohol smell a bit. So it''s not necessary to encounter so much trouble putting her in, " said Daisy. As she saw Belinda''s charming big wavy hair drifting in front of her face, Daisy reached out and tucked it to the back of Belinda''s ears. She then took a look at the street to check if Duke wasing. "OK. But I''m worried that you might get tired holding Belinda for too long, " said Edward. Since Belinda was Duke''s wife, it would be quite inappropriate for Edward to hold her instead. So there was really nothing else he could do to help Daisy but to watch Belinda lying her tiny body almost entirely on Daisy. "It''s OK. Just holding her tiny body is not going to tire me, " replied Daisy. It was true that Belinda''s weight almost meant nothing to Daisy. The weight she usually carried during her daily training was always much heavier than this, more than twice the weight of Belinda. After getting used to holding much heavier things, holding someone as tiny as Belinda was easy. ing the wine down to her throat aftering back from the dance floor. Though Daisy snatched that wine bottleter, she had already killed half of it. Thus she was very drunk and was falling asleep with her eyes half closed right now. "Hold on just a moment. Duke will be here in a minute, " said Daisy. She grabbed Belinda''s arms which were still waving crazily. There was a slight sorrow that got into her heart. She frowned unconsciously to it, which wrinkled her smooth forehead. "Give her some water, " said Edward. He took a bottle of water from the car without anyone noticing then unscrewed the lid. He then handed the bottle to Daisy. "Belinda, take a sip of the water, " said Daisy. She took the bottle from Edward and moved it close to Belinda''s mouth. She carefully gave her a sip of water. It was then that the sound of a car braked to a halt shrilled through their ears. Concern was all over Duke''s face when he got off the car and walked to them in a hurry. "Not bad. You''ve got here fast enough, " said Edward sarcastically. As a man himself, he had known too well what a man would think at this moment. He knew exactly what Duke was thinking. So he turned to Duke and blinked his eyes, then he yfully made a gesture with his lips toward the direction where Belinda was standing now. Chapter 705 Male Confidant (Part Two) "How''s she now?" asked Duke worriedly. He ignored Edward''s yfulness and quickly walked to Daisy, taking Belinda into his own arms. "She''s fine. Just drank too much wine, " replied Daisy as she smoothed Belinda''s wrinkled dress. She exhaled a long relieved breath upon seeing Duke had calmed himself down. "Daisy, I''m sorry that I have gotten you into so much trouble, " said Duke. He had left Belinda and stormed out without any hesitations earlier because he knew that Daisy would be with Belinda and Belinda would be taken good care of by her. But he would never have thought that Belinda would get herself so drunk after he had left. "Belinda is my best friend. So there is never something called trouble between her and me. It would never trouble me to take care of her or do anything for her. But there is something that I''d like to talk to you about her. You might think Belinda looks like a heartless girl. She''s always careless and never cares about anything. But deep inside, she''s a very fragile and delicate girl. As you know, she always dares to love and hate. So once she devotes herself to you, the love would be strong and great. But her heart would also be easily broken by you. Therefore, please be more considerate to her. Be thoughtful, care for her, be tender to her, and be kind to her when you''re dealing with problems about her in the future. There is no such thing as losing and winning in love. No one could ever be the winner but whoever loves deeper than the other is doomed to be the passive one, one that cares more and devotes more. So I''ll just repeat something I''ve already told you, please don''t hurt her. No matter what happens or what would happen in the future, do NOT hurt her." said Daisy while looking Duke in the eyes. She was sincere about what she was saying and even pleading. After all, Belinda was her only best girl friend. She was her confidant. So no matter what, she would wish her a lifetime of happiness. s not very cooperative along the way to their bedroom as she was still drunk. She was only half asleep which made it even more difficult for Duke to get her onto their queen-sized bed. His face was already sweaty all over when he managed to do it. Duke took a deep breath and unbuttoned his shirt. He was feeling a bit hot afterpleting such aborious task. He licked his lips, turned around, and walked out of their bedroom. He was back after a while with a ss of honey water in his hand. "Belinda, get up. Drink the honey first. It''ll make you feel better then you can get a good night sleep, " he said softly. He sat on the bed and gently lifted Belinda. He used one hand to hold her while the other was taking the ss of honey water. He carefully moved the ss to her lips. Belinda must have been thirsty due to all the wine she had drunk. She was cooperative this time and quickly finished all the water. Duke pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her lips softly. He put Belinda back to bed. He shook his head while watching her go back to sleep but on his always grim face was a rare expression of gentleness and tenderness, so soft that it had overthrown the cold. It wasn''tmon for Duke to be such a warm and loving man but this part of him was definitely the most charming one. Chapter 706 Male Confidant (Part Three) Duke took off all his clothes and went naked to the bathroom. He had a very sculpted figure. Well it was better to say that all those men apanying Edward had the most attractive looks and sexiest bods. It was the reason why there were always a league of women around them, praising and trying to get their attention. He took a quick shower then with just a towel around his waist, walked out of the bathroom. The tiny drops from his hair rolled slowly down his skin, forming a delicate stream of water that ended on the towel around his waist. He took a deep look at Belinda upon walking past the queen-sized bed. A smile crept up his face without his noticing. He took a bottle of wine from the small cupboard near the balcony and sat down beside the small table there. He expertly grabbed a wine ss from the table and slowly poured himself arge ss of the liquor. Taking a deep breath of the wine aroma, he lifted the ss to his lips and sipped his wine enjoyably. The evening wind in autumn was very soft even if the air was a little too dry. It was still very pleasant to drink alone in such a beautiful night. After going through so much the past two days, Duke began to ponder deeply on all the things that had happened to him. It wasn''t like he didn''t know what Rachel''s real purpose was. It was just that he had believed that it would be inappropriate or even incorrect for someone who still had a sense of shame to ask for something that had no longer belonged to her for so long. So he just hadn''t paid too much attention to Rachel''s reappearance. But now that he had heard of Rachel''s words this morning, he finally began to realize that what Belinda had been worried about was not something insignificant. To be honest, he knew that he himself was not a romantic man. Sometimes he just didn''t know how to make Belinda happy. But as long as she was the woman he had fallen in love with, he would devote his entire life protecting her and loving her without any hesitation. It was just that he was never the man who could speak out his feelings aloud so he would just wait for Beli orcing her to look at him and make eye contact with him. He was sending his message directly into her eyes, reaching deeply into her soul. Theirmunication was made through a much meaningful and effective way. He was sure that she had received them and considered them seriously. But he also noticed that she was blushing, probably feeling ashamed of what she had done. So now she was trying to hide herself in the quilt. Duke saw all her uneasiness, and he had to admit that this made her even cuter. But he didn''t leak out even a slightest hint of what he was thinking. All he did was simply looking at her yfully. "But you shouldn''t have just dumped me there and left!" used Belinda. She finally gained her reason back. The mere mention of his abandonment still broke her heart. She didn''t deserve to be hurt so ruthlessly. Her eyes were welling up and all the bad feelings that had been confined all night were released from deep inside her heart. After all, she had been carefully protected as an elegant princess since she was born. Everyone around her cared about her and loved her. Plus, she was also the president of a bigpany. She had her pride. Who would dare treat her like this? But tonight, Duke was the exception. Yes, she had told him to get out of her face but then, she had never thought that he would actually do as she demanded, disappearing himself without any hesitation. Chapter 707 Male Confidant (Part Four) "You are right, sweetie. I know I was acting like a jerk tonight. I was probably overreacting. It was my fault and again, I am really sorry! I promise I will never do that again. I would never abandon you under any circumstances. Please trust me. You see? I still brought you back, didn''t I?" This time, it was Duke''s turn to make his sincere apology. He sat down at the bedside and gently embraced her. He held her body tightly into his arms, wishing he would never have to let go of her. Life was so miraculous and amazing that he finally met her and gradually fell in love with her. He was doomed now but what else could he do? He couldn''t help falling so deeply for her. He would just spend the rest of his life caring for her and loving her. Belinda was the one. Curling herself up in his arms, leaning on his strong body, pressing her face on his chest, listening to his heartbeats, smelling his unique fragrance, Belinda felt safe in his embrace. She hadn''t had such a feeling of serenity for a long time and all these senses from him had gradually be part of her life, from strange to familiar, now merging into her. But what surprised her most was that it was eventually still Duke who had brought her back. She had feelings for him too. Being in his arms, being so close to him, she didn''t want to let go either. She treasured this moment a lot, wishing it would never pass. She wished she could stay with him forever. And just as what Leena had said, it was just Rachel! Rachel was no big deal! She didn''t even need to worry about her. Besides, being such a charmingdy herself, she should be confident of her beauty. How would she ever be beaten by Rachel? Only she, Belinda, could win this game. This small ident between Belinda and Duke had finallye to an end. It had caught them unprepared exined Daisy. She was lost into her thoughts. Her eyes were far-reaching at the moment. She only had two best friends in this world, one male confidant and one female confidant. The female one was Belinda of course. As for the male confidant, it must be Zemo. She had never mentioned him to anyone else before because she thought that Zemo had been out of her world and they would never get in touch again. "I can see that you were happy to meet him again, " said Edward. Though he was trying to sound casual, his jealousy could still be sensed. He was just wondering why was his wife always surrounded by different men, not to mention, outstanding men! At first, there had been a Kevin Gu. Now there was another, Zemo Ling. They were all extraordinary men. He had to admit that her excellence was appreciated by a lot of men, a lot of excellent men! "Yep! It''s been almost a decade from then. I couldn''t think of how that sunny boy in the military school turned to be the Zemo I met today, " said Daisy smilingly as she packed her sniper rifle back. She told Edward everything he wanted to know about Zemo. For her, there was no need to lie to him, and there was nothing she couldn''t tell him either. Chapter 708 Jealous Husband (Part One) "Did you ever try to contact Zemo after he left the military academy?" Edward wet his lips and rubbed his chin with his index finger. He was a bit nervous to hear the answer. Whether the answer was yes or no, he would be lost in various fancies and conjectures. He didn''t want to demean himself by acting like a paranoid husband. "Yes, I tried to contact him when I returned to the country, but I failed. Afterwards, I got so busy that I had to put Zemo out of my mind, " Daisy answered as she gave a bitter smile. To be a good match for Edward, she had tried her best to improve herself and keep up with his pace. Then, she became even busier after she gave birth to Justin. As a result, she had had no time to look for Zemo. "It sounds like you have a close rtionship with him, huh?" Edward asked in a tentative manner, touching his nose in an attempt to cover up his nervousness. "What exactly do you want to know?" Daisy asked with a frown. Edward was being really strange this evening. He was acting like a prevaricating woman. "Nothing! It''s just a casual question. I''m just curious about him, " Edward retorted at once, dodging her sharp eyes. He didn''t expect Daisy to notice his intentions. He was a little embarrassed and he didn''t want her to get angry. "Alright. Let me exin it to you this way, what do you think of my rtionship with Belinda?" Daisy asked with a teasing smile, looking at Edward straight in the eye. She finally realized why he was acting so strange tonight. It turned out that he was jealous of Zemo. "If she''s in danger, you would risk your life to save her, " Edward replied honestly. To be frank, he admired Daisy and Belinda''s friendship. When he first met Belinda, she only showed disapproval and hostility towards him. He didn''t know the reason why she did it at the beginning, but he realizedter that she did it for Daisy. Believing that Edward had treated Daisy badly, she tried to defend Daisy in her own way. "I have that same rtionship with Zemo. Do you have any other questions?" Daisy often thought of the days she had spent with Belinda and Zemo. Belinda had given her bright smiles while Zemo had given her the warmth of family. As a result, when Zemo vanished from her life, she lost the warmth of a family and spent a period of her life in a blur. "I have no more questions." Since Daisy already exined her rtionship with Zemo, it would be inappropriate to keep asking about their past. But Edward c Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. me. After all, B Country is beyond the reach of your power. It wouldn''t help the situation if you knew the truth. It''s better for you to wait for me at home than to remain in a state of constant fear and panic." Edward exined slowly. His calm and soothing voice calmed her down like a rxing melody. "Edward, I want to thank you. Thank you foring back safely. But if something like that happens again, I don''t want to be thest person to find out, " Daisy stated in a steady and stubborn manner as she raised her head to look at Edward straight in the eye. "I promise. Honey, rx. You can trust me to keep my word. I will always put my safety first now that I have a family." Edward stared back at Daisy with affection in his eyes. She was his wife, and he would do anything to protect her and their family. "Okay. Has everything been settled?" Daisy didn''t see the reason why Edward was so determined to expand his business. After all, they had more than enough money. He didn''t have to put himself in such dangerous situations. "Yes. My father''s staff ispetent. They already solved the whole problem." He pinched her little nose, feeling ecstatic at the fact that she cared so much about him. When he first met her, he never imagined that such a cold and proud woman would love him so much. "Good. If things continue to develop like this, I''d rather that you give up the business there. I don''t care how much money you have. All I want is you." Daisy took the initiative to kiss his lips. The thought that he could have lost his life was pure torture to her. She deepened the kiss, running her hands up and down his torso. Chapter 709 Jealous Husband (Part Two) It was getting dark, and the noisy city fell into silence again. The moonlight poured into the room through the curtains and shone upon the kissing couple, creating a beautiful image of love and affection. The night was long, and the loving couple opened up to each other with their actions. Days passed by and ushered in a busy Monday. In a formal dress, Belinda arrived at thepany with a briefcase in her hand. All the officedies in thepany wore formal dresses, but Belinda looked a lot more attractive with the unique design and cut of her attire. "Boss, this is the business n with YD Group. I heard that the president of YD Group has arrived in S City. Shall I arrange a meeting with him?" Belinda had barely sat down in her office, when her assistant came in. "Really? Well, do you know whichpanies he has been in contact with recently?" Belinda asked as she took out the documents out of her briefcase. She heard that the president of YD Group preferred credible and powerful partners. He liked to choose partners through apetition and never let anypany be a partner through the back door. "Not that I''ve heard of. He has kept his whereabouts a secret. So far, no otherpany knows that he''s in the city. We just stumbled upon the knowledge by chance." The assistant stole a nce at Belinda and immediately looked away. "Okay, you may arrange a meeting. But remember not to use any inappropriate means, or he will be turned off by our business practices." Belinda fell into contemtion with a frown. Since the president of YD Group came to S City in secret, then he must have his own reasons. If someone visited him without an appointment, he would get upset. "Got it. By the way, the business n with FX International Group has been prepared. Please have a look at it and check if there are any amendments needed." The assistant took out a document and ced it on the table in front of Belinda. "Okay. I''ll go through it soon. You may leave now." Seeing the mass of documents on the table in front of her, Belinda felt a headacheing. She took a deep breath to steel herself. "Okay. I''ll take my leave, " The assistant said as he closed the folder. To be honest, he seldom thought highly of a woman before, but he admired Belinda to the core. She built Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. " Actually, Belinda wasn''t so certain if she had really made a scene that night. She lost all memory of that night from drinking too much alcohol. If that was really the case, it would be too embarrassing for her. How could she get along with Duke in the future? Damn it! "Give yourself a moment to think about it. I''m not making fun of you." Daisy took a bottle of water from Mark and drank a mouthful from it. She didn''t feel guilty about teasing Belinda in any way. "Sister, if I could remember what happened, I wouldn''t have had to call you! You''re not my best friend anymore! Edward must have led you astray!" Belinda yelled at the phone, exploding in rage. She internally med Edward for influencing Daisy into bing such a mischievous person. "Rx, there weren''t a lot of people present that night. You don''t need to worry so much about it. Oh, I have training to finish now." Daisy waved her arm at a soldier, signalling to him that she was returning soon. "Fine! I shouldn''t have called you, traitor." Belinda hung up the phone in anger as she contemted on what Daisy told her. Did she really make a scene that night? That was impossible! She had never been in such a drunken fit before. Why would Daisy say that? Damn it! It was really annoying. Daisy giggled after hanging up the phone. She sessfully pissed Belinda off. But she wasn''t about to tell Belinda the truth yet. Belinda would learn not to drink so much alcohol next time. Daisy shook the thoughts off her mind and trotted back to the training ground. Chapter 710 A Guilty Conscience (Part One) Warm sunshine, gentle breeze, beautiful women, and luxurious cars were undoubtedly the most beautiful things in the eyes of men. Rain shed a winsome smile at the group of girls dressed in skin-tight clothes. His sapphire?blue earrings sparkled beautifully under the sun, making him look more fascinating. He mischievously blew a loud whistle and shifted his gaze from the girls to the script in his hands. This damn Edward always made him do the dirty work. Now, he had to offend all these beautiful women. "Hello beautifuldies! Do you think you have what it takes to rise to fame by bing the heroine of this y?" Rain always acted in a careless and casual manner, utterly carefree. Even in such a situation, he didn''t disy any hint of seriousness. "Huh! Even without this y, we are already well-known in every household. But we can''t believe that you will choose a novice girl to y such an important role." There were many A-list actresses in the FX International Entertainment Company. But as expected, they were all very arrogant peacocks. They never vied for a role in a y. Even if the y was tailor made for the actress, they wouldn''t even take a look at the script. This time, they all showed up to audition as if they colluded with each other beforehand. It was quite rare. "Oh! I see. Have you read through the script?" Rain nced at the group of girls, his hand holding up his chin. "Of course! How else would we know if the role was really important?" A woman with delicate makeup pursed her lips in displeasure. It was clear from her face that she found Rain''s question stupid. "Since you have all read the script, do you think you''re capable of ying this role? The heroine is an innocent and clever girl. But judging by your temperament and sophistication, I really don''t think you are fit for this role." Rain raised his head and shifted his eyes away from the script to the woman who questioned him, his charming eyes gazing at her. But the moment he took his eyes off her, he smiled sardonically. "Judging from Mr. Xia''s words, are you implying that we aren''t innocent? Girls, don''t you think he''s being rude to us?" Women always had their own unique way of thinking and understanding. Even when they didn''t usually get along with each other, they immediately united with the anger inmed by the woman. "Yes, what makes you think that we''re sophisticated? We''re actually very mature. You should watch your words when you''re describing us." All of a sudden, the rage of the whole group was aroused. The atmosphere immediately became extremely heated. Rain rolled his tongue in his mouth and looked yfully at the several dared to use the CEO as a publicity stunt. What a bold person!" Rain smiled. He was surprised when he heard such a ridiculous farce. In the midst of hisughter, he felt relieved. He finally solved what was originally a serious matter in a delighted way. What he would do the following was to make good fun of the great Mr. Mu. Compared to Rain''s sessful day, Duke''s trouble had just begun. The trouble he was currently dealing with was the bothersome woman standing in front of him. "Duke, can we eat lunch together? Even if we can''t be together, we can still be friends. I''ve realized that everything in the past will always remain in the past. I know it''s impossible to get it back again. I''m really sorry for troubling you before." Rachel said pitifully, showing an imploring look on her beautiful face. She looked contrite and depressed. "It''s good that you''ve realized that. But regarding lunch, we can do it some other day. I have an appointment now." Duke was surprised to see Rachel''s sudden transformation regarding their rtionship. But he didn''t think too much about it. She probably took his words from the other day to heart. As a woman, it was impossible for her not to have any self-respect and shame. "You don''t have time today? Okay, that''s fine. Sorry for disturbing you." Rachel''s eyes darkened with disappointment, but she immediately shed a pleasant smile to indicate that she didn''t mind. Her behavior seemed appropriate. "Sorry, I have to leave now." Duke smiled apologetically and left in a hurry. If Rachel kept pestering him, he definitely wouldn''t give her any opportunity to get close to him. But since she was behaving like an understanding woman, he found it hard to continue acting coldly towards her. This was Duke''s gentle and soft side. Chapter 711 A Guilty Conscience (Part Two) Watching Duke hurriedly walking away, Rachel bit her lip and clenched her fists. A sinister smile rose to the corner of her mouth and spread across her face. Since Duke waspletely unaware of this, he would act passive in the uing days. "Why did you suddenlye here?" Belinda frowned, looking doubtfully at Duke who just pushed the door open and entered her office. She shifted her eyes back to theputer screen full of data. "I came to bring you lunch. What, you don''t want to see me?" Duke unpacked the lunch boxes and ced them on the table. He had called her secretary to get her lunch schedule. He knew that Belinda had asked her secretary to order takeout for her to eat in the office at noon, so he volunteered to bring her lunch. "I didn''t say that. Don''t try and stir up trouble between us. It''s not good for our rtionship." Belinda nced at him. Although she didn''t show it, she was really happy that he had brought her lunch. "Okay, let''s eat now." Aside from Leena, Duke seldom served a woman the way he was doing now. So he knew that his actions made it very clear that he was willing to do such trivial things for Belinda. "It smells good, what did you bring me?" Belinda stood up as soon as she sniffed the sweet aroma of the dishes. She suddenly felt very hungry. "These are from the Westin Western Restaurant. I got all your favorite dishes." Duke looked at the dishes on the table in satisfaction. He pped his hands and smiled gently when he was done setting everything on the table. "You enjoyed preferential treatment, didn''t you?" Belinda narrowed her eyes as she looked at Duke. Westin Western Restaurant never provided takeout food for any customer. It was a marketing tool to make people feel that the food from the restaurant was very precious. As she thought about this, Belinda reached out her hand to take a dessert from the lunch box, only to have Duke pat the back of her hand, gently stopping her. "Wash your hands first! I never thought that you''d be so careless about your hygiene." Although Duke was scolding her, his tone was affectionate. Even he wasn''t aware of his loving manner himself. "My hands are very clean! I didn''t touch anything that I shouldn''t touch. In fact, it won''t make a difference whether I wash my hands or not. You always like nitpicking!" Belinda pursed her lips. But she still reluctantly walked towards the washroom to wash her hands. Duke narrowed his eyes it, why would I feel guilty? If there''s someone here who would feel guilty, that person would be you." Belinda took the ss from the table and drank a lot of water in an attempt to hide her nervousness. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I''m honorable and righteous. My conscience is clear as day." Duke leaned back casually with his legs crossed. His eyes had been focused on the movement of Belinda''s pink lips as she spoke. Suddenly, he chuckled self-deprecatingly while holding his fist against his lips. He was struck by thest part of her sentence. "Fine, why should I care? But aren''t you going to eat anything?" She noticed that Duke didn''t eat much but pick some food for her and sit there without eating anything. The sight of him barely eating made her feel strange. "I''m not that hungry, just keep eating, " Duke said, calmly refilling her ss with water. "Are you really bothered by what I said just now?" Belinda suddenly paused again. She was only joking when she said that he might steal her food. She wasn''t serious at all. "You said many things, how am I supposed to know what you''re referring to?" Duke looked at her doubtfully. He was confused by her words. "When I said you might steal my food, don''t take it seriously. I was only joking." Belinda touched her nose in embarrassment. She wished he hadn''t misunderstood her. "I know you were only joking. I didn''t take it seriously. Stop worrying and eat your lunch. It''s getting cold." Duke shook his head helplessly. He didn''t think she actually meant it when she said he might steal her food. She must have misunderstood him for some reason just now. Chapter 712 Softness Begets Tenderness (Part One) "Or is it because you have eaten already?" Belinda gave him a questioning look, insisting on getting to the bottom of the matter. Duke was a bit stunned upon hearing her remark. He kept quiet for a while. But he soon let out a smile and gently shook his head. "Take it any way you wish, " he said ndly. "Come on, you are so boring." Belinda couldn''t think of anything to say, and realized that it was no use asking him. So she decided to drop the matter and simply enjoyed her meal. She wasn''t too fussy about food, she was only particr about the way the dishes were cooked sometimes. Food in perfectbination of colors, smells and tastes would be appreciated. "I thought you knew what kind of person I am. You are right, I am no fun." Although Duke was responding to herints, he wasn''t really looking at her. Instead, he kept scrolling through thetest news on his phone. "No. I never did. But I do now." Shrugging her shoulders, Belinda replied. But then she paused the instant she set eyes on Duke, who was sitting beside her with his head hanging. As the sunlight flooded into the room, a gentle orange glow framed his handsome face. She suddenly became immersed in bliss, wishing that she could stay right here in this moment with him, forever. "Just dig in. Say no more or you might choked, " said Duke dotingly. Putting away his phone, he then leaned back on the sofa leisurely. He seemed to be relishing the moment too. To Belinda, the rxed side of him had only added to his charm. "Duke, it seems to me that you are quite free at the moment!" Belinda turned around all of a sudden, winking at him with a sly but pleasant smile. "Yes, you can say that. Why?" Duke tensed up, avoiding eye contact with her. He could tell from her eyes that she was scheming, and it made him shudder. "Great! Would you like to do something to kill time? How about doing the financial ounting for me? There, on theputer. My head is going?to?explode from looking at data the whole day, " she groaned. Belinda never had a solid grasp of m making coffee, she was a bit surprised and came up to offer her help. Because the task of making coffee for Belinda was assigned to her, and her alone in thepany. "No, thanks. I can manage it myself. You can get back to your work, " Belinda answered without looking at her. She was focused on brewing the coffee, thinking that she must be the one who prepared the coffee for her man. In her opinion, a woman, no matter how strong she might be in some ways, she must keep a good bnce between toughness and delicacy. Only then could she make men throw themselves at her feet. Otherwise, she would only push them away. After all, no man nowadays would like his wife to be better than himself in every aspect, it would only bring him frustration. Took herself as an example, she had shown her weakness to Duke just now, which was not very often, and she had not only earned his affection, but also convinced him to help her with her work. This was exactly what they called killing two birds with one stone. From the corner of his eyes, Duke saw Belinda went out. He was very preupied with the work, hoping to finish them as early as possible. So without wondering or asking where she was going, he only nced at her back before throwing himself back into the mass of data quickly. When he saw her return with a cup of coffee, his face was colored with amazement. Chapter 713 Softness Begets Tenderness (Part Two) "How is it going? Have you sorted things out? Putting the coffee down gently, she approached to check on his progress. The moment she glimpsed at those data, she got a headache again. She had spent almost the whole morning wrestling with the task, but it wasn''t a productive struggle. She was worried that Duke might be having a hard time since he was not familiar with herpany''s management. "Not bad. I just need to change my thinking method." If he were stumped merely by those numbers, there would be no way that the Leng Group became what it was today. What surprised him though, was that herpany didn''t go bankrupt given her poor numeracy skills. It was literally a miracle. He had to convince himself that she was probably backed by a strong team. "No way! Why are they so confusing for me!" eximed Belinda, who was trying to ease her headache by rubbing her forehead. Her perplexity increased when she found Duke typing new information rapidly into theputer. "That''s because you are stupid. Just leave me alone if you want the work done as soon as possible. I will add annotations to exin some of the puzzling aspects, so that you may find it easier to understand the next time you look them up. Duke kept typing while he talked to Belinda. He knew such a pile of work could take him hours to finish, so he needed to hurry up. "I beg your pardon? I am not stupid!" Belinda reluctantly admitted in her heart that he was much better than her when it came to work, for he had checked arge number of documents in such a short time. Or more specifically, he had checked almost the same amount of documents as she did this morning. With Duke taking over the job, Belinda could now take her time to enjoy the coffee and magazines. She was quite satisfied with it, so she simply entrusted the task to him, washed her hands and walked away without hesitation. As the time passed, Duke felt a bit tired. He looked up and stretched a bit, when suddenly he discovered that Belinda was already fast asleep. Surprised, she quickly browsed through the piles of documents until she finally believed that they were all done. Duke''s efficiency impressed her. But the problem was, where was he now? Both his coat and his cellphone were still here, he couldn''t have left thepany. "What''s on your mind? You look like you''re in a trance." Duke came out from the bathroom, his face wet. The first thing he saw was Belinda standing still near the desk, wearing a vacant expression. "Well...where have you been?" Belinda blurted out. But she regretted it the moment she finished her sentence. It couldn''t be more obvious as to where he had been with that much water on his face. It made her sound stupid for asking that question. "My eyes hurt a bit just now, so I thought maybe I should wash my face with cold water and freshen up. Why? Missed me already? You seem to be in a hurry to find me." asked Duke, who smiled teasingly. He leaned across the coffee table to get some tissues to wipe his face. "In your dreams!" Belinda scoffed. Even though she wore a sardonic expression on her face, she dared not meet his gaze. It was true that she panicked a little in his absence earlier. "So, it seems that I was only ttering myself?" Duke kept smiling without calling her bluff. He then sank down onto the sofa, stroked his be, looking a bit weary. Chapter 714 Softness Begets Tenderness (Part Three) "Are you tired?" asked Belinda. She noticed that he looked rather dull ever aftering out from the bathroom. It was not until then that she realized how inappropriate it was for her to have fallen asleep while he was helping her out. "I''m fine. I''ve gotten used to working like this already. Could you make me another cup of coffee?" Pursing his dry lips, Duke asked as he closed his eyes drowsily. "No problem. I will be back soon." Before leaving the room, she gave those documents a second nce, and was again pleasantly surprised by how well Duke had handled them. If Duke looked at her at that moment, he could surely read satisfaction on her face. Delighted, she went out, almost waltzing. Much like previously, she had no intention of letting her secretary help her with the coffee. Soon after she left, Duke suddenly opened his eyes. It seemed that something had urred to him, something he must remind her of. But it was toote. He couldn''t do anything but sighed helplessly and continued with his nap. He was indeed tired. Unlike documents for approval, the documents he had just gone through were filled with numbers that needed to be checked with precision to the decimal points, which required more energy, not to mention that there were so many of them. It was not an easy task to finish them in such a short time even with his business prowess. Belinda was quick this time. In just a few minutes, she came back with two cups of coffee. But she slowed down when she entered and found Duke sitting there with his eyes closed. She hesitated, wondering whether she should wake him up or not. "I think it''s about time. Get your stuff done as soon as possible, and we will eat out before going back tonight." Duke opened his eyes and said to her. He calmly took one of the coffee up and sipped a little. It didn''t surprise him that it was sweet again. It was his fault for forgetting to remind her. He disliked the taste but he drank it slowly with the same coldposure. "Are hat he was dozing off without paying any attention to them. "What''s the matter? Could you make it?" Simon looked at her tensely. It was an one-time chance for them, missed it and they might have to fight against otherpanies in thepetition held by YD Group afterward, which could greatly reduce their sess rate. He did have confidence in their own n, but he also believed that there could be more capablepanies. "Nothing. I will go. You can go and make further arrangement now." Biting her lip, Belinda finally nodded in agreement. ''I just happened to be drunk and made a scene, which is nothing unusual in a restaurant.'' sheforted herself, ''I bet nobody else has seen it. No one will recognize me anyway. There is nothing to worry about.'' "No problem. Now if you would excuse me, I will get back to my work, " said Simon, who couldn''t help but shoot Belinda a questioning nce before leaving. He sort of felt that she had been acting strange the whole day. He couldn''t tell, but he thought that she was not her usual self today. "Okay, please continue with your?work?then." With her elbows on the desk and her head resting on her palm, Belinda kept stroking her forehead, looking distressed. "So you seek partnership with YD Group?" asked Duke with his eyes suddenly opened, staring at her curiously. Chapter 715 No, Youre Lying (Part One) "Yes. Only this way YS group can make new breakthroughs in the advertising industry." Belinda raised her head to look at him. Partnering with YD Group was just the preliminary stage. Whether or not they got thepany''s outdoor advertising n depended a lot on their abilities. "Okay. But take care of your own self. Don''t stress yourself out about this too much." Duke''s eyebrows furrowed. He didn''t know much about YD Group. He was a bit worried about Belinda putting in so much effort into this. But it wasn''t possible to try and persuade her to quit now. She knew that if apany wanted to survive in thepetitive market, sticking to the rules didn''t do the trick. Only innovations and new elements could help one remain invincible. "You will help me, right?" Belinda asked Duke hopefully. "No, I won''t. I have a lot of things to do myself. I won''t have time to help you." Duke nced at her indifferently. Her hopeful expression hadn''t moved him. "Huh. You''re selfish." Belinda pursed her lips. She had known that Duke would say no to her request. But she hadn''t expected his blunt reply. She felt a bit hurt. "Is there anything else that needs to be done? If not, we should go." Duke nced at her and saw the clear disappointment in her eyes. He couldn''t let himself help her too much, she''d be dependent on him. For her own good, she should learn to handle things by herself. He''d still be by her side every step of the way. "Just a second." Belinda packed up her things, including the documents she had to take home with her. Although she was bothered by Duke''s coldness, she didn''t say anything. She couldn''t force him to do something he didn''t want to do. She was indeed stubborn and a little childish, but she wasn''t the kind of person who would willfully force someone to help her. Dusk inte autumn was always exquisite. Yellow leaves danced in the breeze, unting their beauty onest time before descending onto the groundzily. The elegant couple walked slowly. Their alluring looks against the charming scenery made every passerby feel envy. "We will take my car. Leave yours in the parking lot, " Duke said as he pulled open the car door. It was more of an order than a suggestion. He had always been the dominating one in their rtionship. "I guess that''s okay. I can use a driver right now. I don''t want to drive anyway." Belinda dly got inside his car. It would be a waste if they drove two different cars at the same time anyway. So she epted the suggestion without any hesitation. Duke''s jaw ticked. He was at a loss for words. Was he a mere driver in her eyes? His all the interiors herself. The reason for opening this restaurant was quite simple. This way, she could order all the dishes she wanted to eat, she said. "I know the owner too? Seriously? Who is she? Howe I have no idea about this?" Belinda was even more curious now. She turned around, perusing the borate designs and decorations and tried to find a clue about the owner of the restaurant. "Didn''t you ask me before if we should invite her to have dinner with us?" Upon hearing Belinda''s suggestion, Duke had decided toe here and see if they could meet Leena by any chance. He hadn''t expected her to go home early. "You mean Leena?! I''ve been here several times before, how did I not know this is her restaurant? You''re kidding, right?" Belinda was astonished. She wouldn''t have ever thought that Leena owned a restaurant. Leena was just a young girl. "That must have been a long time ago. You didn''t know each other back then. Even if you saw her here, you couldn''t have possibly recognized her. The Fragrance is indeed hers. She''s the owner, but it''s basically run by Edward and me. In truth, she''s a little free rider." Duke''s eyes were affectionate as he talked about Leena. It was such a departure from his usual self. "I wonder how she got the notion of opening a vegetarian restaurant? I mean, it''s a great idea, but it''s unusual." Belinda was impressed by Leena''s business acumen. Vegetarian restaurants were rare, especially in today''s times when everyone was overindulgent and chased luxury. It was because there weren''t many vegetarian options in the city that Leena''s restaurant was so sought after. There wasn''t an empty seat during dinners. Belinda had often left dishearteningly after failing to secure a vacant spot. Chapter 716 No, Youre Lying (Part Two) "I''ll tell you. For a while when she was younger, she had gained a few extra pounds. We told her that she looked adorable, but she wanted to lose the weight right away when she was fat-shamed by her ssmates at school. So she started eating vegetarian meals. Later, that became her inspiration for opening a vegetarian restaurant." Duke reminisced, as if it had happened yesterday. It was obvious he was fond of the lovely memory he shared with his little sister. It made Belinda realize that no matter how reluctant he was to admit the love he had for his sister, he deeply cared for her in his heart. He wouldn''t have looked this happy otherwise. "She''s so slender now, I wouldn''t have thought she was a chubby kid." Belinda couldn''t imagine Leena being overweight. She was so petite. "It took her about a year of exercises and vegetarian meals to get back in shape." Duke poured out a ss of water and put it in front of Belinda. In those times, he used to apany her to the gym for all kinds of exercises. Edward had done it too. "She''s quite persistent. Once she sets her mind on doing something, she doesn''t stop until she seeds. I really admire that." Belinda was slowlying to understand why Duke liked spoiling her. Leena was a unique girl. She was coddled by a lot of people, but she never got cocky. That was remarkable. "She''s not only persistent; she''s also very stubborn." Duke involuntarily smiled, thinking about how heartbroken they were when they saw her put in the efforts at exercise. They tried to persuade her to quit, or to at least tone it down a bit. But she hadn''t listened to a word they said. She stuck it out and achieved her goal in the end. "I know that very well." The corner of Belinda''s mouth lifted. She loved the hot and sour potatoes at this ce. Every time she was here, she enjoyed having the dish. Duke didn''t say anything further as he silently watched her eat. He made mental notes of her preferences secretly. He piled up her te with more food, as he had done during lunch, earlier in the afternoon. Duke didn''t eat much himself, Belinda noticed. Time passed by in silence. Finally, they finished dinner and walked out of the restaurant. It was nighttime and the city had lit up. The scenic beauty was a feast for everyone''s eyes. "Let''s go to the seaside and get some fresh air, what do you say?" Belinda''s eyes were hopeful as she raised her head to look at the tall and handsome man beside her. "Right now? It might be a little cold there at this time." Duke scrutinized her outf Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. her eyes. "Where did you get that idea from? Why would you ask me that all of a sudden?" Duke frowned. He had to admit that women were indeed fickle. Belinda was so happy moments ago, but now, all of a sudden, she looked dejected. He didn''t understand why. "Don''t worry about where I got the idea from. Just answer me, was it the worst decision of your life or not?" Belinda gently shut her eyes for a moment. She hated being like this. She hated being insecure and petty. She felt awful about herself. "My answer is an emphatic ''no''. What else do you want me to say?" His hand around her waist tightened. No matter what she thought or said, he never regretted marrying her. "You''re lying. You regret marrying me. Ever since you met Rachel again, you''ve been having second thoughts about our marriage. Am I wrong? You wouldn''t be this miserable otherwise. You''re only lying tofort me, or maybe you''re just lying to yourself." Belinda still remembered the way he had unconsciously released her hand in front of Rachel. If Duke really didn''t care about that woman, why didn''t he want Rachel to see them holding hands? She didn''t mention to him that she had noticed, but it bothered her greatly. "Do you really have to bring up Rachel when we are talking about us? I thought we''d already reached an agreement on this. Things between us have nothing to do with Rachel. I thought you were a reasonable woman, Belinda. It looks like I was awfully wrong. You disappoint me." Duke quickly let go of her. He stood up, frustrated. These days, everything he did for her was a waste. She didn''t realize how he was indulging her at all times. After everything, she still couldn''tpletely trust him. Chapter 717 A Drunkard (Part One) "Even if I don''t mention Rachel, she''s still between us. That''s indisputable. Do you really feel nothing when she''s around you? I don''t believe it." Duke had withdrawn his arm from around Belinda. She turned on her side, causing the coat to slip. "If that''s what you think about me, then all my exnations would go in vain." Duke didn''t want to get angry, but a sense of overwhelming frustration seized him. Everything he did was futile when it came to her. "I knew it. You don''t even intend to exin yourself. We aren''t married out of love, so we don''t have to be faithful to each other." Belinda rose to her feet. She shook the sand off her shirt and began walking dazedly, away from Duke. In her hurry she forgot to pick up the overcoat he had put on her. "Belinda, are you in love with me?" The wind carried Duke''s words to Belinda, as the scent of seaweed grew in the air. But Belinda was in no mood to enjoy the pleasant smell, because Duke''s words had shocked her. They stood with their backs facing each other. Neither could see the sorrow on the other''s face. "Ha! You think that could ever happen?" Belinda smiled and said in a mocking tone. Duke''s love was out of her reach. He probably had feelings for his ex-girlfriend. How could she admit to her love for him when his own wasn''t certain? She was afraid of stepping on her own heart. "If not, excellent! Don''t fall in love with me. I can''t give you the love you want." Belinda closed her eyes in bitterness. She had expected that answer, but she still felt a stabbing pain in her chest. She didn''t mean what she had said, but apparently, Duke didn''t love her anyway. "You don''t have to worry about that. I''m not a naive girl; I don''t ask for things that aren''t mine to have." A single tear slid down Belinda''s face. She tried to get a glimpse of Duke from the corner of her eyes, but it was in vain. She bit her lip to suppress the impulse to cry, then she turned around and began walking briskly. It was too painful to remain on this beach any longer. Duke swallowed angrily as Belinda walked away. At longst, he turned around to follow her. To his surprise, she wasn''t heading to his car. Duke panicked, hastening his pace. As soon as she was within his reach, he took hold of her wrist. "Belinda, where are you going? Are you crazy? Stop testing my patience, please!" Daisy had told Duke about Belinda''s temper. But her capriciousness and ruthless words had hurt and enraged him so much that he left the advice far behind. "Let go of me. After all, you think I''m a crazy woman who likes to make trouble for no reas Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. a real couple. Was Rachel truly better than her? She was Duke''s ex. He must have been hers, body and soul. But as Duke''s legal wife, what did she own? The seaside of S City was quite remote from the downtown. The night was pitch ck and only a crescent moon hung in the sky. The trail was shrouded in darkness. As she stood up to walk, Belinda lifted her teary eyes to take measure of her gloomy surroundings. The terrible sight made her hair stand on end. Belinda sped up as fear spread in her heart. She finally grasped what she had gotten herself into. She hastened ahead. It was so dark that she tripped on gravel, feeling a sting on the palm of her hand. In spite of the sharp pain, she got up and went in the direction of the highway. She could take a taxi once she got there. She felt a sense of helplessness she had never experienced before. She had never been as fragile before now. Belinda wasn''t usually a person who cried a lot, but tonight her eyes were a river of tears. She knew very well that Duke had a heart of stone, but his coldness went beyond her imagination. Suddenly, a staggering figure caught Belinda''s attention. She stopped, afraid. A man singing an obscene song came into her view. Belinda quickly took several steps aback. Was he drunk? she wondered, cautiously studying the man. If that was the case, what could she do? She turned around to take a look at the beach. But it was so far away! How would she run? The beach might not necessarily be a safe ce either. There were several roads from the beach leading to the highway. What if the people at the beach had left by the other roads? What if nobody was there? Who could help her? If she went back, wouldn''t she be further away from home? Chapter 718 A Drunkard (Part Two) Belinda regretted not having learned Chinese Kung Fu or kickboxing because ofziness. The only thing she could do was stand still. As the man stalked forward, her heart went to her throat. Belinda had a strong impulse to run off, but she dared not pass the man by. She didn''t know what kind of person he was. She was at a loss. The best course of action for her was to stay put. She had always been a tough woman. But in this remote and dark ce, Belinda was scared. Her hands clenched into tight fists. She was prepared to fight if necessary. The man approached her step by step. Belinda''s knees trembled, as if she was about to face a monster. She didn''t dare move her eyes away. If she had anticipated this would happen, she wouldn''t have refused Duke''s invitation in exchange for her ridiculous pride. She''d already have been far away from this damned ce! But what was done couldn''t be undone. She had to bear the consequences for her waywardness. "Oh, my! I never dreamed of seeing such a beauty on this remotend." Belinda was right, the man was indeed drunk. She could clearly smell the disgusting scent of alcohol that he gave off as he drew nearer. "You... What do you want?" Belinda asked, her lips quivering. She nced several times in the direction of the highway, hoping Duke woulde back. To her disappointment, however, not a ray of light could be seen at the end of the trail. Everything was cloaked in sheer darkness. "Hmm... You''re so beautiful, doll! What do you expect I want in this dark, deste ce?" The man asked as he burped loudly. He was of medium built and in his forties. Belinda could not make out his facial features in the dim light. But his sentence had already frightened her. "Stay back. My husband... he''s nearby. He went to fetch something. He''ll be back soon." Belinda backed away as she threatened him to ward him off. But she panicked and lost control of her pace. "Husband! Aha... You can take me as your husband, doll. Hmm... I won''t mind taking your husband''s ce tonight." He staggered nearer. Belinda screamed and darted in the direction of the highway. The man began chasing her immediately as she sprinted. "Hey, doll. Don''t leave me alone! I promise it''ll be fun for you!" He yelled as he chased Belinda on one foot. He was in such a drunk state that it wasn''t easy for him to catch her. you beast! Leave me alone or you''re a dead man!" Belinda racked her brains for every conceivable dirty name she could think of to curse the bastard. She struggled to twist her body and fend him off, but didn''t realize how that excited him. He couldn''t restrain himself any longer. He grabbed Belinda''s face and tried to kiss her. Belinda could smell the alcohol on him. She felt nauseated and tried her best to dodge the forced kiss. "Abuse me if you like! I get aroused hearing you curse. Smooth skin, pretty face. What a beauty you are! I can''t wait any longer, doll." The man said as he caressed her arm, before moving to her face. Belinda shuddered, and dodged his touch in time. "You demon! If you try anything with me, you''ll die pitifully. My friend is a colonel. When she catches you, you''ll be tortured in ways you can''t imagine." Belinda was exhausted beyond belief, but she insisted on fighting till the very end. She would never surrender herself to this man. She''d find an opportunity to escape. "But I must sleep with you before I die. It must be nice, dying in a beautiful woman''s arms. You''re mine tonight. You can''t escape your destiny, " He said, before pressing his mouth on hers. Belinda was horrified as she struggled against his arms. She stomped on his foot with one of her heels. He groaned in pain and rxed his hold, helping her get away from under his body. But before she could think of escaping, heavy hands dragged her down on the ground. The drunkardughed as he looked at Belinda''s beautiful, teary face. He began taking off his clothes. Chapter 719 Duke, Help (Part One) "What are you doing? Stop!" Belinda clutched at the chest of her clothes. Desperation was in her eyes when she suddenly let out an emptyugh. It felt like it was hopeless for her to get away now. She wished someone could show up and help her. What was happening to her was just too hard to believe. "What am I doing? It''s rather ''who am I doing.'' Come on, hot stuff. You and I are going to have a wonderful time tonight." The man took off his clothes and tossed them on the ground. It was then that he started to haul Belinda towards the roadside. "Ah! Let me go, you bastard! You son of a bitch! Pervert!" She struggled and cursed but the drunken man was bulky and strong. Getting out of his clutches just seemed impossible. "Come here, hottie." There was a lewd smile on the man''s face. "Don''te closer! You will regret it!" Belinda hugged herself tightly. Horror and tears flooded her face as she looked at the man. ... "Help! Duke! Help me! Duke!" Belinda cried and screamed. She kept kicking with all her strength. However, her resistance did not make anything better as this just aroused the man even more. He put her hands above her head and held them with one hand as he started to unbuckle his belt with his other. Belinda felt like vomiting just by seeing the gross horny look on the man''s face. Her mind went nk. "Yeah! That''s right! Scream! Nobody''sing to help you! They can''t hear you ..." The man wasn''t able to finish his sentence when a sudden beam of light appeared. He looked up but he couldn''t even open his eyes. The light was too bright. A sound of a car pierced through the air then stopped abruptly. Before the fat man realized what was going on, he already received a kick and fell on the ground on his fours like a huge meatball. No doubt the person who kicked him was burning with wrath and had exerted as much strength as he could. Duke''s eyes were filled with anger. He kept kicking the man as if he wanted him dead right away. The next kick was always harder than thest one. Based on the grim air that surrounde ister smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. Apparently, the fat man had touched a nerve and he was going to pay for what he had done. The car started to speed up. Belinda had been quiet, motionless, and cringing in the passenger seat. The drunken man''s hands had been all over her. She felt dirty although the man didn''t get what he had wanted. She was old-fashioned andmitted in rtionship. Those touches crushed her. Different from the suburb, the city center''s night was as bright as daytime. Duke had been checking on Belinda all the way. She hadn''t said a word after he had smacked himself. She neither cried nor yelled. He didn''t disturb her silence. Words were hollow and pointless at this point. It was veryte when they got to the Leng''s residence. The night was tranquil. Duke opened the car door and carried Belinda out. Belinda didn''t struggle. She was like a puppet in his arms as he carried her upstairs to their bedroom. "I want to take a bath." Belinda finally spoke when Duke put her on the bed. "Okay. Wait here. I''m going to run the water for you." He replied in a gentle and low voice, trying to do whatever he could to make her feel better. Belinda didn''t say anything in response. She just pulled the oversize coat. Her body was stiff. She had gotten many bruises and scrapes from the fall. It hurt too much when she made a move. Chapter 720 Duke, Help (Part Two) Duke made the bathwater hotter than usual. He also added some essential oils in the water to help Belinda rx. He walked out of the bathroom when everything was ready for her bath but then halted upon returning to their bedroom and seeing Belinda. Her injuries astonished him. "How many more injuries like this do you have?" Duke crouched and lifted her feet. His brows were in knots. He hadn''t seen these bloodstained injuries in the dark suburb. Nor had he examined her body when they got home. Now that he saw them, he couldn''t help but panic. "No more. Just these on my feet. I got them when I fell. I''m going to have a bath." Belinda withdrew her feet nervously. She got up and started to walk toward the bathroom. She tried but the pain on her feet caused her to stagger. "Wait a minute. You shouldn''t have a bath right now with those injuries. Let me attend to them first." Duke stepped up and attempted to hold her by the arm but Belinda closed the door to the bathroom and locked it from the inside. Duke frowned. She was stubborn. It seemed that he had to wait until she finished her bath. He went downstairs to fetch the first-aid kit. In the bathroom, Belinda took off the coat. She bit her lips upon looking at her injuries in the mirror and then walked to the bath. The cuts stung terribly the minute they got wet, but they stopped hurting much anymore after a while. Belinda kept rubbing her body with a towel. She rubbed so hard that some cuts were reopened and started bleeding again but she didn''t stop. She rubbed every inch the drunken man had touched. Her skin was torn and the water had be red, but she was still rubbing. It seemed as if she couldn''t feel the pain anymore. She must get clean. She couldn''t ept herself as a dirty person. She couldn''t unleash her emotions in front of Duke but she cried in th and briefly. Sensing that Duke was serious, Tom got out of bed immediately and hurried into the bathroom. "What''s the cause of injury? Be specific. I need to know what medicine to take with me." Tom washed his face quickly with the phone between his head and shoulder. "Scrapes. I am afraid there is a lot of sand in the cuts. Come as fast as you can. She''s bleeding. I''ll give her first aid for now. See youter." Duke hung the phone up and took the first-aid kit to the bed. He was sure Tom would be here soon. "I''m fine. I just need some ointment. You shouldn''t have troubled Tom." Belinda gazed at him. She didn''t think her injuries were serious. Duke just looked at her silently. He knew how bad her injuries were. He lifted the quilt to treat the cuts but Belinda pulled it down again quickly. "Stay still. I must stop the bleeding before Tom gets here, " Dukeforted her and tried lifting the quilt again slowly. "But ... I am naked. Could you get me a nightgown?" Belinda grabbed the corner of the quilt tightly. She was too shy to lie naked before him. "Can I stop the bleeding first and bring you your nightgownter?" Duke was extremely patient today. He even had never been so patient with Leena. Chapter 721 The Most Scheming Man (Part One) Belinda bit her lip and slowly closed her eyes. She thought, ''He''s seen my body so many times already. Wouldn''t it be too pretentious for me to be so reserved? Well, I''ll just close my eyes and not look at him so I wouldn''t be shy because of his look.'' Duke smiled yfully but he had no evil thoughts at all. He took a deep sad breath while looking at Belinda''s bruises. He then stooped down before her and carefully applied the hemostatic powder on her bloody wounds. "It would hurt a little. Hold on." Duke was gentle when he applied the medicine on Belinda''s bruises and it was something unusual of him. His heart ached every time he saw her bruises. He didn''t know if he had fallen in love with this woman who was as free as the wind but he knew that he had felt sad and choked up when he saw the bruises all over her. "Okay..." Belinda frowned and hummed. ''It''s not like what he said. It really hurts, '' she thought. Duke regretted that he had just been too kind to that bastard while looking at Belinda''s numerous wounds. He couldn''t wait to kill that beast to get rid of his anger. "Does it hurt?" Duke frowned as he looked at Belinda who was struggling in pain, and then gently applied the medicine on her bruises. "No, it doesn''t hurt much." Actually, it was not the pain of the powder biting on her wounds that troubled Belinda but Duke''s way of looking at her naked body. "I''m sorry. I know that it wouldn''t relieve your pain even if I say sorry ten thousand times but still... sorry. As a man, I should not have only cared about my own self-esteem and ignored your feelings. It''s my fault." Duke looked soulfully at Belinda''s half-closed eyes and then smiled in self-disapproval. He thought, ''I''ve been telling myself to be humble but I failed. I brought danger to Belinda." He looked at the woman in front of him with mixed feelings. He knew he cared about her. It was just that he didn''t know how to deal with his feelings for her. "You don''t have to feel guilty. It''s all my fault. It has nothing to do with anyone else." Belinda might be careless and outspoken but unlike other girls in rich families, she wouldn''t be capricious. She would not me others for her own mistakes. Although she felt v Belinda nodded softly. Belinda felt her wounds were less painful after Tom''s treatment, "Okay. Goodbye." Tom picked up his medicine box, turned around and walked out. Duke followed him. "How is her injury? How long will it take her to recover?" Duke asked anxiously. He suddenly felt uneasy upon remembering that Belinda had an appointment with the President of YD Group the next day. "She''s all right. She will be okay when the water on her wounds dries. As long as she keeps the wounds untouched, it will not affect her ordinary daily activities, " Tom said calmly with his head tilted. "Good. Okay, you may leave now. I''m not going to send you out." Duke stopped as soon as he heard what he wanted. Apparently, he did not intend to send Tom downstairs. "Damn it, Duke! Could you be more impolite? You''re not going to take me downstairs. I knew that! Is that how you treat your guests?" Tom red at Duke. He thought, ''Who says the youngest one can get the most favor? Why don''t I get it? Why am I so miserable? '' "Are you a guest?" Duke looked at him coldly with a trace of banter in his eyes. "No, I am not." Tom answered honestly. Duke''s family was the one he visited most often besides Edward''s. He knew Duke''s family very well for him to not be considered as a guest. "Since you are not a guest, why should I send you down? You know how to get down, right? Just go." As soon as Duke had finished speaking, he walked into the room, showing no politeness to Tom. Chapter 722 The Most Scheming Man (Part Two) Tom closed his eyes and told himself not to be angry or he would really be killed by Duke''s arrogance. After quietly adjusting his mood, Tom went downstairs and soon left the ce which drove him nuts. S City was still in a dark color in the early morning minutes after the sun rose. Daisy was already on her way to the military base. "Colonel, will you be promoted this time?" Mark asked tentatively, looking at Daisy in the rear view mirror. "I''m not going to get promoted. Remember the tip-offst time? It affected me a lot. So, even if I performed deeds of merit in the military drill, it was useless." Daisy didn''t care if she could get a promotion. She just wanted to do her job well. "But you''ll not know when you''ll get a promotion if you miss this opportunity, " Mark pouted, feeling a little bit unhappy with what had happened to Daisy. "It doesn''t matter. I am quite happy now. Anyway, I got what I want. There is no need to be greedy. Just as the old saying goes, "A man who is contented will be happy." Daisy smiled mildly. She used to work hard to match with Edward. She had lost that impulse now, having no enthusiasm and perseverance for promotion. "I''m just angry. Why do you have to make sacrifices every time? That''s unfair. I thought you would be able to regain people''s approval in the military drill this time even though you missed the opportunity in the closed training thest time. I didn''t expect that this drill would still be ruined by someone." Mark was angry at the very mention of it. He did not understand why his colonel''s merit and strength were always ignored by them. "I''m not angry, so you don''t have to be angry. You can say that in front of me but don''t tell anyone else. I can''t protect you if you do that. Did you hear me?" Daisy knew Mark was speaking for her but she was still worried that he was too noisy to keep his mouth shut. "Yes, I did, Colonel." Mark was not that stupid to say anything in front of others. He could justin. He didn''t want to get Daisy into trouble, after all,. "Okay. Drive carefully." Looking from the car window, Daisy saw patches of fallen leaves w of all kinds of designer clothes. He put on a ck shirt and a silver-gray tie. Then he took a ck suit and went downstairs. He looked more handsome in this suit. "Wow! Daddy, I''ll give you a full score of 90 for your suit. " Justin was so excited when he saw what Edward was wearing today that his face started to crack into a smile. "Isn''t the full score 100? Why is it 90?" Edward put his coat and briefcase on the sofa, and then walked to sit down at the table. "In my assessment, there is a 10-point floating score, or you will have no room for development." Justin said earnestly, leaning against the table and looking at his Dad. "You mean I''m not that handsome today?" Edward nced at Justin and began to eat breakfast. ''Justin is the only one at home today? Where are the others? This is so weird, '' he thought. "Come on. That''s apliment! I mean you could be more handsome. It would be great if you wore women''s clothes. You must look incredibly beautiful." Justin said excitedly, with a look of anticipation on his face. "Buddy, it seems that you don''t want me to send you to the school today?" ''Did he really just say that I look like a woman? Isn''t he afraid I won''t send him to school?'' Edward thought. "No. I didn''t mean that. " Justin touched his nose and thought, ''Who said that he is an easy-going man? That''s nonsense! He is the most scheming man who can easily defeat you at any time.'' Chapter 723 Uprooted Jasmines (Part One) "Don''t cry over spilled milk. That''s exactly the case. It''s toote to take back your words now." Edward raised his eyebrows at the sullen look on Justin''s face. Justin wanted to rile Edward up, but he was too young and naive. Since Edward was the father, it was impossible for him to lose to his son. "Ha! Dad, I know you won''t disappoint me, will you?" Justin repeatedly shook his dad''s arm, despite the fact that Edward was in the middle of eating his breakfast. "What makes you think so?" Edward stuck out his tongue to lick the rice on his lips. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Justin with a derisive smile. "I don''t care about anything else. I only know that if you don''t go with me, I will lose to someone!" Justin pouted. Thinking of the new boy in his ss, his face swelled with anger. Not only was the neer cocky, but he also constantly made trouble for Justin. If he wasn''t worried about his mother punishing him and making him join the drill, he would have taught the boy a good lesson earlier. Then the neer wouldn''t have had the chance to be so overbearing in front of Justin. "Alright, spit it out. What did you do this time?" Edward put down his chopsticks and took out a napkin to wipe his mouth before standing up. "I didn''t do anything! It''s just been a long time since thest time you took me to school." Justin bit his lip. He didn''t want to admit that the reason he was insisting that his father bring him to school was because he was sick of the cocky boy boasting how handsome his dad was. Justin didn''t want to lose to him in this regard. "Is it really just that? Why does it seem like you''re not telling the truth?" Edward grabbed his suit and briefcase from the sofa and gave Justin an incredulous look. "Yes, that''s the only reason why I want you to go with me. You are thinking too much." Justin took his backpack and rushed to keep up with Edward, his face beaming with excitement. He knew his father would give in. As soon as they walked to the garden of their house, Edward was shocked by the sight that greeted him. He had wondered why everyone suddenly disappeared from the house. It turned out that they all gathered in the garden. Even his parents were present. "What are you doing here?" Edward frowned. When he saw the uprooted nts lying on the ground, he felt his stomach turn. "Mr. Mu, your mom said she was bored and wanted to nt some vegetables in this plot. In this case, we don''t have to buy inorganic vegetables from the market anymore. We can grow organic vegetables at home." Mrs. Wu wiped the mud off her hands, and looked at Edward with concern. She knew that the jasmine flowers in the garden were Edward''s favorites. "That''s Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. find a ce for these jasmine flowers and rent them." Cynthia heaved a sigh. Actually, she was very satisfied with how things turned out. Although Edward got really angry, he didn''t shout at her or lose his temper with her. If it were before, this reaction would have been impossible. "Okay, I will." Mrs. Wu shook her head. Cynthia was so stubborn to challenge Edward like that. Despite knowing that the jasmines were his favorites, she insisted on growing the vegetables in the same plot. During the entire trip to the school, Edward kept his mouth shut firmly and didn''t say a word. Justin couldn''t help but worry at the tense silence. It seemed that the flowers were very important to his dad, otherwise he wouldn''t be so angry. "Dad, are you still mad at grandma?" Justin asked, turning his head to look at him. He seldom saw his dad so quiet. "No, I just feel bad for the flowers." Edward shed a reassuring smile towards Justin before turning back forward to keep his attention on the road. He was only angry for an instant, he felt more regretful than anything else. The flowers represented his childhood dream. Although he had already made ite true, he still wanted to preserve the memory. Seeing the flowers every time he passed by the garden was a reminder of his passion for this dream. "Why do you like jasmines so much?" Seeing that Edward had calmed down, Justin began to ask him to get to the root of the matter. All the things his father used were jasmine-scented. Justin had always been curious about this, but he couldn''t find the appropriate moment to bring up the topic. He seized the opportunity to satisfy his curiosity. "Guess." Edward gave him a mysterious smile. It was a secret he only shared with Daisy, and he wanted to keep the beautiful memory to themselves. Chapter 724 Uprooted Jasmines (Part Two) "I think it''s rted to my mom." Justin smiled. Judging from how much his dad loved his mom, the reason Edward was so fond of jasmines could only be his mom. Justin couldn''t think of anybody else who could weigh so much in his dad''s heart except for her. It was not possible in any way for Edward to nt those flowers for any other woman. "Yes,pletely right. You''re so clever." Edward smiled in admiration. Since Justin already knew, he thought it was needless to keep hiding it. "In that case, did you fall in love with mom long before our family got reunited?" The first time Justin entered the house, he remembered seeing those jasmines. This was the reason why he was so certain. "That''s not your concern. You kids don''t understand the adult world. Okay, we''re here." Edward pulled the car over at the gate of the school and opened the door of the car. It happened to be the time that all the parents were bringing their kids to school, so there were many luxurious cars parked nearby. But the appearance of the luxurious Lamborghini was quite a rare sight. Justin looked outside the car window, trying to find the boy who always showed off in front of him. Today, it would be Justin''s turn to show off. But after searching for a while, he couldn''t find him anywhere. Justin became a little frustrated at the prospect of getting riled up by that annoying boy again. "What are you looking for? Get out of the car." Edward pulled the door open and followed Justin''s gaze, but he didn''t find anything unusual. "Haha... Nothing!" Justin slowly got off the car. He stood at the gate of the school and continued to look around, trying to find the boy. If he missed this chance today, he didn''t know what excuse he could give to his dad to bring him to school another time. Although Edward found his son''s behavior odd, he stopped asking and went into the car to pick up the ringing phone. He didn''t have time to pay attention to Justin''s strange behavior. "Justin, this is my dad. Isn''t he very handsome?" At this time, an adorable boy appeared with a gentleman next to him. The boy smiled smugly at Justin. "Good morning, uncle." Although Justin didn''t like the boy, the good manners that had been instilled in him since he was little made him greet them politely. "Good morning, little boy." Moore Fei lowered his head and looked at Justin with a smile. He had the feeling that he had met the boy before, but he failed to remember on which asion they had met. "Dad, hurry up, I''m gettingte!" Justin shouted at Edward, who was sitting in the car and talking on the phone. He suddenly found his actions stupid. But the arrow had already left ll. He continued to ask questions that he was curious about. "I don''t know." Justin didn''t give any clear answer. If he had known that Martin Fei was such an annoying boy, he wouldn''t have asked Edward toe with him. But it was done now, he already drew Martin''s attention. He had to suffer Martin Fei''s pestering for the rest of his life. This was what would happen in theter part of the story. "So, what does your father do? He looks so awesome!" Whatever Justin said didn''t matter now. Martin Fei would continue to ask him questions no matter what. He believed that Justin would tell him in the end. "He sells things." In Justin''s eyes, that was exactly what he thought his father did. From department stores to restaurants, his father''s business sold things. So he thought that he was answering in the correct way. "Really? Does he sell delicious food?" Martin Fei swallowed his saliva at the thought. He was obviously also a foodie who was only interested in excellent delicacies. "You''re such a pig, only thinking about food." Justin looked at Martin Fei with contempt. Although he was also a foodie himself, he ignored the fact in favor of deriding Martin Fei. "Does he sell delicious food or not? Please tell me!" Martin Fei continued to pester Justin with his questions. Probably because hecked the exercise, he panted as he trotted to keep up with Justin''s pace. "Yes. If you don''t want to be a fat boy, you can keep being curious." Justin quickened his steps, while Martin Fei continued to follow him without the slightest intention of giving up. Their voices quickly trailed off in the distance. Many yearster, they would look back at this memory with amusement. Although they started out as enemies, they became friends since that morning. Chapter 725 President Of YD Group (Part One) Belinda didn''t sleep well that night. She had quite the shock that night and was still restless when sleeping. She tossed and turned in fright, tortured by nightmares. As a result, Duke didn''t sleep well either. They didn''t wake up until about noon the next day. The injuries on her body still hurt a bit, but the burning pain had subsided considerably. Belinda had a meeting with the president of the YD Group today. Standing in the cloakroom, she contemted on what to wear. It wasn''t very convenient for her to wear her usual tight suits because of her wounds, so she chose a loose long dress with long sleeves. Luckily, it was autumn, so it wasn''t odd for her to wear a long dress. She looked quite professional and elegant in her attire. "Honey, take the pills." After breakfast, Belinda was about to leave the table when Duke stopped her. He handed her the pills that Tom had prescribed, holding a ss of water in his other hand. "Thank you." Belinda epted the pills with a frown. She hesitated for a moment before throwing the pills into her mouth. Before Duke could hand the water to her, she grabbed the ss, drank a mouthful of water and swallowed it along with the pills. It seemed that the fearless Belinda was afraid of taking medicine. "You are afraid of taking medicine, " Dukemented in astonishment, eyes wide in surprise. He hadn''t noticed that before. "No, I''m not! I just don''t like the bitter taste, " Belinda exined defensively. She handed the ss back to Duke, rolling her eyes at him. "Is there a difference?" Duke asked in confusion, ying with the ss in his hand. "Of course, there is! I''m not afraid of taking medicine. I just don''t like the taste of some bitter pills. Do you understand now?" Belinda gave a pleasant smile. She knew that her logic didn''t make sense, but she was reluctant to admit that she didn''t like taking medicine. "Bullshit. Do you want to cancel your appointment today?" Duke asked. He wasn''t aware that his gaze was full of affection as he looked at her. "Definitely not! My assistant Simon went to great pains to make the appointment with the president of YD Group possible." If she cancelled the appointment, all of Simon''s efforts would be for nothing. "Fine." Duke raised his wrist to check the time. "We have twenty minutes, that''s just about enough time. I''ll drive you there." "I can drive myself there." Belinda knew that Duke was worried about her injuries, but she didn''t feel like a delicatedy at all. She believed that she could drive on her own. "Don''t worry. I''m noting in with you. I''ll just wait for you in the car. You said it wouldn''t take a long time, right?" Duke picked up his car keys. He had already deci ht. "My apologies. Ms. Shangguan, don''t you remember me? We met at the Blue Enchantress." Zemo asked with a frown. When Belinda walked up to him and Daisy that night, she hadn''t been wasted. Why didn''t she recognize him? "I''m sorry for my poor memory, " Belinda apologized with a flushed face. She hadn''t paid any attention to the man sitting next to Daisy that night. "Ms. Shangguan, you are a frank and lovelydy. I''m very curious about how you became good friends with Daisy. After all, Daisy has apletely different personality from you. Could you tell me the story?" Everyone had the same question whenever they found out that Belinda and Daisy were good friends. As a result, Belinda was used to it. "You''re Daisy''s friend, huh? How did youe to know her?" Instead of answering Zemo''s question, Belinda asked him with one of her own. She was eager to know the story behind Daisy and Zemo''s friendship. Daisy had never mentioned Zemo to her before. "We were schoolmates in the JC Military Academy. But I dropped out of school and haven''t been able to contact her since then. We didn''t expect to see each other at the bar that night. And that''s where I first met you, " Zemo answered in a soft tone. Belinda was Daisy''s best friend. He didn''t act coldly towards her as he usually did with others. "What? You were schoolmates? But Daisy never mentioned you before!" Belinda eximed, her eyes widening in shock. She couldn''t believe what she just heard. On the other hand, Zemo''s face had turned nk. "Maybe she doesn''t think I''m important, so she never mentioned me, " Zemo stated in a low voice, his eyes darkening in displeasure. Maybe Daisy had deliberately blocked the painful and unnecessary memories from her mind. That would exin why she had been so calm when they met that night. Chapter 726 President Of YD Group (Part Two) "Sorry, I didn''t mean it that way. You must also know that Daisy is a rather private person. She always keeps her troubles to herself. Even though she hasn''t mentioned you, that doesn''t mean that she doesn''t care about you, " Belinda defended Daisy with an anxious look. She didn''t want to drive a wedge between Daisy and Zemo. "Don''t worry. I was just cracking a joke. I''m not ming her." Zemo chuckled lightly. He didn''t believe that Daisy had forgotten him. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have called out his name the moment they met. "That''s good. Daisy is an introverted person. As her friends, we have to be more patient with her." Belinda breathed a sigh of relief. She felt so embarrassed that she didn''t know how to bring up the cooperation between theirpanies. "Well, then, let''s talk about business first." While Belinda was contemting on how to change the topic, Zemo opened his mouth first and indirectly saved her from further embarrassment. "Yes, of course!" Belinda took out the documents that Simon had prepared beforehand and handed them to Zemo. After finding out that the president of the YD Group was Daisy''s friend, Belinda didn''t feel as nervous as before. Zemo nodded every now and then as he perused the documents. He was satisfied with the proposal, but a few improvements would make it perfect. "Ms. Shangguan, your proposal is very impressive. But it could still improve and be perfect. If I decide to cooperate with the YS Financial Group, I hope you can meet our requirements." Zemo folded the documents and stared at Belinda. "Of course, we can. Our aim is to provide high quality products and services to our customers." Belinda was excited to hear Zemo''s decision. She knew that he must have decided to cooperate with YS Financial Group because she was Daisy''s friend. Rumor had it that the president of the YD Group was a cold and cruel man, but he was actually apletely different person. "Great! I''m looking forward to the revised n." Zemo handed the documents back to Belinda. He couldn''t deny that the reason he chose YS Financial Group as his partner was partly because of Daisy, but he had to admit that they had a good proposal. He wasn''t the type of person to cooperate with apany just to please a girl. "Mr. Ling, thank you for giving us the opportunity. We''ll be sure to give you a satisfactory revision, " Belinda said with a gentle smile. She was more curious about the story between Zemo and Daisy. They must have had a close rtionship with each other. Otherwise, Zemo wouldn''t do h eposure. He was exhausted from his poor sleep the night before. "Yes! You look exhausted. Let me drive." Belinda''s heart broke at the sight of Duke''s tired face, but she carefully kept her worry to herself. "That''s not necessary. Do you want to have lunch out or at home?" Duke asked as he turned to her. He didn''t ask how the meeting went. "Come on, we just had breakfast! I don''t want to have lunch now!" Belinda widened her eyes in disbelief. They came here right after breakfast! She wasn''t hungry at all. Did Duke think she was a pig? "Yes, we had breakfast. But it''s already noon. It''s time for lunch now, " Duke said as he started the engine. He decided by himself to take her to a restaurant. "Please, I''m not hungry at all. Let''s go home first! We can have lunch when I get hungry, okay?" Belinda looked at Duke with a pair of imploring eyes. She had no appetite right now. "Are you sure?" Duke asked, fixing her a doubtful look. "I''m sure! I want to get some rest. I''m not feeling well." Belinda had a restless sleepst night because of her sore wounds. She was eager to go back home and get a good rest. "Do your wounds still hurt?" Belinda''s response made Duke worry. He turned the steering wheel and changed the route without hesitation. "It''s fine. I just want to get some rest, " Belinda replied vaguely, notfortable showing weakness in front of someone else. Duke cast a doubtful nce at her, but kept quiet. He hit the elerator hard and drove towards their house at full speed. The silver Maybach in the autumn season was particrly dazzling, attracting everyone''s attention as they sped through the streets. Eventually, they reached the Leng house. Chapter 727 Came Across Louisa Again (Part One) Meanwhile, Daisy was pacing towards the canteen situated in the army base. Her face was covered with sweat and she was a little short of breath. She had justpleted an armed cross field race with her soldiers. Together, they covered a solid distance of five kilometers. With her heart still beating fast, Daisy gasped for air as she walked steadily to the canteen. It was twelve o''clock and it was well past lunch time. Fortunately, the canteen kitchen was still in operation and was able to provide hot meals for the soldiers. The soldiers stopped talking as soon as Daisy stepped into the dining hall. She smiled and said, "Hey guys, don''t mind me. I won''t bite. Please feel at ease." Daisy looked around the tables, each of the soldiers was still covered in sweat. Nheless, nobody bothered to take a shower to freshen up as they were utterly hungry due to the training. Even Daisy herself went here to eat first without wiping away her sweat. The soldiers went back to eating upon hearing her words. The meals were very delicious that they didn''t even find time to talk to one another. However, Daisy could tell that they were not as at ease as before, since she showed up here. Daisy was not picky at all in terms of her diet. She never demanded special treatment and always dined out in the canteen just like her soldiers. She enjoyed the food as much as they did. "Colonel, I am here." Mark stood up and waved at her direction. He had already prepared something special for her to enjoy. He had originally nned to bring the food to her office, so it was a bit of a surprise for him to see her in the canteen. Daisy pursed her lips and walked towards Mark''s table. Although she had told the soldiers to feel at ease while she was around, they still behaved properly in her presence. Daisy was their colonel after all and they didn''t dare to misbehave in front of their higher official. The soldiers respected their colonel sincerely and intended to act in a proper way whenever she was around. "Don''t mind me. Just eat! We still need to attend to somethingter on." Daisy pulled a chair over and casually sat down. She acted gracefully in spite of the stares from the soldiers. She was not feeling awkward at all. "Yes, Colonel." Mark nodded swiftly to what Daisy said. However, he wasn''t able to stop his curiosity from asking more about their agenda. "What are we going to do?" "You are a soldier and it i . She was greatly offended by Louisa. She hated to be pointed at by others. "Are you and Major General Gu a couple?" Louisa clenched her fists. She stared at Daisy''s mouth expectantly in fear of hearing something uneptable from her. "No. Things are not like what you think. We arerades." Daisy gave her a cold look. She had no interest in her intentions. The questions she asked her were all pointless and she had no idea why she kept throwing these questions at her. "What a relief to know! I am d you are not a couple!" Louisa pressed both of her hands on her chest as she gasped rapidly. She looked as if she had been chased by a ghost. "Miss Ye, do you have any other questions? If there''s none, please excuse me." Daisy still had other things to attend to this afternoon. She didn''t wish to waste her time here with Louisa. "Hey, wait! If you are not his girlfriend, then why did he give you his key then?" Louisa raised her voice and confronted her with another rude question. It was evident that she had no intention of letting the topic go easily. She was so stubborn that she had to get to the bottom of the matter. "I just exined to you. The Major General and I are like a family. We are really close to each other. Of course I would have a copy of his key to the apartment. It''s natural!" Daisy could have kicked herself for telling Louisa about the key. It seemed that she had just scheduled herself for a big trouble. If she had known better, she would not have told her about anything in the first ce! It was really frustrating that she had to deal with this kind of situation now. Chapter 728 Came Across Louisa Again (Part Two) "Hey! You are not lovers, nor are you brother and sister. So, what do you mean by family?!" Louisa raised her hand and tossed her wavy linen coloured hair. She gave Daisy a scornful look and waited for her exnation. "Miss Ye, I have been treating you with great patience and politeness since we met. Please be advised that it is only because I know that you are the Commander''s daughter. However, I don''t think it is necessary for me to report to you about my private life." Louisa''s rudeness had sessfully crossed Daisy. She felt greatly offended by her overbearing words. Daisy''s pretty face became darker as she red at Louisa. "Whatever! You might just as well keep your pathetic secret! You are nothing but a soldier in my eyes. What are you cocky for?" Spoiled brat as she was, Louisa had never been told off by anyone like this before. She felt humiliated, thus her words became even more aggressive. She held up her chin and red back at Daisy. "Miss Ye, judging from your tone, I assume that you are looking down on people who follow their career paths in the military? I hope for you to at least have the decency to know the importance of us soldiers. It is only because of military efforts that you are able to enjoy a prosperous society!" Daisy really treated her career seriously and what Louisa just said hurt her bad. She could not stand her absurd rudeness anymore that''s why she snapped back angrily. "Don''t be a joke! I am only looking down upon you. I never said that for the rest of the soldiers. What are you barking about? Trying tobel me with random tags?" Louisa''s lips curled up disrespectfully. She gave Daisy a hard look then moved her head away quickly, acting as if she was a queen who just saw a peasant. "Well, say whatever you want. Since I am such a nuisance to you, I might just as well leave you alone. Bye." Daisy''s good mood waspletely ruined. With these words, she turned around and was about to take off. "Daisy! Stop! We are not done yet, give me the key right now!" Louisa jumped to her feet and charged over with a pouty mouth. Her face was twisted with anger. She never anticipated for Daisy to leave her right in the middle of the conversation. How could she treat her with such direct indifference? Didn''t she know who she was? Daisy isy''s lips curled up as she efficiently sorted out the documents on her desk. "What are you talking about?! Trust me, there is no hot girl more important than you!" Zemo sounded extremely sincere in the phone. Daisy grinned at his words. She wondered whether he really meant it or not. One thing she knew for sure was that Zemo really cherished their friendship as much as she did. "More important than your hot girls? Stop it. I don''t believe you at all. Anyway, I will see you at dinner then." Daisy stood up from the desk and checked the documents carefully, hoping she did not leave anything important behind. "I am telling you the truth. I can''t see the future but I can promise you that you are the most important woman in my heart right now." Zemo''s face softened as he talked to her in a gentle voice. A loving smile cracked his face as he spoiled her with soothing words. "Oh really?" Daisyughed generously on the phone. She picked her military cap and briefcase then swiftly walked towards the parking lot. "What do you think then? Am I speaking the truth or not?" Zemo grinned silently. He hadn''t seen her for ages but the memories of her were still fresh and vivid. However, it seemed that she had changed a lot. She would never tease him and joke around like this before. Zemo thought about their conversation just now and realized that every single word she said to him was kind of enticing. It was as if she was teasing him. What had changed her so much? Could it be the charming man he saw the other night? Chapter 729 Came Across Louisa Again (Part Three) "You are probably not telling the truth! I prefer to think this way so I could avoid pressure." She knew the way she talked would surprise him greatly. Nevertheless, this was who she was now. She was greatly influenced by Edward and learned nothing good but the excessively suave manner. "Hey, you don''t really care about hurting my feelings, do you? We had spent years together, fighting between life and death with each other. Is this how you treat me? Come on, I really meant it when I said those words!" Her words actually stung in his ears. Zemo tossed his hair unconsciously out of distress. A touch of sadness seized his heart all of a sudden. He couldn''t tell what was really going on with him. The only thing he knew was that they could never get back to the beautiful old days when they trusted each other and would literally talk about anything in the world. "Come on. You always boast about your heart being tough, like super diamond? How could I possibly hurt your feelings by mere words? What now? Has your heart just turned to ss? Easy to shatter?" Daisy opened the car door with a big grin. Mark had already been waiting for her for too long. He was a smart soldier and could always guess his colonel''s mind correctly. "Well, to be honest with you, your words could be quite hurtful sometimes. Whenever I am in front of you, my super diamond heart somehow turns to vulnerable ss." Zemoughed and shook his head slowly. He wished that he could talk with her all the time. The way they hanged out with each other made him feel real and rxed. There was so much he wanted to tell her but it was just too hard to find the right wording. "Alrighty. Now let''s talk business. I need to do some errands. I will see you tonight at Westin." Daisy smiled generously as she gave him the restaurant name. Her eyes were sparkling with joy. Westin Western Restaurant was a renowned restaurant in S City. It actually belonged to the FX International Group. The food there was to Daisy''s taste. However, the reason she chose this restaurant was because she believed in its reputation and thought it was worth taking Zemo there. She grew up in S City but she seldom had the opportunities to explore the local restaurants due to her military duties. Westin was the first restaurant ill himself right before the trial. This was unbelievable. Things were gettingplicated here. "We sent him straight to the hospital the moment we found him in blood pool. We haven''t heard any good news from the hospital yet. Things are not going well for him ording to the doctor who updated us minutes ago." The warden was pacing back and forth before the surgery room as he reported everything he knew to Daisy. He was constantly wiping his sweaty forehead. Hawks'' prison break had left a dent on his career thest time. Hero''s suicide attempt would not be different. He was definitely in big trouble for these two consecutive incidents. "Which hospital you are at? I will be right on my way." Daisy''s eyebrows furrowed. She bitterly closed her eyes and leaned back to the car seat. What a proud man Hero was! He would rather end his own life than be in the trial before everyone in the court. What a stubborn man! "We are at the city hospital. Hero is now in the emergency room. The surgeons are trying to rescue his life." The warden''s voice was getting lower and lower. Daisy could tell he was petrified. Things were getting critical now and everyone felt like they were treading on thin ice. "Noted. I will be with you as soon as possible." Daisy ended the phone and calmly ordered Mark to turn the car around, "We need to drive to the city hospital. Now!" "Yes, Colonel!" Mark turned the steering wheel and the car made a sharp U turn. They raced towards the down town without any further hesitation. Chapter 730 Under Emergency Treatment (Part One) "How''s Hero now?" Daisy asked anxiously as she trotted into the hospital and saw the Warden. Her forehead was covered with a thinyer of sweat though it was autumn. "He is still in the operating room. He seems bad right now, " the Warden answered. It was then that a nurse ran out from the operating room. Seconds after that, the same nurse ran back with a bag of blood in her hand. "Excuse me nurse, how''s the patient?" Daisy was so worried about Hero that she couldn''t help but ask. She did nothing to stop the nurse from moving though. "He is under emergency treatment. Please don''t interfere with our work now, " the nurse answered quickly. Then she hurriedly went into the operating room and closed the door quickly. "Don''t worry, Colonel Ouyang. The doctor is doing his best." The Warden said carefully without looking at Daisy. He had heard that the woman before him was the famous Devil Instructor of S City''s military base. She was famous for being cold, ruthless, and relentless. That was the reason why he couldn''t help but feel nervous when he faced her. "How on earth are you doing your job? Don''t you know how special he is? Why didn''t you send more people to guard him?" Daisy looked at the Warden coldly. She was unsure of his capacity to work. "We''ve paid more attention to him than anyone. I honestly don''t have a clue as to how he was able tomit suicide, " The Warden exined anxiously. He was certain that he had done everything, thus he still couldn''t believe what was going on. "How about the guards who were guarding him at that time? Have you asked them what happened?" Daisy withdrew her freezing stare from the Warden. She knew that it wasn''t the proper time to investigate and affix the responsibility. "I haven''t had the time to ask them. I followed the ambnce to the hospital as soon as I heard that hemitted suicide." The Warden raised his head and looked at Daisy. But his nce didn''t linger, he hurriedly averted his sight as soon as he saw how mncholic Daisy was. She really could be scary. "All right. Ask them after the operation resultes out." Daisy gently massaged her forehead. She was getting drained just by leaning against that wall. How odd! Hero was still okay thest time she saw him. Why did he suddenlymit suicide? "Here you are, colonel, " said Mark. He came to Daisy and handed her mineral water. A frown got into his face upon seeing how pale she was. "Thank you." Daisy opened the bottle and took a few drinks. S City''s dry cli very rational and understand situations from the other person''s perspective. Thus, she often forgot to consider her own interests. "Colonel, if only everyone is as considerate as you are, things like this will not happen again." Mark knew that Daisy was kind. But sometimes he really felt sorry for her kindness. "Everyone has a different mind. The way people choose to deal with problems is also different. Forget it, you will gradually understand it in the future, " Daisy said. She knew Mark was a simple and honest person. It would be a bit of a challenge for him to understand what she just said. It was better for him to slowly understand things in an actual situation rather than have herself repeat the idea multiple times. Hero was sent to the Intensive Care Unit quickly. Daisy did not stay in the hospital too long as she was not allowed to visit him. She left the hospital right after giving some attentions to the Warden. She could do nothing anyway even if she stayed. "Colonel, are you going back to the army base or are you heading home?" Mark asked as soon as Daisy got in the car. "What time is it?" asked Daisy as she leaned against the backseatnguidly. Although she knew she just needed to lift up her hand, she could see her watch and knew the time. She was so tired that she did not want to move at all. "It''s half past four. If we go back to the army base now, I think it will be almost time to get off work when we arrive." Mark turned around to look at her. He was a little worried about Daisy as she was in such low spirits. "Is it half past four? How can time pass so quickly?" She did not answer Mark''s query. Rather, she retorted to what he just said. Chapter 731 Under Emergency Treatment (Part Two) "It is not quick! It was over two o''clock when we got here. And we have been in this hospital for so long. It is not surprising that it already past four." Mark tilted his head, only to find how Daisy seemed to ignore him. It looked like that she was deep in her own world. "So where should we go?" Daisy absentmindedly said. She was not aware that she just threw the same question Mark asked her back to him. She waspletely lost. Mark took a serious look at her and finally got the answer. He already knew what Daisy needed most at times like this. Without further question, he put his foot on the elerator and sped away. "Here we are, Colonel." He made a sound to call Daisy, who was still immersed in her own world. He felt that his choice to send her there was wise. "Well! OK." Opening the car''s door was the only thing inside Daisy''s mind. However, she couldn''t help but ask as soon as she recognized the familiar building before her, "Mark, why did you send me here?" "I sent you to FX International Group because I think that the person you need most right now is Mr. Mu." Mark felt that it was best to bring her there as she was in such a distracted state. "Even so. It is not good for me toe to hispany frequently. I may disturb his work if Ie to him at this time. He hasn''t finished his work yet." Daisy seldom came to thatpany as she always felt that it was Edward''s workce. It was not good for her to mingle with his work too much. "But we are already here. How about you just going up to have a look!" Mark continued to persuade her for he really did not know where he should send her to. "Ha! Isn''t that Daisy?" A man''s voice was suddenly heard while they were arguing. They looked towards it and saw Rain standing beside the car while smiling at them. "Rain? Are you going out?" Daisy opened the door and got out of the car as she spoke. "No, I''ve juste back. And Daisy, are you going up to find Edward? Or are you leaving now?" Rain blinked and asked curiously. He walked towards there because he saw her car. He did not expect that she was really inside the car. "We... In fact, just arrived here, " answered Daisy. She wanted to say that all she wanted was to leave. But then she did not want to lie to others. "Then let''s go! I''ll go up with you." Rain said as he reached out to pull Daisy. It was then when he suddenly recalled h fa. He turned around and put his forefinger against his lips to signal Anna to be quiet. He then waved his hand to instruct her to go out. Anna smiled. She saw what was on the sofa too. She went out of the room and closed the door. ''Why did this little womane here? Didn''t she say she was busy with her work recently? Did she juste here to sleep?'' Edward thought. He stepped towards the sofa and stood before Daisy. His eyes were fixed at her face as if he could get answers by watching her sleep. Finally, the corners of his mouth curved up a beautiful arc. He went to the office chair and took his coat. Then he came back and covered his coat lightly on her body. He did not dare to touch her as he did not want to wake her up. She was an exceptionally sharp soldier after all. It was only then that he silently walked back to his work table to handle the documents he had taken back from the meeting. Daisy did not know how long she had slept. She saw that Edward was seriously working on his table the time she opened her eyes. Her eyes were fixed at him as she didn''t even blink. "If you continue to look at me like that, my face will be pierced." Edward lifted his head from the documents and jokingly quipped at her. However, his eyes looked at her tenderly. Daisy lifted her hands and rubbed her eyes gently. She straightened her military uniform and asked him shyly, "You''ve finished the meeting?" "Yes. When did youe here? And why didn''t you give me a call first?" Edward put the documents down and walked towards her. He gently held her body into his warm arms. Chapter 732 I Have An Appointment (Part One) "What time it is now?" Daisy ran her fingers through her hair. She asked to know how long she had been there. "It''s almost 6. I was wondering how long you were going to sleep." Edward spent his whole afternoon in the meeting room so he had no idea about when did Daisy arrive and how long she had been in his office. "Really? It has already been thiste?" Daisy''s delicate face blushed soon as she looked up and caught Edward''s lingering gaze at her. "Why are you off duty so early today?" He pulled his hands away from her shoulders to smooth her hair and give her a quick kiss on the lips. "I nned to go to the jail, but..." Daisy frowned, debating whether she should tell him or not. "But? What''s wrong?" His eyes were fixed on her. There was no way Daisy could escape from Edward''s mind reading gaze. "Hero tried to kill himself. I was informed of the news on my way to the jail this noon." Daisy bit her lips as she waited for Edward''s response. "Then how is he now? Is he gone?" Edward''s face was devoid of any feeling as if he just heard something trivial. Actually, he really had nothing to do with the suicide. Hero was just a man who admired his wife. He couldn''t care less if he lived or died. However, what bothered him was how Daisy seemed to care about Hero. He could sense Daisy was trapped with sadness and it just showed that she was worried about Hero. It had nothing to do with love but her empathy towards Hero was disturbing. It put his mind in a turmoil but he tried to look peaceful so Daisy could express herself freely. "The emergency treatment works, but he hasn''t been out of danger yet." Daisy forced a smile but failed. "Don''t worry. It''s said that evil things don''t disappear easily. He will be fine." Edward seized Daisy round the shoulder and kissed her on the head. It made his heart ache to see that she was worried about another man. "Maybe you are right. Okay, let''s move on. Are you going to be off duty now?" D know I am not weed there." Edward avoided her gaze. He didn''t want Daisy to see through his thoughts. "Okay then. I was worried you would be mad if I don''t let you in." Daisy pecked at his lips happily. She was d that her worries were uncalled-for. Daisy wouldn''t be able to focus on anyone else if Edward chose to go there with her. "You little rat. Why did you pretend that I''m wee when you don''t want me in? Tell me when did you be so tricky?" Edward turned away from Daisy and loosened his arms around her in a mock rage. "Oh no, you really got mad. I was just joking with you. Don''t take it seriously." Daisy looked at Edward''s back, not knowing whether to cry or tough. Her beloved Edward was so fickle. "I don''t think you were joking." Edward said in a cold tone. He seemed to really take it seriously. "Come on. don''t act cute, Mr. Mu." Daisy found it funny to use some popr words she learned from Justin while talking to Mr. Mu. "Daisy Ouyang, I don''t like that word. I am not a sissy." Edward did not turn around as he browsed through the web. It made Daisy feel that he really was mad at her. "You are not sissy at all. I just said that because I think you are cute." Daisy desperately fought the urge to giggle. She continued to tease him, waiting for his response. Chapter 733 I Have An Appointment (Part Two) "You are trying to irritate me, right?" Edward double-checked the files on hisputer and then turned around. He looked at her with a wicked smile before his eyes settled on her red lips. "But... I really don''t mean it. Please forget it." She saw that type of stare before. It was a warning for her to stop or else she would regret what she was doing. "No, I can''t forget it. You tried to irritate me." Edward''s eyes went colder, making Daisy want to run away. "You are so petty and childish..." Her voice sank to a whisper as Edward put his hand into Daisy''s clothes. She stared at him with her eyes wide open. They weren''t in the right ce to do something like this. "Keep saying! I am listening." Edward whispered to her ears and nibbled her earlobes, it made her tremble. "I..." Rain pushed the door open just before Daisy could finish her words. His jaw dropped automatically as he saw the scene inside Mr. Mu''s office. "Oh no! I don''t mean to interrupt you guys. You can go on, " said Rain but the wicked smile on his face showed nothing about guilt. He even looked excited about what was about to happen. "Get out." Edward red at him as he pulled his hands out of Daisy''s clothes. He really was not a fan of Rain as the guy seemed always to sabotage his enjoyable moments. "Alright! I am leaving. But you see, I have never experienced this before so maybe I can just stand here to learn from you." Rain leaned against the door and watched them from a distance. He didn''t walk in nor walk out. "You really want to learn from me?" Edward''s eyes narrowed as he stared at Rain. It seemed that Rain was challenging him. "No no no. I guess I''ll drop the idea. I don''t have the nerve." Rain swallowed hard. He knew he had to stop, otherwise Edward would assign some tough tasks to him. "Then get out!" Edward realized that he didn''t get some good friends. Rain was so obstructive and not good at sensing what was going on. "Okay, stop it. Come on in, Rain." Daisy stood up from Edward''s arms, smile d with a wicked smile. "Hahaha, Daisy, you are so smart. You are right! Those are evidence." Rain was d that Daisy joined him against Edward. He wanted to see how Edward would keep cool as Daisy began to question him herself. Rain had nothing to do with it. "So are you guys trying to force me to confess something that I didn''t do?" Edward nced at them. He tried hard to hold his anger back because he knew that Rain would triumph to see him lose his cool. It would also prove that Rain''s usations over him were true. Edward remained as peaceful as he could be. "No, we are not. We are just trying to bring your memory back." Rain continued with no fear. The worst thing that could happen anyway was for Edward to send him to deal with those actresses'' dispute. It would be a headache for him but it would also make him happy to be surrounded with attractivedies. "Rain, you are stirring up trouble. Why can''t you just let me enjoy my peaceful life with my wife? You''re such a troublemaker and no one knows you better than me." Edward was way much sophisticated than Rain. He wouldn''t fall into his trap so easily. He was a bit confused at the beginning because he did have a history with those actresses. Those things happened before he met Daisy and remembering that made him at ease. None of those things could bother his Daisy. Chapter 734 Happy Memories at the JC Military Academy (Part One) "Come on, I wouldn''t do that. I am the most honest man in the world. You will never find anyone better than me in this respect. I don''t have any ulterior motives in mind at all!" Rain casually leaned against the sofa. He had a handsome face. His bright-colored clothes made him look even more enchanting. The flickering ear studs on his ears particrly enhanced his captivating charm. Rendered speechless, Daisy rolled her eyes at them. She was getting really tired of their fights, whether they fought for a woman or tried to pressure each other. It could get too much sometimes. Could they be any more childish? No one would ever think that they were important members of a bigpany''s management team because of their childish behavior. "Seriously? You, honest? You have got to be kidding me. How shameless can you get? Calling yourself the most honest person in the world. The audacity! You should im to be the most shameless person in the world." Edward scoffed, quickly sorting out the files on his desk so that he could be ready to leave the office at any time. "Speaking of audacity, I think you are the second most shameless to none. I don''t dare to challenge you on that." Rain dangled his leg leisurely. He wasn''t in any way worried about offending Edward when Daisy was standing nearby. He knew that Edward wouldn''t do anything to him because Daisy was present, but he didn''t expect Edward to slyly strike back by assigning him to aplicated task. "It looks like you''re getting better now. I think you''re good enough to take on some challenges. I''m putting you in charge of the Blue Moon Waterside Pavilion project tomorrow." Edward shed a wry smile. He outstretched his arm and handed the files in his hand to Rain. "Oh no, Edward! You can''t be so hard on me! You know that the daughter of thatpany''s president is obsessed with me. I''ll be done for it if you assign me to that project!" Rain didn''t lose his cool until Edward''s threat. He couldn''t help shuddering at the thought of the woman who constantly stuck to him like an octopus the moment sheid eyes on him. "Come on, don''t be afraid. You like beautiful women, don''t you? The woman is drawn to you without you even trying to seduce her. How could you mercilessly reject a woman like that? That''s not your style." Edward smiled coldly. If the president''s daughter wasn''t so interested in good-looking men, he wouldn''t have decided to make Rain manage the project. He definitely did it on purpose. This way, Rain would learn the consequences of offending him. He would never challenge his authority in public in the future again. "Oh, that depends on the type of women! For women like Tina Zhuo, I''d rather run away as fast as I can to avoid their clutches." Rain pursed his lips in displeasure. He still remembered clearly how Tina tried to take advantage of him thest time he showed up at a cocktai teasing Mark now. Was there anything that Rain wouldn''t dare do? "By the way, where are you going?" Rain didn''t care about Edward''s opinion of him. His priority was to have dinner with the couple. He didn''t want to have dinner on his own again. "I''m sorry, Rain. I have an appointment, so you guys decide where you want to go, " Daisy said apologetically, giving a small smile. "Oh! Edward, you end up being ditched." Rain was at a loss. He had offended Edward earlier. Now that Daisy was about to leave, he would be left alone with Edward. There was no way he was spending a moment alone with the man. Edward would definitely kill him without him knowing. "Do you need me to drive you there?" Edward ignored Rain''s words. He gazed at Daisy with deep affection in his gentle eyes. There was nothing but tenderness on his handsome face. "No need. Mark will drive me there. I''ll take my leave now. Bye, Rain!" Daisy smiled at Rain and turned around. She entered the Humvee and waved at them through the window before the car drove out of their sight. "Stop staring, Edward. The car is already gone." Rain waved his palm in front of Edward''s face, trying to catch his attention. He didn''t expect Edward to turn around and stride directly towards his car. Edward didn''t react to his childish behavior at all. "Hey! You haven''t told me where you''re going yet!" Rain whined loudly in frustration, following Edward closely. "Home. Follow me if you want." Edward entered his car and started the engine without paying attention to whether Rain would follow him or not. The car drove away slowly. "Sure, I''ll go. Why not?" Rain turned around and got into his own car as well. He drove towards the direction of Edward''s house without hurry. He already knew where Edward lived. There was no way he would lose his way. Even though he was worried about Edward getting back at him, he really didn''t want to be alone right now. Chapter 735 Happy Memories at the JC Military Academy (Part Two) When Daisy arrived at the Westin Western Restaurant, Zemo hadn''t shown up yet. Considering that they hadn''t seen each other for years, she deliberately reserved a small private room. This way, they wouldn''t be disrupted by the surroundings while catching up with each other. Zemo left his ce and headed for the restaurant at an early time. But because he wasn''t familiar with S City, he spent a long time finding his way. Additionally, it was the rush hour. He ended up arriving half an hourte at the restaurant. "Sorry, I''mte, " He immediately apologized as soon as he approached the private room. "It''s alright. I haven''t been here for a long time. Take a seat, please." Daisy had a beautiful smile, especially for people who rarely saw it. Her smile was extremely bright and captivating, like the most colorful rainbow in the sky. A person could get intoxicated by her smile. "It seems the military uniform suits you better. Two bars and three stars, a colonel! That''s amazing! You''re doing quite well in the army." Looking at the handsome military uniform on Daisy, Zemo couldn''t help twisting in pain in his heart. Bing a soldier had been his dream when he was young, but he couldn''t achieve it anymore. He could do nothing but wallow in sadness at his failed dream. "Zemo, are you okay?" Daisy asked softly, seeing Zemo''s bright smile suddenly dim made her worry. "Oh, it''s nothing! I was just thinking what a cruel twist of fate. If I hadn''t left JC Military Academy that year, could I have attained the same achievements you have?" Zemo held back his sadness. Although many years had passed, his dream of bing an excellent soldier never changed. "Of course, you would. You''d definitely do better than me. You always bested me in special training, so your achievements would undoubtedly be greater than mine." Daisy had always been curious why Zemo left the academy all of a sudden. What on earth happened to him? Whatever it was, it must have been quite serious because he didn''t even say goodbye. She wanted to know what happened because she was worried about him. "Don''t be so modest! You were the most capable female student in the eyes of the instructors. Every one of them wanted to have you in their team. How could Ipete with you?" Everyone in the academy knew that Daisy Ouyang was the most excellent student of their batch. At the beginning, she rankedst when she entered the academy. No one imagined that she would rise up the ranks to the top. But she dedicated herself to her training. All the blood, sweat, and tears she shed was a testament to her great determination. Other people might be oblivious to her efforts, but Zemo knew. After all, he had trained with her the entire time and encouraged her to improve. "You are as modest as ever. Well, how''s everything? You look good. It seems that you''re living a happy life." Daisy sat upright as a soldier always did. Perhaps due Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. re so exhausted that we could hardly eat our meal." Zemo shook his head. Everyone knew that Daisy was a cold and distant girl. No one would expect that such an aloof person also had a mischievous side. "If I''m not mistaken, that was the most severe punishment we received. You were a true friend, you received the punishment along with me." There was nothing but happiness on Daisy''s face. At the thought, she realized that she had made so many good friendships at the academy. But as time passed by, they gradually lost contact with each other. "Well, I had to. After all, you were the only girl in our ss. Of course, we would all protect you." As a matter of fact, there had been other female students in their ss. But they couldn''t handle the gruelling training, so they transferred to less difficult courses. Daisy was the only girl who endured everything and remained in the ss. "Talking about the old days makes me so nostalgic, " Daisy sighed. There were not many students in their ss, no more than 20. Because of this, they were all close and got along with each other quite well. asional conflicts were inevitable, but they rarely happened. Generally, everyone was on good terms with one another. "Oh, definitely. Same here. But I''m also curious about the man you were pining over back then. Was he the guy I saw that night?" Zemo was reluctant to ept the fact that the man he saw back then was Daisy''s love. But he had to admit that the man was extraordinary both in appearance and temperament. "Yes, he is. I didn''t expect that my dream coulde true, but there was an unexpected turn of events. I ended up bing one of the heroines in those cliche romance novels. Although the journey wasplicated, I''m d to have a happy ending atst." Daisy''s smile brightened as she talked about Edward. Looking at her was very gratifying, and one couldn''t help getting attracted to Daisy when she disyed such happiness. Chapter 736 Green-Eyed Monster (Part One) "Congrattions. Your dream has finallye true. You''ve married the man you love." Zemo knew that the man Daisy talked about was the love of her life. Whenever she talked about him, she would get a faraway look in her eyes. Back when they trained at the academy together, Zemo always refrained from this topic as much as possible to avoid upsetting Daisy. "Thank you. I have a happy marriage." Daisy grinned at the delightful thought. She wasfortable with Belinda and Zemo, asionally ying jokes with them. Edward was a different story. Although he was an arrogant bully, she could have him eat out of the palm of her hand. "I can tell from your big smile. How''s life in the army? It must be fantastic." Zemo wanted to know more about the military life that he had yearned for a long time. He got excited when he brought up the topic. "You know how it is. It''s all about drills. The soldiers follow the same pattern every day." Outsiders often thought that the military life was mysterious, but it was actually quite boring. "But you enjoy it enough to never get tired of it." Although their bodies were dripping with sweat during their training days, they were still blissfully happy. Zemo often indulged in those memories after he left the military. "I have grown ustomed to it. If I leave the army one day, I don''t know how I''d adapt." Daisy fiddled with her hair in embarrassment. Truth be told, she really liked her life in the military. It wasn''t because she enjoyed the honor brought by her senior rank. But she had invested herself wholeheartedly to the job, and she found it hard to step back. "Since you don''t want to leave, you should stay. I think it suits you best." It had been a long time since theyst saw each other. They couldn''t converse as casually as they did before. It was as if they were afraid of saying something they shouldn''t. "Maybe I feel this way because of the routine. Well, let''s talk about something else. Tell me about your life. Do you have a family now?" Daisy blinked and stared straight at Zemo, not giving him a chance to lie. "It''s difficult to find someone like you, " Zemo said sadly. Daisy wasn''t sure if he was joking. "Come on, why would you want to marry a girl li Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ut him. "No! I don''t want to! He''s an annoying brat!" Justin whined angrily. He really disliked Martin. "Why? Is it because you can''t bear someone who''s more outstanding than you?" Edward frowned. If that was the case, he had to pay attention to this issue. "No! I don''t think he''s better than me!" Justin grumbled, strongly disagreeing with Edward''s assumption. "If not, then why are you so bothered? Go to sleep. Don''t think too much." Edward bent down to give his son a gentle kiss. He didn''t force Justin to ept Martin as his friend. It would only make him resist the idea more. Edward decided not to interfere with it. He just offered appropriate advice and didn''t stop him from doing what he wanted. "Okay. Good night, dad." Justin was sleepy, so he didn''t continue the conversation. He closed his eyes and soon fell into deep sleep. Edward patted Justin with deep affection and shook his head helplessly. An adult couldn''t always discern a child''s thoughts. Although Justin was upset about the topic now, it was very likely that he would forget about it when he woke up the next morning. In thete autumn evening, a handful of stars decorated the sky. After leaving Justin''s room, Edward stood on the balcony, still holding the phone that he hadn''t put down the whole evening. He never thought that he would wait for a woman who was outte at night. Finally, he decided to call Daisy. He was really worried about her, so he didn''t care if he was disturbing them. Chapter 737 Green-Eyed Monster (Part Two) "Hello, " Daisy answered as she walked out of the restaurant with Zemo. She didn''t expect Edward to call her. "It''s me. What time will youe home? I''ll pick you up." Edward shoved one hand in his trouser pocket while he held the phone in his other hand. He spoke calmly, trying to hide his anxiety. "We''ve already left the restaurant. I''m actually on my way back now. You don''t need toe over. Zemo will drive me back." While Daisy spoke to Edward over the phone, Zemo opened the door of the car for her. Daisy got inside gracefully. Zemo invited her to have some tea, but she refused politely because it was gettingte. More importantly, Edward was waiting for her worriedly. "Okay. Be careful on the way. I''ll wait for you at home." Despite his mixed feelings, Edward was consumed with envy. It turned out that he wasn''t as generous as he appeared to be. "Okay. I''ll be back soon." Daisy waited for Edward to hang up the phone as she had promised. She knew it wasn''t fair, but she kept her word. Edward sighed longingly before hanging up. Thinking that he had to beat Zemo in terms of looks, he walked to the bathroom and tidied up his appearance in the mirror to make sure he looked wless. With a confident smile, he walked out and went downstairs. "Mr. Mu, are you going out?" Just as Edward entered the garden, Luke quickly appeared in front of him. "No. I just want to take a walk. Don''t follow me." Edward felt a bit embarrassed about his intentions. He evaded Luke''s gaze to try and hide his thoughts. "Okay. If you want to go out, please let me know. I''ll go arrange your schedule for tomorrow." Luke''s job was no pic. Not only was he responsible for the safety of the Mu family, he was also in charge of the security of the FX International Group. "Okay. I''m fine here. Go on with your work." Although Edward didn''t know when Daisy would be back, he couldn''t wait toe to the front courtyard to wait for her. But he was afraid of attracting the attention of the servants, so he pretended he was outside for a walk. Despite his best efforts, the servants noticed him. He never went out for a walk at this time. Edward loo idn''t want to be like him. "I''m nothing like him." Zemo looked at Edward in disgust. He didn''t like Edward either. "Zemo, do you want toe in for some tea?" Unable to bear their barbed remarks any longer, Daisy changed the topic. "No, thanks. I have to leave now. Maybe next time. Bye, Daisy." Zemo refused with a smile. He had to admit that Edward was a big shot. Since he was unfamiliar with S City, he didn''t know much about what kind of person he was. Since Edward could afford such a spacious mansion, he was definitely not a man to be trifled with. "Okay. Be careful on your way home. Pleasee over and have dinner with us some other time. Goodbye." Daisy pinched Edward''s waist, hoping he would let her go, but Edward didn''t react. Daisy could do nothing but pout at him. Zemo waved goodbye before driving away. Through the rearview mirror, he stared at Daisy who was snuggled up against Edward''s shoulder. It was his greatest hope for Daisy to be happy. "Come on, let''s go in. He''s already gone, " Edward said sullenly. He released Daisy from his embrace and walked away. "Edward, tell me, are you jealous?" Daisy followed Edward inside. Edward was obviously jealous. He was affectionate with her in front of Zemo, but he became indifferent after the other man left. "No. Why would I be jealous?" Edward stormed off. His handsome face had anger clearly written all over it. He didn''t know how to blow off steam. Chapter 738 The Spoiled Prince (Part One) "What, are you mad at me?" Daisy asked, taking a few quick steps forward in an attempt to grab Edward by the arm. To her surprise, he shook her hand off as soon as she touched him. "Do you have any idea why I''m mad at you?" Edward stopped abruptly in his tracks. He turned to shoot Daisy a cold re before he resumed storming off upstairs. The dim light from the hallway on the second floor cast his elongated shadow upon Daisy, whose heart sank at the obvious distaste in his tone. "How would I know? You''ve always been so unpredictable, " Daisy murmured to herself, increasing her pace to try to catch up with Edward. "Don''t think that I can''t hear you. I''m not deaf, " Edward said in sharp tone. He pushed the door of their bedroom open and walked directly to the window with his back to Daisy, who was trailing a few close steps behind him. A few moments of stony silence immediately filled the room. "What is the matter with you, Edward? I told you that I was having dinner with someone and you said you were okay with that. What are you giving me shit for? It was only dinner with an old friend. For Christ''s sake, will you grow up and deal with it like a man?" Daisy''s anger red up. She had never been a pushover. The only reason she put up with a lot things she hated and gave way to Edward was because she felt that she owed him. As a military officer, she was always on call, ready to grab her coat and head out to deal with all kinds of emergencies. For that reason, she had to sacrifice a lot of time with her family. It was true that she had been working hard to bnce her work and her family, but she didn''t want a rtionship in which her efforts weren''t recognized or appreciated. "Yes, I''m okay with you going out to have dinner with your friend, but I''m not okay with you staying out sote and not even calling me once to let me know that you''re all right! Fine, I can move on from that. But when you finally showed up, you ignored me in favor of having pleasant conversation with another man. I saw you smiling brightly at him while I was just a few feet away - like I didn''t even exist at all! How do you expect me to ssed with the keen gazes directed at him. Despite how much attention he was gaining with his appearance, Daisy still chose to ignore him in favor of talking to another man. A surge of resentfulness rose to his chest. Head held high like an arrogant prince, he strode through the crowd in the lobby and went straight to his private room. In the bathroom, Daisy took a long hot bath. Thevender essence that she added to the water soothed her nerves. After her whole body had gonex, she finally stepped out of the tub. To her surprise, Edward still hadn''t returned to their room. Letting out a light sigh, she decided to go and find him. How could she stand not speaking with him? She regretted her aggressive reaction when Edward aired out his grievances earlier. After all, he was only upset because he cared about her a great deal. The events of tonight convinced her even more that men acted like children when they were upset, obstinate and unreasonable. She didn''t let him get away with his unfair usations against her because part of her wished to help him grow out of his capricious behavior by reasoning with him. Unfortunately, the tactic seemed to have backfired. Not only did he not reflect on his actions, but his temper seemed to have gone worse. In the end, she was the only one left to clean up the mess. She groaned at the thought of long hours of sweet-talking him just to get things normal between them again. Chapter 739 The Spoiled Prince (Part Two) Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed the door of the study open. There was no one in sight. After double-checking to make sure that Edward was indeed not in the room, she turned the lights off and walked out. Frustrated, she figured that he had gone out to the garden to clear his head. She went back to the room and changed into casual clothes before going downstairs. The garden was a perfect ce for someone who needed to take a walk alone. To her surprise once again, Edward wasn''t there either. She racked her brain for possible ces where Edward could have gone to, but failed. She couldn''t help but start to panic. Not knowing what to do next, she decided to get some help. As she turned to face the vi, she instantly knew who to turn to. Hastily, she headed to Luke''s room. A brief moment after she knocked, the door opened. "Mrs. Mu, is everything all right?" asked Luke. He was a little worried to see Daisy''s troubled face. Not expecting her to wake him up at this hour, he still felt a little dazed from the confusion. "Luke, have you seen Edward tonight? Do you know where he is?" Daisy asked, twining her fingers nervously. She was so worried about Edward, it didn''t ur to her that she was being disruptive by waking up him in the middle of the night. "Isn''t he upstairs?" Luke immediately tensed up at the mention that Edward was missing. "No, he''s not. We had a fight earlier tonight. I went to take a bath, and when I came out, he was gone." She was only in the bathroom for half an hour. Where could he have gone? Daisy bit her lips in worry and frustration. "Calm down, Mrs. Mu. I''ll ask the security guards on duty tonight to see if they''ve seen Mr. Mu or not." As soon as he spoke, Luke turned and grabbed his car keys before hurrying to the gate. "Good evening, Mrs. Mu, Mr. Luo, " said the guard, greeting the two approaching figures with a warm smile as soon as they entered the booth. Daisy nodded her head in response without saying anything. She was anxious to know where Edward had disappeared to. "Good evening. Did you see Mr. Mu leave tonight?" Luke was a man of very few words. Though he was a bodyguard himself, he never spent much time chatting with the security gua Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. How can I help you?" A typical sweet voice of a receptionist at Sexy World came through the phone. Luke almost got goosebumps hearing it. He immediately wanted to hang up, but the thought of Edward possibly being there stopped him. "Hello, This is Luke. Is Mr. Mu at your bar right now?" Edward was one of the richest and most handsome men in S City. He used to be a regr at the bar, so the staff was very familiar with him and his bodyguard Luke. They nearly always showed up together. "Oh, what a nice surprise, Mr. Luo! Mr. Mu just arrived a few minutes ago. He''s in his private room right now ..." Before she could finish, Luke hung up the phone abruptly. He had the information he needed and didn''t waste another moment of his time on things he found unnecessary. "Any news, Luke?" Daisy had been waiting anxiously in silence, watching Luke make phone calls to locate her husband. As soon as she saw him put his phone back into his pocket, she spoke up. "Yes. He is at Sexy World right now. Don''t worry. I''ll go and find him, " Luke reassured, striding towards his car without pause. "Wait, " Daisy called, running after Luke to catch up with him. "I''ll go with you." When she reached the car, she pulled the door open and got in swiftly. The sight of Luke''s tense face made her weak. Only now did she realize how unsafe it was for Edward to be outside alone. There were so many reasons for Edward to be targeted by someone. He could be facing danger at any moment. Chapter 740 The Spoiled Prince (Part Three) Although he was having second thoughts, Luke swallowed back his protest. He started the car and sped away. He knew how much Edward meant to Daisy. He couldn''t imagine how agonizing it would be for her to wait alone at home. Getting to Edward''s side as soon as possible was his first priority, but he also had to consider Daisy''s feelings. "Luke, does Edward always have to take bodyguards with him every time he goes out?" asked Daisy. She never paid much attention to such things. Every time she saw Edward, Luke was also with him. She had grown so used to it that it never urred to her why Edward was never alone. "Yes, he does. It''s very crucial, because there are a lot of people out there with ill intent against Mr. Mu. Some are his businesspetitors, while some simply want to kidnap him for ransom. There are also a bunch of women who are obsessed with Mr. Mu and would do crazy things just to spend the night with him, " Luke replied, pressing the elerator harder as the car sped through the street. Daisy''s heart thumped at Luke''s response. No wonder Luke was always so tense. She used to think that he was too protective and a little rigid. She didn''t expect there would be so many risks and dangers in the society she lived in. Now, she started to have doubts about her earlier judgement. "Are you okay, Mrs. Mu?" Luke asked in concern, casting a quick nce at Daisy. He hadn''t heard her speak for a while after he told her the potential dangers Edward faced. "Oh, I''m fine. I just thought of something just now. Don''t worry about me, " replied Daisy. She brushed the tip of her nose with her finger as if to brush something aside, before she shed a forced smile towards Luke to reassure him. "Mrs. Mu, can I ask you to do something?" Luke looked hesitant. It took him a few moments to gather up the nerve to ask the question. "Sure, as long as it''s within my abilities. What is it?" Luke rarely asked favors of other people, but th d yet I haven''t done a good job in taking care of him. My ignorance has put his safety at risk. You always do things for him with his safety as your top priority. I can''t thank you enough for what you have done for him. There is no reason for you to apologize." As she spoke, Daisy felt even more remorseful. She knew that Edward was a little spoiled and could be stubborn and capricious sometimes, but she still handled the fight terribly. She hated how she couldn''t remain calm and try to appease his anger whenever they fought. Instead, she drove him away with her cutting words. If anything happened to him tonight, she didn''t know how she could ever live with herself. "Thank you. I hope you understand that I have no intention of offending you. I''m just very worried about Mr. Mu. You may not have noticed, but he has changed a lot for you. In the past, I would never have imagined him capable of leading the life he has with you today, responsible andmitted to his family. This is all because of you. You brought him a whole new and better life. For this, I thank you." Luke was unusually talkative tonight. He wanted Daisy to understand how important Edward was to him. Daisy''s deep love for Edward made her see Luke''s words as a testimony of the profound brotherhood Luke shared with her husband. Chapter 741 Bar Girls (Part One) "I know. I don''t me you in any way, Luke. I really appreciate your efforts." Daisy''s mouth pursed slightly. She was the type of person who could admit to her shorings when she realized that she made a mistake. Whether she felt wronged or not, she would always do her best to fix it. "You don''t need to thank me. I''m only doing my job, " Luke replied, not saying another word. He did his job humbly and meticulously. Knowing that he was asking too much of Daisy, he felt a bit guilty. But it was for the sake of his young master. If Daisy really loved Edward, she would understand what was on his mind and help him out of his troubles. Luke lived to serve his young master. Naturally, their fates were closely intertwined. Although most people barely knew his important identity, the only thing that mattered to Luke was his young master''s safety and welfare. The rest were none of his concern. Edward sipped his Hennessy with leisure. He didn''t feel tipsy at all. On the contrary, he remained sober. When several girls pushed the door open and walked inside, he raised his eyebrows and didn''t react to their sudden appearance. "Who told you toe in?" Edward asked coolly. He continued to fill his ss with wine. These voluptuous women were the best bar girls of Sexy World. In the past, he had frequently availed of their services. Whenever he did, these girls got paid better for serving and pleasing him. So it was always a pleasure for them to serve Edward. He was the perfectbination of a handsome, good-tempered, and generous man. "Mr. Mu, you haven''te over to have fun with us for a long long time. We miss you! Let us stay with you tonight. You must be lonely." The best bar girls in Sexy World were extremely beautiful and clever. They knew how to coax and please their clients. Despite Edward''s indifference, they sat beside him. "If you want to drink with me, keep your distance and don''t touch me. Otherwise, get out of my sight before I get angry." Edward gave them an intimidating and cold look, frightening the girls into moving away from him despite their wishes. But one of the girls had the nerve to ignore Edward''s warning, and pressed her body even closer to him. "Mr. Mu, why are you so angry? You never treated us this way in the past. You''re scaring us, " she said in an affected manner. She wore a low-cut dress that revealed her breasts. The fragrance from her cherry mouth was tantalizing. She reached out her white and smooth arm to run her hand down his chest towards his groin. "What''s wrong with you? Are you that stupid to misunderstand what I''m saying? Or are you e and feel disgraced if she had done that. It simply wasn''t her character. "Should I be grateful that you''re so considerate? Perhaps I should thank you for not embarrassing me too much, " Edward said sarcastically. His breath smelled strongly of alcohol and his face was flushed red. A wry and scornful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Are you saying that you''d rather I had made a scene right here?" Daisy frowned at her husband disapprovingly. She could deal with a man who was being difficult on purpose, but not a drunkard who was picking a fight. "No, I''m not. You''re just being sentimental and paranoid, " Edward replied with a smile. Edward took his ss and shook it gently before drinking the wine in one gulp. Daisy did nothing to stop him. Instead of getting annoyed, she considerately refilled the ss for him. "Did you do that on purpose to piss me off?" The sight of her husband being intimate with another woman angered Daisy to no end. If she hadn''t kept her cool, she would have destroyed everything in the room, including her husband and all those whores who had nopunctions about seducing a married man. She had to constantly remind herself that getting angry and emotional could onlyplicate problems further. Regaining herposure as quickly as she could, she tried to talk some sense into her drunken husband and resolve the problem peacefully. "Am I that bored?" He sankzily into the couch. He hadn''t expected his wife toe here, so he wasn''t doing all that to deliberately piss her off. Although he had to admit, the moment he saw her at the door, he impulsively thought of provoking Daisy. But it wasn''t his original intention. All in all, Daisy''s appearance was aplete surprise. Chapter 742 Bar Girls (Part Two) "You''re not bored at all. You were just making a fool of yourself by being an asshole and trying to provoke your wife into making a scene. You just decided toe to a bar and get drunk without telling me anything, " Daisy said cautiously. She was careful not to irritate Edward further for fear that the cool atmosphere would be tense again. "Are you calling me childish?" Edward looked Daisy in the eye, a scornful smile appearing on his face. "No, you''re wrong. Actually, I have no idea why I know so little about you, what''s happening in yourpany, where you go when you''re upset, and how I am ced in your heart." She sighed and shook her head helplessly. As far as she was concerned, the gap between them had widened a great deal. Simply saying "I love you" to each other wasn''t enough to fix this. "Yes, you finally understand how I feel. Sometimes, I get upset not because of your career as a solider, but because you don''t seem to treat me as your damned husband." It was difficult for Edward to admit his embarrassing insecurities. After countlesspromises and concessions, he knew deep down in his heart that his existence meant little to Daisy. "I''m sorry. I know I''ve been ignoring your feelings in certain matters. But I''m not a regr woman. What you have in mind won''t happen in reality, " Daisy said apologetically. Daisy clearly knew what Edward was referring to. The way she behaved sometimes hurt his feelings as a man. Nevertheless, she didn''t need his protection. "Do you really think I care about that? Forget it. What can I ask from you?" Edward asked with a bitter smile on his face. The more you gain, the less content you be. He couldn''t help getting bothered by her negligence. "Besides, I should be the one who''s mad at you. Tell me where that whore touched you." Daisy demanded, suddenly going mad with jealousy. She grabbed Edward by the cor, a look of sullen resentment taking over her face. "Why do you care?" Instead of getting angry, Edward smiled in amusement. His gaze fell upon her lips. "My husband was touched by a fucking whore. Did you really think I wouldn''t get upset at this?" Daisy realized that Edward must have been irritated by her pretense of calmness. He might thought that she didn''t care about him flirting with a girl in any way. "No, you can think anything you want. Do you want to personally check?" Edward was the definition of a man in love. He could fly into a rage with the smallest provocation, but was helpless to surrender in the face of affec e of your soldiers. Otherwise, you would order me to run 20ps, " Edward interrupted before Daisy could finish her sentence. Edward had heard Daisy say that a hundred times before. "You better remember that. So you should be grateful, and remember not to make trouble again, " Daisy threatened. Supporting Edward with one arm, Daisy opened the door and walked out. They were weed by Luke. "Mrs. Mu, do you need help?" Luke asked. He thought his young master had gotten too drunk. "No, I''m fine. Go pay the bill." Daisy was strong enough to carry Edward because of her daily drills in the army. "Don''t worry about the bill. Thepany will pay it for us at the end of the month, " Luke said casually. Edward used to go here a lot to enjoy himself, spending a great amount of money every time. For convenience, thepany paid the bills monthly. "How efficient! It seems you''re very wee here, " Daisymented bitterly, gritting her teeth. Edward must be a regr customer here. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be given such preferential treatment. "It''s not a big deal, " Edward replied, putting on a forced smile. Luke was a traitor for exposing him to Daisy like that. Why did he have to say that the bills were paid by thepany every month? He seemed like a disgusting pig. Why did he tell Daisy that? What a fool! Edward seethed in silent resentment. He was afraid that Daisy might lose her temper on him again the moment they got home. Seeing theplicated expression on Edward''s face, Luke suddenly realized that he had stirred up some trouble. He shot an apologetic nce at Edward for his careless mistake. He hoped against hope that Edward could forgive him. Chapter 743 Daisys Bad Temper (Part One) "Where''s your car?" Daisy asked, rolling her eyes at Edward as they walked out of Sexy World. No woman approved of her husband going to a club like this, and Daisy was no exception. "Over there. The SuperSport one." This was the first time that Edward had driven this car since he got it. Daisy hadn''t known about its existence until now. "Youvish spender, do you need so many cars?" There were many cars in the garage of the vi, some of which Edward hadn''t touched for a month. "No, I don''t. But men are only interested in two things: cars and women. In front of cool cars and beautiful women, men can''t help themselves." Edward was staggering. He had drunk a lot of wine. Now, the alcohol was making him feel dizzy. "I see. So that''s why you asked the girls to apany you for drinks tonight. As you said, men can''t help themselves when faced with beautiful women, " Daisy said, gritting her teeth in rage. She stomped on Edward''s foot hard. She would rather have a big fight with him than see him fool around with other women. The image was devastating. "Are you jealous?" Seeing Daisy angry suddenly cheered Edward up. "Why should I? Give me the key." Looking at the brand-new SuperSport, Daisy''s mouth twitched in disapproval. She didn''t resent rich people, but she didn''t like the extravagant way that Edward spent money. "It seems to me that you''re absolutely jealous." Edward took the car key out of his pocket and handed it to Daisy happily. "Nonsense!" Daisy opened the door of the passenger seat and shoved Edward inside. Full of frustration, she felt like a woman who caught her cheating husband in the middle of the night. Daisy rarely drove a fancy car. As a servicewoman, she couldn''t be extravagant. She usually drove a VW or a military Hummer. Last time, she had been used of taking bribes. Since then, she had been careful. Although she was married to Edward and he had a lot of luxury cars, she drove none of them to avoid simr issues in the future. If she didn''t give people a chance to start rumors against her, she didn''t have to worry about those kinds of things anymore. SuperSp here and let Edward kiss her, her mind going nk. When she realized what was happening, Edward was gazing at her with a predatory look in his eyes. "Get off me." Daisy pushed him away indignantly. This time, Edward let her go. "Fine. I''ll take a bath first. I''ll get back at youter." Edward gave her an intense look. He got off the bed and started to walk confidently to the bathroom. He wanted Daisy so badly. But she made it very clear that she wouldn''t let him near her without a bath. He respected her wishes, so he had toply. What she had seen in the club obviously bothered her. Although nothing happened between him and those women, he understood Daisy. As her husband, he had to be considerate of her feelings. Daisy bit her lip as she watched Edward walk into the bathroom with relief. Although she wasn''t a germaphobe like her husband, thinking about the scene in the club made her sick. She was d that Edward didn''t force her. Night was always a sweet and romantic moment for lovers. Everything happened naturally, Daisy didn''t avoid or resist Edward''s advances anymore. Tonight, she willingly surrendered to his love. The breeze was blowing. Everything seemed beautiful under the moonlight. Once again, Edward realized that women had to be pampered. They needed to feel loved. Women ended up bing pliant and gentle after lovemaking no matter how angry or jealous they originally were. Chapter 744 Daisys Bad Temper (Part Two) On the other hand, it was a lonely and sorrowful night for Leena. The wedding dress she was nning to give Belinda as a gift had arrived. She felt depressed at the sight of it. She didn''t know where the grief came from. She rubbed her eyes which were on the verge of tears and started to sew shiny pearls onto the dress one by one. She hadn''t intended to embellish it, but on second thought, she realized that the elegant decoration would soften Belinda''s strong personality. That night, she decided to burn the midnight oil and finish the dress. The longer she and Kevin were apart, the more she thought about him. She couldn''t get him out of her head. Worried that she would miss his call or messages, she took her phone with her wherever she went. To make sure she wouldn''t miss anything, she always put her phone in front of her. Although there was a chance that she might not get one, she always expected to receive a call or a message every day. Leena knew that Daisy was the woman whom Kevin loved. Distracted by the thought, she pricked her finger with the needle. At the pain, she immediately put the dress aside to keep it from getting stained by blood. It was impossible for her to design another dress in such a short period of time. Leena tapped the screen saver of her phone lightly. It was a photo of Kevin that she had taken while he was standing on the balcony, looking into the distance. Whatever he was thinking about, she knew it wasn''t her. Had she fallen in love with him? Leena sighed at the thought. She must have. Otherwise, why was Kevin always on her mind? But he was in love with Daisy. Leena didn''t think it was a good idea to let her feelings grow like this. She felt bitterness fester within her. It was a terrible mistake to fall in love with him. The bitter feelings made her wonder if she really had fallen for Kevin. No, that couldn''t be true. If it was, she had to nip it in the bud. Otherwise, she would be the on r, so he didn''t hurt himself. Daisy stayed in the bathroom for a long time. When she walked out, Edward was all dressed up. He had never gotten ready for work so early before. "Do you have a busy day today?" She stood on tiptoes to help him with his tie. While she straightened his cor and sleeves, she noticed a small wrinkle on his sleeve. She frowned in displeasure. It seemed that she wasn''t careful enough while ironing his clothes. "Not really." Edward looked at her tenderly, enjoying the sweet moment. When he got up, Daisy was usually already on her way to work. It was a rare asion for her to fix his clothes before work. "Then why did you get up so early?" Daisy asked. She straightened the wrinkle a few times until it became unnoticeable. Then, she stepped back to check if she missed anything else. When she was done, she couldn''t help marveling at Edward. He was like a supermodel, every type of clothing looked good on him and matched his personality. "To drive you to work, of course, " Edward knew that before going to the military base, Daisy would go see Hero. He wanted to apany her. Obviously, Daisy cared about Hero''s suicide attempt. Although Hero was his rival and Edward barely knew the man, he wanted to be there for Daisy, no matter how much he hated Hero. Chapter 745 What A Caring Husband (Part One) "Mark will drive me there. It''s a long, long journey to the army base. Why not save yourself the trouble?" Daisy tly refused. She picked up the toner on the dresser, and applied a bit to her face. The weather was quite dry in autumn, so though she never cared about skin care, she had to take some measures to keep her face smooth and moist. In fact, she never cared about her appearance before she was with Edward. She would describe him as not only handsome, but also beautiful. His skin was always exquisite and smooth. She wondered whether he was born this way, or he had actually been taking good care of it secretly. Now that she came to think about it, she had never known him to use any special skin products other than toner or moisturizer like her. She felt that if he looked as good as a man possibly could, how could she do any less? "So is it because you don''t want mypany?" Edward buttoned his cuff, but he paused on hearing her words. His face darkened. It irritated him every time when she acted this way. Other women would surely be ttered and would even shriek with delight at his offer. But Daisy had never epted it with any grace when he insisted on giving her a ride, whether it was to pick her up or to drive her to work. He knew that she was only showing her consideration for him, but others might think that she was pushing him away. "No. I just care about you. You shouldn''t spend so much of your time doing this." Daisy denied it hastily. The moment he pulled a long face, she quickly remembered hisints about her not giving a damn about his feelings and hurting his pridest night. So she rushed to exin that she was worried about him, rather than showing how much she disliked him doing everything for her. After all, they stayed uptest night, and she feared that he might be too tired to drive so far. "Woman, you should know that men are fragile creatures. When you refuse our help, we get hurt. Do that too much, and your rtionship may go sour as time passes." He understood that she was truly concerned about his safety, and that was why he did not lose his temper. But it didn''t mean that he could bear it if she simply cold-shouldered him whenever he expressed his love and care. He might manage to keep his passion at the beginning, but if she refused him again and again he could view, few women were willing and able to cook nowadays, so she would really like to praise Daisy for being such a good woman. And she now adored her even more. Given her busy daily schedule, it surprised Mrs. Wu that she was so good at cooking. After all, Daisy struck her as someone of a high status, who could always order others to do things for her. "Okay. I''m done now. But I can''t guarantee how good this will taste, " Daisy said, smiling shyly at Mrs. Wu. It was true that she often made this dish for Justin back at the army base when she was pressed for time. But after she got back with Edward and moved into the house, she never really got the chance to cook it again. So naturally, she was a bit rusty on it. It seemed that living infort made peoplezy. It was always like that. You had to keep at something to keep doing it well. "I bet it''s delicious. I heard Mr. Muing down. Let''s take it out now, " said Mrs. Wu softly. She regarded Daisy like her own daughter, and could feel a connection with her. Because although Daisy could be aloof in some cases, she had a good nature, and would always treat the servants as equals. "Okay, " Daisy answered. She sniffed at the sandwich while walking towards the door, and smiled contentedly when she found that it smelt good. After making some adjustments to make sure that it was perfectly ted up, she left the kitchen. "Sit down and have a bite, and tell me whether you like it or not." Smilingcently, she ced the sandwich on the dining room table and urged Edward to try it. Chapter 746 What A Caring Husband (Part Two) "There is no need to ask. I like everything you cook for me. When have I everined about your cooking?" He took a look at the lovely breakfast before looking back at her with great affection, as if he could see no one else around but her. "Come on, stop ttering me like that. Just dig in, or I might be reallyte." Seated herself beside him, Daisy began eating her own breakfast prepared by Mrs. Wu earlier. Everyone else in the house was still asleep, so Mrs. Wu made Daisy''s and Mark''s meals first. Everyone else''s breakfast would be served about an hourter to make sure that they could enjoy it before it got cold. That was why Daisy made sure she cooked for Edward today. "I thought you were heading to the hospital first, " Edward asked with his mouth full. He had seen right through her. "So, I guess this is one of the reasons why you insist on sending me to work?" Daisy stopped eating, turned around and looked at him with a frown. "Well, you can guess." Edward still tried to hide it from her, even though she knew very well what he was up to. So he decided to y along under the circumstances. "I guess there is no doubt about it, sir, " smirked Daisy. She knew him well enough to read his mind. And most of the time, it was all up to her whether to blow his cover or not. Edward smiled nomittally, but a trace of slyness could be seen in his eyes. To be honest, even he himself had failed to exin why he would care about Hero. After all, that man could never pose any threat to him. Come to think of it, he thought that maybe it was because that Hero was sweet on Daisy. And this fact left him feeling uneasy. Daisy was his, and no one else''s. Only Edward could have her. It is true that everyone is special, but one might still find it disturbing when beingpared to others. And what Edward feared the most now was beingpared to Hero by Daisy. He had been feeling good about himself, but this time, he really got stressed out and worried that he might lose to Hero. Because he had to admit that Hero had sacrificed almost everything for Daisy. His love was so profound and selfless that even Edward was shocked by it. So when they got to th face. ''Just my luck!'' he thought, banging his head against the headboard. "Are you free today?" asked Edward, who tried to calm himself by flicking the dust off his clothes. But his brows kept wrinkling. "Sort of. Why? Are you inviting me to dinner?" Tom said teasingly. Awakened by the call, he forced himself out of bed and quickly went to the mirror. He had to take a closer look at his face to see whether he got pimples or not, for he felt that his face was a bit rough when he touched it. "Since you are free, do me the favor of seeing a patient I know, " responded Edward. Unlike the constables, he could easily read the dismay on Daisy''s face, so he wanted to do something for her. Putting aside the facts that Hero was a criminal, and he had been involved in the previous kidnapping, he did try his best to protect Daisy and Justin at that time. For that reason, Edward thought he was indebted to Hero. So he would now like to return the favor. It didn''t matter whether Hero would ept it or not. What Edward wanted was to make Daisy happy again. He didn''t want her to agonize over the matter any more. "Can I take my words back now?" groaned Tom, drawing a long face. Had he known that Edward wasn''t going to buy dinner or anything today, he would have imed that he was too busy. "I think you know the answer to that, " Edward said with a malicious smile, thinking that it was no use for the guy to act stupid on purpose in front of him. Chapter 747 What A Caring Husband (Part Three) "Alright, alright, I can''t¡­" replied Tom with resignation, though he had cursed Edward a thousand times in his head. He suddenly understood why Rain would call Edward a greedy capitalist. Now it seemed to him that he was worse than that -- he was literally a devil who kept exploiting him! "Now cut the crap and get over here now. I''ll wait for you at the municipal hospital, " requested Edward, who hung up the phone as soon as he finished. He left Tom no chance to turn him down. Edward had always been like this, a domineering person who would never go cap in hand to anyone. "Damn it. Who do you think you are, talking to me like that? You think I jump to the snap of your fingers? I''ll tell you what, you''ve got another thinging. I''m not going. And there''s nothing you can do about it!" Hearing the phone go busy, Tom quickly nced at the screen. When he saw that Edward had really hung up the phone, he shouted in a fit of pique. But of course, he was only venting his rage behind Edward''s back. After that, he could do nothing but throw down the phone and get ready to go. He had to give in since Edward was the boss. Putting down his phone, Edward grinned gloatingly. If he was not mistaken, Tom must be cursing him right after the call. He knew that he would react in very much the same way as Rain. Neither of them wouldin in front of him, but they would definitely protest secretly until they cooled down. "What are you doing here? I heard you talking to someone just now. Were you on the phone?" Suddenly, Edward heard Daisy''s voiceing from behind him. He turned and saw her approaching him with a confused look. Back in the ward, Daisy was caught by surprise when she awakened from her thoughts and found that Edward had disappeared. How could he just leave without uttering a word? Daisy left the ward and finally heard his voice from a distance. Following the sound, she found him when he just finished the call. "Yes. Just something about work. Ready to go? I think it'' ! You know how fast I was driving? This ce is so far away from my home, not to mention that I had to drive during the morning rush hour. You really should thank me for how quickly I got here despite all that!" eximed Tom, ring at Edward. ''So now you finally know how annoying it is to wait for others, huh? This is what you get for keeping people waiting for so long! Let''s see you do it again!'' he thought to himself. "Be quick! No more excuses, " urged Edward. This was the way Edward had always been. While he was free to make demands, he would never let others do the same to him. "I was only exining myself! Or do you think I should just happily ept it when you call me Mr. Turtle?" shouted Tom while trying to catch up with Edward. They walked into the hospital, teasing each other. And their voice had somewhat broken the utter silence of this ce all of a sudden. "So why do they call you a miracle-working doctor? Did you get this title honestly? I think it''s stupid to take every word I say so personally." Squinting at him, Edward started to make fun of his medical skills. "Fine. I will just go if Mr. Mu has no faith in me. You can go and find a real miracle-working doctor if you can!" Tom turned on his heel at Edward''s words, and seemed to be wearing a pained expression. This was thest straw. Chapter 748 An Invitation From Rachel (Part One) "Are you sure you''re heading back now?" Edward squinted coldly at him and shed a sly smile. He did not make any stops at all and kept walking into the hospital. He didn''t care about whether Tom was following him or not since he was confident that Tom would not run away now. "Edward, tell me about him. What is he to you? You''re obviously concerned about him, otherwise you wouldn''t make mee here so frickin'' early." Edward was right. Tom wouldn''t leave now. He knew better. He ran to catch up with Edward,ining all the way. "Rival in love." Edward''s reply was extremely simple but impressive. Tom, who was following him tightly behind, was in a total mess. But Edward stayed calm and cool, as if nothing serious happened at all. "What did you say? I seem to hear you say rival? Or am I missing something? You dragged me out of a warm bed at the buttcrack of dawn for your so-called rival in love? What''s wrong with you? And more importantly, why do you want me to save his life?" Tom did not think he could understand the weird ways of love nowadays. It must be that he''d stayed in hisboratory too long. How could a man be so generous to save his rival in love? Why? Wouldn''t he want his rival stay as far away as possible, or even to die an early death? Wouldn''t those two options make more sense? "Just save him. Don''t talk too much." Edward stopped walking all of a sudden. He turned his head and shot a cold stare at Tom. Tom was shocked by what he saw and almost walked into Edward. "I didn''t say I wouldn''t save him. What the heck are you doing? You scared me, " he said to Edward in a hurt voice. Tom patted his chest. His heart kept thumping wildly due to Edward''s cold and threatening demeanor. Edward was used to bullying Tom into doing whatever he wanted. Edward nced at him coldly and then continued walking through the hospital. But he was not going to the ICU room. Instead, he went to Hero''s doctor''s office. After all, Tom was from another hospital. Even though he was an excellent doctor in the city, Edward could not just let him treat Hero without the permission from the original hospital. So, there were some procedures they needed to follow. In the city, many people knew Edward Mu and Tom Qin. After all, one was the most powerful business man and the other was a genius doctor in the medical field. When they appeared in front of Hero''s doctor at the same time, the doctor was taken aback. But he was more delighted since he would never get to see such powerful men under normal circumstances. He snapped to attention right away. Tom conducted a series of examinations on the patient. How he was doing, what his vitals looked like, and the final prognosis. He finally had the chance to see the Edward''s so-called rival in love. He could not help stealing more nces at the patient during the process. He was seriously pale at that moment. But he must admit that the man was not bad-looking. Tom figured that this guy was probably an outstanding man, and no wonder Edward was r ht harbor some resentment against him if he didn''t do everything in his power to save Hero. "Oh, I see now. It''s because of Daisy. So you mean, Daisy wants to save him, right?" Tom''s curiosity became a terrible itch that needed to be scratched. If what Edward said was the truth, then he thought it was time for him to have a new impression of Daisy. "Come on, do you think she would ask me to save him? I volunteered to do it because I don''t want her to be sad." Edward stopped walking for a second. To tell the truth, he really hated it when his woman felt sad for other men. But he also realized one thing; if a woman did not have a kind and grateful heart, she would not be worthy of his love. So, when faced with such an situation, Edward felt tough and stumped too. But he would put himself in other people''s shoes. He might be childish about some things. But those things were irrelevant and unimportant. Daisy was his wife, the one he loved with every inch of his heart, every fiber of his being. He would surely care about her mind and soul. "I know Daisy wouldn''t ask you to save him." Tom finally rxed and sighed. He knew it! Tom was a fairly bright chap when given a chance. How could an elegant woman like Daisy do such a rude thing? "Whether she did or not isn''t the point. Please save him. If not for me, then her! Just let me know if you need anything. Money will never be a problem." Edward was not pretending to be generous. He said that to let Tom know that he was determined to see Hero healthy once more. "Got it. I''ll take care of it. Don''t worry! As long as there''s a shred of hope, I won''t disappoint you and Daisy, " Tom said. He did not feel relieved at all after he gave out his promise. Instead, his thoughts weighed heavy on his mind. Hero''s condition was a real problem for him, and not easily solved. So he decided to go hometer and research it carefully to see what could he do to make things right. He might have to use some experimental procedures to save this guy''s life. Chapter 749 An Invitation From Rachel (Part Two) "How about I buy you lunch?" Edward smiled. He trusted Tom. So when he said there was still some hope, Edward did not cast any doubt on him at all and believed that Hero''s situation was not that bad. "Buy me lunch another day! I want to go back and make some careful ns for treatment. I won''t lie to you; this won''t be a walk in the park. You can thank meter on." If someone offers to take you out to lunch, you shouldn''t refuse. You''d have to be a fool to reject the invitation. Particrly because Edward had offered to pay. He had such deep pockets that such a meal would likely be more expensive than any food Tom would grab for himself. But in order to save Hero, Tom had to be the responsible one, and give up on the lunch offered by Edward. "Okay! Then I''m heading back to the office now. You can call me if there''s anything I can do to help. See you." Edward walked towards his car. He felt so much better now that Tom was on the case. He raised his arms and waved bye to Tom without facing him. Tom turned around and walked to his car too. Likewise, he raised his arm and waved his goodbyes to Edward. Then he hopped in the car and drove away. Luke also followed them in his car. So the three famous cars left the parking lot one by one. They went away and disappeared from sight. At the same time, in the meeting room of Leng Group, Rachel Qin fixed her gaze on Duke Leng. Duke sat in the president''s chair. There was nothing but love and passion for Duke in Rachel''s eyes. She did not rush to Duke and ask for attention from him. She did not want Duke to think she was a boring woman, or to be suspicious of her. So, no matter how much she wished to get closer to him, she had to suppress her feelings and try not to be too aggressive. She should wait for her chance. Duke was known as a cold and fair-minded man in thepany. No one saw him ever smile. But as long as you did your job well and didn''t offend him, it was easy to get along with him. He was a good boss in this respect. He never punished employees who didn''t deserve it, and treated them all equitably. "Is there any other business that needs to be addressed? If not, the meeting is over and you can leave now." Duke took a look around the meeting room. He felt like someone was watching him during the whole meeting. But when he tried to find him or her and meet the gaze, the feeling left him suddenly. Who could it be? He wondered if it was Rachel Qin. But he saw that she had her head lowered and was writing something. It wasn''t her, was it?. But who else apart from her would be so interested in him? "Mr. Leng, can I make a simple request?" When Duke was about to dere the meeting closed, Rachel suddenly spoke out. "What is it? Spit it out!" Duke frowned. He wondered what kind of tricks she was going to y. As a matter of fact, it was not appropriate for her to say a word in the meeting. Her position in thepany wasn''t high enough. "I have a very simple request. Our department is celebrating tonight. I''d like to invite Mr. Leng to join the party." Rachel looked right straight at him with no hesitation. Sh him out of trouble. His thoughts went unbidden to her wounds. So he picked up the phone and dialed up Tom. "Hello! Duke, is there anything I can do for you?" Tom was looking carefully at the x-ray film he took from the hospital. Sometimes he marked some vital points on his simted operation. "Are you free at noon? Let''s have lunch." Actually inviting Tom for lunch was just an excuse. The main reason he wanted Tom to have lunch with him was for Belinda. He wanted him to check her wounds again. "No way! Hey, are you guys doing this on purpose today? Is this a prank? Both of you invited me out for a meal when I''m so busy. Why aren''t you so hip to pay when you don''t need something?" Tom pushed the ground with his feet, and his chair rolled smoothly to the other end of the desk. He picked up one slide from the desk and then pushed off with his feet again. The chair rolled back to where he started. "What? Is there someone else who invited you for lunch?" Duke wasn''t worried when Tom rejected his invitation. He would find a way to make Tom ept his offer. "Of course. I''ve be quite popr recently." No one knew when Tom had be narcissistic just like Rain. If they continued keeping in touch, they''d end up as clones of each other. And no one needed more than one Rain. One was more than enough. "Did Rain invite you? If so, be careful. Don''t let him turn you gay." Even though Duke was talking about boys'' love stuff, he still stayed cold and calm. It was supposed to be a joke. But from Duke''s cool face, no one could tell that he was telling a joke at all. "Look at you, the little matchmaker. Don''t forget, he likes women, not men. So I know you want us to be a couple so bad, but you should at least know his sexual preference before shipping us." Tom was annoyed. He rolled his eyes without a word. It was impossible to match him and Rain. Come on, everyone knew Rain had it bad for that girl named Annie. Ever since Annie disappeared, Rain became a zombie. And Tom had no interest in guys at all. He always liked women instead of men. Chapter 750 The Wedding Dress (Part One) "Are you sure you don''t have time?" Duke continued to ask him. He leaned back in the chair, like he didn''t have a care in the world. "Strictly speaking, it''s not that I don''t have any time at all. It all depends on why you''re taking me to lunch." Tom circled thest spot on theputer screen, and checked the surgical simtion results on theputer. But the result was not that satisfying, he felt a little depressed and began to research other feasible operation ns. "Why do you think there has to be a reason for me to take you to lunch? I''m not your boss, who has purposes behind his every request for you." While saying this, Duke felt a little guilty. Because like Tom had predicted, he did have ulterior motives for feeding him. "Cut the crap! Do you think I don''t know what''s on your mind? You want me to check on Belinda''s wounds, right? Just bring her to my office in the hospital. I''m super-preupied and can''t go out today." His theories for the surgery proved unworkable, so he had to go back to the drawing board, and rework everything. "What''s up Tom? Why are you so busy?" Duke furrowed his brows. Everyone he hung out with hated hospitals. Tom was an exception -- as well he should be -- because he was a doctor. That was why Duke wanted Tom toe to his house. "Ah! I don''t really want to talk about it. I''m working out ways to save Edward''s love rival now." Tom intentionally stressed the word "love rival". Probably because they had known each other for a very long time, so in regr cases, they could practically read each others'' minds. "What love rival? Are you kidding me?" Subconsciously, Duke felt Tom was messing with him. In his memory, Tom was indeed very generous, but to save a troublemaker who would cause nothing but drama? That wasn''t like Tom at all. He looked very gentle and elegant from his appearance, but he was definitely a wicked man in Duke''s eyes. "You can call him and ask him yourself if you don''t believe me. I can''t exin it in detail now. But don''t mention that I told you this." Edward couldn''t know that the news about his love rival would spread so quickly. Tom knew that it was somewhat confidential, but he was so overworked that he let it slip. Besides Edward, only Tom knew about this matter. He was so stupid to warn Duke not to mention him in front of Edward. Edward was so clever, he would immediately figure out that Tom tipped the news to Duke without hesitation. "Do you think I''m that stupid to find trouble for myself? I probably won''t even bring it up. Let''s drop it now, we can talk when we meet at noon." Duke shook his head. The matter of saving his love rival might have already been a very depressing thing to Edward, if Duke asked Edward about it, that would undoubtedly be adding fuel to the fire. Edward''s angry fire might also burn Duke. So he would not be stupid enou k out her delicate tongue and licked her dry lips. She spaced out for a while, lost in thought, but finally she ced the cellphone on the tea table. Then she lifted the ss and took several sips of water. In fact, she was really curious to see what the wedding dress would look like. She only worried that the wicked Leena would get some fancy ideas and choose a weird style for her. If that was the case, she would really be mad. Because it would be toote to pick another wedding dress -- the wedding date was right around the corner. She hoped that Leena''s choice wasn''t too disappointing. She was a fashionable young girl and she was supposed to have an eye for beauty. She raised her head and checked the time. Then she walked downstairs. It happened to be lunch time, and she figured that Leena hadn''t eaten lunch yet. So she wanted to go downstairs to ask Giselle to prepare something that Leena liked. When Leena''s car entered her family home, she didn''t notice that a Maybach soon followed. Before she realized it, Duke suddenly appeared in front of her. "Leena, you''re here too?" Seeing that Leena was also here, Duke felt overjoyed. He hadn''t seen her for several days. He hadn''t gotten even a phone call from her. He had thought of going to see her when he had time. He was surprised by her sudden appearance. "Duke, aren''t you supposed to be at work today?" Leena frowned and nced at Duke doubtfully. Then she lifted up the trunk of the car and bent down to take the two big bags of clothing out. "I just came back from the office. What are these?" Duke took the bags from Leena, fearing that holding the bags would weary his dear sister. "They are the wedding dress and the tuxedo. Did you forget that your wedding day is only a few days away?" Having someone take the bags, Leena felt very rxed. She walked briskly towards the house, eager to flee from the scorching sun. Chapter 751 The Wedding Dress (Part Two) "If you were me, would you forget such an important thing?" Duke stared at her peevishly. Did she think that he was like her? She had a terrible memory. If not for the wedding which was only a few days away, he would not have eagerly asked Tom to check on how well Belinda was healing. No bride wouldn''t care about their appearance on their wedding day, and no bride would proudly disy scars while wearing a beautiful wedding dress. "This is really hard to say, haha! Duke, is Belinda sick?" Leena held Duke''s arm, despite Duke was taking the bags in his hand, Leena still leaned on him and acted like a spoiled child. "No, she only got hurt. I''m taking her to Tom to have a look." Duke had alwaysvished great affection on Leena. Even she married herself to Kevin without his permission, she was still the important one in his heart. "How did she get hurt? Is it serious?" Leena became very nervous when she heard the bad news. Thinking of Daisy and her knife wounds, Leena feared that something terrible might have happened to Belinda. "She''s fine now. Don''t worry. And don''t mention this when you see herter." Duke didn''t want Leena to ask about Belinda''s injury because he feared that this might bring up her horrible memory again. She''d had recurring nightmares for the past two days. "Okay, I get it." Although Leena was very curious, since Duke didn''t want her to ask, she stopped pushing him. She believe that he had a good reason for this. "How did you two get here at the same time?" Hearing Leena''s voice, Belinda walked out of the house to greet her. She didn''t expect that she would also see Duke. "Belinda, we ran across each other at the gate. It''s just coincidence." Leena nced over Belinda from head to toe, but Belinda wrapped herself well in clothes, so Leena didn''t find anything unusual about her. "Okay, let''s go! Lunch is ready. I knew you''d be here, so I asked Giselle to prepare lunch for you." Belinda couldn''t cook, actually she knew nothing about the things in the kitchen. But she could help Giselle by handing her something she needed when she was cooking. "Good. We''re lucky to have something to eat right when we got here. I''m starving. I really missed the dishes made by Giselle!" Leena didn''t finish processing the wedding dress until noon, so she even didn''t have time for breakfast. Therefore when she heard that lunch was ready, she rushed to the dining room with excitement, forgetting the real purpose she had foring here. Food now, the wedding attire Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. to beard the lion. "What are you two talking about?" Duke sat beside Belinda, and he felt that the atmosphere between thedies was a little awkward. They stopped chatting with each other immediately. "Nothing." Leena replied hurriedly, fearing that he might realize she had already asked Belinda about her injury. "Really? Why do I get the funny feeling you''re talking about me?" Duke nced at Belinda and Leena, with a look of disbelief. "Really nothing. Let''s eat lunch. Don''t we have to go to the hospitalter?" Seeing Leena''s nervous expression, although Belinda felt strange, she said those words to help Leena cover her blunder. "You agreed to go?" Duke looked at Belinda doubtfully. Wasn''t she against it before he went upstairs? Why did she suddenly change her decision so soon? Women were indeed capricious. All women, no matter when or where. If they weren''t, men would be bored of them by now. "Why would I be against it? No one wants to see my scars, and I also want them to heal as soon as possible." When it came to wedding, she was no different from other women. She expected to be the most beautiful, most attractive and sexiest bride in the world. And no bride wanted to show up with scars on her skin for the wedding day. "Okay, that''s good. Let''s eat lunch first. I''ll ask Giselle to pack some food for Tom and bring it to himter." Suddenly remembering Tom''s request, Duke turned around and went to the kitchen. He could have stayed here and summoned Giselle to do this, but when thinking of Tom''s arrogant manner over the phone, he smiled slyly. He was determined to make Tom forever remember the special lunch he would prepare for him. Chapter 752 Forever (Part One) Lunch ended on a positive note. And because the wounds on Belinda''s body weren''t fully healed, it was a bit inconvenient for her to try on the wedding dress. If she got blood or ointment on the wedding dress, that wouldn''t be so nice. "Leena, we''re headed to the hospital right now. Are you staying home oring with us?" Duke was holding a food container in his hands, and he couldn''t help but frown at Leena. When she arrived Duke noticed that she was really pale -- paler than usual. He was considering taking her to the hospital as well, and having Tom run some tests on her. Of course he was concerned about Belinda, but that didn''t mean ignoring Leena. "I guess I''ll just be staying home and resting. I don''t want to go out today. I didn''t sleep wellst night, so I''m going to take a nap upstairs. You two go, and don''t worry about me or bother me. Juste and get me when dinner''s ready, okay?" Leena''s words were swallowed by a yawn, and then another. She slowly walked upstairs with a hand covering her mouth. "What happened to her? Why is she this tired? What was she doing during the night?" Belinda asked, her brows furrowed. She looked at Leena''s retreating back, feeling quite confused. "Don''t mind her. I guess she must have stayed upte drawing again!" With these words, Duke took Belinda''s hand and walked her towards the door. Though he was worried about Leena and her habit of staying upte, he also knew that her inspirations always camete at night. So there was really nothing to be done about it. "Drawing? To be honest, I still don''t know what she''s studying. What''s her major?" Belinda curiously asked. Though she heard that Leena hade back from abroad not for long, she had no idea what that girl had been studying all this time. "Fashion design. She is pretty talented in this. I really hope that she will be recognized soon andunch her personal brand." Duke was being a gentleman, as he opened the car door for Belinda and waited for her to get inside the car. He still didn''t know that his little sister was already a rising star in fashion industry who not only had her personal brand, but also got invited to be the judge by a lot of fashion shows. And that was all because Leena didn''t want him to know and intentionally hid all these things from him. He was overprot mself. I guess there isn''t anything in his life worth sticking around for. Otherwise I can''t possibly exin why such an excellent man would choose tomit suicide. It''s really strange." This was how Tom thought of Hero after finally seeing him in person. Or he still couldn''t understand why such a man who was once a kick-ass and high-powered arms dealer would make such a messed up decision to end his own life. "Maybe! If you''re too proud, you can''t ept failure. I guess that''s the case with Hero. It''s really a shame." Duke sighed, feeling sorry for Hero. He had seen the man on the day when the kidnap happened. He was quite impressed with the man''s fearlessness when faced with a crisis. But he didn''t expect that such a strong man would also be so vulnerable after falling in love. "Who the hell are you two talking about?" Belinda looked at them, feeling very confused. She couldn''t understand a word what they were saying just now. It seemed that they were talking about Edward and some love rival? Her confusion made her feel left out and anxious. "No one. No one you know, at any rate. Oh, Tom, could you take a look at her wounds? Do you think her injuries will bepletely healed before the wedding or not?" Duke quickly changed the subject. He knew that Belinda didn''t know Hero, so he couldn''t really exin it to her in a few words. After all, it was also something that had something to do with Daisy, and she was Daisy''s best friend. So it was not his story to tell. He would just have to let them two sort it out. Chapter 753 Forever (Part Two) "Don''t rush me! At least give me some time to finish my lunch first!" Tom eximed. He gulped, because his stomach was rumbling, and his mouth was producing extra saliva. He could almost taste the meal that was waiting for him. Tom took the food container Duke brought and ced it on the table in front of him. But what he didn''t expect was that Duke quickly stopped him. "Well, you can finish your lunch after taking a look at her wounds! We''re in a hurry here. Besides, won''t you feel embarrassed with us watching you when you''re the only one eating?" Duke couldn''t take the risk. What if Tom was unable to take a look at Belinda''s wounds after he ate his lunch? After all, he had asked Giselle to put ''extra effort'' in preparing Tom''s food. "Are we in a hur --" Not waiting for her to finish her words, Duke hurriedly put a hand over her mouth and stopped her from continuing. "What are you doing? You got me really confused here. What are you hiding?" Tom looked at the couple, feeling quite confused about their behavior. Why did he suddenly have a bad feeling about this? "Of course nothing! You know, our wedding ceremony is in a couple of days. Though the wedding nner has helped a lot, there are still a lot of details we need to work out. So we are really busy these days. Definitely in a hurry." Duke didn''t even blush as he lied to Tom''s face. In fact, every little detail of the wedding ceremony had been taken care of, and all they needed to do was show up. Then, everything would be perfect. "Really? You''re not messing with me?" Tom stared at him, eyes wide. Though Duke tried to reassure him, he still couldn''tpletely believe him. He still thought there was something that Duke was hiding from him. The trick was figuring out Duke''s game, which wasn''t easy given Duke''s poker face. "No, why would I do that? You don''t believe me? Now, you''re just wasting our time." Duke rolled his eyes, feeling a bit annoyed at his question. Why couldn''t Tom just trust him and get it over with? Of course he lied. How could he let Tom know the truth? "Well, it''s lly rested his eyes on the wounds on Belinda''s body. "Yes, that''s exactly what I mean. I can just write a list of meds for her. And these meds will help her wounds be scars. But if you want the scars to bepletely gone in just a few days, I really can''t do it right now. Because I have practically used all my meds here, and I haven''t had time to develop new meds recently. It takes time and money to reproduce the old medicines as well." Tom had considered locking himself in hisb and working on the new drugs. But Duke''s wedding was this month. He wanted to go, so he put off research and development until next month. Friends and family were a priority to Tom. "Then why are you wasting our time now? Just quickly write your prescription. I still have to go to Edward''s." After Duke said these words, he hurriedly took his phone out and dialed Edward''s number. "I told you, don''t rush me! Will you at least give me a break!" Though he said this, he started writing a prescription right away. He didn''t have these meds in his office, so they had to go to the pharmacy to get them. "Hello!" Edward walked out of the bathroom and picked up the phone. "Ah, Duke. Hey, how''s it going?" Edward just walked out of the bathroom when his phone rang. He was wondering who would call him at noon. Then he looked down and saw the name on the screen. To his surprise, it was Duke. Chapter 754 Forever (Part Three) "Do you still have any of the ointment left? The ointment that you took from Jerry?" Duke cut right to the chase and didn''t even bother to say hello. "Why do you ask? Did someone get hurt?" Edward asked. He was lyingfortably on the bed in the rest room, and was understandably curious. He got up very early this morning, so he was very tired and needed a nap right now. "Yeah! Belinda was hurt by a drunk the other day. Just tell me, do you have any left or not?" Duke couldn''t help but roll his eyes at Edward''s questions. Couldn''t he just give him the answer? "Yes. There''s still some ointment left here. You cane by this afternoon and pick it up if you get the time." Edward massaged the skin between his eyebrows, and he was quite curious exactly how Belinda had been hurt by a drunk. In fact, he was not the only one who was curious. Tom raised his head and nced at Duke after hearing what he said, because Duke didn''t tell him how the hell Belinda got hurt. Now that he had more info, and thought of the wounds all over Belinda''s body, he was getting a clearer picture of what was going on. "Can''t Ie over now?" Duke''s brows furrowed. He was quite surprised that Edward would tell him to wait til this afternoon. He wondered what Edward was busy doing now. Was he with some other woman? "Sorry. Not now, I''m really tired. I need to rest for a bit, " Edward said, then closed his eyes. Last night''s love-making had used a lot of his energy, and he didn''t get to sleep until veryte. Then he got up early this morning, so he was definitely going to take a solid nap and restore his energy. "What? Are you messing with me? You never take a nap! Did you do something badst night?" Duke mumbled, feeling a bit annoyed. But he couldn''t do anything to Edward. After all, he was Edward. "What do you think? You''re married too. Do you need me to tell you the details?" Edward smirked and raised ain and work on Hero''s case. So he really didn''t have time to waste. He had to make sure the n was perfect today because they would need it tomorrow. "Okay, okay! We get it. We are going now. Just have a good lunch, alright?" Duke stressed the word ''good'', and a meaningful smile appeared again on his face at the same time. Tom felt a chill run down his spine. "Okay. Just go! Take care." Tom waved at Duke, then stood up and walked to the sink to wash his hands before lunch. Though he still felt uneasy about Duke''s weird smile, he couldn''t care anymore, he was literally starving. That was the reason why he started cursing when his mouth was full of hot mustard. He drank half bottle of water and still couldn''t get that taste out of his mouth. Fortunately, not every dish had mustard in it, or he would surely starve to death. It seemed that Duke was not that vicious after all! No wonder Duke couldn''t control his smile today. He was trying to prank him! That was the reason why Duke insisted that he ate his lunch after checking up on Belinda. This was his purpose. And he couldn''t believe that he had fallen for his lie! He had sensed that something was not right, but still, he walked into it. If he guessed right, Duke was somewhereughing at him now for sure. Chapter 755 What A Boring Man (Part One) Green mountains, blue sky and white clouds were rare to see together in the autumn season. However, in the suburbs of S City, there was a ce where one could see them. What made the ce even more popr was a precipitous mountain in the vicinity. Steep and challenging, no ordinary person could easily climb up to its peak. Today, Daisy took her soldiers to have a try at the mountain. All soldiers were armed to the teeth under the Colonel''s request. They picked the most dangerous trail and started their way toward the top. Soldiers were divided into groups, with each team consisting of five. The team that got to the top of the mountain first would win the contest. Not only the soldiers'' determination, but also their team spirit would be tested. "Colonel, which team do you estimate would get to the top first?" Mark looked at the mountain peak through a telescope. "Intelligence ys a more vital role than physical ability in this contest. In my opinion, every team has its chance to win. All our soldiers are almost at the same level in terms of strength and technique." Daisy wore a camouging uniform. The heat was merciless and she had taken off her hat to fan herself with it. Her other hand was angled on her forehead to shield her eyes from the ring rays of the sun. She paid attention to the moving figures walking along the rugged trail. "That''s true, Colonel. Do you think they can sessfully go through the narrow pass once they get to it?" asked Mark worriedly. He wouldn''t have been troubled over it if the soldiers weren''t so equipped. The pass was too narrow and only allowed one person to pass through at a time. So what about the weapons and facilities that the soldiers carried with them? "It will test their wisdom. The rules cannot be changed, but humans can always find loopholes within them. I didn''tmand them to carry the equipment on their back the entire way. Do you understand?" Daisy turned and nced at Mark. He was still a naive boy who didn''t dare break the rules. Fortunately, not everyone was as simple-hearted as him. "Yes! Why didn''t I think of that?" Mark grimaced. He admitted he was a bit slow-witted. "You wouldn''t be who you are if you had thought of it." Daisy shook her head, shing him a lenient smile. She took the telescope to watch the ongoing contest on the mountain. The soldiers were here for field training. In addition to the physical training aimed at strengthening theirbat ability, another skill they needed to develop was their ability to cope with unexpected idents. The mountain trails leading to the top were steep, uneven and could not be hiked easily. They needed to cooperate with teammates. Mark''s lip curled with displeasure at Daisy''s perception of him. Since she was the boss, he dared not refute the statement. He subdued his discontentment in secret. The soldiers hiked along the trail. It was walk-able at first: ith them. They reminded her of herself, when she was a young ambitious soldier. Her forgotten youth came to life around them. She was inspired by their energy and could always draw the inspiration she needed to drive forward, toward her next higher destination. In contrast to the harsh training the soldiers had gone through under the unforgiving sun, the upper-ss elites led a different life. Edward, as one of them, basked in the cool air of his office. Duke arrived at FX International Group when the working hours had only just begun. Pushing open the doors to Edward''s office, Duke startled him. Edward had just started his work. It surprised him to see Duke in his office at such an early hour. "Please don''t tell me you have been waiting outside my door, Duke." Edward paused his work as Duke came in. He stood up, walked toward the sofa and threw himself onto it. "Will you feel sorry for me if I say yes?" Duke walked straight toward the refrigerator and grabbed a drink. He gulped it down in a sh. "Nope, " Edward replied shortly. He wouldn''t feel sorry for Duke even if he had been kept waiting outside the whole day. "A man of no mercy! No, I''m not that stupid." Duke too sank into the sofafortably. The cold air in the office relieved him of the heat from his drive earlier. "So tell me, what happened? How did Belinda get hurt?" Edward stared at Duke, perplexed. Belinda was perfectly fine when they had a meal the other day. "Oh, God. Don''t talk to me about it. I''m the one to me. We had a quarrel. I was so mad at her, I drove off and left her alone on the beach. She wouldn''t have gotten hurt if I had stayed and kept herpany. It was all my fault." Belinda''s injuries had left Duke with unspoken remorse. It was fortunate that he had returned in time. He wondered what could''ve happened if he hadn''te back in time. The consequences of it would have been a nightmare he couldn''t afford to ept. Chapter 756 What A Boring Man (Part Two) "Were you out of your mind?! Do you know the kind of ce the beach is at night? Don''t you have anymon sense? It''s fine in the day when peoplee and go, but no one likes to linger after nightfall except for some loafers. It''s dangerous for a woman to be there on her own. No matter how mad you were, you shouldn''t have ever left her alone there!" Edward red at Duke, showing contempt at his carelessness. However, he was no better than Duke when it came to their lovers. He had once left Daisy alone in a forest park and regretted it immediately afterwards. But Daisy was a colonel and by no means was she a woman to be trifled with. But Belinda? She didn''t know any fighting skills. Duke had been extremely reckless to leave her alone defenseless. "My repentance has reached the point of no return. Please don''t add to it, " Duke asked for mercy. Leaving Belinda alone on that beach had been the greatest mistake of his in his life. He wouldn''t ever forget the terrible sight that greeted him when he returned. Belinda had been disheveled and was crying out for help. The drunkard had been approaching her step by step, ignorant of her screams. Her helplessness had stabbed him in the heart. The pain was still fresh. He would have killed himself if anything terrible had happened to her. "If I don''t make a strong enough impression, you would never know how serious this matter is. So, is Belinda okay now?" Edward was worried. Judging from Duke''s demeanor, Belinda''s injury must have not been severe, otherwise Duke would have killed that man already. "She''s fine. It was fortunate I returned in time. She has some minor wounds on her body. But psychologically, it has some effect on her." The suffering she would have undergone if he had been even a littlete! The thought of it drove Duke crazy. "That''s good. Don''t let Daisy know about the ident. If shees to know of it, she will definitely admonish you and deliver a sermon." Edward shook his head. Men were alike. They were too overconfident to admit to their mistakes, but also reluctant to take advice from women. Their pride in the presence of women was the most important thing to maintain for them. Edward was, of course, the same kind of a man. "What! I don''t think Daisy will do that to me!" Duke eximed with a trace of uncertainty. Daisy had indeed warned him before for Belinda''s sake. Maybe she would do it again. "Don''t forget who Daisy is. She''s a colonel." Edward shed Duke an evil smile. He would be delighted if another man received a taste of the lectures that Colonel Ouyang usually gave to him. Having been a leader in the army for a long time, she was really good at rebuking people. "You''re right, Edward. I can''t let Daisy en the documents on his desk. He hade to the office a littleter than usual, after spending time at the hospital. There was too much work waiting for him. Duke took the lift and saw Rain outside as soon as its door to the lobby chimed open. Rain dressed like a male peacock in courtship. His odd dressing sense never failed to distinguish him. However, Rain looked so perfect with his strange clothes and make-up, that nobody thought he looked odd. "Hi! Iceberg Duke! Long time no see! Are you leaving?" Rain whistled at Duke like a rogue, studying him up and down. There was a yful smile on his face. "Leave me alone. Do you think I''m one of your beloved girlfriends? ''Long time no see''? Use that to start conversations with one of your dull girlfriends. Not with me, " Duke spoke coldly as he stepped out of the lift. He had no time to talk rubbish with this yboy in public. "My heart! What a boring man. You hurt my pure heart." Rain cried exaggeratedly. Heid a hand on his chest to pacify himself. Truthfully, he was a good actor. "Stop behaving like a lunatic, Rain. You sicken me. Would it kill you to behave like a regr man? Pure heart? Yours? Laughable! Don''t insult the word." Duke rolled his eyes. Rain would''ve had his way in Hollywood if he had chosen to be an actor. "Little Duke, are you mad at me? Damn, I can''t believe you said I sickened you. Fine, I''ll let you know what I''m capable of. Then you''ll really know what it''s like to feel sick." "Stop talking to me in that sissy way. Unlike you, I''m not unmanly." Duke hastened his pace as he finished speaking. He''d throw up his breakfast if he lingered around Rain for a second longer. Little Duke! Only he coulde up with that disgusting name. ''Should I call him Little Rain in return?'' Duke thought ridiculously. Absurd! Chapter 757 Dinner (Part One) Rain gave him a cunning smile. He didn''t expect that Duke would get pissed off so easily. Apparently, Duke was not as indifferent as they said. ''Is he in a bad mood today? Why is he so irritable? Never mind. I''d better go upstairs first, '' Rain thought to himself. "Come in, please." Edward was still buried in his papers when he heard the knock on his door. Undoubtedly, he looked handsome in the moment. "Mr. Mu, here''s your schedule for this afternoon. Please take a look. Do you want me to make any changes?" Anna asked as she handed her notebook to Edward. She wore a tight, well-cut suit that showed off her figure. "Mr. Ouyang? What does he want to see me for?" Edward asked, taking a sip of his coffee as he saw an uing appointment with Leo mentioned in Anna''s notebook. "He said he wanted to talk about private matters with you. I told him I would ask you first, Mr. Mu. Do you want me to tell him you''re busy?" Anna stole a nce at Edward, unsure about his answer. Leo was Edward''s father-inw, after all. "No, tell him I''ll see him. The schedule is fine by me." Edward shut the notebook, giving it back to Anna. He wondered what Leo was nning to say. Daisy had broken off with him and had asked Edward to ignore him too. However, Edward was unable to treat the father of his beloved wife with indifference. "Sure! If you don''t need me for anything else, sir, I''ll take my leave, " Anna said respectfully as she gazed at Edward. He was handsome andpetent. Anna admired him very much, but she was a wise woman who didn''t think unrealistically. "Wait, C Financial Group faxed me a document. Fetch it for me." Rain should''ve been the person handling the case of C Financial Group, but he was reluctant to meet anyone from the firm because of Annie. So Edward had to take over the case. "Of course, Mr. Mu." Anna turned around to walk toward the door. She reached out her hand to turn the knob, but the door bumped open from the outside. Luckily, she dodged the door in time to avoid getting hit. "Hello! Anna, you look more and more beautiful each day." Rain was flirtatious with a lot When she was in S City, I wasn''t seeing any other woman." Rain felt like he was wronged. His usually bright countenance had turned sad. "Maybe it was your casual actions she misunderstood, that you don''t take note of. I think you should seek her out and clear the air, " Edward suggested. He was a man who had gone through simr experiences. Daisy and him had gone through many misunderstandings. Fortunately, they always emerged through them. "If she truly loved me, she would have talked it out first instead of leaving without an exnation. She practically gave me a death sentence!" Rain raised his voice in frustration. He wanted to move on, but her smile kept shing across his mind. "Come on! Don''t you know, women are emotional beings? Maybe she was afraid about what you''d say. Do you think she''d have been able to swallow her pride and plead for your love?" Even a man like Edward had been unable to forgo his dignity to ask for Daisy''s love in the past. Annie, on the other hand, was a shy woman. "Damn it, Edward, since when have you be an expert in love? Is it because of Daisy?" Rain changed the subject, avoiding to answer the question. He was in the habit of evading any matters rted to Annie. "Fuck off, Rain. Don''t try to sidetrack me. You really deserve to be alone." Edward knew him well. Rain obviously didn''t want to continue the conversation, so he dropped the matter. Chapter 758 Dinner (Part Two) "I want to announce that you are no longer my best buddy!" Dering thus, Rain walked over to the desk to pick up the document he had brought before leaving the office. He was upset over Edward''s words and had to find a quiet ce to get over the hurt. As he watched Rain''s receding figure, Edward sighed with profound resignation. When Rain was unable to straighten himself out, he was deaf to others'' advice. Edward could only remind him of the possibilities, but it all depended on Rain himself. It waste afternoon and the sun was low in the sky. Belinda was awestruck by the wedding dress in front of her. The white dress was adorned with Swarovski pearls and perfectly cut crystal beads that glowed in the bright light. She was eager to try it on, but the medicine was still fresh on her wounds. She could only imagine how she''d look in the dress. "Belinda, what do you think? Do you like it?" Leena was proud of her masterpiece and eager to see Belinda''s reaction. "I love it! Leena, thank you so much!" Belinda was so delighted that she could hardly bear to put down the dress. She couldn''t believe she was getting married soon. "I''m d you like it. I spent a lot of time and energy on it." Leena grinned. She was thrilled her work was appreciated. "What? You mean you made this dress all by yourself?" Belinda widened her eyes at Leena. Duke had told her before that she wasn''t yet fully able to undertake such a task alone. "Of course! I designed it and selected the materials. Unfortunately, there was no simr cloth in the country, so I sent the drawing to a friend of mine in Paris and asked her to make it for me. Look at these pearls and beads! I sewed them myself." Leena touched the gleaming material softly with a satisfied smile. "Wow, you''re brilliant! Why did your brother tell me you haven''t finished your apprenticeship yet?" Belinda asked in confusion. She loved the wedding dress so much. It was both fashionable and graceful. To her, it looked like it was made by a top designer. "Well, this dress is only for practice." Le They wondered if Mr. Leng and his girlfriend, who was the president of YS Financial Group, had broken up? Was Rachel Mr. Leng''s new girlfriend? Why did they look so close? "Help yourself. Don''t mind me, " Duke said with a frown. He was annoyed at Rachel''s actions, but he didn''t want to embarrass her in front of so many people. He picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of the beef by himself. Rachel was not discouraged by Duke''s reaction. She kept feigning to be close with Duke by leaning against him and trying to make him taste the dishes. The others had started to question if Rachel was Duke''s new girlfriend, and that was exactly what she wanted. She wanted them to cook up stories so that Belinda would get suspicious. Rachel didn''t care that Duke was about to get married. She wouldn''t pass any chance to drive a wedge between Duke and Belinda. ording to Rachel, only she could be Duke''s wife. They were made for each other. Belinda was boring and didn''t hold a candle to her. Belinda didn''t deserve to stand by his side. "Boss, we''re going to the clubter. Would you like to join us?" A girl asked Duke with a hopeful expression. She was nervous that Duke would say no. "Yes! Boss, pleasee with us." The others echoed the sentiment. It might feel uneasy being around Duke, but each of them fantasized about a romantic time with this handsome man. Chapter 759 She Doesnt Love Me (Part One) "Duke, please say yes! You see, they are all hoping that you cane with us. You don''t often take part in such a gathering after all. Since you''re already here, I think it''s okay to meet their demands this time, right?" Rachel said in a soft tone. She was persuading Duke on behalf of all the colleagues. But in her mind, she wished she could attach herself to Duke twenty-four hours every day. Duke raised his head, with his gaze sweeping rapidly on the crowd. His refusal was on the tip of his tongue but he hesitated when he saw the yearning eyes from all his subordinates. For a moment, Duke felt a little embarrassed. Of course, as a CEO, he could ignore their kind invitation. Because he was dining with them here. Such dinner gathering was rare for him before, and in his mind, it already inspired their team spirit. However, also as a sessful leader, he had to consider the feelings of employees. So, such a proposal really ced him in a dilemma. "All right! I''ll go with you all. But I can only stay for a while." Sometimes apromise was not a sign of weakness. It could also mean a wiser and more sophisticated decision. What you obtained was usually more than what you lost. This saying best described the current Duke''s situation. "Hurray!" The crowd burst into cheers upon hearing what Duke said and became more casual with their CEO. Their feeling of constrained was gone. Rachel also felt happy with Duke''s decision. As far as Rachel was concerned, she still could influence Duke''s decision and thought that he might still have some affections to her. She exhaled mildly with a morous smile on her face. Joy Karaoke was S City''s top KTV. It was also one of the favorite ces of many upper-ss people. They just wanted to go to a normal level KTV at first. However, their CEO''s persistence led them to stand before that supreme KTV. Duke was not showing off. He just felt uncertain about the safety problem with normal KTVs. "Thank you very much for your hard work recently. I am always very proud of having professional colleagues with me. You have contributed a lot to the sess of ourpany. It will be a happy night for us. Enjoy yourself. Have fun as much as you can. I will pay all the bill. You deserve it." Duke said as he proposed a toast to them. He seldom came to the KTV. He normally went to the Sexy World with Edward and other guys. It was only when they wanted to rx that they came here to roar a bit. He wasn''t good at singing. Rain was the karaoke master in their group who never let the microphone go once he got the chance to sing. "Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Leng." The box was full of cheers after Duke''s opening speech. Such a treatment was so precious that all the people in the room felt excited. They were even much happier at this point than when they got bonuses. Duke smiled, with?his mouth?twitchin e type of CEO to blush in public but this was his first time to sing in front of people. He felt uneasy throughout the whole song. It was fortunate that Rachel was good at singing and made up for his shorings. The party atmosphere heightened after a while. The alcohol was always an indispensable and the crowd started to toast to each other. Almost everyone had a toast to Duke. It was difficult to say no and he had much more wine than he had expected. People in the room got more and more excited as they were stimted by the drink. Some people were ying tricks. Some were dancing to the music. Some were singing or rather shouting. What a crazy world. It was rare to see these white-cor elites in frenzy with their top cor button loosely opened. It was very noisy. Duke pressed his temples as he felt dizzy. He had drunk too much wine in the restaurant and that KTV. He raised his hand to see the time and noticed that it was time for him to go home. He quietly walked out of the room. However, to his surprise, Rachel followed him. "Where are you going, Duke?" Rachel did not drink much wine as all her attention was on Duke every minute. She immediately noticed that Duke was about to go and she followed him outside. "It is veryte. I must go home. You can continue to y with them. Have fun. I"ll go first." He went straight to the reception and asked them to put the whole fee for tonight to his ount. "You had too much drink tonight. Why not let me send you back?" Rachel held his arm to support his shaky body. That was the first time she held him again after many years. She could not help but remember the time when they first met. She never knew that Duke was the heir of the Leng Group. Duke used to live in a small apartment when they were in love. She really wanted to take that night''s chance to know where the real Leng house was located and how it looked like. Chapter 760 She Doesnt Love Me (Part Two) "No, thanks. I''ll ask the driver toe and pick me up. You can go and continue to y with them!" Duke pushed Rachel away as he shook her offer off. He staggered to the lounge and pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket. "Then I''ll find a ce to sit with you while waiting for your diver. You drank too much. I am worried about you staying alone. Let me take care of you. Okay?" Rachel said without giving Duke the opportunity to refuse. She helped him to the small table nearby, sat down together, and had her hands hooked on Duke''s arm. She didn''t want to withdraw her hands and enjoyed the intimacy with Duke. She was about to say some more when Duke''s phone rang. The call was so unexpected that he didn''t even have the chance to check the number. "Hey, Belinda...Yes, I am about to go home now." Rachel''s face turned pale as she heard what Duke said. A hint of resentment fleeted in her eyes. However, she was able to control her expression and changed back to her tender smile after a while. "I''m not asking you about this. I just want to tell you not to drive by yourself if you''re drunk." Belinda stood on the balcony with one hand in her pocket and the other holding her mobile phone. She looked charming in casual dress. The Leng house was in the center of a garden, surrounded by trees. That was why it was colder at night. Belinda shivered as chill crawled on her skin. She put her hand deeper in her pocket to get warm. "I know, Belinda. And I was about to call the driver just now before you called. By the way, where is Leena? Is she back home?" He might be very strict with Leena but it was undeniable that his sister upied an important part in Duke''s heart. He cared about her even when he was drunk. "Yes, Leena went back home soon after dinner. She said that she had two designs to finish and left in a hurry. It seems thatst-minute working is her style. Anyway, where are you now? I think I can pick you up." Belinda took a nce at the watch. "The driver must already be sleeping at this moment." She went to the bathroom without waiting for Duke''s response and opened the wardrobe. She went through her clothes, took a simple short jacket out, then walked downstairs. "Well, it''s OK. I am in Joy Karaoke. Don''t drive fast. I''ll wait for you." Duke was not the type to unt his superiority. He did not reject Belinda''s proposal. He even felt so happy about it that he smiled unconsciously. The change on Duke''s expression wasn''t something that Rachel missed and her eyes opened wide in anger. "Okay. I will be there in twenty minutes. Wait for me. Laters!" Belinda hung the phone up and drove her Lotus sports car to Joy Karaoke. Duke also hung up and leaned himself against the couch. He closed his eyes with a deep frown. He looked very ufortable. "Duke, are you feeling well? Have some tea. This will make you feel be he Leng Group. The YS Financial Group was also one of the top enterprises in S City. The Leng Group was not what Belinda wanted. Ironically, she even wanted to give her own YS Financial Group to Duke and let him take care of the operations. Money was nothing to Belinda. "Do you mean that she is interested in you? " Rachel looked at Duke up and down. It was undeniable that Duke exuded elegance fit for kings. He indeed attracted a lot of women''s attention. But what if he became penniless? Would women still flock around him? "What do you think?" Duke sat up straight and looked at her coldly. He did not like Rachel to interpret Belinda as a golddigger. "I am not her. How could I know? But in my opinion, it is not simply due to love." Rachel also picked up the tea in front of her and took a sip. She wouldn''t change her point of view over Belinda. "You''re right about that." Duke said with a sigh. There was a deep sense of frustration in his expression. "Really? I don''t believe that love was the reason she married you, Duke. " With her answer affirmed, Rachel felt a dull heartache creeping on her chest. "No, she doesn''t like me. She doesn''t like all my things, my identity, money, even the Leng Group. It was me who forced her to marry me." Duke felt inexplicably sad as he said those. He tried to ask Belinda if she loved him that day at the seaside. Her answer was cruel. She didn''t love him. "What? You forced her to marry you? That''s impossible. She has nothing good. Well maybe good looking but... what is herpared to me!" Rachel shouted hysterically with a head shook. She could not believe what Duke said. Duke must be really drunk to lose his mind. "That''s the reality. She doesn''t love me. Not even like me." Duke let out a sad smile. He even felt a little depressed. He did not notice what Rachel rantedter and missed the insulting words she threw at Belinda even more. Chapter 761 Take Care Of The Drunken CEO (Part One) "Are you telling me that you love her so dearly that you forced her to marry you?" Rachel had never regretted something as much as she did now. She wouldn''t have asked him such a question if she had known that his answer would hurt so much. "Do I love her?" Duke shook his head and suddenly thought about the question very seriously. "I don''t know. In fact, I''m also curious about it." He was suddenly angry with Belinda. Did it mean that he had fallen in love with her? Rachel''s lips twitched. She was about to say something but then changed her mind. It was then that she caught a glimpse of the slender silhouette at the door. An idea urred in her head and made her smile. She hurriedly hugged Duke and patted his back consolingly to show off. Rachel squinted with a challenging look at the approaching woman. Belinda strode in but unconsciously stopped at the sight of Rachel. What she saw made her angry. However, that did not make her turn away. Rather, she found herself marching more determinedly than before. She would never swallow such insult and humiliation in silence. Duke didn''t expect that Rachel would hug him. He was dazed and exhausted, so his mind went nk for a moment as hey in her arms. He pushed her away the moment he got his wits back but it was toote. Rachel had gained her ends. "What a coincidence that we meet again, Miss Qin." Belinda grinned from ear to ear. There was no trace of displeasure on her lips though she was furious deep inside. What a twist that Rachel was also there. Now she knew why Leena was confused about Duke''s participation in such an activity. "Well, it''s not what you see." Rachel pretended to exin when in fact, what she wanted was to cause a deeper misunderstanding. "Belinda, here you are." Duke staggered to his feet but fell over himself. Rachel subconsciously wanted to help him up but Belinda was one step ahead. "You''re drunk." Belinda''s brows were in knots when she gathered Duke to her. She was worried about him and found no time to answer Rachel. "I only drank a little, really." Duke burped. He leaned on Belinda''s shoulder and breathed softly. "I can prove it. Duke didn''t drink too much. He''s d Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. nted for not getting the answer that he wanted. However, he felt relieved that Belinda didn''t unreasonably quarrel with him. He had to admit that she was really smart and knew how to make herself invincible, even if it annoyed him a bit. "Why would I doubt you? Are you hiding something from me and afraid that I''ll find it out?" Belinda suddenly mmed the brakes because another car overtook hers at a fast speed. The driver might be a young man who was after thrills. Luckily, Belinda had driven slowly and was able to react on time, or else they could have been hit. Duke, who was drunk, banged his head unprepared. "Damn it! Is it necessary to show off his Rolls-Royce? Such a fast speed may take his life!" Duke cursed while touching his forehead. It was good that his seat belt was fastened or his forehead would be swollen. "Are you all right?" Belinda was also shocked but she was more concerned about Duke. "I''m fine. How about you? Are you okay?" Duke gave Belinda a once over. The fright had sobered him up. "Yes, I''m okay. It''s good that you''re alright." Belinda calmed herself down and began to speed up the car. "It''ste at night, " she continued, "We''d better be home as soon as possible. Many people drive under the influence at this hour. It isn''t safe even if I follow traffic regtions because others may not." "Slow down. Take it easy." Duke knew Belinda was really frightened because she was suddenly green around the gills. Chapter 762 Take Care Of The Drunken CEO (Part Two) "I see. Sit still." Belinda concentrated more as she drove. She only slowed down after ten minutes since the car before hers was slow. "Why is there a traffic jamte at night?" Duke scrunched his eyebrows impatiently. He didn''t like such slow phase but couldn''t do anything about it because there were just too many cars ahead. "There may be an ident." Belinda didn''t like to wait either. It wasn''t long though before they heard an ambnce siren resonated the ce. "Yeah, or there wouldn''t be a traffic jam in the middle of the night." Duke showed no interest in the ident. He leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes. The cool breeze kissed his face. The ambnce had passed but the traffic jam hadn''t eased. Belinda was annoyed. Fortunately, the wide road wasn''t blockedpletely. Ten minutester she finally saw what happened. It was the same Rolls-Royce that overtook hers earlier that had an ident and crashed. "Oh, my God! I cursed the driver out of anger. I never expected him to really have an ident." Duke also saw the car which hit the tree at the roadside. It was fortunate though that no others were hurt. That could have made his guilt eat him if ever. "It''s a coincidence. Hope the driver is fine." Belinda shook her head. She called Duke and picked him up because she was afraid that he might drive while drunk. "Anyway, I don''t have much sympathy for people who don''t even cherish their own lives." Duke disapproved. The Rolls-Royce was severely deformed and he wondered who the driver was. "Do you know why I didn''t allow you to drive back personally? That''s why." Belinda slowly drove past the ident. Some people parked their cars and watched what caused the road-block. Belinda wasn''t interested in it. "Do you care about me?" Duke stared at Belinda. She was very beautiful but acted like a man. That was the reason why others e h when Duke wasn''t home. Duke moved to pick the medicine bottle. "I am not in a hurry. Dry your hair and dress first." Belinda looked at his dripping hair with worry. It was chilly in autumn. Duke might catch a cold. "Are you shy?" Duke smiled yfully before he reached for another towel to dry his hair. It was easy to fix his short hair, unlike Belinda who had to use a hair dryer to dry her long hair. "Not at all. I have seen your naked body before." Belinda rolled her eyes. Her face reddened but she still showed a tough streak. "Oh? Really? You must know my body well." At his words, Duke untied the bath towel around his waist and smiled evilly. Belinda screamed and quickly covered her eyes with her hands as he expected. "Bad man!" Belinda turned around and didn''t dare to face him. "Didn''t you say that you knew my body well? Well, just to this extent?" Duke went to the wardrobe to look for pajamas. If only Belinda could open her eyes, she would see that he was wearing a pair of briefs. He wasn''t as naked as she thought. "I''m not as cheeky as you are, " Belinda whispered, "I''m not a lustful woman! I don''t like to stare at your lower body! Only peeping Toms will do such a shameless thing. I don''t have that perverted hobby." Chapter 763 Funny Anecdotes (Part One) "Thanks for your praise. In fact, being shameless also takes courage." Duke walked towards the bed in a carefree manner, wearing a cunning smile. The Duke who was usually cold appeared very gentle in front of Belinda. "You are good at finding excuses for your lewdness." Belinda turned around with the thought that he had already dressed. "Women don''t like men who are not bad. Isn''t that true? I''m just doing my best to cater to the needs and preference of women." Although Duke was not a slick talker, that didn''t mean he didn''t know how to talk to please women at all. He might not be as eloquent as Edward, but having stayed with him for so many years made him learn some of his skills. "An excuse to cover up your obscenity, huh? Who says that all women like bad men?" Belinda never lost over verbal arguments except if the opponent was the sissy man, Rain. "Are you saying that you like good men just like me?" Duke suddenly let out a warm and heartfeltugh. It was something unusual for him as he was known to be a cold man. "You are a narcissist." Belinda narrowed her eyes and looked at him mockingly. She gave him a quick once-over and realized that he indeed had the looks to be narcissistic. She pouted about that fact. She wasn''t aware of how her expression made her looks even more beautiful to Duke that it made him lose his control. He lit up the fire in instant. One swift move from him and she was already in his arms. Then passionate kisses followed. Duke''s kisses were more like his personality, as they were like cold breezes that caressed her heart. She trembled with her eyes wide open in his arms. She gazed at his handsome face, slowly closed her eyes and kissed him back. Duke was overjoyed for her reaction. He kissed her with more tenderness, tasting her and carefully tracing her lips with his. He wanted to make herpletely lose for him. He wanted her heart to only beat for him. Belinda unwittingly wrapped her arms around his neck. There was no use denying that this man was special to her. He could ignite her. And since she couldn''t drive him away from her heart, she had decided to indulge herself to something amorous this time. It wasn''t that easy to love someone. On contrary, it was hard to the extent that one could forget how to make proper choices. Although you clearly knew that you were attracted by him or her, you still appeared like you had no feelings for him or her. Showing off that love was even harder. Was it the curled up in his arms. "Yes. I have to go to thepany today so I must get up early." The two-day break she took was over and it was time for her to focus on work. She had to go back or else she would go crazily busy as their wedding day wasing. "Don''t you need to take a few more days off?" Dukezily said with one hand holding her waist and the other supporting him against the bed. He looked a little tired. "The wounds are almost fine. There is a lot of work in thepany waiting for me to deal with. I am afraid that it might affect our wedding if I don''t fix it now." Belinda took his hand off her and sat up. She smoothed her messy hair and then got out of the bed. "Don''t worry, you have me. You can take the work home if it''s too much. I''ll do it for you." Dukey down on the bed and gazed at the ceiling with his misty eyes. He was notpletely awake yet. "Really? You mean I can take the files which need data processing home and you''ll help me?" Belinda was not a science geek when she was still in school so it always took her more time reviewing data files than the normal files. Duke''s offer was heaven sent! "Oh, no! I didn''t really mean that. You can''t take it seriously." Duke pursed his lips, thinking what on earth he had just put himself unintentionally into. "Of course yes. You said it. I will pick out those data files during the day and take them home for you to review after I get off work." Belinda walked towards the washing room without giving Duke a chance to refuse. He was dumbfounded when he found that Belinda already disappeared from his sight. He never expected her to take his words seriously. Chapter 764 Funny Anecdotes (Part Two) He heaved a heavy sigh and jumped out of the bed. He must go to work early and finish his stuff beforeing home. He had to do extra works tonight. Thanks a lot to his beautiful wife for depriving him of some rest time. Now his free time didn''t belong to him but to YS Group. A yellow Porsche quickly followed a ck Spyker as it drove through Leng Group''s parking lot. It didn''t even slow down. Obviously, whoever the driver was, he or she got a swollen head. Duke frowned. He was already prepared to open the door and get out. But when he spotted the fast luxury car approaching, he paused and waited for the car to pass. He gazed at the shining Porsche while wondering who would be so bold and unstoppable as to race and ignore hispany''s parking lot rules. Rachel skillfully parked her car in ce, shook her wavy hair and then pushed the door open to get off her car. She was surprised to see Duke leaning against his car. She gave him a graceful smile before walking towards him with her hips in elegant swings. The beige tights she wore today brought out her best and made her look very sexy. She was nothing but a breathtaking stunner. ''Why it was her?.'' Duke''s face darkened at the sight of Rachel. Recognizing that it was Rachel, he bent down to get his briefcase from his car. He had given up the thought to teach the driver a lesson. He locked the door, ready to leave. He didn''t want any trouble. It was easy to convince Belinda to trust him but that didn''t necessarily mean that he would want more connection with Rachel. She was inly out of his interest. but that didn''t mean that Rachel also thought in the same way "Good morning, Duke!" Rachel quickened her pace upon seeing Duke about to leave. Her high heels made loud tapping sounds against the floor with her every step. "Good morning, Miss Qin." Duke was left with no choice but to turn around and greet back. Nevertheless, he continued to walk towards the elevator. "Huh! What happened to you, Duke? Did you really just call me Miss Qin? We are so familiar to each other, it should be Rachel." Rachel couldn''t help butugh as she jogged to follow him. "There is nothing inappropriate about me calling you Miss Qin while within thispany. Let me remind you of how you should be addressing me when we are here since you brought this topic up." Duke wasn''t putting on airs before her. He just didn''t want others to misunderstand their rtionship. Moreover e didn''t expect for the ''sry deduction trick'' to still work on her after so many years. She obviously valued her money even if he was already giving her a high sry. Her sry might be lower than that of Aaron but it was still twice morepared with otherpanies. Rachel received a lot of ttery from her female colleagues as soon as she entered the sales department. Everybody took her as the CEO''s new girlfriend after the party. They had assumed that their CEO and YS Group''s CEO already broke up as they hadn''t seen thetter visit that ce anymore. Was it the purpose as to why Mr. Leng arranged Rachel to work in thepany? Well, it could be that he didn''t want to attract a lot of attention, thus he made her start from such a low position. Many top executives failed to have the CEO join their parties before. Therefore, there must be a reason as to how amon employee did it so easily yesterday. With that in mind, most employees thought that their prediction was highly possible. It made them eager to y up to Rachel. Perhaps, she could be their CEO''s wife someday. "Miss Qin, did you and Mr. Leng know each other before?" A woman who sat next to Rachel asked tentatively. She looked sure as if she already knew the answer because Rachel was very beautiful, not to mention, she was very sexy as well. "Yes, we knew each other when we were at school." Rachel smiled gracefully. Her delicate makeup that matched perfectly with her dress made her look stunningly gorgeous. No one would think that she was already on her thirties as she looked a lot younger. Yes, she was like she was a sweet twenty. Chapter 765 Daily Headlines (Part One) "Oh! So Rachel and Mr. Leng grew up together. They are youth sweethearts!" The employees exchanged simr expressions of dawningprehension. They turned to look at Rachel admiringly. For a while, all of them thought Rachel was the best prospect for Mr. Leng''s wife, which made Rachel feel quite smug about the whole affair. "Yeah! You can say that." Rachel''s lips curled upward into a big smile. Anyone could see how happy she was. They wondered at how God had favored her as it gave her exquisite features and an enchanting figure. "So, are you Mr. Leng''s girlfriend?" one of the employees asked. Gossip was always hot among women when they gathered together. For a moment, the entire office was buzzing. They waited with bated breaths for Rachel''s answer. "Why? Do you think so?" Rachel did not answer directly, but posed another question at them. The fact that she hadn''t denied the spection added fuel to the fire. The women grew more curious. "Surely you are! Otherwise why would Mr. Leng treat you so differently?" came the answer. "Yes! You call him by his first name, and with familiarity. We can see you are close to him, " called out another voice in the audience. "Isn''t that so? Mr. Leng has never been like that with any other colleague before, " someone agreed. The staff continued to gossip among each other. The rumor had spread like wildfire in thepany. For a while, thepany''s grapevine had been rife with spection that the new group leader of the Sales Department, Rachel, was Mr. Leng''s girlfriend. Everyone was beginning to believe it. So when Janice saw the gossip on thepany''s website, she was so stunned that her mouth dropped open. Without thinking further for a moment longer, she straightaway rushed to the President''s office. "Mr. Leng, you''re in serious trouble. Something has happened." Janice was usually known to keep calm. But today, she burst into the CEO''s office without even knocking on the door. Her sudden arrival disturbed Duke, who was hardly fond of interruptions. Duke red at her. His expression warned her that she''d better have something useful to say, otherwise she''d be done for! "It is you who are in trouble! What in the world happened? Why are you in such a hurry? Do you have any etiquette or not?" Duke fumed, giving her a disdainful look. He continued working on his documents. "I am not joking! It is an emergency. I don''t care about manners under a crisis situation! You''d better log in to thepany''s website page right now and see the posts!" Janice eximed. ''Hmph. Let''s see if you can continue to be calm after reading that post. You will regret shouting at me when you see it!'' Janice thought gloatingly. "Is there something wrong with thepany website? Have any hackers invaded it? If so, you should go and talk to the Tech Department, not me! Why did youe here?" Duke spared her no attention as he handled the documents. deep waters as it was. "Janice, what do you want to talk about?" Rachel followed Janice and asked her carefully. Right now she tolerated the arrogance of this woman in front of her. But once she became Duke''s wife, she would definitely fire her! "You''ll know soon enough, " answered Janice. Honestly, Janice didn''t like this woman at all. She had always considered Rachel to be badly-behaved. However, she was also curious about whether or not Rachel had been really familiar with Mr. Leng since a long time ago. If so, why hadn''t she seen her all these years? Janice felt like this could be the plot of a novel. Rachel was Mr. Leng''s ex-girlfriend. When she got to know Mr. Leng was getting married, she was furious about it and came back to ruin the wedding deliberately. Could it be true? Rachel bit her lower lip, narrowing her eyes at the back of Janice''s head. It looked like that she wanted to drill a hole into her skull with her sharp eyes. However, while talking to Janice, Rachel had to be cautious to please her. She believed she had more important things to do. She couldn''t fail because of this insignificant assistant. So, she smiled and said, "May I ask what cosmetics you use? Your skin is so clear and soft." "Sorry, I seldom use cosmetics." Janice smiled breezily. She was neither pleased by her words nor was she irritated. But it became clear she wasn''t interested in making friends with Rachel. "Really? Then you''re such a natural beauty!" Although Rachel felt embarrassed at Janice''s reaction to her question, she feigned surprise and praised her. "Thank you for thepliment! You can go into the office now. Mr. Leng is waiting for you inside, " Janice said, smiling politely as they reached Duke''s office. She stood at such a high position, so what had she not experienced? She wasn''t in the habit of paying attention to this kind ofpliments. In today''s society, if you took the praise seriously, you would fall. Chapter 766 Daily Headlines (Part Two) "What? Didn''t you say you wanted to talk to me about my job? Why am I here now? What does Duke want?" Rachel was a little worried that Duke had seen the sensational trending post on thepany website. She had created it deliberately. She just wanted all her colleagues to assume she was really Duke''s girlfriend. She hadn''t expected the post would attract so much attention. But not long after it was published on the website, a flood ofments came up under it. Now Rachel was a little nervous. She was afraid that Duke would think she had asked someone to put the gossip on the website. She hadn''t expected he would figure out that it was her in such a short time. "But did I say you had to talk to me? Hurry up and get inside! Mr. Leng will get angry if he is kept waiting for long. Doesn''t matter who the person is, it''s a horrible sight when he gets vexed!" Janice informed her mockingly. She was not too familiar with Belinda, but she liked her forthright personality. And now, all of a sudden this woman was iming to be Mr. Leng''s girlfriend. It was quite uneptable! As Rachel gently knocked on the door, she thought about how she could deal with this situation. If Duke asked her about the post, how would she reply to him? If she was lucky, he might not have seen the post yet. She couldn''t show him she was afraid. "Come in." Duke clicked to close the website. The Tech Department was not bad. In a short time, they had managed to remove every trace of the rumor from the website. Apparently he needed to grant them a bonus. He was pretty satisfied with the efficiency. "Duke, did you call for me?" Rachel raised her hand and patted her curly hair. She smiled charmingly and walked toward Duke, her hips swaying. "I want to know why such a post was sent out on thepany website." Duke did not ask her to sit down. He leaned back against the chair. He zeroed in on her, and was interested in her answer. "Website? Post? What are you talking about? I don''t know about that!" Rachel tilted her head, pretending to have no idea about what he said. As long as she insisted that sending out the post had nothing to do with her, what ever could he do with her? Although she had misled the employees, it wasn''t her intention to let the rumor spread like wildfire. And so what if he was thepany President, he could not impose these charges on her! "Rachel, it''s not like you to continue to pretend. I don''t believe you know nothing about the gossip on thepany website." Duke''s face had turned cold. His whole body seemed to turn into ice. What was the most irritating was that someone used him to publicize themselves. For If you have nothing more to say, get out of here." Duke suddenly regretted calling her in his office. He not only failed to solve the problem, but also grew even more furious. How did he forget how cunning this woman was? "Duke Leng, I hate you! The reason I am forced to take this drastic step is you! No matter how much you try to escape me, you cannot erase what has existed between us in the past." Rachel raised her hand and slightly wiped at her eyes. She turned to leave the room, fuming and shutting the door with a loud bang. The thundering sound reverberated in Duke''s office. ''She hates me? Well! I have never expected her to love me anyway. It is better for her to hate me. Then things would be much easier, '' Duke thought. Rachel straightaway went to the washroom after making herself scarce from Duke''s office. She switched on the lights and washed her face. After seeing Duke''s reaction to the post, she knew it was impossible for her to get along with him as a friend. Now she must change the n. She could not directly do anything to Duke, so she must find Belinda. If Belinda really loved Duke, she would know which of them was more suitable for him. Grabbing the towel, she wiped the water on her face. Watching the lovely but pale face in the mirror, she secretly encouraged herself, "Rachel Qin, this is nothing serious. You have a setback for a while. So what? You would get more opportunities in the future." Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself down. She gently patted her face and pulled her short skirt to arrange it. She nced at her rosy, beautifulplexion again and walked out of thedies room with utmost confidence. She was once again in high spirits. Nobody could make out any troubles from her face. Chapter 767 The Fragrance (Part One) Though Hero never woke up, he was finally past the crisis point. So Tom transferred him to his own hospital, Renxin Hospital. It was easier for him to treat Hero this way. And Daisy just got the news about Hero this morning. She was truly grateful and touched, because Edward had done all this for her, he took her feelings into ount. "Honey, thank you so much!" There were tears in Daisy''s eyes when she said this. The city hospital had done all they could do, but they still couldn''t pull him through this. There was little hope of recovery. Once Tom started treating him, Hero might yet live. "I know you so well." Edward''s eyes were full of affection and love for Daisy, he stared at her lovingly. However, he was still a little bit jealous, but he could surely understand what Daisy was feeling now. He knew that she was conflicted by Hero''s sacrifice and touched by Edward''s deeds. "I know, and that''s why I''m so grateful." Daisy''s eyes locked with Edward''s, she didn''t give a damn that they were in the crowded hospital. There were people everywhere, and her olive green uniform was so eye-catching. All she could see and think about was the man standing in front of her, and she ignored everyone else around them. It seemed that Edward''s carefree nature had rubbed off on her. "Then how are you going to reward me?" Edward had a yful smirk on his face. He could never change who he was, and the glint in his eyes was meaningful. "Reward you? I have the perfect idea. Tonight, when we get home, I will let you run about twentyps around the garden!" Daisy replied, with a smug grin on her face. She really couldn''t stand him sometimes. Could he get his mind out of the gutter, even just for a short moment? He could tease her all he wanted when they were home, but he was being extremely shameless right now. After all, they were in a public ce. "Well, I guess that won''t be necessary. I''m not interested in running." Edward instantly lost the enthusiasm to tease her, because the thing he disliked the most was running. He preferred anaerobic exercises. "I still can''t understand why you hate running so much. You see the soldiers at our army base, every one of them has a stron Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. She would act dumber and more sensitive than she actually was. "Who says that? If that''s how good you are at reading minds, don''t go into business as a psychic." Edward could never fully discover Daisy''s beauty, nor could he get enough of it. Every time he saw Daisy, he would discover something different about her that made her so beautiful. She was full of good surprises. Whether she was wearing her uniform, or some luxury gown, or even just some casual clothes, she was always beautiful in his eyes. And different outfits showed her different sides, which had nothing to do with the way she looked, but something else that was inherent. "You''re deflecting the question. That''s interesting. Because I think that I just said the truth, that''s all." Daisy snickered, unfazed by his words. But then, she turned her eyes and nced at the door of the operating room. It had been at least two hours, why weren''t they out yet? Why was it taking so long? Why wasn''t it over yet? Did anything bad happen while Tom was poking around? Daisy was no doctor. She couldn''t have known that most surgeriessted anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, so she could be waiting there for quite a time. "Honey, don''t be so serious! You really should let yourself rx more sometimes, or you will easily get riled up. Silly girl." Edward pulled her close to him, and made her sit down beside him. He then affectionately pinched her nose, eyes full of affection and love for his little woman. Chapter 768 The Fragrance (Part Two) As a woman, whether you were sessful or not didn''t depend on your status or your methods of achieving goals, but whether there was a man who loved you to death, who would do anything for you without hesitation and consistently show his love for you. "Now you''re being mean! You did it intentionally!" Daisy puckered her lips, and intively rolled her eyes at him. Edward really liked this side of her, it seemed that she had let all her guard down in front of him, and she was content to be the little woman she was in his eyes. "Can you me me? You are so easy and so fun to tease. I just can''t help myself! Well, you are a colonel, you should easily see through my tricks. But instead, you fall for it every time. My silly girl." Her hand was in his, their fingers intertwined. He lightly caressed the skin of her finger with the pad of his thumb. Suddenly, he couldn''t help but wonder, if he had not met this woman beside him in this life, would he have fallen for another woman like he did now? Time passed slowly in silence. When the lights in the operating room were finally out, it was already an hourter. But fortunately, Daisy was with Edward, someone she deeply loved, so the long wait was more bearable than she expected. "Tom! You''re finally done! How did it go?" Daisy asked, once she saw Tom emerge from the OR. She sounded excited, and slightly agitated. "The operation was quite sessful. But now, he''s on his own now. It all depends on whether he can recover or not. We need to give him time to heal." Tom felt pretty tired after the operation. During the entire surgery he found out that Hero''s condition was not as good as he had expected. Fortunately, he had prepared for the worst, so all in all, this operation was quite sessful. "Thank you so much, Tom. Every time we run into some problems, you are always here to help us. I''m really thankful. I don''t know how I can even repay you." Daisy truly admired and respected Tom. She was very impressed with Tom''s magical hands, which could treat every patient with kindness and save their lives on a daily basis. And not to mention that Tom was willing to help them whenever they needed it. She knew that it wasn''t just because Edward was his boss, but Tom himself was kind and willing to help anyone who was in need. "Daisy, don''t ever say Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. or him." She bent over and climbed into the car. Her face was a little pale. Edward could tell that she really felt quite sad for Hero. "Don''t worry! Tom is looking after him right now. He''ll be fine." Edward lightly patted the back of her hand. To be honest, whether Hero died or lived had nothing to do with him, and it didn''t concern him at all. But once he saw the sad look on Daisy''s face, he hoped that Hero would survive. Because Daisy would definitely be sad if Hero died, and he couldn''t even stand the thought of Daisy being unhappy. "Yeah, you''re right. Let''s go now. I still have a meeting this afternoon in the city, so I also have to spend some time preparing the documents I''ll be usingter on." The corner of Daisy''s mouth twitched unpleasantly, and she deeply sighed, momentarily getting her mind off this thing. She''d neglected her work so she had to work double time trying to get everything done. "What kind of food do you feel like? Western or Chinese?" Edward started the car and stepped on the gas, slowly driving out of the parking lot of the hospital. Other cars were waiting behind him and a couple sped past him on the other side, headed to the expensive hospital. "Well, both sound good to me. But maybe something with a mild taste would be better. The weather these days is a bit dry, and my appetite isn''t as big nowadays." She didn''t know if she was bothered by Hero''s situation, or she was simply affected by the dry weather like she suggested. She didn''t feel very hungry these days, and had no interest in food. Chapter 769 The Fragrance (Part Three) "Something light? Let me think...Ah, I know just the ce! Let me take you there." Edward''s smile was mysterious. He hadn''t been to The Fragrance for a very long time. Today was just the right time to have lunch there! "Where are we headed?" He sounded so excited, and it made Daisy be quite interested herself. Where was he taking her this time? "Well, you''ll know when we get there." Edward just smiled his secret smile, setting his GPS for the restaurant, offering few details to Daisy. "Huh. It seems that it must be a special restaurant. Or you wouldn''t be this smug right now." Daisy nced at him and saw the smugness he couldn''t bother to hide on his face. Well, for a grown man, he was quite childish sometimes. And she secretly loved this side of him. "Well, I can only tell you that I''m sure you will be satisfied." Edward was quite confident about this. Because he believed that she wouldn''t dislike something he liked. To be honest, he believed that they had simr tastes. "Uh-huh, I sure hope so. Or I''m going to tease you mercilessly." Daisy yfully smiled and teased him back. Now in front of Edward, she was more and more like the girl she was. But there was still a trace of aloofness she couldn''t get rid of. Thebination drove Edward mad with desire, and he fought hard to suppress his urges. He heard her, but Edward just smiled at her and didn''t say another word. Because he knew that this kind of thing would never happen to him. He was confident in himself. It wasn''t until they arrived at The Fragrance that Daisy realized why Edward would be so smug just now. She really liked the decor here, as it gave off a feeling of simplicity and elegance. It was definitely the kind of restaurant she would choose herself. "Ah, this restaurant looks really nice. I wonder how the food is here." Daisy''s face was full of expectation. Just looking at the pictures of the dishes on the menu was enough to make her feel hungry. She looked around the ce, her eyes settling on one specific spot. The koi swimming in the artificial pond was almost hypnotic. "I''m sure that you won''t be disappointed at all. Don''t ealous, deadly lioness. "Huh! Colonel Ouyang, it seems that you really know nothing about men! If I were really going to cheat on you, why would I even let you know about it? I''d definitely hide it." Edward shook his head, feeling amused. It looked like his little wife was also a jealous type just like him. They were indeed a matched couple after all. But why did he feel so happy about her threats? Was he such a masochist? Or was he just happy that her words showed him how much she cared about him? He didn''t know the answer. "Well, you talk like you already have some other woman besides me. So tell me the truth." Although deep in Daisy''s heart, she knew he wouldn''t do such a cruel thing to her, she couldn''t help but tease him with this. Well, it was a payback for his teasing earlier. It was infuriating and endearing at the same time that he liked to tease her and she would fall for it every single time. "Of course not! Jeez you''re paranoid! You''re already a handful. How would I find the time and energy to entertain other women? Perish the thought. Besides, I got you, didn''t I? Why would I ever need anyone else?" Of course Edward knew that she was just being yful, so he didn''t really mind or get angry at her. He just kept looking at her with a small smile on his face. And his eyes were full of love and endearment reserved only for her. God, he really loved her so much that it hurt. How was this possible? Chapter 770 Look Like A Whore (Part One) "Mr. Mu, don''t forget you have previous convictions. Do you think your ims are still believable to me?" Daisy teased him. It was the first time that Daisy made fun of Edward''s past which showed she didn''t care about it anymore. "It''s okay that you don''t believe me. But don''t you military officers always rely on evidence? So maybe we can talk about it next time you catch me red-handed." Edward smiled instead of being irritated. He was so charming while smiling and Daisy was enchanted by it even though she saw that smile everyday. It brightened her world. "Oh we won''t need to talk in that case. I''ll just shoot you." Daisy gave a brittleugh. If she hadn''t fallen in love with Edward, it wouldn''t have mattered to her how many girlfriends Edward had had. But as long as they were in a rtionship now, Daisy wouldn''t allow another woman toe between them. "You are so brutal. Okay, Ms. Wilkes." Edward knew that beingpared to the psycho-killer in Stephen King''s ''Misery'' could irk Daisy. Edward pretended to be scared of her, but his heart was full of happiness. Because the more brutal Daisy was the more she cared for him. "So don''t offend me. Or else you just can''t bear the consequences, " Daisy said, cocking her eyebrows to look arrogant. "What would you do to me, Colonel Ouyang? I''m looking forward to being tortured by you, " Edward said with a wicked smile. Daisy was enchanted by his charm and stared at his beautiful face, forgetting to give him a barbed retort. "You look so hot now that I want to throw you into bed." Edward smirked, being d to see the woman he loved was enchanted by his charm. Meanwhile, Edward felt confused, not knowing whether Daisy loved him because he was attractive or because he was an outstanding person. But at least he knew Daisy was in love with him and that was enough. "No way! Edward, you''re in a restaurant, not a hotel! Get a room, you two." Leena was in some casual clothes which weren''t from any fancy brands and wore her hair down. She looked so lovely, just like the girl next door. "Leena, you have a gift for bad timing." Edward sighed, shaking his head. It seemed that he was really down. "I didn''t want to be here either! But a waiter told me you guys were here right after I walked in. Then I came up here to say hi to you two. If She was happy to see the two squabble, which showed they loved each other. Leena was d to see they were happy, because she viewed them as part of her family. Family should be happy. "Leena, you know me too well. It seems that you''ve been deserving of my kindness all these years, " Edward said after taking a sip of water. Actually, he didn''t believe there was anyone in the world who was perfectly nice and clean. Everyone had some evil thoughts and the difference between them was that how evil the thought was, and whether they acted on those thoughts. "Of course I do! I can''t say that I am the person who knows you most, but I can usually tell what you''re thinking about." Leena was not being boastful. She grew up around them, so she knew what kind of people they were. "Leena, I see you are the kind of person who bends like a reed with the wind. Now you side with Edward. I shouldn''t have ced hope in you." Daisy could see they were really close even though they were not real brother and sister. Their friendship surpassed those limitations, and friends were like family. "I am sorry, sis! I fell for his trick. Don''t be mad at me!" Leena said with a sad look. She was upset to see Edward''s trap worked every time. "Okay, okay. Let''s have lunch. Don''t you have a meeting this afternoon?" Edward cut in to prevent the uing mess. It might be okay to him to deal with one woman. But he''d rather die than get involved in a squabble between two women. Edward waszy, not bothering to waste his energy on such a minor thing. Chapter 771 Look Like A Whore (Part Two) "What about you, Leena? Have you had lunch?" Daisy worried about her even though Leena owned this ce and there was no way she''d be at a loss for anything to eat. "No, I haven''t. So I ordered ahead of time." Leena always had meals alone. She wouldn''t miss the chance to have lunch with her close friends. "So you onlye here for food?" Edward frowned. It hurt him to see Kevin run off on some military exercise and leave Leena alone. "I have no other choice but toe here. I don''t bother to cook a single meal. Takeout is cool, " Leena said lightly, notining about anything. But to outsiders, it sounded sad. After all, Leena got married at such a young age. On top of it, she married a military officer who couldn''t be with her all the time. Maybe it''s okay to have a husband who was not as rich as her. But she was sad that she had to live alone, because the loneliness and grief came in waves at night. "Why don''t you move back to the Leng mansion? You don''t have to stay at Kevin''s apartment since he is not there anyway. Besides, it''s not safe for you a girl to live there alone." If it hadn''t been for Leena''s own wishes, Edward wouldn''t have let her marry Kevin. The officer was beneath them. But there was nothing he could do as Leena chose Kevin at her own will. Edward would finally ept Kevin as one of his close friends as long as Kevin was nice to Leena. "I did. I came back there yesterday to give them the wedding dress." Leena gobbled the food. She was starved as she stayed up verytest night and got up near lunch time, missing her breakfast. "Oh, the wedding dress is done. Did you design it?" Daisy knew how good Leena was at fashion design. She guessed Leena would design it herself when Belinda told her Leena would be in charge of the wedding dress. "Oh yeah. That was me! It took a long time to finish. But I guess it''s worth it, as you can see, the dress is pretty impressive, " Leena answered after finishing another bite. "The wedding ceremony ising up fast. I don''t know whether Kevin can finish the exercises in time to attend their wedding." Daisy frowned. She hadn''t heard from Kevin and hoped he at least updated Leena on how he was doing. "It''s ? Maybe you can just confess that you can''t afford them instead ofining they are outdated. I am sick of you pretending to know diamond studs well." Louisa hastened to retort, otherwise others might really think she knew nothing about fashion. "Even though I don''t have much money to burn, I am way better than some upstarts." Sometimes, fancy clothes couldn''t change an ill-educated and rude person into a well-bred one. Louisa proved that to be true. "I am not nouveau riche! The wealth in my family goes back generations." Louisa was determined to teach Leena a lesson at any cost. It was the first time she confronted someone so eloquent and attacking her using something she really cared about. She didn''t know how to retort. "Lady, listen up. I was saying ''some'', not ''you''. You don''t have to prove what I said by taking yourself as an example. Otherwise, I guess there is nothing I can do." Leena sneered. The woman was so stupid and so easy to mess with. "You... bitch! Don''t be proud. I am just too kind, letting you talk to me like that. If you had talked to someone else like that, he or she might have beaten you to a pulp!" Louisa gave Leena a stern look. She wanted to p Leena across her face, but she had to control her temper for her father''s sake. If she had met Leena a few years ago, she wouldn''t have held back her anger and been unable to beat Leena up like she wanted to. For now, she''d just let her off the hook. It just wasn''t worth it. Chapter 772 Provocation From Rachel (Part One) "He or she would definitely not be rude if I were talking with someone else. Your assumption does not stand up." Those who pretended to be well-educated yet acted and spoke the opposite were the kind of people Leena hated the most. How misleading she was! "Young girl, do yourself a favor and don''t trust something forever. It''s not good for you. Keep this in mind, things change all the time." Louisa teased arrogantly. She took out her card from her purse and passed it to the salesperson. A mocking smile was stered on her face. "Thanks for your kind advice but I don''t think I need it. I''d like to offer you the same suggestion though. Goodbye." That was a really annoying conversation. It made herpletely lose her patience and at the same time, lose her interest in shopping. Maybe she was not supposed to go out today. Otherwise, she would not have met such a disrespectful woman. "Smart you. Next time, don''t linger on things that you can''t afford." Louisa believed that it was easy to measure people by judging what they wore or how they looked. She clearly forgot something. As an old Chinese saying goes: thest thing one should not do is judging people with their appearance. Just like what just happened. Little did Louisa know that Leena Leng''s property and wealth were definitely far beyond what she could ever own as themander''s daughter. Leena curved her lips and said nothing. She just stayed silent and turned away. Was Louisa right that she couldn''t afford the ear-studs? Of course not. It was not even an exaggeration to say that she was rich enough to buy all the things inside that shop. It was just that she chose to be a low-profile woman. She did not spend too much time talking with the rudedy because she would like to maintain her low-key. Plus, ignoring those situations was what truly elegant women would do. Louisa was a picture of smug satisfaction when she took the ear-studs and walked out of that shop. She let go of the encounter and forgot about the woman she judged so quickly. She never had a clue that they would meet again in just a few days. Time slip watched her surroundings to make sure that there was nobody there. She took her phone out and dialed the number she got from Duke''s list. "Hello! Who''s that?" Belinda answered the phone without even taking a look at the calling ID. She took a sip from her coffee then put her mug aside. There were still tons of businesses that she needed to handle even after leaving one-third of the work-loads to Duke. Thepany had just gone through an expansion period and the work-volume was nothing but stressful. There were lots of responsibilities she had as the CEO. "Is that Belinda Shangguan, Duke Leng''s wife?" Rachel asked hesitantly. She was hoping for the woman''s negative reply. She was very reluctant to hear her answer but would still like to confirm if the Belinda she was talking with was the same as Duke''s Belinda. "Yes, this is Belinda Shangguan, Duke Leng''s wife. May I know who I am talking to, please." Belinda''s alert instinct rose upon hearing the woman''s voice on the other end. She turned from being cozy andzy to extremely concentrated. A woman who mentioned her husband was talking to her. How could she be not curious? "This is Rachel Qin. I am wondering if you are free tonight, Ms. Shangguan. We probably should meet and have some chats together." Rachel smiled grimly. Belinda Shangguan? She would show something to surprise her. She would make her a poor woman after tonight. Chapter 773 Provocation From Rachel (Part Two) "Oh, it''s you. Why should I meet you in the first ce? I don''t even think that we are close enough for us to have a need to meet and talk." Belinda quipped. She had gotten angry with Duke because of Rachel for several times. Everything was just bouncing back and turning good now. She was doing well with Duke and their wedding ceremony was about to be held in two days. Thus, she wondered what on earth did they need to talk about. "Why not? Are you afraid of me? That''s why you don''t want to see me?" Rachel scoffed. She concluded that Belinda must be born and raised up in a poor family and that she would be too restrained to talk to an elegant woman like her. "Afraid of you? I don''t think so. It''s not necessary for me. Don''t irritate me with your dares. It won''t work on me." Belinda pressed her palm against her brow. Her wedding ceremony was on the horizon and she really did not want any unexpected problems. "Ms. Shangguan, are you really not curious about the thing between Duke and me? We fell in love so much." Duke was wary of her. So Rachel''s original n was to break Duke''s wariness step by step so she could capture his heart gradually. All her efforts were put in vain though in spite of her many attempts. Then she realized that the mission was impossible. Another trick came to her mind though after obtaining Belinda''s number. She decided to call, irritate, and hopefully, disappoint her. This way, Belinda would feel hurt and be disappointed at Duke. At that time, she would have a chance tofort Duke. "Miss Qin, are you trying to sow discords between me and Duke?" She and Duke might not love each other, but a third party was still definitely not wee between them. A Rachel Qin would never be a threat. "Trying to sow discords? Can''t you feel it?" Rachel snorted from her nose. She could not believe that Duke fell in love with Belinda. All the superiorities she had all this while would worth to none if he really did. She refused to ept that fact and would go insane. "As I see it, yes, you are sowing discords. I should be polite at least since yo ayment when she divorced. Otherwise, she would not be driving a Porsche sports car. Therefore, she really did not care about this money. She could afford it. Therge amount of maintenance money she had received was enough for her to live afortable life. People always turned to be greedy though. She could have a nice life with the money indeed but it was not enough at all if she intended to live a luxurious life. Duke Leng became her object of attention because he was rich enough to give her everything she wanted. She came back this time mainly for Duke. She had the ambition to be the wife of Leng Group''s president. "Well, fine, if you insist. I am wondering what''s your main purpose for inviting me to dinner though? Merely chatting? I don''t think so." Belinda asked straight to the point. She was a very direct person and hated being given the runaround. "What if I want you to leave Duke? What would you do?" Rachel did not conceal her purpose and asked directly. Wow, what an aggressive woman! She was confident about herself. Belinda and Duke were already married officially and had the marriage certificates issued by the government in their hands. As for her? She was just a third party. Oh, no. She was even not qualified to be called a third party because Duke Leng did not have an affair with her at all. Poor Rachel, she did not even realize that fact. How blind she was! Chapter 774 Provocation From Rachel (Part Three) "I''d like to hear more about your reason. Why''d you say that?" Belinda got angry of course. Duke and Rachel might have been an item before but those things were already history. What made her confident to order her to leave Duke? It was such an absurd request. "Because I am the one who fits him the most and stands behind him to support him. I am well-educated and capable in every aspect. I am superior to you in helping him with his work. I am useful to him. Now, you know why. Am I clear enough?" Rachel shot a nce at Belinda conceitedly, her face full of disrespect. She totally ignored Belinda''s elegant suit which suggested that Belinda might be a big figure in the business field. How stupid Rachel was to belittle Belinda. "Now that you are saying you and him are a perfect match, why did you break up with him and leave when you had the chance to be his wife?" Belinda calmed down. She was not going to stoop down to her level. It was not worth it. "That''s something between me and him. You can just leave it alone. Tell me, are you willing to leave him?" Rachel frowned a little. She did not anticipate that Belinda was so difficult to deal with. Belinda was supposed to be a poor and self-contemptuous woman. She was supposed to get frightened by her. The Belinda in front of her did not appear to be such a woman. The woman sitting before her was quite different from what she had thought to be. "Why should I leave him? Don''t you think you are going too far, Miss Qin? It''s such a rude request. We''re already married and are a real couple as recognized by thew. Well, let us put this fact aside. Even if we were not a couple and were merely dating with each other, you should not be so rude to say that to me! You''re totally talking nonsense." Belinda got a little bit serious and angry. Oh God! What a disgusting woman Rachel was! Did she not value herself for much? What was she? A God? How could she think that other people would do whatever she requested? "Don'' Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. linda''s sight. It was only Rachel''s illusion that made the beautiful picture of Duke looking passionately at her. "Money is the reason why you are not letting go of Duke. Am I right? How about this? What if I give you arge amount of money? Are you still not willing to give up?" Rachel said and took a cheque. She ced it on Belinda''s side to tempt her. She was sure that it was Belinda''s first time to see so much money and she would definitely take the money and leave Duke. "Wow! How generous you are, Miss Qin! 50, 000, 000! What a huge temptation it is! Butpared with Leng Group... hmm. Do you think I am that stupid?" How Belinda wished she could lift her face to the heaven andugh loudly. ''50, 000, 000, Duke, my dear Duke Leng. It turns out that you only worth 50, 000, 000 in this woman''s mind, '' thought Belinda. She had to say that it was really cheappared with his social status. She wondered whether he was going to be pissed off to jump a foot in the air once he got to know this funny thing. "It turns out that you choose to stay with and marry him for Leng Group! You are such a greedy woman. Does Duke know what you are like?" Rachel raged and gritted her teeth. She never expected for Belinda to admit her greed frankly in front of her. She was surprised beyond any reasonable doubt. Chapter 775 Leave With Nothing (Part One) "Miss Qin, would you tell him about this if you were in my shoes? I don''t think so. If that''s the case, do you think I would do such a stupid thing?" Belinda replied casually, shooting her a disapproving look. Her response implied that the despicable person she was referring to was the woman in front of her. "You awful woman! I''ll tell Duke about your hypocrisy!" Rachel found it harder and harder to control Belinda. The woman remained calm no matter what she said to her. There wasn''t a trace of panic on Belinda''s face. Her constantposure caught Rachelpletely off guard. "I''d be d of it. You''d better take the 50 million check with you too. While you''re at it, you might as well tell him that what I want is the Leng Group and that I could care less about the money, " Belinda scoffed, throwing the check back to Rachel. Did Rachel think she was an idiot? Anybody with a brain wouldn''t give up being the wife of a president for a mere check. Did Rachel think she was out of her mind? Why else would she make a fuss about it? "Belinda, you''re being too arrogant! Do you really think I won''t do it?" Rachel said through clenched teeth. Her eyes were filled with hatred and viciousness, as if she wanted to kill Belinda on the spot. "No. I definitely know you will, or you wouldn''t try to use the check to make me back down. All I have to say about this is: don''t make a fool of yourself, you should evaluate your actions before asking someone to give up on something." As the president of the YS Group, Belinda wondered what made her look like she was in dire need of money for Rachel to offer her a meager 50 million check to send her away. "Without you, Duke would make his way back to me because he loved me a lot in the past. I doubt he feels any love for you at all!" Rachel eximed with a sudden surge of confidence and superiority. "As you said, he loved you. It''s all in the past. He no longer feels the same way about you. Do you really think I have no ce in his heart?" Belinda always disliked self-righteous people who considered themselves above everyone else. They always thought that the world revolved around them, and that everyone else just yed a secondary role in their story. Rachel was the epitome of this kind of person. "You don''t even need to ask. If he really loved you, he would have given you a job in hispany instead of watching you work for someone else, " Rachel said, looking sideways at Belinda with a sneer. The sheer contempt she felt for Belinda was evident in her re. Belinda scoff Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. his wrist to check the time. It was exactly eight o''clock. They still had time to watch a movie. "Hey, Mr. Leng, are you sure you want to watch a movie with me in a crowded cinema instead of watching 3D at home?" Although Belinda was surprised at Duke''s invitation, she was looking forward to going out with him. They had a sh marriage. They never went out on dates or appeared affectionate in public. No wonder Rachel said they didn''t get married out of love. It was a cruel fact. "Sure. Where are you? I''lle meet you." Actually, Duke hadn''t intended to ask Belinda out. He called her because he suddenly got emotional while he was standing on the balcony alone. He didn''t know whom Belinda was meeting tonight. All he knew was that she had an appointment with somebody. He wasn''t an autocratic man who restricted his wife''s freedom. He readily assented without asking any questions when she went out. After having dinner alone, Duke felt strange and lonely. He couldn''t help calling Belinda. He didn''t mean to check up on her, he just felt sad all of a sudden. He didn''t know when he got so used to her presence, but he felt lost without her at his side. "Wait, are you feeling all right?" Belinda replied incredulously. Duke was acting strange tonight. It unsettled her a bit. "I feel perfectly fine. Why are you asking?" Duke asked in astonishment. He walked downstairs as he asked her to borate. "You''re acting so strange! You must understand why I''m asking, " Belinda said with a wry smile, bending to get inside her Lotus. "Woman, are you trying to piss me off?" Duke stopped with a frown. He wanted to spend a romantic evening with her, but she found his behavior strange. Chapter 776 Leave With Nothing (Part Two) "No. You''re thinking too much. Okay, then! I''ll wait for you at the Crystal Cinema." Belinda hung up as soon as she spoke, afraid that he would suddenly back out on her. She knew that it was a luxury to have Duke watch a movie in the cinema with her. She wasn''t going to miss what might be her only chance to do so. Duke looked at his phone and shook his head before putting back it into his pocket. He clicked his car key and got into the Spyker C8, driving towards the location Belinda gave him. The ce Belinda had chosen was in the middle of the city, so it only took her several minutes to get there. Then she took the time to buy the tickets while waiting for Duke to arrive. After ncing through the romance and action movie titles, she decided to go for a thrilling horror movie. A romantic movie wasn''t proper for them to watch together and she didn''t like the cast of the action movie. After getting the tickets, she checked the time. It was nice o''clock. Duke needed about 20 minutes to get here. She thought there was still plenty of time to kill before he arrived, so she bought some popcorn and snacks as the other couples did despite not being fond of the food. She only bought them because they seemed appropriate for the asion. After all, everyone bought movie snacks at a cinema. Standing in the busy cinema and looking at the couplesing and going, Belinda felt a lot younger all of a sudden and her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. Was this their first official date? She licked her lips and looked down at the tickets in her hands. Considering Duke''s social status, she bought VIP private seats. Otherwise, she thought he might leave in the middle of the movie because of the noise. She knew how delicate people like Duke were. But when she thought of the words Rachel had said to her, she pursed her lips in distaste. She would never give up something she wanted so easily. No one could make her do something unless she wanted to. Duke was the person she wanted to love with all her heart. How could she give him up so easily? Belinda was an attractive woman with a good figure. It was difficult to avoid gaining attention from the crowd when she was standing all alone, but she didn''t notice any of it. The image of her standing in her spot in deep thought was so con e the entire time, so she didn''t notice the simple things he did for her. "Horrible? Those are just some scenes created by people. What''s wrong?" Duke touched his own face when he found Belinda staring at him. He couldn''t help feeling a little strange. Was there something on his face? "Oh! It''s nothing. Just watch the movie." Belindaughed nervously, almost biting her own tongue. She cringed inwardly and berated herself. They were watching a horror movie. Why was sheughing like a fool? She must have looked stupid. Duke chuckled and kept feeding her without calling her out on it. But now that Belinda was aware, she became self-conscious and almost bit his fingers several times. Duke frowned, aplicated emotion shing in his eyes. Luckily, they were at the cinema. If they were at home instead, he couldn''t sit quietly like a proper gentleman. He would have flung himself upon her already. ''Is this woman doing it on purpose or unintentionally? Doesn''t she know how tempting her behavior is?'' Duke thought in exasperation. Frustrating thoughts ran through Duke''s mind throughout the whole movie, so he decided to stop feeding her. As a result, Belinda took out all the snacks she bought when they finished watching the movie. It was quite the pity. As the crowd exited the theater, Belinda was still immersed in the movie. Because she was in a daze, she was almost knocked down by the people around her. Fortunately, Duke took her in his arms in time. It was his duty as a husband to protect his woman from harm. Chapter 777 An Attractive Quality In A Man (Part One) The autumn breeze came, and the slight chill in the air snapped Belinda out of her trance. She suddenly realized that ordinary people lived a simple but happy life. She could tell from the smiles on the faces of the people around her that watching a movie?together was enough to cheer them up. Actually, the simplicity brought a different kind of happiness. Belinda and Duke went to the cinema in their own cars, so they had to drive back separately. Duke followed Belinda''s car at a close distance. He usually drove fast, but this time, he slowed down to keep with her pace and drove at a speed that he normally looked down on. Belinda parked the car in the garage and rushed towards the house without waiting for Duke. She was starving because she hadn''t had supper yet. She made a beeline for the kitchen, intending to prepare some food for herself. But she was dumbfounded when she arrived at the kitchen. The appliances were soplicated that she had no idea where to start. "What are you doing?" Duke asked in confusion. He became curious when he saw Belinda get off her car and run inside without waiting for him, so he followed her into the kitchen. "I want to cook something for myself." Belinda answered without turning around. She opened the refrigerator to look for food. There was a lot of food inside, but unfortunately, she didn''t know how to cook any of them. "You haven''t had supper yet?" Duke asked with a frown. Belinda never ate a midnight snack. She couldn''t have had dinner yet. Otherwise, she wouldn''t want to cook something for herself. Belinda hummed vaguely in response, letting her eyes settle upon the things in the refrigerator as she wondered how to cook them. "Why didn''t you tell me at the beginning? Do you know how to cook?" Duke rolled up his sleeves and entered the kitchen. "No, I don''t. But I don''t think it would be too hard, " Belinda grumbled, pursing her lips. She turned to Duke and looked at him with a pair of innocent eyes. "Just go upstairs and take a hot bath. I''ll make you some noodles, " Duke said. He took some eggs, ham, and tomatoes from the refrigerator and walked towards the kitchen counter. He started skillfully slicing the tomatoes. "Duke, are you telling me you can cook?" Belinda''s jaw went ck as her eyes widened at his movements. It never urred to her that Duke could cook. After all, he was born with a silver spoon. Why did he learn to cook? Even women seldom cooked nowadays. "It''s easy to cook noodles." He washed the pot, turned on the gas cooker, added oil... He did everything so smoothly that it became fe with trepidation. "Okay, let me check. Ouch! It''s too hot!" Because Belinda was starving, she put the noodles into her mouth in a hurry and burned her tongue in the process. She stuck out her tongue to cool it down. After a few moments, she said, "It tastes good. Duke, you''re a great cook!" "Do you love me more now?" Duke asked as he poured a ss of cool water for her. He treated her with the utmost care, but Belinda was too careless to notice his actions. "What do you think?" Belinda replied with a question. She was too shy to admit that it made her love Duke more. "I think you love me more. People always say that the way to a man''s heart is through his stomach. I think this applies to women too." He rested his chin on one of his hands as he sat beside Belinda, letting his eyes settle upon her. His heart danced with happiness as Belinda buried herself in the noodles. He made a decision as he watched her. As long as she liked it, he would keep cooking for her for the rest of his life. "Well, then you have to work harder. I''m very picky with food. Duke, have some noodles. I can''t finish everything." Belinda took some noodles with her chopsticks and raised them to his mouth. She did it naturally, not noticing that sharing food with someone was an intimate act. Duke went nk for a short while. Then he immediately opened his mouth and ate the noodles, fixing his eyes on her face. It was then that Belinda realized what she had done. Her face flushed with embarrassment, but she pretended to be calm and took more noodles and fed them to Duke again. But her scarlet face and trembling hand betrayed her true feelings. Although Duke noticed it, he didn''t point it out to avoid embarrassing Belinda. Chapter 778 An Attractive Quality In A Man (Part Two) "You can have the rest. I''m going upstairs to take a bath." After swallowing the noodles, Duke stood up and left the dining room in a rush. He strode towards the bathroom on the second floor. Belinda rxed a little, wondering why Duke left in such a hurry. Duke entered the bathroom. Instead of turning on the water, he leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He pressed his hand over his chest, feeling the fast pounding of his heart. He closed his eyes in deep contemtion. Just now, he felt a suddenpulsion to tell Belinda that he had fallen deeply in love with her and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But the idea that she might dismiss his confession was torture to him. Before he could blurt it out, he left the dining room in a hurry. He was afraid that he would act impulsively. Belinda didn''t even say a single word about Rachel to Duke because she didn''t think it was necessary. It was all wishful thinking on Rachel''s part and it had nothing to do with Duke. It would be unfair to Duke if Belinda took out her anger on him. Although Belinda was a little upset about Duke and Rachel''s past, she knew that everyone had a history. She just had to get over it. She was sophisticated enough to take things in stride. Belinda ate the noodles in the bowl with determination. Although she was already full, she was reluctant to throw the leftovers away. Duke lovingly cooked the noodles for her. She didn''t want to waste anything. When she went upstairs after she was done, Duke was still in the bathroom. Belinda walked around the room in an attempt to digest the noodles faster. She ate too much and there was an ufortable feeling in her stomach. She fell into a trance as she walked, thinking about her rtionship with Duke. The sudden happiness she felt took her by surprise. It was easy to satisfy Belinda. A bowl of noodles made by Duke was enough to make her happy. "What are you doing?" Duke walked out of the bathroom with a bath towel wrapped around his waist. He looked at Belinda in confusion. "Nothing! You''re done with your bath?" Belinda was used to seeing Duke''s half-naked body everyday. But every time she saw his firm body, her face flushed shyly and her heartbeat would quicken. She looked away awkwardly. "Yes. I have some work to finish. I''m going to the study now. Give me your business documents, so I can go through them." Duke had been helping Belinda review the business documents of herpany recently and had grown ustomed to the habi ious. I''m going to the study now." Duke was pleased with her answer. He smiled in satisfaction and went to the study. "Duke is really an odd person." Belinda pursed her lips, grumbling to herself. Though she was suspicious of Duke''s actions, she wasn''t a person who liked to get to the bottom of things. She shrugged it off and went to the bathroom. Duke''s clothes were scattered around the floor. She picked them up and put them in the basket for dirty clothes. She was so full at this moment that she didn''t want to take a bath right away. She decided to organize the wardrobe. Duke liked to wear simple clothes of dark colors. His clothes were neither as fancy as Rain''s nor as bright as Edward''s. As a result, his closet looked rather dull. His profession had an important influence in the formation of his character and temperament. Belinda had always been a messy person. Everything in her room used to be in a muddle. Her mother always criticized her for being scatterbrained and absentminded, but she was unable to give up her bad habit. But after she moved into Duke''s house, she changed her habits easily. Duke liked tidiness, so Belinda cleaned the house every day. After taking a bath, Belinda went to the study to invite Duke to go to bed with her. She already knew what she wanted and she made up her mind to pursue her happiness. The soft moonlight flittered through the windows and the couple got intoxicated by the romantic atmosphere. Belinda''s heart began to race while Duke walked slowly towards her. Her blood was pumping through her body as Duke gazed deeply into her eyes. He stood in front of her and tugged on her robe. "Let''s take this off, shall we?" he murmured. Chapter 779 Greedy (Part One) The next morning, as soon as Duke pulled his car into the underground parking lot of the office building, Rachel got out of her Porsche. Here was the only ce she could see him. She had been waiting. The minute he came into view, she walked toward him. "Duke, good morning." In a white dress, curly hair swinging in the wind as she walked, Rachel had put on an innocent image instead of her usual sexy style. "Morning, " Duke grunted without looking at her. He locked his car and was ready to leave, obviously not interested in speaking to her. "Duke, can I talk to you for a few minutes?" Rachel asked in a rush and quickened her steps, gripping her dress and biting her lip. "About what?" Duke asked briefly and slowed down his steps. "About... Belinda, " Rachel hesitated, studying his expressions. "What about her?" Duke stopped and turned around abruptly. Apparently, even Belinda''s name itself meant a lot to him. "Do you not know the kind of woman she is? She is marrying you because she wants to get the Leng Group, not because she loves you, " Rachel told him. She was convinced that when Duke got to know this, he would leave Belinda. Then she''d have her opportunity. "Oh. Really? Where did you hear that rumor?" Duke asked with a sneer. Indeed, marrying him hadn''t been Belinda''s intention. However, she hadn''t eventually married him because she wanted the Leng Group - Belinda wasn''t interested in anything Duke had. He had told Rachel about it before. It seemed like she had forgotten that. Or maybe she was just pretending to have forgotten. "It is not a rumor. She told me about it herself. I''m not lying, " Rachel replied in a triumphant tone. She thought she finally had something over Belinda that would clear all the obstacles in her path to be Duke''s wife. Yesterday, she had noticed Belinda drove a Lotus sports car. It didn''t cost much. Duke hadn''t bought her a better car. Rachel was convinced that Belinda didn''t mean to Duke as much as he imed she did. "She told you herself? Are you sure?" Duke asked mischievously, wondering if he had missed something. "Of course. I have no reason to lie to you." Rachel made herself sound as sincere as possible lesser than a stranger to me. Try any tricks again, and you are dead. Understood?" Rachel had brought this on herself with her overconfidence. Looking at her, Duke only felt repulsion and ire. Her pale face and sorrowful eyes didn''t trigger any other emotions in him. "Why are you doing this? I love you so much. You know that, don''t you? You are so cruel to me. I know I hurt you in the past, but I exined myself to you. I had no other choice. If I had a family as rich as yours, I wouldn''t have married a man I didn''t love just for the sake of his money." Rachel felt regretful and med herself for having been tempted by wealth. It was her who should be Duke''s wife, not the arrogant Belinda. But bygones were bygones, and regrets didn''t mean anything now. "You never loved me. Even today, you only love the money. Don''t speak of love again. It''s an insult when ites from your mouth." Duke secretly felt blessed that Rachel had left him. He would have destroyed his life if he had married her. "So I am the shallow one, is it? But who isn''t? These days all rtionships are based on money. There''s no perfect love anymore in this world. Wake up! Every woman with you is out to get your money." Rachel didn''t understand what was wrong if she had an appreciation for the rich. Why was she so evil in Duke''s eyes just because she valued wealth? Wasn''t Belinda the same? Didn''t she love his money as much as Rachel did? So why didn''t Duke hate her? Chapter 780 Greedy (Part Two) "It''s none of your business and that is not true. You think Belinda is as vain as you are? Next time, consider well who you n on bribing before offering them money. Just in case you make a fool of yourself again." Duke moved toward the exclusive elevator as soon as he finished hisst sentence, leaving Rachel standing alone in the parking lot. Belinda, Belinda, Belinda. That name was all he mentioned. What was so special about her? Why was she so important to Duke? Rachel wondered, ''Why does he hate me so much? What can I do to change his mind?'' It seemed difficult. But she wouldn''t give up so easily. She would persist as long as there was even a trace of hope. Once again, she mustered all her courage and confidence to start plotting. She would make Duke choose her over Belinda in the end. He had to. Duke stood against the back of the elevator with his eyes closed. He was frustrated. After everything that had apparently happenedst evening, Belinda had remained calm when they were together. She hadn''t even been angry at him. Did he mean anything at all to her? How could she mention nothing to him after a woman had acted so insultingly toward her? He sighed quietly. All the sweetness and romance from the night seemed ironic now. Maybe it had been a one-sided affair. Maybe it had just been him who had been moved at that moment. He felt so silly. Duke walked into his office with a long face. His good mood had deted. The entire morning, everyone within a five hundred meter radius could sense that the boss was upset. Not one employee dared to speak loudly, afraid it would cause him to have an outburst. It was so quiet that one would be able to hear a pin drop. Hero had been in aa after the operation. Daisy was about to give up hope when she got a call from Tom saying he had finallye around. That was exciting news indeed. Daisy was much relieved. She wanted to pay him a visit, but she was in the mid and defending was a waste of time and wouldn''t help them win. The quiet battle field became dynamic. Daisy was involved in the fight too. Too hard tobat with, she soon became the target of the soldiers, leaving her no chance to sneak back to themanding zone. Both sides saw her as an enemy from the opposing side. It seemed like she had gotten herself into trouble. But she wasn''t mad about it. A big smile spread on her face from the thrill of it. Although the camouging oil covered her face, her mor wasn''t undermined at all. Among the soldiers, she was still the highlight of the fight. She knew how to cover herself and managed to retreat from the field. It was the soldiers'' show time after all. The battle would be long and exhausting. The soldiers had to defend themselves and find their food at the same time. Daisy was waiting to see which side would win at longst. It was daytime now. The situation would get harder for them when it got dark. Daisy hoped they could climb over the mountain as soon as possible. Next, they would have to go on a slope, which was favorable for night marching. Then the danger would be reduced. Daisy assumed that neither of the two sides would risk lighting a fire, which would expose themselves to their enemy and get them killed. Chapter 781 Accidentally Encountering Drug Dealers (Part One) Daisy looked toward the sky and saw that it was already noon. It seemed that due to her efforts, the soldiers were not acting as timid as before. At their current pace, they would be able to climb over the mountain and reach their next destination this afternoon. "Colonel, where have you been?" Mark asked anxiously as he saw Daisy return to themand area. "Oh! Something came up. What happened?" Daisy pursed her lips and swallowed a few sips of water. The sultry weather and the battle had made her sweat all over. "Well, some vigers went into the mountain while we were not looking. I was afraid they would identally get hurt by our soldiers." As Mark said this, he thought, ''I''ve got soldiers at the entrance to the mountain. How did the vigers slip in anyway?'' "Don''t they know that this is a military drill base? I can''t believe it! Arrange for some soldiers to find them, or we''re done for." Daisy frowned and thought, ''Is there something wrong with my n? Why don''t the soldiers follow my orders?'' "Okay, Colonel. We will figure it out." As soon as Mark said that, he sprinted quickly to fulfill the orders. However, he didn''t know if he could find the vigers in time. Daisy felt very uneasy somehow. This had never happened before. People living nearby always knew this was a military training base, so they never rushed into the mountain. It could be that those who had entered the mountain were not natives, so they did not know that outsiders were not allowed in. The waiting period was extremely long. Daisy not only feared that the vigers could be identally injured by her soldiers, she was also afraid that the entire training program would getpromised. Both oues were undesirable to Daisy. She hoped fervently that Mark would find the vigers as soon as possible. Although real bullets were not used during the training, the soldiers could use force. The vigers could fortuitously get hurt. As the clock ticked by, Daisy waited long without hearing from Mark. So she put on her hat again and marched into the thick forest. To increase the difficulty of the training, many small traps had been set up in the forest. The longer the vigers stayed inside, the more likely they were to be in danger. If they Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. lgesic effect is 4 to 8 times that of morphine. Heroin has been widely used in anesthesia and analgesia in medicine. However, people are easily prone to be addicted to Heroin, and experience difficulties in giving it up. Long-term use of the drug destroys the immune function, resulting in damage to the main organs such as heart, liver, kidneys, etc. Injecting and smoking Heroin can also spread diseases such as AIDS. Historically, Heroin was used as a psychotropic drug for quitting morphine and finally, it was designated as a harmful recreational drug because of its excessive side effects. Therefore, Heroin, known as the king of the drug world, is one of the most dangerous drugs that is strictly monitored and banned in China.'' "It seems pretty good. Is the price the same?" Yama dipped some heroin into his hand and licked it with his lips. A satisfied expression spread on his face. It was not difficult to see he was satisfied with the goods. "Yes, the same price. I told you, you would be happy with my goods." Listening to Yama''s words, Shura was delighted. He would be making a fortune soon. "Here you are. This is your reward. You may check and see if the number is correct, " Yama said. He motioned to a footman next to him to throw a stic woven bag over to Shura. Judging by the woven bag and straw basket, the rebels had obviously been very careful in their disguises as ordinary vigers. Unfortunately for them, however, Daisy had discovered their whereabouts despite their cautiousness. Chapter 782 Accidentally Encountering Drug Dealers (Part Two) "There is no need to do that. I trust you. We know each other so well." Shura forced out augh. As he said that, he nced at the footman next to him and motioned for him to check the money. Yama was not angry at Shura''s behavior, but looked at him contemptuously. At the moment, Daisy was secretly estimating their positional whereabouts and the number of weapons they might be carrying with them. If her guess was correct, the drug dealers must have guns with them. ''Can I beat them alone? Thank God! I have amunicator with me!'' Daisy thought. She took out themunicator silently and slowly put it to her mouth to call Mark. The small but stealthy movement in the bushes caught the attention of the drug traffickers. "Who is there?" One footman pulled out the pistol on his waist and walked toward Daisy step by step. All of a sudden the others readied themselves, prepared to fight. Daisy silently regretted that she hadn''t spoken a little more softly to notify Mark. If she had turned down her voice, they wouldn''t have found her. ''What should I do? Mark can''t be here immediately. Can I take out all these drug dealers alone? I can''t move faster than a bullet. But it has already happened. I have no choice but to face it bravely, '' Daisy thought. Daisy decided to fight them face to face. Although she knew it could get brutal, she wouldn''t be as unlucky to get hurt this time. Daisy held her breath and waited for them to reach her. When the footman was close by, she suddenly raised herself from her squatting position and swiftly knocked the gun out of his hands. She kicked him in the chest immediately afterward. Then, Daisy slipped onto the grass and knocked down the other footman. Daisy acted in the blink of an eye to beat the two footmen without the drug dealers realizing it. She was indeed a strong Colonel. "Damn it! They found us? Take this person down! If we are caught, we will all be sentenced to death. We have to catch this guy! Quick!" Though Yama ferociously said this, he was prepared to stealthily run into the nearby bushes. However, Daisy could not let him slip away. Daisy quickly ran over to Yama without a second thought and seeded in stopping him. Fortunately, the drug dealers Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. n it, someone seems to be heading here. Hurry up! Shoot her if there''s no other choice." Yama''s ears perked up as he heard a rustle of footsteps approaching them. He knew that the big forces on the mountain wereing this way. But he felt no need to worry any more. He might as well fight them with all his might! "Right, let''s see how tough she is." The footmen grew excited when they heard what Yama said. They felt that if they had opened fire sooner, they might have escaped by now. Daisy''s?heart?seemed?to?block?her?throat. She knew she was in great danger now. She had no choice but to face the situation courageously. When she saw the drug dealer pull out his pistol, she quickly rolled into the thorny weed heap and kept out of the way of the bullet. Even though the bullet did not graze Daisy, she did not let her guard down and quickly hid behind a big tree. There was no time to care for her wounded skin. "Shura, let''s split up so we can escape easier. You guys can stay behind." Yama didn''t have time to take the money in the stic woven bags or the Heroin in the straw basket. Right then, the most important thing was to keep himself alive. He reminded himself of the popr saying - ''Where there is life, there is hope.'' Daisy began to worry when she heard them leaving. At that point, several people had their guns aimed at her, so it was tough for her to run out and refrain them from escaping. She grew extremely anxious. Daisy had no way of stopping them. Chapter 783 Haunting Us All The Time (Part One) Sweating heavily, Mark sprinted in the Colonel''s direction. There had been another emergency. Being a military man, he had experienced a lot of emergency situations like this one. He had also been trained to perfection to always be prepared for such urgent events, but he still needed to pay careful attention each time. Especially since he was Daisy''s entourage, the missions they epted were always dangerous. Being an outstanding female officer and the youngest colonel in S city, Daisy was famous for her bravery. She liked challenges, so she always forced herself to face more and more perilous tasks. She tried her level best toplete them without considerations for her own safety. It had gained her merits but also put her life under threat more times than she could count. Mark could never be too careful when it came to the Colonel. Knowing her so well, he knew he needed to hurry or the Colonel would be in danger again if he was even a minutete. On his way there, he heard a loud gunshot echo through the hills. Mark started sweating profusely. His hair stood on end and his entire body went rigid. The situation was worse than he had thought! The Colonel must be in extreme danger. In the previous situations, Colonel had been harmed when he had not been there by her side. This time, he couldn''t bear to think of her being injured again when he was so close. Besides, Edward''s wrath would be impossible to take if he let his beloved wife get hurt again. So, despite the burning sensation he felt because of the branches and thorns scratching against his skin, he kept running. Several times, he almost stumbled due to the vines under his feet. Still he didn''t stop. He found the Colonel eventually. This time at least, he could help her. Daisy was soon finding herself in hot water. Danger seemed to surround her as the bullets kept shooting at her from all directions. She had to change her hiding ces continuously in order to save her life. Even though she had greatbating skills and was agile enough to change positions, the bullets kept flying at her mercilessly. Even a small and nimble rabbit couldn''t have avoided being shot by so many bullets under the circumstances. Several times, Daisy almost got shot. What was worse was that she didn''t even have a weapon to fight back with. The only things she could do f them, Shura was long gone. Presumably, he had run in the other direction. "Mark, is it okay for me to leave this here for you? Can you handle this?" asked Daisy. Her entire body was covered with weeds and mud. Daisy could not be described as elegant in that moment. However, she held a different type of countenance. She might be beautiful, iron-strong and powerful, but none of these words would be urate enough to describe her. Perhaps, one could only say that she looked proud and mighty like a goddess. "Yes, Colonel! You be careful too!" answered Mark in affirmation. He didn''t care to pay much attention to a drug trafficker, but the safety of his Colonel was of the highest priority. "Of course! I know how to protect myself. I''ll be careful, " replied Daisy, assuring him. She didn''t want him to worry too much about her. She followed a path in a different direction to see if she could find Shura. She could tell without even taking a look at herself that there were a lot of small wounds on her body - lesions that were scratched and stabbed at by the thorny vines. She deeply felt the prickling sensation on her skin, especially since she was sweating heavily. The salt from her sweat increased the pain even more. Ignoring the ufortable feeling, Daisy focused on the task at hand. In any case, these were just minor wounds that were neither serious nor too important. She had experienced more severe ones before. As a military officer, she was used to them. It was part and parcel of her job. Her performance should not be affected. Chapter 784 Haunting Us All The Time (Part Two) However, after a long search, Daisy still couldn''t find a trace of Shura. It ured to her that unlike Yama, Shura would be familiar with the topography on these hills, so he knew very well where to hide. Otherwise, he couldn''t have disappearedpletely into the wild in such a short time. Daisy stopped and took a deep breath to calm herself down. Looking around, she realized that she would never find Shura if she searched so aimlessly. She had to stabilize her mind promptly, get her reasoning back ande up with a better idea somehow. Suddenly, the sight of a blood stain on the ground beneath her caught her attention. She bent over and scratched it with her forefinger, confirming that it had been left there freshly. A thoughtful look crept upon her face, that soon blossomed into a faint smile. This was the breakthrough she needed. She atst had a clue, even if it was a minute one. Daisy dashed in the direction of the blood stains. If she wasn''t wrong, this blood stain must belong to one of the drug dealers she had shot earlier. If she pursued the trail of blood, she might get to Shura. Her judgment proved to be right. As she followed the blood stained path, soon enough, she caught the sight of Shura. But Shura had also seen her at the same time. Without wasting a moment, he turned around and aimed his gun at her fiercely. The rain of bullets forced her to hide behind a big tree. She couldn''t risk her life here. "What a fucking bitch! Why is she trying so hard to arrest us?! No matter where we go, she chases us! She is like a ghost, haunting us all the time!" cursed Shura angrily. "Listen! You all be strong now! Don''t be softhearted sissies! This is no time for morals! So what if she is a woman, I don''t need your tenderness right now! Use your weapons! Do not save your energy for me! The mercy you show her will only get us death! Understood?!" Shura had thought that he would be able to run away from the mountains, since he knew the ce very well. He had not thought that Daisy would be so good at her job that it would only take her minutes to catch up to him. Now, being chased by her, he couldn''t be as optimistic. It would be that much harder to get away. Meanwhile, Daisy adjusted her breath. After a long exhtion, she was prepa d end. But she still needed to be extremely vignt until they were all arrested, just in case of any emergencies. Thinking of that time when Edward had almost gotten himself killed, she felt the dread in her veins. She had learned that lesson and from then on, had been cautious to a fault, even after she had emerged the winner in a battle. She would never allow herself to make that same mistake again. She couldn''t afford to lose Edward''s life, nor her own. She held her pistol high, aiming at Shura''s head as her forefingery on the trigger. She could pull the trigger at any moment if it became necessary. Pointing her pistol directly at him, she approached him step by step. "You! Who the hell are you?!" asked Shura, his voice trembling with fear. He tried hard to cover up his shakiness, but anyone could detect the panic in his eyes. As Daisy got closer to him, he couldn''t help but step back and keep his distance from her. It wasn''t like he didn''t want to shoot her, but there was no bullet left in his pistol. His life waspletely in her hands now. He felt powerless. "Daisy Ouyang from the S City Garrison Headquarters. You still feel like escaping now?" replied Daisy coldly. At the same time, she began picking up the guns that had been dropped behind by the drug dealers when she had shot them. They were just injured, not dead. There was still the possibility that they could move about and fire a shot at her back when she was not watching. If she was not careful, she could easily get hurt. Chapter 785 Haunting Us All The Time (Part Three) "What?! You''re THE female colonel?! It is said that it was you who arrested Hawk. Is that true?" asked Shura. He was stumped. Feeling a little intimidated, he sighed deeply to himself. Was this his destiny? Was he going to die by this woman''s hands today? Hawk was much stronger than Shura. If he hadn''t managed to escape this girl, Shura could not manage to do it at all! Plus, everything was on her side at the moment. There was just no opportunity for him to turn the tide in his favor. Looking at how she had knocked down all his entourages just minutes ago, it would be too stupid not to admit she had great abilities. She could easily take him down in a split second. "No, you are mistaken. I was the one who executed his arrest. But I only did it in ordance with thew of our country. Now, I am here to arrest you for the same reason. You vited thew, so I have to do what it tells me to do. It''s my responsibility to keep our country safe. But it''s not for me to decide whether or not to sentence you. I am only the executor, " exined Daisy calmly. She couldn''t risk rxing at all. She must stay alert and keep caution until everything was settled. Just like the time when Edward had been shot, being careless in front of her opponent was deadly. If she wanted to avoid getting anyone harmed again, she could never be too circumspect. The same mistake could not be allowed twice. She would not allow Shura any opportunity to fight back again. "What if I give you money? Lots and lots of money, so much that you wouldn''t even be able to count it. Would you release me then?" asked Shura, with a sliver of hope in his heart. He tried to induce Daisy with his dirty money. He thought she must have chosen to be a military officer only because of penury. She shouldn''t be able to resist the allure of so much money! She would probably take his bribery. What he didn''t know was that Daisy already had so much money that she didn''t even get a chance to spend. She would never be able to use up the pool of wealth at her disposal even in her entire life. "The one thing I detest most in life is drugs. And people like you, who traffic them, are even more abominable! Do you even know how many good families are destroyed because o ore he could pull the trigger, however, Daisy made her shot without any hesitation. A bullet hit Shura''s right wrist with precision. Before he could react to the hit, she rushed over to subdue him. It was all over just in an instant. Daisy was covered with cold sweat all over. If she had been even a second slower, the person lying on the ground would have been her. Fortunately, her eyes had been closely tracking his movements all the time, just in case of such an ident. Her well-trained battle skills were like conditioned reflexes now, and that had earned her precious time to always be one step ahead of Shura. Finally, after the fight had ended, the other soldiers rushed over and captured the drug traffickers immediately. Most of them were badly injured. Another mission had beenpleted sessfully. Without even affecting their training session, they had managed to arrest a group of drug traffickers and seized five kilograms of heroin, as well as a total of one million and six hundred thousand US dors. That was a petrifying number! "Colonel, you have been hurt. Shall we end this training session now?" Mark asked with worry in his voice upon returning to thebat area. Who would have thought they would run into a group of drug traffickers in a simple field survival training? Everyone was caught by surprise, though luckily, they had not been unprepared. Based on the number of drugs they had been carrying, this must have been a notorious group of drug traffickers! Chapter 786 Haunting Us All The Time (Part Four) "I am fine. I just have some small scratches. It is no big deal. I will deal with them when we go back tomorrow. You don''t need to worry about me. The most important task at hand is to make sure these drug dealers don''t get away until the police arrive, " ordered Daisy calmly. It was still early, so there should be enough time for the police toe and arrest the dealers before it grew dark. It would be better if they could transfer them to Mr. Yi, the director of the police station, today itself. She did not want to wait until tomorrow. Too many unpredictable things could happen in between. "Don''t worry! They have all been tied up. Those who are injured may still suffer a bit though. The military medics could only give them a simple treatment for their wounds. The bleeding has been stopped. But they will have to wait until they get to the hospital to take the bullets out by surgery, " reported Mark. Though they had just undergone an intense battle, he was quite enthusiastic. The Colonel had once again done a great job. Her merits were earned by her excellent abilities. Who could still disapprove of her title? "Did you ask for the ambnce too when you called Mr. Yi?" asked Daisy, frowning deeply. Apparently, she hadn''t thought as far as Mark had. All she could wonder at was how lucky she had been this time that she was still alive. It was not like she feared death much. But her life didn''t merely belong to herself, but also to her beloved Edward. She couldn''t afford to lose it since that would break his heart utterly. "Yes, Colonel! I''ve mentioned that already. Shall I ask the military medic to take a look at your wounds too?" asked Mark. He was concerned about Daisy''s wounds, but he didn''t want to see an angry Edward either. He was already imagining how mad Edward would be when he got to know Daisy had been hurt again. Every time she got injured, he grew frosty and truly acted like a demon from hell. "Not yet. It does not matter. I will deal with them when I get back, " answered Daisy. Her emotionless face was still covered with oil paint from their training. It was hard to figure out what she was feeling. But Mark had been herrade for so long, he could see that she was exhausted. "Maybe you should take some rest inside at might need your assistance, we will call you. We will be in contact, " Mr. Yi replied humbly. He had always been deferential with Daisy every time they met, both because of her military ranking and her patriotic attitude. She was indeed a responsible officer whopleted all her missions perfectly. Mr. Yi believed that Colonel Ouyang was ady who demanded respect. "Of course. I will be cooperative, " Daisy said. When Mr. Yi left with the arrested drug dealers, she finally got some quietude back. There would be a report to write regarding today''s event when she got back. She sighed deeply. She frankly did not like that part of the job. They were only formalities without any meaning to them. No one would ever read those reports. What a waste of time! As the police cars roared to life and headed out, the wicked drug dealers and their goods were gone with them too. But Daisy could not feelplete relief. She knew drugs would never fully disappear from the world. People could easily earn much profit by trading them. As long as there were people who worshiped money, there would be many other Shuras in the future. Just like what he said, people like him only cared about getting lucky and receiving the coin, while someone else''s future could be thrown under the bus for all they cared. Human beings were selfish. Each one of us was, to some extent. But it all depended on how badly we craved for things that didn''t belong to us, and to what degree we were willing to sacrifice to get to them. Chapter 787 Enchantingly Handsome Little Boy (Part One) Tonight, it was cool as usual in the mountain. What was unusual, though, was the many figures hiding in the dark. A fierce match of strength and wisdom was going on between the two sides of Daisy''s troops. The soldiers lurking in the shrubs were waiting for their chance to get an advantage over the false enemy. Victory was supreme glory to soldiers. Each side tried their best to win. The training didn''t stop even when they heard the gunshots in the afternoon. Soldiers must follow orders. Before they received a formal order, everything had to be carried out as nned. Daisy didn''t attend to her injuries. They were toomon for her and not serious enough to require her attention. As a servicewoman, she didn''t spend much time on superficial things such as clothes and appearance, as other women might do. She hadn''t felt badst time when her face was cut by Jessica. But she had been worried she might not be pretty enough for Edward, whose face was more beautiful than those of most women! Daisy had been cooperative throughout the treatment Tom had offered to help her, just to make sure that when she and Edward were together, they would still look like the perfect couple. Edward''s face shed into her mind at night, tempting her. She missed him. She understood why it was so hard for Jessica to let him go. To women, he was like a poppy, seemingly charming yet intoxicating. Once they got close to him, they all hopelessly became enamored and were never able to leave him. All humans pursued good things. People tried so hard to get them that in the process they destroyed the very thing they were chasing. Daisy disapproved of that, but she had been lost too once, and had worked hard to make her dreamse true. That was how she got her position in the army. In contrast to the cold in the mountain, the city seemed warm at night. Edward sat on the balcony, swishing the contents of his ss as he sipped the wine. The sorrow on his face was evident. When Daisy wasn''t around, he felt extremely lonely. He was always thinking about her. Only the wine could dispel his loneliness. But this was his life now! Days like this woulde and go, again and again in the future. He must learn to get used to them. He had been unable to deal with loneliness before. It used to make him feel suffocated. But after Daisy hade into his life again, he had begun to feel peaceful. Daisy had ly, Justin had thought about the possibility that his Mommy knew what he had been doing. But he had chosen to ignore it. Snacks were too appealing to him. As long as his secret was kept, he would still have snacks to eat. "You have an answer for everything. Be careful, you might be a fatty one day." Edward didn''t think it was good parenting to be too strict with children. He believed strictness only caused rebellion. Children from a strict family tended to defy their parents sooner orter. Hence, he never forbade Justin from doing anything, But he didn''t agree with indulging children either. Everything had a limit. There should be a line. "How so? Like you, I never get fat no matter how much I eat or what I eat. I have good genes." Justin was an excellent suck-up. To tter his dad, he lied. He always thought he got those good genes from his mom. "Well said. No wonder you are the smart one. Okay, time for bed. You have school tomorrow." Edward got up, carrying Justin in his arms toward his bedroom. Although Justin often acted maturely, he was a kid after all. Kids needed to be loved by their parents. "Wait. Daddy, since Mommy is not home today, can I sleep with you tonight?" Justin looked at Edward in earnest. He seldom asked to sleep beside his parents at night. He knew he was already a big boy. But since his Mommy wasn''t around these days, it fell on him to keep his Daddypany and take care of him. Besides, there were too many women who were jealous of his Mommy and wanted to steal away Daddy. He had to stay close to his Daddy and protect him from those women. Chapter 788 Enchantingly Handsome Little Boy (Part Two) "Do you really want to sleep next to me?" Edward stopped and asked, confused. Justin almost did everything with a clear aim. What was his purpose this time? Sometimes, Edward felt Justin was too intelligent to be from this era; he must havee from ater age or from another. "Yes. Can I? Please..." Justin begged. He gave himself goosebumps as he realized the sweetness in his tone. He didn''t think he was up to act like a spoiled child. It was not his style. Girls must be cuter when they did it. Therefore, yearster, Justin pampered his little sister with utmost love. "Okay then, but no bed-wetting." Edward put him on the bed and turned on the air-conditioner. "Daddy, since when do I wet the bed? Wait. I guess it was you that you were talking about. Did you wet the bed when you were a child?" Justin acted as if something had dawned on him and sized up Edward. "Nonsense. I''m not you. Be quiet and go to sleep. Do you want me to tell you a bedtime story?" Knowing Justin wouldn''t like it, Edward gave a sly smile. He suddenly became evil. "No, I don''t. Bedtime stories are for kids. I''m not that childish." Justin moved aside as if he was afraid that Edward would really tell him a story. He wanted to stay far away from him. "Don''t forget that you are a kid too. Stop acting like a grown-up. It''s not cute at all." Justin had a distinctive personality. Sometimes Edward felt that although he had a son, he couldn''t act like a father around him. As a child, Justin was supposed to be naive and innocent, but instead, he talked and acted like an adult. When he did that, Edward felt a little ruffled. He felt that a lot of fun between father and son had been taken away from him. "Cute is for girls. I am not a girl. Another expression suits me better." Justin giggled. "What expression?" Edward wondered. He felt he couldn''t keep up with Justin''s thinking anymore. Was he getting old? "Enchantingly handsome!" Justin grinned widely. He was indeed as handsome as Edward. He got his appearance from his Daddy. "Ugh! You are absolutely narcissistic. Handsome is enough to make your point. Why did you have to say enchantingly handsome?" ervous. But he was looking forward to seeing Belinda in a wedding dress. Picturing that, he didn''t feel so miserable anymore. However, there were certain things that had been bothering him. "If you are not nervous, don''t be bothered by meaningless stuff. Stay away from trouble. Just look forward to your wedding day. Rx. Let nature take its own course." Edward didn''t know what Duke was upset about, but nothing could be more important than the wedding. "Never mind. The depression was just a spur-of-the-moment feeling. I am fine. All right. I''ve taken too much of your time. Go back to Justin." Duke smiled wryly. It had been silly of him to call Edward. "Okay then. Take it easy. Good night." Edward hung up the phone and shook his head. He was curious. Duke had been said to be the most stately man among his friends. Tonight, it didn''t seem so. Edward was about to put his phone aside when it rang once again. Looking at the caller ID, he was so thrilled that he grinned from ear to ear. "Hello, " he said. It was the simplest word, but all his affections were infused into it. His blue eyes reflected tenderness. One could tell that the person on the call meant the world to him. "Edward, whom were you talking to on the phone? It was a long call. Was it a woman?" Daisy asked with a faint smile. The breeze blew gently against her face. Standing all alone in the dark of a secluded ce, she didn''t feel a trace of fear. Chapter 789 What A Bastard You Are, Duke (Part One) "What a smart woman you are, my Colonel Ouyang. You guessed it correctly straightway. Yes, I was flirting with a beautiful woman just now." Edward cozily nestled himself into the soft bed as a soft smile rested on his face. He wondered whether Duke would get angry after finding out that Edward called him a woman. "Wow. Congrattions to you! You are so considerate tofort someone else''s wifete at night." Daisy''s smile grew wider as she teased him. He must be treading on the air. Did he really believe that she would feel jealous about his words? Too innocent. "Someone else''s wife? Are you implying that I am flirting with a married woman?" Edward frowned slightly. Since when did his wife be so sharp-toothed? She was not like the former Daisy. "Well, I didn''t say that. I just helped you finish your words." She had not meant to call him but still decided to dial his number when she found time. She thought of his sensitivity as a "prince" and knew that he would get unhappy with her should she not call him. "Denying? That''s not what a good soldier is supposed to do, Colonel Ouyang." Daisy seemed to be assured that he would not get angry with her and that he would not be interested with other women. She was very casual and was not even afraid that her words might offend him. How confident she was! However, it was something he couldn''t do anything about as it was him who gave her such courage. He loved her with all his heart and that was the real score. "Mr. Mu, have you forgotten what you have said before? Let me refresh your memory a little. You said that I was your wife before I was a soldier. So I am talking with you as a wife instead of a soldier. I could surely say whatever I want as a wife, right? Do you have anyments now?" Daisy preened herself with her excellent excuse. Yes, she made it! Edward would never anticipate that what he had said could be used against him. She was really clever to take advantage e couldn''t even name. "I forgot it." Duke replied in a cold tone without even turning to her. He was distant as he remained staring in the dark. Belinda felt her heart cracked a bit. She knew that she must have made him unhappy. She tried to recall all the things she did to him recently but failed to find a clue. "What happened to you? You seem to be unhappy today. Is there anything wrong in thepany?" Belinda bit her lips a little. How she wished to hug his waist from behind. It was just that the cold atmosphere around him made her hesitate. She was afraid that he might push her away. "No. You can just leave me alone and do your thing!" Actually, Duke was not waiting for any fancy or beautiful words from her. All he wanted was her embrace. A gentle hug from her would be enough. He was just like a kid in this respect. "Is it not appropriate to talk about it with me? Or is it about me?" Belinda was exceedingly sensitive as a female. She was actually gentle and soft inside even if she spoke like a man most of the times. She sensed that Duke was acting unusual tonight. His refrained anger and unhappiness made her feel worried and she couldn''t help but think that she got something to do with it. She did not know what it was but she just could sense it. She trusted her instinct. Chapter 790 What A Bastard You Are, Duke (Part Two) Duke was still quiet. The frown on his brow went deeper. Other people would think that he was making trouble out of nothing, but he just could not control himself. People who already fell in love would always keep an eye on their beloved. They were always concerned about their beloved''s daily life and a subtle action from their love could easily turn their moods around. Duke was in such a situation now. Belinda became more certain about her guess upon getting no response. However, she stayed looking at his back instead of walking away. The soft chilly breeze inte autumn swept over her naked back and made her feel a bit cold. It was nothingpared with the anxiety in her heart though. She was not even sure if she was the one Duke would like to talk with. She was always doubtful if there would be a time when he would share his real thoughts with her. Nevertheless, she was still hopeful. She was looking forward to his response. A warm nce would be enough for her. She was not the greedy kind. She couldn''t tell what she was really eager for in her heart. Knowing that Duke had a cold personality and that he was a non-expert in expressing his feelings like other men, Belinda decided to walk towards him step by step. She was not asking for too much. All she wanted that time was for him to turn, take a step towards her and wee her at least. Belinda never considered herself to be an ordinary woman who would rely on a man for happiness. She did not even bother to get involved in love stuff. Those things changed since she met Duke Leng. She felt that she became a more ordinary woman. She cared about everything that concerned him, worried about him at the sight of his deep frown, and felt happy for the whole day just because of his slight smile. That was totally different from the former Belinda. It was tough for someone to make another person fall in love with him/her. But Belinda had a h with things. Yes, indeed, she loved him but it did not mean that he could ridicule her as he liked. She felt offended. "Do you think I am being meaninglessly critical just because of the dress? If yes, then you still have a long way to go to understand what kind of person I am." Duke closed his eyes and opened them again. The dress was just a sting fuse. What he minded the most was the fact that she did not treat him as her husband. What made him even more unhappy was how she always managed and endured everything by herself instead of sharing those with him. How he wished she could open to him and seekfort and safety sometimes. "Ok, that''s fine! Then tell me why are you angry? What''s the real reason?" Belinda did not let go of him. Her hand was still grasping his wrist firmly. She did not think that it was a wise idea to let him go and make things worse. Sometimes you could not just escape and refuse to face the problem. You had to face it sooner orter. "Fine, forget it! Probably I am a little bit narrow-minded. Leave me alone. I need some time and space to calm down. Maybe I''ll get through itter." Would he really get through itter? Actually, Duke got no clue. He had spent the whole day thinking about it but failed toe up with anything. Chapter 791 What A Bastard You Are, Duke (Part Three) "No. We need to face the problem and fix it. I don''t like us staying skeptical about each other. There''s going to be a conflict between us and I don''t want that happen." It was better to fix their problem the soonest. It should never be left behind because it might umte into a something bigger, just like a snowball. That was thest thing Belinda would like to see. "Okay. Let me ask you this, why didn''t you tell me that Rachel Qin talked to you once? Why didn''t you show her who you really are and why did you let her insult you with money?" Duke finally spoke out his thoughts. He was not the type of man who did things carelessly and he liked being straightforward. It was only with things rted to Belinda that he became overcautious and indecisive. "Did she tell you that? Oh, I should have expected it. But does it really matter?" The reason why Belinda decided not to tell him about the dinner-meeting was that she did not want him to have a bad impression of her. If she told him, he might think that she was a narrow-minded woman who liked being unreasonably fussy over unimportant things. She never thought of that situation as something important and took care of it easily. There was no need to bother him. But what Duke said just now made her begin doubting herself. Did she do it wrong? "Does it matter? I am the reason for this fuss, right? You are allowed to reason-out to me, talk to me and even find faults with me as long as there''s one second at least that you are still considering me as your husband. But take a look at you. You act as if nothing happened. I haven''t even seen a sign of sadness or anger from you. Why is that? I must be a nobody and there''s probably no space for me in your life. You just simply don''t care about me, Belinda." Duke said with his eyes closed. Many said that women were the more sensitive ones when it came to rtionships ean it, really. You don''t need to care about my feeling." Belinda sniffed. Fine! Let it break in all its fury! She was ready for it. And she really did not care. Duke stood still and looked at her for a few seconds. Then without any word, he held the back side of her head and kissed her on the lips. Pity? Love? Or deep affection? It did not matter for Belinda. There was nothing but Duke and him alone inside her heart and mind. His passionate touch on her made her thrilled. Was this his answer? "I love you." Duke''s panting and sexy voice sounded in Belinda''s ears, as if a gentle faint breeze brushed through her heart. A great shock emerged in her mind and she almost was about to lose her consciousness. Tears poured out of her eyes. Belinda stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips back without any technique. She wanted him to feel her pain and grievance she had all these days through the kiss. God blessed her love by making her act abnormally. Duke did not stop her crazy action. He just epted all her kisses in silent and responded to her passion despite the pain from her heavy kiss. Well, well, well. He should not go out tomorrow because he really had no idea how to exin the hurt on his lips to others. It was going to be extremely awkward. Chapter 792 What Are You Doing (Part One) "I won''t apologize." Belinda didn''t leave his lips until she tasted a tinge of blood. She spoke in a domineering manner, looking very aggressive. His words were still lingering on her mind. He said that he loved her. It turned out she was not the only one who was suffering from the pain of love in the past few days, he suffered too. She was amazed to know this. She realized that they were only an inch away from love, and the gap could have been filled before with only a minor step taken by one of them. "When have you be like a puppy dog?" Duke wiped the blood on his lips. The pain made him realize that he had been bitten by a woman. He wasn''t angry at all though. On the contrary, he shed a brilliant smile. Belinda was dazzled by his charming smile which she had never seen before. It filled her with love. "Duke, do you really mean what you said just now?" Belinda mumbled. She didn''t dare to ask in a loud voice, fearing that any loud sound might shatter the beautiful dream she thought she was in now. "What did I say just now?" Like Belinda, Duke also pretended that he knew nothing. His forehead was against hers. His eyes were full of affection. Besides Leena, this woman was the only one that he was willing tovish with his tenderness and affection. He would cherish her wholeheartedly. "You said you love me, you can''t deny it." His confession was such a pleasant surprise before the wedding day. Everything was still surreal to her as she couldn''t believe what just happened. "Did I say that? Are you sure you didn''t mishear?" Duke continued to tease. Yes, he fell in love with her and he didn''t want to deny it. He found that it was harder to restrain himself from loving her than to free himself and let the love take its lead. So he frankly admitted his love to her. "I may mishear anything else but never the words you said just now. Duke, when did you realize that you fell in love with me?" Belinda raised her head and gazed at him, her eyes filled with happiness. She had never felt so much love with any other man in her life except for Zachary, her father. Wasn''t it said that daughters were their fathers'' lovers in a past life? His father took a special ce in her heart which could not be reced by any other men. "Yes, that''s a good question. When did I fall in love with you?" Duke was suddenly lost in his thought. Was it when she pped him or when she fought with him for a parking space? Could it be when she showed how sexy and charming she was when she w hing here? If you get me, you will have everything. Daisy, you better exin what happened to you. Why the hell do you look so nasty? Have you fallen into a cesspit?" Edward furrowed his brows and looked at the dirty mud on her with disgust. Who would think that she was the aloof and arrogant female colonel with her excessively messy look? "Um¡­ I¡­I didn''t have time to get back to the army base to clean myself. You can pretend that you didn''t see me. But why is Justin here?" Daisy said as she stepped back. She feared that he might see the wounds on her if she was too close to him. "Why? Of course, he''s ying his role as your spy. He came here to watch me when you were out. What a good son! Aren''t you moved by him?" Edward teased with a sneer. The more he looked at her, the deeper he frowned. He was a germaphobe. Fortunately, it was Daisy, he would have thrown the person out already if it were someone else. "Huh! Is our son always taking my side depressing you?" Daisy felt very happy upon hearing Edward''sin. It was good to have such a considerate son! "I''m not depressed by that. But if you stay here unwashed, I will not only get depressed. I will also go crazy." Edward stared at her. ''Huh! What is she looking so smug about? Wait until I make her pregnant with a baby girl and see whose side our daughter will take after she grows up, '' Edward thought. "Okay, I will go to wash." Daisy would never expect that her careless words tonight would cause her a big troubleter. She would have topete for Edward''s favor with their daughter. That would be embarrassing. More, she would always be pissed off and have nowhere to shed her tears. Chapter 793 What Are You Doing (Part Two) Edward shook his head helplessly as soon as Daisy left. No wonder she didn''t have any romantic rtionship within the troop. Who would think that she was beautiful if she looked like that every day? Well, that was a good thing too because he would not have rivals over her affection in that case. In fact, Edward waspletely wrong thinking in this way. It was not that no men liked Daisy in the troop. Truth was that no men dared to go after her. Her usual cold face had already made the pursuers feel daunted. Who would dare to take the risk? She was a colonel! It was not until Daisy looked at the mirror that she realized why Edward showed a disgust at the sight of her just earlier. She couldn''t even help hating how she looked. She carefully took her uniform off. Damn it! The uniform was rendered useless again. She felt fortunate that it was an old uniform, otherwise, she would be depressed for a long while. But what should she do with her wounds now? She had to apply some medicine on them. How should she exin this to Edward without making him angry? She was baffled. She stayed in the bathroom for a long time, wondering how to solve this problem. It was not until she heard the knocks on the door that she hunched her shoulders and walked out. "What are you doing there? It took you so long." Edward had taken Justin to his own room. But he didn''t expect that she still didn''te out after a long time when he came back. Did she fall asleep in the bathroom? Edward wondered. "Nothing. The paint on my face is difficult to remove. That took some time. Hush! Don''t wake Justin up!" Daisy ced her finger next to her lips to signal Edward to lower his voice. She was back to look beautiful after her shower. Her skin became rosy after being soaked in warm water. "Don''t worry. I have taken him back to his own room." If he had known that Daisy woulde back at dawn, he would not have let Justin sleep with him. "You are so swift." Daisy took down the towel she used to dry her hair and directly walked into the chamber, but Edward gripped her and dragged her back. "What happened to your face?" Edward narrowed his dangerous eyes and gazed at her firmly without even a blink. "Nothing. It just got scratched by the thorns in the mountain. It''s no big deal. It will heal by tomorrow." Daisy replied with a convincing smile. The wound on her face really didn''t matter. She had thought that it was not serious. What she cared more were the knife wounds on her body. reated by a male doctor in the open air while she waspletely conscious. She refused the treatment and decided toe back to apply some medicine by herself. She thought the wounds were not very serious, anyway. "Wait, I will call Tom and ask him toe here." Edward reached out his hand to take his cell phone as soon as he finished talking. Daisy''s wounds looked severe in his eyes. "You don''t need to call him. It''s not very serious. You only need to help me apply some medicine." She stopped him by gripping his hand. She felt reluctant to bother Tom because of such minor injuries. She was not as fragile as Edward thought. "But you got so many wounds, what if they get infected?" Edward frowned. This was what concerned him the most. He didn''t know much about these things because he was not a doctor. "I will be fine. I can ask him to do the treatment when I go to the hospitalter." At the mention of Tom, Daisy suddenly remembered that Hero had just woken up. She nned to visit him. Thus, she could only go back to the army base after the trip to the hospital. She really marveled at Tom''s medical skills. It was magical that he brought Hero back to life. Everybody had thought that it was impossible to save such a dying man. They had to admit that Tom was really an excellent doctor. "Okay, I will go with you when the day breaks." Edward knew that Hero had woken up from Tom earlier. But he didn''t go to see him when he got the news. Edward thought that he had done his utmost to save him and that was enough. There was no need for him to feel that he owed a favor to Hero anymore. He had returned all the favor. Thus, they were even. Chapter 794 Chocolate Abs (Part One) "Did Tom tell you that Hero came out of hisa?" Daisy pursed her lips and stared at Edward with deep affection. In fact, she really didn''t think that this man could be so generous and open-minded. From this matter, she had learned more about him and fallen even more deeply in love with him. "Yes, he did. But I don''t really want to visit him. I just want to go to the hospital with you." Edward was afraid that Daisy made a perfunctory promise, so he had to go personally. "Well, don''t bother. I''ll go to the hospital to apply medicine as I promised." Daisy''s lips were set in a pout of annoyance as Edward didn''t trust her. "I don''t trust you. You always lie to me." Edward took out the medicine cab. She was often injured some time ago, so there was a lot of medicine. "I didn''t want to hurt myself. It was just an ident. Do you know what that means? It means that it wasn''t something I could have avoided." Daisy didn''t know why she felt so sweet to see Edward angry at her injury. This should be the feeling of being cared for, and she liked it very much. "Tell me about it. What kind of ident could seriously hurt the mighty colonel? Lie down." Edward looked grim at the moment he saw her injury. The man''s words dripped with venom. "Maybe we''ll hear it on the news. So during a training exercise, soldiers training in the wilderness happened on a major drug deal going down. The amount of drugs found was astounding. No one escaped, and none of the soldiers were killed or injured. Don''t you think this news is very encouraging?" One eyebrow cocked, Daisyy down as Edward talked. She didn''t know if she would hear his roar or words of gentlefort, but she thought that it was very likely that it would be thetter. "Don''t tell me that you went into the woods alone for survival training. There must have been hundreds of drug smugglers, right? You had so many soldiers, but they somehow couldn''t beat the drug smugglers. You had to join the fight personally, so you were seriously hurt." The man red at Daisy, gnashing his teeth. He applied medicine on Daisy''s wounds, with unnecessary roughness. As Daisy expected, he was really burning in a frenzy o nket, Edward kissed her on the lips before he walked into the washroom. "Mr. Mu, why are you so early today?" After Edward freshened up, he went to the gym. Luke was very surprised to see him. He usually got up at about eight o''clock, so he rarely came to exercise at this time. "Well, a noise woke me up, and I couldn''t get back to sleep. Wow, what a wonderful eight-pack abdominal muscle. What do girls call it? The name escapes me at the moment." Edward frowned. "Chocte abs?" Luke ventured, referring to abdominal muscles that looked like the divided parts of a chocte bar. Luke''s face reddened with embarrassment. In fact, Edward was extremely well-proportioned, but for the sake of beauty, he didn''t have abs. However, his V-taper looked good. "Well, girls also like chocte. So you should have no problem finding a girl with those abs." Edward looked at Luke with a joking smile. Luke was honest, but not exactly the most interesting guy, and he didn''t really have a way with words. He was also a good man, but for some reason never seemed to be able to get a girlfriend. Maybe his grim appearance scared them away. "Mr. Mu, don''t make fun of me. Girls are trouble. I don''t even want to get close to them." Luke had witnessed too many examples, so he didn''t want to waste his life digging himself out of whatever troubles a girl could mire him in. Besides, all he wanted was to protect Edward. He didn''t want any girl to hinder him. Chapter 795 Chocolate Abs (Part Two) "Girls are trouble, but I find them cute. Why not let your hair down a bit?" Edward asked. He started warming up, starting with a few lunges. He thought he needed to introduce girls to Luke as a reward for his loyalty over the years. He enjoyed his happy marriage, so he also wanted Luke to have a family. "No, I don''t think so. They are trouble, and they only bring danger." Luke shivered with fear. The horrible things that Jessica and Mary did frightened him. "Ha-ha! Well said. Don''t let my mom hear you. Otherwise she''ll make you suffer bitterly." Edward burst intoughter. If a girl fell in love with Luke, it would be a very tragic thing. He could easily guess what would happen. Luke would just stand there while his girl would be throwing things at him. "Mom''s still asleep. Don''t worry, " Luke said. Finishing up the curls he was doing, he reced the dumbbell on the rack. Then he walked to a different part of the gym with Edward. "It''s hard to say. Women are everywhere. It''s impossible to constantly fend them off. Eventually one''s going to find a weak spot, and...you know..." Edward continued teasing Luke. In fact, in his eyes, the woman he loved was the most beautiful creature in the world. That didn''t mean he couldn''t have a little fun with his friend. Luke twitched his lips. He didn''t know what Edward meant. Did Edward want him to have a girlfriend or not? He was still single, but Edward said that to scare him, which made him dislike women even more. After getting back from the gym, Edward took a shower and woke Daisy. Deep in his heart, he didn''t want to wake her, but he was afraid that might get in the way of her career. A good officer never sleptte. After arriving at the hospital, Daisy went to see Hero first. Although he hade around, he was still recovering, so he wasn''t conscious. The unit nurse said that he had just taken medicine and fallen asleep, so she left after staying for a while. "Let''s go." Daisy walked out of the ward, frowning. It was hard for Hero to knock at the gates of death. She felt sad, because he used to be because he was the one behind the scenes, but he''s so smart that he hasn''t left any evidence to use him. We do have eyewitness testimony but it will be somewhat difficult to pass sentence, because it''s so hard to find evidence. He was pretty thorough." Daisy forced a smile. She used to think Hero was a gentle and chivalrous man. If he hadn''t told her himself, she wouldn''t have believed that he was an arms dealer. It was thest thing that she wanted to ept. All along his disguise had deceived her. He was shrewd and deep, and shecked experience in this respect, so she wasn''t aware what was going on when she was with him. "Forget it. We''ll just have to wait and see." Edward knew that something must have happened between Daisy and Hero. Or else as a colonel, she wouldn''t be saddened by an arms merchant who had broken thew. They were probably good friends once. "Okay. I wonder if Tom''s here yet." Daisy gave an indifferent smile. She could do nothing about it. After all, she was a colonel, while Hero was an arms merchant. She did what she had to. "It''s not early. He''s worried this hospital will be closed down, so he should be here." Edward knew well what this hospital meant to Tom. This was the ce where his dream started. He had wanted to name the hospital after Leena to show his deep love for her, but then dropped the idea and named it Renxin Hospital. Chapter 796 I Love Her (Part One) Tom always got to work on time. It was as Edward had expected. Punctuality was Tom''s strong suit. When Edward entered Tom''s office without knocking, he was met by a pair of fierce eyes. But when Tom saw Edward, he instantly changed his expression to a smile. Tom didn''t dare to offend Edward, as the CEO had a myriad of ways to get back at him. Edward was by no means a forgiving man. "Good morning, Edward, Daisy. I guess you''ve seen Hero, huh?" It annoyed Tom to think of the two policemen standing outside Hero''s ward. They''d seriously hurt the business and reputation of his hospital. Edward, however, forced Tom to treat Hero. If it hadn''t been for Edward, Tom wouldn''t have had anything to do with Hero. "Yes, we have. Thanks, Tom, " Daisy said with a smile of appreciation. Though Hero was not that important to her, she appreciated Tom very much for having saved the man she once considered a friend. "Come on, Daisy. Don''t be so formal. Edward and I are good buddies. No need for that, " Tom said, stealing a nce at Edward. He was relieved to find that Edward wasn''t looking at him. "Since we are such good buddies, I believe you won''t mind checking my wife''s wounds." Edward smiled slyly. He had been waiting for what Tom would do to trap himself again. Tom alwaysined that Edward treated him like a ve. This time, Tom would have no excuse toin. "What? Daisy, you got hurt again? You must be joking, right?" Tom cried in astonishment. He finally realized why Edward neither scolded him nor shot cold eyes at him. It turned out that Edward wanted something from him. He always wanted something from him. "Sorry to bug you, Tom. Recently, I''ve been off my game, like I''m weaker. I''m not as quick as I was. And that was why I got hurt a couple of times." Daisy smiled awkwardly. She told Edward there was no need for her to go to the hospital and she could simply apply some medicine on her wounds, but Edward ignored her opinion and took her here immediately. "Come on! If you''re out of shape, what does that make me? Azy pig, that''s what. I might die of embarrassment!" Hearing Daisy''s exnation, Tom felt ashamed of himself and pretended to strike his head against the wall. Daisy was much stronger than most men, but she still thought so little of herself as to believe she needed more exercise. The woman was unbelievable! "Before you die, treat her firs Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. was extremely happy that her best friend was getting married. A wedding is a joyful celebration of love. Daisy decided toe to the wedding in her best condition. "You remember that, huh? I thought you were too busy to remember their wedding." Edward pinched Daisy''s nose affectionately, eyes full of love. Being the husband of a soldier, he had to put up with loneliness, and worry about her safety from time to time. He had asked himself for several times why he fell in love with Daisy. But he didn''t have an answer yet. What is love? Nobody could answer it clearly. "Come on! I won''t forget my best friend''s wedding date. Edward, just go to the office. It''s gettingte. I gotta jet." Daisy nced at her wrist to check the time. She couldn''t help but frown when she thought about everything that she needed to deal with. "All right! Have a safe drive." Edward kissed Daisy on her forehead and opened the car door for her. "Sure! You too, Edward." Daisy urged, blushing. She was used to Edward''s ways of showing his love in public, but she blushed with shyness every time he kissed her. "Bye!" Edward waved, letting his eyes settle upon Daisy. It was not until the military vehicle vanished that Edward got in his own car and started the engine. Luke followed him closely. In the morning, the president of Leng Group announced that he was going to get married the next day. Thepany was bustling with noise and excitement. Everyone was wondering who Duke would be marrying. Was it the president of YS Financial Group, Rachel, or some otherdy from a rich and powerful family? Chapter 797 I Love Her (Part Two) "What did you just say? Duke is getting married tomorrow?" Rachel asked anxiously as she grabbed the shoulder of a female employee. She thought she had a chance to be Duke''s wife. After all, the title of the wife of the president of Leng Group was very attractive to her and she made up her mind to win Duke back. But Duke just announced that he was getting married. What should she do? "Yeah, Mr. Leng is tying the knot tomorrow. You haven''t heard? So, you''re not the bride, huh?" Thedy gave Rachel a pitiful look. Rachel didn''t even know Duke was getting married tomorrow, so she could not be the bride. "Uh, he mentioned something about it before. I guess I forgot." Rachel shed an embarrassed smile. She couldn''t ept the truth that she lost out to Belinda. Rachel dropped into a nearby chair, lost in thought. A lot of employees stood there, staring at Rachel and gossiping about her. Rachel knew they were mocking her. She feigned inner peace and walked towards thedies'' room. The moment she entered thedies'' room, tears were streaming down her cheeks. ''Belinda Shangguan, you think you win Duke, huh? You are wrong. As long as I''m alive, you won''t be able to live a happy life with Duke. I''ll do everything I can to tear you two apart. You just wait and see!'' Rachel thought to herself. Rachel waspletely mad at this moment. She pped the stream of water over and over again as if it were Belinda. She just vented her anger on running water. ''I can''t just sit back and watch this happen. I must find Duke now. Why did he suddenly announce their wedding in public? Did Belinda force him to do that? Yes! Belinda must have forced him to dere the wedding in public!'' Rachel thought in her mind. Ignoring the water on her dress, she walked out of thedies'' room and proceeded to the president''s office. Rachel burst into Duke''s office without knocking and shut the door. She was so fast that the secretary was unable to stop her. Watching Rachel, the secretary was dumbfounded. She didn''t dare to walk in, so she had to wait at the door in case the president called for her. She hoped that the president was in a good mood today, otherwise she''d get med for not having stopped Rachel. "Duke, are you going to marry that woman?" Rachel asked, ignoring Duke''s cold eyes. "Rachel Qin, I''m your boss. Show some respect. By the way, my marriage has nothing to do with you. It''s my affair, not yours. You have som Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. leave me the first time. The only person I have ever been in love with is Belinda. And that''s still true. We clear?" If Duke had never met Belinda, he would treat the thing between Rachel and him as love. He might even make himself believe it. But now he realized what love was and he knew he never loved Rachel. "No! Now you''re just kidding, " sheughed, somewhat hysterically. "You love me, not Belinda. You can stop making fun of me now. You nearly broke my heart." Rachel grabbed his hand again, tears trickling down her cheeks. Duke, however, had no feelings at all. "Bah! You''re way too full of yourself. Just take a look in the mirror. You make me sick!" Duke, once again, shook off Rachel''s hands. He hated being touched by anyone except for Belinda. "You''ll be sorry for treating me so badly. If I don''t deserve your love, then who does? Belinda Shangguan? She can''t hold a candle to me! Appearance, education, capability, family background... I''m so much better in every way. Why did you fall in love with such a woman?" Belinda lived a simple life. She drove an ordinary car and wore in clothes. As a result, Rachel thought Belinda was from a poor family. "So what? Regardless of what you think, she''s the perfect woman for me. I love her, and I will take care of her. That little fit you threw just now? That''s why we can''t be together." What Rachel said annoyed him. Duke didn''t know why she was so sure of herself, but he wasn''t going to let her trash Belinda. He shook his head and was about to drive her out. After all, she was unable to ept his exnation, and anything further was a waste of breath. Chapter 798 The Slap (Part One) "Do you really think you two will be happy together?" Rachel stared at Duke with a dark look. Her face was covered with tears that were not yet dry. Before Duke could answer, Belinda cut in. She stood at the door, smiling and amused. "I don''t think you need to be concerned with that. We''ll live happily ever after." "Belinda! Don''t be so cocky. Do you really think that Duke''s in love with you? Listen to me, don''t be so naive! Men promise one thing, then do something else! Look at me; I''m a cautionary tale." Already agitated, Rachel became even more unhinged when she saw Belinda. "I''m not going to depend on men, but I can still trust my husband. He will bring me happiness." Belinda walked closer and closer. Her smile grew bigger and brighter. She looked so charming and confident that her beauty reached its peak. "Haha! "Happiness. Do you know that I used to be the only one in Duke''s heart?" Rachel red at Belinda intensely. She wanted to tear that big smile off Belinda''s face. "But you aren''t anymore, are you? That''s why I''ll enjoy this even more." Belinda stopped right next to Duke and adjusted his cor, looking like a kind and caringdy to her man. "You... You..." Rachel pointed at Belinda with a trembling finger. She was too angry at this disy of affection to speak. "What? I''m fine, but are you okay? You look a bit pale." Belinda pped away Rachel''s finger, but her smile remained. Belinda knew that she would never be fazed by a woman like Rachel. So Belinda didn''t y Rachel''s game, and instead beat her at it. Rachel obviously picked the wrong woman to mess with. "You haven''t won today. Who knows who will get thestugh! Bitch." Furious now, Rachel began to hurl insult, and she immediately paid for it. Belinda pped her loudly across the face without thinking twice. Everyone froze in an instant. "Miss Qin, get over yourself. As long as people don''t cross me, I won''t bother them. But obviously you''re acting insolent, so you absolutely deserve that." Belinda was not like Daisy. She didn''t have an official reputation to live up to, and there were no consequences for cutting loose like that. "You hit me! Who the hell do you think you are?" Rachel covered her cheek, trying to soothe it with her palm. She made sure to remember this, because she vowed to doubly return the favor in the future. "You made your bed, now Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hether hees or not, that''s his business." If he wasn''t Daisy''s friend, Belinda would never deliver an invitation in person, if at all. "OK, the more the merrier I suppose. Let''s go!" Duke picked up his coat, and just before he could take Belinda''s hand, the phone rang. Reaching into his pocket, he answered. "Hello! Leena, what''s going on?" Duke answered the phone as he was walking out. Belinda followed quietly. They exited the office one after the other. "Is Belinda with you? I tried calling her but no one answered!" Leena was on the other end, calling while wiping a table with a piece of cloth. She was sweating from the exertion. "Oh! She''s with me right now. Do you want to speak to her?" Duke slowed down and waited for Leena''s response. "Yeah! Hand her the phone for a moment." Leena sat down on the floor and took a little break. She was exhausted from cleaning all morning. "Here! Leena''s looking for you." Duke handed Belinda the phone and walked with her into the elevator. "Girl, what happened?" Belinda just realized that she left her phone in the car. No wonder Leena would be calling Duke to ask for her. "Hey, didn''t I ask you to consult with me after you try on the wedding dress? Have you tried it on or have you forgotten?" Leenay directly on the floor. She felt cooler already, and she was d to rx. Thefort gave her an involuntary chill. "Oh! Sorry! I was busy and forgot to call. The dress fits well. No need for alterations. Thanks, girl." Smacking her forehead, she thought, ''how could I have forgotten something so important?'' Chapter 799 The Slap (Part Two) "Great, no alterations. Where are you guys headed?" Leena lived by herself for a little too long. She often felt sad somehow, so she was not really interested in doing anything. "We''re going out to eat. Want toe along?" Belinda was not familiar with Leena''s circle of friends and acquaintances, so she was not sure if Leena had been going out with friends when Kevin was not at home. "No, I''ve been cleaning this morning. Right now I''m so tired that I just want to lie down and slip into aa." Ever since she lost weight, she didn''t seem to easily gain weight anymore. So no matter how much she ate or slept, she couldn''t get fat. She was thrilled about this. That''s why she bragged so proudly to Daisy the other day, as if she''d never been fat before. "Why are you cleaning? Didn''t I tell you to hire someone?" Belinda furrowed her brows a little. Afterst time when Leena was burnt by hot oil, they had asked her to hire some help, but they were surprised that she still hadn''t done that. "It''s OK. Our ce is not as big as the Leng mansion, so I got this. Besides, I don''t like having strangers over,ing and going as they please." At the Leng mansion, Leena never shunned the servants because they had been there since she was born. After so long, they were very much like family to her. She didn''t have any problem with them. But if Leena had to hire someone now, she wouldn''t befortable at all. "I really can''t get through to you, can I? Are you sure you''re noting?" Belinda knew that everyone had to live their own life, so she no longer harped on that subject. "No, you guys enjoy! Eat well, but if you can''t fit in the wedding dress tomorrow, It''s not my fault." Leena smiled naughtily. She then surveyed the day''s handiwork and uttered a sigh offort. "You brat, are you pulling my leg? How can one meal make me fat, or is the dress going to shrink?" Belinda rolled her eyes, annoyed. She followed Duke''s lead as the two left thepany building. "No, I''d never pull your leg. I''m just telling you the truth. If you want to look prettier in the we through on that. It turns out that she was saving him for Leena." Belinda was vividly telling her story, and Duke was almost ovee with jealousy. He was even more resentful towards Kevin who not only took his sister but also captivated his wife. Duke was not nning to let him off so easily. "So do you really think you missed out?" Duke was gritting his teeth while staring at her. He dared her to say yes, and he would make sure that she''d regret it. "Not at all! To be frank, it''s good to have him as a brother-inw. He''s still part of the family, isn''t he?" More often than not, Belinda was a really spur of the moment kind of gal, so she waspletely oblivious to Duke''s overpowering jealousy in their small car. "A part of the family? Why don''t I feel that way?" Duke smiled slyly. It was not easy to be a part of the Leng family. He had to put Kevin back in his ce. This prospect made Duke much happier. "What do you mean? Don''t you ever think about what kind of problems you''re causing? You only care about your own feelings instead of your sister''s. I don''t know if you really love her. Or are you just causing her pain in the name of loving her?" Even though Leena would sometimes infuriate Duke, she had mostly been understanding and well-behaved, which he honestly admired. So he was aware of her asional sadness and loneliness, and was deeply hurt as well. Chapter 800 The Return Of Major General Gu (Part One) "What are you saying?" Duke red at Belinda with burning eyes. Leena was his beloved sister, and everything he did was for her sake. Why would he harm Leena? "Now wait a minute. You got the wrong idea, Duke. I didn''t mean anything by it." Belinda twitched her mouth. She wasn''t stupid. She knew that what she said had irritated Duke, so she decided not to piss him off any more than she already did. Duke smirked as Belinda kept her mouth shut. He started the car and put his foot down hard on the elerator, zooming the two of them away. They were too busy to notice Rachel sitting in her Porsche, staring daggers in their direction, watching them as they pulled away. Her face was contorted with anger. After they disappeared on the broad street lined with trees, she also stepped on the gas and left the Leng Group. Rachel led an extravagant life. She knew how to live like ady of quality. She only bought name-brand items. However, she also knew that in order to live a rich life and keep herself in luxury goods, she had to find someone who was willing to foot the bills for hervish habits. That was non-negotiable. Undoubtedly, Duke was at the top of her list, so even if Belinda frustrated her for the moment, she wouldn''t give in easily. She believed that she could outdo Belinda and take her ce at Duke''s side. Deep in her heart, she knew she didn''t love Duke. She was absolutely egotistical and cared only about herself and her own needs. The reason why she was with Duke was that he could gratify her vanity. She liked his handsome appearance, noble temperament and most importantly, abundant funds. These were the things that she could show off. They once had a brief romance, and she still had it, so she was able to seduce Duke regardless of whether he was single or not. However, she didn''t expect that Belinda, who was aggressive and sharp-tongued, was that hard to deal with. It seemed that she had a long way to go before she could get what she wanted. In her ostentatious Porsche, she cranked up the beats, engine and stereo at full st, intoxicated by the speed and passion that she craved. She wouldn''t miss the wedding tomorrow. Although they didn''t tell her where the wedding would be held, she decided to use her connections to find it out. She would doll herself up, go to the wedding, and make a scene. Then everyone would know how Belinda seduced her ex-boyfriend and forced him to marry her. Then Duke would be hers, and his friends would support them. Darkness fell early inte autumn. When Leena woke up, the night was pressing up against the windows, held at bay his mind asionally. Leena buried her face in Kevin''s arms. She rushed over on the spur of the moment just now. After she calmed down a bit, she flushed in embarrassment. Listening to his words, she buried her head deeper. "Sorry I scared you. It''s all right now." Instead of pushing her away, Kevin held Leena more tightly. He knitted his brow at the sight of the noodles on the tea table. Did Leena always eat instant noodles when he was away for training? "I just didn''t think that you''d be back so soon." Leena sniffed back her tears. Seeing that his jacket was damp with her tears, she felt so embarrassed that she didn''t want to look up and meet his gaze. "I''m always back when training''s over and done. Don''t you want to see me?" Kevin lovingly wiped the tears on Leena''s cheeks. Leena burst into tears easily, just like a little spoiled girl. "I didn''t mean that. I just thought that you''d be gone longer, that the training would take you a long time, " Leena anxiously exined, her eyes red from weeping. "Do you eat instant noodles every day?" Kevin led Leena to the couch and sat down, frowning at the steaming Styrofoam cup of instant noodles that she had just began to eat. "No, only sometimes. Did you eat dinner? I can cook for you if you''re hungry." Leena forced a smile. It was the first time that she had eaten instant noodles recently, and Kevin happened to see it. "No, but it''s a littlete now. Tell you what: I''ll go upstairs and shower. Then we can go out to dinner." Looking around, Kevin saw the house was clean and kept in good. When he was out, Leena must have taken care of the house very carefully. Everything was neatly in its ce, whether a shelf or a cab. He had a wonderful wife. Chapter 801 The Return Of Major General Gu (Part Two) "Do we really need to go out?" The refrigerator was packed. It would take about 30 minutes or so to prepare a sumptuous dinner. Eating out was a waste of time. Besides, the food in the restaurant was salty and oily. Leena didn''t like it. "Why? Don''t you want to go out?" Kevin looked straight at Leena. ''What a doll-like girl, '' he thought. Her lips pouted invitingly, making her look like a little princess. "No. You must be tired from your trip. Go take a shower first. I promise dinner will be ready after you finish the shower. We don''t have to go out to look for a restaurant. Not when we have everything we need here." Leena immediately stood up and walked to the kitchen at a brisk pace. It was the happiest thing to cook dinner for the man she loved. "Alright. Take your time. Don''t be too anxious. I don''t need you to burn yourself again." Kevin proposed going out to eat because he didn''t want Leena to cook. Since Leena didn''t want to go out, he agreed to stay home. Also, he had been out for a long time. He missed the delicious dishes that Leena cooked. Leena washed the rice deftly and put it in the electric cooker. After pressing "on, " she went to take out some simple ingredients from the refrigerator. ''It won''t take much time, '' she thought. Kevin looked at the rest of the instant noodles and herptop on the table. The screen was still on. Kevin guessed she must have been surfing the while eating noodles just now. It was what young girls like Leena liked to do. Kevin shook his head smiling. He never had time for it. He turned around and carried his suitcase upstairs. After a ten hour flight, he did feel a little tired, so he took Leena''s advice to rx and enjoy a bath. Going back to the familiar bedroom, Kevin found it was filled with a faint floral fragrance which he had never smelled before. It looked like Leena had changed the room while he was away. Even the smell of the air was different. She had added colorful pillows, closet organizers, more shelves, brightly-hued throws, and had moved more of her stuffed animals from the Leng house here. It was definitely more girly. Everything in the house was familiar yet strange to Kevin, because Leena had made many big changes. It was totally different from how it used to be. When Leena lived here alone, she must have been busy decorating the ce. Now the house was much more cozy andfortable than before. Kevin was quite satisfied with it. Immersing himself in the warm water, Kevin gave afortable sigh and fel ent he returned. That kind of warmth didn''te from a fire or from the sun, but from the heart. If she hadn''t been here, he would have been disappointed when he came in. "How is your brother?" Although Duke didn''t treat Kevin like a brother-inw, Kevin had already epted him as a family member. "He''s fine. Oh right. Your timing is awesome. His wedding will be held tomorrow. I thought that you''d have to miss it. But you came back tonight. Let''s go to the wedding together tomorrow." When she talked about the wedding, Leena grew more and more excited. She brought Duke and Belinda together. Although sometimes she felt sorry for Belinda, but if she was given another chance to make a choice again, she thought she would do the same. Belinda was drugged after all when she slept with Duke, and that was Leena''s doing. "Oh? Really? That''s lucky." ''What a coincidence, '' Kevin thought, ''I''m really in luck. If I miss Duke''s wedding, he''ll make things difficult for me in the future. I''m dead dog tired, but I have to see this through.'' "You''re free tomorrow, right?" Leena asked with some hesitation, tilting her head to one side. She worried that he might have to go right back to work. "Yes. Yes I am. I''ll report for duty at the army base on Monday, so I have two days off." Kevin was really hungry, so he glutted himself with the dishes. "Take your time, Kevin. Don''t choke yourself, " Leena said in a concerned tone, "The food on the ne must be hard to swallow, right? I never opt for meals during short flights." Kevin nodded in agreement. He was going to a wedding tomorrow. Probably not a good idea to end up in the hospital with a blocked airway before then. Chapter 802 A Delicate Necklace (Part One) "Really? There won''t be any problem, right?" Leena could not help jumping for joy in her heart because he would be with her for two whole days. She was happy and wanted to spend more time with him. After all, she would be in Paris two dayster. So these two days were quite precious for her. Although she was not sure whether Kevin wanted to stay with her in the two days or not, she was expecting a lot for theing two days. Happy? She was ecstatic. "There won''t be any. I promise you. You''ve got me for the weekend. We good?" Kevin took a sip of his soup and then raised his head to take a look at her. His heart could not help beating happily when he saw Leena''s bright smile. And that was it. All the aggravation, having to take Duke''s abuse, the hard life of a soldier -- her smile made everything worth it. "No, only kids needpany. I am not a kid anymore." She stuck out her tongue to show him she was teasing. What a typical woman! In her heart, she could not be happier about hispany. She was desperate for it but pretended not to care a bit. "Really? Well, now that you don''t need me, I can make other ns for tomorrow then." Kevin smiled and lowered his head to continue his meal as if he were fine about everything. Upon hearing this, Leena opened her eyes wide, staring at him. Come on, she was just kidding. How could he take it seriously? Should he have other arrangements, she would be extremely disappointed! God knew how hard she had wished to have him for two whole days. Her hopes were dashed all of a sudden, just because of a few careless words. "Well..." Leenapressed her lips a little and did not know what she could do to take back her words. How could this man be so unromantic? Couldn''t he know her feelings? She did want him there, and he must know it. Come on, she was a female! As a woman, she should be shy and pretend to reject his offer. And she''d done it. Bu oominess disappeared all of a sudden. She was lit up immediately on Kevin''s exnation. Holding her little hands, Kevin finally made it all better. He continued holding one hand and gently walked with her to the dining table to continue the dinner. After they sat down, Kevin shook his head helplessly. Now he figured that he could not make fun of herter because she would take it really seriously. "Hum! I''m still mad because of you." Leena touched her nose awkwardly. She would never admit that she was too foolish to figure out that he was actually joking with her. "Ok, ok. I said it''s my fault. Now let''s finish our dinner! Everything''s getting cold." While Kevin dished her up some food, he started to smile. He realized that he really liked her. But could he grow to love her given enough time? He didn''t know. Kevin''s caring words and actions made Leena feel bashful. She lowered her head and continued her meal. She had been born and raised in a rich and prominent family and lived a princess life, so she had an extremely proper and elegant way of having meals. Every move and action showed perfectly that she was a real princess. Unlike ordinary women, she acted punctiliously when she enjoyed the dinner. It was in stark contrast to her vivid personality. Chapter 803 A Delicate Necklace (Part Two) After they finished dinner, Kevin cleared the table and washed the dishes. Free from cleaning, Leena casually surfed the web. She wanted to take a look at some winter fashion collections from other designers so as to make sure that there wouldn''t be any resemnce between hers and theirs. After all, designers might share simr inspirations sometimes. That happened a lot. Even though they might not be exactly the same, the simrities might extend to at least 50%. Therefore, in order to avoid being seen as a copycat, Leena would always add some new elements in addition to her original design to make her work fly its own colors as hard as she could. Kevin would never expect that as an heiress from a rich family, Leena could have picked up their house so tidily without the help of a house-maid. Everything in their home was well-ced and the house was extremely clean. He was visibly moved by this fact. He raised his head and took a look around the kitchen. It all looked different. Leena had run out and purchased a lot of tableware. He really started to think hard, swallowing and moving his Adam''s apple. Now he started to feel that he was in a real home. All the things were tidied up and put in proper locations so that they were easily reachable. She seemed to be a smart girl. As a soldier, he rarely had time to take care of everything at home ever since they got married. At first, he worried sometimes that she might be unable to take it. But she managed everything silently. He was just unable to imagine this. Young women nowadays were not so capable of dealing with housework, cooking, or even being alone. That set his mind at ease somewhat. After cleaning and drying all the dishes, he put them into the disinfection cab and then walked out of the kitchen. He walked up to Leena without making any noise, standing behind her and watching her browse some web pages and videos about fashion shows. He recalled thatst time s , she had a difficult time in a rtionship. That was why she chose him when she got drunk. "Ur! Do you really think that?" Leena''s face heated up with embarrassment. Well, she didn''t want to call it a break-up, but indeed, she got hurt. "I can''t figure out any other reason apart from this. You drank so much and were massively shit-faced at that time." Somehow, Kevin felt ufortable at the thought that she might still have feelings for another man. "Well, not really. I found out that I was not so heartbroken as I had imagined I might be after we stopped talking to each other. I even felt relieved to some degree. It seemed that he wasn''t that important to me. Probably I was too lonely when I was living abroad alone and just tried to find someone to relieve my loneliness. It had nothing to do with real love." Leena did not know why she said this to Kevin. Maybe, deep down, she did not want Kevin to misunderstand her so she decided to tell him everything. "You''ve been back for such a long time. Have you never thought about him, even once?" Kevin sighed in relief. His heart was safe for now. Still, he could not help wanting to know more. He wanted to know who on earth this guy was. Did he have to worry about him? Since she married Kevin, how simr was he to the other guy? Chapter 804 A Delicate Necklace (Part Three) "I would be lying if I said that I''ve never thought about him. So yes, I have. But it''s not what you think. I have no feelings for him anymore. Every once in a while there''s something that reminds me of him. There''s no love stuff at all. Don''t get me wrong, " Leena smiled and replied. If Kevin hadn''t mentioned it, she probably wouldn''t have even thought twice about her French lover. Now when she thought of him, there were only vague memories. Everything was kind of hazy, and she was detached from it all. That man seemed to be nothing but an old ck-and-white picture without any vitality. "Not what I think? Girl, what do you mean by that?" Kevin looked at her and chuckled. He reached out and pinched her reddish face slightly. The skin on her face was so milky that he could not help touching it a few times. "That! That!" Leena grew more embarrassed. Only if she knew what he thought in his heart! That way, she would not be too awkward to show her face, would she? "What?" Kevin usually did not make fun of others a lot. But now he felt that his little wife was really a cutie and it was so funny to crack jokes with her. She was so cute and lovely when she was so shy that her face even turned red. "I..." I''m going to take a shower." Just then, Leena stood up quickly and fled upstairs. "Ha-ha..." Kevin could not help bursting intoughter. His loud guffaws echoed in the house, making Leena even shyer. She ran into the bedroom and shut the door without thinking about it. Leena patted her hot face heavily to calm herself down. Then she opened his suitcase to take all the clothes out and hang them in the closet. As for some private stuff, she even did not look at it, let alone touch. But she grew curious at the sight of a delicate box. She hesitated so much and finally yielded to her curiosity and opened the box. It turned out that there was an ornate ne inside. It was thetest and most fashionable style this year. As a fashion designer, h, God! There were so many things she needed to think about if she was going to relocate her workshop. Thest thing she wanted to do was just rely on herself for this. She needed help. Suddenly, she remembered that she hadn''t brought herptop upstairs. So she walked out and went downstairs to fetch it. She had slept for too long in the daytime, so it was hard for her to fall asleep in the evening. And her inspirations for designs usually fell from the sky at midnight because, at that time, the whole world was draped in silence. She was able toe up with more ideas when there was no noise, and no one up. But when she went downstairs, she couldn''t find herptop. Even Kevin was nowhere to be seen. She thought for a while and then walked quickly towards the study. She believed that he must have taken herptop upstairs. But when she arrived at the door of the study, she suddenly stopped her step. Taking a deep breath, Leena raised her hand and lightly rapped at the door. She had meant to walk directly into the study. But suddenly she realized that nerves were frayed now and she didn''t want to be considered to be rude. "Come in." Kevin was busily tapping away on theptop, summarizing a report about the field training. Eyes fixed on the screen, he replied without even turning his head. Chapter 805 Get Accustomed To Me (Part One) "Hi Kevin. Do you have myptop?" Leena asked in a low voice, gently pushing open the door. Since Kevin was busy with his work, she had to keep her voice down. "Yes, I do. It''s on the desk. Come here, Leena." Kevin stopped working and looked at Leena. Leaning back in the chair in a leisurely manner, Kevin watched Leena as she inched forward toward him. Yes! She was really slow and hesitant to move forward as though she were facing a dangerous monster lurking ahead. ''Am I as horrible as a bloodthirsty beast?'' Kevin wondered. "What is it you''re writing down there?" Leena spoke in an attempt to free herself from the embarrassing moment of being alone with him. She felt awkward whenever she stayed alone with Kevin in private, especially in such a small room. She bit her lips tightly the whole time lest they trembled out of nervousness. "A summary for the training. I''d better finish it since I''m not busy now. I don''t want to leave anything until thest minute." Kevin had a good habit of being very orderly. Once he had set his time table, even just in his mind, he would do exactly as the time table heid out. He was so good at managing his time. "Then I''ll leave you to your work. I''ll jet as soon as I get myputer." An embarrassed smile broke across Leena''s face. She was too shy to look at Kevin while speaking to him. But she could not help herself from peeping at him from the corner of her eyes from time to time. Unlike her brothers'' elegance and courtesy, Kevin was handsome with masculine charm. His toughness always reminded Leena of the sunshine in a cold winter day. It wasforting and warm, unlike her brothers'' icy manner. "The report can wait. Leena, are you trying to avoid me? Or am I missing something?" Kevin said with a frown. To be frank, he had spotted some dramatic changes in Leena since he came back this time. He still remembered how vivacious and talkative Leena was when they met for the first time. She used to be so brave and naive that it was impossible for her to hide the innermost side of her and she would show no fear of him in his presence. But that lively girl had changed recently. She had be quiet, and had concealed her enthusiasm in his presence. Kevin could even clearly s though he was corrupting an innocent girl. "I''m sorry! It was so unexpected. I was shocked." Leena''s face was so hot you could fry an egg on it. Out of shyness, she dared not look at Kevin while speaking to him. Everything seemed to have happened in a dream. Leena could not believe that Kevin kissed her just now. It was just so out of ce. But why? Leena wondered. As far as Leena was concerned, Kevin didn''t love her. They kissed each other when both of them hadpletely gotten drunkst time. But today, both of them were sober. So, Kevin must be fully aware of what he was doing. What did that mean? Many questions kept looping around in Leena''s mind. But the answer was not within reach. "Aha... So that''s why you didn''t respond to my kisses? That''s so funny. What a surprise!" Leena''s answer was not what Kevin was expecting. He couldn''t help but burst into a hearty fit ofughter. He had to admit that Leena was really an interesting girl with some interesting ideas. It seemed his marital life would be full ofughter thanks to her. He must have married the right person. "I''m so d that I''m a joke to entertain you, " Leena said acidly. She felt hurt seeing Kevinugh in front of her. ''He must have thought of me as an ignorant little girl, '' thought Leena angrily. As a spoiled princess, Leena didn''t hide her temper when she was enraged. She nced at Kevin angrily, and bit him on his shoulder all of a sudden, hoping the bite could get her free from his arms. Chapter 806 Get Accustomed To Me (Part Two) "Ouch! What the hell, Leena? From Little Red Riding Hood to the Big Bad Wolf?" Frowning, Kevin tried to figure out what was going on. Despite the pain, he had no intention of setting Leena free. He must teach Leena how to get along with him. He hated to see her wear a mask to hide her true nature in front of him. Her unnatural attitude upset him a lot. The first step to help Leena get rid of her cautiousness around him was to let her get ustomed to his intimate touch. "But Kevin, would you please let me go first?" Leena begged and struggled. Kevin''s embrace was everything that Leena dreamed of. But she had to keep her distance from him as much as possible or else she would get addicted to his hugs. What if she became greedy for Kevin''s love and asked for more? She must quash such a possibility before it happened. "Oh, Leena, you must have a bad memory. I told you to getfortable with me, or it''ll be hard for you to walk into my world." Leena''s reluctance toward his enthusiasm irritated Kevin a little. It seemed she always assumed an indifferent attitude toward him, as if he meant nothing to her. That really hurt for a cocky guy like him. He couldn''t ept Leena''s cold attitude toward him. Although he was not born with noble blood, he was handsome and charming. It was impossible that his appearance would scare Leena away. But it seemed that his charm meant nothing in Leena''s eyes. She just wasn''t that into him! As a proud man, Kevin was deeply hurt. In his frustration, Kevin was too disappointed to hold Leena tightly. But there was a voice in his heart calling for him to continue. As a result, Kevin had to suppress the sad feeling he was experiencing, convinced that Leena was just too naive to understand him. "Are you angry, Kevin?" Leena asked, unsure of herself. She didn''t mean to hurt Kevin. She was just afraid of being trapped in the snare of love, hoping her aloof attitude could keep her sober and offer her a chance to run away if Kevin found t and turn it into a mountain. She had to be constantly on alert, as if she were in the middle of a war zone. She had to protect herself from all harm, especially from Kevin. Leena swallowed and took a deep breath. She knew how terrible she looked even without the aid of a mirror. The sweet moment when Kevin held her in his arms was still fresh and lingered in her mind. She even wished for time to be frozen in that moment, held in his arms for all eternity. Since the happy moment was ephemeral, it could only be eternal once time stopped. Leena was fully aware that it was impossible for Kevin to forget about Daisy. Nor did she have the right to ask him to forget. It was neither realistic nor practical. She only wished that there was a ce for her in Kevin''s heart, not matter how small that ce was. That shouldn''t be too much to ask. It was humble, to some degree. Leena believed that she would be satisfied as long as her wish was fulfilled. But she was wrong. What a big mistake she had made. Love drives people crazy and makes them be possessive. Now, Leena wanted more from Kevin, his hug, his kiss, his body and his soul. She would not share Kevin''s heart with another woman. Leena had gotten panicked and lost herself. Her desire for Kevin had been far beyond her expectation. That idea terrified her. Chapter 807 Get Accustomed To Me (Part Three) Kevin just allowed himself to sink into silence for a couple of minutes. He rushed out of the room after noticing Leena was gone. He went upstairs and then downstairs in search of her. But he couldn''t find Leena anywhere, though he turned the whole apartment upside down. Kevin finally panicked. He took the phone and called Leena, hoping she could answer his call immediately. But he heard Leena''s ringtone nearby. It was there on the bed, shing a dim blue light while it rang. It was sote. Where did she go? Did she leave? Kevin picked up his keys and ran downstairs as soon as this idea struck him. He was in such a hurry that he still wore his pajamas. He needed to check whether Leena''s car was still in the parking garage. Kevin went to the parking garage by lift, and immediately saw Leena''s red Ferrari as the door of the lift was opened. Kevin''s heart resettled to his chest again. Leena didn''t leave and her car was still there. Leena seemed to have undergone a tremendous emotional upheaval. What if she lost control of her emotions when she was driving? It would be dangerous for her to drive in that state. Kevin returned home. Leena must still be in the apartment, and there must be some ces he had forgotten. It was impossible for her to disappear all of a sudden. That only happened in period fantasies, and she was far from a ghost or a forest spirit. Kevin rubbed his forehead to relieve the tension headache. Somehow, he felt regret. There must have been something wrong with him. Otherwise, he should not have upset Leena so soon aftering back from his training. Did the training numb his nerves or empty his brain? Kevin wondered why Leena got mad at him. Kevinbed every corner on the first floor. Then the second floor. But he didn''t find Leena although he had searched every room. Leena seemed to have vanished from the earth! Kevin''s heart was in his throat now. He could not help but worry about her. Where had she gone? Kevin leaned against the wall, quite exhausted. Then a dim ligh Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ew Kevin''s attention to them like a moth to a me. Kevin furrowed his brows at the sight of Leena''s swollen orbs. In a stern manner, he stared at Leena''s face for a long time. Leena felt too shy under Kevin''s scrutiny. Unwilling to show her red nose tip and eyes in front of Kevin, she turned around in silence. She was not in the mood to talk to him at this moment. Kevin studied the interior carefully. The empty room was filled with stuff now: various mannequins, sewing machines and every conceivable kind of cloth. In the middle of the room was a huge desk, on which were scattered colorful pieces of paper. Since he stood a little bit away from it, he could not see the drawings on the paper. "When did you change up this room? I don''t even recognize it. " If he hadn''te here for Leena''s sake, he would not have known anything of those dramatic changes in the room. He really paid little attention to his home. "I''m sorry! I made an arrangement without your permission. This is my office now." This time, Leena sounded quite cold and aloof. She had concealed her usual sweetness and shielded herself under a cool attitude, which, in Leena''s opinion, could protect her from getting hurt. True, it was hard for Leena to assume such a chilly attitude toward Kevin. Once she did so, however, it was obvious that she was very deeply hurt. Chapter 808 You Have No Choice But To Wait For Me (Part One) "Don''t forget that this is also your home. There is no need for you to be so polite to me. You don''t need to apologize. It''s just that there are so many mannequins, sewing machines, and clothes. Are you majoring in Fashion Designing?" Kevin asked. He did not ask her why she cried and just kept looking around the materials in the room. He acted as if he didn''t notice her tears so he could avoid making her feel embarrassed. "Yes, " Leena answered coldly without even looking at Kevin. It wasn''t that she was pretending to avoid him. It was more like she didn''t know how to face him after arguing with him. An unexpected tingle crept on Kevin''s heart with how coldly Leena reacted. He couldn''t exin how that pain got in his chest. It just came there too sudden without him even noticing how. "It seems like I don''t know you at all. I don''t even know what your major is. I really should care more about you." Kevin shook his head. He was indeed a bad husband. No wonder Leena was cold to him. "I don''t really care much about you too. It just breaks even. There''s no need for you to change. I also know very little about you anyway, don''t I?" Being indifferent to him was not something Lenna wanted. It was just that she couldn''t help the hurtful words from pouring out whenever she opened her mouth. The impulse to say those was just too strong. "Leena, look at me, " Kevin said seriously. He was not ustomed to her coldness and indifference as she was always lively and cheerful. "No." Leena pouted and refused without any further thinking. The way she uttered her answer was filled with her little girl''s charm. It was so naive yet at the same time, emotionless. Kevin waspletely dumbfounded. He could have handled the situation better if Leena just shouted at him. How was he supposed to react with her pouting like a child? Most of the people acquainted with him were of his age. Leena was definitely the first and only young person he got to talk with. ''"Well, I apologize, " he found himself saying tenderly. "I should not have gotten angry with you. I should not have let you cry. Sorry." He reached out to her and turned her body to face him. His eyes were warm and moist as he scanned her tearful face. "Cry? Who cried? I didn''t!" The beautiful wife denied amidst her continuous sobs. She wouldn''t let him Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. y needed to ask for leave from their works. It was funny how the most excited person on that day was neither the bride nor the groom. It was the little guy, Justin, their wedding flower boy! He strived for this chance for a very long time, so doing it made him ecstatic. "Mommy, do you think I''m handsome like this?" The kid jumped up and down to show everyone how cool he looked in his little suit. "Yes! You are the most handsome guy no matter what you wear, " Daisy chirped. She would never get tired of patiently answering him even if it was already the hundredth time he asked. "Andpared to daddy? Who is more handsome?" Justinid prone on the sofa, and wrinkled his small nose cutely, then looked up to his mother. "Well! This..." Daisy nced towards Edward and felt thrown into a dilemma. She would certainly offend the other if she would choose between the two. Worse, the man who was busy inputting the data on hisptop also lifted his head up and straightly looked at her. Now that just doubled the pressure. "Say it! Mommy, who is more handsome?" Little Justin pushed the question again. He really wanted to know who was the real god between him and his daddy on Daisy''s opinion. "If you really want me to say it, I say you two look like just one person. There is really no need topare." Daisy hurriedly said and then quickly left that study room. Edward''s hot gaze made her feel how dangerous it was being there. She would be safer out of it. Plus, she should start dressing up too. She needed to help the weddingter. Chapter 809 You Have No Choice But To Wait For Me (Part Two) "Daddy, who is more handsome between us?" Justin got no choice but to turn his attention to his father since his mother instantly disappeared. He just realized that he had asked the wrong question. He should not have said "handsome", rather, he should have said "charming". After all, being described as handsome wasn''t enough to justify his dad''s look. "What do you think, little fellow?" Edward smiled. There was really no need for a debate. So what if Justin was more handsome than he was? He ended up looking like that because he inherited his genes. His smile was quickly reced by a frown as soon as he was back to turning the pages of his unhandled documents. He had intended to go to the Leng''s house early in the morning. He never expected some important documents from foreignpanies toe in the same morning though. Thus he had to finish his business before going out. "All right! I failed. We aren''t on the same level." Little Justin was downcast and lowered the head. He ran out of the study room and went straight to find his Grandpa as he could find a sense of superiority from him. After all, he was more like his grandpa. No one was as charming as Edward Mu. Edward smiled. Good! It seemed that the boy knew himself well. It was not that he wanted to boast himself. It just happened that oveing him on this aspect would be difficult for many. He had full confidence about it. Otherwise, he wouldn''t bebeled as the ''rare type of handsome'' by others. Leena also got up much earlier in the morning due to Duke''s wedding. However, Kevin was not on the bed anymore when she opened her eyes. She didn''t care much about it as she had never seen him in the bed before. She just couldn''t be too used to it anymore. In order not to steal the show from the bride, she gave her favorite white clothes up and opted to wear a pale pinkish print skirt. The skirt made her look nifty but solemn. Her fashion was both clever and lively. People might think she was an elf at first nce. There was no need for her to dress up more since she already had white skin. She applied a little makeup to match the asion and made herself look a little more mature. Fortunately, she had prepared Kevin''s suit in advance. She seemed to have done the right thing. But where was he? Did he get out to exercise? But th ldiers'' attention. Admiration was all over their faces. It was rare to see such a luxury car in the army base. Both sides of the road were full of leaves as it was autumn. Those leaves flew in the air as his car passed by, then gently fell to the ground. They were showing theirst bloom. Leena did not put the phone down until she heard the end-call beeped. A soft smile appeared on her face. She really did not want Kevin to do too much for her. It was enough for her that they could get along with each other. People should not be greedy. That was the reason why she was extremely easy to satisfy. A warm word, a touch, a smile and a gentle look would be enough to make her happy. But when it came to who should be the happiest person that day, there was no question that it should be today''s bride, Belinda. She couldn''t help but be happy even after her mother woke her up early in the morning. Her joy even remained long after the dresser had dressed her. That was the day when all the people would know that Duke Leng belonged to her. He was hers! So all other women who would approach him should go through her first. She never believed that sh marriage could develop to true love. But she discovered that love could grow slowly after she met Duke. Anyway, people who lived together for a long time tended to lightly affect each other. Being simr to one another was something inevitable too. And finally, they fell in love. So she hoped that their affection would be just like how water flowed in rivers, gentle and evesting. Chapter 810 The Wedding Ceremony (Part One) "Belinda, are you nervous?" Belinda saw Sherry sit beside her as the beautician worked on fixing her makeup. Her skin was already naturally wless and smooth but she still desired to look nicer. She was the bride today after all. She wanted to show everyone her most beautiful side on her wedding day. Thus, the beautician''s work was a necessity. "No, why should I feel nervous?" Belinda took a deep breath. Well, she was indeed having some butterflies in her stomach but that didn''t mean that she needed to admit that, right? "You don''t have to put on a brave face for me. Don''t forget that I have been married too." Sherry knew how stubborn her daughter was. Everyone could sense her jitters filling the room from wall to wall and yet, she still wouldn''t admit it no matter what. "I know that you are married, okay? Or you wouldn''t have me, would you?" The bride rolled her eyes at her mother''s words. If her mother hadn''t married her father, her father would have tons of women other than her mother now. And he would never be the man he was, who spoiled her mother for so many years. Of course, she didn''t dare to say these words in front of her mother. Her mother wouldn''t let her off easily if she did. It was her wedding day and any type of trouble was definitely not invited. "Who says that I couldn''t have you if I weren''t married?" Sherry looked strangely at Belinda. Time had changed, and so did people''s opinions. Nowadays was never like before. Any women could have a baby even before getting married. That idea was not being frowned upon anymore like how it was in ancient times. Girls who got pregnant before marriage were being punished really hard before. It was different now and she couldn''t even imagine anyone who would blink an eye about it. "Oh! I see. Well, I guess you just told me the truth! Do you mean that I was born before you and dad married each other? Am I right?" A glint of yfulness showed in Belinda''s beautiful eyes as she acted like a child who found a big secret. Huh, no wonder both of her parents weren''t o o says I don''t want you to leave? Don''t tter yourself. Well, I''m going to check on your father and see if he''s ready." Sherry hurriedly stood up and left as she did not want Belinda to see her tears. Belinda''s eyes darkened. Her mother might not confess it but she knew it well that she did not want her to leave. After all, she had been abroad for so long and had very little time to be with her parents. The marriage was so soon and now she had to leave again. It seemed that her parents only raised her for this day as she hadn''t gotten much chance to enjoy a little more time with them. It wasn''t a big wedding ceremony and most of the guests were their close friends and families. However, the crowd number still reached a little over a hundred, thus, the house was suddenly jam-packed and busy. Duke had never been this happy. It was almost magical how his heart skipped a beat upon seeing his bride in her wedding dress. Awestruck was not even enough to describe what he felt. He had never seen her this beautiful. He had already given all the red packets he had to the bridesmaids just to be near her. Worse, they had almost peeled him off his clothes, which made his face lose all its color. It was lucky that Rain drew all the bridesmaids'' attention away from him using his good looks. Thus, he finally had the chance to sessfully pick up his bride. Chapter 811 The Wedding Ceremony (Part Two) What he didn''t expect though was that Rachel heard about their wedding from a god-knows-where. She was even aware that their wedding ceremony was being held in his house. Blinded by jealousy, she managed to pass through the guards and mix with the crowd. Something evil was reeling inside her head as she carefully hid behind people and waited for her opportunity. She wanted to breakeven for not getting Duke. She would destroy their wedding. Everyone in the asion was pleasantly surprised as soon as Kevin and Leena came in. He hadn''t let anyone else know that he came home. They all thought that he couldn''t make it to the wedding ceremony after all. Thus, his presence alone was already a show-stopper. "Uncle Kevin, look at me! Do I look handsome?" Justin quickly ran to Kevin as soon as he saw him in the house. He was quite excited today and asked the same question to everyone he met. There were at least ten people he had asked. "Oh, little guy, you are so handsome today! Can you tell uncle why you are dressed so nicely?" Honestly speaking, it wasn''t rocket-science for Kevin to figure out what the little boy''s part on that ceremony was. The suit for Justin today was already a giveaway. It was just that he couldn''t help himself from bending down and teasing him with it. "Let me tell you a little secret!" Justin giddily stood on his tiptoes, leaned to Kevin, and then whispered in his ear. "I''m the flower boy today!" The little boy even discreetly nced at Leena as he did not want her to hear about the confidential topic. "Pffft! No need to act all secret, okay? I know you begged to be the flower boy. Stop being all smug and cocky!" Leena snorted, unhappy with Justin''s behaviour. It was still a mystery why the two would start to fight whenever they met. They wouldn'' didn''t pay attention to Edward and Leena, who were cheerfully catching up. Instead, she greeted Kevin, who was heading towards them. "Yeah! I just arrived yesterday. I thought that we''d meet today, so I didn''t call you." Kevin kept his eyes on Edward as he spoke with Daisy. He wanted to greet him first but lost his chance when Edward held his wife by the hand and walked away without any ado. It seemed that Edward was still unhappy to see him. "How was it? How was the special training? I bet it was great, right?" Daisy clearly knew that there was a lot to learn from international trainings. She had been to one but it was a shame that her training didn''tst that long. Thus, she didn''t learn enough. On the other hand, Kevin remained on that training for a long while, therefore, it was easy to say that he had learned a lot more. "Not bad. The training was extremely hard but it was fortunate that it gave us vantage of how they trainpared to us. We can train better in the future." Just like Daisy, Kevin got very excited the moment he started to talk about the army. It was easy to notice that he liked the topic as his genuine interest couldn''t stop from showing on his face. Chapter 812 The Wedding Ceremony (Part Three) "That''s for sure. Their strength isn''t a joke. That''s why I use what I learnt at JC Military Academy to train our soldiers. Why do you think they call me the devil drillmaster?" The corner of Daisy''s mouth twitched. She didn''t care how her soldiers thought of her, all she cared about was their strength. So if they wanted to be her soldiers and be trained by her, they had to obey whatever she said, without any doubt. "But you are also the best, right? Or you wouldn''t have gotten those great grades everytime we took a test." Kevin admired her for her training skill. She was the type who could change people. Even the weakest soldier could turn into a standard soldier under her supervision. It was evident that she really trained her troops hard. "Only by being harsh to oneself could one be truly sessful. After all, sess isn''t easy to achieve, right? One can''t really have it without putting in a lot effort." Daisy knew that her soldiers loved and hated her at the same time. It was just that she didn''t give a damn. She knew that they would thank her for giving them a chance to challenge themselves and be better one day. Only by this could they be tougher and develop the strength to face the difficulties with grace and courage. "I see, you have been encouraging yourself like this all this time. That''s why you are this sessful and admirable today." Kevin had always looked up to Daisy for her perseverance and courage. Well, probably except for the first time when they met and he judged her wrong. He couldn''t help but feel ashamed whenever he recalled his disdain for her. Though it had been years, just the mere memory of it was enough to make him turn red with shame. "That''s because I''m ate bloomer. So I had to be extremely harsh to myself." It would be possible for her to still live under Yakira and her daughter''s pressure if she hadn''t been so hard on herself. If so, she would not have a same thing to Duke once I meet him. Stop being childish! Don''t think you can treat Kevin however you want just because Leena cares deeply about you." She knew about how much they cared for Leena and how they would spoil her without hesitation. Nheless, she was sure that those were not what Leena truly wanted. No woman would want to see her husband of choice being disrespected by her own family. That was just the way it was. "Leena has us, and that''s enough. He doesn''t matter." Although, Edward managed to say those words, it was still undeniable that what his wife said hit a spot inside him. There was a sudden uncertainty in his eyes as he secretly questioned himself. ''Am I wrong all the time?'' "But can you promise to stay with her all her life? Can you immediately get to her whenever she calls because she''s in need? No, you can''t! So, if you can''t do it yourself, then why won''t you let someone else do it for you? It''s for Leena''s own good." Daisy rolled her eyes in dismay. She had always known that Duke was extremely protective of his little sister, but it seemed that it was the same with Edward. In her eyes, the big problem with them was that they all thought their sister wouldn''t be safe and happy with anyone else besides them. And this, was hard to change. Chapter 813 Drama At The Wedding (Part One) "Daisy, don''t you think you''re being irrational? We may not be with her all the time but we cane to her the moment she needs us. Can Kevin do that? I don''t think so. Don''t forget who he is. As a Major General, he has to be on call the whole time. It''s easier for us to save our time for Leena." Edward couldn''t agree with Daisy''s view. Fine, they might not be capable of giving Leena the romance she wanted but that was nothingpared to their capability of taking good care of her. On the contrary, it was obvious that Kevin didn''t have much time to keep herpany. He couldn''t even give her his full thoughtful attention. How could they possibly live in two separated ces shortly after their marriage and not even meet each other much? "Edward, are you ming me indirectly? Both of Kevin and I work in the military and have no time to take care of our families. You''ve never mentioned it to me before, so it was a bit surprising to hear that you don''t like my job. Speak up if you haveints. You must have nursed an objection for long." Daisy cocked her head to the side. She looked enlightened, as she stared at Edward appraisingly. "You got me wrong. We''re talking about Kevin. Why are you directing the spearhead at me?" He sighed helplessly. Yes, she was on-the-go all day but he had never even thought ofining about her work. He loved her with all his heart and soul. He would try to get used to the life she offered him as long as she had him in her heart. Kevin could hear Leena''s chuckle as he approached. ''So that is how she is when she''s happy, '' he mutters, ''That''s the grin I never get to see when she''s with me. Could it be that she is no longer happy after marrying me? I should have spent more time apanying her.'' "Dad, I haven''t seen you for a long time. How are you?" Kevin greeted Lloyd respectfully. Leena, who was acting like a spoiled brat inside her dad''s arms suddenly behaved and stood aside upon seeing himing. Gone was her beaming smile that caught his attention. "Yes, I''m fine. How nice of you to ask. I didn''t know that you came back. Leena, you should have told me about it." Kevin''s presence had livened Lloyd up. He had captured Lloyd''s favor despite Duke''s hostility to him. "Yes. I came backst night. Sorry for my carelessness. I should have called to let you know my return." Kevin''s voice was apologetic. Getting his father-inw''s approval was something he never expected. Thus, he cherished this hard-won fondness. "It''s all right. I''m d that you are back safe k her wedding seriously. She didn''t even get to experience walking on a red carpet since the bridegroom didn''t want to marry her. It was all good now though because Edward and she fell immeasurably after. The process wasn''t important as long as they ended up happy. The wedding was held in an orderly manner. The next step was to exchange the rings. With a hint of a smile ying on their lips, the bride and bridegroom looked at each other fondly. Set off by the splendid evening glow, the bright pearls were shining. Belinda was enchanting as the dazzling lights bathed her. What a stunning bride she was in the ingeniously designed gown! Her beauty charmed all the guests present. The designer of the gown must be a true genius. Duke was in ecstasy throughout the wedding. Given his serious nature, he ended up disying a faint smile the whole while. He stared at the most beautiful woman in the world with infinite tenderness. How lucky he was to have met and loved her in a vast sea of people. "You''re my sole satellite, Belinda, " he said with his eyes filled with love, "I''d be lost in space without you." Belinda blushed under her husband''s warm gaze. Everything was like a dream to her. It was so surreal. She didn''t think that she would marry the man who loved her one day. The same man with whom she would greet the brilliance of sunrise and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the moonlight. She whispered in her heart, ''There are going to be days where you''re undone, stressed out, tired and spent. I will still love you just as much in those moments and maybe even a little more. Why? Because it will mean that you''re letting me get close and see the real you. That''s all I want.'' Chapter 814 Drama At The Wedding (Part Two) Rain discarded the colorful clothes he usually wore and dressed formally today. His formal ensemble made him look educated, amiable and decent. It was odd how such a happy asion like this could make him sad and wonder when he would meet his love. "Rain, don''t pull a long face. Others may think that your old me is getting married today. Well, why are there lipstick marks on your shirt?" Edward smiled wickedly. Rain just went to pick up the bride. Why was he sloppily dressed as if he just left the nightclub? "s! Forget it. You know what? The bridesmaids seldom meet handsome guys like me. Their eyes were shining with excitement at the sight of me. They tried every means to drive me mad. Fortunately, I managed to escape. It was so horrible!" Rain shivered with fear at the mention of his bitter experience. The bridesmaids were crazy. It was like they had never met a man before. No, he had to correct that. What he meant was a man who was indescribably striking like himself. "You excel at dealing with women, right? And you couldn''t even deal with some bridesmaids?" Edward could imagine how fierce the scene was. Rain''s shabby look was already a good giveaway. "Oh, so you''re capable? Why didn''t you go?" Rain snapped a reply while ring at Edward. How could this man insult him instead offorting him? He wouldn''t agree to be a groomsman if it wasn''t for Duke''s wedding. "I wanted to give you this opportunity to make friends with more girls. If I had been there, they wouldn''t have noticed you." Edward continued making fun of Rain. Even if he went to pick up the bride, the bridesmaids didn''t dare to do anything to him. It was known to all that he was the CEO of the FX International Group. Thus, not everyone could get close to him easily. "It''s just what I want. Look. What is that woman doing over there?" Rain wasn''t close with Rachel but he knew who she was as he had met her before. He didn''t know why Rachel, who was wearing a white wedding-like dress, would walk towards the red carpet slowly. It was Duke''s wedding day today. No mistake was allowed. Rachel was thest person that Duke wanted to invite. "Rachel? Oh, My God. How did she make her way here? She must be up to something. I have to stop her. Tell Luke to bring some g Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ul and influential. "Duke, get your wits back. Look at this woman. What she loves is not you, but your money." Rachel repeated what she had said and started using Belinda of a poor girl who leaned on a moneybag. "Rachel, it''s ridiculous! Do you know what you are talking about? You said Belinda coveted Duke''s money. You must have no idea of who Belinda is. Let me tell you. She is the CEO of the YS Group. Ha-ha! It''s funny!" Rain came over after calling Luke and heard such an interesting thing. "What? You mean Belinda is the CEO of the YS Group? No, this is impossible! Isn''t she a poor girl? How could she be the CEO of the YS Group? It''s a lie!" Rachel had heard of the YS Group. It was one of thergest groups in S City. Little did she think that the CEO of the YS Group was a woman! "So you don''t have an idea of it? How dare you! You came to make trouble without making an investigation and imed that Belinda forced Duke to break up with you. Don''t you know who you are? Don''t forget that your husband divorced you." Rain smiled fascinatingly. What a good show it was! However, it was a pity that Rachel was a bad actress. She couldn''t arouse others'' feelings, and it was even more impossible for her to get their sympathy. Rachel''s face turned ghostly pale with fright. Duke once asked her to investigate what the name Belinda Shangguan represented. She didn''t know why back then, but she was enlightened now. If that was the case, did it mean that she had found a more alluring topic? Chapter 815 Chaos In the Wedding Ceremony (Part One) "Duke Leng, how could you do this to me? You abandoned me and married her because she belongs to a rich family. You are heartless! I have been kept in the dark. I have waited so long for your proposal, expecting you to marry me one day. I am such a fool!" Rachel''s voice grew louder as everyone present at the wedding could hear her use Duke of abandoning her. They nced at the bridegroom, whispering among themselves. "Rachel, what are you talking about? Don''t you think you change your reasoning too quickly? You said I married Duke for his fortune, and now you are saying Duke abandoned you because of my wealth. Come on, which excuse do you want to stick with? Be clear. Or perhaps, you have a third story for back-up? Why not narrate it to us? Oh! Why don''t you tell everyone about how you left your home and went to a remotend to marry a rich man for his money? We''d feel humble at your generosity if you share that story with us." Belinda cast a sidelong gaze at Rachel, taunting her. As a woman, Belinda was ashamed of Rachel''s behavior today. She did not understand how Rachel''s mind worked. Didn''t she feel sorry at all? "Belinda Shangguan, what are you talking about? You are iming I married a man for his wealth? Don''t try to put false usations on me!" As Rachel listened to her long tirade, she realized Belinda was about to reveal herplicated past. She panicked, her face distorting into a sneer. "What I am talking about? Shouldn''t I be asking you that question, Rachel? How dare youe here and interrupt my wedding ceremony deliberately! What gives you the right to do so?" Belinda was not an easygoing woman. Normally, sheughed off a minor provocation. But today was the most important day in her life. What Rachel did had crossed the line and goaded at her tolerance. It was natural for her to be pissed off. "What, are you outraged that easily? Then I assume you''re going to hit the ceiling when you hear what I''m about to say next." Rachel felt dismayed as sh Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. . A loud whine was heard. It doubtlessly came from Rachel. "All right, everyone. Let''s leave this crazy woman to be on her own. She divorced not a long while ago and is obviously unstable and frustrated. So she thought she coulde uninvited to this wedding and try to sabotage it! s, that''s how she imagined she would get attention. She''s clearly envious of the newly-wedded couple. We would all do better to ignore her. Without anymore unnecessary dy, let''s enjoy the meals, the drinks, and the party! Don''t lose your appetites because of her. It''s not worthwhile, " Rain told the audience aptly in a few words. He was an expert at dealing with emergency situations and putting people at ease. The guessing and whispers dissipated because of his charming rification. "I''m sorry, Belinda. I didn''t handle that well. She made such a scene at our wedding. It''s all my fault. I apologize." Duke knew that a woman cared about her character the most. Belinda''s reputation had been more or less blemished because of Rachel ying havoc with her usations. Whether or not others believed it, his parents-inw would certainly be upset that he hadn''t taken care of his former affairs with another woman. They might be skeptical about him. Oh, damn it! That Rachel Qin was such a wicked woman! She had done them great harm. Chapter 816 Chaos In the Wedding Ceremony (Part Two) "It''s okay. I''m not bothered by her. Actually, I should have guessed she wouldn''t give up so easily. I just never thought she''d be shameless enough to disrupt our wedding party. She definitely knows how to stir up trouble." Belinda gave Duke a soft,forting smile. If attempting to stop the wedding had been Rachel''s purpose, she would undoubtedly be disappointed. Belinda would not let that happen. Their wedding ceremony would continue till thest minute. There was nothing Rachel could do anymore. A cocktail buffet was held after the wedding ceremony at Leng House. The dishes were prepared and provided by the FX International Hotel. Both the service and food were of excellent standards for guests to enjoy. "Hello, Daisy. We meet again." Zemo appeared out of nowhere in front of Daisy, holding a ss of wine. In fact, he had arrived at the party quite early but hadn''t had the chance to start a conversation with Daisy as she seemed quite busy that day. "Oh, Zemo. It''s you! Nice to see you! How did you get here?" Daisy was quite surprised to see Zemo at the party. She wondered who had invited him. "Do you want to know the truth or the lie?" Taking a sip of the red wine, Zemo gave her a wry look. "What if I choose both?" Daisy smiled softly, waiting for his response. She realized he was trying to be mischievous. "The truth is that I came here because I knew you would be here too. The lie? Belinda invited me to her wedding, so I''m here to congratte her on her nuptials, " Zemo said jokingly like a ruffian. Most people would find it hard to tell whether or not he was telling the truth. "Oh, I see. But since when have you and Belinda been so close to each other? I didn''t know about that." If her memory served right, Zemo and Belinda did not know each other. They had not even greeted each otherst time at the bar. "We made a business alliance recently. That''s how I got as so quick to turn sides. He sided with Rain initially, but when he sensed that things could get risky, he jumped over to defend Edward. They could not recall that it was him who had started off this topic of discussion in the first ce. "I think both of you are screwed. One of you said she hugged another man and the other said she is crazy, " Edward said, his mouth curling. Daisy was very physically strong as a soldier. He had seen and experienced it. She was used to dealing with a problem through force. She was certainly not soft in that respect! "Come on, Edward! How can you betray us?" "No, I can''t be screwed, Edward! What if there is no other doctor when you need one in the future? Don''t be so harsh on me." Rain and Tom whined at the same time. In reality, they knew Edward was just making fun of them. They were aware of the kind of person Daisy was. She would never take advantage of her power and identity in dealing with them. But the possibility that she might punish them even without exercising her authority could not bepletely ruled out. "You are going to be in big trouble! I heard both of you. You were talking badly about Daisy!" Leena appeared in a sh. Kevin had been called away again. She was bored and came to join them. Chapter 817 Chaos In the Wedding Ceremony (Part Three) "Girl, what did you hear? You seem quite confident about what you have on your mind." Rain frowned at her adorable face, but his eyes held a tender look. "Well, I heard everything." Truth be told, Leena hadn''t really heard everything. She had just caught theirst few words. But she wanted to frighten them, so she indulged in a small lie. She had to, or they would get obnoxious. Leena couldn''t allow that. "Do you think your sis Daisy will trust your words? That all of us talked badly of her?" Edward smiled. To him, Leena was naive and inexperienced. That was why they all worried that she would get hurt in her marriage with Kevin. "Who talked badly of me?" Daisy''s cool voice sounded in everyone''s ears. She suddenly came into sight. "Sis, they did! And they even denied it when I said I had heard everything, " Leena said gloatingly, smirking at them. These guys always treated her like she was a small, innocent kid. Now she held their secret in the palm of her hand! They would surely be rebuked by Daisy once she told her the truth. "No! Daisy, I swear I did not speak badly of you! If you want to find a fighting partner, Edward is the excellent candidate! I really would not be a good choice." Tom was the first one to defend himself. It would be stupid of him to admit he had said anything that might spoil her image. And he hadn''t anyway! All he said was that there was another man who had feelings for her. Those were hardly bad words. "Daisy, I did not say anything either. Ask Edward! You will know I am telling you the truth." Rain had always respected Daisy as a colonel. So when Daisy turned to look at him, he put Edward in the line of fire and used him as his shield. Oh, he was not a loyal friend this time! "Well, judging from what they are saying, you are the only one who talked badly of me!" Daisy said in warning, stepping toward ss. Don''t get angry and fall into her trap." Watching Duke apologize so abjectly, Belinda felt pity in her heart. He was such a proud man. But now his head was bowed in front of her parents. He was afraid of making a bad impression. Although her parents were not hostile about it, she could not help but argue and defend him. "I am not ming Duke. I just want to know what was going on. Otherwise, I would have no idea how to exin the incident to our friends and rtives." There is a Chinese saying that goes like, ''A married daughter is spilled water.'' It meant that a woman always stood by her husband after she married him. At the moment, listening to Belinda protect Duke from being criticized, Sherry felt that about her. Sherry merely wanted to know the truth. That was all. "It''s okay, Belinda. I understand how Mother and Father feel. They are concerned about you." Duke touched Belinda''s bare shoulder lightly tofort her, catching her eye in the process. As he gazed at her revealing dress, he could not help but curse his sister. Oh, God. What had Leena done? How could she design such a revealing dress for Belinda, her sister-inw? This dress exposed a lot more naked skin inparison to her wedding gown earlier. Chapter 818 Mysterious Egypt (Part One) "I am d to see you understand us, Duke. I am not using you. I have always been d about your match with Belinda. Now that you have exined everything to me, I won''t ask any more questions. However, I want to remind you that you, as a man, should be more decisive in breaking things off with that woman. Otherwise, she will get more involved in your life and keep on stirring up trouble, " said Sherry, her voice emphasizing the seriousness of the matter. As someone who had gone through a simr situation, she knew how a rtionship could suffer when a third person got involved. "I know. I will fix this as soon as possible. I promise, " Duke frowned. It seemed to him the time had arrived to fire Rachel. He should haveid her off at the beginning itself, however, Belinda had asked him not to fire her. "Okay, go talk to the guests. I am sure you will handle this." Sherry smiled at Duke kindly, patting him on the shoulder. She was content with her son-inw and didn''t want to upset him any further. For the very first time, Belinda had seen her mother talk to someone in such a serious tone. She could tell Sherry was awfully scared something bad could entail out of this. Belinda approached her and gave her a hug. She whispered in her ears, "Mother, don''t worry. We will be happy together." Yes, they would definitely be happily married. Rachel was just trying to sow dissension between them. But she was not powerful enough to sabotage their married life. Belinda saw the incident as a test to their rtionship. Soon after Rachel had been kicked out, everyone present forgot about the intrusion and carried on with the festivities They made easy conversations with others,ughed and joked around. The wedding ceremony finally came to an end with a general feeling of cheer. Nobody was bothered that someone as inconsequential as Rachel Qin had tried to disrupt the ceremony. After all, the event marked theing together of two very fortunate souls. Only a few hours after the ceremony was over, the couple boarded a ne to head to the mysterious country of Egypt, where they nned to spend their honeymoon. Belinda had always longed to go there, but never had a chance to do so. So, when Duke asked her where she felt like having their honeymoon. she picked Egypt as their destination without any second-guessing. Egypt was a wonderful country. It was home to one of the m Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. he swiftly pecked Duke''s lips as she passed him before rushing to get inside. Duke was stupefied at the kiss and it took him a while toe to himself. He touched his lips with his thumb lightly, smiling wolfishly. Duke nced at the closed bathroom door with wicked eyes. It seemed to him their wedding night would be extraordinary. Belinda was not modest and put on a tight, seductive lingerie after her bath. She was not like Daisy, a cool military officer, or even Leena, a lovely little girl. Belinda was both a passionate woman and amanding boss. But she also encountered situations she couldn''t control, just like right now. Duke was used to seeing her in sexy lingerie. They had lived together for such a long time before. But his blood still thumped when Belinda walked out to the bedroom. "Why are you staring at me?" Belinda asked, lying on the bed. Duke moved to sit by her side and leaned forward to see what she was reading. His eyes were fixed on her red lips. "I am browsing through the travel guide." Belinda turned around to look at him, but found him so close that her lips touched his. She was frozen for a minute and blushed, realizing what had happened. She wanted to get up immediately but was toote to do so, because Duke had already climbed on top of her. He looked at her startled expression and breathed out. "You don''t need to read the travel guide. I''ll take care of everything. But for now, should we move on to the next step of the wedding?" Duke caressed her face as he smirked. He looked wicked, but so intoxicating that she wanted to get closer to him. Chapter 819 Mysterious Egypt (Part Two) "What''s the next step?" Belinda looked at him with confusion in her eyes. She was in awe of this charming man. Her heart fluttered. "You dumb blonde, it''s sex, " Duke said as he smiled at her. He didn''t give her the time to let the words sink in and kissed her on the lips. Belinda, of course, knew what the wedding night would entail, but did not expect everything to happen so soon. She did not expect him to be so straightforward about it. Panicking, she looked back at him with wide eyes. Duke was not in a rush. He caressed her first and eased her into the feeling. As he knew, Belinda never wore a bra after her baths. Duke moved his hands under her lingerie and stroked her body, arousing her. Belinda breathed hard as she slowly closed her eyes. She responded to his zeal, kissing him back fervently. She bloomed as she matched his every movement. His obvious desire was like sessive tidal waves that ambushed her each time. They lost themselves in each other. Outside, the river Nile rippled in earnest. As their passions grew, the stars outside the window twinkled brightly. It was the beginning of a journey of deep, soul-binding love. People loved dawn because it stood for hope and indicated the beginning of the day. The night had exhausted Duke and Belinda. The couple was still asleep when the first rays of the sun peeked through the opening in the curtains. Belinda was the first one to open her eyes. The excitement of traveling this enchanting country was still present on her mind. However, as she gazed at the beautiful face of the man lying beside her, she found herself not wanting to move her eyes away. Her heart was so dominated by his thoughts that there was no room for anything else. That was how love worked. Everything else in the world, no matter how fancy, seemed ordinary inparison to the person one loved. She could not imagine surviving if Duke ever left her. Belinda decided she would always value and cherish their rtionship. She would treat every single day with him as thest day of her life. There were shrines all over Egypt, as famous as the pyramid Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. inda looked at him in confusion. She frowned, wanting to know why he thought so. "You are alive now. Why would I make guesses about something that hasn''t even happened?" Duke smirked at her. It was said that Cleopatra was the mistress of all the poets and hostess to all the revelers of the world. The Romans hated her because she almost turned Rome into a province of Egypt. The Egyptians praised her as a warrior for sustaining twenty-two years of peace in the small country. However, all of her achievements had nothing to do with Duke. So he was not intrigued by her at all. For a moment, Belinda was at loss for words. She didn''t know how to respond. What Duke said indeed made sense. There was no way they could predict the future. But he still hadn''t answered her question. Belinda had fallen for his trick to avoid the question. "Fine. I don''t want to argue with you over this topic." Belinda smiled at him indulgently. There was a long way ahead of them. As Duke said, there was no need for her to waste energy on a woman she had nothing to do with. Whether Cleopatra was a sexy siren who lived beside the Nile River or even a snake, she didn''t care anymore. Duke watched her as she smiled. She was so beautiful. For him, Belinda was his Cleopatra for whom he would give up everything. He was sure her smile could beat everything in the world, even Cleopatra. Belinda was the Goddess in his life. Chapter 820 Why Save Me (Part One) As enchanting and fascinating as they were, the legendary life of Cleopatra and the picturesque scene along the Nile River were irrelevant to those who lived in S City. Here, people lived another ordinary day as usual. It was the blinding white ceiling and the mind-blowing headache that weed Hero back from hisa. He was still alive. A messy brew of mixed feelings stirred in his stomach as he chewed on this reality. It was Daisy, he heard, who had saved his life. He moved his head to look around and saw that she was sitting right next to him. Confused as well as touched, he asked, "Why did you save me?" Then, he turned his head back so as to evade her gaze. Thest thing he wanted was for her to see him in his worst times. "Because you still got a conscience, and therefore is not beyond redemption, " said Daisy with a light sigh. She had always thought that Hero was a citizen of her country. It was her belief until she received a document stating that he was actually a Singaporean. He was a mixed-blood whose criminal case should be under the jurisdiction of the two countries. "Haha, conscience? Since when did you take that as a criterion in judging a criminal?" After shooting a brief nce at Daisy, Hero then looked away and stared out the window, his eyes empty. "I know you hate me for putting you into prison and saving your life. None of these things are what you wanted. However, you should know that catching you is my job. I have to do it. As for saving you, I did it for the old times'' sake. I can''t just watch you die. That''s all." No one could have anticipated the way things had developed. However, Daisy couldn''t see anything wrong with what she had done. She did what she thought was right as an army woman. Her attention was always focused on facts, and seldom did she let herself get distracted by personal feelings. "Would you believe it if I say I don''t me you for neither of those things?" Hero asked as he finally mustered the guts to look directly at her. His face know that your name is not Hero. You are Ian Yun." ''Ian, a boy next door''s name, '' thought Daisy. ''Fits his appearance but not his way of doing things. Considering the kind of business he was in, the name Hero suits him more.'' "Ironic, isn''t it? My parents wanted a normal life for me, yet I went into illegal businesses and became a criminal." Hero''s heart sank as his mind shed back to his bleak childhood. He was born in a poor family and was frequently bullied by other rich boys. Those things impacted him so hard that they eventually drove him into illegal businesses. However, he had never regretted the life he had chosen. Why? Because he met Daisy in it. "No, I only feel sorry for you. I know there is still a part of you that is good. That is enough for me to feel the need to save you." Daisy never doubted that no one was born evil. Few people chose to be bad. Environment and society mostly determined what kind of person one became in life. "Haha, you think I am a good person? You have a very weird way of seeing people." Heroughed to hide his true emotions. He was touched to hear that Daisy still saw good in him. He was a total viin to other people. ''Good'' was thest word they would connect him with. Hearing Daisy''s opinion of him made him more convinced that he indeed devoted his love to the right person. Chapter 821 Why Save Me (Part Two) "I see everyone as equals and consider them worthy of respect. A man is always capable of change no matter what wrong he did in the past. He could always make a difference as long as he still has his better nature in himself." The way Daisy led her life was consistent with her words. For instance, when confronted with armed opponents in missions, she would always hit in a way that would cripple her opponents but not kill. Few people gave much thought to what she was really concerned about in wars - lives. It was the reason why she got more injuries than her co-workers during all those years of work. Sometimes, she would tell herself to toughen up a little but it hadn''t worked very well so far. "If only there were more of you in the world..." sighed Hero. He sincerely felt sad that there was only one Daisy. He would never find anyone as kind-hearted as her again. Hero wasn''t the only one who saw that. Edward knew that too. That was why he cherished Daisy so much and was willing to make all those changes for her, throwing away his old lifestyle and turning into a family man. It was also because of Daisy that Edward still held a bit of respect for Leo, for if not for him, Daisy would never havee to this world. No matter how much Daisy wanted to disconnect herself with her father, their blood tie was never to be changed. Edward was having a meeting with Leo in a caf¨¦. "Hello, Mr. Ouyang. May I know why you asked me out this time?" asked Edward as he sat casually on his chair after greeting Leo. He knew from his secretary that Leo had been wanting to see him. He didn''t give him what he wanted easily but waited a few days before agreeing to meet him. "Ed... Mr. Mu. You know what I am here about. Of course, it''s about Daisy." Though Edward was his son-inw, Leo didn''t dare to call him by the name. He knew that the couple hated his guts after what he did to Daisy. Besides, he was discouraged by the obvious distant look of Edward. "If it''s about Dais , Leo resumed, "There is another thing I want to ask you about. Would you mind letting me see Justin? I miss him." Leo was almost begging. He had spent a lot of time contemting his past after the dramatic changes in his family. And the more that he did so, the heavier his heart became. In front of Edward now was an aged man who had lost his spirits. "I will let Justin know that you want to see him, but it''spletely up to him whether he would meet you or not." Edward was a democratic parent who didn''t like imposing his own thoughts on his child. Even though Justin was still very young, Edward respected him and always encouraged him to make decisions on his own. "I get it and I know you wouldn''t stop him from seeing me. I just want to spend an afternoon having a little fun with him, that''s all." Wringing his hands nervously made Leo look old. It was such a great contrastpared to his confident and high-spirited former self. "I will inform you when I hear an answer from Justin." A lot of thoughts poured in as Edward pondered about the drastic changes of Leo. He wondered if Daisy would feel sorry and forgive her father once she saw what he was like now. Maybe she would. But just as an old saying goes, Rome was not built in a day, it would take Leo a long time before Daisy epted him again. Chapter 822 Why Save Me (Part Three) "Thanks in advance. You may not understand, but the older I get, the more I crave for time with family members." Leo''s voice was trembling upon saying those. He might not have a perfect family before but he used to have his wife and children around him. It was all gone now. "You are wee. After all, you are my father-inw, right?" The kinship between Edward and Leo was undeniable even if he didn''t want to admit it. However, Edward was cautious and chose to keep their distance. Because he was afraid that too much connection with him might hurt his rtionship with Daisy. He knew clearly that she still wasn''t over the things his father had done to her mother. "You really think me as your father-inw, Mr. Mu?" Leo''s heart lightened at Edward''s words. He had gone through great turbulence ever since Yakira''s secret came to light. Not only did he lose his second family but it also made him and Daisy grow even further apart. For a time, everyone was leaving. But Edward''s words were like a torch in a cold, dark night, sending him unexpected warmth and hope. "Yes, I do. Not because I would like to think that way but because it''s a simple fact. No matter how reluctant Daisy is to forgive you, you are still her biological father. I hope you understand that the only reason why I am sitting here and talking to you is that I love Daisy. I love her so that everything that concerns her bes my concern." Even Edward himself was surprised by how much he loved Daisy. Never in the past had he imagined that he would someday love someone as much. He panicked the first time he realized how crazy he was about her. It was the happiness that she brought him that calmed him down. She was his peace. That made him believe that she was indeed the only one for him. Thus, he consolid lie for years. A lie that I foolishly fell for. The discovery of her mother''s death, which was also due to my negligence, was another big blow to me. The moment I saw her dash into my house with a gun in her hand, I knew how much she was damaged by my fault. I truly am a guilty man." With no intention of shaking off responsibilities, Leoid out his faults. His guilt and grievances were just as much as Edward''s. However, there was one thing he didn''t expect. He never thought that Daisy didn''t hate him for ruthlessly throwing her out, but rather for his contribution to her mother''s murder. "From now on, I think you should do some real thinking, and figure out a way to gain Daisy''s trust. Now if you excuse me, I have to head back." Deep down, Edward despised Leo. How could a man mess his own life as much as Leo did? He was shocked with the fact that apany''s future wasid in the hand of Leo, a man with such a poor judgment. Leo had been fooled by a woman for so many years without even noticing anything wrong. ''It''s truly a miracle that Ouyang Foreign Trade still hasn''t gone bankrupt after all those years, '' Edward thought to himself, as he stood up and prepared to leave. Chapter 823 Proud And Cold Edward (Part One) "I''ll definitely not give up. Anyway, I should thank you foring here." Leo had always been respecting Edward. Although Edward was his son-inw, he just couldn''t be impolite to him. "You''re wee. Let me give you a piece of advice. Don''t jump the gun. Otherwise, your behaviors might backfire." Edward would never speak to him that way if he weren''t Daisy''s father. He was still annoyed about what happened before. However, he had to swallow his anger as Daisy''s other half. "Alright. I''ll be careful. Thank you. Mr. Mu." The old man had sensed the impatience in Edward''s voice. He knew he had made some mistakes in the past which pissed Edward off. However, the consequences from his actions were inevitable, thus, he didn''t dare show a bit of disrespect. "Then, have a good day. Goodbye." One short nod and Edward walked away in a haste without looking back. He had promised to pick up Justin from school though he had no idea what troubles his son had made today. Everybody''s attention was drawn by a majestic Rolls Royce as soon as it pulled over outside the school gate. It seemed like the world had stopped for them when an immeasurably handsome man suddenly moved out of the car and leaned against the hood. Enchantment washed over women as the men who also saw the view instantly turned jealous. How on earth could a man have such a beautiful face and wealth! Edward''s wry smile made him more charming and irresistible as he stood there. He had got lots of fans that included both olddies and girls. All of them felt drawn to him. Nevertheless, Edward just ignored them and remained to stare at the school gate until he saw his son jumping giddily out of the school, towards him. That was the only time when hefortably smiled. "Daddy, Daddy, look!" shouted Justin while rushing to his father. He seemed rather ted. "Look at what?" asked Edward curiously. He bent over and lifted his son up as he wondered about what Justin wanted him to look at. "The girl who just walked out of the school with me. Isn''t she beautiful?" Justin whispered to his father''s ear then pointed out to a group of girls. "Which one?" Edward saw so many girls outside the school gate and had no idea which one Justin was referring to. "The girl in its hair and has two dimples. The one in a princess dress. She''s too beautiful to be ignored easily!" said Justin anxiously. He was afraid that his daddy might not see her. "Yes. I see her. What''s wrong with her?" Edward couldn''t help his lips from twitching soon as he spotted the young girl. Now he knew why h e, " Edward said with a smile. What he felt was a concoction of joy and sadness. Daisy had been extremely busy and tired recently. He couldn''t do much for his wife except to emotionally support her. He was a businessman after all and could barely engage in military activities. It made him feel bad, since he was strong in will but weak in power. "You''re terribly wrong. I''m not a foodie. Grandma told me that I''m a kid and kids need nutrients to grow up. Otherwise, I''m gonna be short, and weak, and no girl will love me." Justin went back to pouting. The child thought sullenly that he shouldn''t be judged for his fondness for food. Food-obsession wasn''t his fault. "What? Did your grandma tell you that?" asked Edward in surprise. Those outdated ideas his mother told his son were annoying. As far as he was concerned, bnced diet was much better than eating too much. "Yes. What''s wrong?" asked Justin before sporting a sweet smile. This was exactly the reason why he liked his grandparents so much. They never controlled him from eating. Although grandpa might protest sometimes, grandma would glower at him. Then she would order him to stop being annoying. "Never mind. I hope for you to still agree with your grandma once you grow up to be fat and ugly" Edward shot a curious nce at his son. Justin might be slender for a kid right now. He would be fat one day though if he couldn''t stick to the bnced diet. Thus, Edward always paid attention to his son''s diet whenever they ate together. "No, that certainly would not happen. I do exercise with Uncle Luke every day, " said Justin defiantly. Then he stretched his arms and showed off his muscles, implying that he was strong rather than fat. Chapter 824 Proud And Cold Edward (Part Two) "Justin, let me ask you a question. If your grandpa on your mother''s side wants to see you, will you meet him?" Edward''s question was tentative. There was a sudden silence inside the car as neither he nor Justin said anything. "Daddy, is he the grandpa who dislikes Mom?" It was Justin who broke the pressure surrounding them. He raised his head and looked at his daddy in wonder. "Yes, you''re right. Is it ok if he pays you a visit when it''s convenient for both of you?" Edward wouldn''t force his son to meet Leo, therefore, he was offering his child an option instead. "Can I think about it?" The little boy puckered his mouth. ''Since this man once disliked Mommy, why would he want to see me? But then, he''s still Mommy''s biological father and my grandpa. What should I do?'' he thought, indecisive. "Of course. Take your time. Just tell me yes or no once you get an answer, " answered Edward and smiled back. The car drove slowly on its way to Mu Manson. They would be back home soon. "Will he feel sad if I refuse?" Another innocent question came from Justin as he stared at his daddy. It was then that the car stopped at the parking lot. "Maybe. But if you don''t want to see him, just tell me and I''ll let him know, " Edward replied in aforting voice. He had kept this topic from Daisy. He would be less worried if Justin refused. Daisy hated Leo after all. She would definitely go against him once she learned that it was him who arranged for the two to meet. "Forget it. Let me sleep over it. I''m gonna tell you about my decision tomorrow, " his son said gloomily. Justin, who was cheerful earlier, was preupied with trouble when they got home. Thus, Daisy automatically wondered upon seeing her child the moment she greeted the two home. "Son, what happened at school? Did you get into a fight with other kids?" she asked curiously and seriously. She was wearing an apron and it was easy to say that she was cooking. When she heard the noise in the yard, she ran out of the kitchen and came across his son who looked sad and troubled. "It''s nice to see you at this hour of the day, Mommy, " said Justin. He threw himself into his mommy''s arm and didn''t mind the oil stains on her apron. "Me too, son." Daisy''s hands were wet so she raised her hands high and let Justin embrace her waist instead. "Mommy, you smell good, " ''s always proud and cold. Somebody should deal with his fickle temper, " said Cynthia. If Cynthia was to take side whenever Edward and Daisy quarreled, she would surely choose her daughter-inw. She just couldn''t love Daisy more for her kindness and thoughtfulness. "No. I might have said something wrong, which angered him, " replied Daisy with a timid smile. Although she grumbled about Edward''s bad temper a few moments ago, she still couldn''t help but defend him, which was strange. "As far as I''m concerned, you''re being overprotective and caring. It''s the reason why he puts on a show of bad temper whenever he wants to, " replied Cynthia. Other mothers-inw might be afraid that their daughters-inw weren''t treating their sons well. However, Cynthia was different. She dreamed of her daughter-inw to control her son so that Edward wouldn''t do things in an unhindered way. "No, I''m not. He rarely loses his temper this way. I might have made a mistake today, " insisted Daisy. She never med other people for her faults. Meanwhile, she wouldn''t avoid admitting her own mistakes under any circumstances. It was the same as how she tried to get along with Edward. "Never give in to your husband, even though you make some mistakes. He better know how it is to be frustrated, " answered Cynthia. Daisy had to refrain herself fromughing. How could a mother me her son for her daughter-inw''s mistakes? she wondered. "This is awkward." Daisy looked at Cynthia disbelievingly. She wondered why Cynthia took her side rather than her son''s. Chapter 825 Love Potion (Part One) "Don''t worry. Just take it from me." Cynthia said with a kindly smile. She treated Daisy like her own daughter, so if the couple ever had a quarrel, she would not take sides with either of them. They had to work it out themselves. In a battle between siblings, you don''t favor one over the other. That didn''t mean she couldn''t give pointers. "Are you sure that it''s the right thing to encourage your daughter-inw to act like this?" Suddenly, Jonathan''s voice came from behind them. They both turned and saw him standing not far away, fixing them with a stern look. Sometimes he felt that he just couldn''t take Cynthia too seriously. She was the love of his life, but he now became increasingly and helplessly certain that this woman took pleasure in stirring up trouble. "If you have a problem with that, you can teach your son to fight back. I''m extremely OK with that, " Cynthia replied, giving him a sly smile and looking him in the eye provocatively. She had no fear of this ruthless man who turned up out of nowhere. In fact, he had learned to adopt a rtively mild manner after all this time, but only in front of his family. To everyone else, he was still the high and mighty Jonathan. "No offence, but unlike you two, I''ve got more important things to attend to, " Jonathan said coldly. He nced at both of them before directing a meaningful look at Cynthia. Then a sneer of evil passed fleetingly across his face. How bold she was to challenge him, he thought to himself. Fine, she would have to bear the consequences soon enough. He knew just how to punish her. "I think he''s mad at us, " Daisy whispered. Being caught red-handed when they were plotting against his son was embarrassing enough for Daisy. And now she grew absolutely ashamed of herself, taking his sarcastic words to heart. She was afraid that he might think of her as a scheming woman. Feeling quite uneasy, she decided to talk to Cynthia about the situation hastily once Jonathan was out of earshot. "He would not get angry that easily. But it seems that I am doomed no matter what, " responded Cynthia. After Jonathan lef im. It''s his right anyway. And of course, if he says no we can''t force him." It was true that Daisy could not forgive Leo for what he had done to Grace and her, but since she was a reasonable person, she would not force other members of her family to cut all ties with him, either. After all, she thought it inappropriate to make others follow her lead. "Are you angry with me for having my finger in the pie?" Edward had been worried, and you could see it on his face. There was a coldness in her eyes that seemed to be pushing him away. It was the same kind of chilliness she disyed when they first met. "Not at all. You''re overthinking it. I''m not a domineering person. Justin can make his own decision, if Leo really wants to see him. What''s more, though it pains me to ept it, I am an Ouyang, and there is nothing I can do to change that. I really want Leo gone and out of my life, but I won''t prevent you or Justin from contacting him. I''m not going to lose myself to hatred. That would drive me nuts, " Exined Daisy, closing her eyes to calm herself when she was done. She was getting a tension headache, and felt herself getting tired. This had been troubling her day and night. To be honest, she knew that she had to let go and forgive Leo some day, but she just couldn''t do it now. All she could do was to let time do its work, hoping that they might bury the hatchet as time passed. Chapter 826 Love Potion (Part Two) "You''re stressed out. I can tell. It''s got to be exhausting to be caught between your principles and your family, " Edward said with a concerned look. If possible, he really wanted to shoulder her burden. But he knew in his heart that she had to convince herself to give up her grudge. It was the only way out. No matter how much they were worried about her, there was very little they could do to help. "Yes, but only sometimes. I''m fine. I have you and Justin around tofort me, right?" Daisy finally allowed herself a smile. Although it was a faint one, it came as a relief for Edward. Smiling back, he walked up to her and took her into his arms with great affection. He swore to himself that whenever she felt tired, he would be the harbor of her soul, forever. "Absolutely. We''ll always be there for you. So just take it easy and don''t let this thing ruin your life, okay?" said Edward, kissing her gently on the head. In his eyes, she wasn''t always the strong and tenacious colonel. And in many cases, she was only a fragile woman who needed his protection. "You know what, Edward, I''m afraid that I have grown addicted to your tenderness, and my dependency on you is ever increasing. Strange, because for others, the more they get to know their lovers, the less passionate they would be in a rtionship. But for me, it is totally the other way around. Tell me, have you ever used any love potion on me? Or else I can''t think of other exnations for my obsession for you." Looking up at him, Daisy brought her face closer to his. Their faces were so close that she could taste his sexy thin lips with a slight move of her rosy ones. It was all she wanted in the world. "So, I have something to ask you. Did you cast a spell on me? Are you a witch? Why are you the only woman I can see? Why did all the other women be nothing to me the moment Iid eyes on you?" Before Daisy could say a word, he pressed his lips to hers. The softness he felt made him want more. But he didn''t go deeper. Instead, he paused to affectionately meet her gaze, feeling her warm breath on his face. "Well, maybe we both bewitched each other. That''s why neither of us can resist the other for long." Her own words gave her goose bum efy you?" Having said that, Daisy fondled his naked barrel chest gently with her slender fingers, smiling provocatively at him. Gazing at him, her desire shone in her eyes. "Woman, you won''t get away from me this time. There''s no escape. This is what you get for challenging me." Edward was a realdy-killer. There was no two ways about it, for he could get the icy Daisy to surrender simply by shooting her an affectionate look. She stopped struggling, and started to take heavy breaths, losing herself totally in the act of making love. She was with her man, and he was the only one who could do this. When the first signs of the dawn appeared on the horizon, the Marine Garrison Headquarters of the city was already full of movement. Green-d soldiers strode to and fro, and you could hear the roar of engines as vehicles were mobilized. Like always, the sound of the drillmands echoed through the yard and its surroundings, indicating that the soldiers were in the midst of their morning exercises. Daisy and Kevin arrived at the army base almost at the same time. Daisy always cut a pretty martial figure in her uniform. She walked into the base with such dignified bearing, as if to tell people that she was not inferior to anyone, not even to men. "Good morning, Major General. You''re early today." Daisy greeted Kevin with a bright smile, looking better than ever. She seemed to have an "in-love glow", so it was clearly evident that she enjoyed her marriage a lot. Chapter 827 Love Potion (Part Three) "Morning, Colonel. Looks like you''re quite early, too." Unlike the rxed and casual manner they would adopt in private, they had always paid great attention to each other''s titles at the army base. It was protocol. You always respected a superior officer, and the superior should at least return a salute. "I have to be. You see, today is automobile training, " replied Daisy, biting her lip secretly. She frowned lightly as she felt achy all over. Damn it, Edward really showed no mercyst night, and she had to get back to work with weak legs. Fortunately, no special task was assigned to her today, or else she would be too tired to guarantee a good performance and could even make a fool of herself. "I know. This is a very urgent matter. They must be ready to take control of a car, even in dangerous circumstances and emergency. Imagine driving with two left feet, " Kevin agreed with her totally on this point. After all, they had to lend a hand in some major investigations far too oftentely, which required that they were skillful enough to cope with various challenges. This was just one of them. "Right. In fact, we conducted drills the other day, to see if they matched up. To my disappointment, 90 percent of them failed to meet the requirements. So I think it necessary to speed up the training." She wasn''t expecting them to be as good as she was, but she had to make sure that they mastered the basic skills. "Well, I don''t me them. After all, we all know how strict you are with your regiment. So maybe they''re just not good enough to meet your high standards." All the soldiers would almost shudder at her name, and she was noted for her rigorous training regimens. One could expect her to be as cruel as the Devil when she trained her soldiers. So Kevin knew how demanding she could be. "Believe me when I say that I wasn''t making it difficult for them. As I see it cally. He didn''t mean to put it off, and would have offered his apology at his earliest convenience had he not been out for training. "Alright. I understandpletely. I can''t make the decision for her and reject your gift out of hand. You can be sure that she receives it. But promise me that you won''t go out of your way for these kinds of things in the future, okay?" asked themander, shaking his head and smiling. It surprised him that Kevin should remember this matter till now, especially since the birthday party took ce so long ago. "You have my word. Thank you, Commander. Now if you''ll excuse me, I''ll get back to work." There was another vitally important reason he didn''t want to give it to Louisa in person. He didn''t want to be alone with her. She''d been giving off signals all night, and he finally figured out that she might have a crush on him. He''d convinced himself that he was imagining things, that she was excited to be back from her time abroad, and was merely curious about who he was and all that. So he forgot about it until now. "Okay, I''ll let you get back to it, then." Themander gestured for Kevin to go. He then put the box into his briefcase without even wondering what was inside, in case he forgot to take it back. Chapter 828 100 Steps Between Them (Part One) Walking out from themander''s office, Kevin sighed in relief. He finally got around fixing what he intended to. As a man, he must be responsible for what he promised. If he couldn''t do it, then he shouldn''t make such a promise. He told Louisa that he''d get her a presentter. He felt obligated since he was at her birthday party. So he bought it and handed it over to the Commander to avoid getting too close to the girl. She did have a crush on him, and that wouldn''t end well. He went back to his office and checked his phone. He wanted to see if Leena had called, or at least texted. But there was nothing on the screen. Leena had been in Paris for a few days now and all she did was call him to let him know shended safely. In thest few days, she hadn''t even sent a text. What was she so busy doing? She should at least have tried to contact him. Fingertips sliding across the screen, Kevin idly scrolled through his apps. He thought maybe he could call her. But it was 2 o''clock in the morning there. She''d be asleep for sure, tucked into bed. Well, he decided to call her in the afternoon, when it was daytime in Paris. Kevin could not help frowning slightly when he recalled Leena''s reluctance to leave him when he sent her off at the airport. He thought Leena was unwilling to stay away from him. But he also wondered; was she pretending to show her reluctance? Was it all an act? Or did she really want to be with him? If she was really reluctant, why hadn''t she called? How cold, he thought. Now that he hadn''t heard from her, he thought maybe he''d call, hopefully catching her at a good time. But every time when he thought about this, it would be in the middle of the night orter, thanks to the time difference. What''s more, he would always forget it when he got busy at work. Oh, God! He was so tangled up and couldn''t see any way out of it. At the same time, Leena, who was in Paris now, was still wide awake and not sleepy at all. Big eyes staring at the screen of her cel He was not sure whether he was happy to hear from her or he should me her for not living a healthy life. His hand, which originally was about to pull the door open, stopped in the air. He stopped walking and stood still. "Hee hee! I''m about to go to bed! Am I interrupting you at work?" Leena always cared about his work. After all, he was career military and had a different job from ordinary white-cor workers. She did not want to distract him if he was super busy. There was always time to talk when he got home. "No. I''m free now. How are you doing there? Are you used to it yet?" Kevin walked to the sofa and sat down, worry showing on his handsome face. "I''m doing great here! Don''t forget it, I lived here for years. There''s no way I couldn''t be used to it." Her apartment in Paris was bought by Duke. He wanted to prepare afortable ce for Leena to stay and also hired a house-maid. But Leena let the maid go before she went back home because a maid would not be necessary. So she was the only one in the apartment now. "How''s your dissertation? Is it going well?" Kevin did not know how long she''d be staying in Paris. Without her home, he always felt that something was not right in that house. It was cold because she wasn''t there. Once he got used to it, there was no denying something was missing. Chapter 829 100 Steps Between Them (Part Two) "Yes! I''m preparing for it. But there are also some other things I need to take care of. So I''ll be here awhile. I can''t go back soon. I''m sorry." Hearing his sexy voice thiste at night made her so happy. She felt much morefortable and less annoyed now. "What? Are you going to be there for a long time?" Probably even Kevin himself did not realize that he asked her this in a hurried tone. Anyone listening to him would know instantly that Leena upied a special ce in his heart, and everything felt empty without her there. "I don''t know yet. I''m sorry! You''ll need to fix dinner yourself, I guess. I''lle back as soon as I can. I promise." Although Leena''s major was fashion design, a modern profession, traditional virtues were in her bones. She''d like to cook for her husband and take care of their home. So she felt sorry when Kevin had to handle the housework by himself. She was a lovely mix of conservative and modern, and that was what made Kevin love her more. "No worries there. I can manage it. I''m just worried about you. " He did not know what kind of life she had in Paris in the past. But now she was his wife and it was his responsibility to keep her safe. She was still like a young girl, so he could not help worrying about when she was so far away from him. He couldn''t be there as quickly as he liked. "Don''t worry! I have tons of friends here and I''ll be fine." Leena could not help growing enraptured hearing his caring words. All her depression and annoyance disappeared suddenly as if he had cast a magic spell on her. She felt like that she had fallen into the sea of happiness. She could easily feel satisfied with just this. She was so humble in a rtionship that people would pity and love her. "Yeah. Okay. Get to bed early and don''t wear yourself out too much, " Kevin said in a caring tone, ncing at his watch. It was about 3 in the morning in Paris now. It was bad for her health if she slept toote every day. She was delicate and the hard workload might wear her down. It was best if she took care of herself, given how busy she was. "Okay! I get it, " she said in a teasing tone. "I''m off to bed then. I''ll call youter. Bye!" She didn''t say half of what she wanted to say. Despite this, she couldn''t be more satisfied or happier. "Good night!" After hanging up the phone, Kevin spent a while deep in thought. Although Leena seemed ha anything more when he saw how much his daughter liked the present. It wasn''t his ce to get too involved in her business. The problems of the younger generation needed to be attended to by the young. "Someday? I''m calling him now." At that point, Louisa walked quickly to her bedroom, happiness putting a smile on her face and a spring in her step. She felt closer to Kevin now. She was smart enough to have saved his number long ago, so she wasn''t worried that she''d lose contact. She had prepared and prayed, waiting for this day. "Hello! This is Kevin Gu. Who''s speaking, please?" Kevin was driving when Louisa called him. Holding the steering wheel with one hand, Kevin answered the phone. It was a new number that he had never seen before. He wondered who was calling him. "Kevin, it''s me, Louisa. I got your gift. It''s so beautiful. I like it a lot. Thank you so much!" Louisa answered in a soft voice with a hint of flirtation, as if she were talking to her boyfriend. She was so confident as if Kevin had already been smitten with her. "Oh! It''s you! I''m d you like it. It''s just a small thing. I asked my friend to buy, and wasn''t sure you''d like it or not." Kevin was honest. He spoke as he thought. A foreign military officer who had been training with him at that time helped him select the ne. That was a fact. "Yes, I do! I like it VERY MUCH. Let''s have a meal together soon. It''s on me. It''s the least I can do for the wonderful gift." Louisa took the opportunity and invited him for a meal. She was about to start her grand n closing in on him step by step. Chapter 830 100 Steps Between Them (Part Three) "Oh, you don''t have to. It''s just a birthday present. It was nothing." Kevin drove carefully. He''d been in the field with the Falcon toon for too long. So it was quitete when he got off work and drove back home. Leena wasn''t home and he was alone. So he didn''t rush home -- no one was waiting for him there. "No. I have to thank you in person. The gift you sent to me is so expensive. I have to treat you to a meal. Don''t turn it down, please. Don''t you like me? Or why are you refusing my invitation?" Louisa pursed her lips slightly. She tried hard to persuade Kevin to ept her invitation. "Oh, no, that''s not it at all. Miss Ye, don''t get me wrong." Kevin frowned and pulled into the parking lot of a supermarket. He got out of the car and went into the store, phone in hand. "You see what I''m talking about? Miss Ye! That''s not my name! That''s so distant. Just call me Louisa!" Louisa was born into a political family. So she was willful and obstinate -- it was in her bones and blood. What was more, she had been a party-girl. Therefore, she always showed her strong personality through her words. It was an excellent excuse to ask Kevin out on a date with her. Well, she considered it a date. She would never let the chance go. "Ok! I''ll go for it when I am not busy." Hearing Louisa insist on having a meal with him, Kevin had no other option but to ept it. In his eyes, she was so arrogant and willful, just like his sister. "Now that we''re going out to eat, I''ll definitely find out a time when you have time. It''s a deal, Kevin. You can''t go back on your word, " Louisa said in a smart and teasing voice. But Kevin could not help shivering at her words. He liked the way Leena spoke more. Oh, Leena, yeah. Why did he think of her again? Was he missing her? "Ok! Bye!" Having nothing more to say, Kevin finished the conversation and walked through the aisles of the supermarket. He went to th protect his country and his family. So when he couldn''t find a way to make his dreame true, he was extremely delighted to see other close family member live his dream. Kevin was such afort to Lloyd. "I see, Dad. See you soon." Kevin hung up. He didn''t want to keep his father-inw waiting for too long, so he stepped a little bit harder on the gas to speed up. Soon the car disappeared among the traffic stream. It took about 20 minutes for Kevin to reach the Leng House, just like Kevin had promised. Kevin pulled up the car and stepped out. Lloyd had been standing in the garden and waiting for him for a while. "Dad, why don''t you go inside? It''s cold outside." Kevin walked quickly toward Lloyd at the sight of him. It waste now and he felt somewhat guilty for having made Lloyd wait outside, no matter Lloyd volunteered it or not. "It''s okay. It''s good for me to get some air outside. Come and let''s go inside! It''s alreadyte. You must be starving!" Lloyd walked toward the house first. He became more satisfied with Kevin seeing his powerful posture. After all, it was the first time that Lloyd saw Kevin in a military uniform and there were passionate shes gleaming through Lloyd''s eyes. He was so happy to see Kevin that even his pace sped up. Chapter 831 The Woman I Want For The Rest Of My Life (Part One) "Aren''t Duke and Belinda back?" Kevin asked as he walked beside Lloyd. He assumed that Duke and Belinda must have had a lot of fun on their honeymoon trip. They went to and full of mystery, which boasted historic sites and rich cultural deposits with thousands of years'' worth of history. It was supposed to be refreshing for the soul, how could they not be happy there? "Not yet. They''ll probably be back in a few days. Thepany needs them. They can''t be away too long." Lloyd brought Kevin directly to the dining room, where Giselle was busy moving the dishes to the table from the kitchen. When she saw Kevin, she greeted him and said, "Good morning! Mr. Gu." Then she went back to work. "Yeah, such bigpanies can''t run smoothly without them." Kevin didn''t know much about doing business. But he knew that for such a bigpany like the Leng Group, it must have many business ns waiting to be approved every day. The work was just asplicated as the training they organized at the army base. "You''re right. Let''s drop the subject and eat. Want some wine?" Lloyd made Kevin sit down and proposed when he saw the wine cab. "No, thanks. I have to drive." Kevin immediately refused. Lee was not with him, so he couldn''t drink. Otherwise no one would drive his car back if he got drunk. "Fair enough. I get it. Safety first." He gestured at the food. "These are all Leena''s favorite dishes. I don''t know what you like, so I asked Giselle to prepare them. I hope you don''t mind, " Lloyd said while wearing a smile. His manner was very different from Duke''s cold demeanor. "It''s okay, I''m not picky. Everything smells really good." Army life didn''t allow a man to be finicky. Even though he was a Major General, when he went to the canteen to eat, he ate the same food as the other soldiers did. There was no special treatment. Though there were chances to enjoy the privilege of high rank, he would never allow himself to do so. Much like Daisy, he didn''t like to be privileged. The military wasn''t some country club. It was in the business of preparing for war. "When Leena was fat before, she was also not very particr about food. She ate almost everything which came her way. Butter, in order to lose weight, she started eating only vegetables for a while. Over time, she became very careful about the food she ate. She rarely ate high-calorie food." Lloyd sighed. Strictly speaking, Leena wasn''t really fat. She was only plump. But she firmly thought that she wasughed at by others because of this. So she spent a lot of time on losing weight. Fortunately, her weight didn''t rebound. On the contr e happiness of their honeymoon; he had totally forgotten about Rachel. "Good morning, Duke!" Rachel shed a sweet smile, as if she had done nothing during his wedding ceremony. "Rachel, why are you still here?" Duke furrowed his brow. Even if he didn''t have time to ask her to quit her job and leave thepany, any woman who had self-esteem would not be so shameless to continue to stay here. What would she do next? "I am working here. What did you think I''d be doing? I''m the group leader of the sales department." Rachel wore a graceful smile the whole time they talked. She certainly knew what Duke wanted to tell her. But if she really left Leng Group, it wouldn''t be easy for her to find a satisfactory job. She made trouble on his wedding day. And though only few powerful entrepreneurs showed up, her reputation was tarnished. The news spread like wildfire, and everyone knew. No one would hire her after what she pulled. That much was certain. "Rachel, are you an idiot? You still think you can work here after what you pulled? After you caused that shitstorm on my wedding day? I really should fire you right here. Give me one good reason to keep you on." Duke ground his teeth. His good mood disappeared the moment he saw this woman. "Why can''t I stay with thepany? What the hell makes you think you can treat me like that? Or did you forget that we signed an employment contract?" Rachel smiled cunningly. This was why she behaved so arrogantly. She had the contract with thepany about her employment. "Huh, it''s only an employment contract. Thepany has the right to cancel it." Duke stared at her coldly and then walked quickly into the elevator. If she wanted to threaten him with the contract, she was too naive. Chapter 832 The Woman I Want For The Rest Of My Life (Part Two) "What? You''re going to fire me? You can''t! I''ll go to the Labor Bureau and sue you!" Rachel ran to keep up with Duke, but the elevator doors closed in her face. No matter how annoyed she was, she could only vent her anger by stomping her feet. "Janice, ask Rachel in the sales department to leave. End her contract and pay her an extra two years'' sry as a severance package. I think that''s more than generous." Janice followed him as he issued these orders. As soon as Duke entered the office, he set Janice to work on this. "Mr. Leng, what if she won''t leave?" Janice pursed her lips. Mr. Leng was so generous to give Rachel two years'' sries aspensation. If it were Janice, she would fire her directly using some random excuse. But Rachel was not easy to deal with. Would she take the severance package and leave as they expected? And she needed to know how Duke wanted it to be handled if she said no. "If she won''t leave? Have the security guards throw her out. I don''t care how you do it. Just get her out. I don''t want to see her in the morning meeting." Duke sneered. ''Rachel, you really think you''re bulletproof? I kept you here before because Belinda agreed. But now, it''s time for you to leave, '' Duke thought. "Okay, Mr. Leng, I''ll get on it right away." Janice took a deep breath and walked out of the office. She had an ugly job to do. Rachel would never have thought that before her morning coffee had time to cool, she''d have a notice of dismissal waiting for her. The troublemaker realized that Duke was not joking just now. "Janice, could I know the reason?" Rachel asked. Obviously she knew the answer herself. But she was reluctant to ept the fact, especially the fact that she was fired in front of everyone. Wasn''t this an insult? Based on what she bragged about her rtionship with Duke during the gathering before, she actually shot herself in the foot. "Sorry, I don''t have that information. I am just following the orders of the CEO." Janice smiled, pretending to look innocent. If she hadn''t been at Duke''s wedding, she would be cheated by Rachel''s pitiful look now. She might even consider not firing her. But Janice had witnessed the whole process of the wedding. It would have been perfect if not for this woman. It was impossible for her to show any trace of sympathy to Rachel now. "What if I don''t want to leave thepany?" Rachel gently bit her lips, looking aggressively at Janice. She believed that Janice didn''t dare to do anything to her. "The securi to get arrested. She knew there were cameras in the parking lot. So she was not dumb enough to think that no one would notice what she had done. "Huh, this crazy woman!" The security guard cursed while looking at the colorful scribbles on the windows of the CEO''s car. They had thought their task was finished when Rachel left the office building. They didn''t think that she would vent her anger on the CEO''s car. So they had to wipe the scribbles off the ss before the CEO found out. Otherwise they would really be done because of this crazy woman. Rachelughed all the way as she drove away from the Leng Group. In the end, theughter became teardrops and cries of rage. She crazily pressed the elerator and sted the horn as loudly as possible. Was she too confident about herself? No one would stay at the same ce forever, and Duke was no exception. What should she do now? She couldn''t go home. Otherwise her savings would be taken away by her gambling father. She didn''t have any n now and could only y it by ear. She hoped her family was unaware that she came back from abroad because she was divorced. There was no use crying over spilled milk. If there was some medicine in the world which would give her a fresh start, she would buy it, no matter how much it cost. As long as she could go back to the time when she first met Duke. If this was possible, she would never abandon him. But pathetically, there was no such drug. She had to figure out what she''d do next, carefully n her next steps, and figure out how to bring down Belinda. Everything in the world that she cared about had been taken from her. Now she would have her revenge. Chapter 833 Leenas Foul Temper (Part One) As the capital of France, Paris housed the headquarters of many internationalpanies and drew in countless fashion elites from all over the world. Other than that, it was well known for its prosperity and fantastic scenery. Walking on the streets, Leena paid no attention to the dazzling lights that decorated the Eiffel tower, nor to the astonishing artistic works in the Louvre. Her schedule in France was tight. She could only dream about Kevin when she went to sleep every night. Due to the time difference between the two countries, she rarely got time to get in touch with Kevin. More importantly, the nature of Kevin''s job prevented her from doing so. For instance, she had spare time right now, but it was already 1 o''clock in the morning in S city. Kevin must have already fallen asleep by now, she thought. Leena leisurely strolled along the Seine River. When the lingering light of the setting sun fell on the waves, she was enchanted by the colors it brought to life. If it were possible, she would sail across the Seine River and enjoy a good time. In France, women usually had blonde hair and blue eyes. Leena stood out in the country. She was blessed with long ck hair, fair skin and a slender figure. A yful smile always lingered around the corners of her mouth. Being a full-fledged oriental beauty, she constantly drew the attention of passersby. She was lucky to have made great progress in a short time as a designer in France. She was the darling of the aristocrats in the fashion circle and had quickly grown to be one of the elite designers here, which Leena herself had not expected. Preupied with the beautiful scenery of the Seine River, she did not notice her phone vibrating in her bag. She thought about how she wanted to go shopping, so that when she returned home and met Kevin, she could surprise him with some lovely presents. Sitting on a couch in avish apartment in S City, Kevin looked solemn and wondered where Leena was. Did she forget to carry her cell phone with her when she went out? Why wasn''t she answering his calls? Did something happen to her? Kevin was agitated by the dangerous thought that popped into his head all of a sudden. He stood up and anxiously strolled across his office. Looking outside the window at the twinkling stars in the sky, he longed to hear Leena''s sweet voice over the phone, but he couldn''t. It was killing him. Leena walked into a restaurant located on the bank of Seine. She took a seat near the window that overlooked the stunning scenery outside and imagined herself boarding a boat to cruise across the river. At that moment, she suddenly realized that her mobile phone was ringing and vi day off, " Daisy replied. Daisy stood up as well, walking out of the meeting room. "Let''s go! I also have some work to do." Kevin frowned, mulling over what the chiefmander had told him at the meeting. It was said that many new recruits were unustomed to the new environment at the base. He felt obliged to visit them in order to find a feasible solution. "Major General Gu, the CEO of Leng Group called up a moment ago. You should call him back, " his assistant, Lee, chimed in as soon as he saw Kevine back to the office. "All right. Did he say anything to you?" Kevin asked curiously. Kevin picked up his phone and browsed through the contacts in his directory. His brother-inw rarely called him. ''Has something happened?'' he wondered. '' "No. He hung up after I told him that you were in a meeting, " Lee answered. Lee knew very well the rtionship between Kevin and Leng Group. He wasn''t surprised when Duke called. "Well! May I have the room?" Kevin prompted. Lee walked out in haste and closed the office door. Kevin phoned Duke, specting that it was likely that Leena had told her brother about their quarrelst night. If so, it was very uncharacteristic of her to do that. Duke was as busy as ever. He had too many documents to handle and meetings to attend. As he had juste back from his vacation, the tasks had been backlogged and he had to work overtime to finish them. When his phone rang, he answered it before checking the caller ID. "Hello. This is Duke. Who is that?" he asked. With his sight still fixed on the documents on his desk, he held the cell phone in one hand and a pen in the other. "Duke, this is Kevin. My assistant said that you called me, " Kevin said, unperturbed. There was a frosty look on his handsome face. Chapter 834 Leenas Foul Temper (Part Two) "Oh, yes. FX International hasunched some new vis for sale. Since Leena isn''t home, it would be better if you choose a vi for her." As far as Duke was concerned, Kevin and Leena''s apartment was too small - although it was still expensive. Leena was a fanciful girl who enjoyed her whimsical and luxurious activities. It would be better for her to live in a spacious house. "Did Leena ask you to do this?" Kevin asked in frustration. His brow furrowed. If Leena needed a new and bigger house, he would spend all his savings on her without hesitation. "Of course not. Edward wants to buy a house for Leena as a wedding gift. Don''t refuse and piss him off. He loves Leena too, " Duke answered. Duke sensed the displeasure in Kevin''s voice. However, if Edward wanted to give someone a gift, nobody could dare to refuse him. Besides, Edward loved Leena like a sister just as much as Duke loved her. When Duke confided to Edward that he thought Leena needed a better house, Edward said that he had already chosen one for her as a wedding gift. Since Edward had no idea about Leena''s taste in housing property, he needed Kevin''s help in this. "Okay. I get that, " Kevin responded. He knew he could not refuse Edward''s gift. The house was meant for Leena, not for Kevin himself. Just like the brand new car in his parking lot, it represented the love and blessings from Leena''s brother. "I''m d that you aren''t refusing Edward. His secretary, Anna, will contact you. You cane and choose a house for Leena. Don''t be toote; the pre-sales of these houses should not be postponed for your sake. They would not be sold until you have chosen an appropriate one for your wife, " Duke replied dly. He still hadn''t fully epted Kevin as his brother-inw. However, after the small chat with Belindast time, his attitude toward Kevin changed greatly. "All right. I''lle over this afternoon, " Kevin said. His schedule was tight tomorrow, so he decided to see the houses this afternoon. "Great. Talk to youter. Good day, " Duke said. Duke hung up the phone. He originally intended to ask Anna to send the photos to Leena online, but she didn''t answer his phone. So he had to contact her husband instead. After all, the house would belong to Kevin as much as it would to Leena. Kevin frowned. It suddenly urred to him that people could consider him to be a man who married for money. Although he had known about Leena''s identity before they got married, he had never considered that Leena was doted upon by rnational Group must have employed many talented designers to build these astonishing houses, '' he thought. Kevin checked his wrist watch. It was 6 o''clock right now, which meant it must be 11 o''clock in the morning in France. Leena should be up by now. Kevin wondered whether or not his wife would like to talk to him if he called her. He made a terrible mistake quarreling with herst night. Nevertheless, he decided to make his call. He entered Leena''s number on his phone, longing to hear her sweet voice again. However, the call gave her a good scare. Leena had turned off her phone immediately afterst night''s fight. A moment ago, she had turned it on again and it rang immediately. She checked to see that it was her husband calling. "Hello, " Leena responded to the call coldly. She was still angry at Kevin''s bad temper fromst night. "Girl, are you still mad at me?" Kevin asked humbly. He shook his hand, ming himself for starting a fight with his wife before thinking twice about it. "No, I''m not." Leena frowned, wondering why Kevin had been calling her so much in the past two days. "Don''t lie to me. I know you better than you think. I can sense the anger in your voice. Leena, I''m really sorry for what happenedst night. I thought about it a lot. I know I''m bad at loving and getting along with you. But I have decided to work on it harder. Please trust me on this." This was the first time that Kevin had acknowledged his mistakes. He had already figured out why he got so emotional and aggressive when it came to his wife. He had be overly protective ever since he first met Leena. Maybe it was proving to be too much for the both of them. Chapter 835 We Are A Couple (Part One) "Okay, fine. I admit that I was a bit angry, but I wasn''t that mad, you know? In fact, it was partly my fault too. I know I was being very childish, and I realize my mistake now. So please, tolerate with me. I promise I will be better and more mature than this." Leena bit her lip. She was the kind of girl who would be tough if others were tough on her, but once they responded nicely to her, she too would be gentle toward them. She wondered if it had been her fault as well. She was brave enough to admit to her mistakes. "I understand why you were angry. That was reasonable. After all, I was the one who was too harsh on you. You mentioned yesterday that I didn''t care about you enough. I admit that I have neglected you a lot, so I apologize to you again. I promise I will pay more attention in the future." He had pondered on what Leena said on the phone yesterday for a very long time and felt guilty as hell. All this time, she was being so thoughtful, and he had been taking her for granted. He never stood in her shoes and considered her own feelings. He wasn''t keeping the promises he had made when the two of them got married. After a long time of thinking, he finally realized that what she said was true. He rarely called her, or showed that he cared for her. "No! I didn''t mean that! You took my words too seriously. I was just angry and hurt. I didn''t mean to me you." Leena was quick to exin. She really didn''t want to me him. She just couldn''t help butin a little when she had the opportunity to do so. It seemed like she had made a big mistake. What did he think of her now? Did he think she was a childish woman who was being unreasonable? "People can''t help themselves when they are angry. But at the same time, they usually tell the truth. I do understand your feelings. I''m a grown man, and I wasn''t a responsible and proper husband. That''s totally my fault. I hurt you. It''s something I can''t forgive myself for." Kevin closed his eyes slowly, leaning against the back of his chair. He was indeed wrong, and he would not deny that. He wouldn''t even make excuses for himself. It was hard enough for two people who barely knew each other to be in a marriage. If they did m. He leaned heavily against the back of his chair and closed his eyes, resting. Leena looked at the phone in her hand in confusion. She had a feeling there was definitely something wrong with Kevin, because why else would his voice change so suddenly? However, he said that he was driving, so she didn''t want to call him back and ask. She guessed they would talk about itter. For now, she needed to send her e-mail address to him. Kevin felt better after taking the pills. It seemed that the irregr meals had upset his stomach again. He must pay more attention and take good care of himself. It could cause serious trouble if it grew into a bigger problem when he was out on a mission. Suddenly, his phone chimed. Somebody had sent him a message. He picked up the phone to see that it was Leena. Her message included her e-mail address and a few words of concern. The sudden change in his voice must have worried her. Smiling secretly to himself, he started the car again and continued driving toward his house. There was still enough food in the fridge, so he didn''t need to go grocery shopping. He could still feel a trace of the pain in his stomach. Perhaps it would get better once he reached home and took a nap. He hadn''t slept muchst night at all. Much to his surprise, his nap extended for a few hours. When he woke up, it was already ten o''clock in the evening. He didn''t bother to cook a proper meal for himself and prepared himself some noodles. Chapter 836 We Are A Couple (Part Two) He suddenly remembered that he hadn''t sent the pictures to Leena. He quickly ran over to his study to turn on theputer. Connecting his phone to theputer, he sent all the photos he had taken today to Leena, writing to her that he was fine so she didn''t have to worry anymore. He walked back downstairs to finish his dinner. Leena had stayed home all day today. Once she received the e-mail that Kevin sent her, she opened it immediately and looked through every photo. She was extremely careful, since she knew it must have taken Kevin a long time to capture these photographs. She had to treat them with respect. At first, she had thought about letting Kevin make the decision, but then she worried that maybe it would make Kevin unhappy. It was a house gifted to her by her brother. Edward and Kevin didn''t get along very well. She was afraid that Kevin would think that Edward had chosen a house as their wedding gift because he didn''t think Kevin was able to give her what she wanted by himself. It took Leena more than half an hour to finally decide on a house she liked the most. She sent the pictures of the house directly to Edward, so that Kevin didn''t have to spend more time on this. She also needed to give Kevin a phone call and tell him that she had already made the decision, in case he thought that she didn''t receive his e-mail. Because he wasn''t at the army base this afternoon, Kevin had taken all the documents he needed to read at home. When his phone rang, he was sitting at theputer and typing. He picked up the phone, which was lying on the table in front of him. He was startled to see Leena''s name on the screen. It was quite a surprise. He did not expect that she would see his e-mail and call him back so quickly. "Leena, have you made your choice?" Kevin stopped what he was doing to answer the call. He himself didn''t realize that he was smiling affectionately as he asked her the question. "Yeah, I have. And I have already sent the photos to Edward directly. So you don''t have to waste more time on this." Listening to her melodious voice, Kevin''s heart melted. He really liked her voice. "That''s excellent. I tead of warming up instant noodles. That would be a lot better for her. "Kevin, you sound really concerned." Leena said carefully, biting her lower lip. She was curious about Kevin''s reply to that. "Why? You think I''m the kind of husband who wouldn''t care about his own wife, is that it?" Kevin felt helpless about this. Where she got that thought from was beyond him. Had he done something wrong to make her think that he didn''t care about her at all? "No! Of course not. I guess I''m just a bit surprised and ttered, that''s all." When they were apart, he had a feeling that they could understand each other better than when the two of them were together. It was because they didn''t have to face each other that they could easily say the things that they were too shy to speak otherwise. "I''m sorry. I didn''t make you feel like you are cared for and loved enough." Thinking of the time before, he realized that he didn''t show that he cared enough for her. Most of the time, he would ignore her. It was all his fault. "That''s not what I meant. You know me, I just love joking around about everything. Don''t take it too seriously, okay? Anyway, somebody is ringing the bell now, so I have to go. Talk to youter! Bye!" Leena said these words as she walked towards the door. She was curious about who was behind the door. She wasn''t expecting anyone and didn''t think that someone woulde to see her at this time of the day. Chapter 837 We Are A Couple (Part Three) "Okay. Be safe and take care of yourself. Remember to check that it''s someone you know before opening the door. Bye!" Kevin was worried about her, but like she said, she had been living there for a few years. She knew very well the security measures she had to take there. "Yeah. I know. Don''t worry about it." Leena ended the call. She was about to open the door promptly, but thinking over the words Kevin just said, she decided to check through the door camera first to see if she knew the person who rang the bell. When she saw the handsome guy on the screen, she couldn''t help but frown. Why was he here? They had already made the unanimous decision to break up, hadn''t they? After drawing a deep breath, Leena opened the door. Even though they weren''t lovers anymore, there was no need for bad blood between them, right? "Gerard, what a surprise." Leena said. She was fluent in French. She was seeing him a few months after their break-up. Clearly, she didn''t feel the same way she used to feel when the two of them were dating. "Hello! Mignonne*, we finally meet again." Gerard''s arms were wide open, wanting a passionate hug from Leena. However, Leena subtly dodged his hug. Even though she knew it was just a friendly gesture in this country, she couldn''t just forget her new identity. She was Kevin''s wife now, how could she hug her ex? (*TN: Gerard called her Mignonne.) "Why are you here?" Leena''s face showed no emotions at all. She obviously wasn''t surprised or excited to see him again. On the contrary, she felt kind of annoyed at him for disturbing the phone call with her husband. The look on her face contrasted strongly to the excited one on Gerard''s. "Can Ie in first?" Gerard could sense Leena''s cold attitude toward him, but he really wanted her back. He decided to forego the awkwardness and asked her to let him in. "Alright, you cane in." Leena moved aside to let him in. She wasn''t too worried about what he might do once he was inside her house. "Migno ok at it. When he found that there was nothing on her ring finger, he secretly sighed in relief. Of course she was lying. How could she get married so soon? That was impossible! "Stop being unreasonable! Why would I joke about something like that? I don''t need to lie to you, okay? That won''t do me any good at all." Leena abruptly shook off his hand. She knew exactly what he was looking for. He wanted to see if she had a ring on her finger or not. "Fine. If you want to insist that you are married, then tell me, where is your wedding ring?" Gerard didn''t believe her words. He thought it was just an excuse for her since she was still hurt by their break-up. Gerard stared at her intensely. Under his watchful eyes, he believed she could not lie to him. "Gerard, you should know that my country is different from yours. Married women in my country don''t have to wear a wedding ring to prove that they are married. Besides, why are you so confident that I don''t have a wedding ring? Maybe I''m just afraid that I will lose it because I''m always so careless. That''s why I''m not wearing it right now." There was no real conviction in Leena''s voice as she said these words. Truth be told, she and Kevin didn''t even bother to buy a wedding ring when they got married. She just hoped that Gerard believed her and didn''t catch her lie. Chapter 838 Come To Grandpa (Part One) "Whatever you say, Mignonne, I won''t believe you unless I see the man you''ve been talking about in person. Otherwise, I''ll do everything to win you back." The truth was too harsh for Gerard to believe. Leena had liked him so much that it had devastated her when he broke up with her. How could she possibly have married someone else within a matter of months? She must have made it up to make him give up willingly. However, Gerard had lost her once and had decided not to make the same mistake again. "I''m sorry, Gerard. Believe it or not, you and I are over. We will never be a couple again. Honestly, I should thank you for breaking up with me. I have found the one and learned what true love feels like. I am not the ignorant teenage girl chasing meaningless things anymore." Leenaughed. She wouldn''t go back to someone who had dumped her even if Kevin hadn''te into her life. "That''s impossible. You always loved me. I could feel it." Gerard shook his head. Leena''s eyes were always affectionate when she looked at him. She might have acted indifferent to him but then her eyes wouldn''t lie. "You knew I loved you, so you thought I couldn''t live without you and treated my feelings like dirt." Leena frowned with disgust. Worst was the best word she could think of when it came to Gerard. She hated his kind to the core, those who took others'' love for granted, exploited it, and still thought that the other person''s love would never fade no matter what they did. It was fortunate that no one could just keep on giving love that selflessly. People who had their hearts broken left. And once these loving people were gone, expect them to be gone forever. It was too bad that Gerard didn''t see that. "I am sorry for that. I really need you. Pleasee back to me." Not having seen Leena for months made him miss her a lot. He hadn''t been able to find her since she hade back to her country. "Gerard, I vowed to be faithful to my husband on our wedding day. I''ll keep my words. I won''te back to you. There will be someone for you, but it won''t be me." Much as Leena was young, she was maturer than her peers. She knew what she wanted. "You are the one for me, Mignonne. Otherw ble smile took over it as soon as he met his grandchild. "Mister, why did you want to see me?" Justin seemed well-behaved and innocent before Leo. "Because your mom is my daughter which makes you my grandson." The old man didn''t know how to answer the question. The images of Daisy after she had been forced out of the house suddenly shed back in his head. Whether she was in a dress or in military uniform, knowing that she was doing great even without his protection made him feel relieved each time he saw her. "But I remember you saying that your daughter isn''t my mommy but someone named Mary. Don''t you remember?" A menacing smile showed on Justin''s face. He could pity Leo but this old man had broken his mom''s heart. He wouldn''t forget that. "I remember. I was confused and made a terrible mistake. I treated my own daughter like an enemy. I can see that you hate me. I have brought it on myself. I didn''t protect your mom and made her life miserable." Leo''s face was full of remorse and regrets. "No, I don''t hate you. My mommy says that hate consumes time and energy, so she hardly hates anyone." Justin often started his sentence with ''my mommy says''. He wanted to make a point that he was a good boy and it was all thanks to Daisy. "So you are saying that your mom doesn''t hate me? Then why doesn''t she see me?" Justin''s words made Leo feel worse about himself. How could he have been so heartless to such a sensible woman, his own child. Chapter 839 Come To Grandpa (Part Two) "Just because my mommy doesn''t hate you doesn''t mean she has forgiven you. You can''t make up for my mommy''s misery with an apology. You can''t make it go away with your remorse either. If you really want to get her forgiveness, you''d better start with learning about what she went through in the past." The child sneered. This was the real reason why he had agreed to meet Leo. Justin wanted to let him know his mother''s every struggle in the past because of him. "I know. It''s all my fault. So I''ll keep trying to earn her forgiveness." Justin''s sharp tone was way beyond his age that Leo couldn''t regard him as a child anymore. Suddenly, he realized why Edward had let Justine alone. The child simply thought like an adult and certainly didn''t need another adult''spany. "It will be difficult. My mommy doesn''t hate people easily. However, once she does, it will be forever. Plus, I''ll always be on my mommy''s side. I''m sorry. I think we shouldn''t see each other again. I don''t want to upset my mommy." Justin had gone through everything with Daisy so he totally understood why his mom did that. "Justin, I understand that it won''t be easy for you to forgive me. But I have gotten my punishment and I am old. Can''t you help me to change your mom''s mind?" Leo begged, regardless of his pride in a way that made it hard to even see his former glory. Right now, he was merely a miserable old man hoping for forgiveness. "If you knew how my mommy had survived these years, you wouldn''t have asked me that. Do you know what it was like to deliver a baby alone without a single soul at her side? Do you know what it was like when my mommy got hurt and had to swallow the pain silently alone? Can you imagine how afraid my mommy was when she was close to death? No. I don''t think so. None of you understands how her life had been. So, when you see how sessful she is right now, try to imagine how hard she has worked for it." Tears streamed down Justin''s cheeks. He had said the same thing to Edward before but the mere mention of it could still leave him overwhelmed with sadness. "I''m so sorry. I really didn''t know anything about all thi woman being chased. Shall we let her in?" Justin was startled. "Ignore her. Let''s go." Luke wanted to stay away from trouble mainly because Justin was in the car. He was the apple of Edward''s eye. He must protect him. That was his mindset until he looked outside and saw the pretty woman''s face. Everything just came to his surprise when his body moved to unlock the car doors immediately. "Thank you! Thank you very much!" Michelle said as she got in the car, without seeing clearly the face of the person who had saved her life. Luke started the car as soon as she hopped in and bolted out of that ce even before the men could catch up. "That''s nothing. Don''t mention it, " Justin said politely as he gazed at Michelle. Luke was driving the car silently with his eyes fixed on the rear-view mirror, viewing those ranting men they had left behind. "Hello, little guy. You''re cute." Michelle lightly pinched Justin''s cheek. She was sweat-drenched from running that the cold wind from the air-conditioner sent her slight shivers. "Thank you. By the way, why are those men chasing you?" Justin rubbed his face which was hurting from the pinch. Instantly he ssified this innocent-looking woman into the same type as Leena. They were both sweet and beautiful on the outside but evil on the inside. He regretted that he had let Luke save her. She might have done something wrong to those men, which was why she was chased. Chapter 840 Almost Had A Car Accident (Part One) "Little boy, don''t you think I am a pretty and charming girl? They are chasing after me because they fell in love with me at first sight." Michelle smiled with pride of a peacock. Obviously, she was rather confident in her beauty. "Uh, I don''t think you are as beautiful as my mom." Justin pressed himself against the door in an attempt to keep away from the woman. Of course, his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world for him. Basing it from the woman''s words and behavior, it was confirmed that she and Leena were really each other''s doppelgangers. Thus, Justin couldn''t help but stay away from her. "Hah! I don''t think it''s fair topare me with your mom." Michelle felt a little awkward about the young boy''s reaction. She pondered hard on how to retort Justin and save herself from embarrassment. It took her a while to figure out something. It was a split second before she felt the car suddenly pulled over. "Get off the car! They are gone." Luke demanded in a chilly voice. Even though Michelle had rescued him from a danger a couple of times, he still held a cold manner towards her. "Eh! It''s you, Luke! Who is this little boy? Is he your son?" It was only then that Michelle recognized who the driver was. And more to her surprise, Luke had a son! Was he married to a woman already? She felt her breath hitched. That realization felt like a de that stabbed her chest and pierced her heart. "Uncle Luke, do you know her?" Justin looked back and forth between Luke and Michelle. There must be something wrong between them. "No!" "Yes!" Duke''s and Michelle''s answers came in a chorus, which made Justin even more confused. "What? How dare you say you don''t know me? Have you forgotten that I was your savior?" It vexed Michelle to see Luke pretend not to know her. He had always ignored her like she was invisible. "Get off the car, now!" Luke demanded again as he ignored her angry face. "No! I don''t have any money now. I don''t want to walk back. Luke, could you drive me back home, please?" Damn it! She swore she would find out who had stolen her wallet and cell phone, and beat him to a pulp. How dare that thief steal from her? She was the daughter of the Dragon Faction''s leader! She had ordered so many delicious dishes but found her wallet and phone gone after she ate. She had no other option but to run. That was the reason why she was chased by many people er appreciate thedy Colonel even more. "What? You know my mom?" Justin shouted as he looked at Michelle up and down. She was wearing a midriff-top and super short-shorts. She definitely looked like a bad girl, so Justin couldn''t help but wonder how his mom was even rted to her. "Yes, I do. I also know your dad. Well, your dad treats me well, unlike somebody." Michelle peeked sideways at Luke with a disdainful expression. "Auntie, why don''t you have dinner with uster?" Justin believed that all of his mom''s friends were good people. Thus, he invited Michelle to have dinner with them together. "I''m good. I''m so sweaty, and I want to take a bath first. Thank you though." Michelle was willing to have dinner with Edward and Daisy but she looked terrible at this moment. It would be a shame to meet them in her attire. "Justin, you should not get too close to a stranger unless you know him or her well. What if he or she is a bad person? One should always guard against the harm others might do to him." Luke was hinting that Michelle was not a good person. "Damn it! What do you mean by that? Are you saying I''m a bad girl?" Michelle cast a stern nce at Luke as if she was going to take him by the throat. "Why are you pissed off if you''re not?" Luke answered indifferently. His attitude infuriated Michelle. If he was not driving at this moment, she swore she would beat him to death. "Fuck you! Are you blind? I''m not pissed off!" If you live with ame person you will learn to limp. Michelle had always been around men. As a result, she got used to the badnguage. Chapter 841 Almost Had A Car Accident (Part Two) "Watch your mouth,dy. There''s a little boy here." Luke pulled over to the side of the road when they arrived at FX International Group. Edward and Rain were walking outside the building at that same time. "Uncle Luke, it''s Dad! We don''t have to go upstairs." Justin pushed the door open and ran without looking at the road upon seeing his dad. Edward heard the car brakes screeched from a distant. He took a deep breath and dashed towards Justin without wasting even a second. He grabbed his child''s arms and rolled over as fast as he could to avoid the speeding car. "Justin, are you okay?" Edward gave his son a quick once over. He was still in shock. "I''m okay. Dad, sorry. What about you? Are you okay?" Justin asked with a trembling voice. His face turned pale as he was freaked out by what just happened. "Mr. Mu, are you alright?" Luke was also freaked out. He immediately got off the car and ran towards them. He didn''t expect Justin to get off the moment he pulled over. Luckily, Edward was quick enough to save his son, otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable. Justin might be hit by the car and Luke could only live with his regrets for the rest of his life if something bad happened to him. "Oh, we are fine." Edward stood up with the young boy in his arms. He frowned at the paining from his knees but immediately calmed down and went back to beingposed. The hard ground must have scraped the skin off his knees. "Dude, look what you just did! This is a footpath. You should watch the road." Since Edward and Justin were fine, Rain walked up to the young man who just got off his car. He could tell by how pale the guy''s face looked that he was also frightened. "The kid suddenly dashed out from nowhere. I already braked hard as I could when I saw him." The young man trembled with fear as he answered Rain''s question. Panic was all over his stance after the ident, but nevertheless, he was not willing to admit his wrong. "You said it as though it was Justin''s fault, huh? Don''t forget that this is not a road. This is a private space of FX International Group." There was arge space in front of the FX International Group''s building. Many car owners didn''t want to stay at a red light so they drove there to get around the crossroads. "So what? It''s the s would beat him to death. His father had warned him not to offend anyone from FX International Group, but he just almost hit the president''s son and even provoked him. Damn it! He was totally screwed! "Well, now you know what you just did, huh?" Rain couldn''t help but taunt. However, he went back to hide behind Edward upon seeing Michelle again. He would freak out if Michelle called him beautiful sister one more time. "I''m so sorry, Mr. Mu! I was being an idiot. I know you are a generous man. Please forgive me. Otherwise, my father will beat me to death." The man could only wish that he stayed home today as soon as he realized that he was talking to Edward Mu. Everyone in S City knew FX International Group and it would be a suicide to offend the president. "Well, your father should teach you a good lesson, otherwise, you will make a big mistake sooner orter. What if you hit someone today? Would you ask your father to cover it up for you? Just tell me what mistakes you have made just now." Edward demanded coldly as he looked at the young man before him. The man had his low right now like an obedient boy. He looked young, probably around his twenties. That was youth rebellion period. People at such age should be guided appropriately, or else they would take to evil ways. "I shouldn''t have driven my car on footpath. I shouldn''t have driven so fast. And I shouldn''t have been so arrogant after making mistakes." He enumerated one by one. It turned out that he knew he was wrong but he just didn''t want to admit it. Chapter 842 Let Leena Go (Part One) "Not all mistakes can be resolved by apologies. It was fortunate that it did not lead to a disaster. I will not pursue your responsibility. I just hope for you to learn from this. You can go now." Edward did not want to frighten the young man. He was only a big kid after all. Edward might have let him pass but that did not mean that the kid would be consistently lucky to meet tolerant people like him. The young man needed some lessons, or he would never know what he''d done wrong. "Thank you, Mr. Mu. I will behave well in the future and I will not be arrogant and domineering any longer." The young man bowed to Edward and thanked him. His face was filled with joy as relief flooded his system. It was unexpected for him to be safe after what he had done. "Boy, you should behave well. Do not abuse your family''s wealth to do something bad. Have you ever heard of this old saying? There is always someone stronger than a seemingly strong person and there''s no limit if you look up. So, just y it safe, cover your ass, keep your head down and go away!" Rain waved his hands with an annoyed look on his face. He couldn''t believe how such a type of people ruined the beauty of the world. He also hoped for the young man to learn his lessons from today. "Yes, yes. I''ll be making it sure to change my attitude and behave well." The young man staggered to his car. Nobody knew if the guy really meant it when he said he would change. Nevertheless, it was nice to see his driving speed went standardized after the encounter. "s! Look at the young man. Nowadays, I really do not know what these new generations are thinking." Rain curled his upper lip unconvinced. "Hello, beautiful sister! Are you scolding me too?" Michelle cocked her head, narrowed her eyes, then stared at Rain. She stared at the dazzling purple earring on one of Rain''s ears. She was extremely curious about where he bought that bling-bling. How could she never have seen such a shining earring before? "It depends on whether you have hearts for progress or not. By the way, don''t call me beautiful sister again. I would smash your little face if you irritate me. You can try if you don''t believe." He clenched his teeth and raised her chin frivolously. An evil smile was on his face as he looked down thedy. "What? Are you serious? Threat ichelle''s attitude too. "Thank you, everyone. Goodbye!" Michelle waved her hand to everyone and left. The lively scene soon became quiet. "Let''s go too!" Edward said to Rain and Luke. They could have been home if the ident had not happened! The three stylish guys got on their own cars and drove away. Of course, little Justin was together with his dad. "Daddy, how did you get to know the auntie from earlier?" The boy asked Edward once they got on the car. He was so curious about Michelle and her family. His mother was a colonel and his father was a businessman. He couldn''t remember them in rtions with anyone from the underworld. How could they know Michelle? Why was Michelle so beautiful that she did not look like a Mafia? Why did his father smile at her? Little Justin had so many questions in mind but decided to start from the simplest. "Oh, yes. You are asking about Michelle? We met her by ident before. Is she a very interesting little girl?" Edward started the car and drove slowly. "She is not my type. She is same with auntie Leena. They both have beautiful outsides and dark insides!" Little Justin still remembered what thatdy did to his shabby face. He touched his cheek to test if it still hurt. Huh! What a lovely little boy? "She is okay! Don''t you find Michelle stupider than your auntie Leena?" Edward smiled. He couldn''t help but recall how they first met Michelle. What a spectacr scene it was! He did not know why his son thought of her as someone evil. For Edward, she was just a trickydy. Chapter 843 Let Leena Go (Part Two) "I didn''t notice that at all. Anyway, forget her. When will auntie Leena be back? I haven''t seen her for a long time." People were all like that. They saw each other as enemies whenever they were together yet missed each other''s presence too when separated for a long time. It was obvious how much Justin had terribly missed Leena since thest time he met her. "It is hard to say. It all depends on when she canplete her graduation thesis. She coulde back after that. How about you? Did you go to see Mr. Ouyang today? Why did youe back so early?" Edward had seen the picture that Leena sent to him. Just as what he had thought, Leena chose a house in a quiet block to work on her designs. "We talked just for a while. I clearly said what I wanted to say. There was nothing else special. So, I came back. Daddy, do you think I should have had a dinner with him beforeing back?" Little Justin suddenly felt sad as soon as he spoke about his grandfather. It was not because that he did not want to have dinner with Leo. He was just not in a good mood to eat with him. He did not know what he had done was right or wrong. Thus, he tried to rify it with Edward when he asked. "Son, just as what I have said before, your mommy and I will never force you to do anything. Follow your heart and do what pleases you. I believe you can make it." Edward turned his head to Justin and smiled. He didn''t care much about what Justin had said to Leo and neither did he intend to ask him about it. He believed that his son could handle that situation very well. Justin had his own set of rules when it came to dealing with people. "Okay. Thanks, dad. Will mommye back early today?" His parents always worked overtime on weekends. He hadn''t seen other people like his parents who deeply enjoyed working. "You can give your mommy a call and ask her directly, dear." Edward also wanted to know whether Daisy coulde back early today. He handed his cell phone to Justin and hoped his son could get a good answer. It might be because National Day was approaching that Daisy had been extremely busy recently, working overtime almost every day. He felt his heart mildly ached upon remembering his gorgeous wife. "Hmmm. I''d better not call mommy now. Mommy is always busy before the National Day every year. I don''t want to both al door opened. She was about to step out when her jaw was suddenly ajar in disbelief. To her full surprise, Gerard was standing outside again as he caught for breaths. His handsome face was sweaty as he had run down the stairs. "Gerard..." She opened her mouth multiple times but could not think of any word to express her helplessness. In the end, she decided to pretend not to see him and went to the parking lot. It would be hard to use him of following her since that was a public ce. Best she could do was to act like he wasn''t there. "Mignonne, I will be with you today! Please, give me a chance to go with you. At least, you don''t need to worry about safety problems with me around." Unlike most Frenchmen, Gerard did not have strong and deep-rooted self-esteem. He didn''t care much about Leena''s actions and remained with his thinking. "It''s up to you. But please don''t disturb my work." Leena kept a cold face as she got on her sport car. She did not even give Gerard a nce. Compared to who she was when they were still together, Leena had changed a lot. In Gerard''s memory, Leena was a very lovely youngdy who always had a sweet smile on her face. For a moment, Gerard doubted that he found the wrong person. How could she change so much? Nevertheless, he was still in a hurry when he got into his car and drove fast to cope with her. Automatically, Leena''s elegant eyebrows furrowed as soon as she saw Gerard''s car through the rearview mirror. She stepped hard on the gas and sped up the car as fast and as safely as she could. Chapter 844 Let Leena Go (Part Three) Her activity for today was for her Spring Collection. She wanted to get some inspirations from the beautiful countryside scenes, thus, she prepared a long list of ces to visit. Her itinerary included thevender fields in Provence, the vast golden sunflowers, the lonely canyons and the deserted castles. All were objects of her observation today. Soon enough and Leena found herself indulging with thendscapes of Paris'' countryside. There were even times when she would just stop her car and took pictures of blooming flowers. Sometimes, she would sit down, take out her drawing board, then begin sketching views. Gerard was like a quietpanion who spent his time looking at her. He would give her some water or biscuits from time to time but never had he made any sound that could disturb Leena''s thoughts. It made Leena a little ufortable but at the same time impressed by how considerate he was today. She never experienced that from him before. It seemed that Gerard was not as worthless as she first thought. However, they had already lost each other. If only Gerard had known how to cherish her from the very beginning, they would not have parted. "Mignonne, would you mind having a candlelit dinner with me tonight?" Gerard did not waste any time and asked her out with a pleading voice. She ended her whole day''s work as soon as the sun set and its afterglow spread across colorful Provence. Her satisfied smile gave him the cue to approach her. She looked more rxd now. "Hmmm. Dinner is okay, but there is no need for candles". Although it was not like her to agree, Leena still wanted to thank Gerard for helping and taking care of her the whole day. Having an ordinary dinner with Gerard might not give him much hope, right? Leena thought to herself. "Well, as long as you can have a dinner with me, everything is fine." The French guy was pleased with Leena''s unexpected nod. He was so happy that he almost jumped to his feet as a brilliant smile made its way to his handsome face. "Okay. Let''s go. We can go back to Paris first." Leena found his bright smile infectious and wasn''t able to stop herself from smiling back. She got on her car without hesitation and started driving back to Paris. On the other hand, Gerard hadn''t recovered from his surprise yet and just noticed her car already left after it drove a good distance. He ended up rushing to get into Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. love her forever. He must have suddenly realized her worth after having been together with other people for a long time. He might just give up her again once he found another beautiful woman. He already did it before! Fast-Food love game wasn''t her kind of stuff. "I know, Mignonne. I hope we could be friends." Gerard reached out and offered Leena a handshake. His eyes were filled with sadness. He understood that it was his past behaviors that made Leena lose her trust on all his efforts. It was the conviction in her eyes that made him give up. Letting go was another kind of love. Gerard would be fine as long as Leena was happy. "Thank you for understanding. You''re wee to the S city whenever you are convenient. We will warmly receive you." Leena said, giving more emphasis to the word "we". She would like to stress that she would do what she said together with Kevin. Honestly, she did not think that Gerard could think through her friendship-offer quickly. He exceeded her expectations and it made her feel relieved. "I will certainly go to see you in S city. To our friendship." Gerard raised his ss and toasted to Leena. The crisp sound of bumping sses indicated a new rtionship between them. They would only be friends from that second on. Gerard reminded himself that there were more hopes in the world than regrets. The night scene of Paris seemed to be more gorgeous because of that new rtionship. It was only then that Leena felt herself fully rxed. After all, she managed to solve a sticky situation and gained a friend from it. She was really happy. Chapter 845 Get Your Major General On The Phone (Part One) However, Leena would never know the real reason why Gerard epted her suggestion of being friends. He just agreed to stay close to her. It was his tactic to have her put her guards down against him. He still wanted to be her boyfriend and renew their rtionship. There was no other way but topromise with her or else, she would keep herself away. That was thest thing he''d expected. However, she had never imagined that it was the friendship suggestion that would bring a lot of soul-stirring incidents and loads of unwee surprises to her in the future. Soon as they finished their dinner, Leena went back home and took afortable warm bath to rx. She still got work to do, thus, she proceeded to continue her design draft after. She was adjusting the colors and making some minor modifications. Her design theme for this season was basically pastoral style. She added some fashion elements from the West as well as some domestic ones to mute the impact a little. In this way, her design would not be too much for ordinary people''s taste and would attract more people from all over the world. She made a cup of lemonade to enjoy. Oh, woman! A woman would always like to care for herself from small aspects. She was not an exception. She always paid attention to her body to keep herself in good shape. She found that it was already eleven in the evening when she took a glimpse at her watch. It would be six in the morning in her home country and Kevin usually got up at this time. She wondered if he''d alreadye back from his mission. She did her dissertation smoothly and probably woulde back home in a month. She hoped for their rtionship to be improved by then! She picked up her phone to browse at his pictures and a shy smile spread through her beautiful face. She stayed silent as she ran her fingertips on his handsome face on the screen. She felt as if she was getting drunk just by looking at Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. o easy to sort all of them out. Kevin wondered how she usually managed her stuff at home. Suddenly, he wanted to hear more about her ideas and methods when faced with all the chaos. He wanted to know why she would like to spend her precious time engaging with households. She was a young girl who should be fond of things outside the family after all. He was aware that young girls did not have enough patience to deal with these things since he had a younger sister. She was toozy even to clean her own bedroom and thatss was even two years older than Leena! He was arranging his wife''s pieces of jewelry inside the drawer when he noticed his card lying silently in one corner. He was a little bit surprised and easily sensed that she had never used his money since they got married. The realization made him so frustrated that he ended up sitting on a nearby chair. He was suddenly absent-minded as he stared at the card on his hand. Leena was neverck of money. That was one thing he was aware of since she was the daughter of Leng Group. But as a man, he still hoped that his wife would spend the money he earned. It had nothing to do with the so-called male chauvinism. It was just that it would have made him feel more like her husband if she had at least used his money. Chapter 846 Get Your Major General On The Phone (Part Two) An emptyugh came out of his chest. He really had no idea how it felt to marry a rich woman who was financially independent. Did he appear as he married her to step up the socialdder? He was lucky that his original family was financially well then. It took Lee more than one hour to arrive at Kevin''s apartment. He rang the bell to inform Kevin of his arrival. He was undeniably shocked at the sight of his Major General when the door opened though. Their heroic team head was wearing an apron while holding a kitchen knife in his hand. He never saw such things happened in his Army house, thus he suddenly asked himself if it was already the end of the world! What was wrong with his Major General? "Stop being idle. Come in. The dishes will be ready soon. Help me clean the house after you eat." Kevin walked quickly to the kitchen as soon as he let Lee in and finished his words. He did not have time to care about Lee''s astonished expression. The dish on the stove was about to be over-cooked! It was the first time for Lee to step into this house after Kevin got married. He was afraid that he might meet the hostess, so he was a little over-cautious as he looked around. He had never talked to Leena and had merely seen her from a long distance once. "What are you waiting for? Go and get the bowls." He was still stagnant as Kevin took what he cooked from the stove. A slight frown formed on Kevin''s face as he saw Lee was still in shock and did nothing. "Major General, is your wife not home?" Lee finally found the strength to move and follow Kevin around the kitchen. "No. She''s in Paris. She has a dissertation to deal with. I wouldn''t have called you here if she were home, " Kevin replied. He did not need to take care of everything at home when Leena was around. She would usually arrange everything for their house on set. It was something he never got to think of until she was not home. Now he realized that it was not an easy job to run a family. It needed the devotion to make a home. "Ma o take his phone. I really don''t know where he is now." Lee kept patient and exined to her. He should be polite because he did not know who she was after all. The fact that she called his major general''s private phone made him think that she probably was his family or friend. Being rude would not be the best route for him if that was the case. "Let me tell you this, I am your Commander''s daughter. There will be consequences if you dare to lie to me." In order to get what she wanted, Louisa even mentioned her father to threaten Lee. Her beautiful face was distorted with a deep grimace. "What? You are the daughter of the Commander?" Lee screamed in surprise as he secretlyined about her not being just a simple woman. No wonder that her name sounded familiar. But Major General was really not here. Where could he find him in such a short time? "Yes, I am. So give the phone to him now. I need to speak to him." Louisa sneeredcently. She always felt superior whenever she spoke with any soldiers. She was in the first ce, their boss'' daughter. "Miss Ye, Major General is really not here. I swear! What about this? I will tell him you have called once he''s back and asks him to call you back." Lee became more respectful after hearing Louisa confirmed who she was, but her arrogant tone made him leastfortable. Chapter 847 Get Your Major General On The Phone (Part Three) "Really? He is not there? Fine. I''ll call himter! But never let me know if you are lying to me! Hmp!" Just then, Louisa hung the phone up without saying goodbye. She did not even bother to be polite just like how most kids from political families would do. "Puff! Just look at how she spoke and behaved! What a crazy woman." Lee grimaced at the phone as if Louisa''s face was on it. So what if she was the Commander''s daughter? She did not earn the reputation by herself. Why was she so arrogant? Considering this, Lee felt much relieved. He put the phone back on the table and continued his mopping. Based on the house interior design, it wasn''t hard for Lee to tell that Leena liked finer things. Every decoration was delicate; it was like a mirror of her good taste. It made him curious about thedy''s personality even more. He was at that state when the phone ced on the table suddenly rang again, thus, giving him a scare. He hesitated if he should answer it. What if another crazy woman like themander''s daughter was calling? He was really bad at dealing with these arrogant misses but then he could not just let the phone keep ringing. He had no options but to pick it up and answer the call. However, to his surprise, a cute voice greeted him even before he said something. "Hi! Good morning, Kevin!" Leena was refreshed from head to foot and even her voice sounded delightful and pleasant. "Hello! Major General is not here now. He left his phone when he went out. You can call him againter." It was another woman. But was there something wrong with her brain? Why did she say good morning when it was high in the afternoon? Lee was confused. Where on earth did all these strange womene from? "Oh! He is not there? I see. I''m sorry, I thought he answered the phone so I did not think twice before I said something. Don''t feel strange, please." Leena stuck out her tongue awkwardly. Screwed! She said good morning to a stranger. Hopefully, he would not think her as a weird person. After all, it was already in the afternoon there. Good morning would be extremely weird. "It''s alright. You "What? Leena called me? What did she say?" Kevin ignored the other woman as all he cared about was his little wife. He walked to the table and took his phone. "She said she called you to inform you of her safety and nothing emergent. And she would call youter." Now that the Major General did not ask him about Miss Ye, Lee also ignored her and did not take her message to Kevin. Anyway, Kevin already knew that she called him. Whether Major General would call her back or not was not his business anymore. "Em! I see. I''m calling her back now." Kevin dialed Leena''s number while speaking. He couldn''t help but smile in delight just by knowing that Leena called. "Hello! This is Leena!" Leena was about to go out when her phone suddenly rang. She checked the number and found out it was from Kevin''s phone but she was not sure whether it was Kevin calling or his subordinate. Thus, she answered in a polite voice this time to avoid the awkward situation from happening again. After all, she just made the mistake a few minutes ago. "Hey, it''s me. Have you got up?" Kevin never marked his contact list with full names. He only marked them with the first letter of their names as abbreviations. This way, if he lost his phone someday somewhere, he could avoid the risk of his contacts'' details being leaked. That was also the reason why Lee failed to recognize Louisa and Leena when he answered the phone. Chapter 848 Not In The Cards For Us (Part One) "Yeah. I was told that you were out. Back so soon?" Leena picked up her backpack and flung it over her back as she talked with Kevin on the phone. Then she opened the door and went outside. She looked stylish and pretty in a mint-colored pleated skirt. Her leather boots revealed her long, straight legs. "Yeah. I was out for some time when you called. Sounds like you''re going somewhere, " Kevin said casually as he heard the sound of her closing the door. "Yeah. I''ve got a gentle breeze and clear skies. The weather is glorious and warm. I have half a mind to catch a boat. The Seine is gorgeous this time of year." Leena liked taking a leisurely boat ride on the quietly flowing river, just to organize her thoughts and toe up with some popr designs with her good nose for trends, and calm state of mind. "You alone?" Kevin furrowed his brow. He hoped he could keep talking to Leena, and then he wouldn''t have to worry about her. "Uh huh. This is almost something I need to be alone for. That way I can think better." She liked to enjoy the elegant tranquility. Then she could feel a different kind of beauty. Leena didn''t want others to disturb her, so she always rented an exclusive boat for sightseeing on the Seine. "Mignonne, I knew you would go out today, so I have been waiting for you since early morning." Leaning against the door of the car, Gerard smiled brightly at Leena. She walked quickly over to the waiting figure. "Gerard! Why are you here?" Surprised, Leena was thrown for a loop when Gerard greeted her in the parking lot. Unconsciously, she dropped back into conversational French, asking him what he was doing there. "Leena, " Kevin said in a confused tone, "Who are you talking to?" He frowned and checked the name disyed on his phone screen. Leena was at the other end of the phone, but why did she suddenly switch to an iprehensiblenguage? Kevin was well versed in English, but he was out of his depth when it came to other foreignnguages, so he didn''t know what Leena said. Moreover, he was rather disturbed by the man''s voice in the background. "Um¡­ Sorry. I saw someone I know. I have to go. I''ll call you after I get back." Leena didn''t expect Gerard to appear in the parking lot. She lost her head in the moment and didn''t know how to exin Gerard to Kevin, so she hung up the phone before Kevin could say anything. "Hello? Leena? Leena?" Kevin got a busy signal, his forehead knotting in a frown. Why did Leena hang up before he could say good Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. would cook him dinner, so he decided to go downstairs and let Lee know he had an appointment tonight. "Major General, why are you downstairs? I made some tea. I would have brought it up to you." Lee, holding the tea tray in his hands, was surprised to see Kevining slowly down the stairs. "Well, I need to go out tonight. So I guess you''re on your own for dinner. Hand me the tray, please. I''ll bring it up to the study. Get some rest." Kevin walked up to Lee and took the tea tray from his hands. "Major General, do you need me to tag along? I can pour your tea for you, " Lee teased. He couldn''t resist asking, although he knew that Kevin liked to act alone. "No, I''ll go by myself. It''s not anything important. I''m just having dinner with someone. Well, I have to get back to work. Remember to remind me at 6 PM." After stating his piece, Kevin turned around and went upstairs. He looked more handsome in his crisp military uniform. "Okay. I see." Lee nced at his watch briefly, only to find that it would soon be 5 PM. It wouldn''t be long before 6 PM rolled around. Kevin arrived at the Mochan Restaurant at seven as agreed. He had changed his olive-green military uniform into casual clothes, which made him look even more charming. "Over here!" Louisa waved at Kevin as he scanned the restaurant. "Sorry to keep you waiting." Kevin walked up to Louisa and took a seat. Louisa arrived first. As a cultured gentleman, he made an apology although he knew he wasn''tte. "It''s okay. I just arrived myself. It''s my honor to invite you to dinner." Louisa looked terrific tonight. In a full-length silky dress, she appeared to be less overbearing. Chapter 849 Not In The Cards For Us (Part Two) "I''m ttered, Miss Ye. You invited me again and again, and I was embarrassed to keep refusing you. I deeply appreciate your kindness." Kevin gave a mocking smile. "Sorry. You must think I''m annoying." Shyly looking askance at Kevin, Louisa pursed her lips. "No, no. Don''t get me wrong." Kevin exined anxiously. No matter how much he wanted to ignore Louisa, he didn''t hate her, at least. "Good. Look, Kevin, this is the ne you gave me. It looks beautiful on me, doesn''t it?" Louisa reached out to touch the ne around her neck. She didn''t want to model the ne for him, but instead directed his attention to herrge breasts. "Yeah. It looks good." Kevin cast an indifferent look at the ne. He didn''t allow his fancy to run wild, and the expression in his eyes was so pure, like a dustless crystal. "I must say that you have good taste, Kevin. This is the new popr style in Europe and America this year. You''re a major general. I didn''t expect you to have such a keen sense of fashion." Louisa disyed a charming smile. She didn''t mind Kevin''s indifference. She thought that all sessful men had a massive ego, so she could understand why Kevin was cold to her. "I''m d you like it. But you overestimate me. I know nothing about thetest trends. I didn''t choose it personally. Someone else helped me buy it." Kevin exined slowly. "I really like it though! Thank you so much!" Louisa bowed her head shyly, appearing to be lovingly pathetic. "You''re wee. Let''s order something. Dinner''s on me tonight." Kevin picked up the menu and studied it. "No, no. As I said on the phone, it''s my treat. How can I let you pay the bill? Order whatever you like. Don''t hold back because of me." Louisa rubbed her hands anxiously. "That''s certainly very generous of you, Louisa. Then I''ll order the most expensive dishes." Kevin threw a joking nce at Louisa. Instead of ordering the most expensive dishes as he said, he just ordered some more reasonably priced ones. "Good idea. How are your dishwashing skills? We might need to wash the dish to pay for the dinner then." Louisa knew he was joking, so she didn''t worry that Kevin would do as he threatened. "You aren''t nerv age. "Stop that. I won''t believe it. Taste this. It''s yummy." Louisa sniffed back her tears and smiled as if she didn''t hear what Kevin said. She put some food onto his te for him to try. "Are you alright, Miss Ye?" Kevin asked cautiously. He thought Louisa would kick up a fuss, but he was surprised to find that she pulled it together. She recovered quickly, and her voice dropped down to a more normal level. "Yes, I''m fine. Forget it. Let''s eat." Louisa grinned beautifully. Deep in her heart, she wished to p hard the woman who got married with Kevin. "Good to hear it. I thought you wouldn''t let it go." Kevin breathed a sigh of relief as he mistakenly thought that Louisa had epted this fact. He was d that she didn''t go to extremes, or he really wouldn''t know how to exin it to themander. "Rx. I''m okay. But I won''t believe a bit of this before I see your wife." Louisa clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. She never expected her love toe to an end before it started. It was thest thing that she could ept. She was proud and stubborn under that pliant exterior. How could she give up so easily? She wouldn''t allow such a tragic thing to happen to her. "Miss Ye, this is allpletely unnecessary. It doesn''t matter if you believe it or not, it''s just water under the bridge. You have so many good men to choose from. Don''t waste your time on me." Kevin felt helpless. Louisa stubbornly closed her ears to everything he said. Chapter 850 Leenas Wet Adventure (Part One) "I don''t want them. I want you. None of them will do me any good. I want nothing to do with them, " said Louisa bitterly. Louisa filled a ss of wine, and drank it in one gulp. Suddenly she coughed violently. "Louisa, are you alright? Don''t rush, " said Kevin in concern. Kevin grabbed the bottle from Louisa and set it in front of him, for fear that she might get drunk. He hadn''t realized that Louisa ordered wine until the waiter brought the bottle and put it on the table. "Leave me alone. Let me get drunk, and I''ll feel better, " said Louisa. She stretched out her hand, trying to grab the bottle, but was prevented by Kevin. She looked pathetically miserable now. "So what good is it if you drink yourself to death? Will it change anything? Look, I''m grateful for how well you''ve treated me. And I''m ttered. But we can''t have any other more intimate rtionship. Get it?" said Kevin brusquely. If Louisa wasn''t the daughter of themander, Kevin would have turned his back and walked away rather than spend several hours trying to convince her. "Kevin, did that woman seduce you? Otherwise, why would you marry her so suddenly?" From the first moment that Louisa was introduced to Kevin, she had regarded him as her future husband. She thought she owned him. Nevertheless, unexpectedly and surprisingly, another woman appeared and took Kevin away. It was a serious blow to her ego. "Louisa, please watch your mouth. Don''t speak that way about my wife, although you''re allowed to judge me freely. She''s the most innocent and uplicated girl I have ever met. Besides, I never promised you anything, or tried to impress you as a suitor or husband. I never intended to deceive you." Kevin started to get impatient. He had only met Louisa for several times, and it would be ridiculous if Louisa thought they had already fallen in love with each other. ''Why is she acting like she''s been abandoned?'' Kevin wondered. "I felt drawn to you the first time I saw you. I have never given up on you for all those years. Don''t I look innocent and uplicated to you?" While Kevin tried to defend his wife from unreasonable usations, Louisa started to lose her temper, and things were spiraling out of control. "People can''t be forced to love or hate someone. Besides, I never tried to impress you or make you love me. So, don''t pull that with me, " said Kevin indifferently. "It''s not going to work. We can''t be together. Just ept it." He shot a cold nce at Louisa who seemed hysterical. He wondered how the ever smart and sensiblemander could bring up such a muddleheaded daughter. "I know you never forced me in any way. But I thought you would stay unmarried for me, and when I came back, I would bare my heart to you. However, I was toote to do that, and unreasonable actions and her careless remarks. He wasn''t in the mood to exin anything further to her, since he had never showed her much affection in the past, and certainly wouldn''t do so in the future. As a matter of fact, Louisa might have been a stranger to Kevin, if she weren''t the daughter of his superior. "Here we are. You can get out. I''m not gonnae inside with you, " said Kevin coldly. Kevin pulled over outside the gate of the residentialmunity, which was totally different from the residential building in the army base, since some of those high-ranking military officers lived here. So, it was highly guarded. "Kevin, I''m really sorry. I said that I would buy you dinner tonight, but I screwed up such a beautiful night. But I''ll make up for that, " said Louisa apologetically. On the way home she was calcting everything. She thought about how she acted. Now she was calm mentally, and had realized that her behavior at the restaurant must have disgusted and annoyed Kevin. "Don''t bother. We''re good. Bye. Have a nice night, " answered Kevin expressionlessly. He refused to spend another night having dinner with her. He would be out of his mind to do so. "I got it. I really made a fool of myself tonight. I apologize if I offended you. I won''t do that again, I promise. Please don''t turn me down, " said Louisa sincerely but awkwardly. Louisa looked Kevin in the eye uneasily. He looked cold and menacing, which sent chills to her heart. "Louisa, if you stop embarrassing yourself and start to treat me like a brother, maybe we can be friends. If not, we shouldn''t see each other again, " said Kevin sincerely. At that moment, Kevin thought of Leena, her approachable personality and cuteness. She had never made trouble for him. Willful as she was sometimes, she wasn''t an unreasonable and demanding girl. Chapter 851 Leenas Wet Adventure (Part Two) "Alright. I can be your sister. Don''t break your word, and start to take good care of me from today on, " said Louisa cheerfully. She forced a contented smile on her face. Anyway she was happy to be his sister, at least for now. She had been offered the opportunity to turn the tables. "I never break my word. As long as you stop treating me like a suitor, then we can get along. Remember, I''m married and off-limits as a love interest, " answered Kevin seriously. The gift really showed who Kevin was. He always did what he said, and he promised her a birthday present. But, after he agreed to hang out with Louisa on asion, Leena might get jealous and even heartbroken. But he didn''t even think about this. "I see. So bro, I''d like to have dinner with you again. It would be rude to turn your sister down, right?" said Louisa, putting a charming smile on her face. When she stopped being hysterical, she looked soft and beautiful. "Yeah as long as I have the time, " he answered carefully. As far as he was concerned, Louisa was every bit as willful and mischievous as his own sister. "Goodbye, bro, " said Louisa gratefully. She knew she shouldn''t push Kevin too much. Being nice and considerate might be a workable strategy when she tried to win his heart. Yeah, she could do this, she decided. She waved at him, turned and walked away. "Bye, " said Kevin. When Louisa''s voluptuous figure disappeared from his sight, Kevin got in his car and drove away. He felt relieved now that he and Louisa had made an agreement. However, he had no idea that Louisa wanted much more than what he could offer. In Leena''s mind, clear skies and beautiful clouds were always the most stunning scenery, making a strong contrast with the blue sea and the brightly-colored flowers. Leena''s mouth twitched, looking at all those beautiful things. Nevertheless, what troubled her mind was the guy who kept harassing her and following her wherever she went. She wouldn''t be bored by the charming scenery on two sides of the River Seine, and everything looked as wonderful as seeing it for the first time, perhaps because of the weather, the culture and the people. "Mignonne, when will you go back to China?" Gerard asked Leena anxiously and tentatively. Gerard was afraid that Leena might not be charmed and fall in love with him if she were to leave France soon. "I don''t know. Maybe in a month. Actually, I''m not sure. Maybe I''ll leave sooner, as long as I''m allowed to graduate. Why do you ask?" answered Leena. Leena liked the feeling of boarding a boat and cruising the River Seine, which might inspire her designs. The conversation didn''t break her stride at all. She continued to draw and dip Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ad to blow her reddening noise, and felt even more ufortable as she felt the burn of abraded skin. She resisted the urge to go to bed, and continued to concentrate on her unfinished draft. She didn''t drop the pen and climb to her bed until an hourter when she finally finished all of her work. She was exhausted. When shey down on the bed and felt the soft cotton sheet against her skin, a sense of weakness swept over her, and brought tears to her eyes. She had been coddled and loved by her family since she was born. Besides, she became sentimental whenever she fell sick. It was normal for her. She made no pretensions of being anyone else. However, it suddenly urred to her that she missed Kevin so much. If she couldn''t enjoy hispany, hearing his voice was good enough tofort her. Excited by the idea, she forgot that it was after midnight in her home country. With an eager desire, she called Kevin over the phone. When she realized what she was doing and was about to hang up her mobile phone, she heard Kevin''s sleepy voice and there was no way for her to backtrack now. "Hello! This is Kevin. Who''s that?" asked Kevin. He was awakened by the noise of his mobile phone. Before checking his phone and figuring out who was calling, he picked it up and answered it. "Kevin, it''s me. I''m sorry to call you in the middle of night. I forgot it was past two in the morning there, " Leena answered apologetically. Hearing Kevin''s voice on the phone, she had to refrain from sobbing, and she got hoarse and trembled. You could hear it in her voice. "Good morning, sweetie, what''s up? Are you crying? What happened?" Kevin jumped to his feet immediately, and any drowsiness he felt vanished. The fact that Leena called him sote at night, sobbing, worried him a lot. Chapter 852 I Miss You (Part One) "Nothing, I just miss home all of a sudden." Leena sniffed. Her voice was husky. Her words didn''t sound all that convincing to Kevin. "Really? You''re just homesick? Leena, don''t lie to me, that doesn''t sound like you." Kevin got out of bed and walked to the terrace. He wanted the cold breeze to wake him up more. "I really just want to be home with --" Before Leena finished talking, the cough betrayed her and exposed her true condition. There was no hiding that she had a cold. "You''re sick. Is it serious? Have you taken anything for it?" He fired a battery of questions at her, with a look of worry on his handsome face. "I''m okay, I will feel better after a good night''s sleep." Hearing his worried voice, Leena felt warmer, and less sad in her heart. "Weren''t you alright this morning? Why did you suddenly get sick?" Kevin frowned. He was not with her so he didn''t know whether it was serious or not. "Because I got wet." Leena took some tissue to wipe her runny nose. She felt her body bing hot and her head dizzy. She even didn''t have any strength to speak now. The cold was trying to have its way with her. "Wet? How?" From the rain? Or did you go for a swim?" Hearing her trailing voice, Kevin paced to and fro anxiously. "No, I identally fell into the Seine. Nothing serious." Leena coughed. She didn''t know how to lie, so she just frankly told him the truth. "What? Are you alright? Have you seen the doctor?" Leena''s words worried Kevin even more. He felt helpless. She was so far away, and he was unable to reach her, to hold her, and be with her. He was agitated like an ant in a hot pan. When he heard she fell into the river, he could imagine how frightened she was at the moment. His heart trembled at the thought. But he thought it had something to do with the fact that he felt guilty as well. "Not yet. Kevin, I miss you. But I can barely keep my eyes open. I want to sleep. Talk to you when I get up, okay?" Leena became more dizzy, she couldn''t think clearly now. Her hand which held the phone started drooping, as she was too weak to hold it to her ear. "Leena, don''t sleep now. Take some medicine before you nod off, okay? Leena..." Kevin constantly called her name, but he heard only silence in return. Although she didn''t hang up, she didn''t speak either. He listened carefully, and could hear loud breathing through a clogged nose. Kevin had never felt so scared before. It was the first time that Leena had said she missed him. Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. s house anxiously. He wanted to call Duke to ask how things were going. But he felt it was not cool to call him again in such a short time. It would take time for Duke to find someone to check on Leena, so the only thing he could do now was wait. He was absorbed deeply in his thoughts when he thought of what Leena said to him. She said she missed him. It was not difficult for him to figure out what she was trying to say. Probably she had unwittingly fallen in love with him. But the problem was how much love could he repay her with? Time ticked by and there was still no word. Kevin now had the urge to call themander to ask for a leave. But when thinking of the parade which would take ce on National Day two dayster, he had to give up on that idea. Fortunately, he received a text message from Duke, saying that he was at the international airport now, and he would take the earliest and fastest flight to Paris and asked him to wait for more news. After reading the text, Kevin felt even more guilty. Leena was his wife, and the person who was supposed to save her should be Kevin, not her brother Duke. Unlike othermon people who could leave as they wanted, he was a soldier and he must obey the rules. He couldn''t do anything about it. But no matter what, Duke''s message made him worry less. He also realized how much Duke cared for his only sister. It was not the first time Duke ended up in Paris. He was very familiar with the city. And it was not very difficult for him to find Leena. He bought the house himself, the house which Leena was now living in. But to his surprise, he saw another man in the house when he arrived. Chapter 853 I Miss You (Part Two) "Mignonne, I made some meat porridge for you. Have some. I learned how to cook it from the inte." Gerard worried that Leena might get sick, so he came to see her early in the morning. He was right -- Leena really got sick after being soaked in the water yesterday. That was unfortunate. "Thanks, Gerard. But I don''t have any appetite now." When Leena woke up, she saw the private doctor Duke had sent there. Obviously Kevin had called Duke. She had thought to call them and tell them she was okay after she felt better. But she fell asleep again. She even didn''t know when the doctor left. She didn''t wake up until she heard the doorbell ring. When she looked through the peephole, she was surprised to see it was Gerard. As she was sick now and might need some help, she opened the door. "Mignonne, you''d better eat something. This should help you recover more quickly, " Gerard said as he tried to lift Leena off the bed. But as soon as he reached out his hand, he was stopped by a sudden shout. "Stop! What are you doing?" Duke appeared, suitcase in hand, looking weary after the long journey. He stared hard at Gerard as if he were a bad guy. "Duke, you''re here!" When Leena saw Duke, she was overjoyed. She didn''t expect that she would see him so soon. "How could I not be here? You''re as sick as a dog!" Duke put down his suitcase and rushed towards Gerard, tackling him and pushing him away from the bed. Gerard fell in a heap. Duke then ced his palm on Leena''s forehead. He felt relieved when he found that her fever was gone. "I''m fine. I feel better after taking the injection and medicine." Leena grabbed his hand excitedly. It seemed that even though she was married, she was still as important in his heart as she was before. "You have some nerve saying that. Why didn''t you call the doctor in the first ce?" Duke pinched her pale face with affection. Seeing that she was fine, he finally felt relieved. He had been worried all the way here. "Mignonne, this is..." Gerard wasn''t sure how to proceed. His face was also pale. Different from Leena''s pale face, he was frightened by Duke''s sudden appearance. He was wondering whether this man was Leena''s husband. He got up carefully, making sure nothing was broken. "Oh! He is my --" Duke cut her off. "Hi! I''m Duke Leng, nice to meet you. Thanks for taking care of her for me." Before Leena could finish, Duke interrupted and introduced himself to Gerard in French. He didn''t like Kevin, but he detest love with someone else so soon. "You''re a jerk! How could I possibly be interested in him? Don''t forget that I''m married. Even if I am still single, I wouldn''t even think about Gerard. He''s not my type now." Leena pursed her lips. She had thought that Gerard had already given up on her. But judging from what he said just now, it seemed that he didn''t really give uppletely. "It''s good that you remember that you''re already married, Leena. It''s true that I don''t like Kevin, but I don''t want my sister to be a woman who dates two men at the same time." No man would let his wife be intimate with another man. And he knew Kevin was no exception. "Duke, I know how to handle it. I won''t cross the line. Don''t worry. I know what I''m doing. Probably better than anyone else." About Gerard, she admitted that she had loved him once, but that was before she met Kevin. So now, he was just a friend, and she had no special feelings for him. "Okay, it''s a good thing that you get it. I''ll call Belinda to tell her everything is fine here." Duke didn''t forget his promise to Belinda before he set out. So he took out his cellphone and dialed her number. It was 3 in the afternoon there. So when Belinda received Duke''s call, she was about to have a meeting. When she saw Duke''s name on the screen, she smiled and connected the call. "Hello! It''s me, are you in Paris now? Is Leena okay?" Belinda was worried the whole day, but Duke hadn''t called, so she had to be patient. "Yeah. Her fever''s gone, but she''s still pretty weak. Probably needs a few days'' rest. Don''t worry, " Duke said in a gentle voice, very different from his usual cold tones. Chapter 854 The Calm Before The Storm (Part One) "Okay, ask Leena to call Kevin. He is really worried about her." Belinda knew that Kevin was concerned for Leena. Kevin had never called Belinda personally before. Had it not been for his worry for his wife, he would not have called Belinda several times in such a short span. "Fine. I''ll ask herter. You are busy. We''ll talkter. I have to get Leena some food." Duke nced at the ckened porridge made by Gerard. He didn''t dare give it to Leena to eat, fearing that she might get diarrhea before she even recovered from the cold. "Okay. Keep in touch. Goodbye!" Belinda hung up and walked out of the office with her documents. Duke pursed his lips, turning to stare at Leena. "Duke, why are you looking at me like that? It''s scaring me." Leena frowned, wondering why Duke was acting so strangely. "Take a look at your cell phone." Although Belinda had asked Duke to tell Leena to call Kevin, Duke was reluctant to swallow his pride. He let Leena find out herself that Kevin had called her. "What''s wrong with my phone?" Leena looked around for her cell phone. She finally found it lying under the quilt. She picked it up, finding that it was turned off. Perhaps she had identally pressed the shutdown button. Duke thought, ''I figured she didn''t hear the ring because of the fever. It turns out her phone was turned off. No wonder Kevin is anxious. If I were Kevin, I would be anxious too.'' Duke turned to the kitchen without answering Leena. Watching Duke go toward the kitchen, Leena turned on the phone. Just like she guessed, Kevin had made hundreds of calls to her. Leena smiled, remembering what she had saidst night. At the moment, she didn''t know if she should call him back. ''It must be afternoon there. Kevin would be at the army base. I would be interrupting his work if I call him now. Should I call him when he''s free?'' Leena wondered. Before Leena could decide whether or not she should call Kevin, her phone rang, startling her. Kevin had been worrying about Leena for more than ten hours now. He had been unable to reach her. Although he knew that Duke had flown to Paris, he wasn''t sure if he had arrived yet. What if something happened to her before then? ''Who is taking care of her?'' Kevin kept wondering, trying to call L Duke there yet?" Kevin was still worried that no one was there to take care of her. "Yeah, he is. Don''t worry. He''ll take care of me." Leena looked up at Duke. He raised his eyebrows at her, urging her to eat. "Eat! Or the food will get cold. Whom are you talking to?" Duke asked loudly, making sure that Kevin heard him. His mouth was set in a grim line. It didn''t matter that he no longer hated Kevin as much as he used to. "Leena, you gotta eat something now. I''m ending the call. Rest well. I''ll call you after work." Kevin heard Duke, so he stopped bothering Leena so she could eat. He didn''t want her to go hungry. "Okay. Bye." Leena was relieved that he hadn''t mentioned the words ''I miss you'' she saidst night. She was feeling so fragile when she had said that to him. She didn''t actually want to confess to it. Kevin put the phone aside. He wondered why his heart ached. Did he love her? He could not help but step on the brakes as the question popped into his head, but soon drove off. ''After all, she is my wife. I should take care of her when she is sick, '' he thought. It was sultry in the afternoon at the military base. It was estimated that it was going to rain. A few dragonflies flew over the military base yard, making the vast region seem a little lonely. No sooner had Kevin returned to the office that Daisy knocked on his door, promptly walking in. "Major General, are you free tonight?" Daisy asked with a faint smile on her face, sitting down before Kevin could speak. Chapter 855 The Calm Before The Storm (Part Two) "Why? Are you going to invite me over for dinner?" Knowing that Leena was well cared for now, Kevin bantered with Daisy with ease. "I just thought that you wouldn''t agree to participate." Daisy defiantly raised her eyebrows. Of course, she knew he was joking with her. "As long as you buy me a dinner, I''ll definitelye. Seriously, What''s going on?" Kevin leaned back against his chair, with a yful smile on his face. "So, here is the deal. My soldiers want topare notes with your armored battalion." Daisy pursed her mouth. The soldiers were inviting Kevin to pick a fight. "What? Compare notes with my armored battalion? Do they want a shoot-out or a hand-to-handbat? I don''t have time for the shoot-out. As for the hand-to-handbat, we could hardly win." Kevin pinched his chin. He knew Daisy''s soldiers were good at hand-to-handbat. If he epted her request, he knew what the result would be without guessing. "A hand-to-hand fight, of course. So, what do you say? Fight or no?" Daisy certainly knew that the armored Battalion was not good at hand-to-handbat, so her soldiers would surely win. However, she wanted to show them how good Kevin was. "As a soldier, I am not afraid of fighting. I don''t care about winning or losing. It''s no big deal to me, " Kevin agreed to the request without hesitation. He would like to take the opportunity to improve thebat capability of his soldiers. In any case, it was just a drill. Winning or losing didn''t really matter. "Okay. I''ll take that as a yes. So, I''ll see you at 7 o''clock at the training ground." Daisy smiled slyly and turned away. Kevin shook his head, thinking, ''It looks like she has changed a lottely. Why else would the soldiers dare to request her for such an indulgent exercise?'' To their disappointment, however, as they were about to start the knock off, the Gods turned against them and it started raining hard. It seemed like the rain would not stop anytime soon, so they decided to postpone the activity. "Okay! I guess that''s it." Daisy sighed, shaking her head in resignation as she watched the downpour from the window. "All r "Yes, of course. I would never lie to you." The woman smiled at him seductively. Her white skin looked delicate and lustrous. She was an unusual beauty. "Okay. I promise I will never let you down." As he finished speaking, he kissed her again. The rain outside the window served as an aphrodisiac, making them powerless to stop. The rain didn''t stop until the next morning. The conspiracy grew even more serious. As soon as Edward arrived at thepany, he was told that the shares of the departmental stores that were owned by FX International Group were being purchased secretly. "Who did this?" Edward was in the technology department, with a spirited smile on his face. He didn''t seem to be mad about it at all. ''Well, I have met a smart opponent indeed. He knows how to buy the stock of the store I least care about. Unfortunately for him, I knew he was going to do that. He really thinks he''s capable of buying my stock?'' Edward thought. "We''ve got it. It''s Kompass Group, headquartered in H City. Its president is somebody known as Shaun Gao. It is said that he graduated from Harvard and began a series of reforms after taking over the Group. The results were pretty good, " The technical staff told him the information he had found on the Inte. ''In terms of financial resources, Kompass Group is no match for ourpany. Then why is thispany moving against FX International Group?'' the staff wondered. Chapter 856 A Familiar Woman (Part One) "Kompass Group, right? Good. In that case, it''s time for me to do something. Don''t me me if I forget the friendship we shared once." A sly smile yed around Edward''s mouth. As a matter of fact, he got along with the former president of Kompass Group quite well. It was not an appropriate time for him to turn them into an enemy. But something unexpected happened: they had challenged him. In this situation, there was no need to act friendly toward them anymore. "Mr. Mu, what should we do next?" The technician looked at Edward and asked. There were severe consequences for people who irritated the CEO, no matter who they were. They were going to be in a world of trouble. "They are trying to buy the stocks of our departmental storeS, aren''t they? We will let them buy on purpose. But remember to protect the main system of FX International Group well. Keep them from hacking it. Besides that, let us increase their workload. Decode the firewall in their information system. They will enjoy the feast brought upon by the virus. Finally, we will purchase their stock shares, " Edward stated. Edward was strong in the business field. He would not allow others to mount the high horse and look down upon him. He knew how to fight back in a decisive way and put pressure on his enemies. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Oh, no! He would ask more for redressal from them. "Yes, we''ll get started right away, " the technician replied firmly. One of the most fundamental requirements for apany to be sessful was to equip the most advanced defense system. Manyplicated and intricate firewalls had been installed to protect the data in FX International Group. If someone wanted to hack them, they were wee to try! It was not even possible. The boss of FX International was Edward Mu. To let that happen, you would have to go through him first. However, things would be different if that ''someone'' was aputer genius like Justin. But Justin would never do such thing as he was Edward''s son. "Yes. Let me know if somethinges up." Edward left the technology department. He took out his phone and called have dinner with me. It will be more interesting when they are around." Edward smiled coldly. Shaun Gao, a brilliant graduate from Harvard University? He did not think so. If Shaun Gao was such a smart guy, how could he choose to stay at Kate Hotel, his enemy''s territory? Arrogance could kill a person. "Yes. I''ll inform them about it soon. But Mr. Leng seems to have gone abroad, " Luke inferred from the news he had heard earlier. His reply was hesitant. He was not sure whether or not Edward knew about it. As Mr. Leng''s good friend and Leena''s brother, he must know. "Oh! Yes, you remind me! I almost forgot about it. Leena is ill. Duke flew over to Paris to take care of her. He will probably be back in two days." Edward ran a hand through his hair. How could he have forgotten such an important thing? Was Leena better now? She caught a cold earlier. "Miss Leng is ill? Is she all right now?" Upon hearing that Leena was sick, Luke could not help but ask. After all, he had known Leena since she was a little child. He did not wish for her to be in any trouble. "Oh! She must be much better now. Since Duke is not here, you can call Tom and Rain. They should be enough, I think." Edward sighed. Leena always had them worrying over her. Luckily, Paris was not so far away from here. Only half a day of flying could bring Duke there. Otherwise, they would have no idea what to do when something befell her. Chapter 857 A Familiar Woman (Part Two) "Yes, I see. Is there anything else? If no, I''ll go and call them now." Upon hearing that Leena was fine, Luke was much relieved too. "Nothing else. You may leave now!" Edward picked up his phone and called Daisy. He tried ringing many times but nobody answered him. ''What is she doing? Is she busy with something?'' Edward wondered. He had guessed it right. Daisy was indeed quite busy at the time. The day after was the National Day, so she was involved in the preparations for the military parade that was to be held. Currently, she was correcting the soldiers'' formation and figures on the training field. "Get your tiptoes straight! Legs higher! Watch for your gun positions." Several sweat beads streamed down her back and face. Daisy did her job conscientiously. If they were skilled soldiers, they could do well without her instructions. But unfortunately, all of them were new recruits. What was more, the other battalion andpanymanders were assigned with different tasks. She had no other option but to instruct them in person. "Hey, you! Your hands are not in the right position. Look, I''ll show you how to do it." Daisy walked to a soldier and took the rifle from him. She showed him the position in front of everyone. All the new soldiers watched her demonstrate the positions carefully. They did not dare to be absent-minded even for a second, nor did they make any noises. They had heard the senior soldiers mention that Colonel Ouyang, though young and beautiful in appearance, was extremely strict during training. She strongly berated soldiers who performed a bad job or did not concentrate fully. "All right. Now do it like I just showed you, " Daisy encouraged them. She handed over the rifle to the soldier and took a step back. She was such a figure of heroic spirit and pride in her green military uniform. "Yes, Colonel, " The fresh recruits chorused. The loud reply echoed around the training field. It was nice to be young. Their voices reflected t , Daisy was unable to see his sly smile through the phone. "Edward Mu! Don''t you try to fool me! I can see right through your pretense, " Daisy said, grinding her teeth. He was taking this for granted! If he were anybody else, she would have handled him with a bullet. "Pretense? What am I pretending to be? Now you''re just putting words into my mouth. Woman, as a Colonel, do not use an ordinary citizen falsely at your will." He smiled, teasing her. Edward leaned leisurely against the back of his chair. Daisy could not see him in person. Otherwise, she would be so mad to see how he was lying through his teeth. "Wow! You? An ordinary citizen? Hah! You are a typical profiteer." Daisy snorted through her nose. Only a cheeky guy like him could im to be an ordinary citizen. However, she was his wife and knew him well. In her eyes, he was an unfeeling industrialist. "Fine, fine! I am a profiteer. But I won''t be qualified to be one soon, " Edward said in frustration. As she heard him, she felt a bit worried. She did not understand why he was speaking like that. "Edward, what do you mean? Has something happened?" Daisy asked hesitantly. After all, he did not interrupt her work usually. It was strange for him to call her and insist on inviting her to dinner when she was so busy. That was not his style. Chapter 858 A Familiar Woman (Part Three) "What if I have nothing to my name someday? Would you be willing to keep me?" Although there was little chance that would ever happen, he still asked her, wanting to know her response. After all, nothing waspletely certain. "No! I will throw you out on the streets, " Daisy replied decisively, as if she wasn''t joking. "How dare you, Daisy Ouyang?" Edward''s face went red. How could she ssify him with those who lived on the streets? Wasn''t she afraid he would get angry? He had to admit she was bold to say such words. "Try me! Don''t be such a drama queen. Tell me, when and where do you want to meet tonight? I can''t make it if it''s too early. I have work to do." If ever the day came when Edward had nothing left to his name, it would have no influence on her. She valued him as a person, not for his money. No matter what the situation was, she still considered him to be her true love. Her feelings for him would not change, whether he was rich or poor. That was real love. "That''s all right. I will pick you up from the army base. But keep in mind, I am not making a fuss out of nothing. I just want you to know so you can prepare for it mentally. That''s all! Okay, you should focus on your work now, so you can earn money to keep us from bing beggars someday. Goodbye!" Edward hung up the phone. A cunning smile still rested on his mouth. Before he could figure out the real purpose of Shaun Gao, he was not a hundred percent sure that the day would nevere. So he had said those words to Daisy. He was curious about what she would do if the day really came. No matter what Daisy said just now, there was one thing Edward was certain about - Daisy would never abandon him. Daisy leaned against the wall, pondering over what Edward had said. He didn''t seem to be joking. Was there something wrong in the rofessional as possible, instructing all of them personally. She was a precise officer when it came to her job. As a matter of fact, there were some soldiers in their base who had been selected to join the military parade in the capital city. She was not the in-charge appointed for them. Some other officer was assigned the task from their superiors. In the past few years, Kevin and her had always been assigned with the responsibility of training them for that parade. However, Daisy had been physically hurt this year, so the army base was considerate enough to give her a break. As for Kevin, he had gone for the training overseas. Both of them had spare time on their hands. That was the reason why Daisy had to attend to the new recruits. As the sun went down in the west, a Lamborghini appeared at the army base. Clearly, it was Edward. Although his dear wife had told him she would be a littlete, he could not wait. So he arrived in advance. He wanted to see her as soon as possible. Looking at the majestic door, Edward smiled brightly. A strong army meant a strong nation. He wished that his country would always remain peaceful. That way, people could live a content life without chaos surrounding them. Chapter 859 Rose With Thorns (Part One) Life in the army was colorful in the eyes of outsiders. Only those who were once soldiers would know that it was as dull and tasteless as a corkboard. All they did in the army was to go on drills and attend some training. They did the very same things everyday. Therefore, in order to make great achievements in the army, one must be able to withstand such kind of depressing lifestyle. In the eyes of the recruits, Colonel Ouyang was a gorgeous woman, while in the eyes of the veterans, Colonel Ouyang was a beautiful rose with thorns. They only dared to look at her from afar but never dared to get any closer. After all, her training for them was just horrible. It was the type of training that no one would even think of trying as it was made to push people beyond human limits. The solemnity that was surrounding the Army Base was stronger as thest ray of sunset washed over the ce. Edward could not help but look at his wristwatch to check the time. A slight frown formed on his handsome face. Didn''t that woman say that she would only be a littlete toe off work today? He had been waiting for almost an hour. But where was she? Did she forget that he woulde to pick her up to have dinner? Truth was, Mr. Mu was right. Daisy had not only forgotten his invitation but forgotten that he woulde to pick up her. Therefore, when Daisy saw the dazzling Lamborghini outside the army base gate, the corners of her mouth twitched. She was sitting in a Military Humvee and was about to go home with Mark. Damn it! How could she possibly forget about Edward? Now she couldn''t even imagine what was running inside Edward''s mind. Was he going to get crazy or was he nning to strangle her neck? But then wait, didn''t he usually make a phone call to her? Why didn''t he urge her this time? "Colonel, it''s Mr. Mu''s car, " said Mark. He turned ar evident that it wouldn''t be easy to talk with Edward today. Worse, he was way more stubborn right now. "Well! I didn''t mean that. You are equally important in my heart. Why do you even care about this? Justin is your son." Daisy looked at him carefully. Such Edward reminded her of the time when they were in K city. He was also frigid and heartless. Thus, she couldn''t help but feel a little afraid of him. "Daisy Ouyang, you should know that it doesn''t matter whether I care about it or not. Rather, it is about if you have put me in your heart." The car screeched and stopped to the side of the road when Edward abruptly turned the steering wheel. His eyes were filled with disappointment when he looked at her. They had discussed this same topic so many times. "Do you mean that I am totally wrong and you won''t forgive me this time? I know that you will not always be so tolerant of me. I still cannot help but hope that you can tolerate me all the time. I can''t even imagine that you mind such a petty thing. How can we live together for the next decades? How are you going to live with me? After all, a situation like today may happen in the future again. Are you going to be angry with me like today every time?" said Daisy. Chapter 860 Rose With Thorns (Part Two) Her forehead was wrinkled with a frown. Was she too naive? Or did this mean that he could only tolerate her for a limited time? He had always forgiven her right after she apologized before. Why was he so angry this time? She admitted that she could often be excessively wrong. She might have ignored his feelings. But the truth was that she hurt herself more whenever she realized that her actions hurt him. And couldn''t he feel that she did not intend to forget their appointment? "So you''ve always seen me as such a shallow person? Get out of the car, " said Edward. He was just at odds with her at the beginning. However, his anger blew up after he heard her rants. How was he supposed to endure the fact that his woman just despised him! "Are you sure? You want to let me get off the car?" Daisy was really shocked. She gently bit her lower lip as she looked at him in disbelief. "I''m sure." He closed his eyes. Although they were deeply in love with each other all the time, he had always felt that something was missing between them. "OK. Don''t regret it." Daisy opened the door and got out of the car. She mmed the door with a bang and walked forward angrily. Mark and Luke who followed behind them were both confused about what they saw. What was wrong with them? Had they quarreled? ''You do not need to say it as I have already regretted it when I said that.'' Edward sighed as he watched his wife. He could have simply backed down if not for the goddamn pride that ate him away. Thus, he just gave her onest stare, then he started the car and went away. Daisy was so shocked by his determination to leave that she forgot the re I feel that you are sulking today?" Rain frowned as he felt something strange with Edward. "I asked you toe to meet Shaun Gao. I did not ask you to check if I''m angry." Edward gave him a peevish nce. Yes, he was sulking but there was no need for everyone to know about it. "You really are angry. Unless I''m wrong, you must be angry with Daisy. It seems that fate can''t be vited! Daisy is really my idol. Her courage is reallymendable." Rainughed heartily at his misfortune and did not notice how Mr. Mu stared at him with insidious eyes. "It seems that you are really free these days, Rain. I guess you would not mind if I send you to Thand." Edward took a deep look at him. In fact, the reason why he wanted to ask Rain to go to Thand was just for Rain to try his luck. He had received news from someone that Annie had been seen in Thand. "Well! You always scare me with this. Can''t you say to me something new? Do you think that I don''t know thepany in Thand is running great recently?" Rainnguidly leaned on the stool and gave him an evil rascal smile. Chapter 861 Rose With Thorns (Part Three) "Who said that you don''t need to go there on business if thepany is functioning normally? I heard that the General Manager there is attached to you." Edward smiled wickedly as he thought, ''Ha! Rain, do you still want to fight against me? You are such an amateur.'' "Could you please don''t say that? That person is annoying." Rain felt lousy the moment he remembered the General Manager. Though she was very beautiful, she kept pestering him so that he got really annoyed. "This is you. You just want to have sex with any beautiful woman?" Tom rolled his eyes at him. Now it was only Rain who was an amorous person. The rest of them were all married and only loved their wife, of course except Tom. "Damn Jerry, when did you see me have sex with any beautiful woman? Are you saying me not picky and choosy at all?" Rain''s retort came out automatically. He hadn''t flirted with women for a long time. It was so long that he almost forgot how long it was. It seemed that after Annie left, he did not y with any woman. And now that Annie''s name crossed his mind, he couldn''t help but feel depressed. "Haven''t you always been like this?" said Edward. He knitted his eyebrow. He might be there but he just couldn''t get Daisy off his mind. Did she get so angry that she decided to go back to the army base instead? Was she very sad now? All these questions were just bothering him so much that his usual concern for her was suddenly magnified million times. "That was the thing that happened before. Don''t you think you have also been like that before? I can''t believe these wor ould be really scary topletely change someone''s face. "There is nothing strange in this big world. It is also possible that she did not change her face but just had arge-scale cosmetic surgery. It could be that or else, we would not feel this familiar with her." Edward flicked the desktop and tried to do a mental roll-call of all the women that were simr to Melissa. In the end, he found nothing. "I suppose so, too." Tom looked at the man and woman and found them actually sitting next to them. Fortunately, the restaurant had set up the tables in a way that could give their customers privacy and avoid them from being disturbed while having meal. Each chair was designed with a high backrest. Thus, no one could know what the other customers were doing unless they really intended to. However, it couldn''t filter sounds and one could still hear what the other group said if they said it louder. "Melissa,e and see what you want to eat." Shaun handed the menu to Melissa. They were sitting close to each other and looked intimate. Chapter 862 Cuckold (Part One) "Shaun, I heard that yourpany has already bought the department store stocks owned by FX International Group?" Melissa Xue leaned against Shaun with an excessively sweet smile. She casually tossed some loose hair behind her ear as she thought, ''You pushed me too far, Edward. Look what you made me do. You left me with no choice. I have to fight back and avenge for myself. I will make sure that you suffer what I have suffered. You are in my list too, Daisy. I will not spare you.'' "My darling. Don''t you worry about it! I am at your service. I will definitely do my promise to you. I am so obsessed about you that I am willing to do anything for you!" With these earnest words, Shaun curled up his lips and touched her breasts swiftly. His vulgar gesture made her frown but she didn''t push him away. She looked up and saw the obvious lust in his eyes. "Hey, there are people around here." She flirtatiously snapped at him with a smile. Then, she threw him an inviting nce and giggled with her hand over her mouth. Like always, her tease sessfully caught his attention. Shaunughed and said, "Ohe on, I clearly remember how you behaved in the bed. I have to say, I enjoyed every second of it." She was such a sexy goddess and he was obsessed with her body. Whatever she said, he would obey. He was merely a humble servant in front of her. "Shaun, stop it! Otherwise, I will head back to the room right now." Melissa pouted her lips and pretended to be annoyed. She behaved like a little girl who had just been told off. She was not acting her age at all. "You are really full of surprises, aren''t you? I think you just can''t get enough of me. Baby, I know you can''t wait to have me in the bed again. I must perform even better in order to satisfy you further!" Although Shaun graduated from Harvard University with merits, he was a typical yboy. He had been squandering his family''s wealth at his will. Sex and alcohol were his all-time indulgence. He met Melissa by chance and ever since then, he had been fooling around with her and eventually waspletely manipted by her. "Hey you! Quiet down! Heads are turning because of your voice. You should really stop talking bullshit here. People are judging me now!" Melissa quickly extended her hand and covered his babbling mouth. The only reason why she entertained Shaun was because she wa . His steps were casual as if he was on holiday. Some might even say that the way he walked was dangerously charming. Melissa''s charming face froze the moment she saw Rain. She went pale as she was utterly shocked by his presence. It only took her some seconds to calm herself down though and decided to cover her awkwardness with sly giggles. She was aware that she was no longer the same woman she used to be! She was confident that she would absolutely get away with her new face. Herpletely changed look would make it impossible for him to recognize her. However, she was slightly concerned that Edward might be there as well. The two men were known to hang around together publicly whenever and wherever. Edward was the one that Melissa found harder to deal with. The thought that her ex was there made her brain overwork. So what if Edward was really there as well? Was she in big trouble now? Melissa''s face went dark as her smile turned from sweet to awkward. Rain observed her look carefully and straight away noticed that she was nervous and scared. He stared at her and mentallyughed hard. ''This stupid woman! Where''d she get the guts to challenge FX International Group? However, now that she saw me here, she looks as if she saw a ghost! I wonder what would happen if Edward shows up here. Huh, would she faint on her seat?'' "Melissa, what''s wrong? Your face looks pale. Are you feeling alright?" Shaun noticed that there was something wrong with the woman next to her. He was confused about Melissa''s sudden change and couldn''t take his eyes off her. Chapter 863 Cuckold (Part Two) "Well, don''t worry much about her. She looks pale simply because she spot me." Rain smiled at them handsomely. He looked both inviting and profound. Without even asking for their permission, he sat straight down in front of them. His wicked smile deepened even more as he stared at Melissa from across the table. Rain''s action made Shaun even more confused. The way the man was staring at Melissa was enough to give him goosebumps. It seemed like there was a secret between the two that he couldn''t figure out. "Hey, who are you?" Shaun managed to say as he felt the pressure surrounded them quickly. The handsome man sitting in front of them looked both dangerous and charming. How he was staring at his woman also made him instantly mad. How dared he look at Melissa like that? "You don''t need to know who I am. You just need to understand who she is. That woman sitting next to you sure got mad skills, I will give her that." Rain crossed his legs and casually leaned against the chair''s backrest, that was his signature way of sitting. He was wearing a cold smirk as if he was in deep thoughts. His hand was elegantly rolling his wine inside his ss as he continued to stare at the woman. Rain just looked utterly enchanting that even the most beautiful woman on earth would find it hard to beat his charm. "Shaun, I don''t know him at all. Don''t listen to his bullshit!" Melissa deliberately lowered her voice. However, it wouldn''t change the fact that she was Jessica herself. It was sad though that nothing escaped Rain''s eyes no matter how desperately she tried. "Rest assured, I don''t think I know you either. I just somehow find you quite simr to someone I know. A prostitute who works in the nightclub I used to visit a lot. I wonder if that rings a bell to you?" Rain''s smile deepened. Extreme joy was sparking in his eyes as he thought, ''Jessica Lin, Let''s see how long can you pull this off!'' "Don''t be ridiculous! What do you mean by simr? I am telling you that you must have mistaken me for someone else. This is clearly a misunderstanding! I have never been to any nightclubs nor have I ever worked as a prostitute!" Melissa set her teeth in determination and red at Rain. She thought to herself, ''Damn you Rain, how dare you say that I am a prostitute? How dare you!'' Her hands clenched in anger. Melissa''s face distorte o doubt him, judging from his ways of doing business or simply talking to others. Melissa felt sorry for herself as she had to spend time with a reckless Shaun instead of being with an outstanding Edward. Edward was both rich and handsome. Most importantly, he had this unique charm that could make people around him constantly enchanted. He acted like a noble prince wherever he went. This was something Shaun would never learn to have. In Melissa''s mind, he was simply too stupid. However, in order to achieve her own despicable goal, she had to apany him with a forced smile for now. Shaun cast a thoughtful look at Melissa and then he looked away. He tried to see where Rain went but to his surprise, Rain seemed to disappear into thin air. It would never ur to him that Rain was actually sitting in the booth next to theirs. However, the shields between the chairs were too high for him to see, thus, he didn''t know that he was just there. "Well, it is time for me to leave now. You guys can stay if you want to. I need to attend to something private. See youter. Oh, please be careful and don''t raise suspicion from them." Edward winked at Rain as he returned to their booth. With these words, Edward took his phone and left the table. He was not in the mood to hang around here. His mind waspletely upied with someone precious to him, the only woman who took his breath away. Even if they had silly fights from time to time, he still couldn''t hold any grudges against her. Instead, he found himself more and more into her as days passed by. Chapter 864 Cuckold (Part Three) "Are you for real? You are the one who asked us out and now you''re saying that you will dump us here? This is not fair. We had been waiting for you here for almost an hour before you showed up!" Rain''s voice went higher when he saw Edward leaving. This unfortunately caught Melissa''s attention and made her realize that Rain was just inside the booth next to them. Heck! He was even sitting just behind her chair! She also noticed that Edward was there as well. The thought hit her hard. Her heart literally skipped a beat as her face went back to being colorless. "Hey, leave him alone, alright? Can''t you see that he is absent-minded all this time? I think he had a fight with his wife! You should just let him go. Let''s hang out without him. He is just a party-pooper." Tom was a more cautious man than Rain. He had noticed Edward''s odd behavior since the moment he sat with them. Edward was constantly checking on his wrist watch and fiddling his phone whenever he got a break between the dialogues. Tom could tell he was not at ease and his mind was apparently somewhere else! "I have nothing else to talk about with you guys. My advice to you would be to just go home and rest! I think it is high time for you to find a nicedy to join your sad life! Being single is not fun!" On hearing his mocking words, Rain gave Edward a bitter smile. It sort of made sense that they should all just leave this ce. There was no reason for him to hang out with Tom and stay there as he just came to apany Edward. He should really take his advice, call it a day, and just go home. Besides, he had seen enough for today. "I agree. Let''s go. I need to head home and study some patient case before it is toote. We can walk out together." Tom nodded as he stood up. It would be pointless for him to stay here on his own. Upon seeing the two stood up, Edward nodded to them swiftly and walked straight out. He didn''t persuade them to stay there as it was obvious that they were no longer in a party mood. He paused for a while as he passed Shaun''s booth. Then, as if nothing happened, he continued his steps and disappeared by the gate. Melissa was utterly shocked by his pause. Her heart was in her throat as thest thing she wanted was for him to tur t was just fair for him to be outright upset. Daisy closed her eyes and swallowed the painful lump in her throat to keep her from crying. She gave what happened earlier a good thought while she was on her way home. Deep down, She agreed with Edward''s thoughtpletely. She understood his point of view as she would hate to be treated coldly by him as well. If she was in his shoe, she would also go mad upon consistently being ignored by her partner. It was really important to give one''s partner enough attention and care after all. Her heart ached hard as she realised her wrongs. She felt like an idiot who had failed to run her marriage carefully. She should have given him more attention and made him feel loved and wanted. Her carelessness ruined the tender foundation of their love. Daisy couldn''t believe what she did to him. ''I''m such a loser!'' she thought. She rubbed her sore nose and closed her eyes before he stepped out of the bathroom. She didn''t know how to face him. She had nothing suitable to tell him for the time being. The cold war between them seemed necessary until she found a better solution. She would have a busy day tomorrow. She literally couldn''t spend any effort on anything else. She felt sorry for Edward but she really had no energy to deal with him for now. With her eyes tightly closed, she bitterly thought to herself ''Tomorrow is another day. I will have a good talk with him. He might calm down by then and it will be easier for me to discuss our issue.'' Chapter 865 Daisys Rage (Part One) Edward walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, with some beads of water on his fair skin. Due to exercise, his body was a perfect inverted triangle, fit and slim. He casually grabbed a towel and dried his sopping hair. Lips tightened, he paced to the bed. Daisy seemed to be in a sound sleep. After standing at her bedside and gazing lovingly for a while, he sighed and bent over to tuck her in. Before he stood up again, he couldn''t help pressing a gentle kiss on her forehead. While Edward did that, Daisy held her breath, wondering what he was going to do next. Shey there motionless like a statue, afraid to make any move. She knew what might being next. "Going to keep pretending? You''re not asleep, " Edward asked with a grin as he tore off his towel. Naked, he walked to the wardrobe and pulled on a pair of briefs. He did it so naturally that there was no trace of embarrassment on his face. Daisy knew that she''d been found out. She didn''t feel like doing anything, though. Without the slightest intention of talking to Edward, she bit her lip a bit and continued to pretend to be sleeping. "I guess you''re really asleep. So you won''t mind all the dirty things we''re going to do together." Edward returned to the bed and looked intensely at her, wondering how long she could keep this up. She was good, but not that good. Hearing this, Daisy pulled the quilt up, covering herself more. This assured Edward that she had been pretending. ''This game''s gone on long enough, '' he thought, and promptly threw himself on her. "You asshole!" Daisy had no choice but to open her eyes, burning with anger. "Well, I know you''re mad, but I''m still not going to say sorry. So how do we settle this?" Edward lifted a lock of her hair and coiled it around his fingers yfully. He was enjoying this greatly. "I don''t care what you do. Just leave me alone. I need my beauty sleep." Her mouth was still thick with fatigue, and somewhat dry from actually sleeping. Daisy gnawed her lips with a straight face. At this moment, she seemed estranged and indifferent and didn''t appreciate Edward''s sprightly attitude. "Okay then She had been with Edward for so many years it would be impossible not to know. He wasn''t sure at first -- she''d changed so much from the woman he once knew. When Daisy got into the car, Edward had noticed the mole on her neck and it had struck him that Jessica had a dark red mole on her arm and the woman in the picture seemed to have an identical one. To confirm his theory, he had to figure this out. No one knew why Jessica had changed her appearance. To protect his wife from potential danger, he had started an argument with her deliberately back when they were on the road just to make sure she wouldn''te along and get involved. "Someone I don''t know, so I couldn''t care less." Daisy''s interest was aroused, but she pretended she didn''t care. "No. It''s someone you know." Edward was amused and ran a finger down her nose. He didn''t want to upset her. Everything he did was to protect her. Before figuring out Jessica''s agenda, he had to keep Daisy away from the matter. Although she was a powerful colonel, she was only a woman in his eyes, and it was his responsibility to protect her from danger. "OK, I''ll bite. Who was it?" Once again, Daisy was led by the nose. It was one of her weaknesses. Edward knew about it and was using it to ease the tension in the room. "Honey, have you forgiven me?" Edward didn''t answer her question. This was another reason he loved her. She was a sensible woman, simple and forgiving. Chapter 866 Daisys Rage (Part Two) "Who said I wasn''t angry anymore? No matter what your reasons are, you still hurt me and I''m still mad." Daisy turned her head away, pouting. At the same time, she was wondering whom Edward was talking about. Since Edward kept hinting about him or her, she had to know. Who was it? It must have been someone who meant something to both of them. "Sorry. How about this? Next time, you kick me out of the car. You were fine, though. I never would have done that if Mark hadn''t been following us. You really hurt my feelings today. I waited for you for two hours and then you told me that you forgot about our appointment. Although I love you, I am a man and I have a temper. You''re the only one I have waited for. Not my friends, not my colleagues. Not even my parents. Can you imagine how important you are to me?" Edward said to her after he had turned her around. That was true. Throughout his life, everybody humored him. Yet with Daisy, he was extremely patient and indulgent. When she forgot that he had been waiting, he preferred a white lie to the truth. Sometimes the truth hurt. "That was why you were angry, but no matter what, you shouldn''t have stranded me. I almost cried my eyes out." Daisy knew what she had done was out of line. Besides, it had happened more than once, and Edward had never been angry about it before. However, somehow, she was always forgetful when it came to Edward. She wasn''t like this normally. In a nutshell, she relied on Edward too much and she had believed that no matter what she did, he wouldn''t be mad at her. Now she realized that she was wrong. He didn''t have to keep ignoring her behavior and had no reason to forgive her for the mistakes she kept making over and over. "I was mad at first, but I got over it like I always do. Now that we''re married, I should understand youpletely. As an only son, I feel superior to others and am proud like many other sons of rich families. So, sometimes I''m an incorrigible ass. But today, my anger was a sham. I started the fight on purpose. It was because of the person I just mentioned. If t ead. You can''t report me without evidence. And for that, you''ll have to really hit the streets. Do you still want to do that? I''ve got a pretty outfit you can wear." Daisy looked at him arrogantly, having forgotten about the fight. She didn''t hold a grudge, except when it came to Leo. "You''ll be my client, right? It''s okay then. I''ll enjoy it. I can make money and get to sleep with a beautiful woman like you at the same time. How cool is that?" Edward would never be beaten in a debate. He was the master strategist when it came to war of words. "Don''t get cocky. I''ll ask the police to put you away. Start with a detention for ten days. Now, back to serious business. How in the world would Jessica be capable of messing with arge group like FX International? Who''s backing her? And more importantly, why?" Daisy wasn''t sure how many assets FX International had, but from Edward''s extravagant lifestyle, she was convinced that it would cost enormous amount of capital to bring FX International down. She wondered who was funding Jessica. "Just some spendthrift from a wealthy family. Don''t worry. I wouldn''t let you support me. They won''t beat me. ording to my intel, they''re fighting a hopeless battle." Edward was confident about this. He expected that it wouldn''t be long before he turned the tables and bought out Kompass Group. Then the threat would be over, for now. Chapter 867 Senior Colonel (Part One) "Don''t take anything for granted. Better to stay alert. Everything is up in the air right now. Don''t underestimate anyone, or you might lose. These are good rules for business and war." Daisy said and frowned, having no idea why this woman kept repeating her mistake again and again. "If they somehow seeded, you wouldn''t say I''m a profiteer then." Edward teased Daisy roguishly. ''Thank God she finally cooled down. What a little nice cutie, " Edward thought. "You are a profiteer. But I''m not going to kick myself over my choice. Just be yourself, you little prince, " Daisy said roughly and nced at him. She wasn''t a vainglorious woman, but she wasn''t stupid enough to see Edward unsessful. After all, she had no intention of discarding all she had and living a poor life. From this point of view, she was like anyone else. It was typical of people to think about it like this, right? She was no exception. "Now that you''ve decided to ept me as a profiteer, I''ll see if I can live up to your expectations! But remember, you asked me to do it. So you can''t call me a profiteer anymore." Edward haggled with Daisy, looking reluctant, which made Daisy desperate to kick him. ''How could he say that I asked him to do that? He couldn''t live a poor life even if he had to, '' Daisy thought. She said it all on his ount. She would never be influenced by his wealth. After all, most of the time in the past, her life was not happier than the poor people since her mother died. She didn''t see her life back then as better than that of anyone with less money. But Edward was different. He was raised in a rich and noble family. How could hepare to her? "I want you to eat shit. Why don''t you do that?" Daisy nced at him with cold eyes. She thought she couldn''t underestimate his impudence. "Ew! That''s nasty! How can you say such things?" Edward said. Sure enough, he was more suited to be a noble than amoner. Even if she just mentioned it once, he''d got a mental image and been disgusted. He had delicate sensibilities. The CEO didn''t know there were so many people out there living a life that he found disgusting. As a rich man, how could he get it? "So! To avoid hearing this stuff on the daily, you just be the rich man we both know you are!" Daisy said and looked at him scornfully, her eyes full of contempt. "Why are you looking at me like that, colonel? Could you be gentler?" E He wasn''t about to tell her. "Any ideas, Kevin? What could it be? He''s being really evasive." Daisy said to Kevin, who was right next to her. And themander had no intention to tell her. "I don''t know what this sly old fox has got up his sleeve, either. We can just wait and see now that he''s let on that he has something to tell you. But it couldn''t be a bad thing for sure. Otherwise he wouldn''t be smiling. That old coot has a soft spot in his heart for you." Kevin said. He was confused too. They could do nothing if themander didn''t say anything more about this. All they could do was just wait. "Kevin, you''re so dead. How could you say themander is a sly old fox? Or an old coot?" Daisy said it louder on purpose, hoping themander would hear her. All his kindness went out the window, and she was in a yful mood. It was like the old saying: "A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman." "Ahem! Kevin, I''ve heard them all." Themander said, pretending to be serious. His re at Kevin showed the poise of a leader, but there was a gleam in his eye. "Commander, you didn''t hear anything." Kevin said calmly without any shame about that. It seemed that he had never said that before. "Kid, do you think I''m deaf? The entire army could hear you. You have a lot of nerve to try and shrug it off, " themander said, ring at Kevin, But it didn''t work on Kevin as he knew themander was just making joke with him. "Commander, are you sure you''re going to keep arguing about this with me?" Kevin said with a cold smile. He was trying to change the topic. Chapter 868 Senior Colonel (Part Two) "Enough of this. Listen up! Leaders and soldiers, I have an announcement to make. First, let''s wee Colonel Daisy to the stage with our warm apuse." At that time there was an excited crowd around Daisy, and their voices suddenly filled the air, followed by loud cheers. Daisy grew confused, and struggled to maintain herposure, as her normal bashfulness was brought to the surface by the recognition and apuse. "Go up there girl! What are you thinking?" Themander said with a smile on his face, looking at her with a tenderness dawning in his eyes. Daisy took a deep breath, then patted her hair and straightened out her uniform. When she was sure her appearance was fine, then she gained the confidence to take the stage. She still felt a bit nervous not knowing what wasing. "Colonel Daisy, congrattions! Due to your contribution leading to the capture of the drug dealersst time and all the good deeds you''ve already be well-known for, now you are promoted to Senior Colonel." The host said, then took the Colonel insignia from Daisy''s shoulder, recing it with the Senior Colonel insignia -- four stars bounded by two bars on either side -- on her shoulder. He also applied thepanion insignia on her cor. Daisy stood there quietly, partly out of her soldier training, and partly out of confusion and let the emcee do everything. Kevin was extremely excited about this news. He almost didn''t believe it. They''d been waiting for this day for so long. Hearing that the dream had finally been achieved was almost too much. Daisy had worked hard for this honor, and had survived rigors that almost beyond imagination. So she deserved this honor. The tears began to well up in Mark''s eyes. He thought all the efforts Daisy had made hadn''t gone to waste and he knew this day would finallye. When this day came, he had a violent desire to cry. If you wanted to ask who was his idol, the answer would be his colonel. No, he was supposed to address her as Senior Colonel from that day on. "Senior Colonel, do you have something to say to our soldiers?" The host gave Daisy the microphone. He assumed she would have a lot to say. "Leaders and soldiers, first, I need to say thank you to you all. Thanks for all your great kindness and recognition. And I can show you that I sta for a long time. At that moment, Edward''s house was full of joy. It wasn''t for celebrating Daisy''s promotion, but for the reunion with Rain and some other people. All of them were taking the holiday to gather to eat dinner. "Uncle Rain, how can you be like this? Apparently, you''re the loser." Justin red at Rain andined with his lips pouted. His face flushed crimson with anger. "Kid, haven''t you heard? ''All warfare is based on deception.'' If you lose, you lose. So, just admit defeat for once!" Rain said and raised his eyebrow. He was in a better mood when he saw Justin''s angry red face. "Daddy, see? Uncle Rain cheated." Little Justin asked for the help from his dad with his eyes filled with grief when he found he couldn''t argue with Rain. "It''s his personality, so you must be shameless enough if you want to y chess with him." That was Edward. His tone was always calm and emotionless, but his remarks could always hit the nail on the head. "Edward, what''s wrong with my personality. Speaking of shameless, I''m not your match there." Rain disagreed with Edward and became furious on hearing him pronounce judgement on him. "Uncle Rain, My daddy is a little bit impudent, but he has a good personality." Justin said in a boyish voice, his young face looking much more serious, which made Rain burst intoughter suddenly. But Edward''s face ckened when he heard what Justin said. He stared at his son in doubt, the son whom he always thought smart and talented. That little imp just put Edward in his ce. Chapter 869 A Pleasant Surprise (Part One) "Haha! Justin, you''re really something else!" Rain was stillughing with reckless abandon. Looking at Edward, who was at a loss for words, he never felt this amused and happy. Edward must be quite helpless and sulky after hearing his own son talking about him like that! "Uncle Rain, why are youughing? Am I wrong?" The little guy looked very confused. He tilted his head, thinking about what he said just now that could make Rainugh so merrily. Was what he said not right? "No! You are definitely right, Justin. Your daddy is bold and impudent, true. But as to his personality... Well, Justin, I won''t say that he has a good personality, you know? After all, have you ever seen a man who has no shame but has a good personality?" The smile on Rain''s face hadn''t disappeared. He didn''t have his own family, so only in Edward''s house could he feel the warmth of home. "Rain, you''re going to get your ass kicked." Edward had already felt very helpless about what Justin said, and was at a loss for words. Now, he let loose on Rain. He red at him sideways, eyes full of coldness. Rain was in for it now. "Damn it, Edward. Why am I the one always getting kicked? I didn''t say anything! That was all Justin!" Rain said, his mouth crumpled, feeling quite misrepresented. He knew he would never get the upper hand when facing Edward. "Rain, You know exactly the reason why you''re the one. So don''t ask. Just know you''re screwed." Tom curled his lips, and he nced at Rain with disdain. He shook his head. Why couldn''t Rain just understand that he was never going to win against Edward? This kind of situation happened a lot, and Rain just wouldn''t learn his lesson. After all, Edward was their boss. Nobody would ever have the upper hand over their boss. That was just the way it was. "Well, it couldn''t hurt to try, right? But again, why are you here, Tom? We''re all on holiday here, but you are a doctor. Shouldn''t you be in the hospital now? Aren''t there any patients during the holiday?" Rain asked curiously, but the look on his face showed a message of defiance. He was annoyed at what Tom said, and wasn''t going to take it lying down. "I''m not the only doctor at Renxin Hospital, much less the whole city. If Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. nie go. Now the only thing you can feel is regret." In Edward''s eyes, Annie was a good girl. Though at first she was a bit too restless for his liking, she became quite mature and calm as time went by. She was indeed quite lovely. He couldn''t understand why Rain was so picky about her. And look how it turned out now. Was this what Rain truly wanted? Definitely not! But now, there was nothing he could do but admit his own mistake and go on with his life. "What a dick! Why are you bringing up this now Edward? It''s a holiday, give me a break for once, will you? Thanks a lot for making me feel sad and lonely!" Rain''s face echoed the sadness inflicted by the cruel fact that Edward had mentioned. There was no trace of delight left on his beautiful face. It looked like that no matter how time passed, Annie would always be the ''sting'' in his heart that he could never let go. "It was just a friendly reminder. In case you stupidly let go of her the next time. If there is a next time. I still can''t understand why you did such a dumbass thing anyway. What were you thinking?" Ever since Edward got back together with Daisy, he put many things in perspective, and finally gained the love he always wanted. Now, he lived life to the fullest, and his life was wonderful. For the first time in his life, he felt truly happy about everything he had. So he couldn''t help but want the same happiness for his friends. He hoped that they all found true love and could be happy just like him. Chapter 870 A Pleasant Surprise (Part Two) "So... you think that I still have a chance with her?" To be honest, Rain didn''t even want to think about seeing Annie again. Part of him always believed that they would never meet again, and that he had already lost her for sure. So many yearster, when he finally saw the woman who had been in his mind day and night walking past him in front of his eyes, holding hands with two young kids with a gentle smile on her face, his eyes popped out in disbelief. He froze in ce, stared nkly at her, watching her disappear before his eyes without doing anything. He couldn''t believe his own eyes, and he couldn''t think straight. He just dumbly stood there. Before he knew it, she was gone. And right at that time, he finally realized who he saw just now and hurriedly started to look for her in vain. But unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found. "Well, I mean, if you really want to see her, I believe that you two will definitely meet again. It all depends on you, you know? You just have to figure out what you really want." Edward poured himself a cup of tea. Ever since his father learnt how to make tea from Daisy, he spent every day studying how to do it perfectly. So wherever he was, there was always a tea set with him. He needed to figure out the secret. "Well, I guess we will talk about itter. I just want to get my mind off it for now. And I wanted to ask earlier, where''s Daisy? Does she still have to work on National Day?" Compared to Daisy, Rain thought that he was indeed luckier than her. Though he always liked toin about his work, in fact, he was being treated the same way as his CEO. And more importantly, he had absolute control over his work schedule. At least, he didn''t have to work overtime. "Yeah. I guess today she''s even busier than usual." Edward''s brows lowered as he frowned. Maybe this was the disadvantage of having a colonel as his wife. He was constantly worried about her safety, especially when every other families were together, celebrating the lovely holiday and just enjoying being with one another. "Oh. Shame that she can''t join us. It seems that Daisy works really hard, but everyone else just sees her status instead of the hard work." Rain let out a sigh. He knew that as a woman, it was pretty difficult to achieve the status Daisy had today all by her own hand. To be honest, if he were Daisy, he probably couldn''t do as well as her, and he was a man. So he really deeply admired and Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. because her beautiful eyes were still a little red. Indeed, everyone could tell. "Ah! Mommy, you are a senior colonel now! Grandpa, Uncle Rain, look! My mommy is a senior colonel!" Justin had lived at the army base since a very young age, so he knew very well about the different Army ranks. That was why he couldn''t help but shout excitedly when he saw the brand new two bars and four stars on his mommy''s shoulder. He was so happy that it seemed that he was the one getting a promotion. "What? Justin, you are not kidding, right? Daisy, is it true? Let me see!" Excited, Rain jumped up and practically ran straight over to Daisy. But he couldn''t see anything different about her. What the hell? How did both Edward and Justin know that she got a promotion? "Uncle Rain, where are you looking? Look at my mommy''s shoulder! Her epaulet!" But Rain still looked quite confused, which made Justin feel very anxious. How could he be so oblivious? Justin just couldn''t understand. It was right in front of his eyes! And still, he just couldn''t see it. "Her epaulet? What''s wrong with her epaulet? There isn''t anything special about it." Rain knew nothing about the military, so he couldn''t tell the difference between the insignias of one rank and another. Ever since he came into contact with Daisy, he started to be interested in some military stuff. A little. "Come on! You''re just so dumb sometimes! Can''t you see there''s another star on the epaulet?" Justin looked at Rain in disdain. He practically told him the answer! But Rain, being his usual oblivious self, still couldn''t crack the code. Well, he was dumb sometimes. Chapter 871 A Pleasant Surprise (Part Three) "Oh! You''re right. There it is. Congrattions, Daisy. You deserve it. Well, it seems that we really should open a bottle of champagne and celebrate tonight!" After listening to Justin, Rain finally realized why this little guy had asked him to look at Daisy''s shoulder. There was indeed a new star on her epaulet! He got excited all of a sudden just like Justin. "Thank you!" Daisy had a small smile on her face. Of course, she was proud of herself, but she wasn''t dizzy with sess. She worked very hard to get a promotion, and she knew that she deserved it. "Daisy, congrattions. I''ll definitely drink more tonight! Today is a happy day, and we have a lot to celebrate!" To be honest, Tom rarely drank. But today, they finally got a chance to get together, and everyone was just so happy for Daisy getting the promotion she deserved. Then he wouldn''t be the spoilsport for sure. He would definitely drink with them. "Tom, thank you! In fact, I''m really grateful for you. You always helped out when I needed you." Whenever Daisy thought about this, she always felt a bit embarrassed. She often got injured during her training and missions, so every time she got hurt, she had to bother Tom with her injuries. "Oh, Daisy! Here we go again. Come on, I already said don''t ever thank me. It''s really nothing. If you keep thanking me, I''ll feel bad." Tom ran a hand through his messy hair. He still wasn''t used to Daisy''s thankful words after all this time. After all, he grew up with Edward since he was just a little kid. So it was really nothing to treat his friend''s wife when she got hurt. Besides, he was a doctor, and it was his responsibility to help patients to heal. "I think I hear Daisy, right?" Right at this time, Cynthia walked out from the kitchen. She was in the kitchen because she wanted to see if there was anything she could help with, especially when everyone came here to spend the holiday. But what she didn''t expect was that she was more of a hindrance than a help in the kitchen. She felt a bit embarrassed about herself, so when she heard that Daisy was back, she hurriedly left the kitchen to greet her. "Yeah, mom, I''m back. Sorry! I didn''t get to help with the co ht? We will definitely take this chance and interrogate him." Edward was indeed the CEO of the FX International Group. He was good at giving instructions. Within just a few minutes, he had already nned everything. "Boss, umm... I''m not sure if that''s such a good idea. I mean, what if Leena knows when she gets back. She will definitely start a fight then. Don''t tell her that I''m the one who''s calling. Wait a minute, why do I suddenly feel that something''s not right? No, no no no. I don''t want to be the one who calls Kevin. You can call him yourself, Edward! I''ll just ring up Duke." Just thinking of Leena being mad at him made a chill run down his spine. After all, she was everyone''s precious baby girl, you couldn''t do anything to her. Instead, all you could do was watch her get mad -- and fall victim to her merciless pranks. "Damn you''re dumb! Just call Duke and have him call Kevin instead. Don''t tell me you can''t think of that. I''m really disappointed at you. That way, you can get them both toe here with just one call. And if Leena ever finds out, she won''t me you." Edward rolled his eyes at Rain, feeling quite helpless. He really didn''t know what to do about Rain. He was really thick-headed sometimes. Well, now he started to worry about the future of the FX International Group. After all, Rain was the vice-president of hispany. If this was how he handled day-to-day affairs, what would hispany be when he was not around? Chapter 872 Ice Rain Necklace (Part One) "Guys, there''s no need to call Kevin. He needs to work overtime at the army base. I don''t think he has time toe over, " Daisy exined. A party was about to be held at the army base that evening and Daisy was supposed to take part in that asion too. Considering her situation, themander gave her a break so that she could join her family and share her joy. "Then, let''s just call Duke, " Edward said as he looked at Daisy with eyes filled with affection and desire. "Well, I''m going to the kitchen to help." Keenly aware of the way he looked at her, Daisy automatically blushed as her heartbeat doubled. She made an excuse to leave and suppressed the mini heart attacks his heated gaze gave her. It was given that they had been a couple for quite some time and even had a son already, nevertheless, Daisy was still too shy about disying her affection for him in public. It was just really not her cup of tea. "Daisy, you''re worn out. Just get some rest." Cynthia tried to intercept but Daisy was in such a hurry and acted as if she didn''t hear. It was so obvious that she was trying to get away from her husband and her moves just made Edward even more amused. He ended up suppressing a grin as he watched how beautifully awkward she was. "Mom, let her go. She will be okay, " said Edward to Cynthia. He knew Daisy like the back of his hand. She was a traditional and conservative woman. That was fine with Edward. He was not the type of man to stop his woman from doing anything she wanted just as long as she wouldn''t get hurt. "Come on, I just want her to take a rest. Pity! Daisy is far too honest. Why don''t you teach her how to be more cunning?" A deep sigh came out of Cynthia''s chest as she shook her head. She had decided to follow Daisy to the kitchen and help too. Well, she pretty much didn''t know anything about cooking but to chat with Daisy as she cooked would somehow help kill time. After Cynthia entered the kitchen, Edward then sat down on the sofa with a smile as he thought about what gift she would like for her promotion. "Duke just got off the ne. He wille here directly." Rain informed Edward after he hung the phone up. What a pity! Only Leena was unable to join the party tonight. "Got it! I have to go get something done." Edward answered as he stood up and made his way to the entrance. "Where are you going?" Rain asked but Edward didn''t even turn a cheek to answer and just conti ive ne but then there were many rich people in S City. "Sure. Just wait a minute. I''ll make the call now." Aaron answered as he picked up another phone. He went straight to dial the number of Dora Jewelry''s manager. "All right! Hurry up! If it was sold, I would have to change my route, " Edward said as he slowed the car. If the ne had been sold, he would have to buy another gift for Daisy and turn at the next intersection. He was under time-pressure and had no ns of wasting another minute. "Boss, the manager of Dora Jewelry just said that the ne was booked but the buyer hasn''t taken it away yet." Aaron held two phones against both of his ears. He wanted to scold himself and thought, ''Why didn''t I just send the manager''s number to Mr. Mu? Or I can just ask the manager to call Mr. Mu himself. I look like an idiot with two phones against my head!'' "Great! Ask the manager to keep it for me. I''ll be right there in ten minutes. Oh by the way, if you are avable this evening, why don''t youe to my house to join the party?" Edward hung the phone up even before Aaron could say something. He pressed the elerator hard and drove his way to Dora Jewelry. "What? Boss, is there a party tonight? ..." Aaron was stunned when the busy tone cut him off. What was going on? What party was it? Why did Edward make the party a secret? He even hung the phone up before he could ask. He had no choice but to attend the party now since it was his boss who personally invited him. But that wasn''t actually the problem, it was the fact that Aaron was single. Who on earth would he drag to be his date? Chapter 873 Ice Rain Necklace (Part Two) Edward arrived at the MY Mall soon. His tall figure and handsome face made him the focus of everyone there. Countlessdies showed great interests in him from the moment he got off the car. Those didn''t matter. He ignored everyone and made a beeline to the Dora Jewelry. "Wee to Dora Jewelry, Mr. Mu." The manager of Dora Jewelry had been waiting there after getting the phone call from his assistant. The president of FX International Group must be treated with the utmost care. "Good evening, Manager Chen. You''ve worked hard." Edward smiled in a friendly way as he always respected his employees. "Thank you, Mr. Mu. I should have sent the ne to your house but Aaron said that you were on the way, so..." The manager was in his forties. He was not the type that you would notice in a crowd but he was not bad-looking either. He showed great respect to Edward. "It''s okay. I''d love to fetch it for my wife. Where''s the ne? I''d like to see it, please, " Edward said in a gentle voice as he walked to the counter. He had only seen the ne once so it was necessary for him to double-check whether it would look good on Daisy. "Mr. Mu, take a seat. I''m going to get it for you." The manager went to the safe. Edward didn''t sit down but decided to look at the jewelry being showcased. He would like to see if there was any other jewelry that would suit Daisy. "Mr. Mu, here is the Ice Rain. Take a closer look, please." The manager went back with a deluxe box. He opened it and showed it before Edward. The diamonds sparkled brilliantly under the soft light like they were emitting coldness. Maybe that was why it was named "Ice Rain". "Great!" Edward took the box, sat down on a sofa and picked up the ne with the utmost care he could muster. He enjoyed the glittering stones and creative settings. The design of the ne was actually simple but the most valuable part of the ne was the purity of the diamonds. Moreover, the pendant was a small but vivid flying red phoenix. The designerbined the elements of fire and ice. It was a surprise how the two contradicting elements came up really harmoniously. "Mr. Mu, you really have an eye for jewelry. This is thetest ne this year. Only ten have been made because of their cost. We are lucky enough to have one of them." The manager introduced the ne to Edward and wondered what excuse he should make to the guest who had given the down payment. "Really? Just pack ghtly. Melissa was downright upset for missing the beloved ne. She didn''t even notice that someone was staring at her with disdain from behind. "I didn''t say you had no money to buy it. Miss Xue said she woulde back and buy the ne before four in the afternoon. It''s already six in the evening now. So, Miss Xue broke her promise first. We thought she wouldn''te back so we sold the ne to another guest. We actually have enough reasons not to pay you the liquidated damages but our boss is kind enough to offer two million dors to Miss Xue." Manager Chen still exined in a clear way in spite of his cor still being grasped by Shaun. After all, he was a professional manager. "You mean we should take the me, huh?" Melissa asked in a chilly tone. She hated Shaun like poison. When she came to the hotel where he stayed this afternoon, he threw her into bed and had sex with her the whole nine yards. That was why she came herete. "Damn it! How dare you? You are asking for death!" Melissa''s instigation finally burst Shaun''s poor temper. He raised his right fist high and was about to punch the manager''s face. He was so close to hitting the man when a calm yet authoritative voice suddenly came from behind. "If you dare punch him, you''ll be sorry." Shaun and Melissa turned their heads and saw Edward approaching. Edward gazed at Shaun with a teasing smile as hepletely ignored Melissa. "Who the hell are you? How dare you have a finger in the pie?" Shaun raised his chin and cast a scornful nce at Edward. Edward looked familiar to him but Shaun was unable to recall who the man in front of him was. Chapter 874 Better Than Male Soldiers (Part One) "You''re an uneducated man, and good for nothing. If I were you, I would let go of Manager Chen as soon as possible. Otherwise, I will take you to the police and get your ass kicked. It will teach you a lesson." When Rain challenged his temper and patience, Edward was fine with it. However, he wanted to strangle Shaun when he did that. "Hah! Don''t be ridiculous. You think you can arrest me and put me in jail? Let me remind you that you are not in charge of the police force, in case you have forgotten that." The overconfident Shaun didn''t notice that Melissa was rooted in her spot, standing very still. She stared at the man she both loved and hated so much. Although a long time had passed since shest saw Edward, she still found him attractive and charming. Her breath was caught as she was lost in his beauty once again. "Boss, I..." Manager Chen''s voice trailed off. He shot Edward an embarrassed look, regrettinging across such a difficult client. "It''s fine. I''ve got you covered, " Edward said in an assuring voice. Since this confrontation had urred because of him, he wouldn''t walk away and leave Manager Chen with this mess. Besides, the manager was a loyal and qualified employee. Edward was determined to protect him. "Hah! I am just afraid that it''s out of your control, " Shaun said scornfully. He was arrogant and a bully. Even though he heard Chen address Edward as boss, he didn''t give a damn about it. In his eyes, the mall was no match to Kompass Group. However, he did think that Edward was quite handsome. His features were sharp, which lent him an extraordinary charm. Shaun would not mind befriending such a charismatic man. Melissa knew Edward''s true identity. She hated Shaun for provoking him that way. What a fool he was, she thought. Before they came here, she had shown him Edward''s background files. However, Shaun seemed to remember nothing including Edward''s charming appearance. ''This is likemitting suicide, '' Melissa thought with fury. At that moment, she knew Shaun couldn''t be relied upon to destroy FX International Group. She was so naive to trust him with the task. "As the CEO of this mall, I''m responsible for dealing with all idents that ur here. Also, I''m quite capable of solving any difficulties. Any problems?" Edward sneered. In any case, Edward wouldn''t allow this ne to be bought by somebody else. It was rare that an essory suited Daisy so well. Besides, in his opinion, the Ice Rai just like Manager Chen said, you are the one who failed to keep an appointment with us. Now it''s our right to sell this ne to other clients, " Edward pointed out. He hadn''t known that Manager Chen had fixed an appointment time with Shaun until he was informed about it a few moments ago. He decided to work out a solution to keep the ne. Since it was Shaun who failed to keep the appointment, it made things much easier. "Are you not ashamed to say that as the president of an internationalpany?" Shaun asked. He gritted his teeth, knowing deep down that he was making wrong usations. However, he couldn''t just swallow his pride and walk away like a pathetic, beaten dog. "We didn''t do anything wrong as apany. I think you should know that well, since you too run argepany, " Edward answered him patiently. He radiated calm confidence. Edward found it ridiculous to even consider Shaun as a worthy andpetent opponent. "Mr. Mu, I''m going to do you a favor and allow you to keep this ne. Just this once. Melissa, let''s get out of here. I must have been mad to go shopping today, " Shaun said, sulking. He turned and walked toward the door. He knew that Edward was convincing in his arguments and that in fact, Shaun himself was fighting a losing war. So he chose to give up, even though he was unwilling to submit. He couldn''t be seen defying Edward''s authority publicly. An ancient proverb says that the man who can recognize the reality of a situation is the paragon of men. Therefore, Shaun chose to walk away so he could avoid the confrontation with Edward, who was perhaps the most powerful man in town. Chapter 875 Better Than Male Soldiers (Part Two) "Don''t rush, Shaun. I have got a question for you, Mr. Mu. Have you bought this ne?" Melissa asked with curiosity. She eyed the delicate gift box in Edward''s hand with admiration. "Yes, I have. Do you have any other questions to ask, Miss Xue?" Edward turned his head to look at Melissa. The wry smile on his face lingered. "How do you know my name?" Melissa asked in shock. She never introduced herself to Edward, and thought that she had been doing well in hiding her real identity from him. ''Has he had me investigated already? Could that exin Rain''s unusual behavior that day?'' she wondered. ''If it weren''t true, why would Rain havee to me and started rambling?'' "I heard Manager Chen call you that name. Am I wrong? Is your family name not Xue?" Edward asked, pretending innocence on purpose. That was his style. At first he let his opponent breathe a sigh of relief, then he delivered the deadly blow unexpectedly. "No, Mr. Mu. You''re not wrong. My family name is Xue, " she exined herself in haste. She looked at Edward in panic. "If that''s the case, I''m d to meet you, Miss Xue, " Edward replied sincerely. His smile was charming, as if he had no idea that she was actually Jessica. A stranger might think that Edward was being respectful to ady he had met for the first time. However, Jessica knew him too well to be fooled by his fake kindness. He must be trying very hard to control his anger in public. She still intended to buy that ne, but didn''t dare suggest it. She doubted Shaun had seen through Edward''s trick. "Mr. Mu, as it is you who bought that ne, you can just give it to us. What''s the point of arguing with us?" Shaun asked him. He was eager to find new ammunition to fire at Edward. "I bought it for my wife. I am sorry that I am unable to satisfy your wishes, " Edward answered. He clenched his fists slowly, determined to gift this ne to Daisy. Nobody could sessfully prevent him from doing so. "There are so many other jewelries for sale here. Why can''t you pick another one for your wife?" Shaun repeated what Manager Chen had suggested to him before Edward hade to confront him. As far as he was concerned, a wife was easily pleased by any piece of jewelry. There was no need to pick a fight over a ne. He looked at Edward suspiciously, wondering why he cared for his wife so much if he could have loads of mistresses to y around with. He was truly a myster rare to see him smile at anybody, since he was well known as a cold and aloof man. "Thank you, Duke. Is Leena all right now?" Edward had told her that Leena had fallen ill in France. However, Daisy had been extremely busy recently and couldn''t spare any time to call Leena. "Yeah. She''s recovering quickly and will be fine in a couple of days. Don''t worry so much about her, " Duke repliedfortingly. Duke had always trusted Daisy''s capabilities and knew that she had a promising career ahead. ''After she got promoted, would she have less time left to be with her family?'' he wondered. If so, Edward would resent the prospect of spending even less time with his wife. "I hope shees back soon. It''s been about half a month since she left." Daisy frowned, wondering if Kevin was getting along with Leena. She sincerely wished that Kevin could forget her and learn to love his wife. "I''m afraid she has to stay there for longer. However, she''ll be back sooner than expected. I employed some maids to take care of her but she sent them back. It''s a bit concerning, her being alone in the apartment." Duke sighed. He had instructed Leena to be careful and not to rx her guard while she was living there alone. But she never listened to him. "Set your heart at rest. Leena is an independent girl. I''m sure she knows how to look after herself, " Daisy said, smiling pleasantly. Daisy wasn''t as worried about Leena as Duke was, since she trusted that Leena could adapt well to the environment. Besides, since Leena had studied in France before, it would not be difficult for her to make friends and live in Francefortably. Chapter 876 Im Not Scared Because Its You (Part One) "I hope so. Where is Edward? I don''t see him around." When Duke had entered the house, he could tell something was amiss. He realized now why he had that strange feeling. It was because the master of the house was nowhere to be seen. "Oh! Is he not here? I was in the kitchen, I didn''t see him just now. He is probably upstairs. You could go to the study and see if he''s there." Upon hearing Duke''s words, Daisy looked about, but didn''t see Edward anywhere. "Duke, I''ll tell you! If you ask me nicely, I can inform you of Edward''s whereabouts, " Rain said, crossing his legs leisurely. "Uncle Rain, don''t fool around. Daddy only said that he was going out, he didn''t say where he was heading to, " Justin said, engrossed in the game on his cellphone. Like most young boys, he loved to y mobile games. However, what made him stand out was that he also liked to design those games. In this regard, few of them were as talented as he was. "Justin, don''t embarrass me. Isn''t it Leena you''re always picking a fight with? Why is it my turn today?" Rain said, gritting his teeth. Justin had yed a trick on him before and he hadn''t fully recovered from it yet. It seemed like Justin didn''t want to stop either. He was making trouble for him again. "It is because Aunt Leena is not here today. If she was here, I would be exhausted only trying to deal with her. I probably wouldn''t have the energy to even speak to you, " Justin responded without raising his head from the game. His hand casually swiped at the cellphone screen. "Hey! Little boy, why does it sound like I am only a substitute for your amusement?" Rain asked, offended by Justin''s words. "Haha! Uncle Rain, sorry if I made you think that. But a substitute is not the worst thing to be. Don''t be so pessimistic." Justin finally looked up at him after thrashing thest monster in the game. He tilted his head and shed Rain a smug smile. "Oh, please! I''m a substitute, that''s already depressing. No, that does not sound right. What am I saying? Do I really want to be a substitute for Leena and be the primary target of your tricks? You devious little boy. You''re trying to set me up." Rain finally saw through Justin. He was indeed clever. Rain was fortunate to figure out Justin''s trap in time and save himself from falling into it. "Ah! It''s forgivable if a person is not too intelligent. But if someone is just straight up dumb, then no medicine can cure him." Tom shook his head, poking fun at Rain. He was bored because Jonathan was not there to y chess with him. How could he not grab th s be the considerate boy my Mommy has brought me up to be." Justin grinned. In fact, he knew better than anyone else how his Mommy had struggled in the past years. How was it even possible that he''d want to make her sad? "Okay! That''s good. Aunt Belinda loves obedient boys the best." Belinda pinched his pink cheeks, wondering when she could have such an adorable boy of her own. "Where are you going?" Edward walked out of the garage after parking his car. He happened toe across Belinda and Justin who were strolling along the gardens. "Daddy, you''re back! Where have you been?" Justin had be more cheerful aftering to live with Edward. He did not sulk like before. "I went to deal with some business. Belinda, are you trying to steal my son?" Edward teased her in a yful tone. There had been much good-natured banter between them when they first met. It was hard for Edward to imagine that Belinda would marry Duke, whose personality waspletely different from hers. "Yes, I want to take him away, but only if he is willing to go with me. By the way! Are youing back from a date with your secret lover?" Although Edward was no longer a womanizer and did not flirt around with other women, Belinda hadn''tpletely forgiven him for his past romantic affairs. "Of course! Secret lover. I wonder if the CEO of YS too partakes in such hobbies. I can rmend some handsome men to you." Edward shed her a charming smile, his bright eyes filled with mischief. He waited for Belinda''s response to that. "I''m not like you, so promiscuous and lewd." Belinda pursed her lips and raised her chin in scorn. She narrowed her eyes and looked at Edward, in a manner of a haughty princess. Chapter 877 Im Not Scared Because Its You (Part Two) "I think you are mistaken. Everyone in the city knows that I am a fascinating man, but never lewd. I wonder how I gave you such a wrong impression." Edward frowned and nced at Justin who beamed happily behind Belinda. He suddenly felt like he was shooting himself in the foot. "Huh. Don''t try to hide things from me. You have had one night stands with almost all beautiful women in the city." As the words slipped out of her mouth, she anxiously nced at Justin. She had forgotten that he stood right there while she was busy talking back to Edward. She had blurted out such careless words without any qualms. "Do you really take me for a stud? I remember that I also had a dubious rtionship with your husband. Didn''t you see that news report? We have finallye out of the closet!" Sensing that Belinda was pissed off, Edward thought that their repartee had be more interesting. However, as he finished speaking, he felt a cold stare drilling holes into the back of his head. Well, it wouldn''t intimidate him. "You want toe out, then that''s your own business. Don''t involve me in it, " Duke finally aired hisint when he heard Edward mention him. He didn''t know what else Edward would say to disgrace him. Duke had to put an end to this conversation. "Oh, really? Duke, you are such a wet nket. Justin, let''s go inside and find your Mommy." Edward shed him a sly smile. He wondered if the couple would quarrel after he left. Who cared, anyway. He was not the one who started this. "Duke, it surprises me that you have such habits." Belinda gnashed her teeth, ring at Duke. Although she knew it was a trap set up by Edward, she couldn''t help but fall into it. "What! You really believe him? Wow. I don''t know what to say to you if you really think that. Women are so gullible." Duke rolled his eyes. This was what Edward wanted. That scheming meddler! He intentionally ndered Duke to provoke a fight between them. What a maniptive man! "Oh, so now you want to badmouth women? We women certainly have more self-respect than you do." Belinda was angry at Duke''s remarks. She detested anything that implied sexism or gender discrimination. Duke was dead meat now. uld you be scared?" Edward took out the ne from his coat pocket and gently sped it around her neck. "No, I''m not scared, because it''s you. Ah! What is that? It feels cold. Edward, are you putting a snake on me?" The thought of a slippery snake made her flesh crawl. "Yes, it''s a snake. Don''t open your eyes, or it will bite you." Edward warned her. Was she afraid of a snake? He thought she was afraid of nothing. "Edward, can''t we negotiate? Can you take this thing off me? You can ask me for anything in exchange!" Snakes were not unfamiliar to Daisy. When she was getting trained for survival in the wild at JC military school, she often encountered them. However, every time she saw a snake, she got goose bumps all over her skin. She fretted that if she didn''t kill it, it would attack her with its poison. Snakes always sent a shiver down her spine. "Okay, you can open your eyes now." Edward smoothed her clothes and stepped back to see how the ne looked on her. Indeed, the Ice Rain was a perfect match for her. She looked so graceful and regal wearing the ne. "Edward, are you sure I can open my eyes now? Why do I feel like there is still something around my neck?" Daisy squeaked, a little hesitant. She didn''t want a snake to touch her! She didn''t like the creature at all. "Don''t worry. It''s not a snake." Edward grinned widely at the sight of her frightened look. He gently touched her on the nose, his eyes full of affection. Chapter 878 Loyalty (Part One) "Don''t lie to me, " said Daisy. Daisy opened her eyes a bit. Actually she wouldn''t be that afraid if that thing didn''t touch her skin. In the past she killed lots of snakes in the rainforest. However, she didn''t want it to be closer to her body. "I''m telling you the truth. I promise, " said Edward, with a wry smile on his perfect face. It was a rare thing for Daisy to be scared, so Edward was highly amused. "Darling, What''s this? It''s so beautiful!" said Daisy in surprise. Daisy lowered her head and saw a very lifelike ne of phoenix. She stretched out her hand and touched it. It felt cold. Although she usually disliked wearing jewelry, she liked it on sight. She and the phoenix had something inmon -- both have risen from the ashes and been born anew. "It''s called Ice Rain. Do you like it? It''s a gift for your promotion, " Edward said. He knew Daisy liked this ne when he saw the smile on her face. But he needed confirmation. "Yeah. I like it. The name''s also poetic. Thank you, " said Daisy. Then, she stood on tiptoe, and kissed his cold, soft lips. She liked kissing him. "That''s good. I was worried that you might not like it." Edward realizedter that his wife had be increasingly dependent on him. She would kiss him furtively, and smiled as broadly as a girl who had her first taste of chocte or love. "Howe? It''s beautiful. Why would anybody not like it? By the way, did you sneak out and buy it for me today?" Daisy rested her arms on the hips, raised her head and looked Edward in the eye. A sense of happiness swept over her beautiful slender face. "Yeah. I caught sight of it at a ribbon-cutting ceremony a couple days ago. I thought, ''I bet Daisy would like this.'' But life got in the way, and I had to put it off. I barely had time to get it today, to be honest." Of course, Edward wasn''t about to tell her the whole story, i Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. isy was always busy and spent less time at home with him. She almost had no holidays, since idents urred all the time, and then she would be under orders to go and deal with them. "I guess you''ll abandon me and find another beautiful and young girl. Guys do that all the time, " answered Daisy in an aggrieved tone of voice. If he thought she was paranoid and pessimistic, oh well. She still wanted an answer from him. Would he cheat on her? Would he cast her out? Would he stay true to her for the rest of their lives? The more she thought about that, the more anxious she became. "I admit that I''ve spent my life gathering beautiful things, so I never have to look at anything ugly. So if you want our love tost forever, take care of yourself, stay young and beautiful. Then, I''ll be yours forever." Even if Daisy somehow turned ugly, whether through age or disfigurement, Edward would never abandon her. He was more confident about that than anything else in the world. However, he still couldn''t help teasing her. "Do you hate me then?" asked Daisy. Daisy touched her face, and felt her skin was dry, probably because of the dry weather in autumn. It would be much better and softer in spring and summer, Daisy thought to herself remorsefully. Chapter 879 Loyalty (Part Two) "No, honey, I''m teasing. On the contrary, I''m gonna buy a VIP membership card for you at the best beauty care salon in town where you can get your skin and face looked after. I will love you more when your skin''s well-moisturized and fair." Edward also touched her face, and his brows furrowed. He med himself for forgetting such an important thing. "I can''t spare time to do that. I have work to do. Besides, It''s embarrassing to lie down with strangers and let those so-called experts take care of my skin and face. I don''t have control over what they do. So, a beauty care salon may be a bad idea, " said Daisy. Daisy sighed. She promised to herself that she would take good care of her face and skin. But she still hated being judged by strangers at a beauty salon. "Don''t worry about that. You''ll have a dedicated, professional and friendly expert to take good care of you in a private room, " said Edward in a reassuring voice. Edward knew she would respond that way. He would never abandon her. On the contrary, he wished desperately to age gradually with Daisy. He could push the idea of skin care to her, because even sun exposure destroys the DNA in your skin. Not only that, but diet is important as well. If they didn''t take care of themselves while they were young and beautiful, they wouldn''t age gracefully. "No, I still don''t like it. I can take good care of my skin by myself at home. So, don''t worry, " said Daisy. She pouted and felt anxious deep in her heart. Although she had been constantly neglecting a skincare routine in the past, she had to surrender now. She wasn''t Cynthia, and she couldn''t expect herself to stay young and beautiful as she aged. "You can go there with mom. She''s good at taking care of her skin. Why do you think her face is always so fair and soft?" Edward didn''t intend to embarrass his mom by stating those facts. As far as he was concerned, skincare wasn''t Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ay. Fireworks lit up the night, punctuated by the loud booms and the smell of cordite. Various activities and games had been arranged, and the crowd didn''t disperse until nearly midnight. Discipline wasx, and order was lost for the day. The soldiers could enjoy themselves as much as the civilians. Everything would be fine as long as there were no idents. "Major General, are you drunk?" asked Lee. He looked at Kevin''s red face, and worried. "I''m fine. I just wanted to rx and have some fun." Kevin was really d for Daisy. Other soldiers kept proposing a toast for Daisy or for himself. As a result, he drank far more alcohol than he could stomach, and staggered wildly. "Let''s go, Major General! I''m gonna drive you home, " said Lee. He frowned. As stipted, low-ranking soldiers could drink no more than a bottle of beer. However, those soldiers grabbed more bottles and persuaded Kevin to drink all of them. In the end, Kevin was three sheets to the wind. "Don''t bother. I''ll sleep at my room at the base. Go to sleep and leave me alone, " said Kevin sleepily and tipsily. Kevin shook his head, trying to shake off the ufortable feeling and dizziness. His reaction time was slowed, his speech slurred, and he was asionally seeing double. Chapter 880 Loyalty (Part Three) "Major General, can I go home after I walk you to the dorm, safe and sound?" Lee still got worried and couldn''t allow the drunken Kevin to go home on his own. It was his job to protect and take good care of his superior. "I''m fine. Don''t worry about me. It''s not far. Look, we''re standing inside a highly-guarded military ba -- bas --." He couldn''t finish the word "base." "We''re safe, " Kevin continued. Kevin didn''t get as drunk as Lee had thought. He remained half-sober, although dizzy. Maybe he drank several kinds of wine. "Alright, major general. Be careful, and good night, " said Lee. However, Lee didn''t leave. He stood there, watching Kevin stagger up the stairs and back home. Then, he turned and walked to his dorm. As soon as Kevin entered his house, he stumbled onto the couch, feeling ufortably dizzy. So, he found it difficult to climb the stairs to his bedroom. At that moment, his phone rang. He looked around, trying to find where his phone was. Finally, he found it on the table nearby. It turned out that he had identally left it there when he went out. "Hello, this''s Kevin. Who''s that?" asked Kevin in a hoarse voice. He didn''t check who was calling him, because he found it difficult to keep his eyes open. "Kevin, it''s me. What''s wrong with you? Why didn''t you answer your phone? I called you several times." Leena became increasingly worried when she called Kevin in the past few hours, but Kevin never answered his phone. Her face even turned pale from anxiety. She was worried that something bad had happened. "I''m sorry. I forgot my phone when I left. I forgot to take my phone when I went out after the shower. I''m so sorry. I didn''t intend to worry you, " said Kevin apologetically. He was touched Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ts and worries from Leena. "Hey! Kevin, what were you gonna tell me? Hello?" Leena dropped her mobile phone and her brows furrowed. She wondered why Kevin hung up the phone suddenly. What had he wanted to say? A few momentster, Leena chose a rtively sexy and alluring dress for herself, which fully concealed her innocence and simplicity, and made her look mature and more charming. She wore what a well-known designer should wear to a party. As a rising star in the fashion circle in Paris, Leena was lucky, since she had been rmended and introduced to others by her tutor. She had many contacts. As a result, when she appeared at the party, her poprity, beauty, and elegance immediately drew the attention of every guest there. Leena was a typical oriental beauty, gentle and elegant. Her sweet smiles always attracted admiring nces from both men and women. Few women dared to wear a red dress at a party, but Leena looked gorgeous. As a leading figure in the fashion world, she really knew how to use her advantages to maximize her beauty and appeal to others. She was the queen of the party, and a wee addition to the Parisian nightlife. Chapter 881 A Rising Star In The Fashion World (Part One) Most of the party guests were business tycoons or fashion stars. The red dress Leena was in highlighted her fair and milky skin, making her look even more like a goddess. She was indeed the central figure at the party. All the men had their eyes on Leena. It was always a pleasure for them to see a beautiful woman. Leena greeted them politely. Her bright smile and good manners made her stand out like an elegant princess. As she made her way through the crowd, all the attention was on her. "You are so beautiful tonight, Mignonne, " said Gerard affectionately, as he approached Leena. Anyone who wanted to talk to Leena had to go through this handsome gentleman, and there was noparison. He was quite high-ss and stunningly majestic. Everyone else was out of his league. "Thank you, Gerard. You look very handsome tonight too." Leena smiled and greeted him politely. She did not expect Gerard to be here, because she never heard him mention a thing about it. "Then, can I have the honor of apanying you tonight?" Gerard raised his eyebrows and showed her an ted smile. Leena had known him for so many years and was familiar with his various smiles. So she was not attracted to him at all. But things went differently when it came to other people. They gasped at the sight of his charming smile and pearly whites because he was probably the most handsome man at the party. Obviously, they all went crazy for him. After all, a beautiful face was simply another form of art. Everyone enjoyed beautiful things, whether they were masculine or feminine. "It''s my pleasure. Thank you so much, " Leena replied with a sweet smile. The reason she decided to ept Gerard''s offer was in order to avoid more potential invitations from other men. She did not want to have a stranger be her partner. Now that Gerard offered, why not ept it? At least, she knew Gerard betterpared with other men. "Well, Mignonne, where is your husband? I don''t see him. Has he already gone back?" Gerard asked in a careful tone. He had been knocking at Leena''s door for thest few days. But every time he went to her apartment, that cold and overbearing man always sent him back. He was really angry with him. But he could not show his anger in front of him. After all, that man was Leena''s husband and he was just a " was able to meet many famous designers from different well-known brands. She had heard their names but never had the chance to meet them before. She was pleased to talk to them. But she also knew that they could hardly be true friends because they were stillpetitors in the same field to some degree. Despite this, it was always good to make her face known to them so that she would not be left alone by others in this field. Sometimes, she might get inspiration from their idea or works. The professor hit the ss with a spoon, three times in rapid session. She then addressed the room: "May I have your attention, please? I''m pleased that you spared your time to attend this party tonight. I would like to express my deep thanks to all of you. And this party tonight is particrly held for my favorite student ¡ª Mignonne. I''m proud of her. She has finished her dissertation smoothly, which means she is going to be one of the rising stars in the fashion field. I would appreciate it if you can give her more attention. Her brand is a runaway sess, and you need to watch this rising star. She''s had this brand for a while, and now you know the face behind the designs. Of course, your valuable suggestions are kindly weed." Hardly had her voice faded away when a thunder of apuse sounded throughout the room. Meanwhile, they turned their eyes to Leena. They all knew thisdy was the favorite student of the famous designer who had lots of well-known fashion brands. Leena was also the only Asian girl at the party. Chapter 882 A Rising Star In The Fashion World (Part Two) Leena was also shocked by her professor''s speech. She would never expect that her dissertation was reviewed and deemed a sess within such a short time. She thought it was going to take weeks! What was more, she did not know that this party was held in her honor, and was surprised to hear her professor''s promation. Now she had the lion''s share of the attention from everyone at the party. Camera lights shed through her to catch her every movement. She was kind of in a mess inside and did not know what to do and how to react to her sudden fame. Despite this, she still smiled at everyone. A capable woman from a prominent family would always know how to show her best side in public. Many of the guests were sure that this Asian girl would headline the fashion weeks in Paris thanks to Be, her professor''s promotion. After all, in Europe, most of Be''s favorite students were fashion icons with a high reputation in the fashion field. Being Be''s student and a sessful dissertation were half the battle. As one of her students, Leena was born to be a new favorite in the fashion industry. Leena knew clearly that as her professor, Be would be kind to her. But she did not expect that she would be so nice that she would push her to the peak. Leena felt extremely ttered. Yet more thoughts and anxieties sprang into her mind. She was not sure whether she was capable enough to make it and live up to Be''s expectations. She had already be a minor celebrity in the fashion field these years. Her high-profile showing tonight would make her more noticeable. She was going to be the focus of many people''s thoughts for quite a long time. Leena was happy and thankful for Be''s arrangement. Yet she felt worried, too. She didn''t know if this was the best thing for her. After all, being too prominent might result in jealousy from others, right? "Mignonne, congrattions. your dissertation is safe now." Although Gerard congratted her on her dissertation, his voice sounded quite lonely. He thought she would stay here for quite a long time before she went back to her home country. But her dissertation went so smoothly. There was not even one rejection from the review board. Be must love her so much to have instructed her so wholeheartedly. She must have been an excellent student in Be''s id not want to ept this fact. "What about you? Can you guarantee that you aren''t just fascinated with me for the moment? You think you love me. But maybe even you can''t make such a promise. Gerard, let go of me! Admit it; we are not a couple." Leena kept nodding at people who greeted her. Even she was talking about such a sad and serious topic with Gerard, she still retained her bright and sweet smile. She did not expect that those journalists would describe that she and Gerard acted intimately while they were talking. She did not know that this man who seemed so well-mannered and appeared to be born into a prominent family was the youngest son of nc Group''s CEO in France. At least, not till the next morning when all the newspapers reported them. No wonder the paparazzi was so thick and so aggressive. The many fashion icons at the party were just a small part of the reason why there were so many cameras trained on them. This rich guy Gerard was another important reason. nc Group was a grand financial clique in France. It was said that many of Gerard''s family members had royal blood. The family was the wealthiest in all of France. And their worth, ording to iplete statistics, was great enough to control half of the economic lifelines in the country. There was no doubt that this family was strong and powerful. So, as one of the inheritors of this group, Gerard was always in the spotlight, always in the headlines. Every mediapany wanted first-hand news about him so that their papers would outsell the others. Chapter 883 A Rising Star In The Fashion World (Part Three) Next day in the morning, Leena was surrounded by the various weekly journals and newspapers, as well as the rumors. Looking at those newspapers and journals on her desk, she could not help twisting her mouth heavily. The contents in them were even more absurd. She really did not have the heart to read them. A rising star in the fashion field trying to seduce nc''s sessor? An ambitious woman aiming at bing the daughter-inw of a rich family? They even fabricated a wedding date! What was wrong with them? Did they go insane? Leena could not believe her eyes when reading this nonsense. Fortunately, most of the reports centered on her road to the fashion industry. So not all of those mediapanies and journalists focused on the nonexistent love story between her and Gerard. It made her feel better. What was more, those rumors were reported in France but not in her home country so Kevin was unable to see them. Otherwise, Leena would really be scared of Kevin''s reaction to all that gossip. She did not think he was generous enough to let them go as a soldier. After all, he was not in the fashion industry, so he didn''t make the tabloids, and did not know that sometimes the media liked to make things up to get more clicks or sell more papers. What happened in Paris had no influence on S city at all. All those rumors concerning Leena were nothing to people here. It was still shining without any dark clouds in the sky. Everything was going so well, except that the woman named Melissa Xue always tried to stir up trouble. At this time there was a casual atmosphere in a Presidential Suite at Kate Hotel. Several pairs of underwear belonging to both man and womany spread on the ground, and two naked bodies sprawled on the bed. "Shaun, so how many shares of FX International Group''s department stores do you own now?" Melissa put her white legs on Shaun Gao''s body. She clung tightly to him and sweat was dripping off. Obviously, they just had enjoyed a luxurious coupling. "Don''t worry! I''ve already purchased 40 percent of their shares. But they didn''t notice it at all! What fools! I thought their CEO was a smart man, but not so much anymore. So, you can just wait and see how I will defeat Edward Mu. There will be a time he''ll beg me to save him!" Shaunughed loudly as if everything wo Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. at''s what I want. Once we do this, we can have a small conversation with those stakeholders. After all, no one will put their money in apany that''s going to go bankrupt soon." "Boss, I only got half of what you said, but we''ve already obtained all this information. All we''re waiting on is their reaction. Ball''s in their court. But their employees are pretty calm andcent. They don''t report the intrusion to their CEO." Aaron was quite curious in this respect. He wondered whether there was something he did not anticipate. "They might be trying to purchase the stock in our department stores. So they have no idea at all of the danger they''re in. That will cost them. Well, let them be and keep them ignorant of our activities! We''ll surprise them with a deadly strike when they get 60 percent of our stocks, " stated Edward. He showcased his typical guile when faced with a threat. He would let them get their hopes up, and when they felt that they were about to win, he would pull the rug out from underneath them. At that time, there would be nothing but a dark hell waiting for them. It was almost impossible to defend themselves effectively at all, especially from one as devious as Edward. "Indeed a deadly strike! Mr. Mu. I''m afraid they are going to be angry when that dayes." Aaron knew that whoever offended Edward or touched his bottom line would end up with trouble. So at the thought of the severe consequences they might face, he still could not help feeling sorry for them. But he knew those people deserved it. Chapter 884 Aaron’s Love For Anna (Part One) "Come on, Aaron, are you telling me you''re worried that Shaun will go nuts after he knows hispany is about to go bankrupt?" Edward teased Aaron, twitching his eyebrows. "He will be shaken, " he continued, "That''s exactly what I want." "No, I''m not worried at all. I don''t know the guy, so why would I be worried? I have a lot of work to do. I don''t have time to care about a stranger." Aaron angrily rolled his eyes at Edward. What a question! Why would he worry about a stranger? "Then why do you care if he will be angry or not? Since he tried to mess with me, he has to pay the price. I won''t attack unless I''m attacked; if I''m attacked, I''ll definitely counterattack. I won''t let him go so easily." Edward gnashed his teeth in hatred. "Mr. Mu, is it true that the woman is Jessica? Excuse my terrible memory, but that doesn''t look like her." Aaron touched his head inquiringly. He''d run into Jessica a couple of times, so he had a hazy memory of what she looked like, but he didn''t see any simrity between the woman in the photo and her. "She can change her facial appearance, but her voice remains the same. If you hear her talk, you''ll know it''s her." Edward''s lips curled in a contemptuous smile. Jessica was stupid. She thought that she could deceive Edward by disguising herself. Maybe she didn''t expect that her voice would betray her. "Mr. Mu, what game is she ying? Hasn''t she given up on you?" Like Rain, Aaron also enjoyed talking about other people''s private lives. "How would I know that? You can go ask her personally if you''re curious. What her game is doesn''t matter to me. She isn''t the one I love, so why bother?" Edward was indifferent to other women as he was sweet on Daisy. "I''m not crazy. The less contact I have with that woman, the better." Aaron showed the whites of his eyes. Suddenly, he realized that Edward could always say something to make him speechless. "Curiosity kills the cat. I thought you wanted to know. Well, forget it. How are you doing with Anna?" Edward asked with a casual air. He bowed his head, his pen flowing rapidly over the paper. Aaron was so shocked that he almost slipped onto the floor from his seat. "What -- What do you mean, Mr. Mu? I don''t know what you''re talking about." Aaron''s face convulsed in a series of twitches. How could Edward know? He thought he''d kept his rtionship with Anna on the DL. He''d underestimated Edward again. "Yo Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. on the back of the couch in his usualzy sitting position. "Pay close attention to this. It''s an important project. You can''t take it lightly, " Edward said in a serious tone, knitting his brows. The project was under construction in Daisy''s army base. He couldn''t bring shame to her name. "Got it. You can count on me. Everything will be alright. And, ah, if I''m not mistaken, you were talking about me just now." He held a finger up while he said this, making it seem like the most important topic in the world. Rain ran his eyes over Edward and Aaron. He sensed that something was very wrong. They stopped as soon as he came, so he was sure that they were talking about him just now. "Look at you. You worry me." Edward refrained from Rain''s sensitive topic. "Mr. Mu, I have to get back to work if there''s nothing else." Aaron wanted to get out of there more than anything else in the world. He couldn''t keep his cool if Rain kept poking at the topic. He didn''t want the number two guy to find out anything. "Okay. You can go. Get back to work. Pay more attention to Kompass Group. Let me know if anything changes." Edward tore his gaze from theputer screen and looked at Aaron. In his opinion, Shaun would soon find out that hispany''s stocks were secretly acquired. Before Shaun could react, he had to acquire all of their stocks in one fell swoop. "By the way, Aaron, have you and Anna set a wedding date yet?" Rain raised his eyebrows and smiled wickedly at Aaron. What Rain said totally flustered the other man. Aaron scrunched himself up, and tried to fit in as small a space as possible. Chapter 885 Aaron’s Love For Anna (Part Two) "Err¡­ Mr. Xia, what''re you talking about? Don''t make fun of me." Aaron yed dumb again. He could understand why Edward knew of his rtionship with Anna, but why did Rain also know? This waspletely insane. "Well, I owe you an apology. I didn''t mean to spy on you, but it looked like you forced Anna into a kiss." Rain smiled mischievously and squinted at Aaron, who flushed with tension. "Force? What? You -- we''re dating, you idiot!" Irritated by what Rain said, Aaron spilled the beans. He pretty much admitted that he kissed Anna. "Oh, so you''re in love with each other? Why did I see Anna struggling to break free? Is that a way to start a rtionship?" Rain saw Aaron kiss Anna when he sat quietly in his car in the parking lot. He watched them for a long time, but they kissed passionately as if they were all alone in this world. "My car''s apact, so she bumped against the window. For God''s sake! Why am I even exining this to you? Are you some kind of pervert, peeking into our car? Why didn''t you let us know that you parked nearby?" Aaron stared at Rain angrily. He knew exactly where Rain saw them, because they didn''t dare to behave intimately in thepany building. They figured that they didn''t need to let others know, but he was seized with a sudden impulse to kiss Anna after they got off work in the parking lot that day. "Why should I let you know? Aren''t you trying to keep your rtionship secret? Not like you''re doing a good job of it now... Go ahead. It won''t be interesting if I rat you out." Rain gave Aaron a sinister look and continued, "You know, I''m a wicked person." "Damn it! I must have been insane to mention it to you. Promise me that you won''t ask Anna about this." Aaron was upset. They thought they had covered up their rtionship nicely. Little did they know that both Edward and Rain knew. Did it mean that their colleagues had also figured it out? "Why can''t I ask her? It''s a good thing that you''re in love. It''s not murder or arson. I don''t know why you have to cover it up. God, you''re boring, " Rain snorted. He always judged others but never reflected on his own faults. This was the reason why Annie was angry with him. "Leave us alone. You''re not allowed to ask her about it." Saying this, Aaron raised his fist threatenin , Aaron nodded to Daisy and walked out with Anna. Since they all knew it, he wouldn''t have to hide it anymore. "Oh. You use work as an excuse. What you really want is to ask Anna to forgive you." Now Rain had to look for joy from other people, because he didn''t have anything to please himself. "How about you? You have to make things right with Annie. Stop showing off. She won''te back if you stay here. Oh right. You have to go to Thand tomorrow!" Edward thought that Rain had to try his luck, lest he would live the rest of his life like a lovelorn zombie. "What? Wait, Edward, are you serious? Do you really want to send me to Thand?" Rain''s smile instantly froze on his face. He didn''t think Edward was serious. He just teased Aaron a minute ago, but now he was down on his luck. God help him. "Do you think I''m joking now?" Edward cast a cold look at Rain. If he didn''t give Rain a hard time, Rain would definitely not go abroad, so he had to order Rain as the CEO. "No. Daisy, I don''t want to go to Thand! Could you please help me convince Edward to send someone else there?" Rain realized that he couldn''t change Edward''s mind, so he had to pin hisst hope on Daisy. "I''m sorry, Rain. I really can''t help you with this. I don''t have the right to interfere in his work arrangement, just as Edward can''t interfere in my work. So you''re on your own." Daisy smiled apologetically. Although really it was Edward''s promise, she felt she should do the same. Mutual respect was very important in a marriage. Chapter 886 You Carry Me (Part One) "Jesus Christ! Does God want me to die?" Rain walked out despondently without arguing further. He was desperate and decided to figure out a solution to deal with the manager in Thand. "What''s wrong with him?" Daisy asked in surprise. She wondered why Rain was so pissed off that he stormed out of the room. "He is just being silly, due to a lovesick." Edward stood up and stretched out his arms. He pulled Daisy closer. She had such a tall and slender figure. "Oh. What are you doing? We are making a scene in your building and being stared at by your employees, " Daisy said hesitantly. She shot a stealthy nce toward the door, relieved when she found the door closed. She was not ustomed to being hugged and kissed by her husband in public ces. "I haven''t done anything embarrassing. I''m just embracing my dear wife. Do you want me to do something else instead?" Edward asked her. He grinned and bit his lips softly, tantalizing Daisy. "Don''t be vulgar." Daisy flushed with embarrassment. His open remarks and conducts always mortified her, even though it was only her husband suggesting them. "I am only vulgar about it to you, my darling." Edward lowered his head, cupping Daisy''s face in his hands as he kissed her. He didn''t intend to start anything. However, Daisy melted in his arms, anticipating Edward''s actions. At the same time, she was afraid that someone might enter the room unexpectedly and run into them. "I must be very unlucky to be the victim of your obscenity." Daisy squirmed out of his arms and walked away. She sank into a couch that sat in the corner of the room, feeling fatigued after being all day in the court. "Darling, obscenity is an inappropriate word fordies. It is being widely used on the inte and has diverse meanings." Edward smiled wryly. He came over to sit down beside her. Daisy seemed to be in a bad mood today. "Oh. I''m rather ignorant of what goes on on the Inte, " Daisy answered listlessly. She rested her head on Edward''s shoulder, happy to have her husband around whenever she was upset. "What''s wrong? How was your day at work?" Edward asked in concern. He pouted and pulled her closer to himself. "Hero received a long jail sentence. I saw it happen in the court today, " Daisy answered sadly. Daisy was a credible soldier and knew that being emotional did her no good. However, she had be acquainted with He ay a woman talked to me over the phone, weeping loudly." Edward stared at Daisy with tenderness. He just couldn''t get tired of looking at his beloved wife. He could be with her every moment of the day, if it were possible. That way she would never be taken away from him. "What? Who cried on the phone? Tell me truthfully. Who called you up that day?" asked Daisy in amusement. Suddenly, she ran away from Edward giggling, as care-free and light as the autumn wind. Edward''s gaze followed Daisy''s slender figure. He was absorbed in her heartyugh. He was so ted and content to be living such a life with his beautiful wife. "Edward, hurry up. Or are you too old to catch up with me?" Daisy shouted from a distance. Daisy could be girlish on rare asions. In the autumn afternoon, she stood with her arms resting on her hips, looking at Edward defiantly. "Darling, don''t you know me to be a lion when we are in bed? You think I''d get old? Certainly not. Do you want to get to know my stamina right now?" Edward asked her lewdly. Edward could deftly change a romantic atmosphere into a seductive one. "Bah! A leopard can''t change its spots. Watch your mouth, otherwise as a Colonel, I''ll castrate you and turn you into a eunuch." Daisy didn''t understand how a gentleman could speak such dirty words so casually and shamelessly as Edward did. "Turn me into a eunuch? I''m sure you''ll regret that. Besides, don''t forget that you''re not a Colonel anymore. Quit trying to scare me." Edward shook his head, seemingly amused at Daisy''s words. Her joke wasn''t as funny as she intended it to be. Chapter 887 You Carry Me (Part Two) "I regret nothing. There are so many good men in the world. I''ll find another husband one way or another." Daisy raised her eyebrows in defiance. It seemed like she already knew the serious consequences her words would lead to. So she started to run, forgetting that she was wearing a pair of mid-heel shoes that were not suited for running. "Daisy, How can you say that?" Edward asked, making a face at her. He was vexed at what she said. ''How dare you say that and then run away from me. I will teach you a lesson, '' he thought. "Come and catch me, you fool. When youe here, I''ll tell you how I dared to say that, " Daisy said. She stopped only when she was at a long distance from him. She turned around, looking at him both in defiance and in fear. "Do you think I''m stupid like others? I know you can outrun me easily. I won''t try to beat you at that." Edward was a businessman and knew when he had the upper hand. He wouldn''t try to win against apetent and well-trained soldier in a fight or a marathon. "Fine. But I won''t go to you first." Daisy pouted and sat down on a nearby boulder. She gleefully fixed her eyes on her proud husband. "Then, I have no choice but to chase you." Edward smiled wryly. ''Darling, you started this fight. You have left me with no choice but to retaliate in bed tonight, '' Edward thought. "Stop. Stay put. It is fine. Absence and distance only make the heart grow fonder. I''d better keep you far away from me, " Daisy shouted in haste. She was smart. She knew what Edward was capable of if he came over and caught her. He would do unspeakable things to her. She blushed as she thought about it. "Don''t be silly. Men only say that nonsense to fool women. When lovers are apart, other men and womene between them. What good is that for?" Edward stepped forward elegantly, as enchanting as a prince out of a fairy tale. "Those are unpredictable people, just like you are. Your kind doesn''t represent all the lovers in the world." As she watched Edwarde closer to her, Daisy stood up and stepped back. She wouldn''t be fooled by his broad smiles and sugary words. She knew what he was going to do once he got hold of her. "What? Are you using me of being fickle?" Although Edward forced a smile on his face, he gritted his teeth, his mouth setting in rself. You look like a little girl who asked for candy but was refused. The soldiers wouldugh at you if they saw you behave this way." Edward shook his head, saying nothing further. He squatted down, turning his back to Daisy. As a matter of fact, He already knew Daisy''s trick. Sometimes, she was like an open book to him. However, Edward still decided to grant her wish. He allowed her to be willful for one day. "I don''t care. Do as you are told." Daisy climbed onto Edward''s back as a wry smile appeared at the corners of her mouth. She ignored the curious nces of the passers-by. As long as her husband loved her, she would get what she wanted. "You''re already so stubborn. If I don''t stop you from doing certain things, I''m sure that you''ll get out of control one day, " Edward said. When he stood up with Daisy over his back, he could feel her slender figure. He didn''t know whether to feel satisfied or not. He could hardly handle a womanly, voluptuous Daisy. "Will you love me forever?" As she rested her head on Edward''s broad shoulder, Daisy could feel the rhythms of his breath. A sense of calm happiness swept over her heart. She could stay like this forever. "Yes. You already know that. That is why you treat me this way, without worrying about the consequences of provoking me, " Edward said. He smiled lopsidedly. It suddenly urred to him that he had only carried his wife on his back twice. However, it was different this time. Although she didn''t weigh much, he felt the responsibilities on his shoulders. Chapter 888 Seeing Leo Again (Part One) "Edward, do you think we will live happily forever?" Daisy whispered in Edward''s ear. As autumn approached, the nts and colors in the park had changed. Some of the trees were already beginning to shed their leaves. Daisy felt a little sad as she recalled how Jessica was devoting so much energy on winning Edward back. She was rather disturbed by the very thought. What if Jessica had seeded? "Babe, rest assured, we will live happily ever after." Edward stopped to promise her seriously. He knew what Daisy was worrying about. Her anxiety was understandable. Edward was not going tofort her with fancynguage, but he could convince her by promising her the future. "Edward, don''t ever forget what you just said. I will be right by your side for as long as I live. You are mine alone. If I get to know that you are having an affair with someone else behind my back, I will... I will leave you without a second thought." Daisy had wanted to say that she would kill the both of them if Edward had an affair with another woman, but she knew she could never hurt Edward. She loved him so much. She would merely leave him if he betrayed her in the future. Nothing upset her more than Edward getting hurt. "Oh I see. If I fall in love with anotherdy one day, I will never try to make you stay." Edward curled his lips. Was it because of the season that Daisy was getting sentimental? She had always been cool and unconcerned. However, right now, she was being so emotional. "Come on, Edward. Why aren''t you consoling me and telling me that you won''t betray me?" Daisy feigned anger and hit him on the shoulder. Deep inside, she knew he was only trying to make her forget the pain by teasing her. "Darling, you know me. I''m notfortable expressing my emotions out loud. I prefer to convince you with my actions. It''s not like you to be so sentimental." Edward knew Daisy didn''t actually get hurt when she slipped and fell, but he was willing to carry her till the end of their lives. "Oh. I get it." Daisy pulled herself closer to Edward as her head rested against his neck. She shut her eyes, enjoying the warm sun on her back. Sunlight broke through the clouds and seeped through the frail leaves. The happy couple walked in the light of the beautiful scenery. Inside the dimly lit room of their vi, the two lovers sweated and panted as they lost themselves without inhibition to the act of love-making. They breathed deeply and heavilly one n consented to it. "Honey, since we are already here, why not sit down and have a good meal?" Edward said with a frown. He didn''t know that Leo would be here. Brian had called him this morning and invited him to lunch. But it seemed like he was needed to cate his wife instead. "You knew he was here? You knew they set up a trap for me and hid it from me?" Daisy stared at Edward with fury in her eyes as she fired a hundred questions. She was vexed with these three men. Other than her unwillingness to reconcile with Leo, she just didn''t know how to treat Leo after so many things had happened. "Daisy, it''s not like that. I asked Brian to lie to you. Could you please stay and have lunch with me?" Leo gazed at Daisy with a hopeful expression. He looked much older since thest time she saw him. "I am sorry, Daisy, I knew if I had told you the truth, you wouldn''t havee here. So I had to lie, " Brian apologized to Daisy. He felt sad whenever he saw Leo''s greying hair. That was why he was unable to turn him down. "Let''s take a seat, " Edward offered, casting a stern nce toward Brian. If Brian had just warned him earlier, he would have found a better way to break it to her. Daisy hated Leo because she thought he was responsible for her mother''s death. It was not easy for her to forgive him. "Yes. Daisy, please take a seat first. I know you hate me, and I''m not asking for your forgiveness. I just want to apologize to you. Make up for what I have done." It was a littlete for Leo to have realized his fault. As his son-inw, Edward was unable to turn him down, so he pulled Daisy closer and made her sit. Chapter 889 Seeing Leo Again (Part Two) "Daisy, please don''t be mad at me or dad. You see, dad is much older now. I was unable to say no to him." Daisy and Leo were both Brian''s family. He didn''t want to see either of them get hurt. Brian knew he was not qualified to express his opinion. After all, his own mother was the one at fault. After everything Brian had been through, he treasured his family even more. Daisy raised her head to take a peek at Leo. When she saw Leo''s grey hair, she couldn''t help but gasp inwardly. It hadn''t been a long time, but Leo looked like he was dying! "Daisy, I''m not asking for your forgiveness. I just hope I can meet you from time to time for the rest of my life." Leo knew that he had been so sinful that Daisy would never forgive him. "You don''t need to do that. We won''t be happy if we see each other. I don''t think that''s necessary at all, " Daisy stated coldly, going against her conscience. If she forgave Leo, she would feel like she wasn''t doing justice to her mother. Her mother died because of Leo and Yakira. Daisy could never forget that. "Daisy, I know you hate me. I know you wish you were not my daughter. I''ve been confessing my sins to the Almighty God and I''ve visited your mother''s grave many times to ask for her forgiveness. I know our rtionship has been damaged terribly. If you hate to see me so much, I''d rather die now." Leo wiped the tears that streamed down his cheeks. He was too ashamed of himself to look Daisy in the eye. He had done her wrong and must pay the price for it. "Hah! Do you think it will all be good after your death? Will my mothere back to life after you die? Don''t crack jokes like that. You didn''t kill her with your own hands, but she died because of you! In my eyes, you are a murderer!" Daisy raised her head high as she threw him a scornful look. Despite her cruel words, deep down she felt bad for him. However, she wouldn''t admit to it. She didn''t me Leo for having been so indifferent to her all these years. But she couldn''t ept the fact that her mother died because of him. "Darling, calm down. Have some water first." Edward poured a ss of water for Daisy and handed it to her. His gaze was affectionate. He knew Daisy disliked her father, but he didn''t expect her to harbor such deep resentment toward him. Daisy was Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. lth is the most important thing. You should take good care of youself, " Edward said. Daisy never called Leo father, so Edward did not dare to do it either. Daisy would get pissed off by that. "Do not try to ask for my forgiveness while you hurt yourself. You owe me a lot and I will take everything back. You better be alive before I decide to forgive you." Daisy meant to ask Leo to take care of his health, but couldn''t bring herself to say anything sweet. "I get your point. I will live alive and well." Upon hearing Daisy''s words, Leo did not feel sad anymore and beamed at her. He knew Daisy''s heart had softened, otherwise she would not even be in the mood to talk to him. Edward was amused by Daisy''s threatening tone as she said the words. He thought it was sweet. He knew Daisy was a gentle woman. No matter how much she hated Leo, deep down she cared for him. She expressed her love for her father in her own way. Brian, however, was shocked by Daisy''s attitude. He had lost all hope that Daisy would ever forgive Leo. He didn''t expect her to go soft on him. If things carried on like this, it was just a matter of time that Daisy decided to forgive Leo. They had a dull lunch together, but Leo was thrilled because Daisy had changed her mind. After the lunch, Leo left the room, smiling in contentment. "Daisy, thank you so much!" After Leo was gone, Brian returned to Daisy''s side and gave her a grateful smile. He was sure that she would forgive her father sooner orter. He was full of hope for tomorrow. Chapter 890 You Are Not As Handsome As My Brother-in-law (Part One) "Thank me for what? For being stupid enough to cooperate with your ns?" Daisy''s eyes dimmed a little. She did not know whether she had the right toin about it, nor did she know what she was insisting on. It was such aplex feeling. "Daisy, are you still mad at me? Alright. I''m sorry. Don''t be angry anymore, please." Brian rested his head on Daisy''s shoulder. He apologized to her in a sweet tone as he deliberately ignored Edward''s dagger stare towards him. He was her brother so it was eptable for them to be that close thus, Edward would have no right to get mad at him. "Honey, let''s go!" Well, it might have been impossible for Edward to show his disapproval but that did not mean that he couldn''t tear them apart. He grabbed his wife by her arm and pulled her away possessively. Brian almost fell t on the ground with what he did as the man lost his bnce from leaning on Daisy. "Where are we going? Yourpany? I don''t want to go there. It''s so boring." Daisy was a bit reluctant to show up in FX International Group so often. She hated how it made her feel that she was showing off. Although she was the wife of thepany''s CEO, she was not an employee of thepany after all. She did not want herself to attract too much attention. It was better to stay low-profile. She felt ufortable when other employees talked about her. "Daisy, please go shopping with me! I just came back a few days ago and I need to buy lots of things. I am alone and have no one to apany me to shopping. Please join me, " her brother begged. It seemed that Brian had to stay there for a long time and wouldn''t leave until Leo Ouyang turned better. The old man was in a bad situation nowaday Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to think for aeback. In the end, he was renderedpletely speechless with what Brian just did. He shut his lips tight and gave the two a blood-freezing stare, then without any more word, turned away and marched out of that ce with furious long strides as he thought, ''Darn Daisy! How''d you forget about my goodbye kiss!'' "What''s wrong with him? Why is he so angry? I don''t get it." Daisy was totally confused as she did not understand why Edward grew so mad all of the sudden. Oh heavens! Please forgive her slow brain. Mr. Mu was jealous and she did not realize it at all. "Let him be. He must be thinking of something." Brian just shrugged his shoulders as he watched his brother-inw. An amused smile was still on his face when he looked back at Daisy. "Let''s go, Sister." On the other hand, Brian knew why Edward got so worked up about them. He was a man too thus he could see through his brother-inw''s action. Anyway, he was not worried for Edward to stay angry for a long time. Edward loved Daisy so much that he was confident that the CEO would not do his sister wrong. Chapter 891 You Are Not As Handsome As My Brother-in-law (Part Two) "Yes! But what are you going to buy?" asked Daisy. Brian didn''t say a word and just took her by the hand. They walked toward the prosperous business street from Westin. Westin was located just in the district thus, they did not need to drive there. A few steps walk would be enough. "I''ll see. I don''t really know what I need actually. I might probably need some formal business suits though. I need to deal with some business for Ouyang Foreign Trade. Dad has no time and does not even care about handling them. Ouyang Foreign Trade is in a bad situation these days. It''s time for me to manage it or it might just face some serious problems, " said Brian with a sigh. He never expected to see their father and thatpany to be in such an unstable situation. He cared about Leo but then, he was also worried that Ouyang Foreign Trade might not make it too. The old man and thepany were simply declining. Ouyang Foreign Trade was Daisy''s grandparents'' legacy. Thepany was established by her family from her mother''s side. He could not just let it go bankrupt or get purchased by otherpanies. "Is Ouyang Foreign Trade running a poor business?" Daisy did not know much about the business field. Nevertheless, she clearly understood how apany supported the ies of many employees and their families. Many people would lose their job once thepany went bankrupt. She never had the chance to enjoy a happy family life during childhood and would not want others to experience situations as such. "It wasn''t that bad but it wasn''t as good eitherpared with the past years. Maybe Dad did not put his mind in it. It kind of lost a lot of clients." Alt op talking about it, okay? Let''s go. I am going to buy you a gift! I haven''t sent you any gift since we met again." Brian pulled her into an antique shop. He chose that shop because he thought that the items there would fit Daisy''s cold personality well. Ordinary things might just sully her. ssic things would match her better and make her look more graceful. "No, Brian. I don''t need it, really." Daisy ran out of choices as Brian dragged her to the shop. It was not necessary for him to buy her any gifts. She already had everything she needed. However, she could not help being slightly surprised by the small antiques that weed them in that ce. Who could have thought of a shop filled with antique pieces to exist in the middle of such a modern ce? "Sis, please. Just take a look at them. You''ll definitely find something you like. I promise!" Brian ignored her refusal and took her to one of the counters where some high-quality essories were disyed. There were jade bracelets, hairpins, and so forth. Every essory was carefully disyed there to show its best assets and beauty. Chapter 892 You Are Not As Handsome As My Brother-in-law (Part Three) "Do you think I will have any chance to use them? You must have forgotten that I''m a soldier, Brian." Daisy took a look at them helplessly and replied rationally. All of them were merely ornaments. As beautiful as they were, those things had no ce in a military base. How was she going to wear them there in the first ce? "There is still some chance, right? Come on, you are not staying in the military all the time." Brian did not take Daisy''s rejection seriously. He started to examine the items carefully as he tried to pick for something that suited his sister most. He was serious about choosing until a beautiful aqua blue bracelet caught his attention. He fetched it in an instant but then, another soft hand reached out for it unexpectedly at the very same time he did. "I''m sorry, Miss. Could you let go of the bracelet, please? I saw it first." Brian gave thedy a ''gentleman-smile'' and asked in a polite voice. He was always a gentleman to strangers. "Oh, I don''t think you are saying it right, Mr. I touched it first." Melissa looked at Daisy aggressively as she talked to Brian. She did grab the same bracelet on purpose. She saw the two from outside the shop and followed them deliberately. "Miss, kindly open your eyes and take a clear look at the bracelet. My hand takes up two-thirds of it. I''m sure that I am clear enough about who touched it first." Brian retorted immediately. He was never the type of person who wouldpromise to a woman and the woman before him was not an exception to that. Daisy was the only one spared from his rule as she was his beloved sister. "Brian, forget it. Just let the Miss buy it since she wants it. I don''t really need to buy it." Daisy was just observing Melissa the whole time. There e never expected that you would still be so annoying. pping someone on the face is still your forte huh? Is that the all you can do?" Daisy smiled coldly. She would not have connected her to Jessica Lin if Brian hadn''t mentioned anything about her facial surgery. She only felt that her voice was quite familiar and that she seemed to have heard it somewhere before. Brian''s words earlier gave her a lot of clues. Plus, Edward once mentioned Jessica Lin''s name to her. With her brother''s and his partner''s wordsbined, there was not a single doubt that the woman before them was Jessica Lin. A person might be able to change his or her appearance but it would be hard for his or her voice and behavior to be transformed. "I don''t know what you are saying. Let go of me!" It was a surprise for Melissa that Daisy recognized her. Shocked was not even enough to describe how she felt. Anxiety began eating her inside but never would she spill the truth before them. She tried to conceal her fear by staying calm and acting like she had no clue of what Daisy was talking about. Sad to say that she failed though, as her unstable nces at them betrayed her big time. Chapter 893 You Are Not As Handsome As My Brother-in-law (Part Four) "You know what I''m talking about. I am just curious about what tricks are you going to y this time? Coming back here with a totally different face and identity? Why! That''s such an effort!" Daisy threw her hand off forcefully. There were only two kinds of people Daisy would never feel pity for, first was the kind who asked for punishment, and second was the kind like Jessica Lin who couldn''t feel remorse and never changed. "Sis, what did you say? Did you just say that she is Jessica Lin?" Brian gave Melissa another once-over. He should have thought about it! Her voice sounded so familiar to him but he did not remember her at all. It turned out that she was one of the women he once met in a coffee shop. It was understandable for him to fail to remember her though. Not all women were worth his attention anyway, more so for the likes of Jessica Lin. "I am sure that she is Jessica Lin if she really had surgery done." Daisy teased coldly. She thought that the woman had already changed for the better. Jessica Lin had already suffered the consequences of her evil doings after all. How dare shee back? "What Jessica Lin? What surgery? I have no idea of what you are talking about. Get out of my way. It''s really not my day today. Why did I meet two crazy guys?" Just then, Melissa started walking out of the shop in hurry. She did not want to stay there and say one more word. She was afraid that Daisy might find more about her true identity. "Wait!" Daisy reached out and grasped her wrist. Her eyes darkened as she peered at the woman coldly. "Jessica Lin, you still have a chance to stop whatever you are nning to do. Otherwise, the consequences you will have to face this time will be more severe than thest. Giving yo ttle brother. You are not your sister. How could you know that she doesn''t like my type?" Shaun felt even more delighted after knowing that the man was just her brother. He probably might get a chance if he could get along with the brother, right? "The reason is very simple. You are not as handsome as my brother-inw." Brian touched his nose a little and replied. Although he liked making Edward angry, he must admit that Edward was much more handsome than the man before him right now. "What did you say? Your sister''s already married? What a pity." Shaun did not even try to conceal his affection for Daisy. He honestly thought of getting closer to her. He never expected to hear about Daisy''s marriage though and that made him extremely downhearted. "What do you mean, Shaun?" Melissa''s fist tightened as she shot Daisy a hateful stare. How on earth did every man around her ended up attracted to Daisy? First, it was Edward Mu and now, even Shaun Gao? Both of them chose her first but then abandoned her in the end. She could feel her anger about to break her chest. She hated Daisy so badly that she swore to try her everything to bring her down. Chapter 894 An Invitation To A Dinner Party (Part One) "Come on, Melissa! Don''t be mad! I was just trying to make friends with her. Why so jealous?" exined Shaun Gao, trying to soothe Melissa Xue. He gave her a big smile, gently pinching her cheeks to show he cared for her. "But you heard what they said. She didn''t want to be your friend. What kind of man are you?" snapped Melissa, still feeling upset about his frivolous behaviour. Shaun was an embarrassment. The man kept showing interest in other women, right in front of her. Especially when one of those women was Daisy, the one that she hated. Shepared herself with Daisy for the longest time, and ended up losing everything. Melissa was so sick of being the loser. And today was no better than any of the others. It was worse, actually. With Shaun hitting on Daisy, she lost her face in front of Daisy again. Both Shaun and Daisy were humiliating her as far as she was concerned. "Yeah! You should probably leave now, Mr. Gao. She looks pissed, " said Brian yfully, with a mocking smile on his face. Shaun Gao was the boss of Kompass Group. He was the most powerful person there, but not the most powerful man in the grand scheme of things. Brian knew that Kompass Group was smaller than FX International. And Shaun Gao was no Edward Mu. Brian was pretty sure his brother-inw was a better guy overall. "Come on, prettydy. Give a guy a break?" asked Shaun again, unwilling to give up so easily. He stood on his tiptoes and looked behind Brian, trying to attract Daisy''s attention. But Daisy was quite oblivious to his question. She didn''t seem to care about him at all. Her eyes were on a piece of jewelry beside her. She didn''t even look at him. Apparently, she was not interested in him at all. "Mr. Gao, where are your manners?" It sounds like you don''t want a gift, " replied Brian sadly, sniffing like he was about to cry. Knowing Daisy was just kidding, he yed right along. They knew each other so well, so this kind of teasing was not umon. Brian wasn''t hurt at all. Instead, this was the kind of thing that strengthened their rtionship. Teasing each other was just part of the way they rted. No hurt feelings, just a deep love for one another, as sister and brother. Brian carefully put the bracelet onto Daisy''s wrist and fastened the sp. The bracelet suited her perfectly. The size was just right and it wasn''t too ostentatious. It wasn''t meant to attract attention, instead justplementing the beauty of whoever wore it. And Daisy wore it quite well. "Thank you very much. It looks nice, " said Daisy joyfully, turning her wrist left and right to take a look at the bracelet from different angles. Seeing how the bracelet looked on her, she was satisfied. She didn''t like jewelry that had too bright and vivid colors. She didn''t want much attention from others. So this humble but elegant bracelet was the perfect choice for her, especially in keeping with her low profile. Chapter 895 An Invitation To A Dinner Party (Part Two) "Of course it''s great! I chose it for you. I have the best taste in essories, if I do say so myself, " boasted Brian proudly. Seeing that Daisy liked his gift, he was in a fantastic mood, a brilliant smile flowering on his face. As for Brian''s overconfidence, Daisy didn''t refute him. She gave out a soft smile to indicate her fondness for this little brother. As long as he was happy, she felt everything was alright for her. "Excuse me, Miss. We''ll take this bracelet, " said Brian to the clerk beside them. Without even asking the price, he took his credit card out of his wallet. "Okay, sir. It''ll be 122 thousand dors in total. Do you wish to pay in cash or stic?" asked the clerk politely, smiling warmly at them. Brian was such a handsome and eye-catching boy. Even if he hadn''t bought anything here, just looking at his gorgeous face would be a nice thing to do. "Pardon, Miss? That seems a little high for such a small bracelet. Are you sure you aren''t looking at the wrong price?" asked Daisy, frowning deeply at the extremely high price. As far as she was concerned, it should be no more than a few thousand -- but not a hundred thousand for the bracelet, so such a stupefying number had taken her unawares. "This beautifuldy, this bracelet is an antique from the Qing Dynasty. Due to its color and luster, this is a lower price already. If its color and luster were of a higher grade, it would be worth not just a hundred thousand dors, but many hundreds of thousand dors, " exined the clerk patiently. ncing at the clothes Daisy was wearing, she could tell Daisy''s clothes were all from name brands, definitely not the cheap ones just off the rack. If she hadn''t figured wrong, her clot ill couldn''t help feeling anxious, doing everything she could to help her recover. "Mum, I''m fine. Don''t worry. I''ll daub some essential oil on my cheeks tonight. I''ll be right as rain. They won''t peel tomorrow, " replied Daisy, with a big smile on her face to reassure Cynthia. She thought Cynthia might be overreacting a little. After all, she had to train under even more intensive sunlight almost every day. She was so used to it that this kind of slight sunburn was really no big deal to her. She was not as fragile and delicate as Cynthia might imagine. "No, don''t wait until tonight. This should be taken care of as soon as possible. Go wash your face now. I''ll get you a mask right away. Let''s get moving now, " indicated Cynthia. She herself had been very careful about skin care, so Daisy''s oblivion to her cheeks'' sunburn looked like abuse to her skin in Cynthia''s eyes. Especially because Daisy was so beautiful, Cynthia couldn''t let Daisy ignore her skin conditions like this to spoil her beauty. Even before Daisy could respond to her indication, Cynthia had disappeared herself into her room, probably to find a proper mask for Daisy. Chapter 896 An Invitation To A Dinner Party (Part Three) Cynthia''s fast movement surprised Daisy, but also touched her heartstring deeply. The concern shown on Cynthia''s face, the soft touch on Daisy''s cheeks by her hands, and the anxiety expressed by her all gave Daisy a strong feeling of family, of a mother''s love to her child. That was what a real family should be: warm, sweet and encouraging. No matter what happened, someone would always be there, by your side, to take care of you, help you, support you, and love you. After Daisy''s mother had passed away, being driven out of the Ouyang''s, Daisy had felt like she belonged to nowhere in the world and she had been drifting all alone on an endless ocean for so many years. Now, she finally had a family that she could count on. She belonged here. There was also love and warmth from Cynthia, her mother-inw, and Jonathan, her father-inw. Daisy was so grateful that they loved her as their own daughter, and she also respected them as her own parents. Even though she didn''t really need a mask to heal her sunburn, Daisy wouldn''t want to refuse Cynthia''s kindness. It was always nice and touching to feel a mother''s selfless dedication. With her eyes welling up with tears, Daisy went upstairs to do her wash as Cynthia had told her to. Besides, Daisy knew that Cynthia always meant what she said and would do so as well, so she definitely couldn''t stand Daisy''s indifferent attitude to her own wounds. Since they had settled Daisy''s unsettled self in this family, Daisy would like to ease Cynthia''s uneasy feelings by simply obeying her words. It was getting dark in S city while the sun was still shining high in Paris. Dialtones echoed throughout Leena''s room. She checked the time difference and figured out that Kevin e said a single word about that! Now it seemed like she was eager to have sex with him while she wasn''t even in the mood. How frustrating! "Okay, I''ll stop talking and listen to you. What do you want to tell me? When are youing back?" asked Kevin as he grabbed his briefcase and walked out of his office. Leena had been gone quite a while, and some strange feelings about her had been stirring inside him. He didn''t know why, but he felt weird staying at his ce without her. It was too quiet. He could even hear his own breath. He began to miss when she had lived there with him and made the atmosphere more lively at home. "Well¡­ I don''t know yet. Why? Do you miss me?" asked Leena. On one hand, she was nervous about his answer. She wasn''t sure whether he missed her or not and she was afraid that he didn''t. On the other hand, she was too shy to ask a man a question like this, especially when this man happened to be someone she liked. She had never done that before. Anyway, it was lucky that they were just talking on phone, so she didn''t need to hide her blushing cheeks from him. She would never want him to see her embarrassment. Chapter 897 An Invitation To A Dinner Party (Part Four) "Mm!" Kevin hummed his affirmation out, without any explicit words. But just this single word answer was enough to delight Leena. She almost jumped in excitement when hearing his answer and knowing that he did miss her. However, she didn''t want Kevin to know her actual thoughts yet, so before her next words came out, she soon adjusted her tone of voice and made it sound calm, trying very hard to cover her trace of excitement that came just a few seconds earlier. "But you''ll have to wait. I''ll be back after a while, " said Leena, her tone calm without too much emotion, sessfully removing all the information that could be conveyed by tone. She didn''t sound cold, just casual. As she wanted to surprise Kevin, she didn''t tell him the truth that her graduation thesis had been passed and she would be standing in front of him this time tomorrow. "How long is ''a while'' exactly?" asked Kevin, frowning slightly as he was disappointed that she would not being back soon. So far, Leena had done a great job of hiding her feelings from him. He couldn''t tell what she was thinking at all. He was on his way to the parking lot. Soldiers saluted him as he walked past, and since he was on the phone with Leena, he nodded to them politely to express his respect. "Well, it''s hard to say. Maybe just a couple of days, maybe a month, or maybe half a year, " answered Leena, giggling to continue joking with him. How she wished she could see his expression when he heard her words. But deep inside her heart, she was so excited that she would see him soon and she couldn''t helpughing happily in her head. It was a party featuring her happiness as the guest of honor. I think the Commander is still in his office. You could go upstairs and find him there, " said Kevin. Though his words hade out, his mind was not present for Louisa. His thoughts were still lost in the phone call with Leena earlier. "No, I''m not here for him today. I came here because of you, Kevin. I received an invitation to a dinner party tonight. Could you apany me to the party? I know it''s short notice. As you know, well, I just came back, so I don''t know where to find a partner in such a short time. I don''t have any other choice and I could onlye and ask for your help here. Besides, didn''t you say you would treat me as your sister? Now your sister is in trouble, as a brother, you can''t leave me alone like this, can you? Just save me once, just tonight please, " exined Louisa. She could see Kevin was a little absent-minded due to some unknown reason, so she needed to redirect his attention back on asion.. Her words made sense to Kevin, which left him no chance to refuse her. But poor Kevin was now trapped in the dilemma set by Louisa. She had him right where she wanted him. Chapter 898 An Invitation To A Dinner Party (Part Five) "But I''m not familiar with your friends. I''m afraid I won''t get along with them, " replied Kevin, frowning slightly. He didn''t like parties a lot. That kind of social activities were never his cup of tea. So even unconsciously, he wanted to refuse her. "Don''t worry. It''ll be fine. They''re about the same age as you. I''m sure you''ll get along well with each other. And they''re very easy-going too, " said Louisa urgently. Though she knew he was married, she still couldn''t let go of him easily. So she would take any chance she could to approach him. "Okay then. I''ll get changed at home. Tell me where and when the party is and I''ll be there, " said Kevin, finally epting her invitation. Kevin didn''t know how to reject this. He was such an honest man that he couldn''t find any excuse not to apany her. "I think I''ll catch a ride back with you. So we don''t need to wait for each other again, " suggested Louisa. But what she really wanted was to go home with him and take a look at his wife that he had mentioned before. She knew his wife was still in Paris, but there should be at least a photo of her in their home. Louisa wanted to know what his wife looked like and whether she looked better than her. "But don''t you need to get changed?" asked Kevin confusingly. He took a closer look at Louisa''s clothes. Didn''t she say they were going to a dinner party? Wasn''t she dressed too casual? "Of course I need to! I''ll go directly to the stylistter. He''ll finish everything for me. That''s why I need the ride to your home with you first, so that we can drive your car to the party y made the ce pop. But she hadn''t thought that Kevin could afford such arge apartment. She guessed that he must be funded by his parents or pay for it by loan. "Well, yeah, thank you! It is warm actually and I owe all this to my wife. She designed and refined all the details. I rarely have time to get to these things, " introduced Kevin as he poured her a ss of water. It was mostly Leena''s hard work to give their home a sense of warmth and love. He had just roughly decorated the apartment, and all the other lovely decorations were added by Leena. "Kevin, isn''t your wife back yet?" asked Louisa curiously, pretending that she wasn''t trying to steal him from his wife. She looked around the apartment, searching for a photo frame or that sort of thing. She didn''t forget her purpose here, to find a picture of his wife. "Not yet. But she''ll be back soon. Take a seat and help yourself to whatever you want. I need to take a shower upstairs, " said Kevin as he handed the ss of water to Louisa. He couldn''t help smiling when he mentioned Leena. Chapter 899 As Handsome As It Gets (Part One) "OK, but Kevin, can I look around your house?" Louisa''s eyes were flickering with tion as she stared at Kevin gleefully. "Sure, other than the master bedroom, you have the run of the house." Kevin was just going to head upstairs before he paused. Although Leena never imposed this on him, he figured that as a member of a wealthy family she must have her own rules. Besides, it wasn''t appropriate to show off the private spaces of the married couple to others. "I know. So I won''t keep you from your shower! I''m just curious and want to take a look around." Louisa smiled in jest. If Kevin didn''t say that, she might actually want to go in their bedroom and take a look, because their wedding pictures would surely be hanging inside. This way, Louisa could find out who the woman that managed to get ahead of her was. "Good!" Kevin turned away and went upstairs. He was not sure if it was right for him to grant her request. After all, besides the master bedroom, there were a few spaces that were also rtively private for Leena. For example, the work studio in the attic which he had only been inside once, and it was with Leena''s knowledge. Louisa watched as Kevin disappeared from view and finally stood up. She looked everywhere and sometimes touched things that piqued her interest. As she went along, new thoughts popped into her head. The more she saw, the more jealous she was of the lucky woman. However, to her dismay, Louisa didn''t see a single photograph after searching everywhere, which was somewhat disheartening. She went upstairs to the attic with even less interest. But only after a couple of steps, she came back down and focused on the tightly closed door of the master bedroom. She wondered if Kevin would find out that she sneaked in while he was in the shower. Everyone had a demon on one shoulder and an angel on the other. These figures would whisper in your ears and guide you. So the demon would tempt you to do wrong, and the angel would show you the path of goodness and light. Apparently, Louisa listened to the demon this time. She was ovee by her desire to try her luck, so, with trembling hands, she pushed open the door which shielded the things that she wanted to know. The room was very well lit with natural light, so even without flipping the switch everything could be seen clearly. The first thing that greeted her eyes was a huge bed that seemed to be both luxurious and soft. Th "So Kevin, what do you think?" Louisa specifically asked the stylist to pick a dress that was in the same color tone as Kevin''s outfit. Therefore the way they were dressed almost made them look like a couple. "It''s nice, very pretty." Kevin smiled. He had seen too many beautifuldies in his time, so he wasn''t really that interested in a woman like Louisa who was at best above average. "Compared to your wife then? Who looks better?" Louisa jokingly asked, but in reality she was curious what Kevin''s wife looked like. "I can''t really say. You both have your merits!" In Kevin''s honest opinion, Leena was naturally better. But he wouldn''t be saying this out loud to embarrass Louisa. "Really! Then she must look very pretty." Failing to get the answer she wanted, Louisa felt somewhat unsatisfied and decided to continue asking. "Yeah! She is quite beautiful. Are we ready, then? If so, let''s head out!" Kevin didn''t want to dwell on this topic, so he intentionally changed the subject. "Yes, we can go now!" Louisa bit her lips slightly. Hearing Kevin''s praise for this other woman made her a little jealous, but she couldn''t show it in front of him, so she simply giggled to hide her uneasiness. Instead of a soiree, this was at most a small party and could no waypare to the grand events thrown by FX International. Kevin was silently relieved because of this, since he wouldn''t need to deal with too many people. He still remembered thest time he went to the anniversary celebration of FX International. He was dragged there by his father-inw to meet a bunch of thetter''s business friends. Chapter 900 As Handsome As It Gets (Part Two) "Hi, handsome, I heard that you''re Louisa''s boyfriend, right? You look nice." A few women in sexy dresses were examining Kevin. They were not hiding their desire for him at all. Indeed, they were practically unting it. "Thanks! But we''re just friends. It''s really not what you think." Being misunderstood was not pleasant for Kevin. But his good manners kept him from blowing up at them. Instead, he simply smiled. "No? Butst time at Louisa''s birthday party, I heard that you were her boyfriend." The woman tilted her head a little, thinking if she had mistaken him for someone else. "Hey! Quit putting him on the spot, will you? He''s probably a little shy. You guys! Stop being so bitchy." Another woman joined in the ruckus. She gazed at Kevin''s body so intently that he feared she might be able to see through his clothing. "No way! Even though you''re not wearing a military uniform this time, I''m sure it was you." The woman frowned and seemed more confused. "Miss, I did go to Miss Ye''s birthday party, but I''m really not her boyfriend. Just ask her." Dealing with a few talkative women had made Kevin impatient, so his face clearly grew grimmer. His mood darkened. "Never mind. Since they want to keep it under wraps, why should we force him to admit it?" These few women together had no end of things to say, so the conversation was spinning out of control. Every conversation was about whether Kevin was Louisa''s boyfriend or not. "Yeah, stop being so nosy. But we did hear that Mr. Gu is a major general, right? That''s why our Louisa picked you." It seemed no woman could resist drama. So when they chided others, they still wouldn''t rein in their own curious natures. "Excuse me! I think it''s necessary to exin myself. I am a major general, but please don''t treat us like a couple." Kevin''s face was showing traces of anger. If they were not Louisa''s friends, he would have left the ce long ago instead of staying here and enduring theirments. "Tsk! You''re just afraid that others might say that you got where you are because you took advantage of Louisa''s family. What''s there to hide?" The women saw the change in Kevin''s expression and became even more fired up. Because to them, Kevin''s current position was deeply rted to the Ye family in spite of his actual experience. Kevin''s lips parted, but he didn''t say anything, figuring that with such things, i with it. I don''t need to tell you that this is what being in the military means. You have to be on stand-by all the time. Can''t you tell with my father?" Louisa still maintained that perfect smile and calmly exined everything. "Oh! So that''s what happened! I thought that you might be fighting because of what we said." Upon learning that Kevin didn''t get into an argument with Louisa, the women were a little disappointed, feeling quite unsatisfied deep down. "Why would we do that? We really like each other. There''d be no way we get into an argument." Louisa gave a broadugh to cover her embarrassment. No matter how sad she was, she would not show it to anyone. That wouldn''t be her way. After all, no one was supposed to be better than her. "Louisa, speaking of liking each other, when are the wedding bells? We''re all waiting to drink your wedding booze!" All things considered, the women were still friends with Louisa, so even though they harbored jealousy towards her, on the surface they had to act excited for her. "No rush. By that time, you won''t be forgotten. So start preparing the wedding gifts for us!" So this was Louisa''s way of misdirecting things. There was nothing between Kevin and her, but she just went along others and misguided them. That was why her friends would see them as a happy couple. "Of course. We''ll be bringingrge gifts and lots of good cheer. So don''t worry. Just get married soon!" Everybody was a bit confused by Louisa and Kevin''s rtionship, but since she already said those things, people didn''t want to pursue their suspicions anymore. Chapter 901 We Are In Love (Part One) "We''re not that eager to get married. I have to do some thinking and consider whether he really is my true love." To save face, Louisa told a big lie. So she had to think of how best to cover her lie. Once you started lying, you''d have to keep lying so that you wouldn''t be found out. One lie led to another. And Louisa would need to tell lie after lie, unless she really could win Kevin''s heart. But that wasn''t easy. "You still want to wait? Really, you shouldn''t need to think anymore. He is such an excellent man. Be careful that another woman doesn''t steal his heart while you''re still thinking." Every one looked at her in confusion. In this society, it was really rare to find such a good man as the Major General Gu, who was handsome in appearance and quite capable. And Louisa told them she was still thinking about it. That was obvious a p in their face. If a man like Kevin entered their lives, they would snatch him up in an instant. And marry him as quickly as possible, before he had a chance to think about it. "I''m not even worried about it. As long as we are in love, no one can separate us." Louisa smiled gracefully. Her confidence made her words more convincing, as if what she said was really true. "Yes, you''re right. General Major Gu must love you very much. No wonder you weren''t worried at all that another woman might win his heart at the party." This group of women were shooting her admiring looks. They all believed that for women a good marriage was more important than pretty looks. "Of course. Like today, he had a lot work to do tonight. But he worried about meing alone here. Probably he feared that I might be allured by any other handsome men. So he insisted oning here with me Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e would call him the minute she was finished. Kevin felt relieved after he read the message from Leena. He looked at the time. It was sent an hour ago. Probably because it was too noisy inside, so he didn''t hear the beep of the message. The car Kevin drove today was not his usual military Humvee, but his own convertible Bugatti. Although it was thest in the ranking of the top ten global list, it cost almost all his savings when he bought it. Fortunately, he made a wise investment in that bar, and that was how he made ends meet. When he thought of the bar, it also urred to him that he hadn''t been to Blue Enchantress for a long time. Maybe he could stop by and have a couple drinks tonight. That was a good way to forget all the frustration he felt just now. The din reached a fever pitch tonight in the Blue Enchantress. The patrons were there and everyone was excited about a night off. The ce was as boisterous as it was usually. As soon as Kevin entered the ce, all the prettydies watched him. His tall figure and handsome appearance made him look charming and intimidating. He immediately stepped into the spotlight. Chapter 902 We Are In Love (Part Two) "Kevin, you finallye. I was wondering if the next time I saw you would be at your graveside." Hoyle was Kevin''s friend, and the co-owner of the bar. He came to greet Kevin as soon as he saw hime in. "I''m busy. You know." Kevin shed a helpless smile. He raised his head and looked around. It seemed that it never had been busier. ''d we didn''t lose customers while I was away, '' he thought. "Yeah. I know you''re busy. That''s why your wife came here with other people." Although the "other people" he was referring to were actually "female friends," but he made no move to exin. He let the statement stand. "Bullshit. She''s not even in the country now. Ya gotta be sharper than that to fool me," Kevin sneered. He knew Hoyle liked to piss him off, but his excuse was not convincing at all. "Huh! I didn''t say it happened now. No matter what, she still has an open tab here." Hoyle teased Kevin with a yful smile. It seemed that Kevin was totally unaware that Leena had been here before. "Huh! You''re ripping me off." Kevin punched at him with a smile. He didn''t fear that he might hurt him. Hoyle had joined the army with him before, But heter left while Kevin still stayed and climbed up the careerdder. "Ah! Would I lie to you? By the way, you are so lucky to have such a hot wife. We''re all jealous, man." Sitting at the bar counter, they talked while watching the patrons undte on the dance floor. "Huh! I don''t believe that you''ll stay single with all these hotties around." Kevin took a sip of the wine served by the waiter and shot Hoy Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. nuously winked at him. He only asionally frowned to show he was not interested. "That is because I work hard every night to run the business for you. But you don''t seem to care. I didn''t see you for a month. Do you think I''m your ve?" Hoyle got indignant when he brought up the topic. Kevin didn''t show up, worse, he didn''t even call. Most of the time, it was Hoyle who came to him first. "I work hard every day. And do you really think it''s a good idea for me to hang out here given the fact that I''m in the army? Wouldn''t you worry about me getting caught by the Investigation Department in the military?" Kevin stared at him grumpily. Hoyle was once a soldier. How could he not think about this? "Huh! You can wear casual clothes. No one would know that you are the high-falutin Major General of the city. It''s just another excuse. Don''t jerk me around, it''s not that serious." Obviously, Hoyle was not convinced. He didn''t believe that there would be anyone who would be so bored as to pry into other people''s private lives after work. Chapter 903 We Are In Love (Part Three) "Ah! Whatever you want to think! If you don''t want to handle the business, that''s fine. If you do, great. You''re making money. I really don''t have time. If you really think it''s not fair, you can deduct your wage from my share. Will that make up for it?" Kevin smiled, looking nonchnt. He knew Hoyle was onlyining and he would never take the money from Kevin''s share. He was the one Kevin trusted. They had been friends for many years. "Screw you! Do you really think that I''m working for you? You''re an ass to talk about giving wages to me!" Hoyle said while kicking at Kevin. Kevin dodged, seemingly having predicted the kick. He knew that every time Hoyle lost his temper, he would kick him. Kevin already got used to this trick. How could he let Hoyle easily have his way? "But you said that! You said that I use you as a ve. So I have no choice but to reward you with some money." Kevin continued to prod him. In an instant, they attracted a lot of attention from the other patrons. Kevin had been the focus of the women here in the bar. How could they not notice what was happening there? "Okay, probably it''s time to go. Since you''re not drinking, you''d better go back to being a good soldier. And don''t spoil my ns. I''m going to find a girl." Hoyle leaned back in the chair at the bar counter, wondering whether all the women had gone cross-eyed. Otherwise why would they pay attention to Kevin and show no interest in him? "I don''t think I''ll be a threat to you. I''m married. I''m not cockblocking you, at least not intentionally. Which woman do you like? Walk over to her and tell her you like her. It''s so easy. Don''t be pretentious, " Kevin saidnguidly. The fat panying her were all pretty good looking guys? You still okay with that?" It was true that Leena came here with two women that night. Butter several men appeared together with them. They were all very charming, and even looked more handsome than Kevin. "If they are that good-looking, then I don''t need to worry anymore. You can save your energy. I''m outta here. Good luck finding yourdy love. Bye!" Kevin showed an understanding smile. He stood up and waved goodbye to Hoyle and walked out. He wasn''t worried, because if he was right, the gorgeous guys were Edward and his buddies. There were few men in the city who were incredibly handsome, so Kevin couldn''t think of anyone else that would qualify. Hoyle didn''t usually rate guys as pretty or good looking, so it had to be them. The night in the city was a little cold. Probably because winter wasing. And the temperature varied greatly between day and night. As soon as Kevin stepped out of the Blue Enchantress, a gust of chilly wind threatened to blow him over, and then roared away without pause. It disappeared in the blur of the city streets at night. Chapter 904 Leena Was Back (Part One) Kevin turned his head and looked at the sign that read ''Blue Enchantress''. He sighed in relief and quickly left. A warm expression spread through his usually cold face when sudden memories of how he first met Leena came to his mind. He had wondered all this time about why would two perfect strangers like themselves had such a passionate night together. He had been clueless for a long time. Until his views had changed did he realize that it must be fate that actually nned everything for them. He wouldn''t have slept with Leena no matter what if only he''d known that she was the Leng family''s little girl. He loathed rich girls. He had thought that all of them were nothing but condescending and arrogant brats. Then there was Leena. She was gentle, nice, and a bit moody as well who would throw fights from time to time just like any normal girls would do. She was the exception to the rule. It was already one o''clock in the morning when he reached his apartment. The idea that he had to go and see thepanies after his sleep was already enough to put him on a bad mood. He wasn''t sure why he was feeling annoyed and restless. Something seemed to bother him but he couldn''t figure out what it was. He felt like something bad would happen soon. Lying on the big and lonely double bed, Kevin had a feeling that something was missing but he didn''t know what the thing was. He got no clue if it was because of Hoyle''s words that he was feeling such. He wanted to think more carefully and find out what he was missing but then his mind was just too tired of all the workloads he had and passed out. Whatever he was missing remained as an undone puzzle piece. It was ten o''clock in the morning when Leena arrived at the S City''s Inte face that in the long run, lifted the driver''s mood too. The driver even helped her carry her suitcases all the way to the elevator when they reached her home. It seemed that the driver was such a nice guy. Thedy drew a deep breath before she opened the door and pulled her suitcases inside. She had brought enough gifts for everyone this time. Nothing had changed with their house since she left. The only thing that had changed there was how easy one could tell that a man lived there. The thought automatically gave her a certain feeling of security. Looking at the two big suitcases by her side then looking at the stairs in front of her, Leena frowned. She decided to pour herself some water and rest for a bit. After all, the way that the autumn wind swept her home made her lips dry and chapped. She gave the whole house another once-over as she leaned against the sofa. She even reached out and wiped a furniture top with her hand just to check if Kevin had been cleaning the room while she was away. Luckily, the result was not bad. It might not be as clean as it was when she was home, nevertheless, it was decent enough in her opinion. Chapter 905 Leena Was Back (Part Two) She was at that state when a xen hair captured her attention. A knot suddenly appeared at the pit of her stomach. She grabbed the hair and clutched it as she thought rapidly. Whose hair was this? It couldn''t be hers nor Daisy''s. Wait a minute, why would she connect the hair to Daisy? Did she subconsciously think that the hair was Daisy''s? Were Daisy and Kevin doing something behind her back? Leena immediately pped her mouth lightly as a punishment for even thinking of it. What was wrong with her? How could she think of Daisy like that? It might just be a sudden thought but it was still a disrespect to Daisy. Then whose hair would it be? The question was haunting. She tilted her head and thought carefully but didn''t dwell on it for too long. She should have faith in Kevin regardless of whose hair it was, right? He was her husband after all, and she should trust him as his wife. It was just a woman''s hair. No big deal. It could be from a woman whom Kevin''s friend might have brought there, right? Or it could be her sister-inw''s who probably visited there with her brother. There were a lot of possibilities. Plus, it was xen. It was the same as Belinda''s hair color. She felt rxed after that thought. She might be just overthinking again. Seconds and she was back to smiling as she moved towards the stairs. The first thing she needed at that point was a nice bath and an equally nice nap. Doubting her husband was nonsense. The bedroom was the same as before. It was still nice and clean. It seemed that Kevin had been cleaning it after all. It was good that he wasn''t like any other men who thought that cleaning was only for women and that they didn''t have anything to do with it. Leena put somevender oil in the bathtub and had a very calming bath. Then she threw herself on the big bed and closed her eyes. Something in her heart melted upon smelling the faint peppermint scent left on the sheets. She had set the r houghtfully. Why didn''t he want to see Louisa? Did something happen between the two? She was suddenly filled with questions. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Kevin asked and hesitantly touched his face. Was there something wrong with how he looked? What was that strange look from Daisy for? "Well, Major General, I guess there''s something going on here. Aren''t you going to tell me?" Daisy smirked. Kevin was in a hurry to see themander at first but changed his mind after hearing that Louisa was there. There was obviously something going on right there that she didn''t know. "What are you talking about? I have no idea. Are you going home too? Then don''t waste any more time. Let''s get going, okay? Come on now!" It was all he said before Kevin turned around. He was ready to go. He was almost out of that ce when an overly sweet voice called his name and made him stop. "Kevin, you are back." Louisa easily knew that Kevin was back as soon as she saw Lee. She rushed there in hopes of seeing him. Though she imed that she came to the army base to pick her father up, the real reason was that she wanted to see Kevin. And that was why she was so disappointed when she was told that Kevin wasn''t there earlier. She didn''t expect quite a luck though. She still caught him! Chapter 906 Leena Was Back (Part Three) "Hello, Miss Ye. What can I do for you?" Kevin said in a cold tone. The thought that she might have some feelings for him bothered him, thus, he couldn''t help but be cold to her. He didn''t want to give her any false signal or hope. If he wouldn''t keep his distance from her, she would probably think that there was still a chance for her. It would be easier and less stressful for him to just let her down that way. It was for the good of them both. Plus, he didn''t have the same feelings for her. He was inly not in the mood for any small talks with her at all. "Nothing! I saw you, so I just wanted to greet. That''s all." Louisa missed to see the impatience on Kevin''s face and remained smiling. However, Daisy was also there and was able to see everything. Her heart sank as a hunch that Louisa might hurt Leena suddenly came to her mind. "Oh. I should get going since you already greeted me. Good-bye!" Now that was Kevin being intentionally cold to thedy. It was so clear that he wanted to get away from her but just couldn''t ignore her for themander''s sake. "But Kevin, can I ride with you to downtown? My car is in the garage being repaired, and I came here by taxi. I thought that I could ride with my dad but you sent him a document just now. So he still has to stay here for a while," Louisa said in a small voice. Her delivery sounded fake and was dripping with excuse even for her own ear. Nevertheless, she needed to make up an excuse to have a ride with Kevin. So she said it anyway. "I''m going back to downtown too, Miss Ye. I can give you a ride if you don''t mind." Daisy interrupted before Kevin could reply. She knew that she was being suspicious but she couldn''t let it go as long as there was a possibility that this might hurt Leena. After all, it was clear to all that Louisa not too much of a hassle." Louisa felt a little nervous upon seeing Kevin''s expression. It was so clear that he didn''t like anything about what happened. She had no idea if she was being too forward but she really wanted to know why he left so suddenlyst night. She wouldn''t be able to rest unless she knew.She had the feeling that he lied when he said that he had something to do back then. Truth was, he really got nothing going on during that time and just made some random excuse to leave. He was avoiding her. "That''s alright. Like what you said, it''s just that we happen to be on the same route, right?" Kevin said as he pulled out the car door and waited patiently for her to get in. He was in a hurry thus, he asked Lee to park his car directly outside the building when they came. It exined why he didn''t have to walk through the parking lot with Louisa. At least that was a good thing. Louisa''s lips trembled. She was suddenly speechless. She didn''t expect Kevin to be that cold and distant at all. She felt both embarrassed and awkward. Her teeth gritted before she got in the car. How awful, now she had to think of any possible way to break the awkward until they reached the garage. Chapter 907 A Surprise For Kevin (Part One) Kevin''s face had been grim all the way. He knew that he had gone a bit too far and it was rude to treat ady like that. It was just that he had to. He must give Louisa the message that she wouldn''t stand a chance to enter a rtionship with him. The beautiful scenery outside the window kept passing by but Louisa was in no mood to appreciate it. Kevin''s silence had blown up her worries as time passed. She wanted to start a conversation and defuse the awkward ambiance. The only problem was how was she supposed to begin when Kevin seemed all cold and distant with indifference clearly written across his face. "Kevin, how did the emergency gost night? Was everything okay?" she finally asked while smiling embarrassedly. She was still bothered by how he left abruptlyst night. "Yes." Kevin replied without any extra word. He showed no interest in chatting with her at all. Apparently, he would like to distance himself from her. Louisa bit her lip. It was evident that he was annoyed. His attitude towards her hurt. She had never been cold-shouldered since childhood. She had always been cherished. Kevin was the first person, or more specifically, the first male to have snubbed her. If only she wasn''t into this man and trying to win his heart, she would never put up with him. "Tell me the specific location in case I go the wrong way." Kevin finally spoke once they reached downtown. Nevertheless, his voice was still eerily cold. "It is that 4S store. The one by the crossroads," answered Louisa in a low voice as she cast him a nce. Her pride bled a bit upon realizing that there could be a man who would not be attracted to her. "I get it," responded Kevin in a monotone as he finished his sentence with a mouth shut. He wasn''t acting like a gentleman as he normally would, but rather like the ruthless Duke. "Kevin, did I ever offend you? It seems to me that you dislike me very much," asked Louisa after a brief silence. She looked up at him innocently with tears in her eyes. The tears kept gathering in her eyes as she spoke. "No, not at all. I''m afraid that you might be thinking too much," replied Kevin. He turned and looked at her upon hearing her shaky voice, but then his fac meone was in the room. Who could it be? He went on alert and slowed down at once. He lightly closed the door and walked towards the living room almost on tiptoes. It was then that he saw two big suitcases lying on the ground. He let out a sigh of relief. Those suitcases just gave away who was ying tricks on him. He was suddenly overwhelmed with joy and went to the kitchen with a spring in his step. As expected, his petite and gentledy was busy cooking dinner. She didn''t realize that he was back. ''Good one.'' Kevin grinned and squinted at the familiar figure before him. He wasn''t expecting her to y that joke on him. So, she turned off her cell phone because she was on the ne, and not because she had to bury herself in the graduation thesis! Come to think of it, she should have reached home this morning. Why didn''t she call him when she arrived? "You little liar. Are you having fun tricking me, huh?" He crept up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. Leena got startled and nearly dropped herdle with a shriek. How could he just show up without making any sound? "Oh¡­ Kevin! you''re back!" she eximed. Leena felt warm breathes on her ear, shortly after her shock wore off. It was then that she realized that he was hugging her tightly and literally pressing himself against her back. Her heartbeats started racing. Blushing, she couldn''t tell whether she was sweating from the heat in the kitchen or from the passion he had aroused. Chapter 908 A Surprise For Kevin (Part Two) "Yeah! Now, I''d like to know why you didn''t tell me that you woulde back today?" asked Kevin gently. He turned her around to face him and then looked her straight in the eyes. It had been almost a month since hest saw her. He found that she had changed a bit. He now could see a more mature and enchanting woman aspared to the cute girl who left some time ago. "To give you a big surprise, of course! Do you like it?" She quickly avoided his gaze after saying those. She couldn''t help but feel shy with the intimacy that suddenly seemed to upy the ce. "You want the truth? I am more scared than surprised! You really should have called me in advance. I could have picked you up at the airport," said Kevin with great affection. He reached out to wipe the beads of sweat off her forehead then pinched her rosy cheeks softly. "I know how busy you are with your work. Besides, I''m very much capable ofing back on my own. You see, I am home safe and sound!" Leena replied while smiling shyly. With his big warm hands still resting on her waist, she felt a kind of nervous excitement that made her muscles stiff. "How is your thesis then? Did you get itpleted and passed?" asked Kevin worriedly. He feared that she had to go back to school again since she said previously that it would still be some time before she finished her thesis. "Yes! It is allpleted. Congratte me, Kevin. And I think I deserve a gift!" dered Leena with her eyes shing with pride.She was actually thinking about the beautiful ne she saw in his suitcase not long ago and was trying to remind him of it. She wanted to know whether it was for her or not desperately. "You have my earnest and warmest congrattions. As for the gift, well...I will give you my heart, okay?" answered Kevin teasingly. He said those words on purpose to see whether she would still push him away. "No way! It is not a gift at all!" Leena''s face began to burn like mad after what he said. She was clever enough to read between the lines and knew that it was, in fact, his invitation to do something unspeakable. "Are you sure im. She was even looking at him provocatively. "Well...you can say that again. If that is the case, I suggest that you keep a close eye on me to make sure that no one lures me away," answered Kevin before taking a sip from his soup. His face was bright. He had never had soup since Leena went abroad. He really couldn''t afford the time to make soup for himself. Plus, life became pretty dull when he was alone at home thus, he was in no mood for meals and would always grab a bite after work. "Easy. And just so you know, I will even give you borate dowries when you leave me." Leena said with a grimace while pushing his favourite dishes towards him. She was acting like a good wife. "Why dowries?" Kevin looked up at her in confusion. Shouldn''t she try hard to win him back? "Why not? I have been feeding you and taking good care of you, treating you like my child, if not husband. Though you are an ungrateful one all these years, I should not break the convenance. Just take it as my blessings for you two." Seeing Kevin''s face darken at her words, Leena smiled slyly. "You little rascal. Why not just say that you are nning to kick me out of the house? Besides, may I remind you that we have been married for less than six months, so don''t make it sound like you have taken care of me for years." Kevin shook his head. The truth just sunk in, and he really could do nothing with her crazy ideas. Chapter 909 A Surprise For Kevin (Part Three) "I was talking about things in theing years. After all, you are still mine and I can''t expect to marry you off in a short time, can I? You are not that popr, sir," scoffed Leena. She could actually imagine Kevin wearing a Cindere gown and a bridal veil. However, what she was trying to say was that if her man would be seduced by other women that easily, then she would not be so kind to him now. What was the point of clinging to him knowing that he would betray her someday? "Seems that you are really far-sighted. But I will tell you what, it''s difficult to follow the path of virtue but easy to sumb to vices. You will never know when a person would change. Maybe in a few years, maybe tomorrow." Kevin responded with faked seriousness. He put some food into her bowl, as he feared that she was too skinny to be considered healthy. He strongly thought that she should be the one gaining weight and not him. "Then what about you? Will you sumb to vices? Or can I trust you?" Leena asked eagerly. She frowned at the food in her bowl, but ate them with resignation in the end. "Who knows? That''s why you should keep a close watch on me!" Kevin said jokingly, then gave her a wink. Now it was Leena''s turn to wonder whether he meant it or not. After pondering for a while, Leena replied," In my opinion, no one can take my ce if we are destined for each other. Otherwise, you will still be unfaithful to me even if I never let you out of my sight. So I think I should just let it be." This was Leena''s idea and practice about love. She was never a doubting Thomas but she would not tolerate it if people deceived her. "You said it, girl. I''m d that you think that way. Now just dig in before the dishes get cold," urged Kevin after he put the sulent crab flesh he had peeled for her in her bowl. He would really like to make her eat all the nutritious foods on the table. knew that it didn''t mean that she was foolish. Rather, it just showed that she trusted him and she was rxed enough to be herself when he was around. "You are lying! I saw youughing secretly just now and you are smiling again!" Leena pouted in annoyance. She knew it clearly that she had just made a fool of herself again by saying those thoughtless words. It was fortunate that there was no one else there to watch. She would rather die than let others see her act that way. If ever, that would be a social-suicide. "What do you expect then? Am I supposed to cry? But why would I?" People said that women were hard to please. Kevin couldn''t agree more. Apparently, Leena was one of that kind of women. "Nah...why would I make a fuss about this trifle with you? You see, I don''t care about it at all. Now, I''m full, and I will go upstairs to unpack. Remember to clean the table after your meal. It''s your punishment for offending me!" As soon as she finished her words, Leena stood from her seat and bolted out of that ce. She did it so fast that Kevin wasn''t even able to blurt any word at all. He watched her disappear in the staircase in no time. He suspected that she must have practiced the stunt so many times thus she was an expert at escaping now. Chapter 910 An Cartier Watch (Part One) Kevin frowned slightly as he looked at the dishes on the table. Leena had just eaten a little and there was too much food left to him. Was she really thinking of making him obese? Was that the reason why she cooked too much? Anyway, those questions just remained inside his head. He tried to eat all of them still as it would be a pain to waste his beautiful wife''s effort. Darn! It might only take half a year for him to be as huge as how Leena wished if she would continue cooking this much every day. Was she nning to fatten him up so she could sell him for a good price? Leena started sorting her gifts right after she arranged her wardrobe. Her gifts were all small gadgets. They might not be so valuable but she chose them very carefully as each was a sign of her regards. Plus, all the people around her were not short of money. They didn''t really care about prices but concentrated more on the thoughts given with the gifts. Her gift for Kevin was thetest Cartier watch. The watch looked noble but not luxurious. It would work perfectly with his job. She had always been attracted to men who wore watches. Her Brothers liked watches too! It was them who influenced her to be a watch hobbyist. "Haven''t you finished sorting your things yet?" Kevin was surprised to see her still fixing her things right after he went upstairs. He was suddenly curious about why she was taking too long just to arrange her things. "Well! I''m almost done. How about the kitchen? Have you washed the dishes and kept all in there tidy?" Leena raised her head and asked him with a bright smile. Her face was glowing with happiness as she gazed at him. "Yes. It''s all done. Can I help you?" The Major General crouched beside her and started chec ire, what is it?" The call was from his unruly sister. He was somewhat surprised that she chose to call her at such a time. "Kevin, Dad''s birthday ising. Mom is asking if you cane home for it." ire was rtively unmanageable. Her attitude rooted from the fact that the Gu''s family was mostlyposed of high-ranking military officials. It was that idea that molded her into that proud and arrogant person she was. "Ah? Is Dad''s birthdaying? I''m sorry. I thought there was still some time before it." The man scratched his head. He honestly never remembered his parents'' birthdays. He only remembered them at dusk whenever other members of their family mentioned it. "What? It''s next Saturday. Decide if you areing back or not. Plus Mom said that you should bring your wife here!" ire was very curious about the kind of woman her brother married. She had always known her brother to have such a high-ss taste. Nevertheless, she still thought that their family''s standing was above the woman''s family social standing. They were the Gu''s after all. That was the reason for her disdain tone as she mentioned her sibling''s wife. Chapter 911 An Cartier Watch (Part Two) "Do you all know that I have gotten married?" Kevin smiled with self-mockery. He should have thought about this, shouldn''t he? His father was one of the important men in the capital city. How could he possibly hide his marriage from him? "Well, of course. What you are doing at this very minute might be reported to Dad within the next." His sister gave him a cold snort. She couldn''t believe how silly and naive Kevin was to think that he could conceal his marriage well. Didn''t he know that their father controlled everything in the world? "Well, I know. I''ll take her there if I am free that day." That was a quick promise Kevin made. Anyway, he also wanted for Leena to meet his family. He would like to take this chance to show his wife the family he belonged to. "And Kevin, what does that woman do? Is she a soldier like you?" Curiosity was really beating ire and she wasn''t able to stop herself from inquiring. She would not make things difficult for that woman if she would like her. It would be unfortunate though if his wife ended up on her hate-list. Because that would mean that the woman would not have any choice but to bear whatever she would do. "ire, pay attention to your courtesy. She is your sister-inw. Her name is not ''that woman''." Kevin frowned. He loathed how their family spoiled his sister. They were almost all boys in their family. They waited for a long time for their mother to give birth to their only girl, ire. She was everyone''s princess to the point that they all spoiled her. They had all protected her so much since her childhood as they were afraid that something hard might knock her down. "Well! Noted. But how old is she?" ire''s tone turned gentler. She wasn''t afraid of anyone in her family except for her older brother. Kevin was too s and he realized something. Goodness! Leena must be really shy! He began to do some arrangements in his head as he remained standing there. What would be the best approach to tell Leena? Although his family was never short of anything, it was still the first time that he would be taking Leena there with him. No matter what, he would help her be in her best manner for it. "What are you thinking?" Leena asked. She found Kevin in deep thoughts as soon as she walked out of the bathroom. A sudden gush of fear flooded inside her as she noticed him in deep thoughts. Was something troubling him? "I am all right. I received a call from my family just now. It is my father''s birthday next Saturday and I am thinking about what gift can I send him," answered Kevin. He honestly had no clue about what to give his Dad this time. He would casually send him gifts before but it was totally different now. He was married and would like to know what his wife''s thoughts were. "What? why didn''t you tell me earlier?" Leena slightly frowned as the mere mention of his family made her palms cold. It was the first time for him to talk about his family to her. It was normal for her to be that nervous. Chapter 912 An Cartier Watch (Part Three) "I just remember it tonight. They also said that I must bring you with me. Are you free next week? We may need a few days. Can you arrange some free time for it?" asked Kevin. Although Leena did not need to go to work, it did not mean she had no other things to do. Thus it was necessary for her to know things like this in advance. "Well! Don''t worry about me, I''ll be free at any time. How about you though? Can you get that much vacation?" Leena tilted her head as she looked at him. She was still uneasy. This would be the first time for her to meet Kevin''s family and she did not know if she and his family would get along. "That''s OK. I haven''t taken my vacation this year. I''ll just tell the Commander. It will be okay. There aren''t any big holidays these days so we''re not really that busy," answered Kevin. He took the towel from her hand and helped her dry her hair. She was still busy drying herself but was only keeping drying one part of her hair. There were still some beads of water on her skin that were seductively rolling down her beautiful body. "Well, what is your father like?" Leena suddenly grew a little shy with his actions. Although his movements were not so gentle, she couldn''t help but feel moved with what he did. "Leena, is he just my father? He is also your father now, isn''t he? Just remember this, okay?, Don''t do anything that he can hold against you. You would not want to anger him." Kevin tapped Leena''s head lightly. Did she just forget that they were married? "Okay! I will keep that in mind next time. I am sorry! I forgot." Leena naughtily stuck out her tongue at him. She felt a little sorry about what she just said. He was right, they were married, thus his father was hers as well. She was aware of it. It was just that she tended to be forgetful sometimes. "Ohe on. Don''t just say it. You need to cal she didn''t ask about it. The thought that she suddenly needed to meet them put her in a passive state. "Yes. Her name is ire Gu. She is a little older than you. But she is not as sensible as you. So if she does something wrong in the future, could you excuse her small mistakes, please? After all, you are her sister-inw, aren''t you?" Kevin also didn''t want to give Leena too much pressure. It was just that he knew that she would be insisting for that information anyway. His strategy was to emphasize how much more sensible she was over her sister, thus she would regard herself as someone older than ire. "What are you implying? That I am her sister-inw, and she should be afraid of me?" The thought worked on Leena. Seconds more and she was able to smile with confidence again. "Leena, it is not as terrible as you think. Yes, it may be hard to get along with ire. But she is not a bad girl. Rx! Don''t be too nervous," heforted her more. It was only after he observed Leena back to herself that Kevin shook his head and smiled. He just wanted her to know these things in advance. He didn''t expect her to panic though. He would be more careful next time. He wouldn''t want his actions to be counterproductive. Chapter 913 In The Moonlight (Part One) "I''m not nervous. But what if your parents don''t like me?" Leena said to Kevin. To tell it urately, she was only worried about what his parents'' opinion would be. His sister was about the same age as her. They should have a lot inmon and get along. In addition, Leena was agreeable and many people liked her. She had never argued with anybody else except for Justin, who was always picking on her. "Listen to yourself. You sounded absolutely nervous. Don''t worry. Although my father is strict, he is reasonable. My mother is amiable. There is no doubt that she will like you. There won''t be a problem between you and her." Kevin was sure of it. His mother was the gentlest one in his family. "Really? I hope you are not lying. I know nothing about your family and I am new at this ''Meet The Parents'' thing. I am afraid that I''ll blow it and your parents will hate me." She was about to meet her inws. Just the thought that she wasn''t the princess of Leng family anymore but the daughter-inw of Gu family made her pout. The change was too abrupt. She had some new roles to adapt to all of the sudden, a wife, a daughter-inw, and a sister-inw. On top of the heavy worry, she also felt the pressure from the overwhelming responsibilities. Was she capable of ying all these roles? She had doubts about it. "Silly girl, I told you that you had me. What are you still worried about?" Kevin asked as he ced his hands on her shoulders. He gave her a resigned smile. "I don''t want to put you in an awkward position. I''ll figure out a way by myself." Leena took a deep breath as if to prepare herself for a tough trial. It had been said that it was the husband who was put between his mother and his wife that was in the most difficult position. She didn''t want him to go through that. "Atta girl. I have faith in you. You can do it." Apanied by a sudden odd feeling rushing through him, Kevin''s eyes gleamed as his gaze set on her pursed lips. "Do I have something on my face?" Leena asked after she felt his warm gaze on her. Her hand instantly went to touch her face as she wondered if she had missed washing a spot during her bath. "No. Your face is clean and pretty," Kevin said with his desire evident in his eyes. He was a norm er light on everything. After a while, as if afraid to disturb the two people in their bedroom, it slid behind the thick clouds. Leena''s feeling for Kevin grew more in the midst of their intimacy. She didn''t think she could leave this man anymore. Kevin cherished her. It was miles away from how rough he had beenst time. He was gentler at her. Tonight was their first lovemaking after they got married. He wanted everything to be perfect. He could feel how much Leena loved him. Thus he told himself that he would be faithful to her no matter what. He would try his best to fall in love with her. His senses were sharp. He could read how much she loved him on everything she did, be it her subtle movements or mild words. He wouldn''t let her down. Leena felt exhausted the moment they stopped. She didn''t even have the strength to move her fingers. Kevin smiled evilly and walked into the bathroom naked as if Leena wasn''t there. His naked body made her face redder. Despite everything, she still wasn''t used to them being this exposed to each other. Regrets came to Leena when she recalled her initiative. Howe she couldn''t control herself before him? She knew Kevin didn''t love her, but she would try to be a better woman for him. She was charming and she believed Kevin was an upright man. He had told her that he would eventually love her since they were married. Hence, she didn''t care that she had fallen in love with him first. She would just wait for him to love her back. Chapter 914 In The Moonlight (Part Two) "Kiddo, take a bath before going to sleep. It will make you feel better," Kevin said to Leena after his shower. He was standing by the bed with only a bath sheet on. "But I don''t want to move. I''m too tired." Leena shot him an using frown. Her lips were pouting as she looked at him with pitiful eyes. The message that it was all his fault was clearly written all over her face. "Be a good girl. Have a bath first. It will take only a few minutes." The lovemaking had made them both sweat-drenched. He couldn''t just let her sleep all sticky. Thus he insisted on her taking a bath. "Fine. Turn around. I''m going to put some clothes on," Leena said as she grabbed the sheets to prevent Kevin from seeing her body again. "Forget it. I''ll just do it myself." As soon as he finished his words, Kevin bent over and carried her altogether with the covers. He walked into the bathroom without waiting for her to reply. She was already in the bathroom even before she could scream. Kevin tore all her covers off and threw them aside. He put her in a bath full of water in a heartbeat. "Kevin, are you crazy?" Leena was so flustered as she covered her chest with her arms. Girl, I''ve seen everything. It''s pointless to be shy right now." Kevin bent over to coil her hair and put the bathing cap on her head. Then he looked at her mischievously. "You''re lustful." Leena felt that she was at a considerable loss. She had been too shy to see Kevin''s nakedness and closed her eyes the whole course of their lovemaking while he had seen every part of hers. "Yes, I am, but only before you. Are you going to take the bath alone or do you need my help?" Kevin asked as he added some essential oil to the water that could help her rx. He was just teasing her because he knew that she was too shy to take a bath while he was still there. He really had no intention of staying. "I''m good. Now leave." Leena was still crossing her arms over her chest. Looking at him with pleading eyes, she hoped he could leave the bathroom as soon as possible. She could feel the heat on her face always liked her." Daisy felt hurt. She might have been guilty of misunderstanding the rtionship between Leena and Edward the first time they met, but she found what a lovely girl she was overtime. "How about this? I ask her to call youter so that you won''t feel so bad." Kevin smiled at Daisy. After giving it some thoughts, he realized that he wasn''t obsessed with her anymore. The only thing left inside his chest for her was slight sadness. "No, I''d like to see how long it will take her to remember us." Edward hadn''t mentioned anything about Leena''sing back. There was no doubt that he was unaware of it either. Daisy felt that Leena had forgotten all of them after she had got married. "It must be because she was too busy to call you yesterday. Don''t be mad. I think she will remember to call youter when she wakes up." Kevin assumed that Leena was still sleeping. It would be a while before she woke up. He was all over her and wasn''t able to control himself from taking her many timesst night. "Um... She''s still sleeping? It''s almost 10 a.m! Was she drawing designsst night?" Daisy knew Leena was a well-known fashion designer, but Kevin knew nothing about it. "Um... well..." Kevin felt embarrassed as he failed to find a way to answer Daisy''s question. Would it be fine to tell her the real reason why Leena was still sleeping? He didn''t think so. Chapter 915 The Panther (Part One) Daisy was not a young girl who was clueless about the adult world. She immediately realized what had happened and why Leena was still asleep thiste into the morning. As she looked at Kevin''s ufortable expression, she could not help but feel embarrassed. Her face turned red. Fortunately, her cell phone rang the same moment. It saved her from the awkwardness of the situation. "It is Leena," Daisy told Kevin as she took a look at the caller ID. She pressed the answer key. "Sis Daisy, it''s me, Leena. Did I disturb you at work?" Leena wore a sports attire that day. Leaning her back against the soft sofa in the president''s office of FX International Group, she spoke on the phone in her sweet voice. She looked quite cozy andfortable. "Leena, I am d that you still remember to call me! I heard you came back yesterday. You didn''t inform us. Did you forget us so easily? Hmm, I wonder." Daisy passed the file in her hand to Mark who walked over to her. She rxed her stiff arm. "Ha ha. I''m sorry, Sis Daisy! I was just too busy after Inded, so I went home. I forgot to call you. But you see now, I called immediately as soon as I remembered to." Leena blinked at Edward. She hade to FX International Group to thank him for buying her the expensive vi. Leena had chosen all their presents very carefully and nned to give them when she visited their home. However, Aunt Cynthia and Uncle Jonathan had gone out. As for the others? Some went to work and one was at school. No one was home. So, she decided to bring the gifts to FX International Group. Besides, Rain was also here. She could give him his present here without having to visit his house. "You wicked girl. Come and visit us. We haven''t seen you in about a month." Daisy nced at Kevin who just shrugged his shoulders. He wouldn''t interfere with Leena''s freedom. She had her own life and he would never impede her choices. "I am with Edward aking a single noise." Edward knocked on her head dotingly, handing over her phone. "Ha ha. That''s because you are so handsome. So what happened? Will Sis Daisy be having lunch with us?" Leena looked at him, awaiting his answer. She wanted to see Daisy too. "Well, it depends! I''m not sure yet. You can call Belinda and Duke too. Check with them if they cane or not." Edward looked at the files on his desk. His workload had increased all of a sudden because of Rain who had gone to Thand. No one else could take up his job. "Don''t worry! They can make it. I already called them before I came here. But... where is Rain? I haven''t seen him yet," Leena wondered in a confused tone. Rain usually appeared promptly whenever she arrived at thepany. She had been there for long, but he still had not shown up. Where was his sultry self? Leena thought it was extremely unusual for him to not present himself. "Oh, yes, Rain! He went to Thand and hasn''te back yet. I thought he told you about it. Didn''t he?" Edward was going through the documents but stopped for a second upon hearing Leena''s reply. He thought that Rain had called Leena toin about his overbearing attitude. But to his surprise, Rain had kept silent and not said a word about it. He surprised him. Chapter 916 The Panther (Part Two) "Thand? Why did he go there? He didn''t tell me anything. Why didn''t he? Was something wrong with him?" Leena looked at Edward, her eyes widening in surprise. What happened to Rain? Was something bothering him? What was he up to? "Well. You probably need to ask him that in person to find out. I assume he would be pleased to tell you everything," Edward replied. He looked at the reports in his hands, not bothered by Leena''s presence. He seemed to be quite used to it. "No, I won''t! He will for sure bamboozle me. Well, I am not going to disturb you and your work any longer. I need to get some rest too. Wake me up when it''s time." Leena walked to the sofa, leaving her phone on the desk. She was still somewhat tired after yesterday. Besides, she had juste back from Paris. She still suffered from the jetg because of the time difference. "Yes, get some rest. What were you up to yesterday? Were you at a robbery or something? Why do you want to sleep at this time in the morning?" Edward frowned slightly. She had been yawning for quite some time now. It was almost noon. He didn''t understand why she was fatigued right now. "Oh, yes! I robbed someone yesterday. But I didn''t steal anything, but lost my own heart," Leena replied jokingly andy down on the sofafortably. She did not want to tell him too much about her private matters. That would be weird. "Leena, aren''t you happy with your life?" Upon hearing her unusual words, Edward looked at her and asked, frowning. He felt the difort in his heart. She had been his beloved princess since she was a child. He loved her very much. One of thest things he liked was to see her sad. "Yes, of course I am happy! Why would you say that? I am very happy. I was just kidding. Don''t take it so seriously," Leena replied, sticking out her tongue. She had forgotten that Edward was a sensitive man deep down. He might sense something unusual, so she hastened to refute his concerns immediately. In any case, she did not think she was u about her. Was it because she had gotten up too early? Or was it because she was still exhausted because of him afterst night? As he pondered on this, he felt that maybe he had gone too far with her. She was somewhat inexperienced in this aspect after all. "Major General Gu, the Commander is looking for you," The Commander''s secretary walked in and informed him courteously as Kevin put the phone into his pocket. "All right. I will be there right away." Kevin stood up and went to the Commander''s office. He wondered why that old fox was looking for him. "Hu hu! Major General Gu. I heard you are going home next week. Is that correct?" Themander''s clear and loudughter could be heard as soon as Kevin walked into the office. "Yes, Commander. I would have forgotten had you not reminded me of it." It dawned on Kevin that he had not reported his leave to the Commander yet. He could not help but frown. How could he forget to do such an important thing? "No worries. Your father called me up and told me to give you some time off so that you can bring your wife back home. He is looking forward to seeing her." Kevin''s father was the Commander''s leader. The Commander was bound to follow his orders as long as he wanted. After he finished talking to Kevin''s father on the phone, he immediately fixed up Kevin''s schedule. Chapter 917 The Panther (Part Three) "What? My father called you up in person?" Kevin was astonished to hear that. His father seemed to have great expectations from his daughter-inw. "Yes, he did. So don''t worry! I have approved your leave. It seems to me you haven''t gone home in quite a long time, have you? Maybe your father misses you a lot," the Commander responded thoughtfully. Kevin had given up many holidays because of the nature of his work. He never really had time to go home and visit his family. As he thought about that, Kevin felt slightly guilty. "Thank you, Commander. Is that all you wanted to inform me of?" If so, he must have been crazy to ask Kevin toe to his office. He could have just told him that on the phone. It wasn''t such an important matter that the Commander felt the need to inform him in person. "Yes, sure! What else would I have to tell you?" Themander looked at Kevin, puzzled. What was the big deal if he called him here because of it? "Okay... I see." Kevin was speechless and rolled his eyes. He realized that the Commander was making fun of him. "What? Don''t you have anything to say?" The Commander could not help but feel giddy at the sight of Kevin''s silent resentment. Kevin was too upright. It was funny to make him the butt of his jokes sometimes. That way, he would brighten up a little. "No, Commander. I''m leaving if there isn''t anything else." Kevin knew that the Commander was like Peter Pan who hade to the real world. He was used to him and his childish antics. Kevin was not the only one who he made fun of anyway. He teased Daisy too. "Fine. You can leave now! Oh, by the way, tell Daisy I am looking for her. I have something to discuss with her." Apparently, Daisy had also been made into a target, exactly as he had expected. "Tell me, Commander! Are you nervous about the inspection in the afternoon? Is that why you are making fun of us? To ease y ust tell herter when I meet her." It was true that Panther as a group was very powerful. Still, they were only humans made out of flesh and blood. However, he was doubtful that his men would pass the final test and make it to the end. He did not look forward to the selections very much. He did not want them to bid for the chance in high spirits but get eliminated finally. It woulde as a great disappointment to them. Kevin was rational about expectations. "Yes, of course. Please tell her about it! I still have a report to go through. It would save my time now if you tell her when you two meet," the Commander replied and waved his hand at him, signaling him to leave quickly, as if he was attempting to chase away flies. He was somewhat disappointed at Kevin''sckluster response. He had thought Kevin would be more excited at the news. But Kevin did not seem enthusiastic about the selections at all. The Commander was surprised. "Sure. Please, go on with your work! I will leave now," Kevin bid him adieu as he turned around and walked away. A small smirk appeared on his face. Yes, he had made it! He was finally able to fight him back. The Commander would not make fun of him next time, just because he wanted to kill his spare time and boredom. Chapter 918 Petty Bourgeois (Part One) What a small world it was. Leena didn''t expect to meet that woman again, who had beat her in getting the pair of earrings that had caught her eye back in the jewelry store. She was right at the door of Tender Whispers. The woman looked at Leena with disdain. Leena proudly raised her chin as she shot daggers at her, refusing to feel patronized by this woman''s arrogance. "Hmph. Bitch! What an obnoxious hick. In trying to buy the earrings I took a liking to, you bit off more than you could chew." Louisa had also recognized Leena. Back at the store, she got involved in a ming row with Leena. Her rude remarks had offended Louisa a lot, so how could she forget her? "Now, wait a minute. What did you say? That I''m an obnoxious hick?" Leena clenched her teeth in bitter hatred. As a dress designer, she kept up to date with thetest trends. Her customers scrambled to get her fashionable designs. No one ever said that she was a country bumpkin. "Why, are you deaf? Did you not hear me?" Louisa sneered, ncing sideways at Leena. "Look at you! Only the people at the bottom of the heap wear such casual sports wear. You know what? The earrings clearly weren''t meant for you. Do you know how expensive they were? Could you even afford them?" "Miss, do we know each other? Do we have a grudge against each other or something? Why are you making these scathingments? Also, I''m not an obnoxious hick by any means."Leena looked down at her attire. Her clothes and shoes were from famous brands in France. Why did Louisa say that she was a rube? "Oh, don''t you know?" Louisa looked down at Leena condescendingly. "Figure it out yourself. Do you really need me to tell you?" Louisa said, assuming an air of superiority. In her eyes, Leena wore knockoffs. She could not afford branded items. "Sorry, but I don''t think I look shabby at all." Leena chose to ignore Louisa. She was waiting for Edward here; otherwise she would have left and not bother herself to talk nonsense with Louisa. "You have terrible taste. You are just not aware of it." Louisa smoothed her dress that was of the first rate, showing off her money as she patronized Leena. "Well, you are right. I''m petty bourgeois, and I look uncool. Why are you condescending yourself to argue with me? That''s very inferior of you." Leena gazed at her coolly. She didn''t want to reveal her true identity to such a bumptious woman, or even argue with her. She knew the brand of Louisa''s dress, but she disdained buying it. ''What makes her wonder Leena wore a turtleneck sweater today. "I wanted to surprise you. See, you''re happy to see me." Leena acted like a spoiled child as Belinda babied her. After Belinda let her go, Leena walked up to Duke and threw herself into his arms. "Why didn''t you ask us to pick you up at the airport?" Duke softly med Leena as he hugged her. His eyes were full of tenderness. "I could go home myself, so I didn''t want to bother you. Duke, you seem to have changed a lot. It must be because of Belinda." Leena smiled brightly. She looked adorable and charming. "Have I? You must be kidding. I''m who I used to be. Don''t deliberately change the subject." Duke knitted his brows. Leena''s tricks didn''t work on him. As her brother, Duke knew her like the palm of his own hand. He knew she wanted something whenever sheplimented him. She was trying to change the subject so that Duke wouldn''t continue to me her. "I don''t. I am serious! You''ve really changed. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Edward. I bet he''s thinking the same thing. Am I right, Edward?" Leena blinked at Edward, casting an imploring nce in his direction. She hoped that he would take her side. "Yes. I agree. Duke, you''ve really changed. You''re more like a beast now," Edward said in a no-nonsense voice while sitting down on the couch, as if what he said was indeed true. "Wait. What? You''re the beast, not me! I haven''t seen you in quite a few days. You''ve be even more annoying." Duke rolled his eyes at Edward as he led Leena to another couch. With Leena and Belinda sitting beside him, he was the happiest man in the world, as the two women he liked the most were here. Chapter 919 Petty Bourgeois (Part Two) "You know damn well this is who I am. Where is Tom? Why don''t I see him?" Edward was always thest one to the party, so he was surprised that he hadn''t seen Tom yet. "Oh, right. He just called and said that he would get a little bitte because of an important patient." Duke shrugged his shoulders and continued," I wonder if it''s an excuse. As far as I know, he shows respect for nobody, but he is working overtime today. That patient must be a big cheese in the city." "An important patient?" Edward sneered," Maybe it''s a critical member of the government." He knew the officials in the city were cheap. They often turned to him for help, but it was never the other way round. His conscience was clear over his legitimate business, so he did not need to ask them for help. "I have no idea. The mayor''s election is approaching. Maybe something is about to happen." Duke wasn''t familiar with the officials. To put it bluntly, he didn''t want to work hand in glove with them at all. He had a clear conscience. No matter who became the mayor, it was the same to him. "Who cares? We never care about politics, and we''re not qualified to take part in it. We''d better do what we should do." Edward gave him a smileced with cynicism. The officialdom wasplicated. Only those who yed ording to the circumstances could have a foothold there. Edward wasn''t willing to associate with those wicked people. "You''re right. Walls have ears. Don''t discuss this right now. Aren''t you afraid that Daisy might be implicated?" What Edward said made sense, but he couldn''t ignore the fact that his wife was a military officer. "There is nothing to worry about. Her army base keeps aloof from the mess." Edward didn''t worry about it. It was no big deal. If worst came to worst, Daisy could resign and stay at home. In any case, her job was very dangerous. Edward wouldn''t need to worry over her if she quit. "Right. They are directly under the control of the Central Military Commission. They don''t have any dealings with the officials." Duke pouted his lips as a look of contemtive interest spread on his cold face. He chose to take a wait-and-see attitude to to get calcium supplements. You should do that." Edward tried not to smile. Duke rarely made a show of himself. How could he not seize the chance to jeer at him? "I''m not at any turning point of my life! It must be your sister who reaches menopause!" Duke uttered thoughtlessly, spluttering with rage. What Edward said infuriated him. "Duke..." It wasn''t Edward who was affected by thement, but Leena who was sitting beside him. She looked at Duke with a pointed but innocent look. Didn''t he know that she was Edward''s sister too? Why did he say that? "Ha ha! That''s hrious!" Edward burst intoughter as he saw the embarrassing expression on Leena''s face. He didn''t have to argue back at all. Someone else had done that. "Well, sorry. I forgot you were also his sister." After making an apology to Leena, Duke turned to re at Edward. ''You''re the one at fault. You should apologize! If you hadn''t provoked me so much, I wouldn''t have said that, '' Duke thought in his mind. "Wow! Look at what you have done now." Belinda looked at Duke coldly and thought with a hint of sarcasm, ''You moron, didn''t you know that it was a trap set up by Edward? You fell into it blindly.'' "Belinda, you are my wife. Why are you taking his side?" Duke fumed, already vexed with Edward. What was worse, Belinda was now poking fun at him. He narrowed his eyes at her in warning. His dark look frightened her, so she leaned back instinctively. Chapter 920 The Acquisition (Part One) "Before I am your wife, I am a wise person first." Belinda smiled, suddenly recalling the previous cold Duke. Although he was very cocky and domineering, that kind of coldness attracted Belinda most at the beginning. "Hah! Duke, she means that you are not a wise person yourself. Your IQ needs to be evaluated again!" Leena was happy to see the both of them quarrel with each other. This way, they were not focusing on her any longer. Leena immediately added fuel to the fire. "Leena, I know that. You don''t need to exin it to me!" Duke narrowed his eyes as he red at Leena. Leena must have forgotten who brought her up! She had started to be partial to Belinda after he married her. This time, Leena even had the gall to chuckle at his setback. ''What an ungrateful girl!'' Duke thought, with a cold expression on his face. "Little girl, haven''t you heard of that saying? Never interfere in the matters between husband and wife. Come and sit with me! Let''s be the bystanders, in case you are swept away by their angry typhoon." Edward waved to Leena. It seemed that this girl did not realize how a couple yed cat and mouse with each other. In fact, sometimes, a certain amount of quarrels demonstrated the love. "You are right! I''d better keep away from them. Otherwise, they would kill me." As she said that, Leena stood up and moved to sit next to Edward to keep away from Duke. "You roguish girl," Belinda uttered, clenching her teeth. "The reason why we are having a row is because of you! And now, you sit back, staying out of it!" Confronted with the embarrassing situation, Belinda did not know whether tough or cry. What on earth had she done just now? Making trouble for herself? Belinda widened her beautiful eyes as she nced at Leena. "No, no, no. How could I do that? I just wanted to give you and Duke some private spaces. That way, you can get into a fight without any concerns." Leena looked back at Belinda, blinking her innocent eyes. Even though she had worsened the situation, Leena was delighted A sad expression came upon her face, as did a hint of panic in her voice. She turned to Duke for help, looking at her dear brother with big puppy eyes. However, Duke shook his head, turning a deaf ear to Leena''s cry for help. ''What a mean brother Duke is!'' Leena thought to herself. ''He must be angry about the quarrel I started between him and Belinda!'' "Yes. your immunity has somewhat decreased recently. You have to take medicines. They will help you recuperate." Leena had been weak and sick since her childhood. Although she was in much better shape as an adult, her constitution was still delicate and she often got ill. That was why Tom paid great attention to her health. "It''s not serious, is it?" Edward was worried after hearing Tom''s words. After all, they all knew of Leena''s physical condition very well. To put it bluntly, the girl grew up with medicines when she was little. She only slightly got better after the age of ten. Then, with Tom''s good and careful nursing, Leena experienced great improvements. At least she did not need to take medicines every day anymore. However, it did not mean that she was as fit and healthy as other people. This was the reason why Duke had rushed to take care of herst time, when Leena caught a cold back in France. Duke had been afraid that Leena''s cold would get worse because of her poor health. Chapter 921 The Acquisition (Part Two) "She is fine. It''s not that serious. I will pay attention to her. Leena, you''d better not let yourself get drenched after autumn. Otherwise, it would be hard for me to nurse you back to good health." Even though Tom was confident in his professional skills, he certainly did not have the ability to make the deade back to life. "Tom, don''t scare me! Is it really that serious?" I have been good all these years. I didn''t have any major problems. I even rarely get any colds." Leena got frightened by Tom''s serious expression. At the same time, she felt that Tom fussed over her too much. As she pondered on that, Leena did not think it was too big of a problem. After all, she had been in good health all these years. She could hop, jump, and run as well as other people. "Leena, that is because we have been taking good care of you. Just think! We never even let you get wet in the winter all these years. Tom also examines and prescribes you medicines from time to time. Do you think all those pills are candies?" Duke cast a sidelong nce at Leena. He was still angry with her and Edward for their little performance before Tom came in. However, when Tommented on Leena''s health, Duke could not help but pay attention, wondering what he could do to help. "Oh, yes. I am sorry. Thank you, my dear brothers. I have been too careless and heartless to notice that!" Leena pursed her lips. She had always known that they spoiled her as if she would always remain a little girl. However, she did not truly realize how much she owed them. "No, Leena. Don''t worry about it too much. Just be your good and honest self. We don''t ask for much; we only hope that you are in good health. Your safety is our priority." Edward patted her on the back,forting the remorseful girl. He never considered Leena to be heartless. On the contrary, it was she who had given them some of their happiest moments in the past years. "Umm. Thanks, Edward. I know that now." Leena nodded her head obediently. Even the Kompass Group. Within minutes, all top executives and technicians at FX International became extremely busy. On the other side of the town, Shaun received news of Edward''s acquisition. However, two hours had passed since Edward''s announcement. Although he wanted to take action, it was toote for him to fight back. Even if he had gotten the information earlier, he could not havee up with solutions. Shaun was no match to Edward when it came to business. Not to mention, Edward had been well prepared for the purchase. However, Shaun was too arrogant to think so. In his opinion, he had plenty of shares of the department stores that were subsidiaries of the FX International Group. He didn''t think he was in much trouble. If worst came to worst, he could exchange the shares with Edward. What puzzled him most were Edward''s actions. What was his n? If Edward wanted to purchase the shares of the Kompass Group so quietly, he must have known that Shaun was buying the shares of the department stores. However, Edward had not taken any response measures. He acted like he had given up the stores. "Shaun, what will you do? Will yourpany close down because of this?" Melissa felt anxious about the current situation. Shaun had been herst resort. If he failed, she couldn''t imagine the situation she would face. Chapter 922 The Acquisition (Part Three) "Do not worry, Melissa. Don''t forget that we hold 60% shares of MY Mall. We don''t need to be afraid. He couldn''t really acquire Kompass Group." Shaun said through gritted teeth. Those damn fence-sitters! How could they sell thepany shares secretly! He would give them a good lesson after he went back. Did FX International really think that if they held 40% of the shares, they would make him give in? It was impossible! They must have forgotten that he had the majority of the shares. In any case, he was the biggest stakeholder of Kompass Group. Even if Edward purchased the remaining stakes, what could he do? It was pointless. It was obvious to Shaun that he was in charge of thepany as he held 60% of the shares. "That is true. However, we will have to exchange the Kompass Group for MY Mall. In any respect, it seems that we are losing." Melissa did not findfort in Shaun''s words. She knew Edward better than anyone else. She had experienced first hand his skills in business. It was well-known that he was an expert at offending others, but no one could take the slightest advantage of him. Melissa calmed down, suspecting that letting Shaun purchase the shares of MY Mall had been Edward''s intention. Did he deliberately turn a blind eye to Shaun''s acquisition so that he threw in all his investments? This way, he could cut off Shaun''s cash flow, giving him no opportunity to collect back the stocks of Kompass Group if need be. Shaun would be stuck in the middle, with no room to move around. "Hmm. No. That is impossible. Things have note to a head yet. It is too early to predict who wins and who loses." Shaun smiled coldly. It seemed that the war between him and Edward was out in the open. They both knew the other''s objective. "It is not easy to handle Edward, Shaun. I advise you to be careful. Once he starts, it won''t be easy to detect hi pany''s stock price, we wille back." Shaun kissed her on the lips gently. Keeping aside some things that bothered him, he really liked Melissa. He just didn''t know how long such a liking could endure. After all, only a handful of rich people were faithful to their lovers. "Shaun, let me think on it for a while. How about you go back first? I will stay here for a couple of days more and meet you at H Cityter?" Melissa was unwilling to leave. She failed in taking her revenge. And now, she had to evacuate this ce like a loser! It was hard for her to ept this reality. It was so embarrassing to realize that Edward and the others had figured out her identity. Otherwise, Daisy would not have called her by her name that day! Melissa did not want to give up yet. She wanted to stay and n her next steps. "Why do you even want to stay here? Give me a reason! I''ll consider it if you can persuade me." Shaun''s casual tone faded as he regarded her seriously. ''Is she hiding something from me?'' he wondered. "Didn''t I mention it to you before? I have a cousin who lives here. I would like to visit her before leaving. I will go to H Cityter and see you. Is that fine?" Melissa exined cautiously, watching his expression. Chapter 923 Jessica (Part One) "Cousin? When did you mention that to me? Why can''t I remember?" Shaun looked at her in bewilderment. He wondered since when had he got such a bad memory. "Ah! Haven''t I told you? My bad. I must have forgotten to do so. Can you go home on your own today? I want to visit my cousin. I have been away from this city for so long after all. I miss her so much," said Melissa as she rested her hands on Shaun''s hips in a flirty and charming manner. "Alright.You can have some fun with your cousin. But listen, don''t try to seduce other men. Are we clear on that?" In reaction to what she did, Shaun grabbed one of her breasts and looked at it lustfully. Then, he started to y with her plump bosom wickedly and presumptuously. "Don''t be ridiculous. I love nobody but you, sweetie." Thedy raised her eyebrows seductively before wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue. "I know. How can I allow any other man to touch your pussy, enter you and satisfy your sexual desire?" A confidentugh escaped from Shaun. He could feel his flesh getting harder as he looked at Melissa intensely. "Watch your mouth, Shaun. Otherwise, I''m gonna get angry." Melissa glowered at the man with her lips puckered. She might be bold and open but she wasn''t as vulgar as him. It was embarrassing. It felt like her reputation was gettingpromised whenever he talked. "Well, you are not that innocent whenever you lie in bed with me and beg me to fuck you hard." He didn''t treat Melissa''s disapproval seriously and continued to talk dirty. "Stop. How dare you talk to me that way." Melissa''s face blushed in shame. The lecherous man was getting uncontrobly worse. However, he was the one she had to rely on for now. She couldn''t push him away even if she wanted to, could she? She was clearly aware of where she stood. She was a penniless woman with no family or friend to watch over her back but with an enemy to he share prices should be stabilized so that Shaun won''t notice any change or abnormality," Edward turned to the other guy inside his office and said.His eyes were filled with disdain as he talked. He was a beautiful mixture of both evil and wise. "Consider it done. By the way, what should we do about Kompass Group? Shall we continue to purchase their shares? It might be difficult to do that since sixty percent of their shares are owned by the Gao Family. They are not easy to deal with." Aaron frowned. He knew that those people from the Gao Family weren''t that stupid to just sell their shares. "Stop overthinking for now. We should concentrate on purchasing every inch of MY Mall. As for Kompass, we''d better be its major shareholder. That would be fun." Edward was all fired up with his ideas. However, he still hoped not to make the results too bad and embarrassing for the former president of Kompass, Shaun''s father.Business-wise, he had a not bad rtionship with the old man. Therefore, he still wouldn''t want to make an enemy of him just because of his worthless son. "What? Do you really want to work with him?" Aaron was confused. He wondered why would Edward do such a thing. Hadn''t Edward known that the Kompass Group was headquartered in H City? Chapter 924 Jessica (Part Two) "Why not? Isn''t it supposed to be fun? I''m desperate to find out how will he behave in front of me." Edward didn''t intend to do this before. However, he changed his mind upon witnessing Shaun''s foolishness and arrogance. Now, all he wanted was to make a fool out of the man.He didn''t mind sparing time and setting up traps for him. He even thought that a direct confrontation with Shaun would be very amusing. "I see." Aaron nodded thoughtfully as he realized Edward''s real intention. "For your amusement. I''m gonna do it for you, Mr. Mu." He turned around to leave. He couldn''t help but wonder if it was a good thing to have such a mischievous boss as he walked out of the room. "Mr. Mu, Melissa is not leaving with Shaun. She is staying in the presidential suite of Kate Hotel. Shall we take actions against her?" Edward felt a bit worried after hearing that Melissa wasn''t with Shaun. He silently wondered if she was ying another trick. "What? Why didn''t she go with Shaun?" His brows furrowed. He never thought that Melissa would do that. "I have no idea. Shaun was seen walking out of the hotel with his assistant. We didn''t spot Melissa with them." Luke raised his head to look at Edward. He was curious about how he would respond. "You guys keep your eyes on Melissa and watch if she''s up for any trouble. Send some reliable people to protect Daisy and Justin. No harm shoulde to them. Do you understand?" A slight smile cracked Edward''s lips as thoughts began to cruise his mind. ''I don''t care if your name is Melissa or Jessica. You will face the worst if you dare to hurt any of my beloved. You''ll suffer and beg me to kill you. I promise that you won''t get away from this as easily as you didst time.'' "Consider it done, Mr. Mu. But then, please consider that Mrs. Mu is very smart and sensible as well. She will find out about us following her very soon. I wonder whether she''ll get angry."Luke knew Daisy wel t you won''t get yourself into trouble? We''re doing fine. We don''t own your Lin Group anymore but we still have Xue Family''spany to support us.We can live a prosperous, care-free, risk-free andfortable life if you stop taking revenge." Coco wasn''t sure why she felt as restless as ants on a hot pan. She could sense that something terrible was happening but couldn''t figure out what it was. It was also a puzzle to her why her cousin couldn''t just abort her mission. "If you were standing in my position, would you swallow the anger, pretend to live a care-free life, and allow your enemies tough and be happy?" said Melissa sternly and harshly. She hated Edward and his whole family. If it weren''t for them, her father would not have died and her mother would have been healthy.On the other hand, how dirty and wanton could a woman be if she was ready to leave a tolerable life and choose to sell her body to a filthy bastard man? To beughed at and even be tortured by him? "If I were you, I would let it go. After all, you also made some mistakes, didn''t you?" Coco recalled the quarrel between Jessica and Daisy in the restaurant. She could have apuded for Daisy if only she hadn''t chosen to take Jessica''s side. After all, Daisy was such a wonderful and admiring woman. Chapter 925 Jessica (Part Three) "Stop lecturing me. Don''t tell me that you still love Edward." Jessica glowered at the woman. She clearly knew what her cousin was thinking of. "Jessica, how''d you know that?" asked Coco. She was awed by how sharp and smart her cousin could be.Coco had been hiding her interest in Edward and thought that she''d done so well. However, her cousin''s remarks suggested otherwise. "Well, hell.You can''t hide any secret from me." Jessica smiled coldly. She didn''t bother to tear the mask off Coco''s face because she never thought of Coco as a threat against her for Edward''s love. It was different now though. Everything had changed and she wouldn''t pretend to be ignorant about Coco''s affection for Edward, the hideous bastard. "Why did you pretend to know nothing about this before?" asked Coco in disbelief and embarrassment.It was difficult for her to ept this. Had she been fooled, yed, and used ruthlessly by Jessica all along?Did Jessica feel good as she watched her pretend and act as stupidly and naively as a kid? Jessica had been with Edward for a long long time before Daisy came between them. Thus, she had the right tough at any woman who tried to woo Edward. "Could we talk peacefully and calmly if I had exposed your hrious love for my lover? Could you still want to help me out of my troubles unconditionally if I hadughed at your foolishness?We would have hated each other already." Jessica stared at her cousin disdainfully and thought that Coco was nothing but an incurable romantic and an old fool. "Even so, you couldn''t pretend to be totally fine with this and think otherwise. Did you feel a sense of aplishment by making a fool out of me this way?" It was a sudden turn. The two cousins who appeared to love each other just a few moments ago instantly turned hostile as they used one another. "I have never thought about that. If you really nee Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. he will have to stay in the mental ward. That will save you from a lot of dilemmas, right?" Jessicaughed scornfully. She had thought that Coco''s house was her only shelter. Clearly, she was terribly wrong.All her efforts hade to zero. All people had chosen to betray her. Now she got nobody to watch her back. That was just both pathetic and desperate. "I can''t do anything for you anymore if that''s how you think of me. I will not allow you to leave Auntie in a mental ward. I talk with you in this way because I need you to think carefully and calmly. I have never intended to break away from you or your mom. We''re still family. Do you understand?" Coco frowned. She still loved Edward but then, she also knew that Edward felt nothing for her. Therefore, she decided to take no action and start to forget him.Most times you just couldn''t own the man you loved. "I''m sorry.I was being emotional and unreasonable," answered Jessica apologetically.Jessica also understood that a strange and new environment would harm her mom''s health further. However, the way her cousin strongly reprimanded her had embarrassed her. So, to save her face, Jessica said such ungrateful and emotional remarks which she had regretted almost as instantly as she said them. Chapter 926 A Deal Offered By Jessica (Part One) "Well, suit yourself! I hope you will not regret it." Coco took a look at her with a thoughtful expression. Hadn''t she already imed that she wouldn''t be obsessed with Edward Mu anymore? Well, that wasn''t how she saw it. Jessica''s action seemed to be theplete opposite of what she imed. She even seemed to drift deeper and deeper into her obsession with Edward. Jessica''s eyes dimmed slightly. She''d already been in such a terrible situation. Was there still any way out for her? She''d already lost the most precious thing a woman could possess. What else was there to care about? It was already hopeless for her. "Do you think there is still any chance for me to repent? I''ve already done so many unforgivable things. I came this far. There''s no turning back anymore. I don''t have the options for that." Sadness was on Jessica''s voice. She touched her face slightly and smiled. The face she wore wasn''t her original face no matter how beautiful it was. It was the same with her life that went off-tracked from her original ns. She could have lived a better life. "But you may end up even more miserable than that if you continue with your n. Is that what you really want? Jessica, don''t be so stubborn. I''m worried about you." Emptiness was in Coco''s eyes as she shifted her stare from her cousin. She wondered about what went wrong. No one was wrong or should be med if she would consider how all their emotions got tangled up. It would only leave love to be med. Loving the wrong man was the saddest thing a woman could ever do. Edward would never belong to either her or Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. "Well, only you know your real thoughts. I''m not going to make anyments. Aunt is in the room. You can go inside to have a look at her. I''m going to the kitchen to check her medicine." Just then, Coco turned around and walked away, the white hemline of her dress raised slightly. She seemed to be quite light-hearted. She was an aloof beauty and not a bad woman originally. She had figured out everything and knew that her passion for Edward would never get any response. She decided to let it go and freed herself from her illusions about Edward. A kind heart would make a woman look more beautiful and charming. The excitement was inevitable for Jessica as she saw her mother again. It was the first time for her toe there since her surgery. She was happy to see her mother but at the same time anxious. She had her face changedpletely and it scared her that she might not recognize her. "Sorry, Mom. I''m sorry I didn''te here until today." She choked with a sob. Sorrow instantly ate her upon seeing her mother''s empty and emotionless eyes. Chapter 927 A Deal Offered By Jessica (Part Two) "Who are you? Do I know you?" The aged woman turned to her. Most of the times, Jessica''s mother was in a confused state. She was rarely conscious too. Although she didn''t recognize Jessica, her condition was much better than how she usually was. Probably that was because she felt her daughter close to her. A mother could always feel her daughter. "Jessica, it''s Jessica! Mom, can''t you recognize me? Come and touch me, it''s me, Jessica!" Jessica reached out to hold her mother''s hand and then pressed the old woman''s hand on her face. The feeling of being unrecognized by her own mother overwhelmed her too much that her tears poured down her face. "Jessica? No, you are not Jessica. You look different from my daughter. I''m not your mother. I''m afraid you are mistaken." Jessica''s mother took a look at her with a pitiful expression. Then the old woman took her eyes off her and stared at the family portrait sitting on the bedside table. Her mother stopped reacting after that. "Mom, I am your daughter! Take a closer look at me, please! I''ve just had surgery on my face. There is always something that won''t change, right? Mom, please. Try it, try to recognize me," exined Jessica with a choking voice. She turned her mother around to face her and tried to wake her up in a hurry. Everything she did appeared to be in vain though as her mother remained nk and caught in her own world. It looked like she wasn''ting back soon no matter how hard Jessica tried. She wasn''t responding to her at all! Not even a blink nor a look. "Why? Mom, can''t you recognize your daughter? Why? What happened t banned by FX International Group. In that case, she could have still been the superstar under the camera and on the screen. She could have still remained as the perfect woman in men''s hearts. However, her sorry wouldn''t get her cousin back to where she had been anymore. "Hey, it''s nothing. We are still family no matter what happens, aren''t we?" Coco smiled faintly. Gone was the proud and arrogant Coco that everyone remembered. She became much milder in both mind and behaviors. She realized many things after what she had gone through. She clearly figured out how to keep herself from hatred. Thus, she stopped fighting for things that did not belong to her. She epted whatever life offered her such as her cousin. It was the reason why she decided to take care of her cousin''s mother. Jessica did note back to Kate Hotel as soon as she left Coco''s home. She drove to FX International Group instead. She decided to take her n into action after seeing what her mother was like. Edward had already known her real identity anyway. There was no need to hide. Chapter 928 A Deal Offered By Jessica (Part Three) "Miss, wait for a second, please. You are not allowed to enter the building because you are not working here." A security guard stopped Jessica as soon as she entered. A grandpany like FX International Group was always equipped with a mature security system. "I''m here to see your CEO. Are you sure to stop me here?" Jessica said arrogantly as she raised her eyebrow. She looked at the guard talking to her scornfully. She was indeed Jessica Lin, the arrogant and proud woman. "Yes, I see. But may I know if you have an appointment with him?" questioned the guard patiently. It was his responsibility to check every guest visiting FX International Group. He was not sure whether she was a key ount to his CEO or not since the clothes she was wearing were all world-famous brands. "No. Please tell your CEO that Melissa Xue wants to talk to him. I''m sure that he will definitely say yes." Jessica dared not tell her real name out. She had oftene there in the past thus, many people knew her. They knew her name and original face of course. However, she had a new face. No one would believe that she was Jessica Lin. They would probably consider her crazy if she told them her real name. She had no n of losing her chance to meet Edward that way. Plus, that would be a huge humiliation. "I''m sorry, miss! I''m afraid that I can''t tell our CEO about your visit without an appointment." The guard rejected her request decisively when he heard that she had no appointment. "Are you rejecting me? Are you sure you can take the responsibility if you mess up the business between me and your CEO?" Jessica warned with a cold smile. She was sure that Edward w sion was still distant. He looked quitefortable though and spoke politely as if he was talking to a real guest. "Stop pretending, Edward Mu. I know that you already know who I am. It''s not interesting should you continue talking with me like that." Fist clenched, Jessica kept warning herself that she shouldn''t be obsessed with him anymore. She came here to make a deal with him and not to beg for forgiveness. Scorn her though for she couldn''t resist his charm. "Who you are? What? Miss Xue, do you have another hidden identity? Well, why don''t you show me?" teased Edward with a sly smile. ''Jessica, Jessica. Do you know why you are always in a passive state? You are not patient enough despite all the hardship you''ve been through, '' Edward thought. "Do you think you are funny to conceal the fact that you already know who I am? For God''s sake, stop it please. And don''t forget this, I have the thing you want the most." Jessica felt upset since Edward seemed to be unaffected by her. He remained distant and indifferent. She felt like a clown who was performing in front of him. She felt ashamed. Chapter 929 A Deal Offered By Jessica (Part Four) "I''m just acting with you as you expected. What? Have you decided to stop acting?" The CEO was as steady as a rock. All he did was just to turn to Jessica with an interested look. "I''m not here to talk about my identity today. I''m here to negotiate with you. Don''t get confused." The calmer Edward was, the more she became upset. She wasn''t like him who was born with a business talent for negotiations. "Negotiation? What negotiation? I don''t know that. Do we have any business venture together?" Edward felt more and more interested. Was she telling a joke? Should he remember it right, there was no business between her and himself, let alone any negotiation. "Don''t you know it? I have 60 percent of the MY Mall shares in my hands. What about now? Do you really think that we don''t need to talk about something? I''m offering you a chance you may be interested in." Jessica could not help growing proud at the thought of MY Mall''s shares. She looked at Edward and scanned his face for any desperation. She wanted to see him frustrated. Unfortunately though, she failed. "Oh? Are you qualified to speak on behalf of Kompass Group?" The smile on Edward''s face deepened. He wondered what Jessica wanted from him. "What do you mean? I don''t understand." Jessica narrowed her eyes and red at CEO. Her expression became dangerous. ''Oh, Edward, Edward. Why can''t I just resist your charm and excellence?'' sighed her heart as it got flooded with feelings that could almost drown her. "Am I not clear enough? Obviously, it is Kompass Group th res of MY Mall back even without dealing with Jessica. "Why? You are not interested in Lin Group, aren''t you? Well, I want to have it. Isn''t it a win-win deal for both of us? You can throw away Lin Group to me and I can sell MY Mall to you. We both can have benefits." Jessica looked at him in a puzzle. Her proposal would do good for both of them. It would get them the best of both worlds. Why did he refuse her? "Yes, you are right. Indeed, I''m not interested in Lin Group. But it doesn''t mean that my men are not interested in it. Some of them may be. So I''m thinking of leaving it to someone who wants to take care of it. I''m always a kind-hearted boss. A smallpany like Lin Group doesn''t deserve my management in person." Was she really innocent or whimsical? Edward had difficulty choosing between the two. There were so many businesses in FX International Group. Did he need to take care of everything in person out of interest? Come on! Only those which were highly profitable could call his attention and interest. Chapter 930 Predators And Preys (Part One) "Aren''t you afraid that I''ll sell my shares to someone else? If so, FX International Group wouldn''t belong to the Mu family alone," said Jessica, biting her lower lip. She hadn''t expected Edward to be so indifferent. It was like her struggles were as insignificant as ripples on the water. There had to be something that would faze him. "Afraid? Do you really think there''s anyone that''s really in your corner? There''s no one who would challenge me, much less could." Edward wasn''t impressed by her empty threat. The person had to have vast amounts of wealth if he intended to be a shareholder of FX International Group. He''d have to be richer than Edward, and while that wasn''t impossible it was difficult at best. "You really think you''re the schmoo, don''t you? You''re not the best lover, nor are you the best businessman. There are otherpaniesrger than FX International, to boot. You really think no onepares to you, that no one is good enough to bring you to your knees? Mr. Mu, you live in a world of predators and preys. In this city, you may be the predator, but outside the city, you are merely prey. And perhaps, in the richest tycoon''s eyes, you''re a monkey full of hot air. You might want to keep this in mind." What Jessica hated most was his arrogance, and her tone wasced with both pride and contempt. "I can be as confident as I want -- and as arrogant. I''ve earned that right.But I have to ask: who the hell do you think you are? You''re nothing to me." Edward shed a mocking smile. The expression on his face turned cold as he spoke. He looked her up and down, his dangerous eyes locked on pale Jessica. Jessica made a noise of pure animal rage. Then sheposed herself. "You asshole! You''ll regret this! You don''t want to trade with me? Fine! The MY Mall is being acquired by Kompass Group! And there''s nothing you can do about it!" Gritting her teeth, Jessica snorted. Did he really think that she had no choice but to cooperate with him? What a condescending jerk! However, Edward burst into raucousughter. His guffaws echoed hollowly through the office.He retorted,"You know what led to Lin Group''s failure, don''t you, Jessica? It was you. Yo eing held to her face, the steel point tracing along her tender flesh. The memory hit her like a p. No matter how much time had passed, she was cowed by his fury. "If I were you, I''d know better than to show your face and piss off a man who''s way out of your league. But yet you''re here now, talking bullshit. What the hell, Jessica? I never thought you had the stones for it." Edward''s words were not only threatening but also full of cold anger. If she hadn''t mentioned Daisy, it would have been okay for her to trash talk him. But now, since she swore to hurt his one and only, he was all out of patience. "So you''re threatening me now. What? Going to try and cut me again, even though I''ve not even raised a fist at you? Oh, big man! Why should I go away? Come on, are you really rich enough to control what I do?" said Jessica in a trembling voice. Although she was still ying tough, the impulse to run away from the man was surging in her heart. Her lips were twitching and her body shook. This took everything she had to stand up to him. "Maybe I can''t control your mind. But I am rich enough to ignore thew. And trust me, whatever I do to you, thew will still be on my side. Consider yourself warned. Get out, and don''t let the door hit you as you leave." It would be foolish to try and talk some sense into this woman. Edward had decided to be blunt. After all, she wouldn''t understand, even if he talked till he were blue in the face. Chapter 931 Predators And Preys (Part Two) "Argh! Do you really think everyone will do what you want?" After she said that, memories flooded into her mind. Jessica suddenly recalled what happenedst time when she tried to kidnap Daisy, and how the men in ck came out of nowhere and rescued her. Thinking of that, she shuddered again, as fear overtook her heart. She stole a nce at Edward, thinking, wondering whether the men were sent by him. Maybe he did have everyone at his beck and call. "I never said that. But I own many things, including the piece ofnd you''re standing on, and the office where we''re talking. I could have you arrested for trespassing, and no one would question it. Get the hell off my property! Vamoose! Scram! Now!" said Edward, raising his eyebrows. He started to feel that it was a gigantic mistake to waste his time on her. "I''m leaving, but not because of you. I''m leaving because I want to. We''re done here." Seeing that Edward lost his temper, Jessica was too scared to stay any longer. Stomping her feet, she stormed off on her high-heels. It was obvious that this man would not do business with her; why would she stay and be humiliated? Seeing her walk away, Edward''s lips tightened. Truth be told, the woman was nopetitor with him in the business world, and he wasn''t afraid of her little tricks. But he was worried about something else: she might possibly try and seek revenge, hurting his family to do it. He shuddered inwardly when he thought of Daisy or Justin being hurt or killed. And he could tell she was pissed, months of resentment building toward this moment. He didn''t think she could be easily mollified. When Jessica walked out of the building, she ran into a person she hadn''t expected to meet. Upon recognizing Daisy''s face, she shed a wicked smile, and blocked her way, arms crossed at her chest. "What do you want?" Seeing her here, Daisy was also surprised. But she didn''t show her real feelings openly. Calm andposed as ever, she shot an icy nce at Jessica, waiting for her to exin why she was blocking the way. "Do you really have to ask? Daisy Ouyang. You must be really happy. From rags to riches, the proud wife of the CEO of FX I t it." Edward patted his forehead in regret, ming himself for forgetting such an important thing. And now here was Daisy, blowing this out of proportion. "Tell me about it! Do you know I mistook the guy for an attacker? I almost put him in the hospital!" Daisy gnashed her teeth in anger. It was only because of her training and ability to think on her feet that this guy wasn''t recovering from two broken limbs at least. Martial arts was a godsend. And who on earth wouldn''t give a stalker a sound beating? And who on earth would ever imagine the person stalking on her was sent by her own husband? Therefore, when she realized that she was being watched, her first thought was that her real identity was exposed to her enemies or agents overseas. After all, she had offended so many people when she went out on missions. Foiling someones'' ns tended to make them resent you. "I am so sorry, honey. It''s all my fault. But what about you? Are you hurt or scared?" asked Edward as he stood up. With a worried expression on his face, he walked to her side, looking her up and down. "That can wait. Why are you spying on me? What possible reason could you have? You know it''s a criminal offense to hire someone to stalk a military officer." Daisy rolled her eyes. Her husband was a capable person. The moment when she was handling affairs in the urban district, his people had already located her. And that was when the guy started following her. Chapter 932 Predators And Preys (Part Three) "And what crime it is to protect an officer? I''ve given them strict orders to protect you from afar, not to cause trouble." Edward creased his brows in worry. Seeing Daisy so angry, he started to realize that the situation was serious. "Protecting me? Was that a joke? Or do you really think I need it? So I''m a weak and helpless girl, then? Do you even think I need any bodyguard?" Daisy retorted, rolling her eyes. Hearing that got her even angrier. Why would she possibly need other people to protect her? She was a capable woman, and also possessed great military prowess. If other people knew about her husband doing this they would have a goodugh. Daisy wasn''tughing. This could damage her rep.They''d say, what kind of senior colonel needed bodyguards? And her fame in the military circle would be gone. "Honey, I meant well. As you know, Jessica has returned. And she is plotting something to set you up. I''m worried about you, and so I sent my guys over to make sure you''re safe. I had to, because I can''t even focus on my daily work." Edward wasn''t so confident as he appeared with his exnation. It was indeed his fault not to tell her about his ns in advance. But everything he did was for her own good. He was hoping Daisy would ept his apology. "I see. So you meant to say, I am not weak in your eyes, but stupid. Am I stupid enough to be set up by the same person twice?" Daisy retorted, looking at him coldly. Fortunately, earlier today, there were no other officers with her. Otherwise, it wouldhave been an even bigger deal. After all, it was against thew to spy on an officer, because there was a lot of potential for military secrets to be leaked. "There''s always a chance that she might try something. What if she caught you off-guard, and seeded? Don''t forget aboutst time ident. You c k you''ve made a mistake! You''re just sorry you got caught! So now, tell me... What does Jessica want? Does she want to get back together with you? Is that why she was here?" Grinding her teeth, Daisy spat her words. It was all Edward''s fault. Edward did something he shouldn''t have done. If not for him, she never would have run into Jessica Lin, much less been insulted by her. "What? Who? You saw her? Oh... I see now. It all makes sense. She must have said something to you. And that''s why you''re so pissed. Am I right?" Edward shed a smile. He suddenly figured it out. His wife was jealous of Jessica. "Nonsense! She''s a nobody, already water under the bridge. I''m mad because of you, you idiot." Daisy couldn''t help but soften her feelings when she saw Edward''s innocent nce. However, although she imed that Jessica was a nobody to her, Daisy was actually irked by her words, and worried about her rtionship with Edward. She was angry at her dear husband, but jealous too. At this point, she admitted that she had some petty thoughts. But as a sensitive woman, she did not think there was anything wrong with that. After all, who the hell would enjoy it when her beloved husband was dating other women? Chapter 933 You Know Kevin (Part One) "Babe, you''re a senior colonel. How could you get angry at a loser like Jessica? But didn''t you say there was an inspection? Wouldn''t that require everyone to be on the base? Why would you be downtown?" After ttering her, Edward decided to satisfy his curiosity. He remembered that she told him she didn''t have time to go out to lunch, that she''d grab something at the post-exchange on base. As for the post-exchange, Edward thought that was one of the worst retail stores he''d seen, but it didn''t have to be posh. It had to be functional, as only active-duty personnel, retired military, and their families shopped there. "Yeah. I got an assignment, a top-secret mission. It required me to go into town. And Kevin is there to take care of the inspection. And don''t change the subject. Why was Jessica in your office today?" It was not that Daisy didn''t believe him. She just wondered why Jessica would have confronted her that way, and said the oddest things. "It''s nothing. She wanted to threaten me with the stock of MY Mall. She thinks she can buy me out." Seeing that Daisy had calmed down, Edward was relieved. He knew Daisy, she had a hot temper. But it was easy to make her calm down if there was a good exnation that she thought was justified. And he was confident enough to pull this off and make her see things his way. "Why does she have any stock of MY Mall at all? Can she really do anything?" Daisy didn''t know much about business, so she had no idea how this could affect the FX International Group. Was Jessica a threat? "It''s okay. Everything''s under control. Don''t worry. Just protect yourself. I''ll handle everything else." Edward knew women well. He understood how crazy a woman would be when she lost her head. He worried that Jessica might hurt Daisy when she became insane. "You never give me a straight answer. Quit jerking me around. Is everything Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. fortable with them around." Unlike Edward, who got used to being followed by bodyguards wherever he went, Daisy wasn''t happy being followed by anyone. It was just her nature to be independent and alone. "Would it be okay if I ask them to watch you from a distance? I can''t help worrying about you if there is no one around you." Edward insisted on his n when it came to the issue of ensuring Daisy''s safety. He had his own considerations. His peace of mind was ensuring his family was safe, happy, and healthy. That was his main priority. Everything else came second. "I don''t need anyone else watching my every move. I''m not a tycoon, I''m a soldier. I don''t need a retinue. This will be a huge problem to me in the military, or in missions involving stealth." Daisy didn''t want to be privileged. And she didn''t want others to think that she belonged to the group of people who could enjoy special privileges. "Okay, I''ll call them off. But get Mark to follow you wherever you go. He''s your guard, anyway. This way you can feel better about having someone watching your back."Edward folded. He never gave any kind of ground to anyone except Daisy. This was the one thing he could do nothing about. He could ignore anyone''s opinion, but never hers. Chapter 934 You Know Kevin (Part Two) "Okay. I''m heading back to base now. Remember to send the bodyguards away. If I see them again --" Daisy said, waving her fist at him. That was an ultimatum. "Okay, okay. I get it. It''s already five. You''re still going to the base?" Edward lifted his wrist and checked the time. He had thought that she would be off work now. He didn''t expect that she would go back to the army base sote. "It''s your fault. I''d be halfway there if I hadn''t stopped here and had it out with you. And you had the nerve to ask me." Daisy was peevish at the mention of this. If she wasn''t pissed off, why would shee here and argue with him? "Okay, it''s all my fault. How about this? I drive you back, and then wait for you to get off work. Then we cane home together." Before she could reply, Edward grabbed his phone and keys from the table. He took power naturally. It was in his nature to take control of everything. "You don''t have to. I can drive myself. Just get back to work. Be careful you don''t make yourpany go bankrupt." Daisy refused without hesitation, because she thought that she was not the kind of woman who needed protection. She was happy that he cared about her. But sometimes love could be smothering, and that was when she had to emerge from the nket of tender loving care and get some air. "You really don''t need me to go with you? What if I insist?" Edward decided to press the issue. He knew it might be futile. Once she decided on something, it was very difficult to make her change her mind. This was probably his fault, too. He let her decide everything on her own. That was why Daisy sometimes challenged him so tantly. He was the engineer of his own suffering. "I''d back down, only if you want a good bop on the nose. I''m not going to let you weasel your way into this one. It''s my way or the highway." Daisy nced Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. "Come in, please!" Reluctant as Leena was, she finally caved and made way for Louisa toe into the house. "Give me a cup of tea, with chrysanthemum. The weather is too dry today." Louisa sat down on the sofa uninvited and took it for granted to ask Leena to serve her. "Sorry, We don''t have chrysanthemum here. We only have coffee, is that okay?" Leena bit her lips and tried to hold back her anger. "No chrysanthemum? Okay, I won''t make things difficult for you. I can make do with coffee." Louisa leaned back on the sofa with her legs crossed, without the awareness that Leena actually said "we" in reference to her and Kevin. She raised her eyes and looked around, only to find that there was nothing different from what she sawst time she was here, except for that the house looked brighter. Probably because the servant had just done the cleaning. The servant had done a good job. She was very qualified in this regard. She practically made the ce sparkle. "Please wait a minute. I''m cooking right now. I have to attend to the dishes," Leena said as she trotted into the kitchen. Fortunately, she had lowered the burner settings when she went to open the door for Louisa, otherwise the dish would be overcooked. Chapter 935 You Know Kevin (Part Three) Louisa didn''t urge Leena to make the coffee. In her mind, she didn''t have to. She stood up and looked around the house. Last time she was here, she was too eager to find the photo of Kevin''s wife and didn''t get a chance to carefully visit the ce. And this time she could take time and have a good look at the ce. Leena blocked Louisa as she saw her about to start up the stairs. "Miss, here is your coffee. And the upstairs is private space, so please don''t go there." It was then that she realized she had no idea what Louisa''s name was. Leena was so careless to let her in without even knowing who this woman was. "Huh! You''re only a servant. Why do you think you have the right to ask me not to do something?" Louisa paused mid-stride at Leena''s warning. She felt embarrassed to be stopped like this by a servant. "Let''s turn this around. As a guest, do you think it polite to intrude without the host''s permission?" To her surprise, this woman not only was rude, she even didn''t know basic formal etiquette. She treated Louisa as an equal. "What''s wrong with it? Last time I came here, Kevin asked me to feel free to look around. Do you think a servant would know more about the rules in this house than the host?" Louisa became angry and red-faced after she was questioned by Leena. She began to argue strongly for herself to justify her behavior. Her protests fell on deaf ears. "Correct me if I''m wrong, but he didn''t ask you to visit the master bedroom, right?" Leena''s eyes darkened. Any answer other than "no", then she would really have a bone to pick with Kevin. "About this, I think it is only a matter of time." Louisa shed a smug smile. Since Leena said so, she had no reason to insist on going upstairs. As she didn''t even call Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. f coffee?" Leena raised her head and checked the time. It was about time for Kevin to be home. She missed him, and she wondered if he knew this strange, rude woman that she was faced with. Maybe he''d have answers to the questions she was burning to know.But why was he still not back? And what was the rtionship between him and this woman? How did he know her? Were they friends, old ssmates? Or more importantly, was she his ex-girlfriend? Or was she a current one, and he had made a fool of Leena? But that was unlikely. He loved Daisy before, right? "No need. But don''t you get off work now? If you''re off-shift, then it''s time for you to go." Louisa didn''t see Leenast time she came here, so she took it for granted that Leena was the hourly worker that Kevin hired. But the dishes were ready. Wasn''t the worker supposed to leave now? She was getting rather impatient, and didn''t want this woman to spoil her alone time with Kevin. Themander''s daughter was quite nonplussed. When was it time for the servant to depart, then? And it never urred to her that it was rude to suddenly show up at someone''s house unannounced -- particrly around dinnertime. Chapter 936 My Only Wife (Part One) "Get off work?" Leena looked at her in confusion. She couldn''t understand what the woman in front of her was saying at first. Then she remembered the "servant" the woman had mentioned earlier. Leena remembered that this woman had mistaken her for the servant. "I don''t have to get off work. I live here," Leena said. "What? What do you mean by ''live here''? How is that possible? Besides, thest time I was here, I didn''t even see you! Or are you newly hired?" Even as Louisa uttered these words, she felt nervous. She had a bad feeling about this. What if what she was thinking was true? Leena pursed her lips and was about to exin, but right then, she heard a sound of someone opening the door. She stopped and turned to look at it. She knew it must be Kevin, since it was time for him toe back from work. Leena rxed a bit. On the other hand, Louisa panicked. She didn''t know what to do. She had crossed paths with Kevin too many times recently. She doubted he would be happy to see her. Kevin was in a very good mood. Even though he had worked the entire day at the army base, a small smile lingered on his face. However, as soon as he saw Louisa inside the house, his eyebrows drew together and he frowned. Theughter in his eyes disappeared. When he turned to face Leena, his eyes brimmed with affection once again. "Kevin, you are back." Louisa had a big smile on her face, but it seemed to be forced. Her smile hid the anxiety she felt deep down. She was afraid that Kevin would say something that would embarrass her. After all, she hade to his house without even asking for his permission first. It was a bit rude of her,e to think of it. "Yeah! Howe yo hands! Dinner is ready." A sweet smile appeared on Leena''s beautiful face, and it was all because of his small, intimate gesture just now. He had noticed a single strand of her hair falling into her eyes and pushed it behind her ear. It looked like he was truly paying attention. She was moved by his action and forgot about the rude words Louisa had said to her that made her so unhappy. "Oh! I forgot to introduce you two to each other. This is Louisa Ye, daughter of themander. You two already met just now, right?" Kevin asked Leena. He wanted to make sure Leena knew who Louisa was, so her suspicions would be at rest. Besides, Louisa was already in the room, so she must have at least introduced herself when she rang the bell. "Oh, you are Miss Ye. Nice to meet you. I''m Leena Leng," Leena spoke, introducing herself to Louisa in a friendly manner. She put out her hand, wanting to shake Louisa''s. But to her surprise, Louisa just bluntly ignored her. She snorted, like she didn''t want to bother shaking hands with her. It seemed very rude, not only to Leena, but also to Kevin. He was Leena''s husband, after all. Chapter 937 My Only Wife (Part Two) Leena just smiled forcefully. She withdrew her hand, feeling awkward as she dropped it to her side. She had thought that Louisa would at least return the friendly gesture. But it looked like she was wrong. Was she stupid to think that everybody could be nice? "Louisa, what are you doing?" Kevin saw the exchange between the two women. He frowned and looked at Leena, an apology in his eyes. He didn''t know what had gotten into Louisa. Why would she act like this? He had always called Louisa ''Miss Ye'' before, but she vexed him. He addressed her by her first name, being stern. "Kevin, she is just a housekeeper. Why do you even care?" Even though Louisa saw Kevin help Leena with her hair, she didn''t read too much into it. She thought that he was being nice and it was just a spur-of-the-moment action. What she didn''t realize was that an employer would never be that intimate with someone who was just his employee. "What? Housekeeper? Who told you that Leena is my housekeeper?! For your information, she is my one and only wife!" Kevin stared at Louisa with anger in his eyes. What was she saying? Why was she acting so arrogantly toward Leena? ''She must be out of her mind right now.'' he thought. Even if Leena was actually his housekeeper, it would be very ill-mannered of Louisa to treat her like that. "Umm... What? Are you telling me that this woman is your wife? How is that possible?" Louisa took a step back in utter disbelief at what she heard. She couldn''t ept his harsh words. Was Kevin joking? Was he messing with her? He must be, ri ship. I am very fortunate to have her as my wife," Kevin said, looking at Louisa with disdain. She had absolutely no right to talk about Leena like that. As a matter of fact, she shouldn''t insult ANYONE like that. She was being extremely presumptuous and disrespectful. He had considered her a nice girl, but it seemed to him that he had been awfully wrong. Besides, whether or not Leena was the right one for him was none of her business. Only Kevin could decide that. He had spoken the truth. Leena was the one for him. It didn''t matter what Louisa believed. "But won''t you feel embarrassed and ashamed when you take her out? That such a woman is your wife?" Louisa insisted. She presumed that Leena was from an ordinary family and didn''t have much money. She was not afraid to hurt her or make her angry. ''Besides, what could Leena do to me anyway?'' Louisa thought haughtily. Kevin had clearly made a big mistake. But it was all right, because she had set her mind to make him realize that. She was being mean and hurtful on purpose. Chapter 938 My Only Wife (Part Three) "Miss Ye, I was not under the impression that I was such an insufferable woman in your eyes! Don''t you think you are being awfully rude to me inside my own house? Just unbelievable!" Leena finally asserted, when she couldn''t bear to listen to what was being said about her. She knew that Louisa didn''t like her, for whatever reason, but she couldn''t take her being this disrespectful incessantly! ording to Leena, Louisa was a self-centered and selfish woman who didn''t consider other people''s feelings. That deeply disgusted her. She was insufferable. "Well, you should know my answer to your question. Why are you even asking me?" Louisa smirked, aiming her eyes towards Leena. She was so engrossed in vilifying Leena that shepletely forgot where she was standing at the moment. Moreover, she had no idea who she was trash talking about. "I''m sorry. I don''t know what you are talking about. My family has raised me right. They taught me to be a kind woman, and not judge people by their appearances or family background." Leena was vexed with Louisa''s attitude toward her. Why the hell was she acting like she had a right to belittle her? How could she be so conceited? There was a deep frown on Leena''s adorable face. It was clear that she was pissed off. She stared at Louisa with eyes full of wrath. "You mean to say that I''ve not been taught good manners?" Louisa immediately retorted, quite sensitive about this topic herself. She understood what Leena was getting at. "I didn''t say that. But if you''d like to think so, then I don''t have anything more to say." In all honesty, Leena rarely got mad. She was such a nice and easy-going person most of the time. Even though she was from a rich family, it didn''t change the fact that she had an exceedingly kind heart. She was the type of girl who Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. timate with another man. "Well! Do you really think that being close to one''s own brother is inappropriate?" Kevin asked her in return. At the same time, he didn''t understand why he was bothering to exin this to Louisa. She was just an uninvited guest. This was none of her business. She didn''t have the right to judge their family at all. Besides, he had faith in Leena. "W...what? Brother?" Louisa stuttered, astonished at Kevin''s words. Reluctantly, she turned to look at Leena. She couldn''t believe that the mysterious man was her brother. That man was dressed so elegantly and looked so wealthy. But Leena? Leena just looked like an ordinary girl. "Yes, ''brother''. Now, do you have any more questions to ask? If not, we are nning to have dinner now." Kevin told her caustically. He was discreetly asking her to leave because she was interfering with their ns. He didn''t make it so obvious because it was up to Louisa herself to leave. "Oh! I''m sorry. Ipletely forgot about that. I will get going.I''m really sorry for holding up your dinner." Louisa bit her lower lip, speaking reluctantly. To be frank, she didn''t want to leave at all, but she didn''t have anymore reason to stay. Chapter 939 My Only Wife (Part Four) "Well, since it''s dinner time, why don''t you stay and have supper with us?" Leena was indeed very kind. Though she was still mad at Louisa, she couldn''t just forget her manners. That was why she asked her to stay for dinner. "Yeah. Leena is right. Have dinner with us. You are not a stranger here anyway." Kevin said, only because he had a good rtionship with Louisa''s father, themander. But to Leena, the words sounded different. She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then silently turned around and started walking towards the kitchen area. Now it was up to Louisa if she wanted to stay for dinner or not. Leena had already asked her politely. She was being too nice about what just happened. But it was not her business anymore. "Thank you for your offer, but I don''t want to intrude. I can go home and have dinner myself." Though Louisa was indeed d at their suggestion, she reluctantly declined their offer. She didn''t want to seem so eager. However, the thought of staying at Kevin''s ce for some more time delighted her. "That''s alright. You are not intruding. Just stay for dinner, will you?" Since Leena already invited Louisa to join them for dinner, he couldn''t just pick a fight and disagree with his wife. At the same time he thought of themander, realizing that it would not be nice of him to ask his daughter to leave immediately. After all, she was like a little sister to him. All in all, he couldn''t be displeased about this and throw her out. "Okay, if you insist." Louisa wanted to stay not because she was hungry and had to eat. She just wanted to see if Leena was a good cook. After all, she was not a wealthy girl. If she was not even a good cook, then what did Kevin see in her? Louisa was bitte Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. she still disliked her very much. Kevin was also here and he seemed to be very protective of Leena. Louisa didn''t want to leave a bad impression in front of him. However, she didn''t realize that Kevin was already angry at her for her actions earlier. "You are very lucky today. Let me tell you, Leena is a very good cook. You are in for a treat." Kevin was never shy aboutplimenting Leena''s culinary skills in front of others. To him, it was rare for a girl from a wealthy family to be able to cook. And Leena was not just able to cook, she also made very delicious meals. He wouldn''t have imagined that a spoiled girl like Leena could do all that before he met her. She was a precious woman indeed. "Yeah, okay. I have heard about that most children from poor families can cook. After all, they have to manage the household affairs early, right?" Kevin had said that the mysterious, handsome man she saw meeting Leena was her brother. And from the way he dressed, Louisa knew that he must be very rich. However, she just couldn''t bite her tongue. She spat out the mean words. It seemed like this was the only way she could do to make herself feel better. Chapter 940 She Doesnt Love You (Part One) "You''re right. Just as that saying goes, children who grow up in poor families are better equipped to deal with the problems in their lives," Leena answered with a smile. She wasn''t angered by Louisa''s ridicule, nor did she think that it was necessary for her to defend herself. What Louisa thought about her didn''t affect her at all. If Louisa believed that Leena belonged to a poor family, she was totally fine with it. Kevin looked at Leena in astonishment. He didn''t understand why she was making a secret of her family. But if she wanted to conceal her background, he would not reveal it in front of Louisa. Maybe Leena had her own reasons. Kevin would support her under any circumstances. Louisa was under the impression that Kevin was boasting of Leena''s cooking skills. But to her intense surprise, the dishes were so tasty that she buried herself in the food. Louisa had to admit that Leena was much better at cooking, but she didn''t consider it to be a big deal. After all, rich families had their own private chefs. Knowing how to cook was not a necessity that a man looked for in a wife. "Mrs. Gu, what do you do?" Louisa asked as she took a sip of the lemonade in front of her. She gave her a once-over, not bothering to conceal her dislike for Leena, even though Kevin was present in the same room. She wanted to belittle Leena in an attempt to disy her superiority. "Oh, I work in the fashion industry," Leena answered honestly. She didn''t think it was necessary to hide that fact. Kevin treated Louisa like a younger sister, so Leena decided to be nice to her. "What? The fashion industry? Are you kidding me? You look like a country bumpkin!" If Kevin weren''t here, Louisa would haveughed out loud and mocked Leena with the meanest words. "Louisa, show some respect," Kevin said with a scowl. He had been nice to Louisa before, but her disrespect toward Leena was infuriating him. He knew Louisa had a thing for him, but he treated her like his sister. If she dared to offend Leena again, Kevin wouldn''t mind teaching her a lesson, even if she was the daughter of his superior. "Kevin, I was just telling the truth. She really does look like a country bumpkin," Louisa grumbled, pursing her lips. Her heart broke when Kevin shouted at her because of another woman. "It''s okay, Kevin. Don''t me her. I admit that Miss Ye has better taste in fashion," Leena said, smiling at him sweetly. bowls and chopsticks after dinner. He didn''t agree with what most people said, that women should do all the housework. He was always busy at his own work and seldom had time to share the housework with Leena. He was quite ashamed of that. "Miss Ye, have some fruit please." Leena poured Louisa a drink and peeled her fruits with a friendly smile, as if she was not angered by Louisa''s attitude at all. "Leena Leng, don''t you think it''s inappropriate for you to ask Kevin to do the housework? Especially in front of me, a guest?" Louisa asked her seriously. She truly felt sorry for Kevin and believed that Leena didn''t deserve a good man like him. "Why do you think of it that way? We are a family and both of us want to contribute. Kevin cares about me and wants to share the housework with me. I really appreciate it," Leena exined as she sat down on the sofa gracefully. Louisa''s eyes widened, and she felt like she was watching an elegantdy who was born with a silver spoon. Louisa shook her head, getting rid of the thought. "You are a stay-at-home woman, but Kevin is always busy with work. He must have been exhausted after working the entire day. Don''t you think it''s a little selfish of you to ask him to do the housework after that?" The happiness on Leena''s face was a real eyesore to Louisa, and thetter really felt like gouging her eyes out. "Miss Ye, do you really think a stay-at-home wife should do all the housework? I suppose you are going to make yourself an example of that, huh?" Leena sneered, sighing to herself. ''Oh god, can somebody save me from this outdated conversation?'' Chapter 941 She Doesnt Love You (Part Two) "Bah! You are talking nonsense! Do you even know who I am? Unlike you, I''m from a rich family and I have servants," Louisa said with the pride of a peacock. "Yes, you are. But Kevin and I are from average families. We have to share the housework, otherwise it would be too tiring if just one of us do all of it." Leena liked cooking for Kevin, but didn''t like to wash the dishes as she hated to touch the grease. She had wanted to buy a dish-washing machine, but Kevin said he would wash the dishes in the future. Leena was d to ept his offer. "That''s only because you''re toozy to wash the dishes. Don''t you feel ashamed of yourself?" Louisa found that no matter what she said, Leena just didn''t take it seriously. Leena didn''t seem angry at all! Louisa''s frustration crept up to her. "Why should I feel ashamed of myself? He is my husband. He loves me and cares about me. Is there something wrong with that?" The reason why Leena sat here and made small talk with Louisa was because she was a weing host. But that didn''t mean that she was happy talking to Louisa. Truthfully, Leena wanted to throw Louisa out so badly. "Leena Leng, are you trying to gloat about the love between you and Kevin in front of me?" Louisa asked angrily. She couldn''t believe what Leena was saying. "No, I don''t have to gloat about our love. It is naturally obvious. But I guess youck love, huh?" Leena couldn''t help but taunt Louisa. She was a smooth talker. After all, he that lies down with dogs, rises up with fleas. Leena''s brothers all had glib tongues. "What are you two talking about? You are talking very happily." Kevin asked as he walked out of the kitchen, picking up a paper towel to wipe his hands. "Hey, Kevin, take a seat." Louisa scooted over to make room to Kevin. To her disappointment, Kevin walked right to Leena and sat down next to her. They looked intimate sitting together. "Are you done?" Leena asked as she poured out a ss of water and handed it to him. After having lived with Kevin for some time, she had noticed that he was used to drinking a ss of water after his me elp but ask Kevin. In her eyes, she was the only person in the world who deserved him. They were made for each other. "Not this again. Why? I think Leena and I are perfect together." Kevin wanted to scold her, but bit back his words. He didn''t think it was necessary to argue with her. Louisa had gone off the deep end, and nobody was able to sober her up. Kevin could only tell her that he loved Leena very much and that it was of no use if she tried to create trouble for them. "She doesn''t deserve you at all! You were exhausted after a day''s work, but she didn''t care about you and even asked you to do the housework. Aren''t you mad about that?" Louisa pursed her lips as sheined. "You think men shouldn''t do housework? And what about women? You think women should do all of it?" Kevin asked in disbelief. Louisa was a woman. Why did she always take men''s side? "I didn''t mean to say that. She doesn''t love you, Kevin," she said, her lips trembling. Louisa wanted to tell him that it was she who loved him, but was too timid to say it out loud. "So ording to you, if you love someone, you should do all the housework? I don''t think that logic is right." Kevin knew how much Leena loved him ¡ª though she''d never said it in front of him ¡ª but he could tell. Even if he was unable to love her fully right now, he believed that she would be the only woman in his heart sooner orter. Chapter 942 Do You Regret (Part One) "If she loves you, she''ll do anything for you. That''s a simple test."This was how Louisa tried to make herself look better than Leena, by indicating that she''d do everything for Kevin. Louisa was well aware that Leena was stiffpetition. "So you''re okay if your husband lies around all day and never does anything for you? You''d keep loving a guy like that?" It was normal for a husband and wife to share household chores. But how could Louisa think Leena waszy and averse to housework? Kevin was furious. "Depends on the work he''s doing. If he does what you do, I wouldn''tin. I''d keep the house nice for you, so when youe home you could rx. Not like her." Louisa spat thest word, and indicated Leena with a tilt of her head.Actually, Louisa was baring her heart to Kevin rather than making small talk. "You just don''t know Leena. She''s grown a lot since we first got together. Besides, shepletely changed how I felt about rich kids. She''s a wonderful sweet girl, despite having the potential to be really stuck up."Kevin smiled amiably. He had already noticed Leena''s many virtues. There was more to her than just a pretty face. "Of course. She grew up a Cindere girl. And now she''s rich after marrying you," said Louisa ironically.Louisa didn''t understand what Kevin was talking about. There was no way this gal was from wealthy family. Her bearing, her cloying innocence, no way! She firmly believed that Leena must have married Kevin for the money. "It''s not like that. Leena is the one with the family and the money -- never mind. Why am I even exining this to you? Here''s the elevator. I''ll see you out. Goodbye," said Kevin.Kevin pushed the elevator button, and shook his head helplessly. He found it ridiculous to have to tell Louisa how it was. His married life was his private business. She should have never tried to intrude. "Yeah. See youter," answered Louisa disappointedly.She special bond that no outsider could ever touch. Even outside the military, they remained good pals. She was just the daughter of one of those friends. "Do you really think Louisa''s all that innocent?" Kevin frowned, and thought that Leena was unusually reasonable. Was it normal for a loving wife to respond this way? Had he gotten her all wrong? ''Maybe she doesn''t love me as much as I thought. Otherwise, why would she not care that another woman came to her house to steal her hubby?'' thought Kevin bitterly. "How do you want me to react? Scream? Yell? I''m not that kind of woman! What? You think of me as a country bumpkin too?" Leena looked at her husband in bewilderment. She had been well-educated since childhood. Although she was a bit naive, she certainly would never allow herself to be provoked that way. She was ady of refinement, elegance, and grace, despite her youthful exuberance. Flying into a rage was beneath her. "I thought you hadn''t been bothered at all. Obviously I was wrong.You do take her seriously, don''t you?" Kevin couldn''t help smiling. Leena''s calmness and indifference had made him think that she was delusional and just pretended Louisa didn''t exist. It turned out that she did care about him, at least as much as a devoted wife was supposed to do. Chapter 943 Do You Regret (Part Two) "Bullshit. She just harped on it a lot and was getting on my nerves. But still, I''m not changing the way I do things because of her. I know who I am, and I am not her. She can take her words and stick ''em where the sun doesn''t shine." Leena kept her eyes open, and stared into Kevin''s soul. She wanted to know what he was thinking. "I''m sorry.You must be upset," said Kevin apologetically.Kevin took her in his arms. Young and willful as she was, he thought she might get angry and have a meltdown every now and then. But she never did that. Maybe it was because that she was more mature and smarter than most women her age. "Are you apologizing to me on her behalf? Don''t do that. Seeing you do anything for her will upset me and make me think you and her are a real couple. You don''t need to apologize for some crazy skank." Leena looked irritated. ''I''m not a paranoid and crazy woman. But I can still get hurt," she thought to herself. "I''m apologizing for the situation. This whole thing was pretty hard for both of us. I don''t want you to be upset. So, don''t think too much. I''m telling you straight up, no hidden meanings."Kevin got nervous when Leena treated him indifferently and apathetically. People processed their emotions in their own way, but that didn''t mean that her coldness made him feel any better. He knew Leena was generous, kind and reasonable. He felt lucky to have married a girl like her. "Do you think I''m mean? Come on, Kevin. I have already given up expecting you to love me too much. But as for me flying off the handle -- I thought you knew me better than that. If you did know me, then you wouldn''t have said that to me," said Leena. You could almost hear the tears behind her words. She couldn''t help mocking her love and marriage as well as her husband''s devotion to her.If Kevin did love her, he would have known her better. "You got me all wrong, honey. Or do you think I cheated as the handsome CEO was about to leave the meeting room of Kompass Group. Shaun gritted his teeth and glowered at the man. He wouldn''t have lost if his father hadn''t negotiated an agreement with Edward behind his back. "Mr. Gao, don''t be a fool. I never said that I''ll always win. I just won this time, and quite possibly, the next. However, I wouldn''t have even bothered if you hadn''t tried to purchase MY Mall''s shares. So I decided to y with you when you tried to mess with me. But you''re a terrible rival. You were so stupid that it was almost boring," answered Edward coldly and proudly.If Shaun was trying to throw Edward off, he failed miserably. Edward retained hisposure in spite of Shaun''s deliberate provocation. He never took Shaun seriously, knowing that he was a weak opponent, as well as a clown. He knew he could bring the head of Kompass Group down easily, and that was what he did. "Oh,e on, you smug prick.Just wait and see.Kompass will be on top very soon. I can promise you that." Shaun clenched his fist, and refrained from punching Edward on his scornful face. However, he couldn''t pick a fight with Edward, because he was actually weaker both physically and mentally. He knew on an instinctual level that he would be humbled in the exchange. Chapter 944 Do You Regret (Part Three) "Yeah? Are you serious? I''m looking forward to seeing you fail. Don''t make me wait too long," Edward smiled fearlessly.Shaun had threatened him more than once, but he never seeded. "Listen man, all this pride and overconfidence will kill you. You better keep a close watch on yourpany. One day it''ll be my turn tough when yourpany is seriously threatened or even brought down by one of your enemies. I''m certain that lots of guys would like to do that for me, am I right?" Shaun gritted his teeth. He wondered why he was the loser, while Edward, handsome and smart as he was, could appear much stronger and more confident, win almost everything and control everything. Was he so superior to other men? Was he a god, that he could do as he pleased without any consequences. Shaun was sure that karma would nip Edward in the bud. "Thanks for the warning. I''ll keep one eye open. After all, there are too many jealous and sick people in this world. I''d better be ready." Edward wouldn''t swallow his anger after taking a beating. He had to beat back. "Are you saying I''m sick and jealous?" yelled Shaun. He was so angry that blue veins stood out on his temples.However, he had to hold back. This couldn''t turn violent, since his father''s remarks still rang in his mind. He couldn''t disobey his father''s orders. "Aren''t you sick? Otherwise, why did you attack me for no reason? Listen, if I were you, I''d think long and hard before doing anything. The wrong decisions could get you or your family killed," said Edward in a threatening tone.Edward wasn''t as merciful and friendly as Daisy. He meant every word he said. Anybody who was dumb enough to cross him must be punished. Without exception. nd set you up to fail. You have to know what she was up to by now." There was no harm in letting Shaun know the whole story. He only did this for the sake of Shaun''s father.The fact that Melissa used Shaun was actually none of his concern. He shouldn''t have poked his nose into Shaun''s business. "Fuck off.I''m not a fool. If she did set me up on purpose, I''d have to teach her a lesson," said Shaun angrily.Shaun recalled that Melissa hadn''te to their prearranged rendezvous. He had his suspicions as to why she hadn''t appeared as nned. Was Edward telling the truth? Did Melissa use him? Did she really have no remorse or pity like Edward? "If you don''t believe me, then forget what I said. Bad joke.But remember, instead of purchasing all of Kompass'' shares, I chose to let you live for your father''s sake. Now I need you to shape up and stop being foolish. Next time I won''t be so nice," said Edward matter-of-factly. "Are you threatening me?"Shaun was well and truly annoyed by Edward''s arrogance. However, Edward''s warnings and threats pissed him off further. He was shaking with anger when he looked Edward in the eye. Chapter 945 An Old Trick (Part One) "Actually, I don''t consider it a threat. But if that''s what makes you happy, then be my guest. Be that way." Edward nced at Shaun coldly before stepping away from him. It was unnecessary for him to exin to Shaun. It all came down to his own judgement. Shaun, of course, could choose to interpret his words otherwise, but it didn''t seem worth the price to pay if he was wrong! "Remember what you said today, Edward, because that''s what exactly I want to tell you. You''d better pray as hard as you can that you will always be a rich, young CEO, that you can keep yourpany running smoothly. If you don''t, you''ll lose everything and live as a dog, working for others, going wherever they kick you." Shaun murmured those words through clenched teeth while staring daggers at Edward''s back as the CEO of FX walked away. A wicked smile broke across Shaun''s face as if some evil idea had urred to him. Edward paused when Shaun said that. He didn''t even turn his head but simply replied,"Don''t worry! If I lose everything, so will you." After saying this, he left without hesitation. "Damn it! You are not better than me! All you have is your pretty-boy appearance and your money that you got from your parents! Edward, you have nothing. You are nothing. All you have is your mom and dad. You''re not worthy to insult me!" Shaun spat and cursed behind Edward''s back as he walked away. Compared to Edward, Shaun was destined to be a loser the moment he was born, as a handsome face and a wealthy family would only be fantasies in his mind. He couldn''t hold a candle to Edward. Luke ran to the CEO as soon as he stepped out of the offices of Kompass Group. His darkened face immediately caught Edward''s attention. "What''s wrong, Luke? You look so worried!" said Edward with a frown. Something must have happened when he was inside the offices of Kompass Group for the meeting. Judging from Luke''s expression, it didn''t go well. "Mr. Mu, we have been misled by Jessica this time. I was informed just now that she nned to attack your parents," Luke said, flustered. He could not help but feel worried for Edward''s parents, although he was fully aware that they were safeguarded by the Mayfly guys. In Luke''s opinion, Edward''s parents were more than just his bosses. In addition to offering him a job, they took care of him and ld invest here, both for Shaun''s sake. As a businessman, he had to seriously consider the economic environment of H City. He needed to see some return on that investment, as that was by no means a small amount of money. He sincerely hoped that his investment would inject some vitality to this city, which would, of course, make his wallet fatter. Jessica never imaged that the shares she acquired were fake. It was true that she''d failed to seduce Shaun and trap him. Instead of taking Jessica''s bait, Shaun seeded in swindling her. Jessica scolded herself for her stupidity. She would have known nothing about the fake shares if she hadn''t read the news about the cooperation between FX International Group and Kompass Group. Her confidence in Shaun''s trust in her was totally a joke. He yed her. Edward''s predictions came true. She never posed any kind of threat to him. Instead of getting men to surrender through her charms, she ended up being used by them. In Jessica''s opinion, this was all Edward and Daisy''s fault. But she jumped the gun, and decided on stupid actions without considering the risks. Since it was difficult to teach Daisy a lesson, she changed her ns and set her sights on Edward''s parents. The investigation she conducted secretly when she stayed in the city revealed no bodyguards around Edward''s parents. They werepletely unprotected. Jessica had made ruining Edward the sole purpose of her life, the only thing she could do. She was homeless now. She would never give up her revenge until Edward was homeless too. Chapter 946 An Old Trick (Part Two) "Are you Miss Xue? Why did you ask me to meet you here?" Cynthia studied Jessica with a look of suspicion. Somehow, a strange feeling took possession of her. This Miss Xue seemed familiar both in her appearance and behavior. But Cynthia was quite sure that she had never met Miss Xue before. She wondered why Miss Xue wanted to see her. Miss Xue even threatened to hurt Daisy if the proposed meeting was refused. That frightened Cynthia. She wondered why Miss Xue was so desperate in asking a meeting with her that she would threaten Daisy. How much did she know about her family? Although Daisy was Cynthia''s daughter-inw, she treated Daisy like her daughter. She would do everything to protect Daisy. It seemed Miss Xue knew well how she felt about Daisy, and was confident that she could call this meeting for Daisy''s life on the line. "Actually, this is not our first meeting, Mrs. Mu." Cynthia still looked young. Her beautiful face and slender figure aroused jealousy in Jessica''s heart. To cover up her envy, Jessica looked at Cynthia in a cold manner. She barely held it together. "Who are you? Should I know you?" Cynthia took her seat in Jessica''s opposite. Wearing delicate make-up and dressing herself up gorgeously, Cynthia looked like ady enlivened from a Renaissance picture. Her graceful behavior added to her noble air. "Aha, what a terrible memory you have, Mrs. Mu. I never imagined you''d forget me so easily. I''m your son''s ex. You should remember me. Your son gave me a baby, and I almost gave birth to it." Jessica could not help but feel hurt when she spoke of the baby she lost. She no longer had feelings for Edward, but the wound of the miscarriage was still raw. After all, it used to be part of herself. That miscarriage had even made her infertile. The wound which would never heal, only left her with evesting agony. "You''re Jessica. But you look so different." Cynthia finally realized Miss Xue''s true identity by her mentioning of the baby. How could it be possible for her to forget Jessica and her miscarried baby. She had imed that the baby was her g met. Do you agree? Daisy is my daughter-inw. I know what type of woman she is. Even if she hurts me in the future as you said, I will not me it on her. I will do everything I can to protect her, and she deserves it," said Cynthia coldly. But her calm tones only upset Jessica even more. It was unbearable that her suffering and agony meant nothing in others'' eyes. "I have made a mistake reaching out to you. Since you are stupid enough to have Daisy as your daughter-inw, then you must pay. What other advice can I give you?"said Jessica. She stared at Cynthia in a cold manner, expecting to see her get enraged. But not a wrinkle was furrowed on Cynthia''s forehead. She had retained her aloof attitude ever since the beginning of their conversation. Jessica finally became enraged, and her n to anger and humiliate Cynthia had failed. She was no more than a joke in Cynthia''s eyes. "Mind your own business, Jessica. The affairs of the Mu family have nothing to do with you. Please stop poking your nose into our business. You haven''t learned too much from your past experience, have you? Do you want me to teach you another lesson? Or you really think that I''m stupid enough to know nothing about why you were trying to meet with me?" Cynthia shed a charming smile at Jessica. It resembled the one on Edward''s face so much. Obviously, that was a trait inherited from his mother. Chapter 947 An Old Trick "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Jessica tore her gaze away from Cynthia. She was all frustrated and flustered. Cynthia was a sharp woman. It was said that beautiful women were brainless. But this beautiful woman in front of her was by no means a fool. "You of course know what I''m talking about. I''m talking about your purpose of seeing me here. Tell me why you asked to see me." Cynthia wasn''t afraid ofing here alone as she was fully aware that she was well protected. Her bodyguards were posted around her and hid quite skillfully. It was impossible for the so called Miss Xue to set her up. She just came here to figure out who this Miss Xue was. No one dared to threat her. But this Miss Xue, who even threatened her with Daisy''s life, seemed to be an exception. She was either ignorant or reckless in posing such a threat. Cynthia was really curious who this Miss Xue was and why she was so fearless in challenging Jonathan''s wife. That was the reason why she came here. "Since you knew what I was doing, why did youe?" Jessica asked inly. She didn''t bother hiding her n, since she''d already been found out. As Cynthia hade alone, Jessica was confident that Cynthia would never escape the strong thugs she''d hired. In fact, Jessica intended to get Cynthia and Jonathan both. But she didn''t dare to do anything to Jonathan. She had learned from the time she met this man at the anniversary party that he was a dreadful enemy. However, she was sure that if Cynthia died, that would give the Mu n evesting pain and suffering. Jessica didn''t know how much Jonathan loved his wife until recently. He treated Cynthia like the queen of his heart. What would be of Jonathan if he lost his beloved wife forever? Edward was proud of his family, of his amiable parents and his beloved wife. Would his perfect family stay intact if his mother vanished from the face of the earth? Daisy was a superb soldier. Thest time she tried hink about your husband when you said such a sick thing? You''re a mother. What a good example you have set for your daughter-inw!You are no better than a bitch." Jessica twitched her mouth to show her contempt for Cynthia. It was beyond her expectation that such a dignified woman would have such an abject idea and would even speak it out. "Bitch? Jessica, do you think it is a fault to be fond of a beautiful face? So, Jessica, do you mean you don''t like good-looking men? Then what do you think of my son? Do you think he is handsome or not? If he''s not handsome, why did you fall in love with him instead of picking some ordinary guy? And you have gone crazy for him!" A mocking smile broke across Cynthia''s face. What a stupid woman Jessica was! She was teasing Jessica and she was totally falling for it.Jessica didn''t know what true love was. She''d never understood the faithfulness of lovers. She didn''t even try to understand why Cynthia loved her husband. Nor did she understand Cynthia''s love toward her husband. Cynthia just said those words to paint Jessica as a whore. But Jessica was foolish enough to misunderstand it. Jonathan was charming. In Cynthia''s opinion, no other men were more enchanting than Jonathan. Her husband was the only one to whom she was willing to surrender her heart. Chapter 948 A Taste Of Her Own Medicine (Part One) "Yeah, you''re right. Nothing is wrong with women looking at hot guys. Funny you should be expecting a honey trap from me. But seriously, since you have a great rtionship with Daisy, you should pay for what she did to me." Though it had been a long time, the thought of those gross men on top of her made Jessica want to puke. Just like any other woman, deep down, she also cared about her purity. Especially when she was deeply in love with someone. "Are you high? I have to warn you, it''s not easy to make me do anything I don''t want to." Despite of being surrounded by a group of men shing evil looks, Cynthia remained calm. However, she was a little taken aback by this bold move Jessica had made. What was she thinking? It was broad daylight and they were in the downtown area of the city right now. She wondered if it had ever urred to Jessica that what she was nning to do could be seen by other people passing by. It wouldn''t take much for a passing motorist to take notice and call the cops. "Why not? Now that I have told you what I want, don''t expect to walk out here as easily as you walked in," Jessica sneered. She looked at Cynthia''s graceful face and couldn''t help but think about her own mother. She was a gentle woman too, but not as lucky. Not every woman could have what Cynthia had - a husband who adored her and an insanely rich son. "I don''t know if I can walk out here safe and sound, but I sure know that you can''t." Having no intention of drinking any of it, Cynthia nced at the cup of tea in front of her with a scornful look. "Haha, What an arrogant woman! No wonder Edward is so arrogant. I guess people in your family always think that they have as much power as they can get to do whatever they want. Well, this time, I am afraid you''re going to be disa couldn''t handle. Little did she know... "You are right about them hiding in the dark. Since you already said that this is all a scam, I don''t see much point wasting any more of my time here. Let''s call it a day. Call me another day when you think of something fun to do," Cynthia said, standing up from her chair as if those thugs surrounding her didn''t even exist. It was already enough trouble for her toe all the way there to the meeting, and she didn''t intend to waste another minute talking with Jessica. A minute was too long. "Wait a minute. Do you really think that you can walk out here that easily?" As she finished her words, Jessica briskly pped her hands to send the signal to attack. She was irritated by the way Cynthia ignored her threat. Her people would see to that she regretted it. "Do you think you can stop me with these guys you brought here? Don''t make meugh," Cynthia retorted contemptuously, holding her head high. There was no one in the world, expect for her family, that could threaten her into doing anything. "Guess we''ll see about that." The other side showed no sign of withdrawing. Jessica meant serious business and was confident about herself. Chapter 949 A Taste Of Her Own Medicine (Part Two) "All right. Now open your eyes and watch how I walk out here as I have walked in." Straightening her clothes a bit, Cynthia ignored Jessica and walked directly toward the door. Seeing that Cynthia indeed wasn''t intimidated by her words, Jessica hinted to her people that they should get in Cynthia''s way. "You bet I will," replied Jessica, leaning back in her chair with a smug smile on her face. She didn''t believe Cynthia had any chance of walking out safely today. One of the men tried to grab Cynthia''s arm, and a card came out of nowhere, flew over, and hit the man''s hand, leaving a cut so deep that the card literally stood on his hand as he growled in pain. Before anyone could figure out what just happened, more cards came. Secondster, everyone Jessica had brought was taken down, each with multiple cuts on their hands or arms. "What''s going on? Who''s out there?" Jessica began to panic. She was horrified to realize that her n, which took her so much time and effort, was shattered so easily. "Well, I said you couldn''t stop me. now you believe me, right?" Cynthia said with a cold smile. The people who protected her were from The Mayfly, an organization with immense power in all kinds of fields. No one, not even Cynthia herself, had any idea exactly how powerful the organization truly was. "Are you all dead? Get up and catch her. She''s only a woman, for God''s sake!" Jessica shouted, desperate to fight back. Though she sounded tough, she couldn''t help but look around nervously. She couldn''t figure out who had thrown the cards. It gave her the creeps to see that the cards were all directed at her men, without a single one hitting Cynthia who was standing right amidst those people. "Was that sorcery?" a man who got hurt asked abruptly. Soon enough everyone felt the implications. All of the men started to panic, watching Cynthia with horror as if sh the woman she was facing was more than she could handle. "You''re damn right, I am a witch. So you''d better wise up and stop messing with me. FYI, you should really be grateful that my husband isn''t at home, or you''d be dead. Before I go, here''s a piece of advice: let it go. Just stop all this and start being a good person. It''s not toote to start." After she said what she needed, Cynthia walked out. She didn''t know if Jessica would take her advice, but frankly, she didn''t care. She still won the day. Behind her, Jessica stood there dumbfounded, face as pale as a ghost. A pang of disappointment hit Jessica as she realized that not only Cynthia was not hurt, but the people she hired were badly injured. "I didn''t pay you to lie on the ground, you sons of bitches. Get up and bring that woman back!" Jessica said furiously. She was humiliated by the way Cynthia trampled on her n and walked out of the tea house freely while there was nothing she could do to stop her. At the same time, she was also intimidated by those man who protected Cynthia. She didn''t dare to rush out for fear of being hit by those objects that had taken down her people. They seemed to have an array of weapons, and she didn''t want to find out what else they had. Chapter 950 A Taste Of Her Own Medicine (Part Three) "Easy for you to say. You are the only one who isn''t hit and can stand there talking. Catch her yourself," said one member of the gang indignantly. He was telling the truth. They wouldn''t be lying on the ground if they could stand up right now. "If I could catch her myself, why would I hire you people?" Jessica demanded. Her voice, however, was feeble. At this moment, she finally admitted defeat. She couldn''t do anything to Cynthia other than watch her walk away and eventually fade from view. "Speaking of hiring, isn''t it time you paid us, Miss Lin?" Now that their target was gone, those thugs turned to Jessica and started to ask for money. "What the hell am I paying you for? You didn''t even get the job done. How did you get the stones to ask for money, losers?" Jessica stormed, venting her anger on those hired men. "What did you say? We''re losers? Okay, if you''re not a loser, why didn''t you drive away those armed men in the dark?" a man seeming to be the head of the gang spoke up. He red at Jessica in fury. If it wasn''t for the money, he and his men would never let a woman taunt them like school boys. "We had a deal, and it''s your job to get things done. I didn''t expect loser-work for my money, all right?" Jessica continued, without trying to hide her contempt for those men whom she constantly called losers. "Hey bitch, what does that mean? You''re not paying us?" a dreadful evil-looking man threatened, throwing his fist in the air angrily. "What are you going to do if I don''t pay you? Rob me? Tell you what, if you want the money, go and bring that woman to me. Or there l pay you." Jessica was desperate. At this point, she''d give everything just to get rid of those people drooling over her. She hated her own carelessness. She put her own life in danger when she went to deal with these guys, and now she was paying the price. "Money? Do you really think we can be bought by that small amount of money? Oh, honey, you are so naive. Look who we are. We are thugs. We can always get money. And we also fuck when we want. And since you already delivered yourself, how can we refuse?" Like a cue in a movie, the rest of the men broke out in wildughter. They now started to tantly check out Jessica''s body, especially her ample bosom. Eyes greedy, they slowly climbed up from the ground as if couldn''t wait to jump on the beauty in front of them. "No, you can''t do this. Here, have my car. And all of my savings. If that''s not enough, my boyfriend has more. He''s the CEO of Kompass Group in H City. He''d be happy to give you money for helping me." Jessica was drowning in desperation, and the only hope she had was for Shaun to save her. Chapter 951 Dont Hurt Me (Part One) "Of course, we''ll take the money. As for you... We will not let you go." The gang leader said as he lifted Jessica''s chin. He could have let her go if only she hadn''t insulted them that hard. It was too bad that Jessica''s word angered him that much though. "No, no, no. Don''t do this to me! I am begging you. Please, let me go!" Jessica''s tears welled as her body trembled in fear. "Ha-ha! "Let you go? Are you kidding? What am I supposed to tell my friends if I let you go? Someone needs to satisfy their desires, right?" The gang leader''s wildughter echoed in that ce. Then, just before Jessica could even realize his n, his hand grabbed on her low cut chiffon blouse and tore it mercilessly. Excitement and lust shed from every gangsters'' eyes at the sight of her full and luscious baster breasts. "Ah... Please! Don''t... don''t... hurt me." Jessica kept struggling and fighting back. Her eyes were wide with immeasurable terror. A second rape would be too much for her to take. She couldn''t just let that happen! "Close the door. This is her ce, anyway. We don''t have to find a new ce to do anything." The gang leader ced his nasty hands on Jessica''s breasts and started rubbing her through her bra, pinching and squeezing. "Okay, boss. I haven''t touched such a tasteful woman for a long time. You guys have to wait for me." A footman said and quickly went to the door. "Just go, you little bastard! She is all yours." All other gangstersughed at the gang leader''s erection. The longer he stared at Jessica, the lewder and dirtier his erotic ns got for her. "What are you doing? Get your hands off me!" Jessica pushed him away desperately but she was no match to his strength. All the energies and efforts she exerted were just in vain. "Get my hands off you? How can I make you happy if I don''te near you?" The gang leader''s belt buckle made a sound against the floor after he undid it. His obscene eyes went back to Jessica. He was ready to devour her. "You''re a low-down, cowardly, nasty thing!" She struggled to cover her breasts with her hands upon realizing that she couldn''t push him away. It was a wrong move, because the gang leader wasn''t just after her plump breasts anymore. He wicked However, it didn''t stop Edward from being rmed. "What? Did you go to see her? Did she do anything to you?" He began scanning Cynthia with concern stered on his face. He might appear unconcerned about his parents but that was nothing but a fat lie. He had loved them in silence. "She did want to do something to me but unfortunately, she failed." Cynthia smiled and felt lucky that Jessica wasn''t her daughter-inw. Otherwise, she would be pissed off every day. "Did she try to hurt you?" Edward''s cold eyes narrowed as he thought, ''Jessica, you aren''t afraid to die, are you? It seems that I really underestimated you.'' "Yes but she failed." The aged woman said as she especially stressed herst word. "Why would you ask that? Do you already know anything about what happened?" Her gaze at him turned from sweet to suspicious as ideas that he might already know something in advance hit her. "Well. No." Edward was a little flustered and quickly evaded her probing eyes. "No? You must be lying or else you would look at me directly while saying that." Cynthia knew that her son was hiding something. She might not have cared so much about his words before but then she knew him too well. He was her child after all. "I don''t know anything. You are being paranoid." The man was about to enter their house when his mother suddenly stepped on his way to block him. "You really don''t know that, huh?" She continued to ask. She badly wanted to know if her child was lying. Chapter 952 Dont Hurt Me (Part Two) "I already told you I really don''t know." Edward insisted with his lie. He feared to tell her that he already anticipated Jessica to take revenge on her all along. "OK. Fine." Cynthia gave up on asking her son. "I''ll ask Lukie instead. He will tell me everything." The woman knew that Luke was aware of everything. since he had been following Edward every day. It was only then that she stepped aside to give way for her son. "Why would you ask him?" Edward''s brows furrowed He was certain that Luke would not tell anyone about him without his permission. But dang! He would probably say everything to Edward''s Mom. "Don''t you want to tell me? Then I''ll have to turn to him for help!" Cynthia raised her chin as she looked at her son. Pride was on her face as she could see that she was able to corner her child. "Fine. Let me tell you everything then. I did know that Jessica would take revenge on you. I knew my dad would be there to protect you and it was the reason why I didn''t tell you. Besides, he will send some bodyguards to protect you anyway even if he is not around. What was there to take seriously?" Honesty was the only choice left for Edward. There was no point of hiding it anymore as it was obvious that his mother would do everything just to squeeze the information out of Luke. "Oh, you fool! Are you sure you are my son? How can you not take this seriously?" Cynthia patted Edward on the back in dismay. ''Fortunately, I have a reliable husband to help me. If I had only depended on my son, it would have been me and not Jessica who is suffering now, '' she thought. "I trusted Dad. That''s why I didn''t take it seriously. I didn''t know that he wasn''t following you like a shadow today though." He trusted his dad, which was the main reason why Edward didn''t bother to tell his mother about what was going on. However, he never expected things to turn out like this. "Speaking of that, you''re the one who pissed Jessica off. Isn''t it unfair that it is always me or Daisy who ends up getting hurt? Howe you''re always safe and sound?" Cynthia pretended to be sad as she asked. It would be good for Edward to feel a little guilty even if she wasn by one." Cynthia rubbed her hands together anxiously. Her mistake was both stupid and unbelievable. "He will not cry but I''m sure he''ll be angry. Don''t worry. He''ll be fine." Edward was talking as he walked to the garage. He was halfway to it when he met Luke. "What''s the matter, Mr. Mu? Are you going out again? Did something happen?" Luke was puzzled upon seeing his master in such a hurry. They just got home. Why was he going out again? "Yes. My mother forgot to pick up Justin. I''ll pick him up now." He shut his mouth and then continued for the garage. "Why don''t you just wait at home? Let me pick him up." Luke offered as he thought that he would be following whoever picked the kid anyway. If so, why not just do it by himself, right? "No. I''ll have to pick him up myself this time or the little guy will throw a fit." Edward knew his son like the back of his hand. His little man would feel very agitated if he sent someone else to pick him up. However, he wouldn''t be as angry if it was him that Justin would see right on the school gate. "You''re right. Okay then, let me drive for you." With those words, Luke ran to the garage and gave his boss no option to talk. Edward was left frozen on his feet. He epted Luke''s offer and remained standing where he was as he waited for the car. He knew that the man would follow him anyway even if he decided to drive by himself. Therefore, why just not let Luke drive, right? Chapter 953 Did Her Boyfriend Hook Up With You (Part One) Little Justin was squatting in a corner alone when Edward and Luke reached the school gate. Almost all his ssmates were back home and it was only him who was left to wait for someone to pick him up. His cute baby face wasn''t looking good because of anger. His eyes were down as he stared at his shoes. It was not even rocket science to figure out that the child was depressed. "Justin." Edward called him softly from outside the high electric school door. The view of Justin squatting there alone squeezed his heart so bad as it reminded him of his childhood. He had experienced the same, squatting at the corner alone while waiting for someone to pick him up. The only thing different was that nobody came for him before except for the guards. While in this case, his son had him. That was why he insisted toe there no matter how busy he was. He never wanted his son to have the same bitter memories as he had. "Daddy! I am here!" The little child quickly raised his head upon hearing that familiar voice. His gloomy looks instantly lit up as a slight smile cracked his lips. Then, he sprang out from where he was squatting and dashed towards the door. In a heartbeat, he jumped to his father''s wide open arms. "Are you here to pick me up?" "Yes! I''m sorry! Daddy iste," apologized Edward as he wrapped the kid in his strong arms and carried him. He lovingly scanned his little boy''s face. Then without a word, he rubbed his nose yfully with Justin''s. "That''s all right. I know you wille to pick me up," giggled the child as he put his tiny arms around his Daddy''s neck. He was ustomed to waiting since Daisy had always beente due to her work before. Everything was fine with him as long as his Mommy and Daddy remembered to pick him up. " t no clue if Justin understood him or not. But he hoped that Justin would live a free and easy life. He wanted him to learn how to not give much attention to the outsiders. "Understood, Dad! What I need to do next time it happens is to adjust my mind and think differently." Justin shut his mouth tightly after the words. He felt that what his father said was true. He needed to stay calm. "Remember, as a man, we must be strong and rational. Only in this way can we be really good men." Edward scratched the tip of his nose. He could only influence his child but could never control nor rece him. Justin would need to learn how to live his entire life happily. "I''ll keep it in mind, Dad." Although Justin couldn''t understand what Edward exactly meant by saying those, he felt the love and good intention behind it. "Very good! You are indeed my child!" Edward said happily. Justin had always been his pride as he not only inherited all his good qualities but also his mother''s kindness and courage. "Of course, I am the World Invincible Warrior!" Justin''s face beamed with pride as he heard how his Dad praised him. He was suddenly lively and all charged up. Chapter 954 Did Her Boyfriend Hook Up With You (Part Two) "Ha! Let''s see! No matter how invincible you are, you will eventually fail in your mother''s hand." Edward smiled at his child after. They were on that heart-warming moment when Luke unexpectedly kicked the brake forcefully. Edward''s arm reflexively grabbed his child in haste to protect him from being hit. "Mr. Mu, are you all right?" Luke quickly turned to check on them. Worry was stered across his face as he feared that his sudden action hurt the two. "We are okay. What''s the matter?" Edward''s initial reaction was to check on Justin to make sure that he was okay. It was only after he confirmed that his son was okay that he turned back to Luke. "It was Coco. She suddenly stood before our car," answered Luke. He was familiar with the woman since she was one of the most popr film stars. Too bad though that his young Master banned her. Thus, her career kept silent and she hadn''t been seen both on TV and in real life. Nevertheless, he still didn''t know why she would appear all the sudden. "What is she doing in front of our house?" Edward slightly frowned. The woman hadn''te to him ever since what he did. "I don''t know. Shall I ask her to go away?" Luke looked at Coco who remained standing before their car. He secretly admired her courage very much. If he had missed on kicking the brakes by a split second, she would havein on the ground. "Do you think it will be so easy to dispatch her since she came to find me here in our home?" Edward bit on his tongue as he rummaged his mind for Coco''s purpose. "What should we do then? I can maneuver the car around her. But I don''t think that she will stop cornering us." Luke looked at Edward and then looked back at Coco outside the car. "I''ll go to talk to her," decided the handsome CEO as he pushed the car door open. "Daddy..." Justin w not either. Now say it! What is your purpose ofing here?" Edward checked on his watch. Thest thing he would want was for his beloved to see the woman before him. He would never want Daisy to get involved with this kind of troubles. Too bad though that fate wasn''t on his side that time. Darn it! He saw a Humveeing to their direction as soon as he lifted his gaze from his wristwatch. "Are you still asking me why Ie here? Don''t you know it all this time? Are you pretending to know nothing about it?" Coco also spotted the military Humvee approaching them. She might be guilty of wanting to pick a fight with Edward but not with Daisy Ouyang. "How do you expect me to understand something I haven''t done?" Edward frowned and sighed. His precious wife shouldn''t havee back at this time. Why she was so early today? "Yes! You didn''t hurt her, but she was hurt because of you. Of course, you will be so calm." Coco said as she gritted her teeth. She understood that she couldn''t me everything that had happened today to Edward. Nevertheless, she was mad at him. How could he abandon Jessica after he got tired of her? Had he never considered how Jessica would feel for at least once in his life? Chapter 955 Did Her Boyfriend Hook Up With You (Part Three) "Just say what you want to say. Don''t y charades with me." Edward grew impatient as his eyes locked on the approaching Humvee. "Don''t you know everything about S city? How do you know nothing about what I say! If you really don''t understand, I suggest you ask your wicked mother." Coco bit her lip hard. She knew that it was Cynthia whom Jessica met today. How on earth did Cynthia turn out unscratched and Jessica end up badly hurt? "Senior Colonel, it''s Mr. Mu." Mark slowly stepped on the brake and turned to Daisy. "What? Why did he park his car in the middle of the road?" Daisy raised her head from the files she was reading. The National Day that just passed had kept her busy for days. "Oh! He is standing with a woman. Do you want to go out and see what''s happening?" Curiosity was all over Mark''s face as he wondered how Daisy would react. "He is even blocking the way. How can I not go down to see what is happening?" Daisy gently frowned. and then opened the car door. She was instantly standing straight before the woman and Edward in her olive uniform. "What''s the matter? Why are you parking your car here?" Daisy threw a gaze at Coco but refused to greet her. The woman''s arrogant reputation wasn''t something she would consider worthy of any politeness. "Honey, why do youe back so early today?" Edward treated Coco like she was not there. He didn''t even care to answer her pending doubts and just casually turned to greet his wife instead. "Are you saying that you don''t want me to see you dating another woman here?" Daisy''s gaze went to Edward. She wasn''t sure when did this man get so familiar with ? Or are you just ying me?" Coco angrily clenched her fist. It was already difficult for her to deal with Edward. Daisy''sing made things worse. She literally ran out of things to say. "How could that be? You''re too serious for us to y with. I am a woman, and I have no interest in lesbian things. And as for my husband, well, I am just standing here. Do you think I will watch my husband cheating on me?" Daisy had learned a lot about contradicting others from the months she lived with Edward. How else could she even develop such sharp tongue in the first ce? "Do you really want to be mean to me as an officer, Daisy? I am not here to make troubles for you. What are you talking about?" Coco pressed her lips and did not realize that she was negating her own remarks. She used to talk as equally mean as Daisy. But now, she could even shamelessly criticize Daisy. "I didn''t mean anything. I just made my sexual orientation clear to you." Daisy coldly nced at Coco and thought, ''Do you feel ufortable this time? How''d you feel when you taunted me like this before?'' Chapter 956 The Confrontation (Part One) "I hated you at first, Daisy. Then my opinion of you changed when I thought you were a kind woman. I was wrong. It seems that you are just as cruel as Edward," Coco said resentfully. She bit her lips in disappointment after hearing what Daisy just said. "Thank you for your appreciation, but I don''t think that I''m a kind person myself. Thus, I don''t need your recognition." Daisy might be kind but she could also tell right from wrong. She never expected Coco to be good to her as she exactly knew what type of person she was. She wouldn''t be here for any good reason. "Honey, go inside. Let me handle this." Edward was a good husband. He wouldn''t let Daisy be hurt out of something he was involved in. "If you could, then you wouldn''t be standing here and blocking the gate." Daisy rolled her eyes. Coco might not be one of Edward''s ex-girlfriends, but she had rushed to their home directly unannounced. Daisy hated that behavior regardless of the reason. It was inconsiderate, rude, and it disturbed other people''s lives. The CEO ended up rubbing his nose in embarrassment but chose not to retort. Edward was simply the perfect model husband as he never talked back to his wife at all. "Coco, I hope you can get to the point and stop the verbal attacks. I believe that you will not resolve your problems by causing conflicts." Daisy shifted her gaze from Edward to Coco as she assumed the posture and dignity of a Senior Colonel. "Well, at least I just made verbal attacks. You guys hurt people brutally." Coco cast a disdainful nce at Daisy. This was the first time she had seen her in military uniform. She used to think that she was just an ordinary aloof woman, but now, Daisy''s solid presence impressed her. "Really? You might as well want to make that clear. Whom did we hurt? Be honest. Don''t me others for something you did. We won''t deny it if it is our fault. Be advised, though, that if somebody reproaches us for their own doing, we won''t take it silently," Daisy said solemnly, stressing "we" to send the message that she and Edward would be handling the situation as one. "Who else? My cousin Jessica! She was once again raped by some hooligans right after seeing your mom!" Coco een hired by Jessica, they should have taken the money and left. Why would they even do such a terrible thing? The police were working on the case and everything would be clear soon. "You got that right. That''s exactly what I meant. Learn about the facts first before you use someone. Otherwise, you will just make a fool of yourself. I will sue you for nder," Edward said in an icy tone. He and Jessica still had some unfinished business. Coco had the nerve toe to his house to defend her. "Coco, I think I figured out what happened there. I guess your cousin kidnapped my mother-inw just as she did to me before. It is possible that her ns didn''t work well this time. Thus, she failed and became those hooligans'' prey instead. Am I right?" Daisy suddenly found that she was evil too sometimes. She couldn''t help but feel smug as she said those words. A person like Jessica, who never learned her lesson, didn''t deserve pity. "Daisy, are you gloating over my cousin''s misfortunes?" Coco frowned. She couldn''t believe what she had just heard. "So what? You and your cousin have done so many horrible things to me. Time for me to see your karmaing." Daisy thought she had been unduly kind before, which had led to her being bullied around. Her original n for today was to have a good rest after a whole day of work. Never had she expected herself to be standing at the gate of her home dealing with problems. Anger was seriously simmering in her. Chapter 957 The Confrontation (Part Two) "Well said, Senior Colonel Ouyang!" Edward was surprised by Daisy''s remarks. She had always been sympathetic to people. Everything she had said and done in front of Coco was so unlike her at all. "Back off! I''ll deal with youter, you trouble-maker." If Coco wasn''t present, Daisy would have kicked Edward hard. All the female psychos she had met had something to do with him. "What did I do? I just came back from a business trip." Edward felt wronged as he looked at Daisy with an innocent expression. Although Daisy was hard on him in front of another person, he wasn''t mad and acted yfully instead. "But this matter happened because of you, didn''t it?" Daisy nced at him. How could this man cause all this trouble and still have the guts to argue with her? It made Daisy angrier. Everything bad that had happened recently was all because of him. "If you are trying to tell me how much you love each other, don''t bother. It doesn''t mean anything to me. I couldn''t care less." Out of the blue, Coco felt helpless. Many things had made sense now that she was calm. She started to think that maybe she shouldn''t havee over. However, she was still in the denial phase and the reality was too much for her to ept. "You are quite imaginative. Like we are in the mood. Please go. If my mother-inw really did something wrong, I won''t turn a blind eye to it. If she didn''t, I hope you can reflect on your conduct today. Think about whether it is right or not." As a servicewoman, she knew that she should be just and treat everyone equally. On the other hand, she was also a daughter-inw, so it was just natural for her to be inclined to think that Cynthia was a victim and that all Coco had said was mere suspicions. "I believe you for now, Daisy. I''m hoping that you''re an honest person and won''t disappoint us. I''ll go." Coco knew that she wouldn''t get any result even if she stayed longer. Thus, she decided to go back to the hospital and see how Jessica was doing. "Right, go. I hope Jessica is fine even if I hate her. I was angry just now. I hope you won''t take for a while. He called to tell us not to wait for him for dinner," Cynthia replied as she nced at Daisy. She had always liked her in her uniform. She looked aloof and dignified in it. "All right. How are you, Mom? Are you okay?" Daisy put Justin down. He was surely growing up fast. She couldn''t even carry him for long anymore. "Me? I''m fine. Why?" Confusion was suddenly on Cynthia''s face as she wondered about what she meant. "Edward said somebody tried to harm you today. I was worried that you might have got hurt." Daisy was a bit hesitant as she waited for her response. "Oh. That. I''m fine. Those people were stopped by the bodyguards your dad had arranged around me. They weren''t even able toe near me. " Cynthia soundedcent as she answered her question. This was the first time for her to witness the incredible skills that she had been hearing of from Jonathan. "Well, how about Jessica? Was she hurt?" Daisy threaded carefully as she was afraid to say something wrong. She wouldn''t want to hurt her feelings. She knew well that outsiders might not be able to hurt people, but sometimes casual words from family could hurt people deeply. "No. She was fine when I left. Why are you asking? What happened?" Cynthia frowned as her senses automatically warned her that something bad had happened. She was more than sure that the woman was fine when she left. Chapter 958 You Kicked Mr. Mu (Part One) "Yes. I guess she was raped by those she hired. Her cousin came here earlier, demanding justice." Daisy bit her lips and felt sad for Jessica''s misfortune. It was awful when a woman was raped once. Worse, she was raped twice. She was suddenly torn between hating and pitying her. "What? Was she really raped by those guys? I have warned her. I said she would suffer but she didn''t believe me." Cynthia pursed her lips. She was never as kind-hearted as Daisy. She even liked witnessing how evil women got punished. "Yes, she was. But she said your guys did that." Daisy knew that she shouldn''t suspect Cynthia of being so cruel andmitting such a crime. However, she tried to refrain from inquiring but failed. She had to do it even if it hurt Cynthia''s pride. "Well, Why didn''t she tell you that I raped her in person? She does have the face toe here anyway and make trouble for us. If she wants justice, ask her to go to the police. Otherwise, she should keep quiet and try not topromise my reputation," said Cynthia, irritably. She smiled. She had always been forthright and frank and never kept those hideous secrets from her family. However, she refused to admit anything that she hadn''t done. "Mom, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have suspected your integrity," said Daisy apologetically. Daisy pouted her lips as she knew that she made a mistake. She shouldn''t do this even if she was curious. "I''m fine. I know you better than you think. It was your duty that made you inquire. Don''t worry. I won''t put you in a dilemma." Cynthia patted Daisy on her shoulder. Those things wouldn''t have bothered their mind in the past. It was just that things had changed. They had to be careful and stick to some principles in dealing with certain matters. They wouldn''t want Daisy to be identally implicated if something went wrong unexpectedly. "You misunderstood me, Mom. It''s not my job or duty that I''m worried about. I don''t want my family to get involved or even hurt," exined Daisy in a haste. Daisy valued her position and reputation in the army a long time ago because she always regarded her high rank as a bargaining chip to be Edward''s wife. However, it was different now. She still loved her job but her family was more important than anything else in this world. She would doubtlessly choose her family if she was forced to make a choice between her family and her career in the army. After all, you couldn''t purchase a family who loved you and would protect you at all costs no matter how sessful you were in your career. "I know. Please don''t exin anything. Everything is gonna be a Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. rtily. "Alright. Daddy, good luck. Grandma, shall we have dinner right now? We''re not supposed to be here when mommy tries to teach daddy something," said Justin. Then, he took Cynthia''s hand and walked her out of the drawing room to the dining room. He didn''t even give her grandma a choice to talk. "Darling, what do you mean by saying that? You smiled so wickedly. I warn you, don''t turn violent. I''m your husband and your son''s father. It will be really ugly if you punch me on the face. Please, show mercy," said Edward. The CEO pretended to beg for mercy, which wasughable and funny. "Edward, don''t be a fool and behave yourself. Your son and mom might be watching you right now," said Daisy embarrassed. It was only a second after Daisy said that when she suddenly lifted her foot and kicked Edward on the leg unexpectedly and quickly. "Ouch! How dare you kick me this way. You''re being ridiculous and terrible," winced Edward with unbelievable anger. He jumped and then glowered at his wife as he thought, ''Is this woman really my wife? How could a wife kick his husband at home with the slightest provocation? What''s wrong with her?'' "No more nonsense! I just teach you a lesson so you know how to treat your wife nicely and lovingly. Give it a second thought if you intend to misbehave next time," said Daisy. Then, Daisy pped her hands, raised her head triumphantly, and walked to the dining room without even looking back at the possibly injured Edward. "Fuck! What a dangerous wife you''re. Merciless! Cruel!" said Edward. He felt aggrieved as he reached for his leg and massaged his bruise. He finally knew that when Daisy got irritated, she would not show mercy to anyone, including her beloved husband. Chapter 959 You Kicked Mr. Mu (Part Two) "Mr. Mu, what are you doing here?" said Luke wonderingly. He was expecting Edward to be sitting at the table while having dinner in the dining room. However, why was he standing there grimacing in pain? "Nothing. Go ahead, Luke," answered Edward between gritted teeth. He had made up his mind. He would conquer his wife in bed, otherwise, she would have the guts to kick or punch him as bold at any time. "Are you sure you''re alright?" concern was on Luke''s voice. His nces lingered on Edward''s face and didn''t believe what the man before him just said. "I''m fine. Shut your mouth up and go. Eat." Now Edward was furious. Did he have to tell everybody about how his wife humiliatingly kicked him? "Oh! Mr. Mu, be careful." With hindsight, Luke realized that maybe Edward was too embarrassed to tell anybody that he had been kicked and injured by his wife mercilessly at home. "Just go!" shouted Edward contemptuously. It was amazing how Luke could frustrate him sometimes. Edward watched Luke disappeared towards the dining room. It was only after making sure that Luke was gone that he hobbled towards the couch and sunk into it. He pulled the leg of his trousers up and saw arge bruise on his leg. It was evident that Daisy had vent all her depression on that powerful kick. She really didn''t have any idea how to love and care for him as his wife. Thus, he just decided to remain on the couch, staring nkly and angrily to nothingness as he sabotaged dinner with them. On the other hand, Daisy had been waiting for Edward toe to the dining table. It had been a while since she sat there. She was getting anxious while wondering whether she really injured him. Her kick might have been harder with her foot on a slipper. The whole family was waiting for him to eat dinner. "Mommy, did you disable daddy?" asked Justin. He was also wondering why his Daddy hadn''t appeared and joined them. "No, it can''t be that. I just kicked his leg. Since when has your Daddy be so weak and fragile?" answered Daisy. She got suspicious since she didn''t look back at Edward nor check his bruise after she kicked him on the leg. She just went straight to the dining room after what she did. "Oh! Mrs. Mu, it was you who kicked Mr. Mu. I saw him squatting down and grimacing," informed Luke. Luke could be such a naive boy sometimes. He sympathized with his Young Master and exaggerated Ed Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. f if she really caused unbearable pain to her husband. They loved each other passionately. How could she do such a horrible thing to him just to vent her anger? "No need to do that," answered Edward angrily. He felt wronged and consequently acted rashly. He wanted to take the chance and get Daisy back to the negotiating table. They had to decide on apromise that she wouldn''t turn violent at home whenever she was pissed off. Otherwise, she might induce irreparable damages to anyone. "You can''t tell me what to do or not," said Daisy. Then, she rushed upstairs. It was fortunate that Tom had brought back a lot of medicine for them and Daisy could use them conveniently if necessary. It was only after Daisy was gone that Edward opened his eyes. There was wickedness and triumph on his face. He indeed felt a sharp pain in his leg, however, it was nothingpared to the joy he felt in his heart. It was such a sweet thing to feel Daisy worrying for him. It was clear that he had already upied a huge part of her heart and mind. He was guilty of acting childishly. However, as far as he was concerned, it was needed in marriage to settle the disputes between a husband and a wife. Plus, he needed to save his face. In a few minutes, Daisy walked down the steps with a medical kit in her hand. Instead of applying medicine to his bruise, she turned around and walked to the kitchen without saying anything to Edward. His smile instantly disappeared as he wondered what Daisy was about to do. Was she thinking of forcing him to apply the medicine to himself? Who was him to know, right? Chapter 960 Good Job (Part One) "What happened, Daisy?" Cynthia asked anxiously as she saw Daisy rush across the dining room. "Oh! I''m about to go to the kitchen to fetch some ice bags. I seem to have used too much force and caused some bruises on his leg. I''m going to apply coldpress on him and then apply some medicine." Daisy said, looking embarrassed, with guilt written all over her face. The man she hurt was Cynthia''s only son and she couldn''t be sorrier. "Is it very serious? Do we need to send for Tom to have a check-up on him?" Cynthia automatically stood upright upon hearing her. The concern in her eyes was immeasurable. "No, it''s not that serious. I can take care of him. Don''t worry, you may continue to eat. I will handle him and it will not take me long." Daisy directly walked into the kitchen as she finished her words. The ice bags were brought there by Tom thest time. They had been reserved in the fridge and were handy anytime. "Grandma, continue to eat your dinner. Daddy is just exaggerating. He is just doing that to gain Mommy''s sympathy. He is fine. Don''t worry too much." Justin wasn''t able to stop himself from saying those as he saw how anxious his grandmother was. His Daddy was a mischievous man after all. He was even more mischievous than himself. "Really?" Cynthia still felt really worried. She felt restrained from rushing to Edward because she didn''t want Daisy to feel guilty. It took her more seconds hesitating before she finally sat down. "Don''t worry, Mom. Mr. Mu will be fine. Mrs. Mu won''t hurt him too much." Luke also assured Cynthia as he saw her worried face. "Lukie, doesn''t it sound strange? You call me Mom but you call Edward Mr. Mu, does that m the trick and continued to apply the ointment on him carefully. It was only a joke anyway and she knew when to stop. The whole thing might turn ugly if she crossed the line. "How about I press your leg and see if it hurts?" Edward said with a sullen face. He never thought that the upright Daisy could actually stab his back just like that. "Okay, Come on, I''m giving you the chance to press here." Daisy smiled gently and put her foot before him. She would like to see how he wanted to revenge himself. "Huh! Stop fooling around! You have no injuries on your leg at all. By the way, do you really think that I could hurt you?" Edward finally opened his eyes and stared at her angrily. "You can see by yourself whether I have injuries or not." Not taking her foot back, Daisy looked at him with full ease. "Honey, judging it from what you said, did you get injured again?" Edward suddenly forgot his own injury upon hearing what she said. He didn''t even mind about their argument and hurriedly rolled up her leg trousers to examine her. The sight of the white bandage on her leg proved that his guess was right. Chapter 961 Good Job (Part Two) "Do you think I want to get myself hurt? I got scratched today when training the soldiers," Daisy said it as if it was nothing. She didn''t even tell him that she almost fell down a cliff. The crisis was averted and she was fine now. She didn''t want him to be worried. "What kind of training it was? Why on earth was it so dangerous?" Edward looked sad at the sight of her injury. He didn''t have the mood to argue with her anymore. "It''s a military secret. I can''t tell you." Daisy raised her eyes as if saying something very mysterious. For her, all the training programs of the special troops were very dangerous. She wouldn''t choose to tell this to him, of course. "Huh! Do you fear that I am a spy and will let the secret out?" Edward clenched his teeth and looked at her smug face. It turned out that she had qualms about telling him the details of their military programs. Honestly, he wouldn''t even care about the troops'' activity if it wasn''t for her. He was never an idle man. There was a lot of work in thepany that troubled him. How could he have extra time to care about any other things? "Huh! Do you even think that you''re qualified to be a spy? You will be an insult to that profession." Daisy said while taking the medicine back into the kit. Obviously, there was a tinge of contempt in her tone. She narrowed her eyes and nced at him disdainfully. She took pleasure in beating Edward in the verbal argument. Otherwise, Edward would always consider himself a world above her and others. "You''re right. Such a demanding work is not suitable for me. Plus, I''m counting on you to feed an w his temper. He might usually look carefree but he was never the type of man she would want to provoke. His anger could be serious. As the saying went,"A wise man submits to circumstances." In her case, she''d better sumb to this arrogant man first. Edward tried his best to suppress his anger. He shook his head helplessly and said,"Let''s go! Eat the dinner first. I wille back to this issue after we eat. Don''t try to get by that easily." "Okay. You can punish me in any way you want after dinner. Whether you hit me or me me, I will never talk or fight back." Daisy yed up to Edward, her aloof face filled with sweet smiles. Edward was overwhelmed by her expression but then, could not do anything to her. She seemed to really know his weakness, so she was turning all soft on him. "When did I hit you before? Don''tbel and bludgeon me randomly." Edward carefully pulled down her trousers. He couldn''t make out if it was serious or not since it was wrapped with a bandage. Regardless, he was already doomed to worry about her for the rest of his life. Chapter 962 Good Job (Part Three) "Haha, It''s only the worst-case scenario. I know it can''t really happen. Honey." Daisy continued to smile mischievously. She thought that her actions might look very dumb now. What else could she do? She was at a disadvantage. No matter how reluctant she was, she had to y the fool. She could feel herself turning very pathetic. She was an honorable Senior Colonel and it never came to her that she would act so cute and humble to y up to him. "Daisy, are you sure you were not born in the year of dog?" Edward mocked. For the first time, he found that Daisy was also fickle. It seemed that no matter how aloof she was, she couldn''t get rid of women''s mercurial nature. "Oh? Why do you ask?" Daisy looked at him, confused. She slowly stood up upon realizing that he had already released her foot. She was very careful with her movement as she wouldn''t want her wounds to bleed with just a wrong move. "Dogs are mercurial by nature." Edward also stood up too. His bruise still stung even after Daisy put medicine on it. He wasn''t able to control his eyebrows from furrowing out of pain. "Huh! Where did you get that theory?" Daisy looked at his legs with concern upon noticing the slight wince he made. It seemed that she should not be too violent in the future, as it wouldn''t make anyone happy if she really made him disabled. "What are you doing?" It was then that a coldmanding voice suddenly boomed inside the room and frightened the sweet couple. "Dad, you came home! Mom told us that you woulde home veryte." Daisy replied quickly as soon as she realized that that voice came from Jonathan. She was nervous at the same time as she wondered how Jonathan would perceive her if he noticed the bruise on E at all. "I told you it was only a minor wound." Daisy would never tell him that she was actually enduring the pain and she was trying her best to cover it. She feared that Edward would get even madder if he knew the truth. She didn''t expect that she would be so careless to let her secret out at Edward''s provocation. Otherwise, she would have hidden it all the time. If so, the wound would soon recover and Edward would never know about it. "Honey, don''t lie to me. You know I have plenty of ways to get the truth if I want to know." Edward was still very worried about Daisy''s wound. They kept talking and arguing but the topics were just wandering around and kepting back to the starting point. Nevertheless, their dialogues were full of endless affection towards each other and also with fun. "You could trust me or not, I don''t care. I''m hungry. I don''t have any energy to talk about such nonsense. I''ll go eat dinner." Daisy said as she trotted towards the dining room. Edward was flustered as he tried to catch up to her. Was he taking her wound too seriously? How could she walk so quickly like there were no injuries on her leg at all? Chapter 963 Am I So Frightening (Part One) Edward walked into the dining room with such a question in his head, as he saw Daisy step out of the kitchen with a bowl and a pair of chopsticks in her hands. She carefully put them in front of the vacant seat next to Cynthia. "Daisy, there were enough bowls and chopsticks on the table. Whom are these for?" Cynthia asked in confusion. All the people who were going to have dinner were at the table already. She wondered if Daisy was expecting a guest. "Mom, Dad is home. He is washing his hands. He will join us in a minute," Daisy replied with a smile and went to her seat. Edward sat next to her and was looking at her rather mischievously. "Oh. I didn''t expect him toe home so soon. Son, is your leg okay?" As much as she knew the question might embarrass Daisy, Cynthia couldn''t help but ask out of her maternal instincts. "My leg is fine, but someone else''s seems otherwise," Edward said as he threw a nce at Daisy, his eyebrows raised. "No way! Daddy, did you stomp on mommy''s leg too?" Justin looked at Edward in surprise. There was usation in his eyes, as if Edward had done something unforgivable. "Do I look like somebody so unreasonable?" Edward asked and looked at Daisy pitifully, indicating that she was the one who was guilty. "Then who was the ''someone else'' you referred to?" Justin asked, wondering whom it could be, if it wasn''t his Mommy. "I meant your Mommy was injured too, but not by me." Edward rolled his eyes at Justin. ''What''s up with him? He is usually so smart, but why can''t he take a hint today?'' Edward thought. "What? Is it bad? Mommy, let me have a look at your injury." Justin jumped off the chair and hastened over to Daisy. "It''s nothing serious. Go back to your seat and eat your dinner." Daisy red at Edward. Leave it to him to try and make trouble! He was trying to expose her injury in front of the entire family, which would only make all of them worry about her. He should know better than that. "Daisy, what happened? Is it serious? I think we''d better call Tom and let him have a look at it." Cynthia was worried. Her face reflected the anxiety she felt for Daisy. "Mom, I''m fine. It is just a scrape I got during training. It''s no big deal. You shouldn''t worry so much." As ke a woman who had be a grandma. The way they interacted with each other was the best evidence of their devotion to each other. "How could you not tell me what happened in that coffee shop? Do you still consider me your husband or not?" Coldness emanated from Jonathan. The air around him seemed to freeze. Even Luke seemed much warmerpared to him. "Fine, I was wrong. Let''s talk about this after dinner, all right? The kids are watching us." Cynthia got chills whenever Jonathan was mad. This man was like a mystery. After so many years, there were still some things about him that she could not understand. Upon hearing Cynthia''s words, Jonathan nced at the others seated at the table. He took a seat himself and started eating without another word. He noticed the anxiety on their faces. Were they worried that he would act out? If so, they didn''t know him that well, because he would never hit a woman! He had just lost control over his emotions for a while. That was all. The meal got over amidst tension. Everybody was too cautious. Daisy didn''t even dare let out a long breath until she was upstairs in her room. "Come on. This is too much. You can''t be so scared," Edward made fun of her. After all, she was a Senior Colonel! How could she get scared so easily? Wasn''t it humiliating? "Weren''t YOU scared? If not, howe you didn''t say a single word during dinner?" Daisy cast a contemptuous look at him, angry that he was making fun of her when she was so beside herself. Chapter 964 Am I So Frightening (Part Two) "Of course I didn''t make a sound. Everything happened because of me. My father would have kicked my ass if I dared sneak in a word. He is the boss of Mayfly while I am just a powerless nobody. How could I confront him?" Edward retorted calmly. He knew how much his father loved his mother. Any word that came out of his mouth would have only fueled his anger, instead of helping in reasoning with him. Edward wasn''t so tired of life yet that he wanted to die at his father''s hands! After all, he hoped to grow old with Daisy. He should keep himself safe and sound before that happened. "Ha ha! Finally you admitted that you were just a nobody," Daisy cackled. Suddenly, she felt something warm run down her foot. She pushed up her pants to see if her leg was bleeding. "Woman, you don''t understand. A man should know when to hold his head high and when to eat the humble pie. Only that way can he hope to have a wonderful life. Otherwise, things don''t go as smoothly and - Daisy, what is that? Is your leg bleeding? Jesus, you lied to me! You said it was nothing serious. That wound looks dangerous," Edward eximed as he noticed the blood. He grabbed his phone quickly to make a call to Tom as soon as possible. Daisy frowned. She hadn''t thought it would get so bad. She had bandaged it simply by herself at the army base, instead of going to the infirmary to get it treated. "Hello, Edward. Are you calling to invite me over for dinner?" Tom had just finished performing an operation. No sooner had he stepped into his office to take a break than he received Edward''s phone call. He hadn''t even had the time to drink any water yet. He was always thirsty and weary after surgery. "Come over right now! Daisy''s leg is injured. It needs immediate treatment." Edward cut to the chase, totally ignoring Tom''s quip. "What? She got injured again? You have to remind her that she is only human. She can''t subject her body to injuries again and again," Tom said earnestly as he got to his feet. He needed to talk to his coworkers about a couple of important things before he left the hospital for Edward''s house. The patient they had operated Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. docile. However, it didn''t do anything to appease Edward, who was seething with rage. "Noted? Do you really mean that? You promise you won''t let yourself get hurt again?" Edward asked her with a corrupt grin, which chilled Daisy to the bone. She would rather he yelled at her than hear him speak to her in the grim tone, and with such a sinister grin on his face. "Edward, could you talk to herter? You are upsetting my patient. Even I am scared of you. If my hands shake during the treatment, I won''t be responsible for the consequences," Tom rebuked him. Although Edward''s re was not on him, he could feel himself sweating all over. As his close friend, he knew Edward was on the verge of exploding. To spare himself trouble, he rified himself to Edward in case he took it out on himter. After all, Edward wouldn''t go as easy on him as on Daisy. "Your hands would shake? Just you try." Edward nced at Tom''s hands in disdain. Obviously, if that happened, things wouldn''t go as Tom would hope for. "Can you step outside for a moment? You are making me nervous," Tom implored him. His hands were indeed trembling. He was worried that he would hurt Daisy. "Why are you nervous? Am I so frightening? Just do your job! There are no negotiations!" Edward didn''t leave the room, but sat on the sofa situated at a distance. He couldn''t stand the possibility that Tom might hurt his beloved wife identally. Chapter 965 Why Zemo Left JC Military Academy (Part One) When Tom was finally done with Daisy''s wound, it had been more than ten minutes. During the entire time, small beads of sweat lingered on his forehead that refused to disappear. Edward had been staring at his every action like a hawk. His cold eyes never left him. Not a minute went by when Tom was not nervous. "Tom, thank you!" Daisy said, wanting to grin at him widely, but all she could manage was a small twitch of her mouth. The small smile seemed a bit forced. The pressure of Edward''s presence made her feel more nervous than it did to Tom. "Well, can I just say that I''m used to it? Daisy, please, just take care of yourself! Even if it''s not for me, you should be more careful for Edward''s sake! I really don''t like seeing you like this. You are making all of us feel worried." Tom shook his head. He meant what he said. He was also worried about Edward. He didn''t know how much longer Edward could stand constantly worrying over Daisy''s safety. He seemed near to mental breakdowns because of her many injury scares. Truthfully, it was the first time Tom had seen Edward so deeply in love with a woman. However, it was a shame that the first woman he loved was someone who drove him out of his mind with anxiety. Might be that only a strong man like Edward, who had a heart of steel, could handle this kind of love. "You just talk too much, Tom. Are you done with the wound or not? If you are, go to the dining room and eat. I''m sure you are hungry. Also, I don''t want to hear you whining about how I''m intentionally starving you." This was just how Edward was. He just couldn''t stand other people scolding his wife, even it was his brother and friend. ording to him, Edward himself was the only one who could warn her about these things so sternly. He didn''t want to see Daisy ufortable over others'' grim words. When he heard Tom speaking so seriously to Daisy, Edward contradicted him even though he himself was also mad at Daisy. Tom was absolutely right, that was true. It was just that he shouldn''t be the one saying them. That was Edward''s job! Daisy raised her head to look at Edward. However, Edward didn''t even nce in her directio Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. Edward''s face was deadly dangerous to her. She couldn''t remain calm anymore. "Ha! Do you really not understand? Okay, that''s fine. You have time to think about it. You cane find me when you have it figured out. I am patient. I can wait," Edward announced, turning around and walking straight out of the room. He went downstairs. ''Fine, if she really wants to pretend that she didn''t understand what I meant, then she could definitely keep at it! I have a lot time to wait for her anyway.'' Edward thought. Daisy didn''t expect that he would react this way at all. She was frozen in ce as she stared at Edward''s retreating back, her eyes full of surprise. She didn''t know how to respond to his words, because she was so used to Edward''s tenderness and affection at all times. His sudden callousness hurt her and made her feel like she had been abandoned by him. She hated this feeling. She felt lost and didn''t know what to do. "Mrs. Wu, your food is always so delicious! This tastes exactly how I remembered." With the tasty meal in front of him, Tom didn''t feel shy to give Mrs. Wu hispliments. When he was this hungry, the food tasted even more delicious. "Oh, Mr. Qin, stop ttering me. It''s not as good as you are saying. But if you really like it, eat all of it! Mrs. Mu asked me to prepare this special meal just for you." Mrs. Wu gently smiled. There was a slight blush on her face as she heard Tom''spliments. Chapter 966 Why Zemo Left JC Military Academy (Part Two) "What? Eat all of it? That''s practically impossible!" Tom''s eyebrows furrowed. He felt a bit troubled and stopped eating as he stared at the delicious dishes put in front of him. How was it possible for him to eat all the dishes at once? He suddenly seemed to lose his appetite. The food didn''t seem to be so appealing after that. "Yes, of course! Eat it all! Do you really want Mrs. Wu''s delicious food to go to waste?" Edward slowly walked towards them. He had already returned to his normal self, a far cry from the cold and distant man who was talking to Daisy. "Come on! Edward, are you kidding? You are just avenging me for what I said to Daisy. If I eat all the dishes right now, my stomach will surely burst and I won''t be able to walk home! You can''t be that cruel." Tom looked at Edward, his eyes full of horror. He was definitely right! Edward was saying this only to avenge him for the stern words he said to Daisy earlier, when they were all upstairs. "Well, who says that you have to walk home? Just drive your car. I don''t have spare space for you to park your car here anyway." A smirk appeared on Edward''s handsome face. He sat down in front of Tom, seeming quite rxed. It looked like he was going to watch Tom finish all the dishes that Mrs. Wu cooked for him. "Huh! You are being so obnoxious right now. Are you really worried that I''ll stay over for the night? Let me tell you the truth: I''m not someone whom you can easily persuade to stay over." Tom raised one of his eyebrows, looking defiant. He had to rush back to the hospital when he finished eating, anyway. He was still worried about his patient from earlier, whom he had operated upon. He had to get back and check on the invalid himself. "What? Why would I even do that? Please, I don''t want you to stay, okay? By the way, I have something to ask you. Has Rain called you up recently? The guy has been in Thand for several days, but there hasn''t been any news about what he is up to. That''s a bit strange, isn''t it?" In fact, this was why Edward hade downstairs for. He wanted to ask Tom if he knew anything about Rain, who had gone abroad. "No, h heart, she knew she couldn''t be so selfish. If her job had started to affect her family, then she must consider quitting, even though she loved her work very much. Nothing was more important to her in life than family. If she had to choose between her career and her loved ones, she would certainly hold on to thetter at the end of the day. "Daisy, why are you standing here? Don''t you think about your injury at all?" Although Edward was regretful and had realized that he had been too harsh on her, when he saw Daisy standing on the balcony, his face turned cold and impassive again. He didn''t want Daisy to know that he had already forgiven her. "I''m thinking... I don''t know if I should quit my job or not." Daisy didn''t turn back to face Edward as her indifferent words rang in the air. The thought had been loitering inside her head for a while now. She didn''t actually want to quit this job, but it wouldn''t be so hard for her to do it. "What are you talking about? Stop saying this nonsense! I know you love the military uniform very much. You love what you do. Besides, you just got a promotion. You have be a Senior Colonel. That is something you have fought for for so many years. Do you really want to give it all up now?" Edward had no idea why Daisy would say something like this. He was shocked at her words. After all, if there was one thing she loved besides her family and friends, it was her work. Chapter 967 Why Zemo Left JC Military Academy (Part Three) "You very well know that with a job like mine, it''s normal to get hurt during the training or missions. God, even death is a normality to us soldiers. So, I really can''t promise you that I''ll return home safe and sound each day. I know my safety worries you, and I also know that you are unhappy about it. Between you and my career, if I have to make a choice, I will choose you. I will definitely choose you, no matter what." Daisy turned her head to gaze at him this time. Her eyes were brimming with confusion. She felt like she was trapped inside a small box, like something was closing in on her. And no matter how hard she tried, she felt like she couldn''t get out. "But will you be truly happy if you quit the job you love? And can you guarantee that you won''t me me in the future, for making you leave your work? I admit, I am intense. I am controlling. But I am just really worried about you! I was angry too, but only because you didn''t tell me the truth. As for the rest, I will do my best to ignore all that." On one hand, he would be happy if she actually quit her job, that was for sure. But on the other, he couldn''t help but feel sorry for her. At the same time, he was worried for himself too. After all, he knew how much she loved her career. If she left her job, it wouldn''t be a problem in the present. However, it was hard for him to tell if she would hold a grudge against him in the future, because she would be quitting only for him. He couldn''t persuade himself to take the risk. He also wouldn''t be the person who extinguished her passion to serve the country. "Well, it might take a while for me to get used to it. But believe me, it will get better as time goes by. So don''t worry." This was not a sudden thought that hade into her mind. She was so shocked at the secret she found out this morning, that she couldn''tpletely concentrate during her training session either. That was why she got her leg injured in the first ce. Before today, she didn''t know the reason why Zemo had left, without even sa about it that the contempt crept into his voice. "Why would you even think that? Zemo''s secret is only one of the reasons for my decision. Mainly, I want to quit because I don''t want you to worry about my safety everyday." Daisy''s eyebrows furrowed. She knew that Edward was the jealous type. That was something about him that she found both endearing and attractive. But if he was bothered over something like this, it was a bit unreasonable, even for him. "I just can''t help but feel that way after hearing what you''re saying. And if I am guessing right, the injury on your leg also urred because you were distracted by Zemo''s truth, right?" It was easy for Edward to put two and two together after she told him everything. Otherwise, he couldn''t imagine how Daisy, a woman who trained almost everyday, could end up with such a serious injury. "Um... How did you know that?" Daisy looked at him in surprise. He was indeed correct. She had been so distracted by the thought of Zemo''s sacrifice, that she hurt herself identally. It had been just a fleeting thought, but it was enough. Fortunately, Hawkeye, who was standing beside her, was quick to act and pulled her back in time, so she didn''t roll down the hill. Though her leg still got wounded badly, it was extremely lucky for her to have dodged the bullet. She could have endangered her life. Chapter 968 A Villain (Part One) "Do I need to guess that? You don''t like owing anybody anything. So I can imagine how you felt at that time," Edward said. He smiled bitterly. Sometimes it was not pleasant when a person was like an open book to him. "I admit, I got emotional during today''s training session. That''s looked down upon in the job of a solider. It''s risky to get emotional in a dangerous situation, and very important for a soldier to be psychologically strong," Daisy said. Daisy looked Edward in the eye. She had never gotten emotional during work before, because she knew about the tremendous risk better than any other of her colleagues. However, what she learnt today was really shocking. So, she was kind of beside herself today. "How about now? Aren''t you getting personal now too?" Edward evaded her gaze. Being stared at so intensely by Daisy made him confused and bewildered. He didn''t know how to persuade her to make the right decision. Besides, his perception of Zemo had changed. Although he didn''t like him, Edward had learnt to be polite to him, because he had saved Daisy''s life. Edward was always a grateful person when it came to his wife. "Are you referring to me leaving the army?" Daisy asked. Her mouth quivered. She had to refrain from sobbing whenever she thought about quitting her active military service. "What do you think?" Edward retorted. He nced at Daisy. Although he would be d if Daisy gave up her career in the army, he also refused to force her to do anything she disliked. She liked her job too much to quit, and he wanted to respect her wishes. Edward hoped that Daisy always felt respected and loved by her husband and family. "Don''t you want it to happen? If it happens, you won''t have to worry about my s a dilemma, because he worried for her as well. "What are you doing? I have never seen you smoke before!" a female voice rang out. His cigarette was snatched away by a white hand and put out in the ashtray. "I''m fine. Take a shower before you go to bed. And leave me alone. I need to think!" Edward stared nkly at the cigarette in the ashtray, ignoring Daisy. "Are you trying to avoid me?" Daisy looked at his perfect face. To be fair, she should also be med for their quarrel tonight. "No, I am not. You are overthinking things." Edward pursed his lips. He stretched out his arm, pulling Daisy closer to himself. He let her sit down on hisp and rested his hands on her hips, burying his head inside her hair. Taking a long, slow breath, he inhaled her fragrance. "Darling, I have decided to respect your wishes. If you want me to serve the army, I''ll do just that. But if you request me to retire from the job, I''ll stay home and look after you, your parents and Justin," Daisy said. She sensed his frailty. When she saw the hurt on his face at the balcony, she wanted to give in immediately. She sat tight and let him touch her freely. Chapter 969 A Villain (Part Two) "If you were a bird, I wouldn''t be able to bear breaking your wings. It would be better if I let you go, so you can spread your wings and soar high. But if I lock you away at home, you will be deeply depressed. After some time, the colors in your life will darken. I won''t be able to stand that at all," Edward said with a rather sour expression. He closed his eyes. There was a terrible struggle in his heart. He had to make a choice. Otherwise, Daisy was more likely to give up everything for him. In doing so, she would be like a phoenix with broken wings. "But.." Daisy wished to speak, but stopped on second thought. She had no intention of hurting him. Nevertheless, if he was so fragile, it meant that he was hurt anyway. "Forget it. You should take a shower and have good rest. Don''t you have work to do tomorrow?" Edward removed his hands from Daisy. He was being emotional and vulnerable right now. After some time, he would be strong and confident as usual. As a husband, he could throw a tantrum sometimes, but he couldn''t affect his wife negatively. "I don''t need to go to work tomorrow morning. But I''m required to be at the army base in the afternoon," Daisy said sadly. She wanted to turn round and look at her husband as she felt the quivering in his body. She wondered how he was feeling. "Go and take a shower. Don''t you know that I''m obsessed with cleanliness?" Edward was always a reasonable and sensible man. Even when he was extremely worried about something, he kept his anxieties to himself, although he smiled at his family infort. "Why, have you lost interest in me already?" Daisy retorted. She seized the chance to turn round and found that his eyes were red. roup had be one of the substantial shareholders of Kompass Group, as Coco had gathered from the newspapers. As for Shaun, if he thought he could fight a hopeless battle, he was an old fool. She cursed under her breath. "Are you telling me that I''m stupid? Yes, you''re probably correct. I''m a big fool to be tricked and enchanted by this evil-minded slut. I''m way out of my league to try and challenge Edward now. What a huge idiot I am! And now, this witch hides in this fucking hospital, safe and sound, while mypany is at risk," Shaun yelled hysterically. Shaun didn''t know how to treat ady gently. He yelled at Coco in an intimidating manner, even though he just met her for the first time. "Don''t you swear in front of me. Stop calling my sister a slut. You are such a viin! You were the one seduced by her! You should me yourself for your indecent conduct and remarks," Coco answered sharply, in an attempt to defend her cousin. Coco was much more charming when she got angry. She reminded Shaun of that cold and pretty girl whom he met in the jewelry shopst time. He turned his gaze from Jessica to Coco. Chapter 970 A Villain (Part Three) "Wow, If you hadn''t spoken just now, maybe I wouldn''t have noticed how pretty and hot you are," Shaun said inappropriately. He reached out abruptly and tried to touch her pointed chin. Coco evaded his hand smartly. She had worked in the movie industry for many years, and met all sorts of people. She knew well how to protect herself from such dirtbags. "You should leave, Mr. Gao. My cousin is sick. She won''t talk, even if you keep yelling and embarrassing her," Coco said. She shed silent tears as she continued. "The doctors said that she is trapped in her own mind and is reluctant to talk to anybody but herself. Technically, she isn''t sick. She has just locked herself up in the darkness, and it prevents anyone else froming inside, or herself froming outside." That also exined why Coco had gone to the Mu Mansion in anger, desperate to seek justice for her cousin. "If she can''t give me the answer that I urgently need, you should be the one to pay her debt, as her cousin. Am I not right?" Shaun said as he stared at Coco in lust. He realized he had seen her somewhere before, but couldn''t remember the details. "Why should I do that? Leave, or I''ll call the police," Coco cried. She didn''t think she was capable of talking some sense into this bastard, nor of persuading him to leave Jessica''s ward. She chose to ignore him, even though he had inflicted great damage to Jessica. However, she was shocked to find that he had the nerve toe to the hospital and use Jessica of being a slut. "Call the police? Do it! I''ll be happy to tell the police about how your cousin deceived me. Then, they will feel obliged to arrest a liar and put her in jail." Shaun sneered. Born into a wealthy and influential family, Shaun h Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. is way," Coco shouted, trembling in shock. She rushed to Jessica''s side and helped her lie down on the bed again. She felt scared and wondered why her parents hadn''t appeared yet. She was not capable enough to deal with such an evil man. "I can do whatever I want with your cousin. So, babe, will youe with me or not?" Shaun smirked at her tauntingly. He went behind Coco to circle his arms around her waist, while she was bending over to help Jessica. He started to grope her body. "Bastard, let go of me," Coco screamed, horrified by Shaun''s sudden assault right in front of Jessica, his former mistress and her cousin. They were inside a hospital room, for God''s sake. She struggled to fight him. "I won''t release you until you give me a kiss." Shaun attempted to kiss Coco on the cheek. But before he could do that, he heard a cold voice. Suddenly, a briefcase was wedged between his mouth and Coco''s cheek, preventing him from kissing her. "I would let her go if I were you," Daisy said in a mocking tone. She looked at Shaun condescendingly, disgusted. She recognized him immediately, since they had met once before, back at the jewelry store. Chapter 971 Thank You For Saving Me (Part One) "Help me, Daisy!" Coco cried. This was the first time she was happy to see Daisy. In fact, she was overjoyed at her appearance. She didn''t want to suffer the same misfortune as Jessica, and fall into the clutches of a man she didn''t love. Without a doubt, Daisy''s arrival was a singr moment of hope for her. "What are YOU doing here?" Shaun had recognized Daisy. "And why are you in a uniform? Dressing up for Halloween, or what?" The moment he caught sight of her, he let go of Coco and turned, sizing her up in surprise. He thought it was a prank that she was dressed like a soldier. She struck him as an aloof stunner the other day. But right now, she hardly looked like the same person, and had a murderous look in her eyes. "Are you all right?" Instead of giving him any response, Daisy bent down and helped Coco up. Coco was thoroughly flurried and had fallen to the ground once Shaun had let go of her. Luckily, she didn''t get hurt. However, Daisy was stunned when she set her eyes on Jessica, who was staring ahead with a vacant expression on her face, paying no attention to Daisy or the chaos that had urred right before her. Daisy hadn''t expected her to be in such a serious condition, but she soon came to herself. After all, this was very much possible for someone who had suffered extreme physical and psychological violence. Only a twisted person could smile after all that had happened. "Yes. Thank you," Coco replied. She said the words with sincerity. She knew that if it weren''t for Daisy, who hade in between them just in time, the beast could have had his way with her by now and Coco would have been in a dangerous situation. "Don''t mention it. What happened to Jessica?" Daisy asked with a concerned look on her face. Although she had driven Coco away when she turned up at their house asking for an exnation for Jessica''s mishap, Daisy thought it would be better to talk it through afterward. So, she asked Mr. Yi for the address of the hospital Jessica was admitted to, intending to pay her a visit. She reached there only to find Jessica and Coco once again in trouble. "As you can s Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. is not a good virtue in a sweet girl like you," Shaun said to Coco, smiling roguishly at them like a total bum, with his hands in his pockets. "So you are not leaving?" Daisy asked casually as she took out her phone. Generally speaking, she did not look down upon others so easily, but this Shaun was an exception. "Why? Do you want toe along with me?" Shaun continued verbally harassing them. His lecherousness was thoroughly exposed. No matter what Daisy and Coco said to him, he teased them in a vulgar tone. He still reacted to Daisy casually, thinking that even if the uniform was not a prop and Daisy was truly a soldier, she was likely from a cultural troupe or some ce like that. She could not pose a threat to him. "No. But I can make sure that someone else will escort you out of here," Daisy replied, a sarcastic smile adorning her face as she dialed Mr. Yi''s number. "Hello, Colonel! Oh, no, Senior Colonel. Is there anything else I can do for you?" Mr. Yi asked enthusiastically after picking up the call. He had told her the address of the hospital not too long ago, so he wondered why she called him again. What could have happened? Could she have lost her way? That was impossible. The Municipal Hospital was located in the downtown area and wasn''t hard to find at all. Besides, Hero was hospitalized in the same hospital after he attempted suicide, and she had been there to see him. Chapter 972 Thank You For Saving Me (Part Two) "Mr. Yi, could you please send some of your men here to help me? We have a scumbag on our hands who is guilty of sexual harassment and assault. I think he should be arrested as soon as possible," Daisy said slowly, emphasizing each word. She wanted to deter Shaun from getting nearer. She also wanted to let Mr. Yi know the seriousness of the current situation, hoping that he could help get rid of this pervert as quickly as possible. Daisy didn''t want to contaminate her own hands dealing with this reptile. "What? How dare he? Don''t worry, I will be there in a minute," Mr. Yi eximed, jumping to his feet. Fortunately, his police station was not far away from the Municipal?Hospital, so they could get there within minutes. "Great. I will be waiting for you." Daisy hung up the call when she finished speaking. She never doubted that Mr. Yi would cooperate and would evene here in person. After all, there would be plenty of asions where he would ask for the army base to lend a hand. They certainly couldn''t work alone in major incidents of violence. "Woman, must you go this far? Don''t you try to scare me. I''m not afraid of you. I have done nothing wrong!" Shaun yelled. However, he was a bit hesitant, his pallor changing when he heard her words on the phone. Not knowing whether she had really made the call, he couldn''t be sure if she truly sent for the police, or if she was simply putting on an act. "Aren''t you Shaun Gao, CEO of the Kompass Group? I heard that you graduated from Harvard, and were a top student back in school. Since you are so clever, it should be fairly easy for you to tell if I am just scaring you or really mean it," Daisy replied, her eyes narrowing at him. She suspected he had gotten his degree the illegitimate way the moment she had seen him. "Wow, it seems like you know a lot about me. Let me guess, you have been curious about me from back when we met, and investigated on me in secret?" Although he was at a disadvantage at present, Shau m, and she didn''t want that. She had better leave him in the hands of Mr. Yi. Shaun didn''t deserve her precious energy. Just then, Mr. Yi rushed in with a group of constables. He had no problem locating them, since he knew where Jessica''s ward was. "You are quick enough, Mr. Yi," Daisy said sincerely with a smile, as she looked at the time. They reached here in less than ten minutes. He hadn''t failed to meet her expectations. "Sorry, Senior Colonel, We arete." Mr. Yi, however, made an apology immediately. He did not ept herpliment, for he feared that she was actually reproaching them ironically. He thought it was always a safer choice to be humble toward his superiors. "Never mind. See that scumbag over there? I want him out of my face right now," Daisy said in a cold, hard voice after the greetings. She waspletely fed up with Shaun and didn''t even want to look at him anymore. "So he is the criminal you mentioned on the phone? As far as I remember, he is one of Mr. Mu''s partners, isn''t he?" Mr. Yi asked with hesitation. He was taken aback when he realized that the man was Shaun Gao. The newspapers reported that FX International Group bought the stakes of Kompass Group recently, so Mr. Yi knew a bit about this man. However, since Shaun was not a local, he only knew him from the news. Chapter 973 Thank You For Saving Me (Part Three) "So what? Their cooperation has nothing to do with me. I don''t care who he is, he should be brought to justice since he hasmitted a crime. Or is it Edward whom you fear, you think that he would get angry over this?" Daisy fumed. Of course, she knew that Edward''spany had recently be Kompass Group''s shareholder, but it was not a bteral or even a friendly cooperation. It all started when Shaun crossed the line and vexed Edward. In doing so, Shaun woke up the sleeping lion and got kicked in the teeth. "No, no. That is not what I meant! I was just wondering whether you two are acquainted." Mr. Yi exined hastily, with a ttering smile on his face. He immediately straightened his expression and wheeled around to re at Shaun. "So you are Mr. Yi? You see, here is an honest andw-abiding man standing in front of you. I''m actually a friend of the Senior Colonel! What happened just now is merely a misunderstanding," Shaun said, raising his hands. He was still in shock, hearing that Daisy was indeed a Senior Colonel. It was not until he saw Mr. Yi and the constables arrive that he realized that the call Daisy made was not a fake one intended only to scare him away. "Sorry, but since the Senior Colonel called the police, we have to do our duty. Please understand and cooperate. You can still try and defend yourself at the station. But I need to warn you that you''d better not think of getting away with this. It is Edward Mu''s wife whom you have offended, and there will be a price to pay. So I suggest that you put away all your unrealistic ideas ande with us," Mr. Yi warned Shaun sharply. It was unclear whether or not he said this only to intimidate Shaun. Possibly, he truly attached great seriousness to this matter. But one thing was clear, Shaun was more angry than frightened as he heard his words. He was rmed to know that Daisy was Edward''s woman. ''That hateful and infuriating Edward!'' He loathed him even more now. ''Howe he possesses all the best things in the world, including this beauty in front of him?'' he wondered. "What did you rom Daisy, although she did not need them anymore. It was true that she could be haughty sometimes, but she knew it was necessary to show her gratitude in this case. "d to know that. Anyway, I hope that Jessica will recover soon. Now that we have cleared the misunderstanding, I think it''s time that I get out of your way. Just take good care of her. As for Shaun, I will try my best to make sure that he won''t bother you again in future." Daisy handled the situation gracefully. Others might not think of responding to hatred with kindness. Her reaction was enough to make her enemies feel ashamed and put them out of countenance. "So... you don''t hate Jessica? Not even a little bit?" Coco asked in confusion. She was very surprised at Daisy''s generosity. Under the circumstances, Daisy could readily seize the opportunity to add insult to the injury. But she hadn''t. To top it all off, she was willing to help them. It waspletely beyond Coco''s expectations. "You won''t believe me if I say no. And I will despise myself if I lie. I won''t pretend that I have forgiven her already. But I won''t lose myself to the grudge, either. It won''t help anything, will it? After all, Jessica is getting penalized now. That is enough for me." Daisy smiled helplessly. ording to Coco, her good heart added to her charm, for she looked as beautiful as an angel with the small smile on her face. Chapter 974 Burying The Hatchet (Part One) "Still, thanks for burying the hatchet. I know we''ve had our differences. Hell, we''ve done a pretty good job of hurting you, especially Jessica. Seeing things from her perspective, I get it. The guy who was by her side for so long dumped her. She couldn''t take it and did some pretty fucked up things to you. It won''t be easy to forgive her, and I won''t ask you to. And...and I''m ashamed to ask anything more." Coco bit her lips and bowed her head in shame, her arrogant manner fading fast. It was not difficult as she had thought to say these words to Daisy. Really, she felt like a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders. The more grudges she bore, the more harm that would do to her. It was needless to keep them in her heart any more. Just let bygones be bygones. "Thanks, Miss Coco. I''m d we can solve this like mature adults, rather than by picking at each other while chasing insane revenge fantasies. Happy to hear it." To Daisy it was better to make friends than enemies. Since she admitted they were wrong, there was no reason to dwell on it. The past was the past. She was a soldier and wouldn''t be that petty. "It''s over, Daisy. It''s time we faced facts and realized we did a lot of things wrong. I don''t think my cousin''s going to be bothering you anymore, anyway. We people can''t act against thew of nature." Coco nced at Jessica. Her cousin''s eyes were t and her face was impassive, showing no emotion to anyone, even to Coco. She felt very sad at the thought that her aunt had gonepletely nuts, and now her cousin Jessica also lost her mind. They paid for their crimes, and only God knew what fate awaited her. "She''s lucky to have you. You''ve been turns behind the wheel. Today, the car they chose to drive was the Audi Pikes Peak Quattro S1 instead of the Humvee. Because Kevin was on leave now, he didn''t want to use an official military vehicle. That didn''t matter, for they had plenty of cars for transportation at home. Leena alone had two cars at her disposal. Because the Quattro had four-wheel drive, and based on an electro-mechanical multi-te clutch four-wheel drive system, it would be more than adequate for the road trip they had nned. It drove beautifully. Looking out the window at the scenery passing by, Leena was eagerly anticipating this road trip. She''d finally get to meet his family. And, of course, she was quite nervous at the same time. Although Kevin assured her again and again that his parents were sensible people, she still felt worried that they wouldn''t like her. "What''s wrong? Are you tired?" Kevin nced at his wrist and checked the time. Because they were on a very tight schedule, they got up early this morning. Kevin worried that Leena might not be used to getting up so early for a trip. But for him, it was a regr thing. Chapter 975 Burying The Hatchet (Part Two) "No, I''m okay." Leena shed a sweet smile to him. Uneasy as she was, she really wasn''t one to pee on other people''s parades. She''d rather have the people in her life happy than have them worry about her. "Still worried?" Kevin asked, drumming on the wheel and ncing at her through the rear view mirror. "A little," Leena pouted and frankly acknowledged what was on her mind. "I told you I''ll always be with you. What are you worried about?" Kevin frowned. He had never seen Leena so timid before -- but what happened to her this time? Was she worried they would make unkind remarks about her looks and generally tear her down, as it happened when ugly girls met their inws? She was gorgeous, so that couldn''t be it, could it? "Major General, I think Leena''s scared that your father would bore her to death with his ideological lectures," Lee teased. He was sitting in the passenger seat. Typically serious, he wanted to do something to try to cheer Leena up. She looked pretty glum. "Yes! Lee, have you already been given the ideological lectures?" Leena pursed her lips, fearing that she would get the answer she dreaded. "Not yet. He''s just said a few words to me here and there. The topics were all about the troop. But he may be saving the long sermons for you especially. You''re a new member in his family, after all." Lee liked Leena''s amiable manner, which made her more approachable than the Commander''s daughter. Although Leena was from a rich family, while the other woman was from a family of a high-ranking official, there were vast differences between them. "Lee, don''t exaggerate things just to scare her. She was already scared enough right. I am a lucky man." Kevin couldn''t helpughing out loud. Lee''sment did the trick. A happy smile spread all over his face, and he didn''t even know it. "So I think your father would certainly like her. But as for Miss ire, it''s hard to say." At the mention of ire, Lee''s voice trailed off. In his eyes, ire was a lot like Louisa, who was also very arrogant and obstinate. "Yes, this is also my concern. But Leena looks so sweet, she''s the type of woman ire should like." Kevin arranged his coat to cover Leena better. Reminded of ire by Lee, he began to worry about it. He couldn''t be around Leena every second of the day, he might have to spare a few moments to go to the toilet, for example, and he couldn''t imagine what would happen to Leena during such time. "I think you''re right. We haven''t seen her for a long time. She could have changed a lot. She''s a bit older. People are supposed to mellow out as they age, am I right?" Not knowing why, Lee became very talkative today. Perhaps it was because he was really very concerned about Leena, which was why he talked about her. Chapter 976 Burying The Hatchet (Part Three) "I hope so. But why do I feel that the possibility is so slim?" Kevin shed a bitter smile. He knew his sister''s temper. And that was why he had qualms about marrying Leena. He worried that he would marry a woman a lot like ire. If he did that, he wouldn''t have a moment''s peace ever again. It wasn''t really that he hated his sis. More, it was that he didn''t approve of the way she behaved most of the time. More puzzling to him was his father''s attitudes towards her. The man hadvished all his affection on her, even vishly. So most of the time, Kevin felt it difficult to call her out, because everyone in the house took her side. So she became a spoiled brat. Lee''s lips trembled, but nothing eventually came out from his mouth. He still focused on the road ahead and drove carefully. It suddenly became very quiet in the car, and Kevin began to lose in his thoughts. The car zoomed over the expressway. Leena slept for a very long time. But it was a torture to Kevin. He had been holding her in his arms for hours. Staying in the same posture for so long, he almost felt that his legs would cramp. "Major General, there''s a service center ahead, how about we stop there and have a rest? You can get out and stretch your legs." Lee broke the silence as he saw Kevin finally opened his eyes. He had been resting all the way with his eyes slightly closed. "Okay. We probably need to grab a bite. There''s still about two or three hours'' ride ahead of us. A break is a good idea. Safety first. We''ve got time." Kevin slightly moved his numb legs. But he didn''t expect that he would wake Leena up with his move. Leena suddenly opened her sleepy eyes. She looked around, still in a daze. "Where are we now?" Leena asked, her face blushed. She was surprised to find herself on Kevin''sps when she woke up. And she felt a think too hard about what he said. "Okay, my fault. Mea culpa. Let''s go, I''ll take you there." Kevin opened the door helplessly. He didn''t n to continue to argue with her. Because he knew, no matter what, he was the one to lose in the end. Women were not easy to deal with when they got angry and he knew it. "Okay." Leena reluctantly sniffed. Taking her bag with her, she pushed the door open and got out of the Quattro. Kevin considerately held her hands as soon as she stepped out. He worried that she wasn''tpletely awake and might be bumped by other people or worse, get hit by a car. There were so many cars passing, so it was safer to hold her hands. "Kevin, are we near the capital city yet?" Leena raised her eyes and looked around. She felt the ce was very cold like it was in winter. While in her home city, it was still very cool andfortable. "Yes, about three hours'' drive. Are you cold?" Kevin took her into his arms. Only then did he find that she was not wearing the right set of clothes. She was not like him, he was weatherproof. And he regretted that he had forgotten to make her wear a coat before getting off the car, and maybe bring along some heavier clothing with long sleeves. Chapter 977 Going Home (Part One) "It''s okay. I''m not cold." It was the first time after their marriage that Kevin behaved intimately when they were together in public. She felt as if there were butterflies in her heart. Meanwhile, she felt rather shy because of how close he was and his caring words. "Go. I''ll be here when youe out," Kevin said and let go of her. He did not go to the men''s room. Instead, he turned around and walked outside quickly. "What happened, Major General?" Lee got out of the car and was about to walk inside to meet them. He saw Kevin as he headed there, and wondered why he went out so quickly. "Oh, nothing! It''s a little bit cold outside. I''m getting Leena a coat." They would go for a mealter. So he was worried that Leena might catch a cold because it was really cold outside. That was why he walked outside to get a coat for her. She would need it, he thought. "Oh yeah, I get it. Leena is used to the warm weather in her city. No wonder she might have a hard time getting used to the cold weather here." Lee was from the northern part of the country so he was quite used to the weather here. "Exactly. I forgot to remind her of it before we started the trip. I don''t even know whether her coats are warm enough or not." They talked while walking quickly to the restroom. Kevin was concerned that Leena might be worried when she came out and saw nobody waiting there. He said he''d stay there, after all. "Don''t worry, Major General. If her coats aren''t warm enough, your sister must have a warm coat and your wife could borrow it for a bit," Lee suggested. In Lee''s mind, both of them were girls. There should be no problem swapping garments. However, Kevin knew better. His sister hated it when other people borrowed things from her. Leena was a rich girl and she would not like to wear other people''s clothing. It would be like hand-me-downs, which was beneath her. "Well, we''ll talk about itter. Here, Leena!" Kevin replied and saw Leena look around the gate. He immediately ran towards her. "Hey, where did you go? You sa able spot for them in a fast food joint. "No worries. We still have plenty of time. Are you hungry now?" Kevin raised his head and took a nce around the room. It was lunchtime and no wonder there were more people than usual. It might take a bit for the crowd to eat, and then tables would open up. "Hey, handsome. I don''t mind if you sit with me." While they were discussing options, the woman who had just stolen Leena''s table spoke out. She stared at Kevin with a fascinated look in her eyes because Kevin struck a handsome figure as a man in uniform. "Oh. Thank you, miss, but no, we''re fine. We will feel ufortable when eating with strangers." It was Leena who turned the girl down. She wasn''t about to let anyone muscle in on her man, and she proved it this time. Oh, she was really cute. What was more, she touched Kevin''s arm, marking her territory. She actually seemed to get protective! Kevin could barely contain his delight. His woman was fighting for him. "Um, from what I see, you''re the only one who has a problem with it. I bet this handsome guy has other ideas." The woman shot an aggressive look at Leena and then turned her eyes to Kevin''s handsome features. She turned out to be quite shy when she looked at Kevin. Ha-ha. It seemed that even a tough girl would turn gentle and sweet immediately when faced with a good looking guy. Chapter 978 Going Home (Part Two) "Sorry, but my wife is telling the truth. I don''t like eating meals with strangers." Kevin looked at Leena. Now it was his turn to be fascinated. When did sweet Leena learn to be jealous? He thought she would never allow that kind of behavior to show easily. The woman did not expect that Kevin would say anything to back Leena up. Her face immediately turned red in embarrassment. Another more important key fact was that they were a couple! She thought they were just siblings, but nothing could be further from the truth. Leena looked even younger than her. Oh, why did such an excellent man marry at such an early age? "Major General, Leena, here." At this time, sharp-eyed Lee spotted a vacancy. He got there quickly, before anyone could grab it. He then raised his hand and called out to them. "Let''s go!" Kevin smiled in a low voice. He took her hand and walked to Lee. Somehow he felt quite happy when he realized Leena was jealous because of him. Leena could not help feeling embarrassed at her actions. Oh, God! What did she say just now? And touching Kevin! She was not supposed to fight back like that! That woman obviously was not inviting her but Kevin. But she rejected her offer without thinking twice. Was her tone hateful? She wondered. She really didn''t like the girl, though. Oh, but she hated it when she acted impulsively. "What would you like to order?" Unlike Leena who was still lost in total embarrassment, Kevin smiled brightly, his eyes fixed on Leena''s cute and small face, which was nowpletely blushing red. Probably even he himself did not know he would be so delighted at her response to that woman. "I''ll just have some light food. Help yourselves." Leena nced at the menu and failed to find something she liked. She just ordered some light dishes and wondered how they would taste a few momentster. Truth be told, she had little confidence in them. She didn''t really trust this ce. "That''s a great idea. Major General, let''s have som o. He didn''t say anything just now. "How do you think, Lee? Kevin asked Lee back interestedly. There was such a contrast between his evil smile and his uniform. Yet surprisingly, such an evil smile was in ordance with him. He wanted to make fun of Lee all of a sudden. "I think it''s better for me to focus on my meal!" Lee finally realized sadly that he would be the target atst as long as he was involved in their conversation. Both of them would turn to him when there was any disagreement between them. So he decided not to say one more word and only concentrate on his meal as soon as the staff ced the dishes on the table. He immediately started his meal and threw courtesy right out the window. He knew the Major General did not care about these unimportant sophisticated manners. "Hey, Lee. Take it slow! You don''t want to choke." Leena could not help speaking up to remind Lee to be careful, seeing him start eating in a hurry. She did not want anything to lodge in his throat. That was never fun, and sometimes extremely painful. "Don''t worry about him. Let''s dig in! The weather''s getting cold, and so is the food," Kevin said while dishing her up some food carefully. Although he had loved Daisy secretly, those feelings had already gone now. Leena was his legal wife and he cared for her a lot. Chapter 979 Going Home (Part Three) "Sure!" answered Leena obediently. Then she lowered her head and started her dishes elegantly. Lee felt somewhat embarrassed at the sight of her refined manner of dining. Lee thought he looked like an ill-mannered hungry beggarpared to her. But well, never mind. The main priority was to get some food in him. They still had a long day ahead. Half an hourter, they started their trip again after they finished their meal and got some rest. They had stayed in the service area for about one hour in total. Still the same, Leena sat silently and watched the outside fly by. A long trip was always boring when they were squeezed into a small space. Now Kevin was driving. He took the turns with the steering wheel. They switched back and forth during the whole long journey. If someone drove too long, he might get toocent, or tired. "So, Lee, where are you from?" Leena was still a young girl brimming over with curiosity. So she found some random topic when she was extremely bored. This was something she knew nothing about. Hopefully he''d have something interesting to say. "You probably wouldn''t know it even if I told you the name. It''s a rural area way out in the boonies." Lee was not happy when he talked about his hometown. Maybe if he weren''t in the army, he would be farming thend in the cold winter wind now! Well, well, yes, there was his old and shabby home. How long would it stand? Everywhere in the vige was held together with mud and love. The people were poor and the ce was rundown. Lee felt frustrated. "Sorry, Lee. Did I ask you something offensive? I didn''t mean to." Leena felt sorry when Lee''s tone shifted from bright to depressed. She turned to Kevin, expecting he would free her of this embarrassing situation. Unfortunately, Kevin was busy driving. So he did not notice her desperate expression. "Oh, nothing. I''m just a little homesick and your question brought about those feelings. You reminded me of my family," Lee replied with an honest smile on the face. He was from a poor family. So he valued this chance a lot and would always do his best at work. That was also the reason he rarely went back home these days even though sometimes he missed h andughter made the time go by faster. "Oh, really? What about you? Have you ever been punished?" Leena grew more interested and kept asking. She was still a young woman after all and it was inevitable that she was curious about everything she hadn''t heard much about. "Of course I have! There is no exception in the military. What''s more, I was punished by Major General even more severely than others," answered Lee excitedly. Lee was in good spirits as Leena asked him about various things in the army. He answered her questions as best as he could, and sometimes even told stories about Kevin, forgetting that the "evil man" sat right beside him. What a brave guy! "Lee, are you going to tell her how many times I go to the restroom? Hm?" Kevin tried to derail the conversation when he noticed he was the topic, and he didn''t want Leena to know everything. He might have some exining to do if Leena caught wind of this or that. "Hey, don''t interrupt. Please focus on driving!" Leena warned Kevin and then turned to Lee. "Lee, keep going. Don''t mind him." She was in high spirits now and didn''t want Kevin to interrupt Lee. She was curious about life in the military, or to be more specific, Kevin''s life in the army base, because Kevin rarely stayed at home and she did not have many chances to know more about him. Now there was someone doing her this favor and telling her everything she was interested in, so she would never let this chance slip away. Chapter 980 Welcome Home (Part One) "Well, that''s all that I know about him." Lee could tell that Kevin was not happy with his stories, so he stopped talking. He figured it wouldn''t be wise to continue. "Leena, if you''d like to hear more, how about I tell you when we''re back home?" Kevin shook his head, feeling a bit helpless about Leena. He suddenly found that Leena was more rxed with him. He didn''t know if that was because Lee was also here. Leena always got a bit more nervous when the two of them were alone together and didn''t usually talk this much. "No! I want to hear it right now." Leena puckered her lips. She was entranced and impatient to hear the rest. Plus, she was annoyed by Kevin''s intrusion. As a spoiled girl in a rich and loving family, she couldn''t help being a baby sometimes. After all, she always got what she wanted. "Come on, Leena. Please don''t be like this. Besides, we''re almost there." Kevin pressed his lips. There was also a small frown on his face. They had been talking non-stop for more than two hours. Weren''t they tired by now? He just couldn''t understand why they were so energetic. Leena was shocked at Kevin''s tone. It seemed like he was pleading. And it was something Kevin never did when others were around. Leena couldn''t believe her own ears. Also, this mmed her up, and made her not want to argue with Kevin anymore. So she just shut her mouth and sat silently sulking in the car. The closer they got to Kevin''s home, the more nervous Leena became. Though she had prepared gifts for everyone like the sweet girl she was, she was still worried that she wouldn''t meet with their approval. Because she had heard a lot of things about military families before. She''d heard that they didn''t like girls who were from business world or even rich girls. So she was afraid that Kevin''s family wouldn''t ept her as his wife. Besides, as the princess in her own family who had been spoiled a lot since she was just a baby, she had no idea if she could live up to their expectations of a daughter-inw. When the Quattro slowly rolled past the gate guarded by two soldiers with guns, for the first time, Leena realized that the ce they were goin Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. much!" ire said these words in a sweet tone while throwing herself into Kevin''s arms, hugging him tightly. Apparently she missed her brother that much. "Alright, alright. Calm down. Yeah, I''m back. And this is your sister-inw," Kevin said, disentangling himself from ire''s arms, feeling a bit helpless with her passionate wee. But secretly, he missed his sister too. "Hello, I''m Leena Leng. Nice to meet you!" No fool herself, Leena knew who this woman was from their conversation, so she introduced herself nicely. "My...sister-inw? Are you kidding? Why, she''s still a little girl!" ire looked up and down Leena with eyes full of disdain. Though she thought that Leena had a sweet face and a good figure, she really didn''t like her fashion sense. Just one look was enough for ire to know that Leena was not from a rich family with reputation. She felt that this ordinary girl was definitely unsuitable for her lovely and capable brother. "ire, mind your manners! Yes, Leena''s younger than you, but she''s still my wife and your sister-inw, so you should show some respect." Kevin chided his little sister, then turned to Leena and gave her an apology by way of a helpless smile. His little sister was also the princess in his family, and everyone spoiled her. So she always did what she wanted to do, and said what she wanted to say, no matter how anyone else felt. That was why she was being so impolite. Chapter 981 Welcome Home (Part Two) "Fine. Nice to meet you too, Leena." ire said these words a bit reluctantly. Again she looked Leena up and down, and remained unsatisfied. Why did her brother marry such a girl? What did he see in her? He must have been blind! "ire, right? It''s really nice to finally meet you in person. Your brother said so many nice things about you. He told me that you were a very beautiful girl with a strong personality. It seems that he''s very right about that." Leena didn''t mind her words, because she knew that it was not that easy to make a person like you. You had to work for it. And that was just the way it was. Not everyone was going to fall in love with you the first time you met. "Really? He rarely says nice things about me. But I can''t deny his words. He''s pretty much right about me." Though she still didn''t like Leena, ire couldn''t help but get a little bit smug. After all, no women in this world didn''t like beingplimented. Kevin looked at Leena in surprise, because he didn''t evenpliment his little sister once! Leena was making all those things up to get on ire''s good side. Well, she was actually very smart. In fact, the only thing he ever said about ire was how stubborn and spoiled she was. Buting from Leena''s mouth, these things all became ire''s good qualities. "Yeah! To be honest, you are even much prettier than I expected." Leena added, looking very sincere. To be honest, if you looked more closely, ire looked a lot like her brother, but she was more gentle and didn''t have sharp angles like Kevin did. "What are you all doing here? Juste inside!" Right when Leena was still trying to make ire like her, a loving voice interrupted them again. At the same time, a woman appeared on the stair in front of the house. She looked very nice and elegant, and had a gentle smile on her face. Well, this must be Kevin''s mother. She must have heard them and couldn''t wait insi Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. th shut like a good kid. "What did I say? I didn''t say anything! Come on, let''s get inside. Or your daughter-inw is going to catch a cold." Kevin wasn''t worried about himself. He was just a bit worried that Leena wasn''t used to the weather here and would catch a cold. "Well, whose fault is that? You just couldn''t keep your mouth shut." After she had said her piece, Shannon quickened her pace and walked into the house. Instead, Leena was the one who wanted to retreat, because she suddenly recalled from Kevin''s words before that his father was a very serious man. "What is it?" Feeling Leena''s reluctance, Kevin couldn''t help but ask. "It''s nothing." Leena smiled at him, though the smile was forced. She just didn''t want to bother him with her nervousness and said those words only to try tofort herself. In fact, she was anxious and felt like she was about to die from anxiety. Her heart thumped in her ribcage. ire hadn''t said a word since her mother walked out. She just watched Leena''s every action in silence, judging her. And now, she couldn''t help but think that Leena was immature. Grown women weren''t this nervous, were they? Well, it seemed that she was indeed from a very ordinary family, because she couldn''t even be brave enough to face their father. Chapter 982 Welcome Home (Part Three) "Leena,e on in! Your father is waiting inside for you." Shannon turned her head and smiled gently at Leena. Well, she was quite satisfied with her daughter-inw for now, no matter what anyone else thought. But she still looked too young. Shannon didn''t know if she could take proper care of herself. And that was something that concerned her a lot. If she couldn''t take care of herself, then what good was she to Kev? "Dad, look! I told you Kevin woulde home early!" ire walked past them before they even entered the room. She ran to Nathan''s side and smugly said those words. At the same time, she looked at Leena and raised one of her eyebrows. It seemed that Leena still hadn''t gotten her approval even she said so many nice things about her. "Yeah." Nathan Gu was indeed how Kevin had described him. He was a very serious man who rarely smiled. You couldn''t help but fear him when he was in front of you. He had that kind of power, a quiet authority. So it was understandable that Leena was very nervous because she wanted to leave a good impression. And the only thing ire was doing was tearing her down. "Dad, we''re back. Leena, this is our father." Kevin was docile in front of his father. He didn''t joke andugh like when he was with his friends. And that was also very different from the way ire acted around their father. Leena didn''t know if he was being this serious only because he was a soldier. She bet that it might be something else, too. "Dad, hello! I''m Leena Leng, you can call me Leena." Leena introduced herself nicely. Only Kevin knew how nervous she was, because her hand was all sweaty even in the cold weather. But Leena wiped her hand off on her blouse, and kept herself from freaking out. "Leena, hello. Now that you''re married to Kevin, you are family now. Make Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. g about it. She had sessfully survived the ''meet and greet, '' if she said so. Now, all she needed to do was try to get on everyone''s good side and get along with them, especially ire. She had a feeling that this would be an extremely tough task. "Yeah! I almost forget that you are the little princess of the Leng family. And there''s nothing you can''t do." Kevin shook his head and looked at Leena helplessly. "No, you''re wrong. Everything''s harder when you''re around." Leena blurted out these words because she just couldn''t help herself. But she didn''t want Kevin to dwell on them. Because she had made peace with the fact that she could never truly have his heart a long time ago. "Howe? Why is everything difficult for you when I''m here? I don''t understand." Kevin''s eyebrows frowned. He was quite confused about her words. He had no idea what kind of difficulty she was referring to. "Well... That''s something you don''t need to know." Leena let out a silent sigh. She had a feeling that she was never going to say that kind of things that buried deep in her heart to him. After all, she didn''t want him to think that she was being petty or demanding. That was thest thing she wanted. Chapter 983 Hanging Out With Kevin (Part One) "Don''t you think we should be honest with each other?" Kevin asked while staring at Leena with a smile. She didn''t need to do any housework whenever he was with her. After all, he was used to it as a soldier. All she needed to do was stay by his side and look at him affectionately. "Come on, Kevin! People all have secrets. This is your room, huh?" Leena asked as she looked around. This room was very different from the one back in S City''s Grand Apartment. The whole style of his bedroom was cold enough to scream that it was owned by a tough guy. "Yep! I don''t reallye here much. It seems that they have redecorated it." The man gave his ce a quick once-over and found a lot of things new in it. "It''s perfect. Very manly, actually." Leena walked around and then stopped before an art-piece set in the room. She yed with it carefully. Had she been that room''s designer, she would have added tons of softer elements. "You mean the house we live in S City isn''t manly? And I''m not a real man?" Kevin shot his wife a dagger stare as he fumed with anger. That was huge fake though because the truth was, he cherished this moment when Leena could just be herself. He loved her true colors and didn''t want her to change who she was for anyone. "Hahaha! You''re so funny!" A loudugh escaped from Leena''s chest. If Kevin was not a real man, then there would be no real men in this world. "Leena, go take a bath. You must be exhausted after a long trip. I''d like to take you to the army base to have a walkter." Kevin gazed at Leena with a doting smile. He took out their clothes from the suitcases and hung them in the closet. He might have not noticed how he had given more and more importance to his wife gradually. However, his heart was dangerously at the nick of it, and it was only a matter of time for him topletely fall in love with her. "Sure! Oh, god! My muscles are killing me! I''m absolutely frozen!" Leena didn''t expect that the temperature there varied greatly from the one in S City. She could have worn something thicker if she knew. It was lucky that money could solve most problems in the world. She pl difficult position." The young woman sighed before she drank up the ginger soup. She was aware of her health. It would be a huge inconvenience for her to spend the next few days with his family if she caught a cold. "Excuse me? Did I put you in a difficult position? When?" Now Kevin''s eyes were wide with even more confusion. He just fetched a bowl of ginger soup for her. It wasn''t like a bowl of soup could cause the end of the world! "Figure it out yourself! Since your mom is cooking, I''d better go downstairs to help her." She stood and was about to go downstairs with the empty bowl. No woman wanted her daughter-inw to be azy person. Leena was determined to make an immacte profile for herself. "That''s not necessary. Our maid is also there. Come on, let me show you around." Kevin patted her head tofort her. He got it. She was getting worked up about setting her impression to his parents. He thought that she was thinking too much though. His mother was a reasonable and kind-hearted person while Leena was a sensible girl. He believed that they would go along really well. "Really?" Leena raised her head and looked at Kevin, confused. "Yes. Don''t worry. I just told Mom that we''re going to hang around the army base." Kevin went to the closet, selected one of his coats and draped it over her shoulders in a swift motion. She didn''t bring thick coats and they had no time to buy her a new one. Chapter 984 Hanging Out With Kevin (Part Two) "How about your Dad? Is he still in the living room?" The woman asked carefully. She was a bit afraid of Kevin''s father as he was a cold and straight-faced man. "No. He is in the study now. He has some work to finish. Let''s go." Kevin was still in his military uniform. He grabbed Leena''s hand and walked out of the bedroom. An empty living room weed them as they reached downstairs. It was to Leena''s delight, even ire was not there. That was the only time that woman felt relieved. They walked out of the Gu''s house courtyard. The houses in the neighborhood were all arranged perfectly. Obviously, the ce was a high-grade area and all the house owners were decent people. "Let''s go! The ying field is over there. I used to y there when I was a child." Kevin and Leena were holding each other''s hand as they walked. Several soldiers jogged pass them and she found them pretty interesting. "Kevin, I thought they were having a drill every morning. Why are they jogging now?" Leena asked curiously. She couldn''t help but feel engrossed in everything there as that was the ce where Kevin grew up. "They are not having a drill. They are just exercising. See the por tree over there? I was taller than it when I was a kid. It''s much taller than me now, though." Emotions overcame Kevin as he spoke. He had been a naughty boy and always had fights with his fellows during his younger years. His father had beaten him countless times because of that. "Haha, you''re so funny! Were you a little monkey in your childhood?" She made a face at him as she asked. She felt like she was on the top of the world while hanging out with him like this. "Well, my fellows were as naughty as I was. We almost fought with each other every day but we wouldn''t hate each other." Years had passed. His childhood ymates had drifted apart a long time ago. Kevin had also left this ce after he had spent nearly twenty years here. It was not easy for him to have a gathering with them. "Wow, sounds like you were good buddies." Leena sighed. It seemed that Kevin missed his childhood ymates. She didn''t know how tofort him. ve been looking all over for you." ireined with a dark expression. "What''s going on? We''re going back home." Kevin replied as he grabbed Leena''s hand and walked towards his sibling. "It''s dinner time, and mom asked me to look for you two." ire gave a cold nce at Leena and immediately looked away. She then squeezed herself between the two so the couple had to let go of each other. "ire, thank you. I''m sorry for bothering you." Leena gave her a friendly smile as she noticed that ire purposely separated her from Kevin. She must be very possessive of her brother. Needless to say, Leena could understand that. "You should be sorry. I''ve looked for you for such a long time." ire said in a cold tone. She just didn''t like Leena and would do anything to keep her away from Kevin. "ire, I don''t want to repeat what I''ve told you." It was Kevin''s serious tone that cut between thedies'' conversation. He knew that his sister was a willful girl. Nheless, that was not an excuse for her to be rude to his wife. Leena was even younger than ire but she was more mature. "Got it. Kevin, let''s go. Mom cooked your favorite dishes." Indifference was in ire''s voice as she didn''t take his words seriously. She never looked at Leena in the eye for she believed that Leena was a person from a poor family. She didn''t deserve her brother. She had pledged to show no respect to Leena at all. Chapter 985 The Hostility From Claire (Part One) The only reaction Leena did in response to ire''s dislike was to purse her lips a little. She did not even feel hurt. Just as what Kevin said, she was ire''s sister-inw, which suggested that she was a senior to ire. Even if she was actually younger than her, she should be generous and should not get angry with the woman because she was Kevin''s sister. Plus, she was not in S City. She wasn''t the princess here but instead a daughter-inw of another family. "Leena, keep up." Kevin felt a bit sorry because ire separated them. He turned his head and looked at Leena to remind her to catch up. It was only after he saw that Leena wasn''t showing any signs of unhappiness that he felt his chest relieved. "Let''s go! Kevin. It''s just a small ce. She won''t get lost as an adult," ire pouted. She really hated it when her elder brother cared for Leena. Many girls had their vision of Prince Charming. ire was no exception. For her, Prince Charming was no other than her elder brother whom she had grown up with. Kevin was handsome, not to mention, heroic. He had been her idol for all her life and now suddenly, here came another woman, his wife. How could she ept his wife easily? Leena was nothing but an outsider to her. "She''s right, Kevin. Don''t worry about me. Let''s hurry up and go back!" A slight smile showed on Leena''s lips. There was no ground for her to be angry at ire. A younger sister would always like to stay with her elder brother. They shared the same blood and family. Plus, they hadn''t seen each other for a while, thus, it was understandable for ire to be clingy with Kevin. Those excusesforted Leena. There was no need for her to take this situation seriously. She was also like ire whenever she was with Duke but Belinda had never shown any unhappiness about it. She would be too narrow-minded if she would feel ufortable with her sister-inw. ire felt as if she was bigger than her body as she seeded in setting the two apart. Yes, she did it deliberately. God knew how many times she had rolled her eyes in her mind upon seeing how Ke that Kevin was not the kind who would behave gently to any women. Thus, she felt touched with how he was taking care of her. She should probably stop being sad. She was the lucky one after all. Everyone was already settled and ready on their seats when Leena and Kevin came into the dining room. They were the only ones missing. Undoubtedly, they caught everyone''s attention and Leena felt how the atmosphere surrounding them oddly changed. "I''m sorry to have kept everyone waiting for long." Leena was feeling awkward with how everyone was looking at them but still managed to apologize. She had always been a well-behaved woman who was born and raised up in a decent family. She was a beloved princess who grew in elegance and grace after all. "It''s alright. Take a seat, please! Leena, don''t be so polite with us. It will make me feel distant. Remember, you are our daughter-inw. It makes you a member of our family. Take it easy, my dear." Shannon looked at Leena with gentle eyes. She was curious about how Leena''s family raised her to be such a well-behaved and excellent child. ire was clearly left behind, be it about manners or talking. "Yes. I see. Thank you, Mom." Leena was a cheerful woman. However, she chose to hide her true personality before the Gu family. She had be a quiet girl. She looked so gentle and soft that people would find it hard to resist her sweet smile. Chapter 986 The Hostility From Claire (Part Two) "You are not single anymore, Kev. You should take good care of Leena. Always remember that, okay? She is already your wife." Shannon seemed to be the happiest during the meal. She kept warning Kevin about things to remember with regard to marriage. The reason she kept finding topics was to keep Leena from anxiety. She hoped Leena could be familiar with this family as soon as possible. "Mom, since when did you be so boring and repetitive? Come on, she is an adult. Couldn''t she take care of herself? Is she disabled?" ire wasn''t able to control herself from butting in. She felt so much worse than how she felt earlier. Her mother paid all her attention to Leena and hadn''t stoppedparing them since dinner started. She felt jealous of her. That was her mother! "ire, watch your words and behave, please. Don''t be so rude. It''s Leena''s first time here. It''s natural for me to take care of her." Shannon frowned slightly. What happened to ire? Why wasn''t she nice to Leena? She disliked it when ire spoke in a rude way. It made her look like she was born in a barn. "Fine! Forget what I said!" ire pressed her lips unhappily. She was silently ming Leena for her mother''s sudden dissatisfaction with her. Her mother criticized her all because of Leena! Why? Why did she evene into her life and take her mother and brother away? "Leena, please don''t be upset. We have spoiled ire a bit too much, thus, she isn''t good at speaking," Shannon exined to Leena with an embarrassed smile. Even if it was ire who was misbehaving, Shannon still considered herself responsible for her daughter''s actions. How she wished for ire to be like Leena who was both well-educated and well-behaved. "It''s okay, Mom. We are about the same age. I can understand her." Leena did not know how to respond to Shannon''s apology but replied with an excuse. She hoped that her reply was proper enough not to make ire any angrier. She was caught in tangles when she turned to Kevin in an attempt to ask for help. "Alright, Mom. Let''s eat! Leena is dinner was done. On the other hand, Leena was left sitting in the living room while chatting with Shannon. ire was there too, of course. She would never let go of any chance to find fault with Leena. "Leena, how are your parents?" Shannon asked in a casual tone. Actually, she was just pretending to be casual. She did not want to appear like a police officer who was interrogating a prisoner. "Well, my father is good. As for my mother, she passed away when I was a baby," Leena replied in a polite tone. She did not feel sad when she talked about her mother because she never saw her. Plus, she never looked at herself as someone who grew up in a broken family. Her Dad and brother had been perfect. Both of them loved her and that was more than enough. "Oh, I''m sorry! I didn''t know that," apologized Shannon. She never anticipated that Leena lost her mother at an early age. She was so well-behaved after all, thus, she thought that it was her mother who educated and influenced her well. "It''s okay. I''ve already got used to it." Leena smiled distantly. She understood Shannon''s reason for asking such questions. Anyway, she was the daughter-inw of their family and it was just rightful for her new mother to get to know her. "Oh, I see! No wonder." ire mocked in a weird tone upon hearing Leena''s words. She would not miss a chance to disrespect her. Chapter 987 The Hostility From Claire (Part Three) "ire, what are you talking about? No wonder what? Don''t be so rude." A resigned sigh came from Shannon. Why couldn''t ire be a bit polite? It was toote to teach her manners now even if she wanted to. They had alreadypletely spoiled her and she would not even listen nor ept other''s warning anymore. "Well, I didn''t mean anything! Don''t ask me anything more, Mom. Please! Just keep on talking with my sister-inw!" ire dared not act too offensively in front of her mother, thus, she called Leena her sister-inw instead of a single word of ''she''. She did not want to hear her mother keep informing her over and over again to be polite or that kind. "Don''t be so talkative and stop interrupting me when I''m talking to Leena." Another sigh came out of Shannon to express her frustration. What could she do to make her daughter be the same with Leena? It worried her that ire might find it difficult to find a date and moreover, get married. She was too willful and no one would like to marry such a girl. "It''s alright, Mom. You can ask me anything you want to know. I''ll tell you everything as long as I know." A sweet smile appeared on Leena''s face and it made her eyes cutely chinky. What an adorable sweet girl! "I see, Leena. Then I''ll just ask straightly. You look quite young!" Shannon stopped being polite and asked Leena. She really wanted to know more about her and her family. She liked her. "Yeah! I''m 22 years old. A bit young." That question embarrassed Leena a bit but nheless, she remained smiling. Although she was legally allowed to get married at this age, it was still too early since nowadays females did not get married at such a young age. "Oh, I see. Then you are younger than ire," Shannon said to Leena and then turned to ire. " ire, you see? Leena is even younger than you but she is politer. You can stay w Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. k her that question too abruptly. "Oh, they? They run businesses." Leena did not tell her that they were the presidents of theirpanies. She chose to make a very simple introduction because she was afraid that they might consider her as a show-off. She did not want to make a fuss about that. Being low-key and humble was still the best. "What? Run businesses? Come on, stop it, please! Why don''t you just admit it that they work forpanies. Please get to the point and don''t beat around the bush." Well, yes, ire grasped a chance to tease Leena again. In her eyes, Leena was nothing but a vain woman. "Ur! Well, yes, if that''s what you think," admitted Leena. She reached out her hand to touch her nose. In one way or another, Duke and Belinda worked forpanies indeed. It was just that the two were actually the bosses. ire was technically right. "ire, you might as well go back to your room if you cannot stop being impolite." Now Shannon was really angry. ire''s sarcasm was too much and it kept making the conversation even more awkward than how it already was. "Come on! I''m just telling the truth. Why do you refuse to hear the truth?" whispered ire unhappily. Somehow she was quite ufortable with Leena. Chapter 988 I Care (Part One) "Mom, don''t be mad at ire. She is right. It''s true that my brother and his wife work forpanies." Leena said as a realization hit her. Gradually, she became hypocritical. She pretended to be calm despite being irritated by ire''s words. Her friendliness was suddenly so fake that it made her feel sick. "I know you''re very kind, Leena. But you may suffer if you''re too nice to others," sighed Shannon. In her opinion, there was nothing wrong about being nice to the family, but then people outside of the family would still intend to bully a nice person. Leena mighte to grief if she would continue being such. "Mom, thank you for reminding me. I''ll be careful." Leena didn''t think that her kindness would make her suffer at all. As a matter of fact, she had never suffered from someone doing her wrong. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and everything had been catered to her. Her family loved her dearly, and she had never experienced working hard for even just a day. She had been protected all her life that the word suffering was almost a foreign word. "Leena, what are you talking about with my mom?" Kevin walked over slowly and whispered to Leena. One of his arms automatically wrapped her waist as he looked at her tenderly and lovingly. "Nothing important. Just a casual talk. Have you finished talking with your dad?" Leena looked up to Kevin with twinkling eyes. She didn''t intend for her expression to be that way but her heart unconsciously made her do so. She was nothing but charming! "Yeah. If I''m not wrong, my mom must have asked you something about your family." Kevin nced at his mother as he spoke t Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. her son''s changes since they were staying inside the same house. It would just stress her if she took everything to heart. "Mom is right," ire ironically said as she rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Kevin, who cares?" She made a dismissive gesture with her hand. Her disdainful face was clearly disying how much she hated Leena. She was from a family of officials while Leena was just from a regr family. She was simply out of her league. Their families weren''t of equal status and it was embarrassing. She would never want to ept Leena as a member of her family as it would be humiliating once her friends and ssmates found out that she was just a cheap nobody. "I care. Leena is my wife. She makes my heart smile. Every day without her is like a book without pages. As the saying goes, she who has never loved has never lived. ire, you should try to love someone hard." Kevin stared at his sister intently. Although ire didn''t like Leena, Leena upied a very important space in his heart. He cared for his wife dearly and there was no way that he would leave her in the future. Chapter 989 I Care (Part Two) On the other hand, Leena''s eyes were wide with astonishment as she stared at the man. Something about what he said made her heart ache in a really sweet and good way. The simple remark he said was beyond any "I love you". It was simply worth more. "Enough of the chitchat. Kevin, take Leena upstairs. The long trip must have tired you. Leena, we have years ahead of us. Go to sleep now. Otherwise, your husband may think that I''m bullying you." Despite ire''s unwillingness to ept Leena, Shannon was pleased to see such a happy and satisfying marriage. She could finally set her mind at ease watching how her son and daughter-inw couldn''t seem to get enough of each other. "Okay. Leena, let''s go." Kevin stood up and reached out to help Leena. "I''m fine. I don''t feel tired. We rarelye back. Stay to chat with your mom." A mild blush appeared on Leena''s cheeks as she disapproved Kevin''smand for the first time. She might not have a child yet but she knew how a mother''s concern for her child was. And Shannon was no exception. "Okay. I''ll go upstairs to take a shower. I will join you after that." The man checked his watch. It was still early, and thus, he didn''t force Leena to go upstairs with him. Plus, this could be a good opportunity for Leena to get closer to his Mom. "No need. Leena, go with Kevin. I''ll see what your dad needs." Since their conversation turned out unpleasing due to ire, Shannon simply pushed the boat with the current and let Leena go upstairs with Kevin. She knew that Leena didn''t really mean to stay. Leena was just being her naturally kind self who one. How ridiculous was that! "I knew that you would speak for her! Since you like her so much and you can treat her as your daughter, then I''d better disappear!" ire stomped her feet and then ran for the stairs. The way her mother scolded her made her hate Leena even more. Looking at ire''s angry silhouette, Shannon furrowed her brow and sighed inwardly. Somehow she felt uneasy and had a hunch that something bad might happen. This thought disturbed her. Thus, she remained staring at the stairs, lost in thought. Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, Kevin was taking a shower while Leena stood in the balcony. The curtains billowed in the breeze. What ire said echoed in her ears. The sky was misty and she couldn''t look far. She focused her eyes on the darkness as thoughts began to flood her mind. ''Everyone generally likes me. Why does ire loathe me much at the first meeting? It really shatters my confidence. Sheesh! This is making me miss S City so much. I miss my family members who love me. Even Justin who often pisses me off seems so cute now.'' Chapter 990 I Care (Part Three) Leena heaved a sigh. She knew clearly that she was a daughter-inw in this family. Although her mother-inw was very good to her and her father-inw seemed friendly and wouldn''t purposely make difficulties for her, ire''s hostility was enough to make her heart hurt silently. It was something that she didn''t expect. She might have had herself ready for this day but then her strength melted as she faced it. "What are you thinking about? You seem to be miles away." Kevin wrapped Leena''s waist with his arms as he spoke. The sweet act made Leena''s sadness vanish instantly as she pressed herself harder in his warm embrace. "Nothing. Have you finished?" The corners of her lips lifted as she held her helplessness back. She was suddenly smiling without turning to Kevin. "Yeah. Are you homesick?" The man rested his chin on Leena''s head and sniffed her mildly fragrant hair. This girl had brought many surprises to him. He had always thought that she would cause a lot of troubles because of her young age and he would have to clean up her mess. She had proved him wrong though. She was different from how he perceived her. She was beyond anything he had expected. "No. It''s just that I haven''t seen my dad for a long time, so I miss him." Leena hesitated before she rested her hands just above Kevin''s. It felt nice to feel how warm he was. "Is he travelling somewhere again?" Kevin liked his father-inw, and his father-inw also liked him and spoke highly of him. Although Duke treated him as an enemy and always embarrassed him, he felt warm as his father-inw sincerely took him as a family member. "Yes. He has gone to Chicago. He was busy with work and didn''t have time to t owever, a clear conscienceughed at false usation. Kevin wouldn''t do such things. From his observations, Duke had a very little contact with political figures, let alone coborated with them. He would bet his bottom dor that his army career wouldn''t be affected at any point. "Really?" Leena looked at Kevin with unbelieving eyes. It was easy for her to decipher that Kevin wasn''t saying everything based on his looks. His face was stiff when he left the study room. Thus, she subconsciously concluded that her father-inw disliked her. "Yeah. Don''t think too much." He embraced Leena tightly. He didn''t want to upset her and therefore he told her a white lie. Although his father didn''t like her now, he was positive that he would like this charming woman as much as he did as time went by. "Come on. Don''t try to fool me. I don''t like being fooled. Anyway, I don''t think you only talked about your work." Leena shot Kevin a reproachful pout. She didn''t believe him for a minute. Young as she was, she knew the ways of the world. The only thing that mattered was if she was willing to learn about these things or not. Chapter 991 Making Pancake In The Kitchen (Part One) "Is it really just you missing Dad? I don''t think so," said Kevin. He looked at Leena knowingly. Leena really thought that she did a great job in disguising herself but her nces betrayed her thoughts. She was afraid of looking at Kevin directly in his eyes whenever she lied. "Enlighten me. Tell me what I''m thinking of right now?" asked Leena. A wry smile was on her face when she lifted her head and looked at Kevin with both tenderness and passion. "You must be thinking about me right now. You love me too much to ignore me or get angry at me. Am I right?" Kevin touched her pink and soft cheek. He had nned to speak out what was inside her mind but stopped on second thought in fear that he might frustrate her more. "Don''t be silly. I can''t think about you now. Plus, you''re standing in front of me. How and why would I miss you?" said Leena. Thedy pursed her lips and smiled in a mocking manner. Her lively and smart expression was charming. "Well, Haven''t you decided to marry me and be my wife atst?" said Kevin. Then, he pulled Leena''s body closer to himself, moved his lips close to her ear, and let his breath slowly touch her skin. His warm and clean breath alone was magic and it set Leena''s heartbeat to skyrocket. "Yeah! You should be nice to me. Otherwise, you may end up as my ex-husband." Leena squeezed her fist between herself and Kevin as she tried to keep some distance between them. The intimacy between them was just too bewildering. "Well done, Sweetie. You have learned how to threaten me. Think about this though. Do you think I''ll ever be your ex-husband? I can''t even wait to find out who will dare to take you away from me," said Kevin animatedly. It wouldn''t be easy for anybody to rob him of any of his possessions, more so, his wife. e profound with every second? For good or for bad, they started tomunicate and re-confirm theirmitments about their love and marriage. Leena was awakened by the noise of some soldiers participating in training the next morning. To her surprise, Kevin wasn''t lying in the bed with her. She wondered where he was, when did he leave and how could she sleep like a log without knowing anything. Before she could get out of the bed, ire came inside the room without tapping at the door. She looked at Leena''s in pajamas defiantly and scornfully. "You woke upte! Mom and Dad are taking a walk outside. Change and cook breakfast for the whole family before Mom and Dade home," ire snapped. She looked at Leena with disdain. Her goal was to embarrass Leena before the whole family. She had hated the woman because her mother had been ming her for everything ever since Leena came. "I''m sorry. I''ll do it in a few minutes after I have cleaned up." Leena blushed scarlet by her sister-inw''s cold remarks. However, it was just six o''clock in the morning. Thus, she didn''t think she got upte. She was never a morning person and she wasn''t used to waking up this early. Chapter 992 Making Pancake In The Kitchen (Part Two) "Do it quickly! Maud has already gone out shopping for Dad''s birthday party. Thus, she can''t be relied on to do the house choirs." ire sneered. She had deliberately sent their maid Maud on errands early in the morning to make sure that Leena would make mistakes and shame herself. "Alright. I see. Please get out so that I can change," said Leena. She was not ustomed to changing her clothes before anyone, let alone ire. Although models in those fashion shows could get changed at the backstage with the presence of other staff, Leena couldn''t allow herself to do that. "Don''t be a fool. I won''t stare at you." ire gave Leena a condescending nce, raised her chin proudly and walked out. She was deliberately treating Leena as a maid rather than Kevin''s wife. Leena bit her lips and swallowed her anger. Frustration was beginning to be a constant scenario for her whenever she was dealing with ire. The woman was obviously belittling her in any possible way! To tell the truth, Leena could cook a decent breakfast for the family. It was just that she had no idea what Kevin''s family liked for breakfast. Standing at the kitchen, Leena looked troubled and didn''t know what to do. "What''s wrong with you? What''re you waiting for? I''m starving. I need to eat my breakfast as soon as possible." ire came inside the kitchen, sat down on a stool and seemed to have made up her mind to supervise Leena. "ire, can you tell me what you guys want to eat for your breakfast?" asked Leena humbly. Although she knew ire might refuse to give her an answer, she had to try finding out what the family preferred when it came to foods. "Will you do whatever I tell you?" ire''s mind was set to put Leena in an awkward situation. She stared low-ss family. "Well, I know what you mean. You can forget my questions. By the way, if you have nothing else to tell me, please leave and let me cook a breakfast for your family. I don''t like being stared at when I cook in the kitchen." Leena''s voice became cold upon hearing what ire just said. She raised her head defiantly and refrained herself from sobbing in front of ire. There was no need to exin anything to the woman as she had already judged her whole family as low-ss and indecent. ''She can keep judging me as long as she likes, '' thought Leena to herself. She knew she wouldn''t stay with Kevin''s family for a long period of time. They were expected to leave in a couple of days. These concerns about Kevin''s family and his sister would be gone as soon as they stepped back to S City. Nheless, she might still need to visit his parents every several months just to avoid being criticized for noting. They couldn''t just reason out that Kevin was always on overtime and couldn''t even find time to bring his wife to his parent''s house, could they? Therefore, as long as she didn''t live with ire in the same house, everything would be fine. Chapter 993 Making Pancake In The Kitchen (Part Three) "Haha! Don''t be a silly. I don''t have time to stare at you." Unexpectedly, ire felt a bit flustered when she looked at Leena and saw the sadness on her face. Had she been too mean with her brother''s wife? She shrugged her shoulder after some seconds. Who cared if she made her sad? Leena''s feelings were out of her concern. The only thing this woman did was to mess their family. Nobody should be med for her sadness but herself. If Leena hadn''t married Kevin for money, she wouldn''t have teased and mocked her. It was only after ire left the kitchen that Leena burst into tears. She was young and she couldn''t help being emotional about what just happened. She was seriously misunderstood and wronged! Never had she felt anything worse than this before. She sniffed miserably and blew her nose. Instead of preparing the simple western-style breakfast, she cooked some millet gruel and pancakes which she had only learnt how to cook from some TV food program. It was said that citizens from the capital city loved this kind of breakfast. She hoped that Kevin''s parents and sister would like it. It took her some while and some wasted materials just to make a decent piece of pancake. It wasn''t a surprise since she was never used to making one on the first ce. She looked around and saw the mess in the kitchen. A sudden fear attacked her with the thought that her mother-inw mighte home soon, find the messy kitchen, and then me her for doing nasty housework. "Leena, what''re you doing here?" asked Kevin. He was wearing a sports suit and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. It was obvious that he just finished his morning exercise. "Well, I am triying to cook some pancakes. It t od at this? It''s actually quite easy," Kevin boasted. He smiled at Leena cheerfully. Although he dared not to ask Leena more questions as to why her eyes were red, he had already made a mental note about talking to ire. He was determined to ask his sister to stop embarrassing his wife anymore. "You''re awesome but you were wrong. Cooking pancake isn''t easy. I will never know how to make batter from scratch." Leena had to admit that she couldn''t do better than Kevin in cooking or doing housework. However, she didn''t intend to surrender nor allow Kevin to make fun of her. "Sweetie, you have witnessed what I can do in the kitchen. It''s lucky that I came back home before you present your pancakes at the dining table. Your pancakes would have angered Dad. Don''t worry, okay? My pancakes are what my Dad loves most for breakfast," assured Kevin. Speaking of which, Kevin sighed as he finally realized what was his sister''s n. ire wanted to embarrass Leena by telling her to prepare a nasty breakfast for the family. They all knew that their Dad was very picky about his breakfast. He supposed that Leena didn''t know about that. Chapter 994 Leenas Concerns (Part One) "If he didn''t like me before, now he hates me." For the first time, Leena found that some people didn''t like her even though she was sweet and pretty. She was so frustrated with the Gus. "Don''t sweat it, kiddo. You and I have our whole lives ahead of us, and nothing else matters. We''re a couple. Who cares what anyone else thinks?" Kevin smiled and dabbed his flour-stained finger on Leena''s nose. Instantly, her nose was covered with white powder. "Easier said than done. Now that we''re married, I''m supposed to be part of your family. I can''t just ignore them. It''s just so hard, knowing they don''t like me." Leena ced her hand on her forehead in distress. It was fine for Kevin. People ignored their families all the time. But they still loved him, because he was their son. She had married into the family, but was still an outsider. If she screwed up, they wouldn''t be as forgiving. "Are their opinions really that important to you?" Kevin looked at her in confusion. His father treated everyone the same -- well, not quite true. His sister was obviously the favorite. Not only that, they wouldn''t be living with the family. They were several hours away, in fact. They probably wouldn''t see them except on special asions. Kevin didn''t think it would affect them much even if they didn''t like her. He hoped they''de around eventually, but he''d give up if they kept making hatefulments. Well, maybe one day they''d get along. "They''re your family. They''re part of your life, the most important people to you in the world. And they should be. How can I ignore them? I care about you, so I care about what they think." Having grown up in an overprotective environment and spoiled by all the people around her, Leena had never been looked down on like she was today. This was the first time, and it was a shocker. But she hoped she could keep a low profile, and just keep trying to mollify his family. She would do anything to please them. All she wanted was to see Kevin happy. She loved him, and was willing to do even the inw was elegant and gentle. Now it seemed that she was pretty active and energetic, not at all like the usual type of stay-at-home wife of an official. "What? She''s at the market? Why this early? She has plenty of time. I was thinking about going to the market with her after breakfast." Shannon frowned. She felt the whole matter was weird and suspected that ire had something to do with it. "Um... I have no clue why she was in such a rush." Seeing Shannon''s glum face, Leena wondered if she had said something wrong. "Mom, you''re home." Kevin touched his nose awkwardly when he saw his mom in the kitchen. The end result was a white powdered nose, covered in flour. Leena suppressed a giggle. "When did you learn to cook?" Shannon was amused by Kevin''s appearance. Her face finally lit up with good cheer, and she looked happier. "When I enlisted, I tried to cook for myself if I had a craving for something. So practice makes perfect. I''m a fast learner too. But today, I only made the pancakes. I can''t lie: Leena cooked the other dishes. She worked hard, so don''t be too hard on her." Kevin defended Leena, though he was hoping he wouldn''t have to. She was an awesome cook at home, so there was no reason why she wouldn''t be as good or even better here. Kevin decided to clean up in the kitchen. He grabbed a broom, a rag, and a bucket. Chapter 995 Leenas Concerns (Part Two) "Oh? Leena can cook too?" It was obvious Shannon was taken aback by this. She understood that Leena was from a rich family. Nathan had told her that. But rich girls had everything done for them, so how did she learn to cook? Shannon was impressed that she didn''t act spoiled at all. In fact, she was polite, humble, and sweet. On the other hand, ire, who was also from a wealthy family, behaved totally differently. Inparison, Shannon liked Leena even more. "I''m sorry, mom. I''m not a good cook and I''ve turned the kitchen into a mess." Leena tried to give a smile, but for the first time she found it hard. Her conversation with Kevin was still fresh in her mind. She felt like a big rock was pressing down on her chest. "It''s good enough. ire can''t even cook half as well as you." Most parents thought their kids were the best, no matter what. However, in Shannon''s eyes, her daughter-inw was much better than her kids. Leena could have acted like a princess, but she didn''t. Shannon felt lucky to have her as a daughter-inw, because she was convinced that Leena could do better. "Mom! Seriously?" ire shouted angrily. Not only did her mom trash talk her, but she did it in front of Leena. She believed that Leena must have told something to her mom. Hence, her resentment towards Leena grew deeper. She''d teach that little bitch a good lesson! "What? It''s the truth. You should try what she''s cooked up here. It''s really good. I''ll reckon with youter about something else." Shannon looked at ire, full of disappointment. She didn''t understand why ire and Leena were so different. On the surface, they were both young, beautiful and from rich familes, but on the inside, Leena was much better cultivated than ire. Maybe it was her fault how she was raised. Leena''s family obviously did a better job bringing her up. "Humph! Somebody must have said something about me when I wasn''t around." ire cast a contemptuous nce at Leena. She thought Leena must have talked about her behind her back to her mom. That was enough for her cold now. Millet porridge will warm you up. It''s very sweet." Shannon put a bowl of millet porridge in front of Nathan and then started to fill a second bowl. Leena looked at Nathan nervously, secretly praying that he would like the warm cereal. "Duh. My brother helped her. She should be as honest as I am. I have never lied about the things I couldn''t do, let alone taken credit for other people''s work." ire shot a disdainful look at Leena. She had expected to see how embarrassed she would be in the kitchen. However, all she had gotten was that her brother had ruined her n and her mom had scolded her in front of Leena. Thinking of this, she made a sour face again in Leena''s direction. "I..." ire''s words humiliated Leena so much she looked at Nathan nervously, worried that he''d hate her for it, but sadly, she couldn''te up with anything to say back. She just stood there, all flushed with embarrassment. "ire, that''s your sister-inw you''re talking about. Show some respect! You are too spoiled. I haven''t talked to you about Maud yet. And you''re one to talk!" Shannon said sternly, eyes filled with deep disappointment. "Don''t talk with your mouth full," Nathan suddenly put in. Obviously, he couldn''t stand ire being med for anything. He seemed so stately and serious to Leena that she was stunned to see how much he indulged ire. Chapter 996 A Wonderful Meal (Part One) "You have spoiled her too much. You always have, and you''re still doing it! Look at her. She''s too stubborn. She''s not nice, she''s not polite." Shannon sighed and shook her head helplessly. Her husband was the most responsible for spoiling ire. As a result, she became willful and arrogant. He always forgave her for whatever she said and did. "From where I''m standing, ire is a good girl, and makes no mistake. She is a girl, so she is stubborn. As long as she doesn''t go too far, it''s fine by me." Nathan coughed a bit. ire was always well-behaved around him. She was usually polite, but meanwhile, she was headstrong. Anyway, she was still young and she would learn better manners as time went by. She was his beloved daughter and she could do no wrong. "Skip it. I can''t expect you to see how she really is. You''re a leader of men, you have soldiers at your beck and call. But why can''t you see that your own daughter is haughty and rude? Honestly! I don''t understand you," said Shannon unhappily and rolled her eyes at Nathan. ire was this way because he always took her side and defended her no matter whether she was right or wrong. So even when Shannon tried to teach ire how to behave, ire would always run to Nathan and ask for protection. That way, Shannon had no way to deal with her. "Yes, I''m a leader. But a leader is just an ordinary father at home." Nathan rarely refuted Shannon. He always listened to her, even if he didn''t always agree. He just remained silent, and held his tongue. But this time, he fought back. He did it deliberately because Leena was here. He wouldn''t have his authority questioned in front of his daughter-inw. That just wasn''t cool. Although heined that he was just a father at home, he still wanted to be thought of as a leader. "Oh, yeah, I see! Some cer Shannon was to Leena, the more hateful ire was. She just hated it when her mother showed affection for Leena. So she would get every chance to tease or make fun of Leena. She was supposed to be her mother''s princess and enjoy all of her parents'' love. But why did her mother focus on Leena so much and just ignore ire? The girl could not feel more jealous. "So, in your opinion, a major general shouldn''t do housework, right? Well if that were true, he''d be helpless and couldn''t get married at all," Shannon said and chuckled. Well, yes, there was already a man who did nothing at home; Nathan, her husband and their father. Shannon did not want her son to be another Nathan who treated his family like his army. "What are you talking about? Get married? Who''s getting married?" Kevin walked out of the kitchen, holding the pancake he just made. He asked curiously as he could swear he heard something about marriage. He had no idea that they were talking about him. "Nobody''s getting married. Sit down and finish your breakfast! You can show Leena around after the meal. She''s not familiar with this city." Shannon changed the subject quickly. She didn''t really want to put her son on the spot. Chapter 997 A Wonderful Meal (Part Two) "Nobody? Really? So you''re not talking about me?" Kevin sat down hesitantly. Now he was onto something. So they were talking about him just now! "We''re not talking about you! What? Do you have a persecutionplex or something?" Leena pinched Kevin''s hand slightly under the table to get him to change the subject. It was an awkward topic for both of them. "I get it. I won''t keep asking anymore. Let''s eat! After that, I''ll show you around so you can see what this city has to offer. It''s really beautiful this time of year." Kevin had nned to take her out even if his mother hadn''t made the suggestion. He wasn''t around her much after their marriage because he was either in the office or gone for training. Now they had the time. He was on vacation, and of course wanted to spend more time with her to develop a deeper bond. And there was nothing like a little sightseeing to do just that. "Pfftt! Mr. Good Husband will do whatever his wife says," ire sneered. The more Kevin acted tenderly with his wife, the more ufortable ire became. She was the real princess in this family, not Leena! But now there was nobody else in her brother''s eyes except Leena. "ire, focus on your breakfast, please. Why are you always so rude?" Shannon shot a stare at ire. How impolite she was! Kevin and Leena were a couple and they were close to each other. But why did ire always try to get in between them? "I get it, Mom. I was just talking out of my butt. I didn''t mean it. You''re being unfair. You constantly get on to me for every little thing. Why don''t you concentrate on Kevin? He hasn''t been home long. Enjoy it!" ire pursed her lips unhappily. She felt that her mother was constantly harping on her, all because of Leena. That was not fair. "I don''t need to worry about Kevin. He does well enough on his own. And he''s polite. But you? You don''t listen to me at all no matter how many times I tell you." Shannon Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. Lee. He might have it. Or Kevin. I''m not sure," Leena answered honestly. She had no clue where the key was. She just walked into the house as soon as they got out yesterday. As for who pocketed the key, she did not know. "Why do you know nothing at all? Well, forget it, I''ll go and find him myself." ire rolled her eyes at Leena and then looked askance at her. But soon, she concluded that it was understandable that Leena knew nothing about a key. Anyway, the car was not hers. ire thought so. "What are you looking for? Leena, are you done? Let''s go!" Kevin had no time to take a shower because he went to the kitchen to prepare the breakfast as soon as he finished his morning exercise. So he was cleaning himself off just now after they finished the breakfast. He went downstairs as soon as he was finished. "Really? We''re going out?" Leena asked, confused at Kevin''s suggestion. It wasn''t really appropriate, right? Wasn''t it his dad''s birthday today? There must be tons of things to be preparedter. As the daughter-inw, it wasn''t right for her to go out. "Yes, it''s Dad''s birthday today! But we can still go out, as long as wee back around noon or so." Kevin very well knew why Leena was puzzled and what she was worried about. So he exined to her carefully. Chapter 998 A Wonderful Meal (Part Three) "Yeah! Okay! I''ll go upstairs to get my bag." Leena said and tried to turn around to go upstairs. Unexpectedly, Kevin grasped her wrist to stop her. "Hey, you don''t need to. I have enough money, no matter what you want to buy," Kevin promised decisively. How could he allow his wife to spend her own money? No way! He was the husband and she was supposed to spend his money. They were a couple. Otherwise, he would feel kind of useless. If a man could not buy his wife nice things, what good was him? "But what about my phone? I left it in the bag." Leena had no problem if he insisted on spending his own money. She considered it to be natural and reasonable because she was his wife. A wife had the right to spend her husband''s money as long as he did not object to it. She really didn''t need his money before -- she had her own. She didn''t care much about money. "Don''t worry! I have it here. Here you go!" Kevin said and handed her the phone. He also helped Leena with her coat, slipping it gracefully onto her shoulders once she had her arms in the sleeves. He felt like a god. That was his purpose! He had anticipated everything Leena might need and reacted ordingly. This way, she had no excuse to get her purse anymore. "Come on, Kevin. You don''t say hi to your sis anymore? I''ve been here this whole time and you didn''t even look at me. Am I invisible or something?" ireined unhappily. When she saw her brother give Leena so much tender loving care, she was about to go ballistic. "Why are you still here? I saw you march off in a hurry." Kevin stared at her, confused. He thought she had left. "d you noticed. At least I know I''m not invisible now. I''m going out now, so could Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. g out with them was just an excuse. She wanted to drive that car. The Audi was her goal the whole time! "You? Not even. Did you get the driver license legally? Or did you just buy a fake one somewhere?" Kevin smiled with a teasing expression and made fun of her. He wanted to see her squirm. "A fake driver license? Really, Kevin? I tried so hard to get this. It''s not fake! I''ve been driving for 2 years. Don''t you trust me?" ire panted with rage while she stuck up for herself. Still, she gritted her teeth to hold her anger in because she didn''t want to start a fight. She might lose the chance to sit in the driver''s seat of that amazingly nice car! "All right. I''ll trust you just this once. So be careful. Our lives are in your hands," Kevin said and tossed the key to ire. He knew the real reason why she insisted on going out with them. That Pikes Peak, Leena''s new car, caught her attention. Well, well. It seemed that ire was not only a stubborn girl but also a vain girl. Otherwise, she would not have offered to drive. Everything she did was in order to get behind the wheel of that car, and show off to everyone. Chapter 999 The LN FASHION (Part One) "Don''t worry, just believe me when I say I''m a good driver," answered ire proudly. She caught the key and dashed to the garage, beaming with delight. "Let''s go, babe," said Kevin, reaching out his hand. He waited for Leena to put her small hand in his, only to find that she walked past him without even looking at him. Kevin was stunned by her reaction -- he didn''t expect her to turn her back on him. The surprise made him freeze and gape at the petite figure as she walked away. It was not until then that he realized that she had been distant from him recently. He tried hard but couldn''t figure out the reason. Though Leena appeared to be calm andfortable ignoring Kevin, she felt no better than he did. But she steeled her nerve, and did it. She was afraid that she''d get too used to his tenderness until she couldn''t live without it. The more she was in love, the harder it would be to let him go. That was what she was doing, trying her best to protect herself. "Hurry up, you two. What''s taking you so long?" asked ire impatiently. She had already taken her ce in the driver''s seat and could hardly wait to try out the new car. "Coming," replied Leena with a smile. No matter how much ire disliked Leena, Leena would smile brightly as a reaction. She did it not only out of politeness, but also out of habit formed from years of education. But ire wasn''t buying it. She rolled her eyes with a sneer as a response. "What''s all the hurry?" Kevin said to ire while he caught up with Leena. "Easy does it, ire. The car''s brand-new -- drive carefully," he added. Making sure Leena wasfortably seated in the back of the car, Kevin quickly chose a spot beside her. But he paid close attention to ire''s each and every move at the same time, and kept reminding her to be careful. After all, the car was a wedding gift for Leena given to her by her brother Duke. It must mean a lot to her, and was too precious to be damaged. And y shooting from the hip," ire said with resignation. Not wanting Kevin to get angry, she made the half-hearted apology merely to cool him down. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to use polite words around Leena, let alone apologize to her. "Mind your manners from now on, ire. You are a girl, you can''t be so rude," said Kevin sternly, and his face darkened with displeasure. Like their mother, he was now rather disappointed in ire, but felt that he couldn''t do anything about her. ''Man, she really is a piece of work, '' he thought. It seemed that the education she received these years had failed to teach her basic manners. Where could they have gone wrong? "Okay, I know I have a problem. I''ll change, happy?" answered ire, who was pulling a long face. Being a fearless and spoiled person from her childhood, ire had only regarded Kevin with reverence, for he was the only person who never coddled her. "It''s alright, Kevin. She''s still young, just don''t take it personally,"forted Leena. She meant to mediate in the quarrel between them, hoping that Kevin could be less strict with his sister. She had nothing against ire personally, but her words were almost an insult to ire, for she thought that Leena was showing off her sense of superiority by putting her down. Chapter 1000 The LN FASHION (Part Two) "Young people don''t always shoot off their mouths like that. You''re actually younger than her, you know, but you are always polite and respect other people. She''s left in the dustpared to you," griped Kevin. He couldn''t see what ire''s problem was, and couldn''t see that he was just making it worse. Now it seemed even more like Leena''s fault, and she could me the gal for everything. Everything. Leena felt dizzy after Kevin said this. What did he think he was doing? She found him more of a hindrance than a helper. All he was doing was adding fuel to the fire, and ire would hate her more. Aghast, she pinched Kevin''s waist forcibly to stop him from digging an even deeper hole. "Hey! What are you doing?" Kevin whipped his head around to look at her while stroking his sore spot in astonishment. She had pinched him so hard that he felt like he''d been bitten! He couldn''t believe that she actually hurt him. Where was his gentle and caring woman? Did she mean to do this? "Sorry, just a stray thread on your shirt, and I just plucked it away. I guess I grabbed too much," Leena repliedmely. Obviously, she was lying through her teeth. But she needed to think of something quickly, and some way to let him know without ire''s knowledge. If he continued to trash ire like that, it might destroy everything Leena had done to try and get on her good side. "Seems that you hate this thread a lot. So now I''m coteral damage," grumbled Kevin, rolling his eyes. He was sure that she was pinching him, and that was not how you grabbed a stray thread. "Hah! I said I was sorry," said Leena, smiling disarmingly. However, she was actually gnashing her teeth. She had really wanted to pinch him harder until he passed out, so that he would not utter a single silly word toplicate the matter. "So where are we headed? The department store, the shopping mall, or t od nature and was sensible enough most of the time. She was only spoiled by people around her and became self-centered, knowing that she would not be med no matter what she said or did. "I knew you were a freeloader and wouldn''te along for nothing. But let me put it straight. Don''t even think about an extravagant spending spree," Kevin said. Honestly, he didn''t know how much money was on his card, but he knew his credit limit was not small. For one thing, Blue Enchantress was doing well and he could expect a high dividend. For another, Hoyle was a reliable friend, and was unlikely to rip him off. So he was sure that he had earned a lot. "Alright then, scrooge!" ire mumbled. But she was clever enough to see that Kevin had agreed, so she was chuckling to herself though she couldn''t resistining. She was in no hurry to find a job after graduation this year. Without a sry, her wallet had been empty. "Don''t pretend that you don''t have any pocket money. Today''s a great day to use it. What''s the matter? Saving it for a rainy day? Don''t tell me that you are keeping it for your dowry." Kevin teased. For all he knew, ire got a lot of pocket money every month. She was not going to tell him that she had spent all of that now. Chapter 1001 The LN FASHION (Part Three) "What do you mean! There''s none left of course! I don''t have an amazing job like you. Do you have any idea how high the prices are now? You don''t expect me to be well off, do you? You know what, it really hurts me when you say things like that. Ever since I graduated, mom has halved my pocket money. I couldn''t even keep my head above water if dad didn''t help me out. Every time I go out, I have to pinch pennies and watch what I spend, in case I run out of my money at bill time and make a fool of myself. I can''t remember exactly how many dresses have struck my fancy. The problem is, I''m too poor to buy them!" ire was hurt. She couldn''t understand what her mom was thinking. Why did she have to find a job now? Shouldn''t she be able to enjoy her free time for a while before going to work? She was just fresh out of school! She shouldn''t have pushed her so hard. "I don''t think mom''s off-base. You''re an adult and should be disciplined if you don''t know how to act properly and be responsible for yourself," said Kevin gloatingly, his words far from sympathetic. His words also came as a surprise to Leena. Because she thought that all brothers in the world would act like Mr. Cold, who hadvished all his love and affection on his sister a lot. He''d do his best to make her happy. But it seemed that Kevin was doing quite the opposite. This made her realize that there could be more than one way for a brother to show that he loved his sister. Superficially, Kevin had been hard on ire and they had a bad rtionship. However, the truth was that they adored each other, and Kevin was only showing how much he cared by being strict with her. It was different from her intimate connection with Mr. Cold, but it was also love between siblings. "I knew it!" snorted ire,"I knew you wouldn''t take my side! Fine, I don''t need your support as long as you buy me clothes. Here we are, and get out now!" said ire, looking at the busy street in front of her. It was full of dazzling luxury goods. Although things were very expensive here, it attracted at a pity that I can barely buy a scrap of cloth there with the pittance I get from my mother," ire said, sounding very disappointed. But this time, she noticed that Leena was unusually excited, and she wondered why she would look so happy. Was it something she said? "It can''t be that expensive!" Leena was quite confused now. Although it had be a world famous brand, LN''s prices were much lower than simr brands. It was unlikely that even someone from an affluent family couldn''t afford one. Leena frowned lightly, lost in thought. She had made some price adjustments specially in ordance to popr consumption concept, so as to make this brand more essible and increase people''s desire to buy. This strategy had been working very well under her management. She now wondered whether the agents here were doing their job and pricing things appropriately. "Ohe off it! Don''t talk like that. You couldn''t know what I''m on about. LN is famous around the world, so certainly its prices are higher. Please don''t lump it in with those cheap clothes of yours. You can''t expect to own a LN at the same low price," blurted ire, squinting at Leena in contempt. Her sense of superiority was brought back to life by Leena''s words. She really hated to see Leena pretend to be an expert when she knew nothing at all. This made ire despise her even more. Chapter 1002 At Least I Know Better Than You (Part One) "ire, do you really know those brands?" Kevin tilted his head and looked at ire, puzzled. Leena wore all world-famous brands. Why did ire keep nit-picking over everything rted to Leena? Kevin was getting a headache because of ire''s biases against her. "Of course I know them. Don''t you trust me? Why? Do you know them well too?" ire teased him. But in her mind, she forgave Kevin immediately when she took a glimpse at his clothes. She did not want to be entangled in this discussion. As a matter of fact, she did not know much about the brands. All she could recognize were probably the logos. For example, at this moment, she could not tell why Kevin''s clothes looked so outstanding. All she knew was that he looked quite handsome and noble wearing his clothes. "At least I know better than you do." Kevin knocked on her head jokingly. ire grabbed his arm so he was unable to take Leena''s hand. "Hmm! I think you know better than me only when ites to the military uniform." ire did not believe that a man who worked for the army all the time was more knowledgeable than her when it came to fashion. She thought Kevin was just screwing around with her and did not take him seriously. Leena was a few steps behind them. She walked by herself, gazing at the two of them as they chatted and joked around. She said nothing, not feeling jealous. A brother and sister''s rtionship reminded her of her own brother. She missed Duke very much. ''What is he doing right now?'' Leena wondered. "Leena,e on! Walk with us." Noticing that she was a few steps behind them, Kevin turned around to remind her. He made sure to call out to her. Even though he was dragged by ire, he still paid close attention to Leena. "Yes!" Leena answered in a low voice, a trying to convey some subtle message to him? "How do you know all that?" Leena asked him suddenly, ted by hisments. At that moment, she forgot to be distant with him. His words described her inner world to a tee. "I sensed it intuitively! Why? Do you feel the same as me?" Kevin looked at her thoughtfully. ire had let go of his arms a while ago. He finally had a chance to stand close to Leena. "Oh, no. I thought you were familiar with the designer, judging from your tone," Leena replied coolly, her excitement dampening immediately. She nced at him indifferently and walked toward the clothing racks. She had designed them and now she had the chance to pursue them closely. It felt so good to see her designse to life, out of her designing drafts to be real masterpieces. "What? Leena, are you jealous right now?" Kevin asked her jokingly, following her. He could feel the unhappiness in her words. "Jealous? Why would I be jealous? It''s none of my business whether or not you are familiar with the designer!" Leena turned around in an instant and gazed at him. She had a strange, contemptuous expression in her eyes, as if his words were ridiculous. Chapter 1003 At Least I Know Better Than You (Part Two) "Hey, Leena. I''m not familiar with this designer. Don''t use me of this, okay?" Kevin felt like he was med for nothing. He merely made somements about the design. Why was she questioning him so much? Was it because she thought there was something going on between him and the designer? He was totally innocent. "Kevin, look at this. How do I look? Isn''t it beautiful?" ire interrupted them when she walked over, wearing a lc skirt. The nipped waist design showed off her nice figure perfectly. "It''s not bad. But the color¡­ The color doesn''t seem to be consistent with your skin," Leena made thement from a designer''s perspective. There was no prejudice behind her words and she did not mean to personally attack ire. However, that wasn''t how it sounded like to ire. "What do you mean? Are you implying that I have dark skin?" ire shot a re in Leena''s direction. Oh, God! Perhaps she finally knew why she was not getting along well with Leena. Leena''s snow-like milky skin was something she''d never achieve in her whole life. ire felt upset and annoyed. ''Come on! I am a girl born in a political family! How can I lose out to this country girl? It does not make sense at all!'' "I didn''t mean that. You can choose another color of the same style, such as the rose red one. It will look very eye-catching on you. Also, it will brighten up yourplexion," Leena exined. After all, she was a designer. She was used to thinking in a certain way. She was not implying that ire had dark skin. On the contrary, she believed that the color was the symbol of health. She did not consider it to be a drawback. Judging someone''s appearance was not something a well-educated woman should do. "Wow! You are makingments as if you are a professional designer! Please, stop being so fake. Why walked toward the fitting room. Kevin was speechless. The corners of his mouth tugged upwards. He did not respond to her. Did ire think he was nagging her? In any case, at least there was some progress. She promised to be nice in the future. However, could he trust her words that she would not reproach Leena anymore? Kevin was not so sure. "Miss, are you satisfied with this?" The smiling saleswoman asked ire, expecting a positive answer from her. Her sry would increase should ire buy the clothes, as her total wage was performance-based. The more clothes she sold, the more money she earned. "Yes, I like it. But don''t you have any other colors?" ire really liked the skirt. She grudgingly epted Leena''s advice and considered trying out another color. "I''m sorry, Miss! We don''t have another color of this skirt as of now. All the others were sold out as soon as they were released because of the skirt''s unique design. This piece is thest one we have," the saleswoman apologized. New arrivals of LN Fashion had unique designs. So they would usually be sold out or reserved by regr customers within just a few days. It was a wee and popr brand with good sales performance. Chapter 1004 At Least I Know Better Than You (Part Three) "What? This is thest one? What a pity!" ire was frustrated. She had taken a fancy to this skirt a while ago, but she was not rich enough to afford it back then. Now that she finally found someone to pay for it, there were no other choices left. How couldn''t she be disappointed? "What about this one? It''s quite sought after too and many young girls have bought it. What''s more, the color fits you well," the saleswoman said, reaching out for a creamy chiffon skirt, hoping that ire would like it. "This one? But I don''t like its re that much. I will look so delicate in it." ire pursed her lips. She disliked the princess styles the most, especially after she met Leena. She would never want to wear such a sweet-looking skirt ever again. "What about this one then? The design is quite simple but elegant. You are an aloof beauty and it will suit you well." The saleswoman took out another skirt, upon seeing that ire disliked the red one. This skirt was not as bright as the former one. "Woman, don''t you see clearly at all? I am not aloof! Be a little more perceptive, please." ire was upset as she was unable to get her favorite skirt. The saleswoman''s rmendation only made her more frustrated. "I''m sorry, Miss. Take your time." At ire''s rebuke, the saleswoman decided not to continue peddling her anymore. The client could get unhappy if she kept persuading her to buy clothes that she disliked. One should know when to stop in these situations. "Here you are. Why don''t you try this one?" Leena said, passing ire a white skirt she just picked up. As a matter of fact, ire''s skin was Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ed them to wear yet." As a fashion designer, Leena recognized the kind of clothes that suited Kevin. Every time she found good clothes she thought were appropriate for Kevin, she bought them. That was the reason that each time Kevin opened his wardrobe, he saw a variety oftest styles. "Kevin, what do you think? How do I look?" ire asked Kevin, positively beaming. She had walked out wearing the new skirt as they were talking. "Yes! You look great in this one. It''s better and more novel than the other one," Kevin made the objectivement as a man, instead of a brother. "Yes, Miss, you look much more graceful in this skirt. The color suits you perfectly," the saleswoman echoed Kevin''s words. Meanwhile, her face grew hot as she looked at him. Oh, boy! It was no wonder that when faced with such a handsome young man, she flushed and her heart beat fast. "Just like I expected. I told you, it suits you well. If you''re satisfied with it, I suggest you take this one." Leena was confident in her choice. She firmly believed that the skirt was the best one for ire. Chapter 1005 I Will Probably Never Be Okay (Part One) "What do you think, Kevin?" ire was more willing to hear her brother''s opinion. In her eyes, Kevin was a man close to perfection. She liked him better than Leena. If he was not her brother, she would have definitely fallen for him. "This one is perfect on you. Don''t you think so?" Kevin nced at her from head to toe. He thought that the skirt Leena chose for her was better than the previous one ire had tried on. "Okay, I will change back to my own clothes first," ire said before blissfully walking back to the changing room. She knew the clothes in the store were all very expensive, and it was such a rare opportunity for her to make Kevin pay for it. He rarely came home to stay with them. "Leena, what do you think? Isn''t it good on her?" Kevin wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling like it had been a long time since he touched her so intimately. "As long as she likes it, my opinion doesn''t really count." Leena gave him a hard smile. Flustered by Kevin''s sudden touch, she had the sudden urge to break free from his arms. "Miss, we have decided on this one. We will pay by card," Kevin said as he took out his wallet from his back pocket. He handed over his credit card to the sales girl without even checking the price. He did not care about that. As long as his sister liked something, he would buy it to please her. "Okay, the price for this skirt is 12, 000. If you have a VIP card, you can enjoy a 20% discount." The sales girl notified him about the price of the skirt, smiling pleasantly. As a salesperson, it was routine for her to confirm the price with the customers before they made the payment. Th ints about the price. Fortunately, this handsome man was very generous. How she hoped that she could have such a good brother! But it seemed impossible. She could not change her fate or swap it with ire''s. From the moment they walked out of the store, Kevin looked sullen. He had gone through arduous training in the troop and climbed up his careerdder from amon solider. Today he was a dignified Major General. He had conquered all obstacles, but nothing made him feel as troubled as today. He felt helpless when it came to ire and Leena''s rtionship. "Kevin, are you mad at me?" ire drew back, asking him in awe. His sullen face scared her. "No, let''s go. We should buy some winter clothes for Leena," Kevin said, without any trace of delight. His face was as cold as ice. Leena nced at him, wondering what had happened to him. "Are you okay?" Although she was keen to keep a distance from him and restrain herself, she couldn''t help but feel nervous as she looked at his sullen face. She was deeply in love with him and there was no way for her to get out anyway. Chapter 1006 I Will Probably Never Be Okay (Part Two) "If you continue to be so indifferent to me, I will probably never be okay," Kevin said, taking the opportunity to take hold of her wrist. She had managed to avoid him the entire morning, but this time he wouldn''t let her go. "What do you mean? Are you ill?" Leena eximed as she touched his forehead with the back of her hand. She was worried that he was exhausted. "Yes, I''m ill. So now you have to take care of me," Kevin replied before intentionally leaning toward Leena, a cunning smile spreading across his face. His trick had worked. "It''s better for us to go home now." Leena didn''t show a trace of doubt at his words. She was the kind of woman who was easily convinced. She effortlessly forgot about her decision to keep him at arm''s length, beginning to feel concerned for him. "It''s not that serious. Let''s go and buy you some clothes first before we go back home." Upon seeing that she was worried for him, Kevin felt relieved. He knew that Leena didn''t really want to ignore him. "But I''m worried about your health. We should go home now." Leena was so anxious that she didn''t realize it was not easy for a strong soldier like Kevin to fall sick. "Yes! Kevin, if you are not well now, we should go home. We can buy the clothes some other day." Truthfully, ire was a little dubious about him being ill. Ever since childhood, she had never seen Kevin get sick. He was such a strong man. "I just feel a little dizzy. It''s okay. Don''t worry." Once you told a lie, it never ceased to be. One deception led to another. Kevin regretted lying about his sickness. He felt like shooting himself in the foot. Be o remind her of that, otherwise they would have the birthday party without a birthday cake. "Okay, I will hang up now. We''re outside the cake store. We''ll pick one up." Kevin ended the call, ncing at Leena with admiration. He found her to be so special. She was a very thoughtful woman. Although she was very young, she cataloged all the tiny details in her mind and surprised them in the time of need. "What did she say? She didn''t buy a cake yet?" Leena looked at Kevin with doubt, trying to figure out what Shannon said over the phone. "Yes, let''s go buy the cake. ire, you find a ce to park the car. We can''t pull up here for too long." Kevin pushed the car door open and got out. As always, the gentleman''s hand reached out, waiting for Leena to grab onto it. "I know." In all honesty, ire didn''t care much about the parking problem. She had always been very arrogant. Only a handful of people in the city didn''t know her. But since her older brother asked her to park her car, she thought she''d better follow his words. She didn''t want to be scolded againter. Chapter 1007 I Will Probably Never Be Okay (Part Three) Upon seeing Kevin''s big hand reaching toward hers, Leena thought about ignoring it first. After some hesitation, she eventually gave in and slipped her hand into his, following him out. "Did you ask Mom what kind of vor they like? Also, how many people will be present at the party?" As soon as she got out of the car, Leena blurted out the question. She knew that he hadn''t asked, because she was beside him when he made the call. "Oh no. I forgot to ask that. How about we buy a cake of any popr vor? And about the size, I think the guests would be some rtives and my father''s oldrades in arms, so it''s easy to calcte," Kevin analyzed after thinking for a while. "Okay, I see. I think Haagen-Dazs is the best choice. it''s good in both vor and style," They discussed as they walked toward the cake store. A cold breeze blew and curled up Leena''s frizzled hair. Her hair danced in the air, sweeping over Kevin''s face and shoulder. "You decide. I don''t know much about choosing a cake." Kevin touched his forehead lightly, feeling embarrassed. It was only when he behaved so simply and honestly that Leena could associate him with his image of a soldier. Most of the times, he was so cunning and wicked with her. He was just like Edward in that regard, harmless in appearance, but in actuality a sneaky and sly guy deep inside. Lenna didn''t expect such an answer from him and was taken aback. However, she stayed calm on the surface and walked into the store. She was not a gourmet, so she didn''t know much about cakes either. She also seldom ate cakes because she was on a diet. Lee Like father, like son. Kevin''s tone was exactly the same as his father''s. They were both overbearing and their words were irrefutable. "I didn''t say that. You must think that way yourself." Leenaughed. It was said that sometimes a man acted like a rascal. Today it was proved right. The man in front of her belonged to that category of men. "Leena, spit it out! What made you avoid me the entire morning?" Kevin took the chance to ask her as ire was not with them. "Why would you think I was avoiding you? You think too much." Leena looked evasive at the query. Every time she lied about something, she avoided looking into people''s eyes. "Even if I believed you, you wouldn''t believe it yourself." Kevin looked at her yfully. He knew that she was hiding something from him. "I said no, I was not avoiding you. And if you really think so, I can''t do anything about it. I have made myself very clear." Leena narrowed her eyes at him and swiftly stalked in the direction of the parking lot. She almost tripped, feeling troubled that Kevin had read her mind. Chapter 1008 I Picked Up A Cute Guy (Part One) Kevin looked at Leena''s back thoughtfully, remaining stock-still for a second before following her. He was confused. He knew that Leena meant to avoid him, even though she said she didn''t. Leena walked off so abruptly as if she wanted to run away from him. "So what about the cake? Have you ordered it?" ire asked Leena eagerly as she got into the car. When she saw her brother behind Leena, she was surprised to see his strange expression. She thought the two of them were pretty close, but it seemed like they had gotten into a fight. Was something wrong? Was something not okay between them? She couldn''t help but feel excited at the possibility. That was exactly what she wanted. It would be good if they got a divorce. Kevin would be single again, avable to the daughters of the leading officers. Even though it was hard to get a divorce as a military officer, that didn''t mean it was impossible. "Yes. We will get the cake this afternoon," Leena answered coldly, as if she didn''t want to talk to ire. The truth was that Leena was too distracted with something on her mind. "ire, why don''t we have our lunch outside? The rest of the family must be busy with the preparations for the gathering. They won''t have time to cook," Kevin suggested after getting into the car. He had a solemn air about him, with a hint of the aloofness that belonged to a military officer. "Maybe we should get home to help them then." In all honesty, Leena wanted to hang out and have fun like she was used to. After all, she was still like a little girl deep down. She changed a lot after marrying Kevin. Kevin''s family was very serious about following rules. She couldn''t act like her old self and do anything she wanted to do, like she behaved in her own family. "There is no need for us to help them. We have a lot of servants. Plus, Lee is there too." Kevin didn''t have any concerns at all. Even if Lee wasn''t there, his father had appointed a guard to look after them. "Right. Speaking of Lee, it has been a while since I saw himst. Where has h to enjoy it. Durian is the king of fruits, you know!" Leena''s mouth curled. No matter what others thought of it, she loved durian very much. "In any case, I don''t like the smell. Even if it is made of gold, I won''t like it." Kevin stepped back, his voice dripping with disgust. It seemed to him that he woulde across durians very often at his home in the future, seeing how much Leena loved them. She would stack them up in their house. There was no way Kevin could avoid the smell. "Um... There is no gold for you!" Leena took a bite of the crispy durian cake, giving him a look of pleasure to show him how much she enjoyed the snack. "I can have it if I want." Kevin raised one of his eyebrows and gave her a meaningful smile. It seemed like Leena wanted to make fun of him in front of others. She was sure that Kevin couldn''t lose his temper as there were so many people around them. She forgot that he would get his revenge once they got home. "Oh, I don''t think you are so powerful. It looks like I need to be checking your phone from time to time, like other wives do. Also, it seems to me that your wallet is too thick. Maybe I should help you with that." At the banter, Leena forgot she was the daughter-inw of the solemn Gu n. She returned to being her usual self, a lovely little girl in her heart. She looked so adorable, like an elfin girl. Chapter 1009 I Picked Up A Cute Guy (Part Two) "Okay, I am happy to ept your investigation," Kevin joked. It was rare to see Leena let go of the serious persona that was so unlike her. She was happy to be herself, as opposed to the rational woman she felt she had to be with Kevin. "Fine, I''ll do that. Don''t back out." Leena wished time could freeze in the moment, and that she could just stand here with him forever. Right now, Kevin only belonged to her. "Sure, I promise," Kevin said with conviction. It couldn''t be said if he was just cheering for himself or if he really meant it. His expression, however, was serious enough to surmise that he was not joking. "Okay, guys. This is too much. You two are making me nauseous. Shall we leave or not?" ire gave the two of them a stern look. After hanging out with her, ire found that Leena was not as annoying. Even though it was difficult for her to change her attitude toward Leena, ire didn''t hate her as much as she did before. "Are you guys full now? You have tried all the snacks along the street." Kevin''s mouth twisted. He didn''t expect these two tiny girls to be such big gluttons. They could probably eat more than the soldiers in the army. "Of course we are not full! We have a lot left to explore. Didn''t you see that we only took a little bite out of every snack that we tried? We didn''t eat that much. Besides, have you ever seen a girl act cool in front of tasty food?" ire gave her brother a strange look. It must be because Kevin worked for the military base all day that he seldom had the opportunity to hang out with girls and was so clueless about them. After all, it was not a secret that girls were foodies. "Aren''t you afraid you''ll gain weight?" Kevin didn''t know how to respond. Hanging out with them was more exhausting than running 5 kilometers for military exercise. "Yes, I do worry about gaining weight. But I can''t resist the temptation," Leena said in a light voice. That was amon concern every girl shared and she was no exception. Fortunately, she had not rebounded after her sessful weight loss in her youth. She was lucky that she managed to keep off the extra pounds. "Okay, you win! Let''s go." Kevin shook his head helplessly. There was nothing he could arrived at Capital city yesterday afternoon. I am sorry I forgot to tell you! I didn''t mean to do that. Are you mad at me?" Leena smiled sheepishly. She totally forgot that her brother was waiting on her call. "What do you think? We have been worrying about you since you left. If you called up Belinda right now, I bet she''d be very vexed with you." Duke leaned back on the sofa. His face was cold, but the expression in his eyes was soft. Even though his lovely sister was a married woman now, Duke would always consider her to be the little girl whom he loved very much. "Oh, no. I am screwed. Could you put in some good words for me? Tell Belinda I am so sorry!" Leena pouted. Right now she behaved like the young daughter of the Leng family, instead of the mature and ordinary daughter-inw of the Gu family. "No, I won''t do that. You can call herter yourself and exin everything to her. Don''t forget to do that! Otherwise, God himself can''t save you, let alone me!" Duke shook his head helplessly. Belinda kept talking about Leenast night, worrying that Kevin''s parents didn''t like Leena and were treating her badly. Belinda cared for Leena so much like she was her own daughter. "Okay. I''ll call herter. Duke, you don''t care for me like you used to. You don''t even want to help me!" Leena eximed. Her smile disappeared to be reced by a doleful frown. She knew Belinda had a bad temper and was difficult to cope with. Her wrath wouldn''t be easy to face. Chapter 1010 A Henpecked Husband (Part One) "Little girl, you should know the temper of your sister-inw. It''ll be better if I don''t get myself involved. She might yell at me if I do." Duke shrugged andughed at himself as a picture of Belinda''s scowling face came to his mind. "What a discovery! So you''re a henpecked husband too?" pouted Leena. It seemed that she had to face the me from Belinda and felt that she deserved it. After all, it was her who had set them up in the first ce. "Who told you so? I just don''t want to argue with her, okay? Stop. Don''t talk nonsense. Remember to give her a call. That''s all. Come home once you''re back. Bye." Duke was afraid to ask her about how she was treated by Kevin''s family. He felt anxious about it and it worried him that he might not get a positive answer. On top of that, he didn''t want to give his sister any pressures about it too. He just said a few words to her then hung the phone up. He heard that Kevin was born in a military family. He wondered if Leena could even get used to the serious ambiance that type of family usually had. Leena frowned as she stared at the call-end notification on her phone. ''So annoying. I even didn''t finish my words! I can''t believe he hung up on me! Is it necessary? It seems like he is afraid that I might ask him to displease his wife!'' she thought. "Didn''t you call your brotherst night?" Kevin asked as he shot her with a confused look. He was under the impression that she already called her family the moment she arrived. He never expected for her to forget the whole thing. "Um! I forgot. I''ll call my sister-inw e thought. She should have known that Belinda had a fragile heart. "Don''t worry! It''ll be fine. I''m sure that she barks worse than she bites." Kevin touched her hair in aforting way. "I know it! It''s just... ugh! The more she talked to me like that, the more I missed home." Thedy was easily upset thus she totally forgot what kind of situation she was in. "Wow! You made it sound like you are mistreated by my family." ire butted in while pouting. It seemed that Leena was getting a lot of love from her family. Well, that was just her observation anyway and was still yet to be confirmed. "Ugh! I didn''t mean it that way. I Just got emotional. Don''t get me wrong." Leena exined at once. Her rtionship with ire was just getting better, thus, she didn''t want to continue the tension between them. "I don''t think too much because our family doesn''t mistreat you." ire said out of nowhere. All she knew was that she didn''t like the way Leena talked and how she made it sound like she was suffering since she got in their home. Chapter 1011 A Henpecked Husband (Part Two) "ire, focus on your driving. You talk too much," said Kevin with a cold voice. He didn''t want to see the two fighting again since their rtionship was just getting better. He wasn''t expecting them to start a fight this soon. "What! I didn''t say anything wrong. Why are you just ming me?" Frustration was all over ire''s voice as she pouted. Howe she was always wrong and Leena was right in her brother''s eyes? "Because you are good at starting a war. Turn around and see if the cake is ready. If it''s ready, we can stop by and take it home. That would save us a trip." Kevin said as he tactically changed the topic. He was not in the mood to argue with his sister anytime soon. "Got it." ire shut her mouth reluctantly. She had no gut to continue arguing with her brother because she was afraid of him and she had always respected him. She had realized that her brother had never looked at her with the same gentle eyes as how he did with Leena. The three reached their home after an hour. They were done with shopping for their daily necessities and took the cake. "Mom, what can I do for you?" Leena went straight to the kitchen to help the woman as soon as she arrived. She felt a little sorry about going out as she knew that everyone in the family was busy. "Leena, you''re back. You must be tired! Go upstairs to get some rest. I''ll handle this. Everything is almost done here." Shannon was so happy to see Leena. She liked her daughter-inw although Kevin''s father had somement on her family. "I''m not tired. Let me help with the vegetables!" A sweet smile was on Leena''s face as she said those. She couldn''t just go upstairs even if her mother-inw said so. Sha ale. One of the most remarkable people there was Kevin''s aunt. The woman was simply a ball of dignity and arrogance. She was almost like Daisy! The only thing was that Leena knew that she couldn''t be her friend as this woman she was checking at had this certain way of looking at her coldly and scaring her. Her first impression of Kevin''s aunt was that she was a serious woman. Thus, it was a surprise to see how tender the mentioned auntie was with ire. Moreover, it was not just that auntie, it seemed like everybody in there was treating ire in a special way. "Girl, what''s wrong? Are you shocked?" Kevin asked with a dazzling smile. Didn''t he tell her about his family before? His aunts and uncles were all officials. "No. I was just rattled to see so many big shots at the same time," said Leena before leaning on Kevin. She wasn''t lying at all. She was really trembling and what she did proved her words to the man. "For what? They don''t bite people." Kevin was catching up with the guests before he came to Leena. He felt the need to check on her after seeing her standing like a mannequin with her eyes wide open. Chapter 1012 A Henpecked Husband (Part Three) "Nonsense. Of course, I know they won''t bite me. I''m just worried they might say a thing or two." Thedy''s aura turned bitter. ''What should I do? I totally forget who they are although they have been introduced to me minutes ago, '' her mind kept reeling. "Don''t worry! Everyone here is easy-going except for my aunt. She can be a little harsh." Kevin held her hand tofort her. He had always thought that his aunt was as serious as his father. It was really weird how the woman ended up liking his naughty sister, ire, so much. "Um! Everything will be okay for me as long as I don''t do any mistakes, right?" Innocence and doubt were all over Leena''s beautiful face. She pretended to be mature in front of ire but she doubted it if she could do the same in front of so many elders. After all, she was just a little girl. "Correct. Just follow me." Kevin grabbed the chance. He had set up something for her and what she said was the perfect cue. "All right. Got it." Leena''s answer was spontaneous. It took a little while before realization hit her and made her jaw drop. Did she just fall into Kevin''s trap? Not following him meant getting herself busy as she tried to stay away from everyone. On the other hand, following him would mean letting him touch her. Shoot! It was indeed a trap! Not many people came to celebrate Nathan''s birthday. Most of the guests were people who had close rtionships with their family, and two of them were Nathan''s formerrades. They were not difficult people to get along with. It was just that Leena wasn''tfortable with the fact that they were all o pleasure was in ire''s voice. She didn''t want her father to look favorably upon Leena. "What are you talking about, ire? How could you be so rude?" That yell from Nathan came as a surprise. This was the very first time that he had snapped on her daughter in front of people. He had always loved and spoiled ire too much. His yell was so loud that everybody turned their heads to their direction. Nheless, they all understood why Nathan went mad. "Dad, I just gave you a reminder, in case you were deceived." ire said as she red at Leena. She med Leena for giving a painting to her father as a gift. How could that present made her dad scold her so publicly? "You little girl, how could you be so immature? Just think about it. How could your sister-inw deceive your father with a fake painting?" It was Shannon who broke through the tension as she poked ire''s head. She couldn''t believe the words that her child had said. She just vulgarly embarrassed Leena in front of many people. She couldn''t tell how ire''s mind was working anymore! Chapter 1013 A Hypocrite (Part One) "All right, I am sorry. I was just bringing up a mere thought," pouted ire. She honestly didn''t believe that the painting was authentic. How could a regr family like Leena''s afford such an expensive gift? "Leena, honey, please pay no attention to what ire said. She is always like this, blurting out things and ignoring others'' feelings." An apologetic smile was on Shannon''s face when she turned to Leena. She couldn''t be sorrier about what her child just did. "That''s all right, Mother," replied Leena as she tried hard to keep her smile. Their family''s little quarrel had drawn the attention of some people in the room, who were now looking towards them. She could feel her blood rushing to her face as she did her best to handle the embarrassment. Would these people really think that she would buy a fake painting and give it to her father-inw just to make herself look good? "You are a sweet girl, Leena. I wish ire could be more like you. Now, why don''t you go and hang out with the other young boys over there? They are from the army but are of simr age to you. I am sure you will hit it off instantly." Shannon nced at her son who was now surrounded by his cousins. A surge of motherly pride got her with the view. Kevin had always been the best among the siblings of the big family no matter if it was in school or at the workce. "Yes, Mother," Leena replied as she too turned to see where Kevin was standing. She had no trouble spotting him even if he was surrounded by a crowd of other men. The man was simply captivating. At the same time, she found herself swallowing a bit too as she marveled with the number of military people they had in the family. It seemed that ire and Shannon were the only two spared from the family trend. Kevin was engaged in the talking with his cousins the whole time and had no idea of what had just happened with Leena. He didn''t even have a clue when he turned to her upon noticing that she was staring at him. He even waived at his beautiful wife and gestured her toe. T Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. rom home. In her opinion though, the joy that each reunion brought could make a marriage grow healthier. Besides, a husband''s absence could actually give the wife more time to spend on things she really enjoyed. "Not that there is anything particrly bad about it. It is just that the long separations due to army work demands can be more than what most women can take. Loneliness is inevitable after all." Lee regretted as soon as he finished his words, because it suddenly urred to him that Leena herself had married to an army man. He ended up awkwardly scratching his head as he thought of how embarrassing his arbitrary theory was. "Yes, I guess you are right. But there are exceptions, right?" A sly grin appeared on Leena''s face. She knew that she was one of the exceptions. "Yes, such as you, Leena. If you allow me to say so, I''m going to say that you are in fact a role model." If Leena had been any other ordinary girl instead ofing from an insanely rich family, Lee would have thought that it wasn''t a big deal that she married Kevin. Girls were very picky nowadays in pursuing a romantic rtionship. Though Kevin was very handsome and talented, his job could be intimidating to a potential bride. Serving in the arm demanded a lot of energy and time from a man. It was Leena''s courage to marry an army man that made Lee sincerely respect her. Chapter 1014 A Hypocrite (Part Two) "Haha! A role model? You are giving me way too much credit. I have just married Kevin for a couple of months. There is still a long way ahead of us. Who knows what will happen in the following days?" said Leena with a self-mocking smile. She never allowed herself to imagine her future with Kevin. Nor did she dare to. It just scared her that things might not turn out as she wanted. "Cheer up, Leena. I am sure you have seen that Major General Gu is a good and reliable man. I have been working with him for a long time but never have I seen him dating any woman. Well, not until you showed up. Plus, he instantly married you. He must love you very much to do so." Lee carefully picked his words as he looked at Leena. He was suddenly nervous about what her reaction would be. He was praying that he didn''t offend her in any way as doing so would cost him his neck once Kevin found out. "Really? I hope you are right." Leena smiled bitterly. She believed that Kevin had never dated anyone before her but also knew that it was most likely because he was in love with Daisy. Just the thought of it made her heart cringe. "What are you two doing here? I was looking for you everywhere." It was that baritone voice that made both Leena and Lee turn to where it came from. It was Kevin in his casual clothes. He didn''t wear his uniform since he took the day off. Despite the casual look, his strong built resulting from his long term training in the army could hardly be concealed. "Is there anything you want me to do, sir?" replied Lee hastily. He was obviously desperate to end the discussion of his romantic life with Leena. "Yes, a few of our guests are drunk and I need you to drive them home once the party is over," said Kevin as he watched the two people before him. He was wondering if they were talking about him before he arrived. He could still remember how fast Lee blurted out his little secrets in front of Leena and how she couldn''t hear enough of them yesterday. "Got it, sir!" Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. after they got married made her think that he was indeed in full control. "Rx, I know what I am doing to my body. Now let''s go inside. The guests will be leaving soon. We should see them out." Kevin stood up first and then held his hand out to Leena and waited for her to take his hand. "Okay." It took Leena some hesitating moments before she reached out for Kevin. Regardless of how many doubts she had, there was no way for her to resist his charm and fall for him all over again. Minutes more and they both found themselves standing by the living room''s gate while bidding goodbye to their guests. Since most of the people who came to the party were Kevin''s rtives and friends, Kevin did all the talking while Leena only stood beside him as she shed her sweet smile. Leena finally loosened up after all the people were gone and the room was cleaned. It had been a huge burden for her to stay in a room full of people she needed to please. She felt rxed now as there were only Shannon and her left in the room. "I think we are all done here. Go upstairs and have some rest, Leena. I will stay here for another few minutes and prepare some hot tea for your father. He had quite a few sses of wine tonight." Like Leena, Shannon also felt relieved that she didn''t have to y the perfect hostess anymore. Chapter 1015 A Hypocrite (Part Three) "Do you need any help with the tea?" asked Leena as she forced a sweet smile. She realized that her fake smiles had be a necessity to her since she arrived at that ce. The fake expression had helped her win over many of Kevin''s rtives and friends. She couldn''t tell if it was a good or a bad thing but she was almost getting used to it by now. "No, I am good here. You may need to go upstairs to check on Kevin. He has also drunk a lot tonight." Shannon was very pleased to have Leena as her daughter-inw and had no intention to keep it a secret. There had been a lot of guests earlier that agreed that Leena was not just exceptionally beautiful but also had a good personality. The only thing she regretted was not finding her daughter-inw a suitablepany during the event as there were only very few girls who attended. ire could have been a good choice but they all knew that the two were not going along well. "Okay, Mother." Speaking of Kevin, Leena was indeed a little worried about him. He went straight upstairs right after they sent all the guests out. He said he needed a shower. Thinking that he might be tired from socializing the whole night, Leena let him leave and chose to help her mother-inw with cleaning the mess the party had left. "It''s been a long day. You must be tired. Take a warm bath, it helps you fall asleep." That was a tender reminder from Shannon as she wished for ire to be half as good as Leena. She wouldn''t need to worry about her finding a boyfriend if that was the case. "Okay, good night, Mother." As she said this, Leena turned and walked briskly upstairs. She was indeed worn out after all the trips today. Kevin''s room was on the top floor. Thus, she needed to at hard for you to get along with me?" Leena sighed with great resignation and shut her eyes. She had changed a lot since she went home with Kevin. She had matured a lot in just a span of overnight. She would have argued with ire more if she hadn''t tried very hard to control herself. "Yes, very. Because I can''t stand having the slightest connection with a hypocrite," replied ire directly. She shook her hair for some drama effect, turned, and then went back to her room. She knew that she herself was vain. It was just that she didn''t expect Leena to outstrip her in this respect. Leena bit her lip in astonishment. Her sister-inw''s discrimination of her was just unbelievable. She even had the gut to call her a hypocrite! Her old self would never have imagined something like this to happen to her. As much as she felt hurt about the way ire judged her, Leena also found the whole thing bizarrely hrious. Time seemed to have stopped as Leena processed what just happened. She was unable to think of anything to defend herself as ire''s words echoed inside her head. As if paralyzed, she just stood there, gazing off into space. Chapter 1016 To The End Of Their Life (Part One) Leena went upstairs in haste and suddenly stopped outside the door. It was as if she wanted to escape from something horrible. She had never felt this frustrated and helpless her entire life. Her small body leaned against the wall and looked outside the window. Her gaze focused on the national g that was disyed on the top of the army base. However, the darkness had fallen and the g also seemed dark in color. Sometimes she couldn''t help but wonder, what if she didn''t choose to drink down her sorrow that night? She would probably never meet Kevin. They wouldn''t get married and she would live apletely different life. Away from theplications and away from herplex feelings about him. Kevin frowned as he watched Leena in silence. He had been standing there for a long time but Leena didn''t even notice him. She was absent-mindedly looking out of the window. Was there anything outside that drew her attention and troubled her heart? How could she just ignore his presence? He didn''t butt a word as he leaned his body against the door frame. He just remained quietly staring at her. It suddenly urred to him that Leena had changed in so many ways. She could be smart, lively and active with her brother around. On the other hand, she seemed to have lost her spirit whenever she was with him. Now all he could do was wonder what made her change. Did those changes have anything to do with him? His mind asked. "Leena," Kevin called gently atst. He decided to stop guessing and talked to his wife. "Yeah! Have you taken your shower?" Leena collected herself, turned around, and looked at him confusedly. "Yes. I was looking for you. I didn''t expect to see you here alone and troubled. Why don''t you juste inside and tell me what happened?" Leena felt embarrassed under his steady and intense gaze. "Nothing serious. I just found that the night here was charming. It is beautiful. I feel dr Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ing on the big bed with his head lowered. The loneliness and sadness he saw on Leena''s eyes earlier wouldn''t let him feel at ease at all. That was the very first time that he saw her like that. However, there were also some idental moments when he caught her looking like she was low-spirited. He felt sorry for his wife. She had always been the happy daughter of the Leng family but it was just not the same now that she was with his family. It was undeniable that Leena had undergone a lot of stress since they got married. She was brutally forced to grow up and mature. He had witnessed everything that happened to her and God knows how desperate he was to free her out of those pressures. The husband and wife who were living in the same room had different feelings and thoughts deep down in their hearts. Regardless of what happened, they would still rise in the morning to see the morning light and live another day, be it for good or for bad. The next morning, Leena woke up early and found Kevin surprisingly sitting on the balcony with a cup of warm coffee in his hand. He was drinking his brew leisurely while reading the newspaper. He seemed to be in a good mood. It was something unusual since she was used to waking up alone knowing that he was somewhere else exercising. Chapter 1017 To The End Of Their Life (Part Two) "Why did you get up so early today? Now, put on some clothes, or else, you''ll catch a cold," said Kevin in concern. He raised his head and was greeted by Leena''s drowsy look. He immediately knew that Leena needed more sleep. She wasn''t used to waking up this early back on S City after all. "Didn''t you go out to exercise today?" asked Leena confusedly as she remained standing there instead of putting on some clothes. Gracious! She was even on her bare feet! "No, I prefer to take a day off today. I drank too much yesterday night. Go and put on your shoes, the floor is cold." Kevin stood up and faced Leena. The room they were living in wasn''t as luxurious as the one they had in Grand Apartment. They didn''t have their thick wool carpet here. "Alright," answered Leena. She went back to put on her cotton-padded shoes and a thick coat. She was about to turn around when a pair of strong arms embraced her from behind. "Why haven''t you learned how to take care of yourself?" said Kevin usingly. He couldn''t help but frown upon feeling how cold Leena''s tiny body was. "I''m not cold." Her voice came out small as her heart skyrocketed. The nervousness and longing that engulfed her were simr to those who had when experiencing their first love. "Don''t lie to me. Your hands are cold. Since you woke up early, why don''t you wash and dress? I''ll take you to a happy ceter." Kevin pushed her into the washroom. He rarely took a day off, thus, he had decided to enjoy some fun with his wife. "Are we going out again?" asked Leena in confusion. She practically felt that it was inconvenient to be living with Kevin''s family. More so, with the frequent go-outs. She felt obliged to behave herself, Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. rposes at all. "Is there any vehicle avable at home?" Leena was also upset. She was afraid that her date with Kevin might be ruined. "I''m afraid none," answered Lee. Actually, he wasn''t absolutely sure. He hadn''t gone to the garage and checked the avable vehicles. However, Kevin''s mother had also gone out driving. It was very unlikely for the house to still have an avable car for Kevin and his wife. "What about ire''s car? Why doesn''t she drive her own car?" Although Kevin knew that Lee probably didn''t have an answer to his question, he still asked. "I asked her the same question, she said that she had lent it to a friend," answered Lee. Lee bowed his head. If he had known that Kevin might me him for mismanagement, he would have never given the car key to ire. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be standing there while suffering from stress. "What do you mean by that? She lent her car to a friend and then went out driving my car. Am I right?" The Major General asked with his eyes zing with fury. He took his mobile phone out. He was about to call his sister and order her to return his car to him immediately. Chapter 1018 To The End Of Their Life (Part Three) "Major General, you''re right," answered Lee. He knew that he had made a fool of himself. He should not have believed what ire said and allowed her to drive her brother''s car away. "I''m gonna call her and ask her to drive my car home as soon as possible." Kevin started to dial ire''s numbers when Leena suddenly stopped him. "Forget it. Let her have the car today. We can call a taxi," said Leena. She didn''t want to interrupt ire from having fun with her friends. ire would certainly me her if they forced her to drive the car home. "Calling a taxi will be inconvenient." Kevin answered with his irritation clearly stered on his face. A taxi would be fine if their destination was close to their home. How about if it wasn''t? How could they call a taxi without waiting for a long time once they wanted toe back? "Never mind. We can go out another day. There are still many days left for the holiday," said Leena in aforting voice. Her sister-inw had already harbored grudges against Leena. She would surely say something against her if they forced her to return the car to Kevin. Therefore, Leena tried to avoid the direct confrontation with ire. "As you wished. We can still have a walk in town. Is that ok with you?" said Kevin. Although the beautiful scenery wasrgely situated on the outskirts of the Capital City, they could go downtown and have some fun. He wondered if Leena would like to visit amusement parks or not. "Yeah! I saw the Mist Pavilion on TV and it seems to be beautiful. Can we go there?" asked Leena expectantly. The Capital City was still new to Leena. However, she saw the famous Mist P out with her. "If you intend to keep your promise, let''s go." At that same time, Leena took her husband''s hand with a sweet and contented smile on her face. Actually, she never liked strolling in the parks. However, she was guilty of wanting to experience how it would feel to walk in the park with their hands intertwined. Her ssmates in the university did this a lot when they were in love. Leena admired the genuine smiles appearing on their faces, thus, she also wanted to have that kind of smile on her own face. "Major General, shall I pick you up by car?" Lee stood there still. He was instantly anxious about seeing Leena and Kevin leaving. What he said was his desperate attempt to amend his fault. It was him who lent the car to ire and consequently almost ruined Kevin''s n in the first ce. "Let''s talk about itter. I have no idea when will ire give the car back to me," answered Kevin, without even looking back at Lee. Then, he left with Leena with their hands locked together. They would walk happily and contentedly all day and all the way to the end of their life. Chapter 1019 It’s You Louisa (Part One) "Okay, I will call you when she is back!" Lee shouted behind them. He felt that Kevin was pissed off and wondered whether he would punish him once they came back to the army base. If it was really the case, he would surely be dead. He could just imagine himself falling into pieces after being exhausted with endless hard training and exercises. "Whatever!" Kevin waved his hand at him. He suddenly realized that it was a happy thing for him and Leena to just stroll along the road while holding hands. "Kevin, are you a bad leader?" Leena turned her head and looked up at him. As they nned to have fun outdoor, she had decided to wear a pair of tties today. It was a necessity for her to strain her neck as she was standing next to Kevin who was six feet and two inches tall. It would be impossible for her to reach his height even if she wore her heels. "Why would you think so?" Kevin lowered his head and looked into her eyes. It was a wonder to him how Leena''s eyes could always put him in a trance. Had he really loved Daisy? Why didn''t he think of her in the past few weeks? His mind had been all upied with Leena, this beautiful and adorable woman who was right beside him now. "You see, you always make Lee frightened." Leena snorted. She found the best thing about being in this city was that she could spend time leisurely together with Kevin, just like how they were walking holding hands now. This thing could be impossible when they were in S City. He was always busy with work during the day and it was already dark when he came home. He barely had time to be with her although he came home early sometimes. For a moment, she wo udely before him without any hesitation. "But my friend is still in the car." ire felt reluctant to get off the car and at the same time, embarrassed to be treated like this in front of her friend. "What friend? It''s only a few minutes walk to our house. You get out and walk home." Seriousness was all over Kevin''s darkened face when he talked. It was clear to see that he wasn''t giving any space for any negotiation. "Hi, Kevin, it''s you!" Louisa pretended to be very surprised as she pushed the door open and stepped out of the car. "Oh! It''s you, Louisa." On the other hand, Kevin frowned in confusion upon seeing the woman. He wondered how Louisa became friends with his sister. He couldn''t even think of anything that could connect the two. "Huh, do you know each other?" ire asked puzzledly. What a coincidence it was! She had thought to be a matchmaker and ship Kevin and Louisa together. That way, she could get rid of Leena. It was to her surprise that they seemed to know each other. Good for her! That saved her a lot of energy as she didn''t need to introduce them anymore. Chapter 1020 It’s You Louisa (Part Two) "Yes, Kevin is in the same army base with my father. It''s really a coincidence. It''s destiny that we meet here today." Louisa was very excited to see Kevin. It was not easy for her to make all this a coincidence. She had coaxed and pestered her father until she got Kevin''s address. She wasn''t expecting for the address to be the same with one of her friends. She immediately got an idea and proposed a visit to that friend. "When did you two get to know each other?" Kevin nced at Louisa nonchntly, his face as cold as ice. How he ignored Louisa''s enthusiasm was so obvious. ire already made his headache and now, here came another troublemaker, Louisa. He could already foretell how miserable he would be in the next few days. These two girls in front of him were already speaking for themselves. "When Louisa studied aboard, she happened to rent the same apartment with me. That is how we got to know each other. We became close friends since." As ire stressed "abroad", she intentionally nced at Leena with a smug smile. She was unting. She had no clue that the time Leena had spent abroad and the number of countries she had visited would overwhelm them if only she chose to speak. "Oh, but why have I never heard you mention this before?" Kevin nced at ire and then at Louisa. He had the feeling that the whole thing was not as simple as it seemed. "I did want to share such a thing with you but you are barely at home," ire pouted and said in a sad voice. It was true that it was rare for him to go home. When he did, he would asionally Em... Well..." Leena looked at Kevin helplessly. Why did ire suddenly target at her? But Leena knew she was not the one who had the final say. Why couldn''t they just ignore her all the way like they did before? Leena thought. "Don''t try to get consent from Leena, I said no and that''s it." No matter what, Kevin was determined to cut herb today, otherwise she would really think that the world was under her control. "ire, how about we hail a car and hang out by ourselves?" Louisa said disappointedly. She gave Kevin a somber look to show her grievance towards his ruthlessness. "No, I also say no." ire had always been the apple of the eye of her family, and she had never been treated like this. She stared hard at Kevin with tears forming in her eyes. "Kevin, just let them go with us." Leena was caught in a dilemma. If ire didn''t ask her opinion just now, she would pretend to know nothing and act like she didn''t hear what they were talking about. It was just that she asked her, thus, she couldn''t y the idiot card. Chapter 1021 It’s You Louisa (Part Three) "Are you sure?" Kevin shot her a re. He refused them because he didn''t want to make Leena unhappy. He would have no choice but to follow her words if she insisted. The worst, he would need to swallow his pride and make do with the trip which would have only belonged to him and Leena. "It''s only a suggestion. Anyway, you decide." Leena was a clever woman. She would never let herself be involved in their argument. She wouldn''t be the final one to win if she got herself involved. "I see. Your answer is no answer." Kevin pursed his lips. ''Huh, when did she be so shrewd?'' Kevin wondered. "So? Kevin, you agree?" ire looked at him as her tears turned to smiles. She felt that she was only one step away from sess. No matter what, she would create a chance to make Louisa and Kevin together. "When did I say yes? If it''s me to decide, my answer is definitely no!" Kevin said as he shook his fingers before ire to gesture a no. ire and Louisa''s faces darkened at his firm attitude. Of one ord they spontaneously shifted their gazes at Leena. Obviously, they took Leena as the cause of all the displeasure. Leena shrugged innocently. Love was selfish, and it had zero tolerance for the third party''s interference and challenge. It was impossible for Leena to bring a disaster upon herself knowing that Louisa was actually interested in Kevin. She would not fall into their trap and give her husband to another woman regardless of how much ire might hate her. "Kevin, please, let us go with you. I guarantee I won''t say anything to make you angry. And I won''t stand in the middle when you couple wants to be alone." At all events, ire still tried to persuade him to bring them first. She would find chances ed the trunk and then opened the back door of the car. He indicated Leena to sit at the back and was about to get in the car to sit next to her. He was almost settled on that seat when ire suddenly moved out of the driver''s seat and took the space next to Leena and then said,"Kevin, you may have to drive the car. I got up early today and I''m feeling a little tired. So I might not keep focused now." ire looked at him with expecting eyes as she hoped for him to drive the car. It was only an excuse though as her ultimate goal was to create opportunities to bind Kevin and Louisa together. "Since you can''t concentrate, you''d better go home and have a rest. We don''t need you to go with us." Kevin didn''t think further about the ulterior motives behind ire''s behavior. He simply stepped back and walked to the driver''s seat. Leena''s face immediately became ghastly pale since she clearly knew what ire wanted to do. "I just can''t focus on driving, I didn''t say I can''t focus on ying around." ire felt relieved upon noticing that Kevin stopped arguing with her. She had thought that she needed to make a fuss to make sure he would yield. Chapter 1022 A Trip For The Four (Part One) The car was started and driven out slowly. ire looked at Leenacently, not trying to mask her real purpose. Obviously, she did not consider Leena to be a family member, her sister-inw, at all. There was no doubt that Louisa was extremely satisfied with such deliberate arrangement. This way, she and Kevin looked like a couple since ire and Leena were sitting on the back seats. She was much closer to Kevin. Meanwhile, from ire''s behavior, it could be deduced that ire thought the same as her. An ordinary woman such as Leena who had no background would never match up to Kevin or be qualified to be his wife. Right now, Louisa felt that her chances of marrying Kevin were high. She believed that Leena was just a Cindere who did not deserve a prince like Kevin. Leena decided to ignore the provocation from ire. She took out her phone and browsed on it. ''Far from eye, far from heart, '' that was how Leena thought. She did not want to trouble herself by making any responses to ire. With her fingertip sliding on the screen effortlessly, Leena soon finished editing her new post. She hesitated, wondering whether she should post it or not. Finally, she bit her lip and pressed the send button. She was sure that Kevin would never see it. As far as she remembered, he had never sent her a friend request. And she never asked him if he had a QQ ount either. They had no connections whatsoever on social media. Kevin took one look at Leena through the rear-view mirror and found that she waspletely lost in her own world, like there weren''t three other people with her in the car. She seemed to be calm and indifferent, just like she had been before. "Kevin, Louisa and you have known each other for a long time. So why didn''t you marry her?" Huh. It seemed to Leena that she wa or esteemed one. She was jealous of Leena and thought that she did not deserve to have such a beautiful face. She would never be a princess no matter what kind of clothes she wore! "I''m sorry, ire. But if I am too ugly to be looked at by you, you can just choose not to look at me. Nobody is putting a knife to your neck and forcing you to do so." This was the first time Leena fought back to ire''s insults. She was beginning to understand something: ire did not even try to like her, so Leena did not have to bear her rude words or behavior anymore. Yes, ire was the princess here whom everybody loved. But Leena was a princess, too. In S city, she was the most precious princess to her family and friends. "Kevin! Are you listening to her? She is talking to me so rudely!" ire shouted, ming Leena. ire had not anticipated that Leena would retaliate. She thought Leena was a timid woman. "What? She looks good! I don''t think her attitude isn''t nice enough to you. And she''s right, nobody is forcing you to look at her. All right. You should do as you promised me. Go somewhere else and don''t interrupt us. We need some privacy." Kevin nced back at them with cool, determined eyes. Chapter 1023 A Trip For The Four (Part Two) "No way. We will be quiet and won''t make any noise. Just let us stay with you, okay?" ire begged, sulking in a low voice. There was no way ire and Louisa were going to keep a distance from them. They would follow them all the way, trying to find any chance to separate them. Only then would Louisa be able to find some alone time with Kevin. "ire, even though our entire family spoils you, don''t go too far and think you can try to challenge me. You will not want to know the consequences of angering me. If you continue to behave like this, I''ll leave you here alone and won''te to bring you back," Kevin warned her. He meant the threat whole-heartedly. Even though she was his sister, he would never allow her to challenge his authority like that. Besides, he did not want other people to disturb Leena and him any longer. "Forget it, ire! If Kevin doesn''t want us to follow them, we can just go somewhere else! This ce is a bit remote, but we probably won''t run into a shady guy here," Louisa persuaded her. She seemed to make apromise, yet her words used Kevin of being heartless enough to leave two weak girls alone. "No, Louisa, we can''t be left here. You are so beautiful. What if wee across some guy who wants to flirt with you?" ire''s voice pitch was raised, as she pretended to be nervous for Louisa''s so-called beauty. "Oh, yes. She''s right. Miss Ye is so beautiful. I''m afraid she must be protected by someone. Kevin, you can stay with them. An ugly woman like me doesn''t deserve your protection. I think it would be better for me if I walked around alone." Leena was fed up with their behavior. She cast a contemptuous look at them and stalked away. It was a waste of her time and energy to be with them. She co hy she always forced herself to speak and act in a grown-up fashion. She wanted to be a woman like Daisy, whom Kevin loved so much. "You are more likely to meet a bad guy than they are." Kevin reached out to take her hand. Leena was not very tall but she walked so quickly that he had spent quite a while catching up with her. "No, you are wrong. An ugly woman like me would never be in such a dangerous situation," Leena retorted. She was extremely unhappy about the word ''ugly''. Ever since she came to Capital City, ire had been undermining her confidence. How could she just stand there and feign indifference while she spouted nonsense? Leena had emotions and feelings too, and was not a puppet without a soul who could be looked down upon by anyone. She had pride, too. "Darling, are you saying that you''d prefer to be flirted with? Well, if that''s the case, I volunteer for it. I can do that." Kevin shook his head,forting her. He used to think she never got angry. Now he knew otherwise. She was just waiting for the opportunity to explode. She also fought back hard when she could not take it anymore. And whosoever she was mad at would be in trouble. Chapter 1024 A Trip For The Four (Part Three) "What an absurd thing to say! Of course I don''t want to be flirted with by some random guy. My brain is quite all right! But I''m sure our twopanions won''t stop in their n. Don''t ask me how I know. A woman''s intuition can sense everything. Do you believe me? Let''s wait and see." Leena narrowed her eyes at him as she sat down beside a big stone. It was not the weekend, so there were not many tourists around. Leena enjoyed the fresh air for there was no crowd here. It was not noisy either, so she could enjoy the peace for a while. "What kind of a n do you think they have?" Kevin folded his arms across his chest and asked her. He was curious about her answer. "How would I know the details? Why don''t we just wait?" Leena pressed her lips together. The corners of her mouth curved upward at the sight of the two figures approaching them. A sneer spread across her features. Well, well, well! Here they came! "Hey. I thought you would continue pretending to be not bothered at all. You seem to be fighting back now," Kevin said, looking at her with smiling eyes. Truth be told, he was surprised at her aggressiveness just now. She had been so easy-going before. She never sassed ire in thest few days. However, he knew her real personality and that she was actually quite naughty and guileful. He could tell from the conversation between her and Justin, that Leena was more than just a sweet and adorable girl. "You know what? Even a little mouse would finally bite the one who bullies it all the time," Leena admitted. Now that Kevin could see through her disguise, there was no need for her to keep pretending anymore. This was how she really was like all the time. "Yes, I see that now. Luckily, I am not the one who is to be bitten by you." Kevin talked to her face to face, so he was unable to see what was happ there no other single men in the world anymore? Why wouldn''t she let go of him, a married man? "I won''t give up easily, no matter what you say, Kevin." It was an easy job for a woman to woo a man. Louisa held the belief firmly. She would win Kevin''s love someday, eventually, as long as she insisted on it. There was no way she would give up like he said. "Huh. Whatever. But I do hope you can think of your father for a bit. How would he feel about his daughter being so unreasonable?" Kevin said before he walked away. He told, warned and persuaded her about everything. If she did not want to change her mind at all, he could not do anything about it anyway. He could not cast a spell on her so she would stop with her ridiculous notions. He headed for the direction in which Leena left. "Louisa, are you all right?" ire did not expect Kevin to dislike Louisa so much. She worried at the sight of her pale face. ire had caught his words and sensed something from their conversation. One of them was not epting the other''s affection while the other was unwilling to give it up. Louisa and her brother had talked about this before. It was then that ire understood why Louisa had contacted her all of a sudden. Chapter 1025 The Smacks (Part One) "I''m fine. The more he rejects me, the more my affections grow," Louisa said, as she tried to maintain her dignity. She was strong in her determination to win Kevin over at the same time. "Are we still following them?" Kevin''s rage made ire timid. She had never seen him so angry before. "ire, I need your help. I fell in love with your brother at first sight a few years ago. Then I went abroad for further studies. I thought he would still be single when I came back. But unexpectedly, he got married." Louisa was regretful. She could have already be Kevin''s wife if she hadn''t gone abroad. "Don''t worry, Louisa. I''ll help you get my brother," ire promised. Her hatred for Leena reached a summit and led to her immediate consent to Louisa''s request. "Thank you! I''ll be so grateful to you if I be your sister-inw." Louisa looked at ire earnestly, trying to convince her that she meant what she said. "I guess you have to be." ire giggled. She always thought that only a woman with a simr or better family background deserved to be her sister-inw. A sly twinkle shed across Louisa''s eyes. ire''s naivety was beyond her expectations. ''What a waste it would be if I didn''t take advantage of it?'' she thought. Leena had no intention of waiting for Kevin to follow her, so she quickened her pace. It was a long while before he finally caught up with her. "Leena, why are you walking away in such haste? I almost lost you." Kevin had been nervous when she sneaked out of his sight. His forehead was sweating. "I didn''t want to be in your way. I left so you could have a good time with your sister and Louisa." Leena sounded a little jealous. She would rather be anywhere else than stay with those two women. "Sweetie, are you jealous?" Kevin smiled, gazing at Leena''s pout. Recalling how those plump lips had kissed him, a wave of asn''t a wuss either. "I beg your pardon? You put up with me? That''s rich. Come on, don''t blow your own trumpet. Besides, just because you married my brother doesn''t mean you are my sister-inw all the time," ire yelled, instantly drawing attention of the passers-by. Noticing the gazes from others, she lowered her voice a little. "As you said, I married your brother. It is your brother whom I am going to spend the rest of my life with, so why should it bother me whether or not you like me?" Leenaughed sarcastically. She had given ire many chances to be friends with her, but in return ire threw them away and bad-mouthed her again and again. Now, Leena would do nothing but be ruthless to her. "Hah. So you really think you can spend the rest of your life with Kevin? You wish! The game is not over yet. Let''s wait and watch." To Louisa''s ears, every word Leena just said sounded like she was gloating to her. She hated Leena''s guts. "Okay. Let''s wait and watch." Leena smiled and stood up. She decided to look for Kevin instead of wasting more time with these women. "Stop! I''m not done yet." Louisa reached out her hand and held Leena by the wrist. She wouldn''t let her go until she got out something satisfactory from her. Chapter 1026 The Smacks (Part Two) "Get your hand off me! Don''t push me!" Leena turned back and snapped. She didn''t care who Louisa''s father was. She was an independent career woman who didn''t rely on anyone, including Louisa''s family. She wouldn''t grovel to them. "Are you going to hit me? ire, do you see the kind of woman she is?" Louisa raised her eyebrows, not afraid at all if Leena hit her. She used to be as rebellious as a gangster before she went abroad. "Yes, I do. I''ll tell my parents what a horrible person she really is and she won''t be able to be a part of my family any longer." ire jutted up her chin with acent look on her face, as if imagining how embarrassed Leena would be once her parents found out who she really was. Leena looked up at the sky and let out a long breath. They were in a public ce. She didn''t want to make a scene. But these two women didn''t seem to let her go easily. "Leena, at the end of the day, you are nothing more than a cheap bitch. You know Kevin doesn''t love you and that he is in love with someone else, but you won''t leave him anyway. Don''t you have any shame at all?" Louisa said, viciousness in her eyes. She knew her words would provoke Leena. That was exactly what she expected. She wanted to see how Kevin would react when he saw her getting attacked by Leena. p! Leena turned around and smacked Louisa hard. It stung, but as she had expected, Kevin saw the p and stopped in his steps, a stunned look on his face. She thought the pain was well worth it. "Oh my God. Leena, how can you be such a savage woman? Even if we are wrong to follow you and my brother, you could have just told us not to follow; how could you hit Louisa?" ire hadn''t seen the smacking. She was astonished because Leena had always seemed to be such a sweet girl. However, as soon as ire saw her brother hastening toward them, she started using Leena. "Why should I put up with someone who has a potty mouth? Louisa, you deserve it." Leena looked at Louisa disdainfully. She hated anybody who used the word ''bitch''. Louisa had touched a nerve. When she turned back, she saw Kevin standing in front of her with an ice cream in his hand. He see hould be impartial to us instead of protecting her." With her hand on her face, Louisa thought of giving up. On the other hand, she felt she was unable to take this kind of oue peacefully. But Kevin''s words were harsh. If she kept pestering him, it would seem humiliating. "I didn''t say she was right to hit you. But I also know there must have been a reason. And you two know better than anyone else what the reason was." Kevin didn''t believe Leena raised her hand for no reason. She had always been rational. They must have said something to irritate her. "It is easy to find a stick to beat a dog. You just want to find something to me us for, don''t you? Do you really think you know her? Wake up! Ask around. We all saw how malicious that woman was just now. Believe it or not, nobody provoked her. If you really think it was our fault, then I am speechless, but I still have faith in justice." Louisa managed an innocent look on her face, as if she was the victim and Leena the guilty one. "Huh! Justice! I hope you understand what that word means." Kevin nced at her coldly and turned away. He walked swiftly in the direction Leena had left, assuming that she was crying in some corner. He had seen her moist eyes when she passed him by. Watching Kevin leave, Louisa bit her lips. The hatred in her eyes increased. She cursed inside, ''Leena, you are lucky this time, but pray for yourself, because your luck won''t hold for ever.'' Chapter 1027 I Dont Want To Apologize (Part One) Leena kept trying to hold back her tears the entire way. Kevin had seen that she pped Louisa. Now he must think she was malicious. However, she did not regret pping that woman one bit. On the contrary, she felt relieved because she did not need to tolerate ire and Louisa''s provocations anymore. In any case, she had fallen out with them, hadn''t she? At that moment, she missed S city very much. She missed the people and her life there. She always felt like she should not havee here as her arrival was not weed. Although Shannon liked her very much, she knew that other people looked at her contemptuouslyst night at the birthday party. She hid in the garden because she did not want herself to face the embarrassing situation. It seemed that in today''s society, everybody paid more attention to identity and background. If she was the daughter of a senior official, the treatment she received would be totally different! Leena found aparatively remote ce and sat down. She would not envy others, no matter how high their statuses were. In her heart, she believed that what she owned was not inferior to others. She possessed a deep familial affection that could not be exchanged with any precious titles. Although her family was not a political one, everyone in it loved her very much. Leena bit her lip. She wished she could hear Duke''s voice. She took out her phone, but didn''t dare to tap out his number. If she told Duke what had happened, she would cry. Duke already disliked Kevin. If he knew what had urred, he would dislike Kevin more. That was certainly not what she wanted to happen. No matter how grieved she felt right now, she would ensitive? Kevin Gu, you have the heart to me me, don''t you? You know that I pped yourmander''s daughter, which means you will get into trouble because of me. So, are you sure you can continue to be calm?" Leena asked him solemnly. Truth be told, she had not considered that when she pped Louisa. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been so impulsive. But the strange thing was, even if she calmed down now, she could not find it in herself to regret what she did. "So you are beginning to worry about me now?" Kevin did not reply to her, but asked her another question instead. He was quite interested in her answer. "I''m sorry about it. But I don''t regret it." Leena lowered her head. Her small face was pale. She admitted that she did not consider him when she got angry and pped her. She might have made trouble for Kevin. That was on her. "Let''s go. We need to go home first." Kevin stretched out his palms, waiting for her to grab them. He thought they should not be here in such a circumstance. It was better for them to go home early. After all, Leena needed a quiet space to calm down, didn''t she? Chapter 1028 I Dont Want To Apologize (Part Two) "You send back ire and Louisa first! I want to stay here alone for a moment." Leena did not think that she could continue to pretend to keep peace with them. So she wanted to avoid facing them if she could. She also needed time to think about how she would exin what she did today to Nathan and Shannon when they returned home. It was a serious im that she pped Louisa. She knew that ire would definitely tell them. "You can choose. Either we go back together or I stay here with you." In truth, Kevin wanted to hold her petite body in his arms. But he held back as he wanted Leena to realize her mistake. After all, no matter how he skirted around the issue, it was her who pped Louisa. Even if she had been bullied by Louisa and ire, she was not in a dignified position here. pping someone was indeed a bad conduct. "Kevin, do you know you are forcing me to do what I don''t want to do?" Leena really didn''t want to cry. But she couldn''t restrain her tears any longer. She hadn''t yet thought out how she would exin this to Nathan and Shannon. Couldn''t he give her some time to think? "What? I am forcing you? Really? What I have forced you to do? Tell me!" Kevin fumed. Was he wrong to ask her to go home first? Or did she want to cry alone in front of so many people? They were outside and had an audience. "All right. I seem to have used the wrong word. I am sorry. I just want to be alone for a while. I didn''t mean anything else." Leena felt exhausted in both body and mind. She was really tired. "Do you want to keep me out of your heart?" Kevin felt helpless e advantage of this opportunity to put her sorrows out in the open? After all, she needed to face them sooner orter. It was just a matter of time. "It seems to me that ire and Louisa are quite right. I do not know you well." Kevin did not know that Leena already knew so many things about him. She even knew that he loved a woman before! However, Leena took the meaning of his words as that he thought she was a scheming woman. She assumed that he was indirectly telling her that he believed ire and Louisa, but not Leena herself. His words hurt her, but she still did notpromise on her pride. "Are you disappointed? I am indeed such a vicious woman." Leena bit her lip. She felt utterly hopeless. She didn''t care what he thought anymore. Moreover, she was not afraid to bear such grievance again. "So you have known all this, but you just pretended not to care about it?" Kevin smiled with self-mockery. Since she said so, she must know whom he loved before. How could she keep the secret of her knowing for such a long time? He was so curious. Chapter 1029 I Dont Want To Apologize (Part Three) "Now that you have condemned me, do I still have a chance to exin myself to you?" The questions and the corresponding answers between the two of them were not regarding the same issue at all. The seeds of contradiction were buried deep. Both of them misunderstood each other''s meaning at the same time, which led to the situation worsening. When they went back to the car, ire and Louisa had already got in. As the two of them spotted Leena, they red daggers at her mercilessly. The strange thing was that they all sat on the back seat. ire and Louisa did not use any tricks this time. At their stares, Leena just ignored them. She looked at the passing scenery outside of the window with calm. However, her mind was not as calm as her face expressed. The conversation between Kevin and her had not solved the problem, but only let it get worse. Even now, they suspected each other. At the time, she couldn''t help but speak out the secret she had tried to keep all this time. She always pretended to know nothing about Kevin loving Daisy. Although she did not say her name out loud, she told him that she knew he loved another woman. She didn''t know whether that was a good decision or not. ording to the degree of regret she felt right now, it was probably not a good one. But shecked patience. Kevin gave her onest look and did not say anything. He still wondered how she knew that the person he loved before was Daisy. Did he do something that had exposed his secret? However, he did not feel any panic. On the con to hit someone. It''s not a response you should have as a member of the Gu family," Nathan said firmly He looked a bit aggressive. "I..." Leena bit her lip. She did not know how to describe what happened today to him. She could only drop her head and listen to his rebuke with embarrassment. "I don''t want to see something like that happen again. Conduct yourself well and don''t make trouble any more. And go and apologize to Louisa. This is your punishment." Nathan kept his face majestic and it scared Leena. She did not dare to exin herself. However, she didn''t want to do what he said. "Dad! I don''t want to apologize." Leena insisted on not doing this, because she felt that she had done nothing wrong. She was unwilling to bow down to Louisa. "This is not up to you, unless you don''t want to stay in the family any longer," Nathan said in all seriousness. He was not kidding. Although he was d that Leena had given him an expensive gift, it didn''t do anything to satisfy him about her family background. Chapter 1030 Im Sorry (Part One) Leena was in shock as she looked at Nathan. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. What did he say? Was she hearing him right? Did he really mean that Louisa was more important than her, his daughter-inw? Or was it because he was a good friend with themander and he couldn''t let his friend''s daughter be treated as such? Now that made sense! That realization struck Leena''s mind like a speeding car. It was definitely the reason why he said those things and treated her with this attitude! "Dad, do you really dislike me that much? I don''t expect you to treat me like your own daughter. I know that''s impossible but I don''t know why you are treating me this way! You don''t even see me as your daughter-inw, right?" Leena closed her eyes for a short moment. She didn''t know how to feel or what to say anymore. Yes, she could apologize to Louisa. That was not hard at all because she was guilty of raising her hand to p her. Nheless, being asked by her father-inw in such an usatory tone broke her heart. She felt so disappointed with Nathan and at the same time, lonely as there was nobody there for her. "Why do you think that?" Nathan didn''t really care about how or what caused the issue. The only thing he was concerned about was the fact that Leena hit someone. There was no way that he would tolerate anyone in his family who had beaten another person. That was why he demanded Leena to apologize to Louisa. It was just so wrong to hit a person!. Plus, Louisa was both their guest and his good friend''s daughter. He couldn''t just let this slide easily. How would he even face his friend in the future? "Why do I think that? Are you sure that you have no idea? If you''re r ou. I was wrong. Please forgive my impulsive action." There was no blood on Leena''s pretty face. She lowered her head and looked down at her toes. She couldn''t even focus. She could hear the sound of her own heart shattering inside her ears. "Huh! Leena, well, if you think you can p someone then get away with it with just a simple apology then you are awfully wrong! Police would have nothing to do if an ''I''m sorry'' could solve every problem." ire''s words were full of sarcasm. She enjoyed the miserable look on Leena''s face. She didn''t like Leena anyway. So she felt no sympathy for her at all. "Then what do you want? Do you want to p me back? If you really want that, please just do it now before I change my mind." Leena bit her lip so hard that it was almost bleeding. If it wasn''t for Kevin, she could simply walk out of this house and nevere back. It was all for the love she held for him and also for the happy marriage she pictured with him. She was willing to make the sacrifice and abandon her pride. She would be a docile and perfect little wife even if it meant losing her personality and dignity. Chapter 1031 Im Sorry (Part Two) "p you? Haha. Of course not! Leena, do you really think that I am that stupid?" Louisa said with disdain. She was under the impression that Leena was liked by Kevin''s family. It seemed that she was wrong. She didn''t expect that Kevin''s family would take her side and make Leena apologize to her. She suddenly felt a lot better about herself with the knowledge that Leena wasn''t wee in his family at all. "Well, I have given you the chance, don''t ever regret not taking up my offer." There was no trace of warmth in Leena''s voice. She had never experienced anything close to this as she was a spoiled girl from a crazy rich family. To be honest, it was probably the most embarrassing and miserable day in her life. What could be worse than being treated like this by her husband''s family and being mocked by the woman who wanted to take his husband away? She didn''t want to think anymore. She just wanted to leave and hide in a ce where no one could ever find her. She needed to be alone tofort herself. Her heart might be broken beyond repair but never had she let a tear fall from her eyes. She would never give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry. "Of course I won''t. I want you to remember it, Leena. You are the unreasonable one here. You pped me but instead of revenging against you, I let you off easily. Remember that you owe me, forever." Louisa was more confident as Nathan took her side. Her words turned even more venomous. "How can I refuse you when you want this? But Miss Ye, don''t be so smug. You won''t be "Yeah, of course! I told dad that Leena had pped Louisa. So he was quite angry with her." The look on ire''s face showed that she was very proud of what she did. She thought she did something good for her brother. "ire, I''ll get to you in a minute." Kevin jerked his hand out of ire''s hold and then hurriedly ran outside after Leena. She must be lying when she said that she had something to buy immediately. She just wanted to get away from this ce, from the people who had hurt her badly! After all, he knew that his father was a very serious man and how strict he could be. He was determined to stop his wife but then all he had seen as soon as he opened the door was an Audi Pikes Peak Quattro quickly disappearing from his view. It was toote. He clenched his hands into tight fists. He could feel how his nails were digging deep into his palms. Then without any word, he smashed his fist to the wall, making the wall shake slightly. He couldn''t feel any pain, all he could feel was his worry for Leena. Chapter 1032 Im Sorry (Part Three) Leena let all her tears out as soon as she got in the car. She drove the car around the city without a specific direction. It seemed that this trip to the capital city was just a big mistake. She shouldn''t have rushed her essay for this. If she hadn''t finished her essay so early, she wouldn''t havee here and be treated like this. These awful things wouldn''t have happened at all. If she hadn''t finished her essay so early, she would have still been in Paris, the romantic and beautiful city. It was just that all these were just wishful thinking. She was no prophet after all. So now, she was stuck here, trapped with these people. She didn''t know what Louisa''s purpose was before. It was different now though. That vicious woman''s goal was to make her angry. Stupid as she was, she gave what Louisa wanted. That was how things ended up like this. She had no one to me but herself. She was too trusting and too silly. That was why she had fallen for Louisa''s trap. Tears kept streaming down her face, but the ache in her heart never lessened. Instead, she felt more and more suffocated. She just wanted to love someone. Should it be this hard? Was it worth the sacrifices she made? She didn''t have any answers to her own questions. She wiped the tears that wouldn''t stop falling. She wanted badly to drive directly to S City but she knew that she couldn''t. Not only because of Kevin''s family but also because of the ones who loved her deeply. There were many people who cared about her very much and she couldn''t let them worry. Besides, it was also not safe for her to drive in such an unstable state. It was a long journey to S City after all. The Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. back. Yes, he might be thinking of her or else her phone wouldn''t keep ringing. Letting out a silent breath, Leena thought that she couldn''t keep on driving without direction.. She nced at her phone for a short moment then suddenly picked it up. She didn''t answer the call though. She hung up directly and called the number she remembered by heart. "Hello, Leena! It seems that you finally remember your brother!" Edward was quite surprised but happy about Leena calling him. It was always a pleasure receiving his little sister''s phone call. He automatically stopped the work he was handling and leaned back against his chair. He wanted to concentrate on every word Leena would say. "Edward, don''t be silly. How can I ever forget you? Look, I''m calling you right now, aren''t I?" Leena replied though she was indeed a bit guilty about what he just said. She wouldn''t have called Edward if she didn''t have a favor to ask. Edward was a smart man and if she cut to the chase, Edward would definitely know that something was wrong. Therefore, she started with a joke before cracking her true reason. Chapter 1033 Im Sorry (Part Four) "Well, I guess you are right. How are you doing? How''s the capital city treating you? Isn''t it great fun?" Edward asked casually in a gentle tone, he wanted to know if Leena was alright because he still felt surprised about Leena''s call. If only they were together, his little sister would have seen the affection that instantly shed in his eyes as he talked with her. "No. It''s no fun without you all here." Leena didn''t lie about that. She really thought the capital city was no fun without her brothers and friends. She already had a tough time getting along with Kevin''s sister. The thing that happened between Louisa and her just hours ago wasn''t as pleasant either. Then top it up with Nathan''s attitude. Everything just made she feel very lonely. "Wait a minute, Leena. Why does your voice sound so weird? Have you been crying?" Edward immediately straightened his back. He was sure that there was something wrong with his little sister''s voice. Did something happen to her? Was Kevin''s family not treating her right? Edward''s brain was suddenly bombarded by all the negative possibilities. Why did he have a bad feeling about this? He could feel that Leena wasn''t telling him everything. "No! Of course not. You worry too much. I''m just not used to the weather here so I caught a cold. That''s all." Leena would never tell Edward what exactly happened because Edward was overprotective. It would only go worse if he knew because he would definitely rush here and take her home in a sh. So she put on a smiley face for her brother and tried her best to be strong tho arried too and he knew the feeling when you wanted to be alone with your other half. Thus, he clearly understood what Leena was thinking now. Or so he thought. "Ummm... Edward, there''s no need to say it out loud, okay? Don''t be a smartass." Leena didn''t correct Edward even if what he said squeezed her heart painfully. It was fortunate that he couldn''t see her face or he would definitely know that she was lying. To be honest, her brother had just pinned point what her heart exactly wanted, a moment with just Kevin alone! It was just bad though that it wasn''t the truth and those words made her sad again. "Alright, alright. Calm down. I was just teasing. I will text you the addresster and will also make a call to let the guards know that you will be there." Edward shook his head. How could he possibly refuse Leena? That was just impossible! Besides, he bought his house in the capital city out of whim. If Leena wanted to go there then he could just let her as she pleased. Everything would be okay with him, as long as Leena was happy. Chapter 1034 Dont Push Me (Part One) "Okay! Thanks, Edward." Only around her big brothers could Leena feel like herself. She could smile more easily, and they were always good to her. Around them, she beamed with happiness, and her world was full of joy. Even the cloudy sky looked bright and sunny to her. "Ha!. Why are you so polite all of a sudden? That''s not like you. You''re trying to hide something from me, right? So what is it?" Edward was smart and sensible. He could detect every subtle change in her tone. It was not for nothing that he was known as a savvy businessman. "You''re overreacting. I just wanted to thank you. What''s wrong with that? It''s no big deal." Though it came out of nowhere, Leena was suddenly ovee with gratitude. Expressing one''s gratitude was certainly easier than apologizing. Why should she hold back when others were nice to her? She decided to go for broke and pour out her heart to him. "Okay, you''re off the hook for now. But still, you''re acting weird. It''s been a long time since you thanked me for anything. Really, I don''t remember you ever doing that," Edward quipped with a smile. He looked as attractive as ever when he smiled. Edward Mu was famous for his cool, collected manner and his self-control. He waspletely unppable, and liked to show off that side of him. "Don''t tease me, Edward. You want me to apologize for being a little snot? Fine. But not now. I''m driving. Don''t distract me." Leena pretended to sound angry, so Edward wouldn''t know what was really going on. "Yeah, I guess. But drive slower, okay? I''ll text you the address." Edward smirked inwardly. He had always treated Leena like his own sister. No matter what, he still had that habit, and would never stop spoiling her. "I will! See youter, Edward!" Leena said gently before ending the call. Her face was still pale, but she felt better after hearing Edward''s voice. On the other side, Edward texted the address to her. However, he just couldn''t shake away the feeling that something bad was going on. He knew one? W-what do I tell the boss if he asks? And he will ask, believe me," stuttered the olddy in hesitation. She''d worked for Edward for a long time, and she had no more to do than simply clean the empty house, water the flowers and weed the beautiful garden. She was well-paid and worked at a leisurely pace. Things were quiet here, and the only urgent task for her now was to take care of two guests. How could she not? She felt like that would be cking off, and she thought that was unfair to Edward. "You don''t have to exin anything to him, as I said. If he asks about it, just tell him to call me instead, and I''ll exin everything. So could you get my room ready?" Although Leena had recovered a little from what happened earlier, she still looked pale and drained of energy. What she needed now was some sleep to get her going again, and some time to sort everything out, not a servant. "Alright, then. This way, please." That said, the elderly woman led Leena to her room, although she didn''t believe a word of it. Leena''s phone had been buzzing since she walked in. But Leena didn''t seem interested in checking it at all. She knew who it was, but she didn''t feel like talking to him. She really didn''t feel like talking to anyone at all, truth be told. So she tried her best to ignore the persistent buzzing from her cell. Chapter 1035 Dont Push Me (Part Two) As Leena entered the prepared guest room and shut the door behind her, she jumped into the soft king-sized bed, and copsed. She felt like a machine that had been working too hard and was now falling apart, and her phone kept ringing and buzzing, piling more stress onto her frazzled nerves. She didn''t feel like answering Kevin''s calls, but she didn''t want to just decline the call either. The notifications and ringing were a reminder to her, telling her she was special to Kevin after all, that he was worried about her. As she thought about this, her heartbeat slowed and normalized, and a feeling of warmth enveloped her like a nket. Calmer now, she started thinking about everything. She ran out of her home without even thinking of what would happen next. Call it childish, if you must. But this was really the moment of truth, the point of no return. For a moment, Leena was worried. She feared her father-inw might scold her for behaving inappropriately. But then a sense of relief settled over her. Nothing mattered anymore. She had never been loved nor weed by Kevin''s family. Why should she care about how they treated her? Or what they thought of her? On the other end of the line, Kevin''s patience was wearing thin. When he listened to the robotic voicemail message, he was so infuriated that the blue veins on his forehead were visible. He had searched everywhere nearby, but couldn''t find any trace of her. And when he dialed Leena''s number, she simply ignored his calls. He knew she was intentionally ignoring him, because just a few minutes ago, one call brought him something new: "The subscriber you dialed is busy now, please try againter..." That meant she only ignored him! Was she talking to someone else while ignoring his calls? With each moment ticking by, he grew more worried for her than angry. His concern was not that she would call her family andin tearfully how bad he d once he reached his father''s den, he didn''t even bother to knock. He simply pushed the door open, and entered. "What''s up?" Nathan asked in a calm tone, despite seeing the fury in Kevin''s eyes. He heard Kevin''s footsteps as his son made his way here. He could tell he was mad, but why? "What did you say to her?" Kevin leaned on the table, trying to restrain his anger. Nathan mmed the documents onto the table. Rage shed in his gaze. "What are you talking about? I am Leena''s father-inw. I can say anything I want to her. And what''s this all about? Why are you like this?" Nathan knew exactly who Kevin was talking about. He pulled open a drawer and ced the documents inside. Work could wait. He leaned back casually, and looked into Kevin''s eyes. "Why am I like this? How can you ask that? Leena is gone! I''ve searched every corner in the city and didn''t find a thing. And everything leads right back to you. What did you say to her, Father?" If Nathan were not his father, Kevin would have already punched him in the face. "What? Are you saying that she''s run away? What a cow! She has no manners at all! She''s not good for you, Kevin!" But Nathan was agitated by the news, as he took it as a signal from Leena, who was openly challenging his authority. Chapter 1036 Dont Push Me (Part Three) "Don''t talk about her like that, Father! And another thing! Making her apologize to Louisa? Is that woman more important to you than your own daughter-inw?" Kevin clenched his fists in anger, digging his nails into his palms. He wondered what cliched stereotype was going on in Nathan''s mind when he asked Leena to apologize. "Watch your tone, son! What do you mean by ''that woman''? That woman is my friend''s daughter! And it''s wrong for Leena to hit someone in the first ce! What do you think I should have done?" Nathan growled back. Completely irritated, he had a fierce look on his face now. He had always been a senior official in the army, and was entitled to scold his subordinates when they made mistakes. How dare Kevin talk to him this way? How outrageous! And he was Kevin''s father, after all. On what ount could a son teach his father? "In the first ce? You mean Leena started it? Are you tripping balls right now? My wife is gentle, kind, and has been more than patient with Louisa. She wouldn''t haveshed out like that unless Louisa did or said something really bad. And apparently, she did. Leena fought back, which is what you taught me to do," said Kevin, gnashing his teeth. It seemed that his father hated Leena more than he thought. That was not like him, sticking up for an outsider over his family. What was he thinking? "And what do you mean by that? Are you ming me for all this? Does a woman mean more to you than your own dad?" Nathan yelled in anger. He had never expected his son to stand against him for a woman. It seemed he hadn''t brought him up well enough, and failed to teach him that one should never argue with his own father. "Don''t change the subject! We''re talking about your mistakes, not general ethics!" said Kevin helplessly. He felt like an idiot, trying to reason with his headstrong fath ered. He was totally irritated because of Leena''s incident. "Nathan, tell me what''s going on here! What on earth happened, that caused you two to argue till you''re red faced?" Shannon let out a resigned sigh, and turned to her husband. Sometimes she couldn''t understand men. When Kevin was away, Nathan worried for him a lot; but now his son was here, and they were on the verge of starting a fight, if not already started. Why did they have to argue with each other? For what? "Bah! I am not going to dignify this bullshit with ament! Woman, you''ve spoiled your son. Look at him! He doesn''t look like a Major General, not at all. More like a gangster!" Nathan retorted. He always med his wife forvishing love and affection on their son. And he regarded that as the main reason that Kevin was now against him. "Gangster? That''s a good word. But it fits you better. You may be a high muck-a-muck in the army, but you treat your own family like your soldiers. This is a home, not a base; you''re surrounded by your family members, not your soldiers. Learn some respect!" Shannon had always behaved like a wealthydy of high status and impable nobility. But when she was pissed off, she knew how to defeat her enemies. Chapter 1037 Searching For Leena (Part One) "Ohe off it, woman. When do I do that? I never think of my family as soldiers. Don''t just use me of stuff -- find a real reason to criticize me." Despite that Nathan was defending himself, he could not help but lower his voice at the sight of Shannon''s stare. His bad temper was restrained a bit. He knew it was not a good idea to quarrel with his wife. She''d give as good as she got. "Don''t try to change the subject. Tell me everything. What the hell happened at home while I was out?" As the hostess of this family, Shannon absolutely had the right to know everything happened here. She was not afraid of Nathan at all. She knew his temper, and how far to push him. She could get away with a lot since he would never hit her. "You can take your time and discuss it here! I''m going out to find Leena," Kevin said and then started to walk outside. However, he failed. He was caught by Shannon immediately after he said that. His mother was agile. "Wait! What did you say? Leena''s not here?" Shannon was surprised. Indeed, she had a strange feeling when she got back in. Now she grew more confused. Why was Leena not home? Wasn''t she staying with Kevin? "No, she''s not! Dad scolded her and drove her away. I''ve been looking for her for about two hours. But I haven''t found her and have no clue where she''s at all," said Kevin in frustration. He did not try to hide the fact from his mother. He knew clearly that his mom would be of great help if he wanted to get out of here now. Only his mother could deal with his father in these kinds of situations. "What? Do you mean Leena is missing? Have you sent someone to find her? It''s her first time in the capital city. She is not familiar with the ce at all. Hopefully, nothing bad''s happened to her," Shannon said worriedly. She was anxious so much that she only heard part of Kevin''s words, r the country, not for him or his family. He could not send his men to do everything, especially the private things. "Fine. Now that you won''t lend a hand, I won''t beg you anymore. I still have my parents. I can ask them to help," Shannon said, gritting her teeth. Why was he so stubborn? He always did things like this and was never flexible. That was why he always offended people and couldn''t get along with them. Now, he made her angry and offended her. "Knock yourself out. I still won''t do it. I have my principles," Nathan insisted. He wasn''t worried about Leena''s safety when all this started. But he was now feeling a bit anxious. ''I can thank my worrywart wife and son for that, '' he thought. However, he grew angry again when he thought of Leena''s unreasonable behavior. He steeled his nerves and was determined not to help. "Fine! Then you can stay with your principles for the rest of your life! If we can find Leena, then fine; but if we can''t find her, you''re going to face the consequences. That is not a threat, that''s a promise!" Shannon warned. She shot an angry nce at him and then walked out. Their daughter-inw was missing. He could stay in his study but she could not. She had to help to find Leena. Chapter 1038 Searching For Leena (Part Two) "Mom, I didn''t know you were back!" screamed ire happily. The moment she and Louisa walked downstairs, she saw her mother stalk out of the study angrily. She greeted her mother delightfully and did not notice the unhappy expression on her face. "Yes. I just got back. And this is¡­" Shannon had nned to snub her. Her sister-inw was missing and she seemed not to care about it at all. Like father, like daughter. However, she decided to at least be cordial, even if she had to hurry. "Oh. Mom, this is Louisa. We met each other when we were studying abroad." ire introduced Louisa to her mother proudly. She could not wait to introduce her. She knew her mother would like her. "Nice to meet you. I''m sorry to bother you. I''m Louisa Ye. You can call me Louisa," Louisa said politely. She was trying so hard to behave in a gentle anddylike manner. She wanted to leave a good impression on Shannon. "Oh, Miss Ye! Wee! But I''m a bit busy now. I''m taking off. Help yourself, please." Just then, Shannon took out her key and walked to her car. She had to try to find Leena no matter what. Otherwise, she could not just remain at home, calm, not bothered. "Mom, you just came back! Leaving already?" ire asked unpleasantly, reaching out and grabbing Shannon''s arm. She would never let this chance slip away. It was her mother''s first time meeting Louisa. First impressions were the most important ones. "Yes I am. Didn''t you know? Leena is missing! Why are you still here and not out there helping to find her?" Shannon looked at her unhappily. Yes, it was important to wee her friend. But Leena, her sister-inw, was also important. Why didn''t she care about Leena at all? "Huh! Missing? I don''t think so. She ran away deliberately to make Kevin worry about her. That''s all. We didn''t drive her away. Besides, she''s an adult, not a child. She''ll find her way back here eventually. Oh yeah, she''s probably too ashamed toe minor ones. They shouldn''t hurt anything. I didn''t expect that she''d p me out of the blue," replied Louisa. She dared not look into Shannon''s eyes when she was answering her. She hadn''t had imagined that Shannon would stick up for Leena like that. That was not something she was used to, but she''d have to ept it. She thought there was only Kevin alone who stuck up for Leena so much. Now she knew she was wrong. His mother also stood behind and supported that woman. "I don''t care who''s right or wrong now. I just want to offer you a suggestion, that you should behave as a guest and don''t cause any more trouble." Shannon cast a sidelong look at Louisa coldly. Was she implying that Leena did something wrong? She knew her daughter-inw well and would never believe a false usation like that. Her "suggestion" was less a suggestion and more a warning. "I''m sorry, Auntie! I won''t do that again." Louisa was hurt by this. But she did not dare to show how unhappy she was when Shannon stared at her with extremely cold eyes. "Mom, Louisa is my guest! How could you say that to her in such a strict tone?" ire pressed her lips to show her dissatisfaction. She felt extremely displeased when she heard her mother scold Louisa. She was ashamed as if she herself were pped in the face. Chapter 1039 Searching For Leena (Part Three) "What kind of tone I should talk to her in when I am so worried and anxious now? You tell me." Shannon frowned. Wasn''t she her daughter? Why did she try to shield Louisa, an outsider from consequences? "ire. It''s okay. Don''t fight with Auntie because of me," said Louisa calmly. She pretended to be generous as if she swallowed an insult. "Louisa, don''t be angry. My mom''s not usually like this. I don''t know what happened to her today to make her so aggressive." There was nothing ire could do butfort Louisa. She looked at Shannon with sad eyes, as if she were ming her mother for not behaving kindly to her friend. She felt so awkward. "Don''t worry. I won''t be angry," Louisa lowered her head and replied obediently. No one could see her cold and evil eyes hid by her hair. "Yeah! That''s really generous of you, Louisa. Huh! Unlike somebody else, who ran away from home and made others worry for her," ire snorted through her nose. She didn''t like Leena. Now she hated her more because Louisa was scolded by her mother because of her. "You''re really a piece of work, you know that ire? I hope that no one takes advantage of you. I hope you never know how it feels." Shannon shook her head and sighed. She hoped that her daughter would find her way out of trouble when that day came. Louisa raised her head immediately and took a quick nce at Shannon. Did she figure out her secret? Why else could she have drawn such a conclusion? "Mom, what''s wrong with you today? How could you say that?" ire sputtered and stamped her feet. Leena was the root cause who stirred up all the cha Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. k home soon. "Yeah! Make sure to bring her to Edward''s house when you get a free moment! I hear he has a beautiful garden. I imagine she''d love to see it. Sounds rxing, man." Duke offered the suggestion because he was worried that Leena might get stressed out staying with Kevin''s family. "Edward has a house here? Whoa! Why didn''t you tell me before now?" Duke''s advice lit light-bulbs up in his head. A ray of hope was rekindled in his heart. Was his wife, the woman he''d been seeking for a while, hiding at Edward''s ce the whole time? "Yeah he does. Leena knows about it too. What? She never mentioned it to you?" Duke turned around and walked to his desk, phone in hand. He sat down and started checking his files. He remembered that he had written down the address somewhere and wondered if he could find it. If he couldn''t find it, he thought he could ask Edward directly. He needed to call him anyway to let him know so that he could inform the housekeeper. Little did he know that Leena was already there, and Edward was making sure she was well looked after. Chapter 1040 Kevins Heart Danced (Part One) "No, she''s never mentioned it. Duke, do you have the address?" Kevin asked cautiously, fearing that Duke might find out the real reason why he was asking. "I''m looking for it right now. Okay, how about this? I''ll send you the addresster. And remember to ask Leena to call me back." Duke hung up the phone. He saw no reason to say anything else. He made the call to ask about Leena. But she wasn''t with Kevin, and he didn''t really want to talk to the Major General. He hadn''t recovered from the sad truth that Kevin married his sister without asking his permission first. Kevin bit his lip and put down his cellphone. He now pinned all his hopes on Duke giving him the address. He just had the strongest hunch that Leena would be there. She had to be -- it was about the only ce he hadn''t looked. Waiting was pure torture. When the phone beeped, Kevin hurriedly read the message and immediately asked Lee to change the route. He really hoped that Leena had gone to that ce to rest and recharge like he had guessed. After Kevin reached the ce, he didn''t get an easy pass like Leena did. Because he came here without any notice, the house keeper was very strict. She didn''t let him in until he exined his rtionship with Leena to her. Helpless as he was, he was d that one thing was certain, that Leena was really in the house, just like he thought. At least she was being looked after. When Kevin finally found Leena in the bedroom, she was sound asleep. She might have been too sleepy, or gotten too tired after crying. He could see the trace of tears on her beautiful face. Her eyshes were still wet. So s Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. lithe,zy and adorable. As if Leena had heard Kevin''s words in her dreams, she became quiet and calm again. She fell back asleep. It seemed that one remark from Kevin was enough tofort and satisfy her. She was totally at peace now. Her bad dreams faded away. As a solder, admittedly he was never a romantic man. Since they wed, they barely had time to spend with each other, let alone to travel anywhere together. He felt deeply sorry in this regard. But he never had the chance to tell her how sorry he was, to admit this to her. Most of the time, he wasn''t even really emotional. He didn''t spend enough time with her, and he felt bad for her because of it. He wouldn''t even make their time together romantic to make up for lost time. He had a lot of improving to do. Gently cing Leena''s head on the pillow, he stood up and quietly walked to the balcony. There he took out his cellphone and made a call. He didn''t care what other people in his family thought, but he knew his mother would be worried. So he wanted to call her and tell her that everything was fine here. Chapter 1041 Kevins Heart Danced (Part Two) "Kevin, did you find Leena?" Driving around, Shannon looked about for Leena on the street, hoping to catch a glimpse of her somewhere. "Yes, I found her. Don''t worry. I will bring her back when she wakes up." Kevin said in a low voice. He didn''t want to wake her up. "Okay, good. Where are you now? I''d like to see her." Shannon really liked Leena, and she thought that she was an ideal daughter-inw. She felt relieved when she heard that she was safe. "Just stay put, mom. It''s a little far away and you''ll be tired by the time you get here. Don''t worry. She''s fine now. She''s asleep, probably after crying." Feeling exhausted, Kevin leaned against the handrail. Finding Leena had eaten up all his energy. And it wasn''t so much physical as psychological, the stress and fear and despair that he suffered in the process. "Okay, Kevin, take good care of her. Try tofort her and don''t let her think too much. You can stay out tonight. Take some rxation time, just the two of you." Eager as Shannon was to see Leena, considering that Leena might be very depressed now, she thought it better to leave some space for the couple to be alone. No matter how much she cared for her, what Leena needed most right now might be Kevin''spany. Shannon herself was also a woman, and cing herself in Leena''s position, it was easy for her to realize what was the most important thing to Leena now. To most people, the rtionship between mother-inw and daughter-inw was always a thorny problem finishing the call, Kevin went back inside to check on Leena. Making sure that she was fine, Kevin tiptoed out of the room. He nned to ask Lee to get some takeout. "Mr. Gu, is Mrs. Gu okay?" the housekeeper asked as soon as Kevin walked downstairs. Mrs. Gu told the housekeeper not to disturb her. So she left her alone upstairs. If Mrs. Gu got angry because of her disturbance, she would be done for. Young girls from rich families were usually very arrogant and had a mercurial temperament. "Yeah, She''s fine. Thank you for taking care of her," Kevin said to the housekeeper politely. Their visit might have added extra work for her. "It''s nothing. Mr. Mu told me that if Mrs. Gu came, we must treat her the same way we''d treat him. So it''s our duty to serve her." The housekeeper smiled. She was a very kind woman. "Mr. Mu? So you mean Edward Mu?" Kevin asked doubtfully. Did Edward already know that Leena came here? He wondered if Leena had told Edward what happened to her recently. Chapter 1042 Kevins Heart Danced (Part Three) "Yes! He told me a young couple woulde here and asked me to take good care of them. So I felt very strange when Mrs. Gu came here alone. I didn''t expect that you wouldeter." Saying this, the housekeeper nced at Kevin with a worried face. She asked a lot of questions to him before letting him in, so she worried that he might be mad because of this. But there was a soldier following him, so she assumed that he was not a bad guy. "Oh? He told you that, huh?" Kevin didn''t know how to feel now. Obviously Leena hid the truth for him, even when she was hurt because of him. How could he ever repay what she did? How could he express how grateful he was for her deep love? "Yes, Mr. Gu. I don''t know what you like to eat. Please tell me which kinds of food you like. I can prepare it for you right away," The housekeeper said, constantly rubbing her hands. She was very nervous. "Thank you. We''ll get dinner. We''ve already been so much trouble for you. How can we expect you to make dinner for us?" Kevin politely refused the housekeeper''s nice offer. It was already very rude for him toe here without notice, so he didn''t want to make more trouble for her. "Mr. Gu, you''re too polite. It''s our duty to serve you. I get paid by Mr. Mu, and I feel obliged to serve his friends as well. If he knew I didn''t even make dinner for you, he''d probably fire me." Panicked at his words, the housekeeper immediately shook her head. If Mr. Mu got it in his head that she didn''t serve them well, she might lose this highly paid job. "Don''t worry, he won''t know if we don''t Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. autiful moment between them. If there was anyone around, he could tell that Kevin loved her. In fact, Leena was slowly walking into his heart, it was just that he hadn''t realized it yet. He gently reced the quilt and tucked her in. The weather was quite cold. Although the heater was going, he couldn''t be too careful, trying to prevent Leena from catching a cold. It was not long since thest time when Leena got a cold in France. He didn''t want Leena to get sick again, otherwise Duke would really be angry at him. Different fromst time, Kevin was at her side now. And if she got sick this time, he would really be a jerk. Of course, he was careful not mostly because he was afraid of being med by Duke. More importantly, he really cared about her health. Looking at her sweet sleeping face, Kevin couldn''t help but pinch her cheeks. Probably because her skin was so fair. And it made him suddenly aware that she was incredibly cute. The beautiful sensation lingering on his fingers made himugh unwittingly from the bottom of his heart. Chapter 1043 A Frank Talk (Part One) Leena might have slept for a long time. It didn''t mean that she had slept quietly though. She had mumbled, tossed, and sometimes, talked in her dreams. She also did a lot of sluggish gestures the whole time she was in bed. Needless to say, she was undoubtedly drunk. It was the minor hangover that weed Leena as soon as she woke up in a daze. She couldn''t help but stretch her arm and attempt to knock her throbbing head slightly. She was only a split second away from the first knock when a huge hand suddenly caught her wrist immediately and made her jerk out of her wits. "Don''t do it. You already have an addle head. You might just worsen the case if you do it." Kevin smiled with spoiling eyes. He never anticipated Leena to sleep for such a long time. He was actually a bit anxious earlier as he waited for her to wake up. There were even sometimes when he put his finger close to her nose just to feel her breath as if he was afraid that she would not wake up anymore. "Kevin, why are you here?" Leena waspletely shocked and had lost all herposure. She had never expected him to appear before her at all! "You guess." Kevin tidied her messy long hair as he replied. He didn''t have a n to ask her why she ran away. He was thoughtful enough to understand that those sad and awkward questions would just annoy her. "I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to run away from home. I just wanted to find a quiet ce to stay alone." Leena lowered her head and apologized humbly as if she was the one that made a mistake. "Yes. I see. Are you hungry? Let''s go and eat something." Ironically, Kevin did not me her at all and chose to care for her instead. "No, I''m not. My head is still aching." Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. artedly. She had loved him blindly even without any assurance that he felt the same. "Yes, there''s something wrong! Have you ever met a couple who behave like us? You are being too polite and even thank me for everything I do regardless of how small they are." Kevin disliked it very much when she was acting distantly from him. He was bothered about those things as what he wanted was for her to be closer. "Oh! Is that what you want to say? I thought¡­" Leena paused and did not continue her words. She was suddenly relieved. The only thing she would consider serious as of that time was divorce and nothing else. "You thought what?" asked Kevin confusedly. He got no clue about what she was trying to say. "Oh! Nothing! What time is it? It looks quitete." Thedy turned her head to the window and noticed how dark it was outside already. "Almost eight o''clock. You''ve been sleeping for several hours." The handsome man answered as he checked his watch. Their dinner had been ready a long time ago. Nheless, he wanted to have it with his wife, thus, he waited for her to wake up. Those foods were probably cold by now. Chapter 1044 A Frank Talk (Part Two) "Ah! So it''s already thatte? What shall we do? Mom must be worried a lot!" The woman said as she jumped out of the bed. She almost fell down as she did it too carelessly. It was fortunate that Kevin was right there and caught her in his arms even before she hit the floor. "It''s okay. Mom said that we don''t need to hurry back. Don''t be nervous. We can stay here for tonight." The man put his coat around her tiny body considerably. It was a bit cold inside the room. "Really? Didn''t you say that tofort me?" Leena felt a bit shy with how his arms remained wrapped around her. Kevin''s continuous gentleness made her face turn red. "You don''t believe it? No problem. We can call Mom to prove it." The man said as he pretended to fish his phone to make a call to his mother. "Stop! Didn''t you say let''s eat something? Let''s go now!" Leena rejected Kevin''s offer instantly without even thinking twice. She wasn''t ready to go back home and face Shannon yet. She acted so childishly earlier and she was too embarrassed about it. "Are you going downstairs like this? Why don''t you go and clean yourself a bit before we go for the dinner?" Kevin suppressed hisugh and then gave her messy look a quick once-over. "Oh! I forgot it. Hold on. I''ll finish it soon." Leena stuck her tongue out naughtily and ran to the restroom. She was happy until she stepped in the restroom and saw her face in the mirror. Her smile automatically melted. She looked at the mirror agonizingly and examined how bad her frustration was showing on her face. All her disguise disappearedpletely at that moment. She walked out of that room, refreshed after cleaning herself. There was not even a trace of unhappiness on her face at all. She was far from who she was just seconds ago. Leena couldn''t help but mock herself silently as she thought that she should probably be an actress and y o General seemed to be more cunning. "Please, take a seat!" Leena said to the housekeeper and frowned slightly. They had a lot of servants in their family. However, this situation where the masters ate while the servant stood beside never happened at her home "Mrs. Gu. I''m not supposed to have dinner with you." The housekeeper waved her hand to reject the offer in a hurry. She would not ept such advice because she believed that servants were not supposed to have meals with their masters. "It''s okay! Take a seat and join us! We''re family and you don''t need to be too polite with us," Kevin also joined Leena to persuade the servant. He would feel more uneptable and intolerable to enjoy dinner with somebody watching than Leena. As an enthusiastic soldier, he would never befortable with that thought as he believed in equality. There was no such thing as ss difference to him. "Yes! Major General and Leena are very easy-going. You can get along with them well. Don''t worry. Just sit down and have dinner with us! The more people, the merrier, right?" said Lee. He and Kevin had always got along with each other in afortable way, be it inside or outside the army base. Kevin just simply didn''t care about hierarchy and such. Chapter 1045 A Frank Talk (Part Three) "Is it really okay?" The housekeeper hesitated. It was the long-standing tradition that servants should not eat with their masters that had been holding her back. She was ssified as a servant and the thought of it bothered her a lot. "Of course, it''s okay. Come and take a seat!" Leena smiled in aforting way. She was always easy-going in the Leng''s house. It was the very reason why everyone liked her a lot. "Okay. I''ll take a seat since you said that." The housekeeper finallypromised and sat down carefully. She wasn''t able to rx though and remained acting over-cautiously during the meal. It was after dinner that Leena proposed to go back to the Gu''s house. That earned an automatic rejection from Kevin though. He wanted to take advantage of this chance to spend some time alone with her. The ambiance there was nice and the ce was beautiful. It would be the perfect ce to rx. "Are you feeling cold?" Kevin reached out and started buttoning her coat. He was concerned that she might catch a cold as the temperature outside was rtively lower. He didn''t think that her coat was warm enough. "No, I''m not," Leena replied shortly. There was a lot of things she wanted to say but then just swallowed her thoughts. She wanted to tell him that no matter how cold it was, she would always feel as warm as the spring or as hot as the summer as long as he was holding her hands. She knew that the thoughts were too dramatic, thus, she felt shy to blurt them out. "I''m sorry for what happened today, Leena. You would not be wronged so much if it were not because of me," Kevin stopped and apologi bit. You don''t have toment about what I said. That''s all I want. I don''t think it''s such a big thing to request for, right? So you might as well tell me what you are to say before you change your mind." Leena bit her lips after she forced herself to say those words. She was so pressured about what Kevin was about to tell. She knew that they would eventually talk about this problem and there would be no escape from it. "Don''t worry! I would never talk with you about this if I hadn''t let go of my feelings for her yet. To be more precise, I''ve already lost all my feelings for Daisy. She is not the one who owns my heart anymore. I still care for her because I consider her to be one of my best friends. Just like how Rain and Tom feel for you, my feelings for Daisy have nothing to do with love. It is purely just family affection now." A mncholic smile spread through Kevin''s face. Yes! It was just impossible for his heart to beat for Daisy now! How would that even happen when the woman who belonged to him and he cared for the most was just standing next to him, right? Chapter 1046 Can I Trust You (Part One) "Can I trust you?" The question was not asked out of suspicion. Because Leena knew that falling in love involved a lot of emotions. There were a lot of joys but also heartbreaks along the way. And if they broke up, the pain would be double. She wanted to make sure they both knew what they were getting themselves into. "You can try. That''s the only way you''ll know for certain." Kevin knew that she wouldn''t believe him if they just talked about it. Of course, he would try to keep his promise. However, he also understood that nothing was impossible. Promises were never one hundred percent guarantees, because people didn''t always seed. Sometimes they fell short of what they promised. Leena needed to trust his words, and came to that trust all on her own. "So, if love is a game, and you''re the one that makes the rules, then I''m willing to be a piece on your gameboard. I''d like to y, if you don''t mind," Leena said, with a sweet smile on her face. Her smile was so warm that it could melt the chill of the early winter. It also shone a warm ray of sunshine on Kevin''s heart. "I won''t let you down." Kevin stretched out his arms, and took Leena into his embrace, kissing her on the forehead. Leena put her head on Kevin''s chest to feel his heartbeat. Although the two did not tell each other very clearly and directly, they both understood what they meant, which was a big part of love. If this moment could be frozen in time, Leena would do it in a heartbeat. This was the most wonderful moment in the world. However, she knew that love and life in reality were far from perfect, far from the fantasies of Prince Charming and his Princess. There were still things and pe y sexst night, Leena''s face turned redder. She couldn''t figure out how such a cold and self-restrained person becamepletely different in bed. Unlike his normal serious self, Kevin was evil, sexy and charming on the bed. Just like a king, he took full control of their love making. She could only hug him closely, and followed his moves unconsciously, falling into the fire of desire he made. "Really? You sure you''re not exaggerating?" Kevinughed as he said this. Then he smiled, with affection in his eyes. He also admitted that he couldn''t stop himself yesterday, that he kept it going for hours and never wanted to stop. It was no surprise to see this little creature wanting to be left alone for a while. "You''d better ask yourself that! Now turn around. I''m getting dressed." Leena pouted her lips. ''Should I go for a bath?'' she thought. ''Yeah, probably, to make my aches and pains go away.'' Kevin was like a perpetual motion machinest night. ''What a beast!'' Leena thought to herself. But she dared not to say it out loud, especially when she felt Kevin''s desire, erect and that he was ready for action! Chapter 1047 Can I Trust You (Part Two) "Hah! Don''t bother! I''ll get you a bath towel!" Kevin got out of the bed, naked. He had a nice body, so why not? But when Leena saw him, she couldn''t help screaming and hid herself in the quilt. She felt that seeing him like that was not right. So, she became even more embarrassed, with?her?heart?pounding madly?in?her?body and both ears turning red. Kevin stopped when he heard her cry out. He turned back, only to find the girl hiding herselfpletely in the bedding. Looking down on his desire pointing straight out, he finally figured it out and smiled. It seemed that his girl was so simple that she fussed over his naked body every time. Even though they had been naked so many times, her conservative side still won out sometimes. What a shy little girl! He turned back to the bathroom, leaving the room to his girl. Leena only stuck her head out of the quilt after hearing the sounds of the shower. He was in the bathroom now, right? Leena finally rxed. After all, if she had a repeat ofst night, then she definitely wouldn''t be leaving the bed today. She trembled when she thought of that tireless perpetual motion man! But her relieved heart soon started worrying again. There was still the matter of dealing with the fallout from yesterday''s incident. She had to face the Gu family sometime, and now was as good a time as any. And yes, Louisa was also there. Had Louisa finally won the rest of the family over? Would they be even more disgusted with her. This was what she cared about most at this moment. How she wished she could go back in time. In that case, she would probably be more rational, and became less impulsive. Then she wouldn''t be in the pickle she was in. However, it was hard for her to escape even though she was eager to run away. So she finally bit the bullet and went back to the inws''. When she stood at the door of the Gu house, she could not help being pa That was why ire said those acid remarks without any consideration for others. She only said what she thought and what made her happy and never thought how it would hurt other people. Leena turned to Kevin immediately when she heard what he said. She was surprised that Kevin would even raise a hand to ire. And why didn''t she know this? Shannon also felt shocked to find this out. How did stubborn, opinionated ire keep this to herself? Surely she would have run to Daddy and had him deal with it. But she didn''t, and that just showed how much, deep down, she really loved Kevin. Her family was everything to her. "I ..." ire looked at Kevin again. She opened?her mouth?several times?but?no words came out. Kevin''s fierce eyes cowed her. After all, in this family, she might not care about what anybody else thought, but she had to consider the feelings of her own brother. Kevin was not like her parents, who would let her do anything she wanted. Kevin was strict and cold with her, never sparing her a tender look. He had a frigid coolness in his eyes when he looked at her. That was why she hated Leena so much. Because when her elder brother gazed at Leena, his eyes were so tender and soft. She''d never gotten that kind of affection from her brother. Chapter 1048 Can I Trust You (Part Three) "I, I, I. What are you trying to say? Don''t just stand around. Go and wash up for lunch," Shannon shouted at ire, looking past Louisa. Then, she turned around and walked to the kitchen. During this time, she didn''t spare a word or even a nce at Louisa. She might as well not have even been there. "I know, I know. I''m wrong every time, and someone else is always right." ire gave Leena a thoughtful look. Obviously,"someone else" meant Leena. "Hi, Kevin. You''re back." Louisa finally got the chance to say hello to Kevin. As far as she was concerned, Kevin was the only person here worth paying attention to. As for Leena, well, she just ignored her altogether. "Ummm... Leena, let''s go! Didn''t you say that you wanted to help Mom?" Kevin snorted coldly from his nose. He made it clear that he did not want to talk to Louisa. Thinking quickly, he urged Leena to go to the kitchen and went with her. He''d rather help cook than talk with this love-crazed girl. Leena also looked at Louisa. Just like the others, she said nothing and hastily followed Kevin into the kitchen. She still bore a grudge, and definitely didn''t feel like smiling at her. "ire, does you mom not like me? She won''t even really talk to me. And Kevin''s not talking to me either." Louisa was taken aback by Shannon and Kevin''s behaviors. She was always very proud of herself and could not bear to be snubbed. Therefore, she felt very lonely and could only ask ire what was going on. "Naw, you''re taking things too personally, Louisa. Don''t think too much about it. My mom is like that. She''s busy right now, and can''t spare a lot of attention for people she doesn''t know. It''s not that she hates you or anything. Just get used to it. She''ll be friendli eemed that this girl was perpetually confused. And he knew what his mom was doing. She was deliberately staying away from the kitchen. She just wanted to spare a room for him and Leena to stay together. It really made them look like newlyweds. "Ah! Okay. I really didn''t notice that. So, is Dad eating lunch here?" Leena still felt confused and worried. Until now, she was not ready to face Nathan. Because his harsh and awesome domination was something she had never encountered before. So, she was still uncertain about running into him again. "No. He normallyes home at night. What''s the matter?" Kevin turned around and looked at her. "Nothing, I''m just asking. Leena felt relieved to hear it. She finally could stop her heart from beating so fast. If Nathan only came back at night, she still had some time to prepare for the meeting. "Worried that he''ll scold you again? Don''t worry, I''m here. I''ll be with you." But Kevin felt guilty. If he had been there with her, instead of chatting with someone, then his father wouldn''t have done that. Kevin could have shut him up and shielded Leena. It was all his fault that things turned out this way. Chapter 1049 The Symbol Of Love (Part One) "That''s not what I meant. Let''s head to the dining room." Leena smiled resignedly. What was done was done. Stressing herself out wouldn''t change a thing. Then she and Kevin sauntered into the dining room. Everybody else was seated, apparently waiting for them. Heads turned to them as they entered. "Hi Leena. Have a seat. We''ve been waiting." Shannon waved to her and pointed to the chair right beside her. "Sorry to keep you waiting," Leena said with an apologetic smile. The soup had taken a long time to make, so she felt that everyone might be impatient. You could almost hear their stomachs growling. "It''s okay. Now that you''re here --" Shannon picked up her spoon and dipped it in the soup. Shannon spooned up some soup, put it to her mouth and blew on it to cool it off. She couldn''t wait to taste it. "How is it? Is it good?" Leena asked nervously. Salmon head soup with asparagus was her favorite. She had that dish a lot when she was living in S City. Seeds of Chinese prickly ash and hot peppers were two spices of the dish. Leena thought those things were delicious, and the soup kept her warm on cold days like this. It should do the same for her family as well. But it took awhile to bring out the vor of the fish. That was why she had stayed so long in the kitchen. "Yeah, this is amazing. Hot and spicy, just the way I like it. You''re a great cook -- did you have any formal schooling?" Shannon asked, quite pleased to find another thing she liked about her daughter-inw. Leena proved that she was polite and modest, and now she showed that she was able to take care of Kevin and the family. Shannon was more convinced than ever that Leena was the right woman for Kevin. "A little. I took some cooking sses in Paris. I was tired of Western food and really missed Chinese food, so I had to learn to cook it myself. Western food has a lot of things I''m not fond of, like butter, cream, cheese, and milk. It makes you feel heavy after eating it," Leena answered politely. Cooking lessons had been just a whim at first, but she really took to them, and found she liked them a lot. She went to every ss. While she wasn''t a master chef, she still did really well at th didn''t you?" Louisa had been seeking an opportunity to confront Leena again. Now that she saw Leena alone in the yard, she practically ran to her to do that. "Miss Ye, what are you talking about? What did I do deliberately?" Leena asked. She was stuffed, so she went outside to take a walk and digest her food. But surprise! Louisa was right there and in her face. "Don''t y dumb! You ran off yesterday to get Auntie upset. You''re just an attention whore!" Louisa had always been pushy. It was who she was. "No, Miss Ye, that wasn''t why I ran off. Not everyone has a hidden agenda like you do. Just because you''re evil doesn''t mean everyone else is," Leena retorted coldly with her chin up. She wasn''t a bully, but she wasn''t going to let Louisa push her around either. "Ha, I''m evil? Then you''re Satan himself! I''ve heard that you and Kevin got married in a hurry. Let me guess: you slept with him and there is a baby on the way?" One point for Louisa. She touched a nerve there. She intended to keep digging. Leena was beside herself with embarrassment. "So what? At least he is willing to sleep with me." As much as she was humiliated, Leena didn''t lose her nerve to counterattack. She knew what she had just said would hit Louisa hard. She would be jealous and irritated. "Oh my God! I''m right, aren''t I? You really seduced him and forced him to marry you?" Louisa stared at Leena, wide-eyed in astonishment. She really said it, and was so deadpan! Chapter 1050 The Symbol Of Love (Part Two) "You tell me. If I were you, Louisa, I wouldn''t be hitting on someone else''s hubby. Think about it. If he''s unfaithful to me then he''ll be unfaithful to you, too. Do you really want that kind of heartache?" Leena believed in fate. If two people were meant to be together, nothing could separate them. If they weren''t, there wasn''t much anyone could do about it. "You''re just saying that because Kevin is with you right now. But he doesn''t love you. I still have a chance with him." What Leena said didn''t bother Louisa at all. She already had a n. Once she and Kevin were together, she had her own schemes to make him all hers, and no one else''s. "He doesn''t love me? Says who?" Leena simply smiled. Make no mistake, she was pissed off, but she wasn''t going to show it. She wouldn''t give Louisa the satisfaction. "Humph! You think he loves you? You should recognize this ne." Louisa pulled out the ne she was wearing from under her clothes, believing that Leena would freak out once she saw it. It was Kevin''s birthday gift to her. "Why? Am I supposed to recognize it?" Leena asked, biting her lip. A wave of sadness crashed through her body. ''Kevin, weren''t you in love with Daisy? Why did you give this girl a priceless ne like that? Are you a cheater like other men?'' she thought. "Come on, Leena. You must have seen this ne before. On second thought, it''s a gift from Kevin. I see why he never told you about it." A smug smile spread across Louisa''s face. Louisa loved to y with the truth, bend it, twist it, letting others draw their own conclusions from what she didn''t say as much as they might do from her words. It was a lie, but she just loved the look on Leena''s face when she was crushed. ''Now let''s see, '' she thought. "It''s just a gift, Miss Ye, as you said. Why should I care?" Leena''s tone betrayed no emotion. But deep down, she cared a great deal. When Kevin returned from trainingst time, he got her nothing, but managed to give Louisa this uberexpensive ne. Clearly, she was nothing to him. She began to think back tost night, and the sweet words he had said to he didn''t think his mom would ask ire to tag along, in case ire picked on Leena again. "Never mind. I''m going upstairs too." Louisa had always wanted to be by Kevin''s side. To be more urate, she wanted to be with him 24/7. Right now, in the yard, it was just her and Kevin, but she didn''t stick around, which seemed fishy. Kevin didn''t stop her. He simply nodded and followed her inside to get his coat and phone. "ire, your mom and brother are going shopping. Are you going with them?" Louisa asked. ire was reading a magazine with her legs crossed. "What? They''re leaving the house again? I''ll pass. Mom doesn''t seem to like me much these days. Forget it. I''ll stay here and listen to music and read. It''s better than getting my ass chewed. Besides, it''s cold outside." Apparently, ire wasn''t enthusiastic about going. In fact, she couldn''t wait to stay away from them right now. Louisa thought she was hurt and really wanted to go, but her pride wouldn''t let her. "But aren''t you worried that your mom is going to buy things for Leena?" Louisa prodded. Seeing ire''s reaction, she was anxious. Instead of staying at home and wildly guessing what they were shopping for, she preferred to tag along and keep everything under her watch. After all, you never knew when a good opportunity to gain the upper hand would present itself. She needed to persuade ire to go, so she could, too. Chapter 1051 A Pair Of Rings (Part One) "What are you talking about?" ire asked anxiously. She bolted upright all of a sudden, showing serious concern on this issue. "Think about it. Leena does note from a family as wealthy as ours. I''m pretty sure she cannot afford the luxuries. She is probably counting on Aunt Shannon to buy her expensive stuff - things she couldn''t imagine buying in her ordinary life. We must be very careful, just in case she tricks Aunt Shannon into purchasing her things that she can''t afford by herself," Louisa exined solemnly. She was good at reading people''s minds, finding out their weaknesses and making good use of them. She knew what ire cared about most and what made her jealous easily. Louisa deliberately picked up the issue that she knew would provoke ire for sure. Louisa didn''t care that she had just made it all up on the spot. All she wanted and needed was ire''s anger and hostility that Louisa knew she could make good use ofter on. "Would Leena do that? How dare she?! This is too problematic of her and should be given serious thought. I remember when I went out with them the other day, all the clothes she chose were from world-famous brands. She looked like she knew a lot about fashion. I know for a fact that she bought everything using my brother''s money; it was he who paid for all of them. And Leena, that little bitch, she herself didn''t even pay a single penny for them!" ire said, with her face turning red. Apparently she was sessfully provoked by Louisa''s words, just as thetter had wished for. As she thought of the clothes Leena had bought and their exorbitant prices, ire''s ire grew. Howe a simple T-shirt bought by Leena was more expensive than ire''s own several dressesbined? The money Leena had spent that day was probably wort you," ire said. Though she was still a little unwilling to go out, ire decided to help Louisa. ''It is Louisa who should be Kevin''s wife and my sister-inw after all, not that annoying Leena, '' she thought. Interestingly, she shared Louisa''s opinion and knew that they should look better than Leena, so ire quickly dressed up and put on her full-face makeup. As both of them walked out of the room together, they saw Leena walk down the stairs elegantly, her long hair swaying along as she took her steps, with a pleasant fragrance dispersed in the air around her. She exuded a strong confidence. Upon seeing this, Louisa and ire had to admit, though reluctantly, that Leena had beauty and charisma. Leena didn''t need to wear pretty clothes or put on a lot of makeup to look good, which made them even more envious. She was like a princess, like a real aristocrat. Leena was graceful but also lively. The vivacious naughtiness in a mature, charmingdy like her was perfectly appropriate, and it made her lovelier and even more adorable. She looked like she was born this stunning. Her innate noble temperament radiated so brilliantly that they couldn''t move their eyes away from her. Chapter 1052 A Pair Of Rings (Part Two) "You two are going out too?" Leena asked casually but also politely, not noticing their intense gazes on her, not to mention the deep-set hostility and envy in their eyes. Although she was not getting along well with them at the moment, they weren''t strangers to her either. They all knew each other, so Leena remembered to be well-mannered. She always treated people with basic politeness, no matter who they were or how much she disliked them. Besides, it would be too inappropriate topletely ignore them and walk by, since they had seen each other already. Otherwise, they would use her of pretending not to see them and avoiding them. It was not something she wanted right now. "So what if we are? Are you afraid that we are going to follow and keep an eye on you?" ire snapped. She was so jealous of Leena, especially her simple but elegant dressing and makeup. The hostility ire held for her couldn''t be kept buried anymore. Her anger brought upon by Louisa earlier finally found an outlet. ire''s suspicions were out in the open. Looking at Leena now, she felt it was useless to dress herself up and put on the heavy makeup with so much care, as they only made her look stupid. She looked more like a countrywoman than Leena did. Leena didn''t need all that to be the brightest star among everyone, or to overshadow ire and Louisa easily. When standing beside her, the both of them blended into the unnoticed background like green leaves, and it only highlighted Leena as the most salient and beautiful flower. "Sorry? Keep an eye on me? But why? Keep an eye on me for what?" Leena asked, confused about ire''s reply. She didn''t understand why they suddenly decided to go with her. Leena couldn''t read the thoughts c Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. herself. Like ire had said, she was her daughter, so of course Shannon cared for her. But if ire behaved moredy-like, instead of this wild, uneducated girl she was right now, Shannon would be much relieved. At the very least, she wouldn''t need to worry whenever she went out with ire, about getting used of being a mother who gave birth to a daughter but couldn''t teach or educate her well enough. "What about my brother and her? You would need them there? This is so unfair!" ire retorted. Shannon''s refusal goaded ire and made her feel even worse. Normally, Shannon didn''t reject her requests so profusely and directly. Today, the situation was different and quite frankly, abnormal. ire felt that her mother didn''t know Leena''s true nature, and things might seriously go wrong if ire was forced to stay at home. ire didn''t realize that even if she went out with them, she couldn''t change anything either. But since she couldn''t figure out what else to do about Leena, she felt it necessary to keep her tabs on her. The curiosity got the better of her. The less Shannon wanted to bring her with them, the more she wished to go. Chapter 1053 A Pair Of Rings (Part Three) "ire, stop it! Enough is enough. This isplete nonsense. Do I need your permission to decide who can go out with me now?" Shannon interrupted severely, her tone shifting in an instant. She couldn''t stand such an unruly daughter sometimes. ire''s reckless and childish words were bing vexing and irritated her. She must have spoiled her daughter too much, so ire just kept disobeying her fearlessly, even defiantly. She wasn''t listening to anything her mother said. How could a daughter not be afraid of her mother at all? On the other hand, if it was only ire going with them, Shannon could still ept that. But she knew that if she gave the green signal to ire, Louisa woulde with them too. That would be most uneptable to her. Shannon didn''t want that in the least. What she had hoped for today was a warm, harmonious outing with her loving family. She wanted to go out to shop and spend time with them. She would get along with everyone, but Louisa was an exception due to her dirty conspiracies and motives. "That''s not what I meant. Anyway, I don''t care what the reason is. I just want to go with you," ire insisted, firm in her decision. She had always been like this, asking for whatever she wanted, especially with her mother - who had always been nice to her and wouldpromise in the end. That didn''t seem to be the case today. Since ire was so used to getting everything she requested from Shannon, she was not nning on giving up this time either. Even though she could sense the displeasure in Shannon''s tone, she wouldn''t be stopped by it. She pretended as if she didn''t notice Shannon''s anger and insisted on her wish again - the only oue she would ept was that they let her go with them. "What happened?" Kevin asked, arriving at the scene. He sensed the impasse between his mother and his sister. He had gone outside to get the car ou Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. d be so negligent to her existence that she wouldn''t even give her a chance to go with them. Shannon knew she would go with ire. Since she hadpletely shut out ire''s request, it meant that she indirectly refused her from going too. "Come on, brother. My dear brother! Please say something in my defense to Mom. Ask her to let mee, pleaseee..." ire begged, dragging out the word. She deliberately made herself sound like a desperate little girl, who was asking for her brother''s help. At the same time, she grabbed his arm and swung it back and forth. She tried to make him recall the early memories of when they were toddlers, when she had been his delicate but lovable baby sister whom he strove to protect. As she looked directly into Kevin''s deep eyes, the tears in ire''s own eyes fell. She would cry if he didn''t speak for her, in vivid contrast to her previous, arrogant attitude. When Kevin saw the deplorable expression on ire''s face, he was unable to maintain his dangerous, strict countenance any longer. A brother could never be this cruel and relentless to his sister. He decided he would help ire out just one more time. Just as he was about to say something to their mother on behalf of ire, his kind wife said it for him. Chapter 1054 A Pair Of Rings (Part Four) "Mom, maybe we could just bring them with us. I think the car is big enough to amodate us all," Leena suggested. As she said it, she surprised everyone, even herself. No one expected Leena to be the first and only one on ire''s side in this situation, and to speak on her behalf, especially considering how badly ire had treated and hurt her yesterday. It indicated how kind and generous Leena was. She never held animosity against anyone for long. She was kind and it was great generosity on her part to help her sister-inw out. "Okay, then. ire, since your sister-inw has agreed to bring you with us, I''ll take you this time. But it is just this time, no more exceptions from next time. You better keep your mouth shut during the whole time, and don''t spout any more of this nonsense!" Shannon relented finally. She sighed slightly to herself, however. She didn''t know what to do about ire anymore. If she really wanted toe with them, then fine, let here. Even though she disliked ire''s behavior and her aggressive attitude, she was her daughter after all, her family. She couldn''t exclude her again and again. Leena had spoken for her, and if she didn''t mind hering, it would be fine. But Shannon hadpromised once again for her daughter. She felt like she was never going to be able to teach ire a real lesson. "Yes, Mom. I got you. Thank you so much!" ire replied in excitement. As soon as ire won Shannon''s approval, she let go of Kevin''s arm immediately. She turned around and hugged her mother tightly and gave her a big kiss on the cheek for good measure. After all the fighting for her rights, she was finally going out with them. However, while she was grateful to her mother, irepletely forgot about Leena''s help. To be more precise, ire prete in''s question directly. As she entered the jewelry store, Shannon walked directly over to the rings counter, which bewildered the young lot even more. They didn''t know why she was acting so strangely today. "I didn''t mean that, Mom. It''s just that I thought you were quite opposed to jewels, weren''t you?" Kevin asked, frowning a little. ording to him, his mother had never been like the other officials'' wives. Even though her husband was a high ranking official, she herself never acted like she was the wife of one. While otherdies put on a lot of luxurious jewels, she always kept a low profile and only wore simple essories. Shannon hardly looked like a real official''s wife in that aspect, but she never went unnoticed by others. She had all the virtues that the wife of one so highly ranked should have: she was easy-going, kind-hearted, well-mannered,posed, and dignified. When Shannon stood beside the jewel covereddies, she stood out, and always exuded a different elegance aspared to them. After all, jewelry could only modify a person''s appearance, not improve their temperament. Her innate well-being shone out and could easily overshadow those pretty but superficial faces. Chapter 1055 A Pair Of Rings (Part Five) "Excuse me, Miss. I''m here for the pair of rings that I ordered yesterday. Would you please check and see if they are ready now?" Without answering Kevin''s question, Shannon turned to the saledy behind the counter. She took out a receipt from her handbag and handed it to her politely as she asked the query. "Sure, Mrs. Gu. We''ve prepared the pair of rings for you already. We were waiting for you toe and receive them. Please wait a second. I''ll take them out for you right away," the saledy replied, throwing Shannon a professional smile. She turned to face the others and nodded to them, before bending down to take the rings out from a locker. "Mom, what are the rings for? And why a pair of them?" ire asked in confusion. Her questions drew the attention of the rest of them onto Shannon. As they gazed at her curiously, each one of them wanted to know the answer too. "There is no ''why''. I bought the rings because I like them. Do I need a reason to buy something I like?" Shannon said as she gave ire a hard look. ire hadn''t talked a lot on their way here, so Shannon thought she had finally decided to stop being so hostile to Leena. It was so hard and rare to maintain an easiness between them. However, ire had begun with her questions once again, so Shannon knew that the hard-kept easiness would soon break. She didn''t know how, but it wouldn''t take long. "But this is not like you! You never bought this kind of things before. Like Kevin said, you never liked these luxuries before. Why are you suddenly so enthusiastic about them now? Have you changed your mind?" ire asked eagerly. After all, she, like Kevin, knew about their mother''s attitude toward jewelry. As far as she could recall, she had never seen her mother pursue these material desires, especially jewelry. She was deeply surprised at Shannon''s unusual behavior today. "Mrs. Gu, please take a look at these. These are the pair of rings you sele ness their precious moments. Shannon could only respect their choice. "I know, Mom. Don''t worry about that. We will arrange it as soon as possible," Kevin replied quickly, assuring her. An affirmative smile spread across his face. He turned to look at Leena and made eye contact with her. After all, he had wished to give her a wonderful wedding too. Getting married to a wife as good to him as Leena without an official ceremony to be witnessed by others, was not something he wanted to do as a responsible and loving husband. Plus, the situation was not the same as it had been in the beginning, when they had gotten married for their own personal reasons, without harboring any love for each other. But now they were in love, and Kevin regretted their past. He kept trying to bring up the idea of such a wedding to Leena. But to his surprise, every time he mentioned it, Leena gave him a clear cut ''no''. The reason for it, from her point of view, was simple. She said that a wedding ceremony was just a ceremony, like some kind of a show, a performance for others. Her life had nothing to do with these people. The most important thing for her was to live a happy life. She did not want to live it for others. So why bother to invite trouble arranging such a fancy wedding? That would be exhausting. Chapter 1056 A Pair Of Rings (Part Six) "Thank you, Mom!" Leena said gratefully, happily epting the great wishes and blessings from her mother-inw. Leena recalled how Shannon had measured the size of her finger the night before yesterday and finally knew the reason for it. She thought of yesterday morning when Shannon had gone out early, probably because she wanted to make a trip to this ce, to pick out the rings for them. As Leena imagined her getting here, she was deeply touched by the love of her mother-inw. She felt like the happiest girl in the world because she was surrounded by that love, and a brilliant smile flowered on her face. "You don''t need to thank me, kids. This is probably the only thing I can do for you. There is too much else I can''t do. Especially for Leena, I always feel we owe you so much. You''re not getting anything you deserve from Kevin''s family. As his mother, I feel terribly sorry about it. But now that you''re my daughter, I will take care of you and love you as much as I can. I''m always here to support you, as your mom and your family," Shannon said humbly. She knew Leena was a good girl and deserved a happy family, but she also knew there was little she could help her with in the Gu household. Leena had dealt with all the unfair treatment by herself, not letting it bother her too much. "Hmm. How do we owe her so much? Didn''t you just give her a diamond ring?! It should be her who owes us all of this," ire said unhappily as she heard Shannon''s words. She obsessed over the ring given to Leena by her mother. As she thought of Shannon''s warning before they had stepped out of the house, she didn''t dare continue h , that he truly wanted to protect her and take care of her. Even though she had been upset about not getting the ring from Kevin, the love of her life, the sadness vanished in an instant. Leena was a girl who could be pleased easily. She never asked for too much, so she didn''t expect too much. A small, affectionate action, or just some tiny details could touch her and win her heart. Since it was Kevin who put the ring on her finger, it was enough for her. Whether or not the ring was bought by him was no longer important. Happiness rose from Leena''s heart and diffused in the small space between them. Time seemed to stop moving. The surroundings seemed to freeze at this all-important moment, the happiest one of her life. She felt like she could read Kevin''s mind and understand his silent promise to her. He didn''t need to spell it out for her, she knew him well enough. It was never toote for him to admit his true feelings for her, and to begin putting his love into action. As long as Kevin was by her side, Leena would wait for him to realize it, even till the end of their days. Chapter 1057 Could You Place The Ring On My Finger (Part One) "What do you think? Do you like it?" Shannon asked excitedly as she was unaware of the overflowing emotions between the couple. She had no idea that they got married out of impulse and not because they were in love. How could anyone even think that they were not in love back then when all their actions screamed nothing but affection for each other now? It really never came to Shannon that there were other reasons for them to marry other than love. "Yes, it''s very beautiful," Leena said with a sweet smile. The sudden blush on her face made her look both more gentle and exceptionally beautiful. She was beaming with so much happiness and it had nothing to do with the ring at all. It was all because of the man who had put the ring on her, it was Kevin! "Of course, it''s very beautiful. Don''t you see how much they are selling the rings here?" ire interrupted in a harsh tone. She meant to find faults on every word Leena said. Moreover, it was a fact that it was her mother who purchased the rings at such an outrageous price. "Could you ce the ring on my finger?" Kevin offered his hand to Leena and gave her an expecting gaze. "Okay ..." Leena lifted her head and met his intense gaze. She was instantly flustered and almost dropped the ring Shannon handed her. It took her a second to regain herposure and finally move shakily to put the ring on his ring finger. s! Relief flooded her upon seeing how the ring stayed firmly on its ce. Unexinable as it seemed but at that very moment, she felt like Kevin had willingly locked his heart with hers. "You guys are giving me goosebumps! Are you going to kiss e rolled her eyes. She didn''t even have the intention to bring them in the first ce. They just followed her and gave her no choice about it. "Louisa, do you want to go with them?" ire pouted with a sullen face. Should she have known that her mother came out mainly just to take the rings, she definitely would have just stayed at home. It was disappointing that she didn''t get any benefits from all this. On the contrary, she even had to tolerate Leena''s happiness and gracious smile. What she did was nothing but a wrong decision! "Okay, let''s go with them." Louisa still managed to nod even after she lost her enthusiasm. There was no doubt that she was making a big fool out of herself. She could have stayed at home and avoided all this but it was her who stubbornly chose to follow them. That reaction made Shannon shoot Louisa a cautious stare. It seemed that she needed to find some time and remind her son to avoid this woman. She could see the strong desire from Louisa''s eyes and it would be better for Kevin to be careful. She could almost imagine Louisa trapping Kevin. Chapter 1058 Could You Place The Ring On My Finger (Part Two) They walked towards the tea shop on the north street. Shannon led the way while Kevin and Leena followed behind leisurely, hand in hand. He was aware that ire and Louisa were ring at them from his back. Nheless, he didn''t care. He enjoyed showing everyone his affection for Leena. Louisa could have run to break Kevin''s and Leena''s hands off from each other if she could. The shining rings around their fingers were such a mockery to her. She was almost at the verge of breaking down. However, as much as she was pissed off, there was really nothing that she could do but to stare at them in pure anger. "Louisa, are you really okay? You''re hurting me." ire felt a little scared upon turning to her friend. She had no clue as to why Louisa gripped her hand so hard. "Oh, I''m sorry. I was just thinking about something. Are you okay?" Louisa hurriedly released her grip. She didn''t mean to unwittingly clench ire''s hand and hurt her. It was just that her emotions went out of control. "I''m fine. Louisa, do you really love Kevin that much? Was that why you got so angry with seeing them sweet with each other?" ire looked at Louisa thoughtfully. Regardless of how much she wanted to help, if Kevin didn''t love her then there would be nothing she could do. It would be impossible to threaten Kevin with a knife and tie him forcefully to Louisa anyway. "I don''t know. The only thing I can feel is how hepletely upies my mind. Do you think I am ill, ire?" Louisa said in a low voice as she didn''t want anyone to overhear them. "No worries! I will not let it happen, Louisa." It was very easy to influence think otherwise and Leena was no exception. Her eyes darkened upon hearing Daisy''s name but she soon smiled with relief. Daisy was her model and she was willing to learn things from her. Therefore, it was just normal for her to be praised by others as she herself couldn''t stop doing it too. "Yes! Sis Daisy is an excellent woman. She''s so good that sometimes I feel humbled by her excellence," she said with a gentle smile. It was rare for her to admire anyone thus, Daisy was really special. Her personality towards love and career had simply won Leena over. "Leena..." Kevin suddenly frowned upon realizing that he did something wrong. It could have been okay for him to mention Daisy if Leena didn''t know anything about his past feelings for her. The problem though was that Leena knew everything. Therefore, he felt guilty of speaking too highly of her. "I''m okay. Let''s go. Mom seems to have bought the tea." Leena chose to smile and stay silent regardless of how miserable she felt. She had already epted the fact that staying with Kevin meant being hurt every now and then. Chapter 1059 Could You Place The Ring On My Finger (Part Three) "Okay." His stare was full of concern. She might appear not to care but Kevin knew better. He might not be as generous as her if he was the one in her shoes. Who would like their partner to have somebody else in his mind given that they were just standing side by side? "It looks like it''s gonna rain. Let''s go home." Shannon looked up the sky and frowned as soon as they gave her the tea. They didn''t bring umbres with them, therefore, it would be better for them to go home as soon as possible. "Oh, no! Do we have to go home so soon? I haven''t bought anything yet." That was an automaticint from ire. She couldn''t juste here without doing anything, right? She had no n of going home this soon and was very unhappy. She was already upset when Shannon proposed to buy tea. Now, she felt more disappointed when her mother already bought it and then quickly suggested going back home. That waspletely uneptable. She felt like she and Louisa were just decorations the whole time. They didn''t even get to do anything from the start to the end. "Didn''t I tell you before? You can hang around yourselves. The main reason why I came out today is to fetch the rings. I bring Leena and Kevin with me to see if the rings fit. It was you who insisted on following us. I didn''t force you to do so." Shannon annoyedly exined. It was not a good time to hang out. It was going to rain. Moreover, it was about dinner time. It might be alright for the younger people to hang out but not for her. She was a housewife and had a lot of things to do. Maud was at home, but Shannon got used to preparing meals for her family by herself. It was the only way she rewarded herself and got her utmost happine y were already in the car when it happened or else they would all look like drenched rats. It was to everybody''s surprise that Nathan was already home when they came home. The aged man frowned upon seeing them enter the house together. His face even went notches darker when he saw Leena. He had never expected that she would run away from home. "Dad!" Leena screamed her surprise. She was caught off guard. She wasn''t even ready to face him at all. "Hmm," was all Nathan said. He still responded although he was displeased with her yesterday. Shannon had been nagging him to be nice to Leenast night. He wouldn''t want to suffer another night like that. "Why did youe home so early today?" It was Shannon who shot him a warning look. She had reprimanded him to be careful with his words. She knew that he didn''t care about offending Leena but she cared. She liked Leena very much. "I went out to handle some affairs and went home directly after I was finished." Nathan received the signal from Shannon. As much as he wanted to say a lot of things to Leena, his only choice was to shut his mouth and save his words forter. Chapter 1060 Its All My Fault (Part One) "Dad." Kevin hesitated before he spoke. He gave his father a questioning look as he wasn''t sure if his father would insist on punishing him. "I can see that you have found her. How about the words you gave me yesterday? You made a promise and you have to keep it." Nathan stared back to his son with a stern look. He believed that soldiers should always keep their words. "Yes, I know," answered Kevin. He didn''t even try to avoid what was before him. He was a man, not to mention, a man who had handled tremendous duties and responsibilities. He wouldn''t allow himself to cave in like a coward, even though the heavy rain would make the punishment even crueler. Leena baffled as she watched them. She could sense that topic had something to do with her even if she couldn''t understand what they were talking about. Slowly she began to feel uneasy. "What? Have youpletely lost your mind? It''s pouring outside! Don''t you know how cold it is out there? Are you sure you want our son to run outside under that rain?" Shannon was the first to protest. Over the years she got used to watching her son take running as a punishment. Nheless, they were never under heavy rains like this. "What kind of Major General is he if he just quits whenever the going gets tough? Soldiers don''t back down even in the hail of gunfire. I see no reason this light drizzle should be an excuse for him not to obey orders!" Nathan snapped. He didn''t ask for too much. He didn''t even order Kevin to climb a mountain. A soldier could be sent into action anytime no matter how the weather was, rain or no rain. "This is our home! This is not the army! If you want someone to take orders from you, please go back to the army base." Shannon also raised her voice. She was determined to defend Kevin. His father might not care much about him but she was still his mother. "Mom, it is fine. I would do it even if father didn''t mention it. A soldier should always mean what he says." Kevin gave her mother a reassuring smile. Like what his father had said, the weather was no excuse. He and the other soldiers had gone through even harsher training in worse weathers. A soldier was still a soldier even when he was home. "But the rain is so heavy and it is really cold outside. What if you catch a cold?" Shannon hesitated. Being a soldier''s wife made her ful was always friendly and smiling at her. Therefore, this side of Nathan frightened her a little. "He is as tough as nails! The rain is hardly a hup to him. Let''s go. Tell me about your father. I have not met him for so many years." Nathan sighed when he thought of Commander Ye, hisrade from his days in the army. The years had passed by too quickly and he missed his old friends more than ever. "Okay. Uncle, I never knew that you and my father are brothers-in-arms." Louisa followed Nathan to the study. As she passed by Leena, Louisa raised her chin and intentionally bumped her with her shoulder aside. She looked triumphant when Leena lost her bnce and stumbled back two steps to steady herself. Leena thought that Nathan did have a warm side, it was just unfortunate though that the warmth was not for her. She gave herself a wry smile and then looked around the room. Her eyes fell on an umbre. The heavy rain made her uneasy as she was worried about Kevin. Thus, she decided to check him out. The wind was still strong but the rain seemed to ease up a little. The cold wind swirled around her, carrying the rain with it. Her clothes were getting damp and she shivered when the rain touched her tender cheeks. It wasn''t that long when a running figure came into her view. She unconsciously flinched. She never knew how bad it was until she saw him. The image was heartbreaking and automatically made her eyes red. It was as though she could feel him and was experiencing the same pain from how the wind and rain kept beating him down. Chapter 1061 Its All My Fault (Part Two) Kevin kept running against the rain with his head down. He didn''t even notice Leena approaching and had no idea that she was crying for him. Kevin''s father was very strict with him. He had set high expectations for him. Kevin had always been in a loop of having to drive himself harder and excel. It seemed to Kevin that they never really bonded as father and son. The way they got along with each other was more like him as the subordinate and his dad as his superior. Leena didn''t get too close as she was afraid that he would see her tears. She was peering through the rain from a distance. The running figure made her lost in her thoughts. She had never been through any physical punishment like this. She grew up being loved, pampered, and indulged by the people around her. Kevin had a chance to raise his head and saw Leena standing there watching. A sudden warmth ran through him. He felt as if something held his heart tenderly. He had a soft side despite being a tough soldier. This kind of silentpany reminded him of the friendship he had with brothers in the army. "Nana, what are you doing here? It is raining, be careful not to get wet." Kevin ran quickly up to Lenna, his clothes dripping. His white shirt was soaked and clung tightly to his body, showcasing his muscled torso. Leena froze and wasn''t able to digest everything he said. She was utterly shocked. It was the first time that he called her Nana, a nickname which sounded a little too intimate. "What is wrong? Are you cold?" Kevin worriedly reached out to check her body temperature. However, he realized how wet he was and his hand stopped mid-air. "I''m fine. How much longer do you have to run?" Leena tipped the umbre over him in an attempt to protect him from the rain. It was then that she noticed that his lips were blue and trembling. That was it! Her eyes went back to welling up again. "Until I can''t run anymore. You should go back inside." Kevin wiped the rain from his face. He pushed the umbre back to her. He was drenched already and he didn''t want her to get wet as well. "But it seems like you can''t run anymore. Can you stop? Let''s get back together Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. in, take your wet clothes off. Wrap up in the nket." The sight of her son like this made Shannon''s eyes sting. She would make it a point to have a discussion with Nathan tonight. "Mom, I am fine. Where is Leena? Is she all right?" The worry for Leena made himpletely forget drying himself. He feared that she might get soaked by the rain. "Ah. She said that she would have a bath ready for you. Get yourself wrapped and take a bath first. That will make you feel better." His mother draped the nket over his shoulders. It didn''t seem to help much, nevertheless, it helped absorb some water from his clothes. "Okay. I am going upstairs." Kevin didn''t refuse his mother''s care. He pulled the nket around him and went upstairs. His steps were leaving puddles on the floor. Leena was about to check if Kevin hade back. Much to her surprise, she walked straight into him outside the door. "Kevin, you ran for so long. I had to heat the soup again and again!" Leena''s eyes lit up upon seeing Kevin. It didn''t take long though before she puckered her lips and reprimanded him. It had been almost an hour since she got back. "Don''t be mad, silly. I am already back." Kevin forced out a smile,pletely being tired and worn out. His father didn''t even pin down the exact miles and just easily pushed him to the limit. His father really knew how to punish people and God knew that the old man was doing a good job with it. Chapter 1062 Kevin Caught A Fever (Part One) "Oh no! You''re so cold! I have to raise the temperature a bit more." Leena was shocked by how cold his skin felt when she touched his face. She immediately decided to increase the temperature and run to the bathroom in haste. "Nana, it''s okay. I''ll take a shower. Wait for me." Kevin''s voice trembled as he spoke. It was just now that he could feel how freezing the rain really was. It was biting on his bones painfully, though it never had been when he was still running. "Yes. I''ll go downstairs to get the soup for you. You should have some to make you warm. Take your clothes off quickly before you get sick." Leena said those words in a hurry after giving the man a quick nce. She had to spit her words as fast as she could since she was already at the verge of crying. "Be careful, okay? Don''t get burned by the soup." Kevin managed to remind her amidst his shaking. He remembered how badly her hand was scalded one time she was cooking. He couldn''t afford to have her brothers be angry and glower at him again. "Yes, I got it. Now take a shower!" Thedy said as she rushed out of the room. She couldn''t help but frown when she encountered the tiny puddles Kevin left on the stairs as they slowed her a bit. Meanwhile, a smile cracked on Kevin''s lips while watching Leena''s back. It was then that he felt the chills striking him again and he sneezed. He quickly went to the bathroom and wondered if he already caught a cold. The warm water that hit his body made him feel a bit better. It somehow kept him from freezing even more. Perhaps it really was a challenge to run under the rain in such harsh weather. Leena grabbed a mop and started mopping the stairs. They would be the ones to be med if someone got hurt due to the puddles Kevin left. I Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. t even mind beingpletely naked before Leena as he believed that it was necessary for her to feelfortable with his bareness. "Oh! Yes, the soup! Umh... It''s there. Have it," replied Leena. She walked to the desk and took the soup. Then she walked back to Kevin and carefully handed it to him. Kevin still got his naughty grin when he took the soup from Leena. He gave it a sip and found that it was not as hot as he had imagined. Seconds more and he was already chugging it down. The soup was all good until he choked and ended up coughing. It was much thicker than the normal ginger soup and was extremely spicy. "Did you put lots of ginger in it?" Kevin opened his mouth and breathed heavily. He didn''t see that level of spicinessing at all. He was almost between tears andughter as he looked at Leena who was standing next to him with her chin up. What did she want? Praise or a pat on the back? "I didn''t put much! I just put two big pieces. I was even afraid that the soup was not hot enough." Leena sniffed and wrinkled her brows. She had been thinking about it and even considered adding more ginger. There was nothing but pure innocence on her face. Chapter 1063 Kevin Caught A Fever (Part Two) "OK, OK! You got me." Kevin twisted the corners of his mouth heavily. She had been acting matured the past few days and he almost forgot her real age. He had been toofortable thinking that she could do everything without him needing to worry. Bad, it was just now that he realized he was wrong. "What? Does it taste bad?" Leena took a tentative look at the empty bowl then shot Kevin with a questioning re. If it really tasted terrible, how could he drain the bowl without even pausing for breath? It did not make sense at all! "Didn''t you taste it?" Kevin put his coat on and wondered, ''Isn''t she supposed to taste whatever she''s cooking?'' "No, I didn''t. Did I put too much sugar in it?" was Leena''s puzzled reply. She just put a small amount of sugar. The soup shouldn''t be that sweet. "I should have left some for you." Kevin said adoringly and shook his head. She might have anticipated this thing unconsciously and skipped tasting it. Lucky her! She just spared herself from drinking a terrible soup. "Is it really that bad?" Thedy cocked her head innocently. She could just imagine how the soup tasted like based on how Kevin looked. "What do you think? You put two big pieces of ginger? How much soup were you cooking? Were you looking forward to making enough to fill our bathtub or just our casserole?" The man gave her a side nce in a defiant manner. He aimed to make her understand what was wrong when he suddenly sneezed twice. Shoot! It seemed that he did catch a cold. "Uh! Well! I thought the more I put, the better. Isn''t it?" It was then that Leena decided to use her most powerful weapon and sh her sweet smile at him. It was so effective that Kevin was instantly caught on a phase where he couldn''t rebuke her anymore. ty now and I can''t just call Tom toe here." She didn''t think of asking help from her parents-inw and automatically thought of Tom who was far away. He was honestly the first person that came into her mind. They had known each other for years and he had always cared for her as their doctor. She never had any experience in taking care of someone sick. She was panicking and was in aplete mess. She ran to the bathroom, took a wet towel to make a coldpress, then carefully ced it on Kevin''s forehead. She knew she needed to lower his temperature. It was to her depression though that her attempt didn''t work and Kevin started convulsing in a minute. It made her run downstairs in a hurry without even wrapping herself with her coat. Her palm was beginning to get cold due to how anxious she was. Leena did not have the time to be polite anymore as she was in an emergency case. She stood at their parents'' room and knocked on the door continuously. It was their ce and they were more familiar with it if they needed to find a doctor for Kevin. She didn''t care anymore if her actions were rude. She would wake them up no matter what as Kevin needed help. Chapter 1064 Kevin Caught A Fever (Part Three) "It''ste, Leena. What''s going on?" Shannon opened the door and was surprised to see Leena standing outside. "Sorry to interrupt you, Mom. Kevin is having a severe fever. I don''t know where the medical kit is." Leena finished her words hastily with her hands rubbing anxiously. "What? He got a fever? You can go and take care of him. I''ll ask your Dad to call the doctor from the army. We''ll be there soon." For a while it seemed like being anxious wasmunicable and Shannon caught it too. She already said it earlier! Her son might be strong but it wasn''t a guarantee that his body could take a long run under that freezing rain. It was Nathan who didn''t listen to her and now Kevin was sick! "Yes! I see. Then I''m going back now." Her mother-inw''s words rendered Leena a little relief. It was nice to know that she wasn''t alone as she faced the ordeal. "Go! Don''t worry. The doctor is not far away from here. He''ll be here soon," Shannonforted her and just as she said, the doctor dide shortly after. Leena was a bit surprised to see the doctor arrive in such a short time. It was indeed true that every man in the army was quick to respond. "How''s he doing? Is he alright, Dr. Pei?" Shannon asked anxiously after the doctor finished checking on Kevin. "Don''t worry! Major General is not that bad. He just caught a cold. I''ll have him on an intravenous drip and get him some pills. He should be fine with these." Dr. Pei was not a young man but it was evident that he talked to Shannon in a respectful tone. She was his superior''s wife after all. "Tsk! Such a weakling. It''s just some rain. How did he catch a cold?" Nathan could not help murmuring despite the relief that flooded him. He was t with their family affair. "Oh! Thank you so much," Leena said in a grateful tone. She reached out to touch Kevin''s forehead. He was still hot but his condition was way better than before. "You are wee. I''ll get him some medicine. He can take some after he wakes up." A mild smile appeared on Dr. Pei''s face before he got busy with his medical kit. "Yes! I see," was Leena''s reply. It was only then that she finally managed to smile sweetly since Kevin got sick. She looked extremely happy and delightful. "Okay. I''ve noted the way and time of taking the medicine. Just follow it. I''ll wait until he finishes the drip." Dr. Pei handed the medicine over to Leena and emphasized the way to take the medicine. He was afraid that she might ignore the note. "Since everything''s all good, let''s have a cup of tea downstairs, Dr. Pei. It''s going to take some time for the drip." Shannon smiled and invited Dr. Pei enthusiastically. It was undeniable that the woman was a part of Nathan''s sess. He partially owed his high position to her as she had always been a wife who could deal with various people and supported him from behind. Chapter 1065 Are You Hungry (Part One) "OK. I need to take his temperatureter anyway." Dr. Pei hesitated for a second before taking Shannon''s advice. However, before he left the room, he gave Leena several tips for precaution, so she could take better care of the patient. Leena watched them walk out of the bedroom and cast a nce at Kevin. She gently tucked his quilt for him. Sitting by his bed in silence, she fondly gazed at his handsome face. For a moment, she was lost in her own thoughts. He looked so peaceful. She was happy that she got to have a moment with him, just by herself. Leena''s eyes flitted across his face, attracted to his wless eyebrows. They were thick but well-trimmed. Her lips curled up as she looked at him. She could feel her heart beat getting faster and faster. ''He looks so manly with those eyebrows, '' Leena thought. ''Manlier than any other man I have ever seen in my life.'' Uncontrobly drawn to him, she extended her hand, her fingers gently touching the corner of his lips. The heat she felt on her skin was sensational. A brilliant smile cracked across her face. Leena sighed softly as her heart overflowed with warmth and tenderness. Kevin was an awe-inspiring soldier, she knew that. But right now, as she saw him harmlessly lying on the bed, she realized she enjoyed getting to know the other side of this tough man. ''What a foolish man, '' she thought. ''He thought he could boast about his health and body? Look at him now, he is lying on bed helplessly because he''s ill. God, he really worried me." Leena shook her head, trying to get all the negativity out of her mind. She was quite relieved that he no longer had a fever. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have a clue what to do. When Kevin slowly came to his senses, it was already dawn. The room was silent. He could only see the dazzling lights on the cei Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. d my eyes, this beautiful angel was resting right by me, as if she was guarding me.'' He felt touched. Kevin was sure that this was the kind of moment every man on earth longed for. Leena opened her eyes slowly and looked up. "Hey, you." She smiled at him when she found him awake, her voice betraying her enthusiasm as she gazed at him affectionately. Leena was delighted to find that he looked much better. "Kevin, you are finally awake! How do you feel now? Do you feel any pain?" With earnest words, she reached out to him. Her soft hand touched his forehead, carefully assessing his body temperature. Dr. Pei had advised her to check his fever constantly. She took his advise and had been paying attention to his temperature all night. Leena was nervous about his illness and hadn''t closed her own eyes for a single minute. It was only around dawn, when she couldn''t deal with her drowsiness any longer that she fell asleep right next to him. "I am sorry that I caused you to suffer. Apparently, I overestimated myself." Kevin tried to give her a soothing smile to calm her nerves. However, he failed to do so and his smile turned bitter. For a moment, he found it awkward to even look her in the eyes. Chapter 1066 Are You Hungry (Part Two) "Why are you apologizing to me like that? I know you didn''t mean to cause me trouble on purpose. To be honest with you, I should be the one saying sorry here. You are sick because of me. It was my fault that you got in trouble. You were punished for my sake and ended up with a nasty fever. I owe you a lot. You should not be sorry to me at all." Leena lowered her head. She was deeply upset, and could not me herself any harder for causing Kevin the unnecessary hassle. So she decided to face him, her expression determined. The way she spilled her heart out was very mature of her. Her eyes reflected sadness and helplessness that indicated she had already seen a lot of hardship in her short life. "Honey, please don''t say that. This was clearly an issue between me and my father. It has absolutely nothing to do with you. Juste over and join me in the bed. It is much warmer here. You should have taken your nap here, right here beside me. Your hands are so cold. Are you shivering?" Fervently, Kevin caught her hands and put them around his lips. He blew hot air to them, trying his best to warm her up. His intimate behavior caused her to blush instantly. "One moment." Leena smiled, pulling her hands back. She looked up at him and said,"Dr. Pei told me to give you your medicine as soon as you wake up. I need to get it for you. I will be right back." Leena walked over to the other side of the room and took out the medicine. One by one, she carefully counted the pills out ording to the doctor''s prescription. ''There should be no mistake in the dose, '' Leena thought. She double checked the pills before handing them to Kevin along with a ss of water. "Who are you talking about? Dr. Pei?" Kevin''s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He was not quite sure who this Dr. Pei was and what he apparently prescribe Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ush with her hands and yelped. The embarrassment was overwhelming. She bit her lip. It never urred to her that a serious man like Kevin could actually imply something that was so bold and shameless. "How dare you." She scolded him, softly uttering her embarrassment from between her teeth. Now that she knew his intent, there was no way she would voluntarilye to bed with him. "Well, do you want me to get you here myself?" Kevin looked determined as he lowered his voice. His eyes were so solemn that for a moment, she nked out. He meant business. He really wanted her by his side so he could warm her up. "Fine! I will sleep next to you." Leena pouted and climbed onto the bed. She didn''t lie right next to him. Instead, she carefully chose a spot opposite him on the edge, which she believed to be safe enough. Leena pulled over the quilt to cover herself up. "Come over here. Don''t test my patience." Kevin frowned when he saw her weird behavior. It made him realize that she didn''t want to be close to him. He just had a small cold, that was it. Why was she avoiding him like he had some kind of gue? ''Is she deliberately keeping distance from me to annoy me?'' Kevin thought unpleasantly. Chapter 1067 Are You Hungry (Part Three) "You look very scary." Pouting, Leena slowly moved toward him. He looked quite intimidating and she didn''t want to cause any unnecessary trouble for herself. Besides, he was the patient here. For the sake of his speedy recovery, she shouldn''t upset him. Right now, it would be wise to do what he asked for. "What are you afraid of? Rest assured, I will leave you alone. Even if you want some aggressive cuddling, I am afraid I don''t have enough strength at the moment!" Her nervousness had himughing out of nowhere. ''She is so adorable, '' he thought. The anxious look on her pretty face triggered something deep in his heart. No matter how hard he tried, he could no longer put on a straight face with her. "Stop it! I didn''t mean that at all! Kevin Gu, you are so exasperating!" Leena threw him an offended look, abruptly turning her head away. All men were such pigs! Seriously, why was he thinking about sex all the time? "So what did you mean exactly? Kiddo, I didn''t say anything. You are the one having inappropriate thoughts here." With these words, he leaned over and circled his strong arms around her. The moment he touched her, she trembled. The feeling was mutual for him. He was shocked to find that she was so cold. Her soft body was chilly. Apparently, she didn''t sleep wellst night. The thought that she didn''t rest well because she was looking after him upset Kevin. He felt eaten up by the mixed feelings inside of him. "Your implication was obvious. You led me into thinking about it." Leena released a soft sigh. She didn''t push him away, instead, she leaned back and rested her headfortably on his muscr chest. She couldn''t deny the fact that she enjoyed getting hugged by him. "All right, all right. It is all my fault. Now close your eyes and get some sleep." Kevin patted her back gently, tucking her in the quilt. He treated her like she was the most precious thi ng for her family. Knowing that her son was no longer in danger, she did not feel as desperate as she did several hours ago. It must have been a totally different woman who scolded Nathan so unreservedlyst night! "Who are you talking about? Mom, are you talking about me behind my back again? I am not sleepingte today!" ire stood on the stairs and looked at them, her face wearing a frown. She looked good as usual. Apparently she had a good sleep. Kevin''s illness made no difference to her life whatsoever. On a sunny day like today, she looked as fresh as a daisy. "Wow, you shocked us! What''s going on, howe you are up so early today? We all know that your big soft bed is your best buddy in the entire world! Didn''t you say that yourself? The weather is actually quite agreeable today. You must be nning to go somewhere, my sweet littlezy cat?" Shannon teased her daughter lovingly. She was kind of curious about what ire was nning to do today. "Mom, stop it. Why do you tease me all the time? It is not my fault that I enjoy a good sleep! Dad, did you listen to what Mom said just now?" ire felt embarrassed at herself. She put her face into her hands and dashed into Nathan''s chest. ire hugged him around his neck and giggled. Chapter 1068 Are You Hungry (Part Four) "Hey, don''t drag me into your business. I am quite happy that she is not nagging me for the moment!" To be honest, Nathan was still traumatized aboutst night. Her constant badgering about their son made his ears hurt! He wondered how a middle-aged woman could be this energetic, talking about the same old thing over and over again. He was bored to tears by her nagging. By the end of the day, she sounded like a broken record. Nathan shook his head slowly, a bittersweet smile on his face. "Dad, how can you ignore my feelings? The moment my brother came home, you started to favor him over me. I feel so neglected by you." ire pouted and grabbed her father''s arms. Like a little girl, she pulled his sleeves and shook his arms constantly. "All right, honey, stop bugging your father now. He needs to attend to some businesster on. He is in a hurry. You shouldn''t waste his time and energy like that. And now that you are up, why don''t you join us to the dining room for some breakfast? What about your Miss Ye? Has she gotten up yet?" Shannon walked up to the foot of the staircase and looked behind ire. She was not sure if her daughter''s guest would join them for breakfast. "What are you on about? Mom, she is my guest, okay? Why can''t you be nicer to her? She is afraid of you already. This is not a nice way to treat my friend!" ire raised her voice and red at her mother unpleasantly. She was quite mad at Shannon for her hostile attitude toward Louisa. It seemed to her that her mother clearly held something against her friend, since she tried to avoid Louisa on most asions. "What are you talking about? Did she actually say to you that I have been harsh to her? I know very well that she is your guest. That is why I have been polite to her all this time. What is so wrong with my attitude?" Shannon said, giving her daughter a stern look. It was true that she didn''t like Louisa at all. However, s that close to her, to be honest with you. I find it quite odd to call her that. After all, I don''t know her so well." Shannon shook her head and sighed helplessly. She made it quite clear that she refused to build an intimate rtionship with this Louisa. She would rather refer to her as Miss Ye. Deep down, she wanted Louisa to know her stance: she didn''t like her at all. Shannon only tolerated her because of this persistence from her daughter. Certain boundaries needed to be put up clearly. Shannon personally didn''t want her in the house at all. Hopefully, Louisa would get her message and back off. "Why can''t you just call her by her first name? For crying out loud, you call Leena by her first name even though you just got to know her a few days ago! Why do you treat them so differently? What is wrong with you?" At this stage, ire was genuinely cross at her mother. In her opinion, Shannon was unbelievably stubborn. ire got up so early so she could have a good chat with her regarding the way she treated her friend. However, things just turned out nasty. Her mother was being unreasonable and hard to please. ire really hated tomunicate with people who were this headstrong. All her words were in vain. It seemed like her mother had made up her mind already. Chapter 1069 Back To S City (Part One) "How can they be the same? Leena is one of our family members, after all. Obviously I ought to be close to her. But you, you really are a silly girl, ire! Miss Ye is just your guest. And fine, she''s also the daughter of your father''s friend. But in any case, she is not family. Am I wrong? Leena is different. She is your brother''s wife, your sister-inw, and our daughter-inw. How can Louisa and her be the same?" Shannon had a lot of words to say on this matter. One had to admit that she was correct and being sensible. ire couldn''t find anything to contradict with what she said. "Who says she can''t be one of our family members? It''s just a matter of time," ire said abruptly. She voiced out what she had been secretly hoping for all along. "ire, what does that mean? I hope you aren''t really wanting that. I don''t like what you are implying and I don''t want to hear it a second time. Understood?" Shannon grew serious all of a sudden and stared at ire with stone cold eyes. So this was what ire was nning? Shannon was sure that it would never happen. As long as she was in this family, she would not allow Louisa to be in it! "All right, all right! I understand. I admit I was wrong." ire stuck out her tongue at her mother. ire was being careless today. She should have kept the secret to herself, instead of spilling the beans to her mother. "I hope you truly understand that you were wrong. I don''t want to see you hatching plots behind my back, or I will be merciless. No one can protect you then," Shannon warned her daughter. She knew she had to be strict with ire. Otherwise, if she didn''t threaten ire enough or failed to let her know the seriousness of this matter, ire would definitely stir up trouble and do more damage. "Mom, I was just kidding! I didn''t mean it like that. Why are you treating me like Imitted a serious crime?" ire pursed her lips. She had only said the first thing that jumped to her mind. Why on earth was her mother so angry with her? If she was this furious right gutter, will you?" Shannon tapped on ire''s head, pretending to be annoyed. Her daughter was still an unmarried girl. Why would she think this kind of things? "Oh! Kevin really is ill! How did I not know that? I should go and check on him," ire announced as she got up, ready to go upstairs again. This time, her mother didn''t hesitate to pull her down by her arm. "Didn''t you hear a word of what I said just now? Don''t bother them! Let them sleep. Did you really forget everything I said so soon?" Shannon felt helpless when it came to her daughter. She had told her not to wake up her brother and Leena only a few minutes ago! Of course ire forgot her words right away. It looked as if whatever she said to her fell on deaf ears. "All right, all right. I won''t bother them. Satisfied? I''ll eat breakfast with Dad. Wait, where did he go?" ire looked around the room in confusion. Nathan was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that he had sneaked away in silence, while the mother and daughter were arguing. "He is in the dining room, eating his breakfast. Do you think he would wait on you?" Shannon rolled her eyes at her daughter. She was getting fed up with her behaviortely, and she almost lost her temper just now. At least there were no guests with them at this time of the day. Otherwise, Shannon would have surely felt embarrassed for ire. Chapter 1070 Back To S City (Part Two) When Leena woke up, it was almost noon. When she opened her eyes, she was not prepared for the blinding sunlighting through the window. She didn''t expect the weather to be so pleasant today, since it had been rainingst night. Turning to her side, she reached out to touch Kevin''s forehead. It still felt a bit warm, but was much better thanst night, when he was burning hot. Fortunately, it appeared that he would get better soon. Leena got out of bed quietly and walked over to the bathroom to freshen up. After that she went downstairs, wanting to make some porridge for Kevin. She knew he would be hungry when he woke up. However, much to her surprise, she didn''t have to worry on that matter. Shannon had already asked Maud to cook some porridge for her son, and it was still warm in the pot. "Leena, eat some snacks. You must be hungry. Lunch will be ready in a minute." Shannon looked at Leena''s tired face and felt sorry for her. She must have stayed upte looking after Kevin, or she would not have been this tired after a morning''s sleep. She truly was a good wife and daughter-inw. "I don''t need snacks. Thank you, Mom. I will wait for lunch. I was about to cook some porridge for Kevin but since you already did that, I will go and see if he is awake or not. He shoulde downstairs and eat something before taking his medicine." Leena smiled gently at her mother-inw. She didn''t want to eat first, although she was indeed hungry. Leena was still worried for Kevin and wanted to make sure he was well. "All right, lunch is almost ready. Go ahead." Shannon smiled back at her daughter-inw, her eyes full of appreciation. She was happy that Leena was so considerate and cared so much about her son. Kevin had woken up the moment Leena left the room. Although he was still quite tired, he did not feel as weak as he had been this morning. He Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. fully recovered yet." Leena frowned. She did not want to drink the warm water Kevin''s mother had specifically prepared for him. "That''s all right. There''s plenty of water. I see that your lips are chapped. You must need it. Just drink some!" Kevin almost begged her. He could tell how lonely Leena felt on this journey, since the two women who sat beside her didn''t talk to her unless it was to mock her. There were a lot of people in this car, and he was sitting in the front, so it was not a good time to say something reassuring to her even though he so badly wanted to. "Her lips are not chapped. Kevin, you are being unfair! Why don''t you ask Louisa and me to drink the water too?" ire pursed her lips. She was being childish again. She really did not like seeing her brother getting affectionate with Leena. In her opinion, Leena didn''t deserve her brother at all. She hoped Leena would leave her brother soon, so ire could help Louisa get Kevin. "ire, are you thirsty? Here, have some water." Upon hearing ire''s words, Leena immediately handed the bottle of water to her. She was not angry at her. After all, she had spent some days with ire, and was used to her sarcasm. Leena was still her usual kind and considerate self. Chapter 1071 Back To S City (Part Three) "No need to pretend to care about me. You are so fake! Besides, Mom prepared this bottle of water especially for Kevin. If she gets to know that I drink all of it, she would be so angry with me." There was a trace of jealousy in ire''s words. Anyone could tell that she was bothered by Leena, because she was the only one being asked and cared about by Kevin. "ire, don''t forget what you promised me when I let you go to S City with us." Kevin''s tone was cold. If it had not been for Leena, who had pleaded on ire''s behalf, he would not have let iree to S City with them and interrupt their perfect married life. Now that he had promised to let ire stay, she should also keep her word and be nice to Leena. "Fine! I''ll just have to keep my mouth shut. Are you satisfied now?" ire red at Leena with annoyance, as if it was her fault. Well, her brother couldn''t be beside her all day long to take Leena''s side! ire could wait. She could think of lots of ways to make Leena''s life miserable while she was in S City. Leena didn''t understand what she had done to make ire so furious with her. She thought that ire was thirsty, so she gave her some water to drink, that was all. Why would she think Leena was being fake in pretending to care about her? It seemed to Leena that she should be the one keeping her mouth shut on this journey back to S City. She would just have to talk less, otherwise she would cause more trouble. Sitting on the other end of the backseat, Louisa was happy to see this exchange. The corner of Louisa''s lips lifted as she nced at Leena, her eyes dripping with mockery and disdain. She pretended tofort ire. "ire,e on. No need to get upset over such a small thing, right?" Louisa patted ire''s shoulder and said in a sickly sweet voice, pretending to be considerate and understanding in front of Kevin. It didn''t go as she hoped for. Kevin''s eyebrows furrowed. He was unhappy about what Louisa said, but he kept his mouth shut and didn Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e good time alone with Leena. "Well, I have you, my dear brother. Won''t you help out your loving sister?" ire tilted her head and looked at Kevin with her eyebrows raised. She was sure that he would help her. "Are you sure the jobs I find will be suitable for you?" Kevin looked her up and down, and helplessly shook his head. He didn''t think he could help his sister find an appropriate job here. "As long as it''s a respectable job with a high sry, and there is enough freedom to work anytime, I would be satisfied." ire wasn''t even joking. She was serious about her conditions. She thought it would be easy to find such a job. "You really must be dreaming. There is no such job like you just described. Nopany will ever hire you if you demand all that." Kevin let out a deep sigh. If he were an employer, he would never hire an employee with demands like those, unless she was extremely talented. But unfortunately, his sister was everything but talented. "Kevin, don''t lower my confidence like that! I haven''t even started looking, for God''s sake, and here you are, already pouring cold water on me." ire was unhappy about her brother''s words. She didn''t think that her conditions for a job were so impossible to meet. ording to her, a job with a high sry and the liberty to work any time was just standard. Chapter 1072 Be Confident (Part One) "I am advising you to desist from this insane idea before you start looking. In case you be the butt of someone''s joke." Kevin didn''t mean to look down upon his own sister. He thought ire aimed too high, and it would get hard for her to find her footing in such a highlypetitive society. "I''m not that bad. It doesn''t matter. I have talent in management and I studied that abroad," ire said, pouting. She disyed strong objection to her brother''s remarks. "Come on. You? Talent? I bet you got your diploma after wasting away years at college," Kevin made this conclusion based on his sister''s yful personality. "How would that be possible? I entered college because of my efforts. Sure, it was not a well-known college, but, generally speaking, I spent my years there just like any other regr student," ire replied, frowning. That entrance exam was one eternal scar for her! Especially since the major she had chosen was a high-end one. "Like you said, you just spent your years there. I doubt if you learnt anything useful," Kevin said. He never considered his sister to be great in studies, since her scores at school never went beyond 80. It was obvious that she waszy at studying. Leena didn''t make anyment on their bickering and just smiled breezily. She was aware of ire''s dissatisfaction with her. Leena wasn''t so stupid that she''d intervene in this argument. It was wise to protect herself from something that unfavorable. "Wow! Brother, this is a fabulous house! What a great design! It''s really ssy. You must have spent a lot of money and energy on it!" ire praised. She was stunned by the interiors of Kevin''s house as she walked in. When they had left for S City, ire had assumed that she would live at the army base upon arriving here. But to her surprise, she was to live in this glorious apartment. She didn''t want to leave here ever from this moment onward. "Is it so fabulous? I don''t think so!" Kevin said, looking around. He then realized that ire was speaking the truth. He admitted that Leena had made some changes in this house. She had bought some fancy furniture for him. "You bet. All ll early for dinner, so I''d better use this time to drive out and buy some groceries.'' With this thought, she trotted upstairs. Her bags had all been carried up there by Kevin. Besides, she needed to fetch her car keys too. Lee took her Audi Pikes Peak Quattro to drive Louisa home. Leena guessed her car wouldn''t be back for a while. "Nana, is everything arranged for ire?" Kevin asked when he saw Leenae in. He was busy unpacking their luggage. Leena halted in her footsteps when she heard the nickname on Kevin''s lips. Why was he suddenly calling her that? He used to call her by her name before, like everyone else. "Um! Yes. There is no food in the refrigerator, so I''m going out to buy some groceries," Leena said. She had no intention of asking him to go with her. After all, she wasn''t some fragile little princess in this house. She had gotten used to this kind of life. Kevin wasn''t home often, so she had learnt to do a lot of things on her own. "Don''t bother. We''ll go out for dinnerter. All of us are very tired after the day-long trip, so don''t exert yourself." Kevin stopped her with his hand on her arm. Although he was only responsible for eating, he didn''t want his wife to exhaust herself by cooking for them. "We''re going out for dinner? That''s not a bad idea. Fine. It''s on me tonight." Leena epted Kevin''s suggestion with pleasure. She was really tired, and she didn''t really feel like cooking for dinner. Chapter 1073 Be Confident (Part Two) "Well! Okay, then I''ll eat like a pig," Kevin teased as he gazed at Leena''s pleasant smile. His eyes brimmed with affection for her. He could tell that she was more rxed now, since she wasn''t behaving as formally as she was back at Capital City. "As long as you''re not worried about bing a real pig, I''ll offer as much as I can," Leena said, her eyes lingering on the busy Kevin. She threw herself on the soft bed and took a deep breath. She could smell the light scent of mint on the bed sheets. Leena rxed, feeling right at home. "Kiddo, it''s impossible to get me fat," Kevin said. He let her unwind and stared at her with a smile. He thought she knew about his job. He did training every day. ''How would I get fat? It''s absurd, '' he thought. "Kevin, can I ask you a personal question?" Leena asked seriously, propping herself up all of a sudden. "Ask away. What question? I''ll tell you everything but the state secrets," Kevin said, turning around and putting hisst shirt inside the wardrobe. "I''m not interested in the state secrets and I''m not a politician, so why would I ask about that? I''m not so bored. I''m just curious... why did you address me by that nickname?" Leena asked, rolling her eyes. She was a simple girl. Political talks wereplicated, and she wasn''t the right person to ask about it. "You really want to know the reason?" Kevin asked. He licked his lips, wondering how he should answer her question. He called her by the nickname out of some natural instinct of him. The reason why he suddenly addressed her as that was because it sounded so intimate. He didn''t want to go back to calling her by her first name. To him, Nana sounded great. "Yes. Can you tell me?" Leena asked, her big eyes blinking in expectation. She was flustered. She imagined that it was a way for Kevin to show how much he loved her. "The reason! The reason is that there''s no reason. I just don''t want to call you the same way as everyone else does," He blurted out. It wasn''t the real reason. For a moment, he didn''t understand his feelings, so he gave her a random answer. "Is that so?" Leena was a little disa es she know you like her?" Leena asked cautiously, a little nervous. She didn''t know if her question would irk him. "Um. Not only her, even Edward knows about it. She told me that my feelings for her were just out of sympathy, not real love. What she said has made me think about it a lot, but it seems possible," Kevin said, with a bitter smile on his face. Daisy might be right. How could he get over her so easily otherwise? If it had been love, he should have kept pursuing her until the end of time. "What? Edward knows it, too? Now I know why he always has a problem with you." Leena hadn''t expected this. She thought that Daisy and Edward didn''t know about Kevin''s unrequited love. No wonder Edward always gave him the cold shoulder. He knew Kevin loved his wife previously but married his beloved sister. Edward probably didn''t think Kevin was a responsible man. Leena pictured him being nice to Kevin. That would certainly be strange. "Yeah, that''s why I always endure their standoffish behavior towards me. After all, I''m the guy who made the mistake, right?" Kevin uttered, feeling helpless. If he were Edward, he would have behaved the same way! Judging from what he had done, he himself wouldn''t think he was a reliable man. "What about my brother and the others? Do they know about this?" Leena asked curiously. A far as she knew, Duke wouldn''t be this calm about it if he knew Kevin had feelings for Daisy. Chapter 1074 Strike Back (Part One) "I don''t think so. It looks like Edward hasn''t mentioned that to Duke." Kevin knew very well how important Leena was to those powerful men. If they ever got to know that Leena was in pain or suffering, Kevin could be in serious trouble. "Never let him know that. Otherwise things will getplicated." Leena had a clear understanding of her brother''s personality and what he was capable of. He wouldn''t tolerate any wrongdoings towards his sister. "The inevitable happens one way or another and there''s no escaping from it. We better let nature take its course. Fire can''t be wrapped up in paper. Why bother yourself in a fruitless attempt to hide it from them?" Kevin was quite open-minded about this. He had no secrets to hide from others. As long as he was honest and big-hearted, he would be fine. "But I''m worried about you. You know that Duke gets ill-tempered sometimes, especially when I am involved. You should know the consequences better than others." Leena was a bit worried. Duke harbored grudges against Kevin already. If he was informed of what happened to her, it would mean trouble. "Don''t worry. I can endure the pain," Kevin answered. He smiled at his wife soothingly. As he did so, he released her hands and looked over her, his gaze intense. "Why are you staring at me?" Leena asked nervously. It made her feel embarrassed to be stared at so passionately. She subconsciously touched her face, fearing that it was smeared by mud or something. "It just urred to me how bright and beautiful my wife is." Leena''s innocent face was charming and her luscious figure was tantalizing. Kevin reached out and chucked her under the chin. He o take the keys of Leena''s Ferrari sports car, but stopped on second thought. He chose his own Bugatti, since Leena''s sports car only had two seats. ire was already dressed up for dinner. Impatiently, she waited downstairs for a long time, but Leena and Kevin didn''t show up. She was about to yell at them when she saw Kevine downstairs. "Kevin, what took you so long?" ire asked in irritation. "Didn''t you know I was waiting for you here?" "No need to get mad. I''m here now, don''t you see? What''s the rush? It''s still early," Kevin answered. He deliberately kept from ire the reason he waste. He was talking to Leena about something important, so ire had to wait. "Why are you alone? Where is Leena? Don''t tell me she is still dressing up? No matter how long she takes, she would still look old-fashioned and ordinary," ire derided as a lopsided grin lingered around the corners of her mouth. Although she hated Leena, she didn''t really dare to go too far in front of her brother. Reluctantly, ire had to watch her mouth and not disrespect Leena, and even pretend to be nice. Chapter 1075 Strike Back (Part Two) "ire, I am warning you once again. I hope you can enjoy a good time with Leena in the city. Otherwise, be sure that I will send you back home. Besides, Leena''s family is a lot more well-known than you think. She just doesn''t want to be thought of as one of those rich girls from powerful families. She chose to keep a low profile and endure your insults again and again. I am supposed to respect her wishes and so I didn''t intervene. But now that you have decided to stay here, you''ll discover many more secrets about her. By then, I''m sure you''ll regret everything you have done to Leena," Kevin said sternly. Kevin had kept the knowledge of Leena''s wealthy family from ire since Leena wished to keep the secret to herself and he had to respect her wish. Rich as she was, Leena was also independent and open-minded, and she knew what was right for herself. So Kevin had decided not to make any decisions on her behalf. "What secrets? Are you talking about me?" Leena asked loudly, suddenly arriving at the scene. She walked downstairs. She had heard part of Kevin''s conversation with ire, and couldn''t help but be curious about what they were discussing. "It''s your guess," Kevin answered, smiling. He looked over Leena up and down. Apparently, his wife had finally decided to be herself again, instead of pretending to be someone else in front of his family. She must have been tired of being discreet and mature. Today, she looked like the lovely princess she actually was. "What? Are you actually Leena? Or just some fucking imposter?" ire shouted in disbelief. She was shocked to see Leena in the fashionable clothes. How could this woman, as beautiful as a supermodel, be the same girl she hade to know in Capital City, whom ire considered to be ordinary, ol ont of her, ire couldn''t refrain herself any longer and grew angry. She knew she was the subject of their conversation. "Why should we care about your feelings? You''re too old to be looked after by others. You''re a grown-up, you should learn how to do things on your own," Leena said. She was highly amused at the expression on ire''s face. She finally had the opportunity to get her revenge and reprimand ire. ire had been so arrogant in Capital City. Leena had to swallow her anger and do what she was ordered. It was different now. This was her city and Leena would be the one giving ire orders. Nobody dared to use Leena as a punching bag. Not her parents, not her brothers. However, ire had an exaggerated opinion of her abilities and had forced her to kneel and surrender. It was time to strike back. "Kevin, why are you standing there and doing nothing? Didn''t you hear what she just said to me?" ire yelled hysterically. She finally caught up to them as they reached the elevator. ire didn''t want to be left behind or be considered a pathetic clown. As Kevin''s only sister, she had the natural right to be loved and looked after by her brother, didn''t she? Chapter 1076 Strike Back (Part Three) "Why should I defend you? As far as I''m concerned, Leena is right," Kevin answered coolly. He pressed the pause button on the elevator''s control panel and allowed ire toe inside. "I see. You were pretending to be well-behaved and nice to fool Dad and Mom. As soon as you came back to your own house, you just couldn''t wait to show your true self," ire huffed in irritation. She red at Leena usingly and in disbelief, not quite registering the fact that the weak and soft Leena had the nerve to stand up to her. She seemed so different. "I''m sorry, ire. But you are right. If you are offended, just let it be and don''t say another word," Leena retorted sharply. Her response shocked ire once again and was a huge blow to her ego. Leena smiled sweetly. As Kevin''s wife, she was determined to convince ire, one way or another, to get rid of her bad habits of being wild, self-willed and ungrateful. She had been spoiled by her family since she was born. If ire didn''t change, she was doomed and wouldn''t find herself a suitable husband. No matter how kind and tolerant men were these days, they wouldn''t ept such an uncontroble wife. Kevin zipped up his mouth and decided to let ire have a taste of her own medicine. Truthfully, he would feel delighted to see it happen. "I know women can be erratic, but I never thought you were the worst of the lot. I really underestimated you," ire voiced out in a mocking voice. Her mouth twisted in a contemptuous sneer. She realized suddenly that she had been fooled by Leena. She had tried desperately to uncover Leena''s true side, but had failed to do so. There is an old saying that goes, '' r asked their parents for money. He was old enough to be earning quite enough on his own. "Sis, what are you thinking about? I won''t do anything that vites thew and order. Dad would surely skin me alive," Kevin said, struck at her words. He hit ire''s head softly, annoyed that his sister would consider him to be a dirty soldier. Kevin was a man of strict moral principles. He would never allow himself to smear his reputation and ruin his own career. "In that case, how did you get so much money? Did you get it from Mom?" ire massaged her head. Although Kevin hadn''t hit her too hard, she didn''t like him doing it. "I''m a grown man and won''t ask Mom for money. Please set your mind at rest. I''m earning money legally. There''s no way that I will be court martialled." Kevin opened the car door, ushering Leena into the passenger seat. He wouldn''t be out of money even if he was denied his ie from the bar. After all, he rendered outstanding services every year, and was awarded with a great deal of money and rewards. Of course, all this was restrictive. He wasn''t as rich as Leena''s brothers. Chapter 1077 The War Between The Sisters-In-Law (Part One) "Really?" ire was doubtful when she stepped into the car. She couldn''t believe what Kevin said. Her brother''s sry as a military officer was never enough for him to afford a luxurious life. It was still the government that was paying them regardless of how high their positions were. Thus, there was no soldier who had ever be a millionaire due to their limited sries. So how was it possible for Kevin to purchase such a fancy house and cars? He couldn''t afford them! Moreover, he bought those branded clothes and shoes like he just paid them with wasted papers and not money. That was just unbelievable! "What do you mean, ire? Do I need to steal and rob just to polish myself?" Kevin nced at his sister disapprovingly as he fastened his seatbelt. He was silent when he started the engine and slowly drove off. "Steal and rob? That is just ridiculous! I just felt puzzled, okay?" ire was excited for her first trip to S City. It was just within a minute when her attention got caught by the scenery that was passing by. It was easy to say that S City was quickly progressing into a very lively area. She could see a lot of buildings and streets that had been constructed. Everything was screaming development and economic advancement in S City. It was like a breath of fresh air to ire as she had gotten so used to the ancient cultural atmosphere of the city she was from. On the other hand, Leena stayed quiet the whole time as she didn''t want to interfere with the siblings'' conversation. The two might have a lot to talk about. She chose not to feed ire''s curiosity about her brother''s ie even if she knew about it. It was forbidden for military officers to run a business. Kevin had been very clear with that when he told her about it. Leena wouldn''t want to leak his secret to anyone, even to his younger sister. "Leena, do you have any restaurant in mind?" Kevin turned and asked. He needed to k look. He''d been in the ce for a few times but never had he thought that the restaurant actually had such a section. "Yes! There is apartment but it is not open to the guests. No worries, I can use it. Just follow me," was Leena''s calm reply. She didn''t really use thepartment often. Compared to dining alone in a lonelypartment, it was better to dine in the hall where the atmosphere was livelier and warmer. It was just that she had to use thepartment this time as there was no avable table outside. "You sounded like you know the boss of this restaurant, do you?" asked Kevin with a frown. Now he could not help but guess who among Leena''s close brothers owned Westin. "I know him of course! Westin is a property of FX International Group. Do you think I should not know the boss of Westin?" Leena shed a smile at Kevin and ire. Little did her sister-inw know that her specific request just saved her a sum of money. She never paid for anything while dining in Westin. "Oh! I got it. I never expected that Edward owns this ce." Realization finally hit Kevin. Although FX International Group had many assets and branches across the whole country, never had he imagined for it to engage in so many industries as to cover Western food restaurant. Chapter 1078 The War Between The Sisters-In-Law (Part Two) "Mrs. Gu." They were already at thepartment''s entrance when a manager came and addressed Leena respectfully. Everybody in the ce knew her as she often visited here with Edward. "Aha, Manager Liu. Is thepartment reserved? Will Edwarde here tonight?" Leena asked in a graceful manner with a smiling face. "Thepartment is avable. Mr. Mu hasn''t been here for a long time. Even his close friends who usuallye here with Mr. Mu haven''t been around for a while." Manager Liu smiled politely. He would never dare to neglect any of Leena''s questions as he knew her rtionship with his boss. "They must have been very busy! I want to use thepartment since it''s avable." A yful smile cracked Leena''s lips as she looked at the manager. Of course, she knew what Edward and his friends were busy about! Edward could not even keep his hands off Daisy for a single moment. Rain was sent to Thand. Tom took no interest in anything except for his experiments. How could it be possible for them toe here and eat? "Yes, Mrs. Gu. Pleasee in." The manager pushed the door open for them as a gesture for them toe in. "Thank you, Manager Liu!" said Leena pleasantly. She believed in treating everyone nicely. It was impossible for her to put on airs against anybody. It was the reason why she was famous to many people. "You''re wee, Mrs. Gu. We are promoting some new dishes recently. Would you want to have a try?" Manager Liu guided them to thepartment and made the promotion as soon as they reached their seats. "Oh! Really? What are the guests'' opinions about the new dishes?" Other people''s opinion meant a lot to Leena. She had practiced taking ideas from others before trying out new things. "The new dishes are weed by our guests as they are both aristocratic and tasty. Many guests revisited Westin just because of them. Would you want to have a try of those new products, Mrs. Gu?" The manager sounded tentative. He knew how to please his guest ould it be possible for him to know somemercial elites? Besides, it would cause him some trouble if he was considered to be too close with some businessmen. "Really? How is it possible?" ire measured Leena in suspicion. To her surprise, she did spot some changes in Leena''s behavior and air. She was a different woman when she was in the capital city. Leena used to be calm andposed. But she looked more lively and bubbly now. "Wee here for dinner, not for interrogation, ire!" The handsome officer could not help but furrow his eyebrows. ire''s questions were outright silly and her disrespect for his wife had certainly upset him. "I''m just curious! Is it illegal to ask?" ire twisted her lips sarcastically as some ideas came to her head. ''Is it possible that Leena isn''t as simple as she seems to be?'' she secretly asked herself. "ire, I can answer all your questions. What are your questions?" Leena butted into the conversation. She had sensed that Kevin already lost his temper with how his sister had been asking offending questions. "All right. I''m not interested in your affairs. They''re none of my business!" was ire''s arrogant reply as she raised her chin. She held no gratitude for Leena. She didn''t even care if Leena had saved her from her brother''s anger by diverting his attention. Chapter 1079 The War Between The Sisters-In-Law (Part Three) "Okay! But as I said, you can ask me anything if you have any questions." A kind smile broke across Leena''s face. Her good upbringing had forged her a forgiving nature. As Kevin''s wife, she had more patience for his sister. Life was too long anyway. She wouldn''t mind spending some time winning ire''s approval. "Maybe In the future. I''m not sure that you can give me the answer that I want to know though!" ire showed her disapproval by curling her lips on Leena. She said each of her words between clenched teeth. She just could not help despising Leena from the bottom of her heart. "Leena, just leave her alone. Do you want to drink some water?" Kevin had noticed one of Leena''s bad habits since they started to live together. She seldom drank water. That was why he kept reminding Leena to drink whenever necessary. "Okay, thank you, Kevin." Leena covered her uneasiness with a sweet smile. She was honestly worried about how the future would be. ire''s wantonness was beyond her expectation. It wouldn''t be easy to get along with her, although she had already prepared herself for it. For Leena''s VIP status, all dishes were served to them very soon. To distinguish Leena''s importance, it was even the manager who served the dishes for them in person. "Mrs. Gu, please have a try of the dishes. Just let me know if they fail you. I''ll arrange other dishes for you." Manager Liu stared at Leena with sheer expectation. He was afraid for his rmendation to disappoint his guest. "All right, I''ll take some of them to see if they are as fantastic as you said." Leena cut a slice of meat and put it into her mouth. The juiciness of the dish spread through her tongue immediately. It was so good that it had conquered all her senses. "How is it?" The manager looked at Leena nervously. He could not tear his gaze from her face as the slightest change in her expression would mean a difference in his career life. "Wow! This is wonderful. The meat is both fresh and tender. It doesn''t taste raw and the vegeta said Kevin as he helplessly shook his head. It was extremely nice that Leena and his mother were getting along really well. That had saved him a lot of trouble. But it was different with ire''s case. The war between the two sisters-inw seemed to be inevitable. As a brother, he had to forgive his sister''s waywardness and assume the peacemaker role between the twodies. He smiled bitterly before pushing Leena''s te back to her and then took ire''s. "A skinny girl is not beautiful. That is what you told to me, Kevin. I still remember it. You see, I have no reason to lose weight. Besides, I only ordered lobster and beefsteak. It will be impossible for me to put on weight just because of them." To be frank, the two dishes were too much for ire. The only reason why she ordered those was to embarrass Leena. She was dying to see how her sister-inw would react once she saw the expensive bill. Those were her ns but never would she admit her real purpose to them. She wouldn''t want to waste this opportunity of teaching her sister-inw a lesson or two. She was sure that the bill would be beyond Leena''s ability to pay. She would certainly ask for help from her brother. That would be extremely interesting and she just could not help but feel excited about it. She would bet her bottom dor that Leena would die of shame today. Chapter 1080 Suspicions (Part One) "That''s true. I don''t know why you girls are obsessed with getting thinner. I''m sure that you''ll look ugly if you are as thin as ath," Kevin replied as he cut the steak. He didn''t know what other men thought but he had never liked skinny women. "Look at your wife. She is also skinny," ire answered back as she nced sideways at Leena. Thetter looked plump and awkward in her loose clothing during their stay in the capital city. It was only until now that ire realized Leena''s waist was much more slender than hers. This quite depressed her. "Yeah, you''re right. You''re too thin, Leena. I have to feed you up a bit." The man nced at Leena while he spoke. Despite his words, he thought his wife was curvy and perky. The dress exaggerated her wasp waist and erged her bosom. "Huh? I think I''m good." Leena looked down at her body. She might not be what people called "hot" but she had "hour-ss" figure written all over her body. She wasn''t as thin as Kevin said. "You''ll look more beautiful if you get fatter," was Kevin''s indifferent reply. Leena didn''t know whether he meant what he said as it sounded more like a half-meant joke. He even looked serious while staring at her. "No! It''ll be scary." She shuddered just by the thought of herself being fat. She used to suffer from obesity, so she knew how painful it was. She didn''t want to fall into the same old trap again. "See? I''m not alone in this. No woman wants to be obese." For the first time, ire took Leena''s side as they shared the same idea. "Good to see that you hang together. Hope you can get along with each other afterward." Kevin smiled widely and pushed the te back to ire. His eyes glittered with joy. ''What a delightful scene it is, '' he thought. The meal wasn''t enjoyable but the three got on very well with one another. They asked for the bill after they dined and wined to satiety. ire chuckled to herself because she thought the price on the b t. It sucks.'' "Maybe another time. I''m tired. I have to report for duty at the army base early tomorrow morning." Kevin agreed with Leena at the beginning but changed his mind after hearing Louisa''s name. It was needless to say that he didn''t like that annoying woman. "In this case, let''s go back now. We can go some other day when we''re free." Leena didn''t like Louisa either, so she chimed in with her words. "Come on! You brought up the idea. Howe you don''t want to go now? You are liars." ire pouted as she red at the two with burning, reproachful eyes. "Kevin just had a cold. If he says he is tired, he means it. Do you really want to go to the bar? Let''s see if we can make it tomorrow night." To disappoint ire wasn''t really Leena''s idea right now. Nheless, she didn''t want to be with Louisa. It would be the worst night of her life if she had to. "Since you don''t want to go, I''ll invite Louisa to go with me. I''ll call her now." ire took her phone out and called Louisa. Leena was relieved. She shrugged helplessly to Kevin to silently tell him that he had to deal with his sister himself. "Hello, ire. Did you eat dinner? What''s up?" Louisa was leaning against the sofa and painting her fingers with nail polish. She was looking cozy andzy at the same time. Chapter 1081 Suspicions (Part Two) "Yeah. I just had dinner with Kevin and Leena in the restaurant. What''re you doing now? Do you want to go out to have some fun?" ire said excitedly. While she was speaking to Louisa over the phone, she proudly raised her eyebrow at Leena. She wanted to show that even if they didn''t want to go to the bar with her, she could go with someone else. "Go out? Is Kevin going with us?" Louisa sat up straight upon hearing what ire said. She was ted when she asked. "My brother said that he was tired and wanted to go back to sleep, so we''ll hang out alone. You have a lot of friends, right? Invite them. The more the merrier." ire was still angry. Thus, her voice was somewhat low. "Err¡­ Well, sorry, I can''t go out now. Maybe another day." The thought that Kevin didn''t go with them killed Louisa''s excitement. "Err¡­ What''re you busy with? Didn''t you say you had nothing to do usually?" ire disappointedly asked as Louisa declined her invitation. "Yeah. But I just came home today, so I can''t go out now. Otherwise, my dad will ground me." Louisa said in a no-nonsense tone which made her words believable. "Fine. I won''t force you." ire''s mood could not have been grimmer. She puckered her lips, ready to cry. "I''m sorry. How about going shopping tomorrow? What do you think?" It was then that Louisa sensed ire was depressed. She realized that she seemed to have refused her too quickly. She needed her help to win Kevin''s heart, so she had to curry favor with her. She tried to please ire, lest ire should be angry with her. "We''ll see. Go on with what you''re doing. I have to hang up. Bye." Louisa was right. ire was really angry at her. She quarreled with her mother for her sake back in the capital city. However, she cruelly refused ire when ire wanted to show off in front of Leena. ire felt really down. "Hello? ire, ire, wait¡­ Ah!" ire hung up the phone before Louisa could say anything. Louisa didn''t expect that. She mmed her phone onto the couch. ''Damn! How dare she be angry at me?'' she thought. ''I have to ask her for help in the future em." ire''s equivocal reply aroused Kevin''s interest. He was curious about what could trouble his sister who feared nothing and no one. "Kevin, what do you think of Louisa?" Thinking about the things that Louisa entrusted her, ire rolled her eyes and suddenly changed the topic. She wanted to take the opportunity to hear her brother out. "How do I know this? I''m not very familiar with her. You should ask yourself about it. She''s your friend, not mine." Truth be told, Kevin didn''t know what he thought of Louisa. He didn''t pay attention to her at all though he was sure of one thing - he didn''t like the way Louisa showed her love. "s. I just asked what you feel about her. Is it really difficult to answer this question?" ire shook Kevin''s hand like a spoiled child. She didn''t believe what he said. Louisa and her brother had known each other way back, so they must havee into contact with each other. "I have no feelings for her. Are you satisfied with this answer?" There wasn''t any trace of pleasure on Kevin''s lips. The mention of Louisa upset him. He really disliked Louisa. "Aw,e on! Louisa said you used to get along very well but you had little contact with each other after she went abroad." ire tilted her head to one side and whispered in confusion. ording to Kevin, nothing happened between them, but it was not what Louisa told her. Did Louisa tell a lie? Chapter 1082 The Affectionate Moment (Part One) "I just got in touch with her some time ago. Howe you speak of me and her as if we were old friends?" Kevin frowned in confusion. He would have forgotten about Louisa if she hadn''t tricked him to her birthday party that day. "What? I heard that you used to be lovers, though." ire was puzzled. Weren''t things like what she had been told? "What lovers? What are you thinking? I just met her a couple of times and that''s it." yfully, Kevin reached out and pushed her on the forehead. He wouldn''t have acted so naturally around Louisa If they were really old lovers. "Really? That''s it?" The youngdy ended up furrowing her eyebrows. She didn''t understand a thing. Why would Louisa lie to her? "Why ire? What else should it be? Okay, I am going upstairs to have a shower. I''ll leave you alone." Kevin stood up and was ready to leave. He decided not to stay any longer since ire didn''t want to tell him why she was mad anyway. Moreover, he had no interest in talking about Louisa at all. "Where is the study? I need theputer." A bad mood wasn''t enough for ire to forget her curiosity about the FX International Group. Thus, she decided to surf the Inte and learn about it amidst being low. "It''s upstairs. But you are only allowed to use the desktop. Do not touch myptop because there are a lot of important work-rted files on it." Uneasiness flooded Kevin even with the thought that hisputer was password protected. All the files that he was keeping were way too confidential. He couldn''t afford an ident in regards to those. "Okay, okay. I got it. Gee, rx. I am not a spy. Why would I be interested in your files?" said ire as she jumped off the bed. Thedy had this mild case of being simple-minded and she couldn''t really keep things inside her head for long. She had to feed her curiosity as soon as possible or else it would just slip her mind. "I just felt that I need to give you a heads-up just in case you make trouble for me." Kevin knew his sister too well to let his guard down. "My God, I said I got it. Why are you still nagging? You sound just like Mom." Just like how little girls would, ire twitched her mouth disapprovingly. Should Kevin really be this overacting? For Pete''s sake, he was too cautious! "I said it He just got lucky that he found the woman he wanted to spend his life with. Leena couldn''t be happier for him. "I see." A thoughtful smile crossed Kevin''s face. His curiosity about Edward grew but he didn''t ask any more questions. A well-cultivated man like him knew when to stop. A sudden silence filled the room as Leena studied Kevin''s expression through the mirror of the dressing table. She was wondering why his eyebrows were furrowed. Did the information about Edward disappoint him? Or did it frustrate him? Men were aspetitive as women and Leena could see that her husband was not an exception. Truth be told, Leena didn''t know Kevin that well. Proud men like him hated beingpared with anybody. They thought that their honor was everything and how one praised them was everything that mattered. Happy days were usually short. Kevin wasn''t around anymore when Leena woke up the next morning. She felt dejected to think that he would have little time for her in the following days. She wanted to sleep some more but remembering that ire was in the house pushed her to freshen up and hurry downstairs. ire was still sleeping. She would definitely make sarcastic remarks if Leena got upter than her. Kevin and Leena had only been away for a couple of days, but their house was already dusty. Such things were something Leena couldn''t live with, so she decided to clean the house while ire was still asleep. She nned to take her out for breakfast as there was nothing fresh inside the fridge. Chapter 1083 The Affectionate Moment (Part Two) However, Leena was utterly surprised when she came to the kitchen and found that breakfast was already on the table. It seemed that somebody had already put it there even before she woke up. Leena thought that it must have been Kevin who did it as ire couldn''t have done that. The food was nothing special and in fact it was just take-outs. Nheless, Kevin''s thoughtfulness made Leena inexplicably ted. What he did just proved that she had a spot inside his heart. If Kevin started with his work early, then it meant that he had woken up earlier just to get the food ready before she was up. The housing estate they were living in wasrge and it would take someone a while just to get to the street. Leena let out a breath and decided to check on her sister-inw since breakfast was already fixed. She wouldn''t want to hear irein about her having breakfast alone. She had to find a way to get along with ire. ire might be older by age but it was obvious that Leena was maturer than her in so many senses. "ire, are you up?" Leena knocked on the door and listened. "Come in." At that time, ire was sitting before the dressing table while putting on her makeup. In all honesty, someone as young as ire didn''t really need to put on much makeup. On the contrary, what she was doing was just covering her natural glow as a youth. "What are you doing?" Leena asked as she came in and found ire putting on a shocking red lipstick. The color was hideous and it made her wince. "Can''t you see? Putting on make-up," ire rolled her eyes and answered in a sullen tone. She was reluctant to leave the house without wearing makeup. Deep down, she wasn''t as confident as people thought. "Are you going out like this?" How ire looked rendered Leena a bit speechless. It seemed that her sister-inw still had a lot of things to learn about making her face up. "Why? Is there a problem?" ire checked herself in the mirror from different angles and saw nothing wrong. It was even odd for her that Leena asked such a question. "Yes. It l ed her head to evade ire''s questioning stare. "Are you an employee of FX International Group? Is that how you know their CEO?" ire had spent the whole night learning about the FX International Group. She was surprised to know that the group was the most influential enterprise of the city and that it had expanded into diverse industries. Moreover, what charmed her more to it was the fact that the CEO of that business was a handsome and dignified man. She was instantly enchanted! "Er... Why do you think so?" Leena didn''t know how to respond to that. She had told ire that she worked in the fashion world. Howe she linked her job with FX International Group? "That''s what you said. You said that your work was rted to fashion. A lot of FX International Group''s properties involve fashion business. If you don''t work for FX International Group, howe you know their CEO?" ire pursed her lips after she nagged the question out. She knew that the jobs in FX International Group were all high-paying. That was an idealpany she could work for. "Well... I don''t know how to exin it to you." There was no other way to describe the situation Leena was suddenly in but the word awkward. Would it be alright to tell her that the charming CEO of FX International Group was her brother''s best friend who had treated her like his own sister since she was a child? Chapter 1084 Running Into Rain (Part One) "This is crazy! Don''t tell me that he is your old me! No, no, it''s impossible. It is true that he is a womanizer but I don''t think that a man as eligible as him would ever set eyes on a woman like you." ire muttered with contempt as she crossed her arms over her chest. She then gently stroked her chin while mentally sizing Leena up, looking thoughtful. "Sorry ire, but please watch your tongue about this." Different from her calm demeanor, Leena replied with displeasure as she took the food out of their microwave. She might be able tough it off if ire only taunted her, but how she said it just now was a pure insult. That attack was way under the belt and even too personal. "I won''t keep making wild guesses if you don''t make a mystery of it. You can save yourself the trouble by simply telling me the truth," ire said annoyedly and then pouted. She found Leena''s reaction a bit surprising as she seldom uttered harsh words. The reaction she begot from Leena made her think that she did something wrong though she was just curious about it. "Forget it. Let''s have breakfast," Leena finally said after taking a deep breath secretly to calm herself. She too had realized that she was acting emotionally just now. But any ordinary person could lose his or her temper if offended constantly and unreasonably by others. "So you are pissed off? But I thought that you have a good temper, don''t you?" A smirk yed on ire''s lips upon noticing that Leena''s face darkened. She had always believed that Leena was just pretending to be a nice person. She wasn''t expecting to blow her cover so easily though. "No, I''m not. I''m afraid that you have read me wrong. Come and join me before the food gets cold again." Leena gave her sister-inw b? I bet they won''t pay you much for this kind of light work," Her sister-inw''s answer made ire grimace. Her surprise quickly turned into disapproval as she thought that she would never settle for such a type of job if it paid low. "Well...the sry is not bad. It is enough to cover my expenses," said Leena casually while grabbing a tissue. She then wiped her mouth elegantly after her meal. Leena couldn''t care less about money since she had nock of it. That was the reason why she didn''t mind about how much she was earning from her current job. "Yeah, I can tell it from your tastes," teased ire as she cast a nce at Leena''s nightgown. The dress was quite tasteless from her point of view, thus, she couldn''t help but wonder exactly what was it about Leena that had attracted her brother. "I''ve got to go upstairs and change. Wait for me for a while, will you? I will be right back." Turning a deaf ear to ire''s words, Leena rose up and walked away. She knew very well that ire was challenging her but she said nothing to fight back. She already made peace with it as she understood that being serious with ire would only drive her crazy. Chapter 1085 Running Into Rain (Part Two) "Take your time. I''m in no hurry anyway. Make sure to dress yourself up. You see, I don''t want to be seen going out with a vige girl!" ire called after her as she tried to put her down with her words. She doubted it that Leena could again strike her as a good stylistter. However, Leena was taken aback by what ire said this time. She slipped and nearly fell to the ground at her words. It was just that the phrase "a vige girl" had reminded her of Justin. This imp once made fun of her using the same kind of expression. It seemed that it was impossible for her to get rid of the tag and she still couldn''t take it well. The weather wasfortable in this city since winter just began. The amiable sunshine had added to the warmth and everything was just beautiful. It was the reason why Leena picked some light clothing. She wore a pair of well-cut shorts and matched it with a holey cardigan sweater which was simple but looked unique and fashionable. She wore a vest inside toplete her trendy ensemble. In the end, ire was rendered speechless as she never expected for Leena toe out as a lovely and fashionable woman. "Honestly, Leena, you never cease to surprise me these two days! " ire cried out. Although Leena had amazed ire oncest night by turning into a fashionable woman, ire was still impressed by her choice of outfit today. It was then that her view of Leena''s fashion truly changed. "Why?" Leena puzzledly asked while bending down to put on her ankle boots, getting ready to go out. "I thought I have seen through you but now I feel like you still have a lot up in your sleeve." C what you have seen and will see, and no matter what those things tell you about me, there''s only one thing''s for sure, they can''t tell my whole story and they won''t change who I am." Leena smiled solemnly. In all honesty, ire''s shift of attitude towards her didn''t make her happy, rather it frustrated her. ire might have really changed her opinion about her but Leena knew that it was not because ire had seen her true self. Her sister-inw never liked her for who she was, but rather, looked at the material possessions that she had. That made ire''s approval both pointless and worthless. "Wow, now you are making yourself even more mysterious. Tell me more about you!" Things about Leena shed back in ire''s mind as she thought them over. Leena would buy those expensive designer clothes without batting an eye. She was a friend of a wealthy and powerful CEO. Moreover, she seemed to own a lot of luxury cars. Who could she be? Could everything be more confusing than it was? Never before had ire thought about this question and now she couldn''t take her mind off it. Chapter 1086 Running Into Rain (Part Three) It was Leena''sughter that woke up ire from spacing out. "You are so funny, ire. You really are overthinking it. I am nothing special. Who do you think I am? A secret agent or a spy?" Leena found ire''s serious face incredibly amusing. After all, ire would usually show her contempt when talking to her. She had never imagined this woman to wear such a solemn expression as now. "Stopughing at me. Just tell me what is your rtionship to that Mr. Mu?" urged ire. She took the chance to bring the topic up again as her curiosity was already eating her up. "Are you sure you want to know?" Leena asked with a frown. She was weighing the pros and cons of telling ire what she wanted to know when an idea popped into her mind. It might be a good opportunity to make requests, she thought. "Of course! Otherwise, why should I bother to keep asking you? I''m not a gossipy old woman, and I only want to know more about that famouspany." ire tried to make an excuse for herself. She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips to her sister-inw. "It wouldn''t hurt to tell you but there are some conditions. What do you say?" Leena turned to check on ire''s expression. She was curious about how thedy would react to what she just said. "Conditions? I beg your pardon, Leena? Are you trying to take advantage of me? Dream on! Don''t swagger just because I have shown some patience. I won''t fall into any of your traps!" ire snapped with a grim expression. She did want to know about Leena''s secrets, but it didn''t mean that she would bend to meet any of her demands. Who did Leena think she was? ire thought. She surely would not lose her so-called dignity over this matt many things if ire hadn''t agreed to help her. Now it was easy for ire to break her promise but it was not easy for her to cope with all the goods. Leena just couldn''t understand why ire had to act like a kid when she was no longer one. It was just too childish for her to get into a tantrum like that. "It''s none of my business! But if you are clever enough, you can carry them to the car in two lots. Of course, as a kind person, I can keep a watch on the rest of them while you are away. Isn''t it a good idea?" ire said pompously while crossing her arms over her chest and looking at Leena like a boss. The fact that Leena was her sister-inw didn''t make ire pay more attention to courtesies. As she saw it, she was older than Leena. Who said that Leena could be the boss here? "What? You mean I have to take two trips from here to the car while you just stand by and do nothing?" Leena drew a long face after hearing what ire said. She got overwhelmed by frustration when she discovered that ire opted not to help her rather than merely vent her rage with harsh words. She honestly didn''t see thating. Chapter 1087 Running Into Rain (Part Four) "You can take only one trip and carry all of them at once if you want to save yourself the trouble. It''s all up to you." ire smiled gloatingly. ''Trying to trick me, huh? I can make sure that retribution wille soon enough.'' ire thought to herself. "Don''t you see that there are so many of them. I can''t take them all unless I''m a superwoman." Leena grew worried and anxious. She never thought of ire to be as vengeful as this. She admitted that she herself also liked to settle scores but it was obvious that ire was keener about it. "I''m sorry, but this doesn''t concern me since it is not my fault." ire continued with her excuses. She was now taking pleasure in Leena''s trouble and would not stop getting Leena off her high horse. "Leena? Howe you are here? I heard that you had gone to the capital city." Just then, a deep male voice suddenly came from behind them. Leena turned and caught sight of a tall and handsome figure. She recognized him immediately. It was Rain. "Rain! So you havee back!" Leena eximed. She couldn''t help but put all the bags aside the moment she saw him. She hurriedly dashed to him and flung herself into his arms excitedly. "Yes, I came back a few days ago. I meant to invite you for dinner upon arrival but they said that you had gone to the capital city with Kevin. So I thought I had better not disturb you. I wasn''t expecting to see you here. What a surprise!" Rain said with a wicked smile. It could have been an emotional moment but then Rain was a natural rascal thus, he couldn''t help but act as one. It might have been a long time since thest time they met but Rain''s mboyant manner didn''t even change a bit. Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. t ire saw a man who could turn wickedness into a charm. She was so captivated by him that his handsome face was the only thing she could see that moment. It took her a while to recover from her trance and s! Guess what she realized as soon as her wits were back? The two were literally hugging each other right before her face! It could have been okay if one of them wasn''t her brother''s wife! Was it even appropriate for Leena to talk intimately with another man right before her sister-inw? "Who is she, Leena?" Rain asked as he shot ire a meaningful look. He wasn''t really aware that there was a third person present at that time. He looked in ire''s direction and found a strange girl standing there, stone-faced. It made him look back to Leena and raise one of his eyebrows questioningly. "Oh! She''s my sister-inw, and her name is ire Gu, just call her ire." Leena had also forgotten about ire''s existence until she spoke. She hastened to introduce her but there was no guilt or embarrassment shown on her face. Clearly, she found nothing wrong with how she and Rain were treating each other. Chapter 1088 Knowing More About Leena (Part One) "Oh, I see. Hi there, beautiful. I am Rain Xia." Rain introduced himself frivolously as he turned his gaze to ire. He had always been known to have the highest beauty standard and the keenest eyes among hisds. He was so good at judging beauties that the corner of his mouth automatically twitched as soon as he set his eyes on ire. Goodness! Nobody warned him that he would be seeing a talking rainbow. Her makeup was too colorful and bright that she was literally hard to look at. Moreover, the way she was absent-mindedly looking at his face made him feel that she wanted to eat him. He couldn''t understand how an arrogant man as Kevin had an immature sister who couldn''t even take her eyes off a handsome man. "Hi there. How did you know Leena Leng? What''s the rtionship between you two? I can see that you two are so close that you guys don''t even mind hugging in public." ire didn''t even hesitate to call Leena by her full name now that her parents weren''t around. To her, Leena''s bright smile was like a piece of stone under her shoes, making her very ufortable. She couldn''t wait to crush it. "Huh! Beautiful, don''t you think that what you said sounds a little rude?" Rainughed so hard that the people around them started to cast curious gazes at them. "Leena Leng, who is this guy? Does my brother know that you are such a loose woman?" ire asked even more loudly as she masked her jealousy with her fake sisterly-concern. How could she even care for Kevin when all she could think of was how adoring Rain was when he looked at Leena? Never had a handsome man like him looked at her that way. That was unfair! "ire, right? First of all, Leena is your sister-inw. Do you think it is appropriate for you to talk to her in such a tone? Second, our rtionship has always been honorable. Leena is like a sister to me. There''s nothing going on between us. Feel free to ask your d Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. m so easily? I am not fragile." Leena smiled. She was grateful even if she was a spoiled girl. She wouldn''t just stand there and watch Rain do all the work. Thus, she took two lighter bags. She knew that Rain wouldn''t let her grab the heavier ones. Leena and Rain started to move towards the car. And again, ire felt angry and ignored as she watched the two. ''How dare they treat me as if I were invisible?'' she thought. She couldn''t just stand there stupidly as no one was even talking to her. She had no choice but to follow them into the car silently. She was new in the city and she had no n of being stranded at a supermarket. Leena unlocked the car doors while walking towards the car. It was lucky for her toe across Rain. Otherwise, she would have to go around between the parking lot and the supermarket twice just to carry her things. "Thank you, Rain!" Leena said as soon as everything was in the trunk. "Don''t mention it, kiddo. It makes me feel like an outsider. It''s lunchtime. How about having lunch with me?" Rain suggested as he looked at his watch. "Well, let me check with ire first. She might not want to go." It was only then that Leena checked back on ire. She hadn''t paid much attention to her while she was carrying the bags. Chapter 1089 Knowing More About Leena (Part Two) "What''s the matter, kiddo? Since when did you be so timid? This is not like you at all. It''s just lunch. Why do you have to ask for permission? Just get divorced ande home if this is how your life is with him! We''ll take care of you. Who said that we wanted you to get married in the first ce?" Rain was worried about Leena''s sudden changes. She used to be decisive and brisk. He didn''t like how overly cautious their princess had be. "Rain, do you want me to die alone?" Leena rolled her eyes at him. She knew that he had said that out of love. People who didn''t know him might think that he was simply breaking her marriage, though. "What? Die alone? That''s insane! You are beautiful and intelligent. You are our little princess. Whoever thinks you would die alone is out of his stupid mind. We just think that you deserve better." Rain retorted as soon as he heard Leena''s words, as if he was afraid they woulde true. "I don''t care about better. Whoever I like is the best." However, Leena disregarded his worry with a bitter smile. Kevin might not love her now but she knew that he would someday. "Good. Be willful. As my sister, that''s the spirit you need." Rain felt sad for her and took her into his arms. Leena was never arrogant or rude although she was a spoiled girl. Someone like her definitely deserved a better life. "Howe it sounds like disapproval rather than approval?" Leena broke off from his embrace gently and then turned to ire. She waved at the girl toe over. "Tell me honestly, is there something wrong with your sister-inw? She looks like a clown. Her makeup is way too weird." Rain had been around women for the longest time and it made him an expert at spotting makeup. ire''s makeup was simply the worst he had seen so far. "Don''t say that in her face. Maybe the trend confuses her. She thinks this kind of makeup is in fashion, but she doesn''t know that it doesn''t suit her," Leena whispered in Rain''s ear to make sure that the approaching ire wouldn''t hear her. "Huh! Considering her skin, don''t you think that lighter makeup will make her look less like she ate crayons for breakfast?" Unfortunately, Rain didn''t give a damn if ire would hear him or not. He even gave another heartyugh after what he said. "Are you talking about me behind my back?" It was then that ire arrived and looked at the two suspiciously. She had noticed them talking andughing while staring at her earlier. There was no doubt that they were talking about her. "No! Of course, we are not. Rain wants to invite us sed her off to see how he looked at Leena like she was the only thing in the world. Rain went towards his red Maybach and ire kept her eyes on him until he got in the car. "Leena Leng, what kind of person is Rain?" She couldn''t help being amazed as everyone surrounding Leena seemed to be crazy rich. As far as she knew, Rain was driving a prestige car. "Oh, he is the vice president of FX International Group. Didn''t you know that?" Leena was surprised to hear ire''s question since Kevin had told her that she''d been surfing about the FX International Group. How could she possibly not know about Rain? The man was a public figure whose face was all over the news. "Er... It''s him. No wonder he seems familiar. I saw his pictures on the Intest night." ire''s eyes lit up as she had thought that someone like Rain was unapproachable. She couldn''t believe how close he was right now and how she even socialized with him. Goodness! She even had a fight with him just moments ago. "Actually, he is quite easy-going. Don''t take the argument seriously. He just cares about me too much and can''t stand seeing me being pushed around." It was toote when Leena realized that she had said something wrong. Her mouth had already spat her thoughts unconsciously. "Leena Leng, what do you mean? Do you mean that I pushed you around?" ire had heard her clearly and taken everything she had said to heart. "That''s not what I mean. You see, everything that concerns me draws his attention. That''s why he had that conflict with you." Leena ended up exining in a rush. Nheless, ire already made up her mind and her words just made the situation worse! Oh, how frustrating it was to exin herself. Chapter 1090 I Still Have A Chance (Part One) "Don''t get smart. Since when have my family done you wrong? Quit looking so pathetic and miserable." ire was getting irritated by Rain''s questions and felt that Leena was the one behind all of it. How could she toy with her and make Rain misunderstand her? "Don''t be ridiculous, ire. I have told you that it''s a slip of the tongue." ire''s argument left Leena deeply depressed. She wondered since when had ire developed the habit of twisting other people'' words. "Haven''t you told me this? You can''t just say anything as you like, can you?" retorted ire as she raised a quizzical eyebrow to her sister-inw. She was blessed with wealth and privileges in the Capital City. However, it wasn''t the case now that she was here in S City. Even Leena whom she could easily push around before was now striking back at her. It was uneptable! "Alright, it''s my fault," said Leena helplessly as she shook her head in despair. She couldn''t believe how difficult it was to change ire''s perception. "I''m damn right about that. There''s no escaping the fact that it''s all your fault," whispered ire. She pursed her lips with distaste. It was then when her mobile phone rang and she picked it up. It was Louisa calling her. She rolled her eyes and decided to just watch her phone screen as she was still mad at Louisa. "Aren''t you going to answer your phone?" Leena asked out of curiosity as she got no clue as to why she wouldn''t pick up her mobile phone. Nheless, her concern earned a displeased re from ire as if to say that it was none of her business. It was then that ire bit her lips and decided to talk over the phone. "Hello! ire, where are you right now? Can we grab lunch together?" Louisa''s voice came in haste as soon as she pressed the answer button. She was afraid that ire might hang up Louisa even if their friendship wasn''t perfect. Turning Louisa down ruthlessly and refusing to forgive her made ire feel guilty. "Alright, I wish you a good day," said Louisa reluctantly. The disappointment on her voice was so clear that it could be tasted in the air. "Wait a minute. Maybe I can talk with Leena, and ask for her permission," said ire suddenly. Hearing Louisa''s disappointed voice softened ire''s heart. She didn''t intend to hurt her friend''s ego. She chose to just forget about her mischief and revenge immediately. "Why would you have to ask for her permission? Can''t you invite your friend to your brother''s house as a guest? As far as I''m concerned, Kevin''s the owner of that house. Since when have you cared about Leena''s opinions?" asked Louisa furiously. Louisa never took Leena seriously as she was only concerned about Kevin and nothing else. "But my brother warned me that he would surely send me home if I make troubles again," said ire. Her embarrassment was so clear in her voice as she admitted how inferior she was inside Kevin''s house. ire respected her brother and had to heed Kevin''s warning. Otherwise, she wouldn''t even pay attention to what Leena thought or felt. Chapter 1091 I Still Have A Chance (Part Two) "We''re fine as long as we leave your brother alone and unprovoked. ire, am I right?" Louisa tried to convince ire. She would have no chance to approach the man she loved if ire would not help her. "Alright. I''ll wait for you at home tonight." ire gave in and eventually felt more cheerful despite everything. She finally got fed up with how Louisa was pestering her. Thus, she had to grant Louisa''s request regardless of Leena''s possible protests and grudges. "Thanks, I''lle to you before Kevin gets back home." Louisa was ecstatic. ire''s change of mind made her think that she was one more step closer to bing Kevin''s wife. "Ok. See youter. Bye," said ire before she hung up the phone. She was in low spirit the whole night and it was only now that she felt relieved. In general, she didn''t forget her promise to Louisa that she would do everything to make her brother love her and eventually, marry her. Leena''s face darkened as she heard what ire said over the phone. She didn''t intend to eavesdrop, it was just that ire didn''t even attempt to hide the conversation from her. She might not have heard what Louisa said to convince ire on inviting her home. But Leena was smart and could guess. "I have invited Louisa toe to our house tonight. I don''t think you''ll refuse her and embarrass me," said ire defiantly as she turned to Leena. She might sound that she was asking Leena for permission but the truth was that she wasn''t. She doubted it if Leena could turn such a small request down from her husband''s sister. "You already promised Louisa, ire. Will my opinion even matter?" Leena sneered. Her heart was silently aching with the fact that she was such a loser when it came to getting along with her sister-inw. She had already tried her best but still failed d her head and didn''t dare to look Rain in the eye. "Miss Gu, we just met a while ago. So, being polite and nice to you is a necessity. And I don''t think I could get acquainted with someone who treats my princess badly," said Rain bitterly. As angry as he was deep down inside him, Rain still smiled broadly at ire. It made him look both scary and annoying that ire suddenly started to be curious about why Rain adopted such aplicated attitude towards her. "Well, Speaking of which, I''m really sorry. I should have behaved myself to avoid some misunderstandings," ire replied. She gritted her teeth and thought that she had just made a fool of herself in front of Rain. She then threw a furious and suspicious re at Leena. "ire, you don''t want to bother yourself arguing with the likes of him. He was living abroad for such a long time and I bet he has already forgotten how to speak his mother tongue properly." Although Leena harbored secret grudges against ire, she was afraid that ire might stamp her foot, lose her temper, and yell at Rain. She couldn''t allow her to make such a fuss in the restaurant once she felt insulted by Rain''s big mouth. She should definitely find a way out. Chapter 1092 I Still Have A Chance (Part Three) "Leena, please don''t be so ungrateful. I have said nothing but the truth. Am I wrong?" said Rain. He shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the back of his chair leisurely. He seemed to like toying with ire despite the fact that he wanted to get justice for Leena. "Yes, you''re terribly wrong. So, I suggest that you should eat like a horse and keep your mouth shut." She pretended to be mad at Rain. She then winked an eye at the man to gesture that he shouldn''t be too harsh to Kevin''s sister. "As you wish, my princess." Rain shook his head in disbelief. He wondered why Leena attempted to save the face of her torturer. However, if Leena didn''t intend to take revenge, Rain wouldn''t act again as she wished. Thest thing he wanted to do was put Leena in an awkward position. However, ire either misunderstood Leena or was just simply ungrateful. She thought that Leena was showing off her close rtionship with this handsome gentleman. It made her hate Leena more as she stopped herself from yelling at her sister-inw. They weren''t arguing anymore when they started eating. It could be because of the delicious Korean food or because they had silently made an agreement not to fight with each other anymore. However, ire just detested how Rain seemed to be extremely nice to Leena. As far as she was concerned, Rain''s fondness for Leena was abnormal. She was getting more and more suspicious of their rtionship. Meanwhile, she was afraid that she might be getting them wrong too. How could Leena cheat on Kevin right before her sister-inw, right? They quickly paid their bill after their lunch and came out of the Korean vors Restaurant. Since Rain had an appointment in theing hours, he had to go and left Leena and ire behind. It was after they saw Rain''s car moving away from them that Leena and ire started walking back to th t joking at all, as she was actually calcting how to get closer to Rain. "Well, I hope you''re telling the truth. Otherwise, you may scare me to death." ire''s remarks helped to relieve Leena''s anxieties. It would be both unbelievable and unimaginable if her sister-inw pursued her best friend. Moreover, ire''s impulsive actions mightplicate everything. "Of course I''m telling the truth. Rain''s too awful to be a future husband, isn''t he?" ire lied. She shot an angry nce at Leena and decided that she must hide her true thoughts about Rain from the woman. It wouldn''t be nice if Leena tried to ruin her ns. As long as Rain stayed unmarried, he would be good enough to be her husband. "ire, please don''t lie to me. This isn''t a joke. The consequences may be too severe for you to bear. Do you understand?" said Leena sternly. The way her sister-inw looked back at her had blown her anxiety even bigger. She knew Rain''s capability in charming girls. Women would flock around him foolishly and passionately like moths to fire despite the fact that Rain had tried to avoid courting any of those women. It was clear to Leena how much she needed to be precautious to save ire from making a bigger fool out of herself. Chapter 1093 Astonishment (Part One) "Really, really! I don''t need to lie to you, okay?" ire told Leena in an annoyed tone. Her jaw tightened. The more Leena wanted to make her give up the idea of getting to know Rain, the more she wanted to do the opposite. ire didn''t believe that she couldn''t handle a man like him. Leena was still a bit worried. She didn''t believe that ire took her words seriously. ire was only saying this to make her shut up. However, Leena couldn''t say anything more, now that ire had already denied her suspicions. When Louisa arrived at the Grand Apartment, it was still pretty early. Her dress was striking and she looked sexy. It was very obvious that she had put in a lot of effort in her appearance, to attract Kevin. But much to her disappointment, he wasn''t home yet. "Bring us two cups of coffee!" ire said to Leena as she weed Louisa into the living room. She treated Leena like she was a servant. "Wait a moment." Leena dragged the vacuum cleaner she had been using to the corner. Now that there was a guest in the house, she couldn''t continue cleaning anymore. Besides, it was almost time for dinner. She needed to go to the kitchen and start cooking. "Louisa, you look really pretty today," ireplimented her. She was being honest. After all, Louisa must have spent a lot of time getting dressed, so how could she not look beautiful? Even if Louisa was ugly, she looked nice enough when she put so much effort into getting ready. "Thank you! You look really nice too," Louisa said faintly, not actually meaning her words. ire looked the same as she did this mor dashed to the kitchen, fearing that she wouldn''t be able to control her anger and start an argument with them. ire didn''t want to let it go so easily, even though Leena didn''t talk back. While Leena prepared dinner, ire constantly disturbed her, asking her to bring something or the other to them. Her actions ticked off Leena even more. She couldn''t stand it anymore. "ire, don''t you have your own hands? If you want something, then move and get it yourself, instead of asking me to do it for you! You should know that I''m busy preparing dinner for all of us!" Leena couldn''t refrain herself from shouting when ire asked her to bring napkins for her again. ire could do these menial tasks on her own, but instead she pestered Leena to do it, who ire knew was busy in the kitchen. Even a saint would be driven crazy in this situation, and Leena was no saint. "Leena, this is your apartment. How would I know where everything is? Of course, I would ask you for help." ire wasn''t ashamed of her actions. She made ame excuse and argued back. Chapter 1094 Astonishment (Part Two) "All right, all right! You can never be wrong! It''s my fault, happy?" Leena walked back into the kitchen in anger. Her eyes reddened. She knew ire was doing this intentionally since Louisa was here. ire wanted to embarrass her in front of their guest. If Leena hadn''t known how much Louisa liked Kevin, she would not care about what ire did at all. But she knew that Louisa had onlye here for Kevin. Leena felt so ashamed upon being treated like a servant in front of her romantic rival. "Louisa, did I go too far this time? Leena seems so angry! I''m afraid she will tell my brother about it." ire was a bit shocked to see Leena lose her temper. Her eyes grew big, ncing at Louisa for help. After all, it was Louisa''s idea to treat Leena like this. "Don''t worry. It will be okay. If she really wants to get along with you, she would not tell this to your brother. Leena has to stick it out if she wants to get on your good side, although she does look angry as fuck." The corners of Louisa''s lips lifted into a sly smile. ''How would I get back at you for making me so upset if I don''t make your own life miserable?'' Louisa thought wickedly. "Do you really think so? I am afraid she''d get fed up and take it all out on me. You saw how she just shouted at me." ire tilted her head and looked in the direction of the kitchen. She couldn''t see Leena from so far away. "Just rx. Besides, if she really tells Kevin about this, you can always deny it happened. Kevin wouldn''t doubt his own sister, right?" Louisa continued to assure ire. She was happy to see Leena so vexed. Her n had paid off after all. "Well, you are right. But I don''t want to go too fa I am going to show you some pictures." ire felt shy and didn''t want Louisa to know that she was harboring a crush on one of the men who ran thepany. She stood up, ready to show Louisa some photos of Rain. ire took Louisa''s hand and dragged her upstairs. "What pictures? Slow down, ire!" Louisa was dressed in a short skirt and couldn''t walk as fast as ire. "Oh! I''m sorry! I didn''t remember you are wearing that short skirt. Just see those photos first!" ire slowed down at Louisa''sint. ire was still very eager for Louisa to see the photos. She wanted to know her opinion. "ire, why do you suddenly want to show me some mysterious pictures? What''s this about? Are you in love and haven''t told me?" Louisa just wanted to tease her, but as the words left her mouth, she felt that she could be right. It was possible. "No! Of course not! What are you thinking? I just want to show you who the people in charge of FX International Group are, that''s all," ire made an excuse and blushed. She was too shy to say out loud that she wanted to know what Louisa thought of Rain so badly. Chapter 1095 Astonishment (Part Three) "Why the hell do you want to show me that? Are you really nning to apply for a job there? To be honest, I don''t think you stand any chance. Their job requirements are too difficult to meet. There isn''t any work there that is suitable for us." Louisa had been ire''s roommate for years, so she knew about her grades. They were both pretty awful at studies. They would definitely not get a job in apany like FX International Group. "Of course not! You will know when you see the pictures." ire dragged Louisa into the study without waiting for her reply. She had been using Kevin''sputer to look up Rain before Louisa came here, so she didn''t need to turn it on. "All right, all right. Now I''m intrigued. Let me see the pictures." Louisa felt helpless at ire''s behavior and let herself be dragged to theputer. Louisa couldn''t deny that she was curious. "So what do you think of him?" ire pointed at the screen. On theputer was a news report, along with a picture of a very handsome man. It was Rain. ire had looked him up as soon as she got home after lunch. Judging from the various reports across the inte, she could tell that Rain was an enticing man who could easily charm any woman who walked the earth. "Him? Is he a famous movie star?" Louisa lowered her head and leaned toward the screen. She looked at the man on the screen for long but didn''t recognize him at all. He was obviously not a famous star whom she knew. "Um. You really don''t know him at all, do you? He is the vice president of FX International Group! Leena and I had lunch with him today." A deep blush stained ire''s cheeks. One would think she was in a rtionship with Rain seeing her act like this. She looked bashful. In truth, there wa r picture on the screen. She had a feeling she had seen this man before, but she couldn''t remember where. "Oh! You mean him? He is the president of FX International Group! What? Do you know him?" ire asked in confusion. The man looked even more handsome and rich than Rain, but it was obvious he was also more aloof and untouchable, judging from the distant look on his face. ire was sure she couldn''t handle a man like that. She was self-aware enough to know this. "No, I don''t know him. He just looks familiar, that''s all. Let me think. Oh! I remember where I saw him! If I am not wrong, he is Leena''s brother!" Louisa''s eyebrows furrowed. She remembered correctly, didn''t she? This man was Leena''s brother. Leena had said it herself. If it was true, had she been wrong about Leena''s background all this time? Leena wasn''t some poor girl from an ordinary family, was she? She must be rich and born to a noble household, like her brother. The thought made Louisa lose her confidence. ''How can Ipete with that?'' she wondered, but quickly recovered. ''No, I am thinking too much. If they are really brother and sister, why don''t they have the samest name?'' Chapter 1096 Sneaking Into Leenas Bedroom (Part One) "What? What kind of brother? He must be just a friend of hers. Didn''t you notice? This man''sst name is Mu, while Leena''s family name is Leng. They are very different." ire frowned. Even if it looked like Leena had a close rtionship with the two presidents of FX International, it did not mean that Leena was a daughter of a rich family! ire did not believe that such an ordinary girl like Leena could have any real intimacy with these people who clearly belonged to the upper ss. "ire, I just wonder if there is a possibility that Leena took her mother''sst name. That''s why she doesn''t have the same family name as her brother. Don''t you think so?" Louisa''s eyebrows furrowed in thought. There were some uncertainties in her words. If Leena really belonged to a rich family, then her advantage on Leena would disappear. "How is that possible? Louisa, if that is the case, do you think that a cultivated girl from the super wealthy family could do the housework so well? Most young people can''t do housework that well, even when they are from ordinary families! Not to mention those from the rich families. I can only guess that the rtionship between Leena and these men is some kind of casual acquaintance. Maybe they know each other by ident. She seems so close to them because she is very good at luring men. She''s probably great at flirting and charming them. That must be it," ire said scornfully, her words insulting. She did not feel that her remarks carried any personal affronts to Leena''s character. "When you put it like that, I see that must be it. Otherwise, how could she have seduced your brother in such a short time? They got married without telling anyone. As far as I am concerned, she must have married Kevin because of his title. It is hard to find a young and handsome Major General like Kevin," Louisamented, managing to convinc ing to have ire in the palm of her hands. "No, I haven''t. But that is a good idea! Louisa, let''s go check it out. I haven''t been inside her bedroom anyway." Unlike Louisa, ire did not have any interest in Kevin and Leena''s bedroom before. But now after listening to Louisa, ire felt it made sense to check it out to find some clues on Leena. The two sneaked into Leena''s bedroom quietly. Louisa had deliberately entered itst time but didn''t get the chance to take a closer look at it before being forced out by Kevin immediately. Since Leena was cooking downstairs, they could walk in. And they had sufficient time to look around this time. To her surprise, the room was beautifully decorated and the walls were painted in romantic colors. The bedroom was warm and cozy because of the borate interiors. It was not difficult to tell that Leena had an elegant taste. "Wow! What a beautiful room! It''s totally different from the outside. Look at this snow-white carpet! There''s not the slightest stain on it. Louisa, we must take off our shoes. If we get the floor dirty, people will know that we have sneaked in." ire didn''t expect the bedroom to be so luxurious. She could tell from a nce that the decorations cost a lot of money. Chapter 1097 Sneaking Into Leenas Bedroom (Part Two) "I know. I know. Why are you so afraid of her?" Louisa bit her lip. She was so envious that she couldn''t control her expressions. ording to Louisa, only she was fit to live in such an opulent house. How she wished to attach her name to every corner of this house! "I am not afraid of her! It''s just bad to sneak into a room without the owner''s permission." ire''s eyebrows scrunched together. A hint of embarrassment rose in her heart. Last time at Capital City, she had entered Leena''s room without her consent. But back then, she had known that Leena was already inside. The situation was entirely different this time. ire felt like that she was a thief. "What do you mean, ire? You think I''m doing something wrong? If you think so, let''s get out of here, in case you put the me on me once you get scolded by them," Louisa said. Her face became stern immediately. She just didn''t know why ire was so hesitant about this. "Louisa, don''t get angry! I did not mean that. I would never me you!" Upon seeing Louisa''s unhappy face, ire reached out and patted Louisa''s hands gently. "I''m not angry with you. We have been friends for so many years, so I know you wouldn''t do that." Louisa was deeply upset, but she had the sound mind not to choose such a moment to fall out with ire. After all, she had not achieved her real purpose yet and still needed ire''s help. "Thanks, Louisa. I know we are best friends. Besides, we are not here to quarrel with each other. Let''s see what we can find in this room. Maybe we can start from her wardrobe. Let me see what kind of clothes she has." ire had been shocked by the extraordinary dresses Leena wore the past two days, so she was first and foremost interested in Leena''s wardrobe. ire stepped forward and opened it, then promptly froze. "I want to see it too." ch attention to Leena''s clothes or ever asked her their cost, but based on his understanding of her, he knew her clothes were branded and very expensive. "Oh, yes. I see. Uh, we should go downstairs." ire stuck out her tongue behind his back. Fortunately, Kevin was in good mood today and did not scold her too much. She had better run away before he changed his mind. "Yes. Go downstairs and help Leena for a while. You have grown up now. Why are you still so immature?" Kevin frowned and picked up the briefcase he just put down. Due to the week-long vacation, he had a lot of pending work to do. A lot of documents needed to be reviewed. Although he spent all his time working on them today, he could not finish them all. So he brought the documents home. Fortunately, these were not confidential documents so he could bring them home with him. He did not need to stay at the army base all evening to work on them. As soon as ire and Louisa got Kevin''s approval, they rushed out of the room. They didn''t want him to change his mind at thest second. He was so serious in his manner and his voice that few people could stand fearlessly before him. Louisa and ire did not want to experience such pressure again. Chapter 1098 Sneaking Into Leenas Bedroom (Part Three) "My God. I was so scared!" They ran downstairs. ire kept patting her chest, sighing in relief. Her heart was pounding hard but she pretended to be calm. "Are you kidding? What was there to be scared of? We just went in and had a look. We didn''t do anything bad!" Louisa''s lips curled, disying her indifference to ire''s panic. She too had been very nervous, but she would never reveal such a thing to ire. After all, she was the daughter of Kevin''s superior. How could she be afraid of Kevin? "That''s true, but didn''t you notice how terrifying my brother was? Fortunately, I was fast enough toe up with an exnation. Otherwise, we would still be inside, being scolded by him at this moment!" ire picked up the cup on the coffee table and took a gulp of water, trying to calm herself. Louisa did not know about Kevin''s temper. It was easy for her to have such an idea, but ire was very familiar with her brother''s temper. How could it be possible for her to be calm and collected under his gaze? "We didn''t get caught. I don''t think there''s anything to be worried about now." Louisa pretended to be unconcerned andposed. But like ire, she picked up the cup too and swallowed the cold water, aying her fears. "What''s up? You both seem to be in a state of shock. What happened?" Leena came out of the kitchen and asked curiously when she saw their nervous faces. She had been cooking in the kitchen and hadn''t noticed where they had gone to. As long as they didn''t spend their time finding faults in her, Leena didn''t care much about where they went and what they did. "Huh? Oh my god. You scare me! Why didn''t you make any sound when you showed up?" ire said, rolling her eyes. Her tone held no respect for Leena. She felt that her fright which had been pressed down just now came out and took her breath again. "I did make sound. You must have been an before. Her figure was finepared to most people. However, as opposed to Leena''s slim waist, Louisa''s own was a little plump. The first thing she had noticed when she entered the doors of this house was Leena''s petite figure. That was the very first moment she felt intense jealousy and even a sense of hatred. "That''s true. But a certain part of your body is even plumper!" ire eximed loudly, ncing at Louisa''s chest. Her breasts almost popped out of her low-cut and tight top. "Stop that, you wicked girl! When did you get so bad?" Louisa said in a delicate voice and covered up her chest with her hands. Her face flushed with embarrassment. The shy look she disyed was very realistic. "Hmm. Are you wearing this dress just to let people see you? And it is particr for someone. Am I right?" ire said happily, joking around with Louisa about her intentions to lure Kevin. She didn''t notice her brother''s slowly descending figure. "What are you talking about? Don''t make fun of me. You think too much. I am not that kind of girl! I have some self-esteem!" Louisa''s face turned even redder. ire was absolutely correct. Luring Kevin had truly been Louisa''s intention. She was embarrassed that ire saw through her so easily. Chapter 1099 Got Caught (Part One) "Haha! Louisa, do you dress up this way to seduce my brother?" ire started to tease Louisa upon seeing the odd expression on Louisa''s face. However, she missed noticing how Kevin frowned in disapproval after he heard her remarks. "No, I don''t. Stop making fun of me," said Louisa with a shy smile. She even bowed her head in an awkward attempt to evade ire''s eyes. It was pathetic since everybody in the house perfectly knew that she wore those expensive and eye-catching clothes to please Kevin. "Don''t be shy, Louisa. Just admit it. A girl will doll up for her lover. My brother isn''t here anyway, so don''t keep your secrets from me," said ire as she giggled. She found it fun to tease Louisa this way and she surely had the time of her life doing it. They were still busy with their little chit-chat when a baritone voice suddenly broke through the air. "Are you looking for me?" It was Kevin and he shot Louisa with an uninterested look, then followed it with a short mockingugh. His face expression was dark as he walked to the girls who were exchanging friendly banters. He shook his head and then nced across the room. It was evident that the man was not in his best mood. "Shoot! Were you nning to scare us to death! Why are you even sneaking in without making any sound? You''re being rude! Do you know that?" yelled ire, who just regained herposure after stepping back in shock. If there was something inmon between Kevin and Leena, that would be the fact that both of them could be scary and annoying sometimes. ire could just feel her life getting shorter every day because of the two. "Why should you be scared if you have done nothing wrong?" Kevin answered back before quickly brushing past them. He didn''t intend toplicate saw the unexpected frowns and displeasure on their faces. "Stop disgusting us. Have you realized that you two aren''t alone in this room?" It was ire who wasn''t able to help herself from talking. She pursed her lips in distaste. She picked a piece of grilled pork chop and put it in her bowl. The food tasted strange but was still tolerable. She thought that Leena''s cooking skills weren''t as good as she thought. She probably just needed time to get ustomed to the foods Leena cooked. "Stop it, ire. Keep your mouth shut and eat." Kevin shot an angry nce at ire before he curiously turned to Leena. Did she intentionally add too much vinegar into the Kung Pao Chicken? Why? Was this his wife''s silent way of showing how pissed off she was with Louisa and ire? He was torn between wanting tough and wanting to ask, but then chose to keep himself silent. He would not bring such a topic before the twodies with them, as that would surelyplicate things and embarrass his wife. "Why are you staring at me?" Leena touched her face unconsciously. She was puzzled and thought that she had something smeared on her since she was cooking in the kitchen earlier. Chapter 1100 Got Caught (Part Two) "Well, forget it. Let''s eat." Kevin switched dishes and put the Kung Pao Chicken in front of him. It was his silent way to save Leena from eating a strangely sour dish. "What the hell? Leena, what have you done? All these dishes taste sour and strange!" shouted ire after spitting out her food. She glowered at Leena disapprovingly. "Er? How can it be? Let me have a taste of them," said Leena in surprise. She put some food in her mouth, chewed it, and then just like what ire did, spat it out. She raised her head confusedly and was at loss of what to do. "You can''t even swallow it, can you? It''s reasonable to me you this time." ire felt ted as she could finally point out Leena''s fault to her brother. "It''s weird. How could this happen? I didn''t add mature vinegar to any of those dishes, as far as I can remember." It was then that Leena turned her attention to the other dishes. She was suddenly curious if all the other dishes had the same sour vor. "You should ask yourself. Are you ying tricks on us?" questioned ire relentlessly. She dropped her chopsticks on the table and decided not to torture herself by eating this awful food. She had only tasted two dishes but both of them were awful to eat. How could Leena deliberately mess their dinner this way in front of her husband, sister-inw, and guest? Did she do this on purpose? "ire, watch your mouth! You''re in no position to judge my wife!" Kevin''s palm hit the table and made everything on it shake. He had been holding on his patience for so long and decided that he had enough. "Apologize to her," demanded Kevin sternly between gritted teeth. He didn''t believe that Leena deliberately cooked some awful food. Leena was too kind-hearted and reasonable to do that! "How could those dishes taste sour? I didn''t use mature vinegar at all. I don''t even know what''s wrong?" Leena looked at Kevin anxiously. She could have admitted the error if not all of the foods were messe u were charged with something you didn''t do," ire fumed beforeughing ironically. "We aren''t that different, right?" She even added. It was clear to her that his brother had been suspecting her of nning everything negative against Leena. It was natural since she and Leena never really got along with each other the whole time. She might be considered as a mean person who went as far as getting Leena embarrassed before their guest. However, as ill-mannered and self-centered as she was, she would never spoil their dinner and waste food. "Forget it, Kevin. I might have been confused in the kitchen. It was surely my fault. There''s no need to me others now, okay? Now let''s remove those awful dishes from the table and eat others. Anyway, I''m just going to throw those dishes away." Leena stood up immediately after she said those words. It was a pity that she had been busy cooking those dishes for the family and for the guest. She was already holding one of the tes when a warm hand suddenly stopped her. "Don''t do that, darling. They''re sour but not that bad. I''ll eat them." Kevin gestured her to sit down. He intended to find out whomitted this mischief as there was no way he would let this pass. It was fine for people to make jokes but to do something dirty to their food was unforgivable. Chapter 1101 Got Caught (Part Three) "I don''t like sour vors. You can eat all of them if you like them, Kevin," said ire grudgingly. To be honest, even ire found this whole thing weird. She saw the vinegar on the dining table in the morning and believed what Leena had said. If that was so, then who could be making this trouble and causing this farce? She could bet her bottom dor that it wasn''t Kevin as his brother would never do such to any of his family. Now didn''t that just iste Louisa as the suspect? She had every reason to embarrass Leena in front of people. However, Louisa had been with her all the time since she came to the house. It was very unlikely that Louisa did this to set Leena up. Was there anybody else in this house? The thought made ire shudder. There couldn''t be a ghost that was lingering and strolling in the house while they were in the kitchen! "Stop! Your brother has stomach problems. He will surely have a terrible stomach ache if he eats them all." Leena hadn''t forgotten what Lee told her about Kevin''s health. Thus, she stood up again and took those awful dishes away even before Kevin could react. "Louisa, take your time. We have got enough food in the kitchen. Look at you, the sauce has spoiled your clothes," said Kevin. It was then that Kevin looked at Louisa with a wicked grin on his face. Although his sister was self-willed and was more than eager to confront Leena in front of guests, she wouldn''t have the nerve to spoil their dinner. It made the perpetrator behind this case so obvious. "Heh! Louisa, why are you so careless? Your dress is white. White clothes get stained easily and are hard to clean. You know that, right?" Hearing his brother''s address to Louisa, ire a ything to me?" The atmosphere suddenly turned tensed as soon as they stepped out of the house. Kevin was instantly glowering at Louisa as if he was a cat cornering a rat. It was his choice not to expose this woman''s trick back there as she was one of his sister''s best friends. ire would feel hurt and embarrassed if he chose to burst in there. It was the reason why Kevin had to have a private conversation with this unbelievingly wicked woman outside his house. "Kevin, what are you referring to? I''m getting confused," asked Louisa guiltily. Her face darkened, although she still pretended to be innocent of what Kevin was talking about. "Louisa, I know you''re smart and you know exactly what I mean. To be honest, I''m disappointed at you and I feel sorry for your father. He deserves having a better daughter since he''s a man of integrity and honesty." Kevin sighed. He had always been respecting the Commander. In the past years, the Commander was more like a father to Kevin than a leader of military force. Even Daisy felt the same way to the Commander. After all, both of them had won numerous glories under his leadership. Chapter 1102 Ruthless (Part One) "Kevin, this all has to be a big misunderstanding. What are you saying?" Louisa panicked, and avoided his gaze. She knew that Kevin had her dead to rights. But she hadn''t thought that he''d be so brazen as to directly use her. It caught her totally off-guard. She was at a loss for words. "I didn''t say anything before out of respect for ire. I don''t want to hurt her feelings just because you did something wrong. So, now that I have you alone, I''m going to tell you straight up. No matter what, you and ire are besties, right?" Kevin gazed deeply into Louisa''s eyes, forcing her to face him. "Kevin, I''m confused! What do you mean?" Embarrassed, Louisa turned her head away and quickened her pace. She wanted to run away. She didn''t want him to notice the panic on her face. "The food was pretty bad tonight. I have a feeling that was your doing." Louisa seemed to have no concept of what she did, or worse, not care. So Kevin was blunt. He didn''t give a damn how she felt. "How could you say that? Kevin, I know you don''t like me, but why are you using me of doing something like that? What kind of girl do you think I am?" Louisa stared at Kevin with sad eyes. She was humiliated by his bluntness, by his aggressive manner. There was no way she was weaseling out of this. "I think you know the answer to all of that. Do you even feel bad about what you did?" This time, she faced him and met his gaze. In her mind, she did nothing wrong. So why should she feel bad? "Why don''t you ask Leena? Maybe she did it intentionally. It''s obvious she wanted to frame me." L she''s hot, well, I don''t think she is hotter than me. And I am from a much better family than she is. My dad can help you get ahead." Tears streamed down Louisa''s face. She couldn''t hold them back. Kevin had hurt her, and so there was no shame in letting him know. "Get a grip. Marriage isn''t based on shallow things like appearance and power. At least, my marriage isn''t." Kevin put his hands on her shoulders. He really had the urge to shake her. Maybe her brains would roll around in her skull andnd right this time. She was too caught up in her own head. "Isn''t it? All guys are like this. Don''t they want power more than anything?" Louisa bit her lip and gazed at Kevin firmly with her watery eyes. She had nothing left. "I don''t know what other guys think about power. But to me, power isn''t everything. I''d rather have a happy family than all the power in the world. Get it now?" Kevin released her and shifted his eyes away from her. He looked off in the distance rather helplessly. He was overwhelmed by how callously she thought of love. Chapter 1103 Ruthless (Part Two) "No, I don''t get it. You and I were a thing before she butted in. So how did she just suddenly pop into your life? You don''t really love her, right? You aren''t thinking right. It is only lust. Lust isn''t forever, but love is. So why can''t we be together?" Louisa got very emotional and started talking quite loudly. Fortunately, the nearest neighbor was not near at all and out of earshot, otherwise she would have caused quite the stir. Wealth had its privileges, and privacy was one of them. "First of all, you and I were never ''a thing.'' And who told you I don''t love her? If I didn''t love her, why would I marry her? I''m not in the habit of marrying women I don''t love." Kevin furrowed his brows. Did he look like he didn''t care about Leena? Why would Louisa even think that? Kevin wondered. "No one told me! It''s totally obvious to everyone." Louisa snuffed up, trying to keep her nose from running. She would never tell him how she found out the real story of their marriage -- her father told her. "I''d praise your sleuthing skills, but you got it wrong this time. Sorry to burst your bubble, but we really love each other. As for lust, you''re way off on that one, too," Kevin said, without any trace of guilt. He said it like it were really true. And who knew? Maybe it was starting to actually be the truth. Certainly he didn''t know exactly what he felt, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was love. "How? No, it can''t be true. You''re lying to me, right? You''re just saying this to make me give up o raight in the eye. There was a hint of warning there, something Louisa had to take seriously. She had gotten in the way of their peaceful marriage. "But have you thought of me? Is it fair to me?" Even though Kevin was being so cruel and direct now, Louisa still wasn''t willing to leave. But she felt that something had been damaged between her and Kevin, and that they weren''t as close as they once were. "Frankly, I don''t care whether it''s fair to you. We''re done. Do yourself a favor and behave. Be careful on the way back. Bye!" With an air of finality, he spun around and entered the elevator. He pressed the up button and didn''t even look her way as the doors closed, hiding him from view. Her hope was broken in that moment. Louisa never imagined he would leave like that. She leaned against the car and copsed to the ground. Tears welled in her eyes. She looked at the doors of the elevator close with her blurred eyes, but she had no strength to catch up to him. She could only cry helplessly. Chapter 1104 Ruthless (Part Three) She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Needless to say, her delicate makeup was already ruined and smeared. But that didn''t matter to her now. The man she wanted to please just abandoned her and left her alone. What else would she care about? Although Leena''s eyes were fixed on the screen of the television, her mind wandered. She wasn''t paying attention to what shows were on. She was still thinking about Kevin''s strange behavior, seeing Louisa off. She''d be fidgety and wondering until Kevin came back. Leena knew very well what Louisa was doing with the ne, and Louisa even tried to rub it in her face. Though she was quite pissed, she pushed her feelings away and hid them inside, pretending as if nothing happened. She made a point of ignoring the delicate ne on Louisa''s neck, because she didn''t want to fall into her trap and let Louisa string her along. "Oh! Leena, you okay? I''ve been calling your name. Did you hear me?" ire shouted, rather displeased. If the remote control weren''t in Leena''s hand, she wouldn''t have asked. "Uh, ire. You called me? What''s up?" ire''s shouting ripped Leena from her reverie. She turned to face her, confusion lining her pretty features. "What''s up?" repeated ire, feeling strange that she would ask. "You''re driving me nuts, that''s what''s up. What are you even trying to do? You keep changing channels all the time. Can''t you just settle on one show? If not, hand me the remote." ire stared at her. She didn''t like watching TV much, and all the good TV shows were online anyway. Still, it was annoying to watch Leena just endlessly flipping ut Kevin wasn''t like that. He was a good and true man, and Leena had seen it this time and again. She trusted her gut. "Well, I think you''re just fooling yourself. Kevin is not yours. No matter what, just wait and see." ire shed a smug smile, having no qualms about poking fun at Leena. She''d make fun of anyone, especially Leena. "Listen, I''ve given up hope of us being friends. But at least stop throwing Kevin and Louisa in my face. It''s annoying. Kevin won''t betray me, but it hurts when you talk like that." Leena frowned. She let ire get away with a lot, but she just kept it going. ''Why can''t we just get along?'' Leena wondered. "Hurt or sad, that''s your own business. I just don''t want you as a sister-inw," ire sneered in contempt. She always got the me for everything after Leena came along. If she didn''t get in trouble with her mom and brother so much, ire might be more epting. But when she got in trouble, it had something to do with Leena. It was always Leena, Leena, Leena. ''Poor girl, sorry I can''t justugh it off, '' thought ire. Chapter 1105 A Heart-to-Heart Talk (Part One) "I don''t understand, ire. Did I offend you? Why do you hate me so much? I may be a bit quick-tempered but I''m not difficult to get along with." As the saying goes, a harmonious family can lead to the sess of everything. Leena thought that she had to get along with her sister-inw since she already married Kevin. She was now officially a member of his family. She perfectly knew that ire was against her. Nheless, she didn''t expect her sarcasm to be so irritating. "Ugh, why? I don''t know why. Actually, I also want to know why. Maybe I just don''t like you naturally," sneered ire. She was the apple of her family''s eyes and they humored her even if she seemed unreasonable. It was the reason why she grew up to be so stroppy. However, Leena had been repeatedly frustrating her since she came into their family. How could she have a good opinion of Leena in that case? "All right. Forget about it. I''ll go upstairs," Leena said as she stood up. She had been idle for days, so she had umted some piles of work. The first thing for her to do was to check on her mailbox as there might be some urgent emails pending there right now. "Do as you like. We are so different from each other anyway." ire waved her hand slowly as if she was just fanning away flies. It was more than clear that she disliked Leena and that she didn''t want to stay with her at all. Although Leena knew that ire had developed this hobby of throwing sarcasms at her, she still couldn''t help but scrunch her eyebrows upon hearing what she just said. A sad smile cracked Leena''s lips be re wide as her brain continued to drift off. ''How can I avoid meeting Gerard? I can ignore his messages before Bees but I can''t do that after thepetition begins. Gerard and Be are close friends, so they will definitely keep in touch with each other. Gerard must have asked Be where I live and that''s why he is hurrying toe here! Oh God! This can''t be more annoying than anything! Can''t anyone tell me how to get out of here so I don''t need to meet him this soon? I shouldn''t have told Be my new address in advance. Now Gerard can find me easily!'' "Why are you here alone? Where''s Leena?" On the other hand, Kevin asked confusedly upon entering the door. He just came home after seeing Louisa off when he saw his sister sitting alone on the couch. "I don''t really know but maybe she is upstairs. By the way, where''s Louisa? Did you send her home?" It was obvious that ire didn''t want to talk about Leena, so she answered differently. On the contrary, it was also evident how interested she was when she mentioned Louisa''s name. Chapter 1106 A Heart-to-Heart Talk (Part Two) "Yeah. She''s gone home." Kevin spoke hesitatingly. He had no intention of letting his sister know that he got no clue of Louisa''s whereabouts. He had turned around quickly and gone upstairs even before Louisa left. "Did Louisa say anything to you?" ire said carefully as she was afraid to irritate her brother more. She knew that Kevin was already in his worst mood. "What do you want her to tell me? Speaking of this, let''s talk about her." Kevin originally nned to go upstairs but suddenly changed his mind upon hearing his sister. He walked back to the couch and sat down. "Talk about Louisa? Why? I don''t know anything." What Kevin did automatically disturbed ire. She didn''t know what was inside her brother''s head. His serious face was enough to make her feel uneasy. "It seems that we didn''t have any heart-to-heart talk before, right?" Instead of getting straight to the point, Kevin decided to start their conversation by devious questioning. He was staring straight to his sister''s eyes as if he was reading her unruly mind. "What''s wrong, Kevin? You''ve changed. You were never an emotional creature. This is not like you at all. If I''m remembering right, you have never talked to me on your own initiative, let alone chatted with me." Puzzled was not even enough to describe ire''s expression. She didn''t even know where Kevin''s opening gambit was leading to. What game was he ying? "ire, did you forget that we had a talkst night?" Kevin had to admit that he wasn''t the best brother. His parents were all over ire all the time, so he had always been an isted chi ''re surely more important to me. You''re my brother. How can you evenpare yourself to Louisa who is just my friend?" ire got more confused. She suddenly felt like she was skating on thin ice. "One more question. Whose happiness is more important, mine or Louisa''s?" Kevin proceeded systematically at his own pace. He had mentally calcted that he couldn''t talk to ire with undue haste. Instead, he had to approach things patiently and methodologically. "Are you alright, Kevin? Why are you asking me such strange questions?" ire reached for Kevin''s forehead tentatively and found that his cold wasn''t gonepletely. Was it the reason why he was acting like this? "I''m okay. Just answer me honestly." Kevin took her hand away and pushed a cup of tea before her. "Surely your happiness is more important. Well, I''m sorry. It''s just that you are somewhat abnormal tonight. You keep saying something I don''t understand." ire felt her uneasiness getting worse. Did Louisa go too far and say something to upset Kevin? What he said was quite baffling. Chapter 1107 A Heart-to-Heart Talk (Part Three) "Well, since you think my happiness is more important, don''t you think Louisa''s behavior is destroying my happiness?" Kevinzily sat on the couch and leaned on the backrest. He then turned his gaze on ire. "You mean Louisa? I knew that! She just bared her heart to you again, right? I don''t understand, Kevin. Why don''t you like her? I think she is a perfect match for you. Both of you are children of high-ranking cadres. It''ll be a beautiful and amazing marriage, right?" Just the thought of it made ire''s eyes light up. She really hoped that they could get married. "ire, it''s just a kind of mood to like someone. To love is a kind of feeling. I don''t have that kind of feeling for her. It''s useless no matter how much I like her. Like you, she is just my sister. I like both of you but it''s not about love. I don''t love her at all. She isn''t the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. Do you understand what I say?" Kevin gave out a scornful smile. He couldn''t believe that his sister really thought that it was best for him to marry the superficial Louisa instead of someone better. "You can fall in love with her gradually, right? You used to get along with each other. Isn''t it easy to fall in love?" ire cocked her head to one side. To be honest, she didn''t fully understand what Kevin just said. She was even more confused now than ever. "You''ll know that after you lose your heart to someone. Although affinity can be deve uisa wear the ne today and learned that it was a gift from her brother. She made detailed inquiries to her friend about it and it was when Louisa told her that she had a conversation with Leena back in the capital city. She just wanted to dete Leena but it seemed that it didn''t work at all. So ire began to suspect that Leena married her brother not because of love. "How about Leena? How did she react?" Kevin closed his eyes. Damn! How could he be such a bastard? The thought that Leena knew about it but chose to just keep mum and hide everything she felt inside her was making him want to knock his head off. "I don''t know about that. I wasn''t there at that time. Didn''t you tell your wife that you gave Louisa a ne as a gift? My God! You''re toast! Louisa purposely showed off the ne to Leena the whole afternoon before you came back." Kevin lost all his emotions after hearing thest things that ire said. Goodness! What had he done? Chapter 1108 Claires Changes (Part One) "Yeah! I''m gonna exin that to her. However, we should talk about my wife right now." Kevin closed his eyes as the mild sadness attacked him. Getting Leena hurt was thest thing he wanted and many had said that ''Prevention is better than cure.'' Thus, It was better for him to learn how to love his wife rather than to repair their rtionship once the damage was done. "Leena and I are doing fine together, okay? You see, we have nothing to talk about, Kevin. We just happen to be two different people who are thinking differently from one another," said ire strategically as she made their issue appear smaller. It might have taken ire some time to realize that Leena was the epitome of elegance, calm confidence, and kindness. Only those few people who were good at observing could find these things about Leena. Compared to her sister-inw, ire found herself a nobody. "That''s absolutely nonsense. Your perception of Leena is biased. You overlook her good traits andin about the bad. Then you find her impulsive? Why don''t you try to see things from her perspectives? I assure you that you''ll like her. I promise." Kevin couldn''t bear to see Leena getting tired of handling her sister. He hoped to improve their rtionship by solving the problems between the twodies. He couldn''t just take sides as doing so would cause the other harm. He really wanted Leena and ire to get along with each other as that was the only time when he wouldn''t worry about them anymore. "Brother, don''t you see that she''s a hypocrite? She''s just good at hiding her true self from others. She is just pretending to be lovely and kind. I hate her already." Cl el nothing for Louisa! Don''t take any other senseless action because more than anything, what you''re doing is hurting me." Kevin gazed at her. There was fear in his eyes as he was afraid that his sister might bring him more troubles. He served the army and it was given that military marriages were something unshakable. However, even if he was just a civilian, his taste with women would never change. He would still not like Louisa as her character was too bothersome. She was too mean and jealous! She was thest thing he would like to be entangled with. Only a moron would fall in love with her and he was definitely not one. "Alright. I''ll talk to her calmly if that will make you happy. But brother, how about Louisa? I made a promise that I would help her. Things have changed! I''m sure that she''ll be pissed off once I turn against her." ire might not like Leena much but then her brother''s almost begging voice had sessfully softened her heart. She was willing to swallow her pride for now and find a way to get along with her sister-inw. Perhaps the situation wasn''t as bad as she thought. Chapter 1109 Claires Changes (Part Two) "ire, let me give you a piece of advice. There are some things that you should and shouldn''t do. You''re on the wrong side when you do evil things just to help Louisa. You might be morally forgivable. However, considering how Louisa thinks, I''m sure she doesn''t mind sacrificing you just to make herself happy and satisfied. Knowing these things now, do you really think that you should do her more favors?" Kevin said emotionally. The hard lines on his handsome face were obvious and it was easy to tell how serious he was about this matter. "I-I''m so sorry, brother. I hope that my behaviors and attitude haven''t caused you any trouble. To be honest, I know that I can''t force you to love someone else but then I can''t bear to see Louisa''s heart shattering either. I won''t intervene anymore if you don''t like her." ire said that, and then bit her lip lightly. She seemed to be drowned in her thoughts for a moment before she hesitatingly opened her mouth and said,"Kevin, can I ask you a private question?" She needed confirmation from her brother because it would decide whether she should try to ept Leena or not. "Go ahead. I''ll answer as honestly as I can," answered Kevin. He felt relieved when he heard ire''s soft voice. He was sure that Leena would never hurt his sister first because Leena was too kind-hearted to do such. Everything would be fine as long as ire stopped making troubles for everyone. "This is an extremely simple question. Do you love Leena? Are you happily married, Kevin?" It wasn''t usual for ire to be as serious as she was. Everything Kevin had said today had hit her heart. After all, Kevin was her brother and there were still some times when she listened to him. "It''s easy to be happy and contented, ire. A sweet smile or a warm greeting should be enough to lift one''s spirit. Marrying and living with Leena go beyon inary and boring men will marry me." Leena''s bosom friend replied immediately together with a series of angry emojis. Needless to say, her friend got pissed off. "I see. You''re destined to be an empress. Speaking of which, I just realize that you are a perfect match for Tom. Tom''s gentle and restrained while you are warm and bold. Your personalities areplementary! On top of that, he is the owner of a hospital. Marrying him would mean that you are perhaps an empress. Empress of a hospital!" Leena quickly typed a set of smiling emojis on herputer and sent them to her bosom friend. Apparently, she was quite satisfied with her sharp wit. "Are you referring to that quack who''s dealing with dead bodies all day? Oh, dear! Please stop thinking about marriage if he is the one you are referring to. I''m not a fan of self-abuse." Then, the bosom friend sent an extremely scornful emoji which showed her disdain about Leena''s proposal. Leena''s bosom friend had been afraid of those doctors since her childhood. How could Leena even think that she had the nerve to marry one? However, the future was still unknown to everyone. Thus, both of them never had a clue that her bosom friend would be crazy about marrying Doctor Qin in the future! Chapter 1110 Claires Changes (Part Three) "Our royal highness, please re-consider my proposal. Tom''s really awesome. It is not bad to have a talented doctor around you all the time. He could even be your personal midwife Doctor in the future!" The more Leena talked about matching Tom and her friend, the more she realized that the two were really perfect for each other. It was a pity that these thoughts just crossed her mind now. "Fuck off. Should I marry a doctor just to have someone to deliver the child during my childbirth? What if I want to eat some pork chops? Should I marry a butcher too? This is myst warning. Mind your own business and don''t talk nonsense. I refuse to be brainwashed by you!" Those words showed on Leena''sputer screen together with a set of bloody emojis. Leena could just imagine her friend turning green with anger as of this point. "Come on! Don''t be ridiculous. I''m just considering your marriage and future. Do you really want to go on blind dates and talk with those strangers? Please worry about yourself. It''s most likely for you toe across a man who would just fuck you and leave you several hourster," said Leena gleefully. Although she had never taken part in any blind date, she did hear of some women being shamelessly taken advantage of by freaks they met. Thus, Leena developed an automatic rejection to blind dating. "Leaving me after fucking me? That''s not possible. I will beat him to death even before he realizes how bad the consequences of letting me down are. By the way, you haven''t answered my question. Are you going with me or not? I might get too nervous if I''m alone tomorrow. You know that, right?" She sent a pleading emoji to Leena. Thanks to her straight-forward and picky attitude, she really didn''t have anyone else to bug, but Leena alone. "Then don''t go! You''re not yet an old maid. Men would fight for your love and kisses, Empress." Leena stopped rmending Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. oman who would stay loyal to her husband no matter what. She didn''t think that Kevin would make a big deal of her good intentions even if he found out. "Of course, I won''t force you to do it again. Have you forgotten that this blind date is only arranged by my parents? I won''t allow them to do it again. Unless you are looking forward to attending one more blind date. Then, it''s settled. I''ll call you tomorrow. Bye!" Patricia sent an extremely funny picture as if she was a bossy overbearing queen who was leaving. "Thank you, your highness!" Leena pretended to kowtow as if to show her respect to Patricia, the queen. It was a few seconds after when another thought suddenly hit Leena and made her speechless for a while. ''What if the man on the blind date falls for me rather than Patricia?'' Although it wasn''t supposed to ur, there was always a possibility for the man to grow more fond of the third wheel rather than the woman he was dating instead. She had always been the apple of men''s eyes whenever she and her friends went out together. She had a consistent record of being the first to be spotted and the first to get chosen by men as well. She knew this situation so well that she ended up doing a facepalm while thinking, ''Heaven help me. Please!'' Chapter 1111 A Blind Date (Part One) "Leena, what''s the matter? Are you sick?" asked Kevin with a look of deep concern marring his features. She wasn''t in the bedroom. So he came upstairs when he saw the light was on in this room. Strangely, she was knocking her head against the keyboard. Why? Did she have a headache? What was going on? "Err¡­ I''m fine. Where''s Miss Ye? Did you send her home already?" Leena asked as she quickly closed the chat window. She didn''t want Kevin to see what was on the screen. It was a private conversation. "No, I just sent her downstairs. What are you doing?" He craned his neck to get a better look at theputer screen, but he saw nothing. It was just the desktop, no windows opened. What was she doing up here? "I was chatting with a friend for a bit. Do you want some fruits? I''ve got some cut up. I could fetch a te for you," Leena answered, a bit awkwardly. Her face flushed. She was afraid that Kevin would find out her little secret. And that wouldn''t do at all. "No, I''m not a big fan of fruit -- you know that. Anything you want to ask me?" Kevin took a seat on the floor, and then met Leena''s gaze. Though he wondered why on earth she would have chosen Korean style for her workshop decor, it wasn''t the right time to ask. He needed to exin something to her. "You tell me. Should I ask you anything? Or is there anything you haven''t told me?" she asked. Holding his gaze, she tilted her head. "So the ne doesn''t bother you, then?" Kevin pressed his lips together firmly. He thought she would at least ask why he had gotten back Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ht it for Louisa. "Why didn''t you ask me about it? You must have felt pretty bad when the ne was gone. And I didn''t give it to you. I''m sorry." Kevin felt really guilty now. He couldn''t do anything but hold her gently in his arms. He kissed the top of her head. He knew clearly how she would feel when the neckace was missing. She would have all kinds of suspicions about whom he sent the ne to. But she just held those in her mind all this time. She must have felt nervous those days. All this made him look like a cheater. "Because I care about you. And I wanted to trust you. If I asked about it, you''d probably think I was a jealous woman. Or that I cared more about things than people. So I figured that you''d be mad at me, or you might feel that I invaded your privacy. So I pretended everything was okay, and then it might end up being okay. It''s better than having you resent me." She knew that men really valued their pride and dignity. She would never do anything to hurt a guy that way. So she kept it bottle up. Chapter 1112 A Blind Date (Part Two) "Babe, I had no idea. I''m really sorry. And now I feel even worse, because I am not a good husband. I know you have taken a lot of craps from my family while you were still dealing with this. God, I feel like an asshole," said Kevin. Kevin felt trapped. He didn''t want to move to the capital city, so he married Leena to avoid being reassigned. He didn''t want to be that far away from Daisy. And he knew that if she hadn''t been something that he clung to out of desperation, they probably would still be strangers. And today, one-night stands were prettymon. People didn''t just hop out of bed and into marriage just like that. She didn''t have to marry him. But he married her to protect his own interests. And really, what did that do to her? All it did was to make her suspicious and bring her pain. But now, he was no longer using her. He really felt something for her. "What''s wrong with you, Kevin? Why are you getting so emotional? It''s not like you. And frankly, it''s kind a freaking me out. So what''s going on? Are you trying to work up the nerve to tell me it''s over? Or what?" asked Leena. Unconsciously, she trembled a bit. After all, for a long time, Kevin was dignified and awe-inspiring. He gave her heart a warm feeling. It was really not like him to be so indecisive. "Or nothing. I don''t have any earth-shattering news. I just want to tell you if you have any doubts about me, just ask. I''m your hubby, right? You should be able to ask me everything you want to know or tell me everything you have suffered. I wouldn''t get upset. We''re both adults," exined Kevin. He gently released her from his arms, and then looked into her eyes. He gave her the right to rein him in with a gentle tone that Leena had never heard before. There was no n smiled mischievously and pulled her to him for a deep, passionate kiss. It was with his whole heart. This led to a wonderful night, and opened the way for a really happy road trip. The sun spread its golden rays over the city, revealing all its glorious sights. After talking with Kevinst night, ire actually started to warm up to Leena. She wasn''t as confrontational as she was before. "ire, I''m going to hang out with a friend today. Can you stay at home by yourself?" Leena asked. Today was Patricia''s blind date, and she wanted Leena along for moral support, and as an exit n if things went south. She picked out some ck items from her closet. That way she wouldn''t steal the limelight from Patricia. "Go! Have fun! I''ll just catch some Zs. I didn''t get a lot of sleepst night," answered ire. Although she didn''t really want to stay home alone, she was still considerate and decided not to make a fuss. "Alright. I''ll be back before dinner. So don''t worry. You''ll get fed tonight." To hide her beauty, Leena donned a pair of ordinary sses. Instantly, she looked a tad less attractive. This was intentional -- this was Patricia''s day. Chapter 1113 A Blind Date (Part Three) "I''m not a kid anymore. Why would I worry about that?" ire raised her head from her magazine and took a look at Leena. When she saw Leena''s ugly ck dress, she frowned, but said nothing. She was done teasing her, so she just went back to reading her magazine again. "Well then, I''m off. See you tonight!"¡¡ It was so weird. Leena got so used to ire saying mean things that she almost missed it. But she also felt pretty good not have to fend off her insults. "Bye," ¡¡ ire saidzily, and didn''t even look up again. She just continued to randomly turn pages untill she found an article she liked. And Leena didn''t care anyway. She left the house in a good mood. She thought she might need to take a little extra time to deal with ire. ire had a way of stopping you just so you could listen to more of her crap. What she didn''t expect was that ire hadn''t done that today. So she saved a lot of time. Leena showed up at the coffee shop like she promised. But where was Patricia Bai? Maybe she was early? Nevertheless, she looked around until she found a seat near the window. From this vantage point, she would see Patricia when she came in. "Excuse me, are you Leena Leng?" said a decidedly masculine voice. A little confused, Leena looked up at the guy. "Yes, do I know you?" Leena frowned and asked him curiously. He wasn''t bad looking. But there were guys that looked a lot more handsome than him. Besides, she had Kevin, and he was the only one she needed. "Hi! I am Patricia''s friend, Summer Xia. Happy to meet you. Mind if I sit here?" Summer asked. He put away the photo he had of Leena. He was using it to try and figure out who he should talk to. H how you are. ¡¡¡¡ You want to go home because you hate me!" Summer regarded Leena''s embarrassed expression. He smiled sadly. She was lovely. And he could obviously know what she was feeling. She didn''t know how to hide her emotions and he knew she was ufortable. How she felt was written all over her face. "Okay, just stop. I''ve only just met you. I haven''t known you long enough to hate you. Hell, I don''t hate anybody." Leena smiled back. She calmed down after he said this. She learned to hide her real thoughts from Kevin, but she didn''t need to do that here. Did he really think she''d fall for it? He was just pretending. He was trying to get sympathy and trying to get her to stay. She wondered if he were smart enough to figure out she wasn''t buying it. "Does that mean you''ll at least have coffee with me?" Summer did a little victory dance in his heart. Being pitiful was something he was good at. All he had to do was look at her with those puppy-dog eyes, and Leena changed her mind instantly. What he didn''t know was that she had already seen through his tricks. It was too early to congratte himself. Chapter 1114 Being Jealous (Part One) "You are Patricia''s friend. I should at least stay for a while for her sake." A sweet smile spread across Leena''s face. At the moment, she looked like an innocent angel. However, she cursed Patricia a thousand times in her heart. Patricia had told her that she had been forced by her family to go on a date. She had begged Leena to apany her. Now it seemed that everything Patricia said was to fool her intoing here alone. She took advantage of Leena''s kind heart. What was more, Leena knew Patricia was a sly one. She had told herself that she wouldn''t get caught in Patricia''s trap. How wrong Leena was! Now she sat there, fuming and pretending nonchnce. "At least? You wound me! I must really have a bad reputation if you are so harsh on me." Summer Xia forced a wry smile andughed at himself. This woman was sharp with her words. She didn''t call him names, but what she said frustrated him very much. "Summer Xia, right? In this cold winter, I am literally feeling the warmth of summer... not because of you, but because of the idiotic way you act. Stop behaving so foolishly. You make me want tough! You know what, Summer? You act so childishly and I could not be more familiar with it. I''ve been bored with these antics since middle school. It is so out of date. Please! If you want to impress me, you''ll have to try another way." The smile on Leena''s face still looked beautiful and pure, but her words revealed that she wasn''t so easy to please. "Well, maybe I can''t keep up with the trend these days. Come on, don''t be so harsh on me! Don''t dismiss me so easily." Summer''s eyes widened. Leena''s harangue surprised him and he stared at her, puzzled. Didn''t Patricia describe her as gentle and sweet? From where he sat, he did not feel that way at all! Leena was more of a cunning girl, who did not allow herself to be in a situation she didn''t want to be in. "I''m sorry. I''m just not used to a cunning man behaving as if he is truly innocent and wet behind the ears," Leena said sardonically, pursing her lips. He should probably ask Edward - who was a real expert in this respect - for tips. Edward certainly had rich experience and Summer would be a good student under him. "Hah! That''s funny. Can I cal f them managed to keep the atmosphere peaceful. However, they didn''t notice the pair of eagle eyes staring at them from a corner of the coffee shop. "Major General, it''s Leena. Shall we go over and greet her?" At first, Lee had no idea what his Major General was staring at so intently, until he followed his gaze and saw Leena. "Yes. Why not? Shall we say hello?" Kevin turned his stare away from that direction and took a look at Lee, his eyes gleaming. He didn''t expect to see such an interesting scene, yes, ''interesting'', when he arrived to meet a client here. He noticed Leena the moment she came in. She didn''t see him because he sat in a barely noticeable corner of the shop. Kevin had nned to walk over after he finished with business, but unexpectedly, a young boy he had never seen before appeared before her. That was right, a young boy. To Kevin, he was merely a kid in a candy store. "Uh. I don''t know. But Major General, are we not heading to the army base now?" The corner of Lee''s mouth turned down. The client had already gone. But the Major General neither walked over to Leena nor did he decide to return to the army base. ''What is he nning?'' Lee thought, puzzled. ''The report needs to be dealt with urgently.'' "Why are we in such a rush?" Kevin asked him frigidly. A troubled feeling surged up in his heart when he saw Leena talking to the other man with an angelic smile on her face. He did not know what to do about it, so he decided to wait and watch. Chapter 1115 Being Jealous (Part Two) "I''m not in a rush. I''m just concerned that the Commander would need the report soon," Lee murmured faintly. Was it his fault that he reminded his Major General? They had been here for too long now. "Lee, do you think I should go over and say hello before we return to the base?" Kevin sought Lee''s suggestion, not being able to stand it anymore when he saw Leena burst intoughter once again. "Of course, Major General. You should do it now. You should go over there and dere yourself no matter who he is," Lee whispered his agreement and encouraged Kevin. His Major General finally made up his mind to do something about this situation. Lee panicked, knowing that he was about to be entangled in big trouble. Leena smiled and chatted with Summer. Suddenly, she felt chills on her back, as if a freezing wind hade this way. She could not help but quiver. "Miss Leng, I am wondering if I can take you outter? It is really nice talking to you. We are the same, don''t you think?" Summer felt like he was at a disadvantage, but he was attracted to Leena. She was not pretentious and always said what was on her mind. He wanted to get to know her better. "Uh! Well¡­" Leena was in trouble. She did not know how to respond to his invitation. Did he enjoy being insulted? She was not even being kind to him. Why did he still want to be her friend? Whatever she had said was to scare him into not wanting to talk to her anymore. It appeared her n had failed. "Nana, tell him. Would you go out with him?" Kevin''s mouth curled. He looked at Leena pointedly, his eyes locking on hers. He asked her the question casually, as if the young boy was not with them. "Kevin. Why... why are you here?" Leena was shocked and stood up immediately at her husband''s sudden arrival. In doing so, she hit the table and almost fell down. "Are you so excited to see me that you are throwing yourself at me?" Kevin grabbed her arm and kept her from falling down. He held Leena close so she would not get hurt. Since he was still in his military uniform, it would not be appropriate for him to behave intimately with her in public. He was a soldier after all. "N-no. I''m just surprised." Leena''s adorable face turned red at his quip. There was nothing between her and Summer, but she had no idea what to do. She was sure Kevin had misunderstood the situation. "Leena, Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ey were going to have a confrontation about this. Kevin was not angry that Leena didn''t tell her friend about his existence, but he very much minded that he was apparently not good enough for her. She couldn''t even tell others that he was her husband! In all honesty, Kevin was angrier at himself than he was at his wife. "Let me just exin, Kevin. It''s really not what you think," Leena said breathlessly as she caught up to him. She grasped Kevin''s hand without thinking twice. "Did you run here? Look at all these sweats." Kevin frowned. He reached out and wiped the sweat beads off her forehead. "Yes, I ran because you got so angry and left all of a sudden. You didn''t even allow me to exin anything," Leena grumbled as her jaw tightened. "It''s not that I did not allow you to exin. I just need to return to the army base soon, so I left." Kevin took a look at the wristwatch Leena had gifted him. It waste. "But you were really angry. I was worried about you," Leenained. She pressed her lips together, looking sad. "I''m sorry, okay? I was not being myself just now. Let''s talk about itter when I get home tonight, all right? I have to head back now." Kevin studied the time again. He was supposed to be at the army base already but got dyed because of Leena''s appearance. The door in his heart was already open to her. It was something he did not quite realize about himself. He behaved so abnormally when he saw her with another guy that he was ready to throw aside his work. Kevin hated seeing her smile so brightly with another man. Chapter 1116 Relief (Part One) "Okay, I''ll talk to you tonight." Leena bit her lip. Her face was pale. She thought the world of Kevin and was afraid to lose him. It was unnerving to see him swing round and just walk off. She couldn''t imagine her life without him. "Okay. Take care. I have to go." Kevin tucked the escaped tendrils of Leena''s hair behind her ear, wearing an affable smile. Leena''s insides warmed. "Bye." Leena reluctantly let go of Kevin''s hand and watched his tall and handsome figure get inside the military Hummer. Lee was in the driver seat. She didn''t turn her gaze until she saw the car vanish in the heavy traffic. "Miss Leng, are you all right?" Summer, who had followed them outside the coffee shop, asked in a concerned tone. He detected a trace of sadness on Leena''s expression. "Oh, yes. I''m fine. Nice of you to ask." Leenaposed herself and dragged her attention back to Summer. A small smile graced her lips, making her appear even more beautiful. "I''m sorry. I didn''t know you were married." Summer felt a sense of deep loss. He had been attracted to Leena at the very first sight and wanted to pursue her passionately. But to his intense disappointment, this beauty was already married. "I should have told you earlier. Now you know why I didn''t give you a chance." Leena did not like to trifle with other men''s affections. She was used to nipping their adoration in the bud before they got out of hand. "I hate to be blunt, but I don''t understand. Why did you marry a military officer? You''re beautiful, vivacious and charming. You would find it hard to adapt to the lonely life," Summer couldn''t resist asking, although he knew it was uncalled for. "Sorry, but I don''t think it''s any of your business." Displeasure wrinkled Leena''s forehead. She didn''t like others prying into her private matters. This was the first time that she had met Summer. She couldn''t open her heart to a man she barely knew. "You''re right. I ought not to have asked you such a thing. I''m sorry for going too far. Don''t be mad at me. I think we ca Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. me a few minutes to rearrange these again.'' "Okay. Sorry again, Daisy. I''ll talk to youter." Realizing that there was no time to lose, Kevin stood up and strode to the Commander''s office. "Senior Colonel Ouyang, let me help you." Lee, who had followed Kevin, bent down to pick up Daisy''s papers. "Thank you, Lee. What happened to Kevin? He seems a little absent-minded. It''s not like how he usually is," Daisy asked him, still frowning at what happened. "Err¡­ I have no idea. Maybe it''s because of his wife." Lee stood up and handed over the documents to Daisy. He didn''t intend to tell Daisy what he had seen at the coffee shop. "Leena? Didn''t you go out on business? How is this rted to her?" Daisy''s expression was puzzled. Although Leena sometimes acted like a willful child, she was also intelligent and sensible. She didn''t make trouble. "Well, it''s a long story. You''d better ask Major General Gu for details. I''m not privy to this matter, so I should keep quiet," Lee said in embarrassment and touched his forehead. "Okay, I see. You can go now." Daisy turned around and walked into her office. There was no point in forcing Lee to spill the beans. As Kevin''s guard, he wouldn''t tell her about Kevin''s personal affairs. He couldn''t break his trust with his Major General. It was a strict code of practice that he had to adhere to. Chapter 1117 Relief (Part Two) It took Kevin an hour to finish reporting the work to the Commander. It was almost time for him to go home, but he still had a lot of work left to do, so he needed to stay behind for a while. Standing outside Daisy''s office, Kevin hesitated for a fraction of a second before he raised his hand to knock on her door. Thinking of the conversation with the Commander, he sighed with profound resignation. The Commander had assigned Kevin to assist with the new mission. For that Kevin would have to leave for a few days once again. In the past, leaving home didn''t pose any trouble for him. But now after marrying Leena, he was reluctant to do so. They seldom got time together and it bothered him so much. Kevin didn''t want to act in defiance of the Commander''s orders, but he was tired of this way of life. "Come in," Daisy answered the door without raising her head. She sat in her chair, examining the sniper rifle in her hands while meticulously recording the data on paper. "What are you doing?" Kevin asked as he walked in. Watching Daisy, he once again realized that he didn''t have feelings for her anymore. He had left his infatuation far behind. "Oh! I''m checking for the structure, range, and deadliness of AK-9. Are you done with the meeting with the Commander?" Daisy put the sniper rifle aside and asked Kevin with curiosity. She wasn''t into gossip, but she was concerned about Leena. She hadn''t seen that girl for so many days and missed her quite a lot. "Yeah. Did you find anything?" Kevin asked casually as he sat down on the couch. Truthfully, he wasn''t very interested in the sniper at the moment. "Not yet. I''m still studying it. But now you can tell me what happened." Daisy leaned back against her chairfortably, paying attention to Kevin. "Nothing. I was in a hurry so I didn''t notice you." Kevin forced a smile. Everything had been going well until he stumbled upon Leena talking cheerfully with another guy at the coffee shop. His heart plummeted once again. "Don''t lie to me. I can tell you have something on your mind from the distant look in your eyes. I heard it was Leena. What happened? Did you quarrel with her?" Daisy asked tentatively, even as she realized that couldn''t be the case. A mature and sensible man like Kevin wouldn''t quarrel with his wife. "Lee told you? When did he be sfaction of all. She wouldn''t feel so guilty in front of Leena. When the night fell, Kevin finally walked back to his office from Falcon''s. He was covered in dust after his demonstrations to the soldiers. Kevin picked up the briefcase on the table without tidying himself up and hurried out. It was already past seven p.m. Even if he drove at high speed all the way back home, it would be past eight once he arrived. Kevin was surprised to see Edward''s eye-catching Lamborghini parked at the gate as he drove out. ''Surely he came to pick Daisy up, '' Kevin thought to himself, ''It''ste. Hasn''t Daisy gone back yet? I thought she went home long ago. If I had known she is still working in her office, I would have dropped in.'' Kevin''s car came to a stop. He opened the door and got out. He had to say hello since he had already seen Edward. Edward was one of Leena''s brothers, and so he was Kevin''s brother, too. He had to show his respect. Edward had also noticed a caring his way. Originally he thought it was Daisy''s military Hummer since they looked the same. But as the car approached, he was disappointed to find that it wasn''t hers. Edward didn''t realize it was Kevin''s until he stepped out. Despite his dislike for Kevin, Edward got out to greet him too. The alluring, irresistible smile on his face attracted a lot of admiring nces. "Why are you here, Mr. Mu? Hasn''t Daisy gone home yet?" Kevin greeted Edward first. From what he knew of Edward, thetter was arrogant enough not to say hello to others on his own initiative. Chapter 1118 A Peaceful, Easy Evening (Part One) "You wouldn''t see me here if Daisy were back," said Edward casually. Leaningfortably against his car, he wore a charming smile on his face. The man was the essence of chill and coolness. "Daisy has a lot on her tetely. The military gave her a lot of work to do. She has been so busy, she probably doesn''t have time to think about home and her man. Did you try calling?" Kevin smiled back at him. When he folded his armsfortably, the muscles on his arms expanded to fill his sleeves, his exquisite chest easily visible underneath his shirt. The man''s figure was enough to cast a deadly spell over even the strongest willed woman. No wonder so many were hysterically infatuated with him. "Not yet. Just go home, Kevin! I''ll wait a little while longer." Edward lifted his head, as if by looking in that direction he could see the inside of the army base. To him, it was better to leave Daisy alone when she was working. She wouldn''t hang around the base after work, and calling her might mean that he would have to wait longer for her to get done with her work. If he just showed a little patience, it was its own reward. "Alright. I''m taking off then. Call Mark if you really get antsy. He should be able to remind her when it is time to stop and go home." There was a reason Kevin said that -- Daisy was known to get caught up in her work and forget to stop. She worked hard, sometimes too hard. "Yeah, I''ll do that. By the way, treat Leena nicely." No sooner had Kevin turned to leave than Edward said this. It wasn''t by chance, and it wasn''t a standard goodbye. Edward hoped that Kevin would just forget about Daisy and his infatuation, and Leena would have his heart. Anyone would feel sorry for Leena if she were unhappy. That was why those words left his lips, and he hoped it would make an impression on the young soldier. "I will. Bye!" Edward''s words had the intended effect. Kevin''s body stiffened, and it was a few seconds before he could manage to get any words out at all. Edward didn''t have to remind him to treat her well, but in those words was buried on. She observed her sister-inw carefully, and it only magnified her suspicions. ''So what happened when she was out? She is really a mess!'' ire said to herself in secret. Leena took a minute to calm down before she turned on the stove. She was relieved that ire stopped asking questions, otherwise she would have been found out. She didn''t do anything wrong, and there was no reason for her to lie. But what would ire think if she found out about Leena''s blind date? Though she was tricked into it, it didn''t make her feel any better. Would her sister-inw think that she was a tramp who cheated on her brother? She and ire already had problems, and she didn''t want to create any more bad blood between them. Just as Leena predicted, Kevin got home soon, immediately after she set the table and served the soup. It didn''t make her feel any better -- Leena still felt embarrassed looking at Kevin. "Wow! You sure took your time getting home! Do you know how long we have waited for you?" ire curled her lips disapprovingly while casting a look at Leena. Kevin arrived home pretty much when Leena said he would. Those two were sure in sync. Kevin was a creature of habit, like most guys, so it was easy for Leena to figure out when he would get home from work. She could predict the exact time he would set foot inside the house. Or did Kevin call before he got home? Chapter 1119 A Peaceful, Easy Evening (Part Two) "Next time, don''t wait. My wife does, but that is because she likes to eat with me. I can''t be sure when I can get out of there, so just eat if you''re hungry!" Kevin said that while looking at Leena. He almost smiled, but he stopped himself. "But we don''t know if you will bete! So just call next time. Do you know how annoying it is to wait? There is so much yummy food here, that our tummies are growling while we wait. So stop torturing us and call!" Leena gave ire a thankful look. This was precisely what she wanted to tell Kevin. But for some reason she wouldn''t tell him this directly. So ire stepped up to the te and did Leena a favor. "Okay, I will." Kevin noticed the silent exchange between the two, and apparently it was Leena who wanted to say something. ''Would you still hold back if ire hadn''t said something?'' Kevin thought, ''I told you toe to me if you had a problem.'' He never thought that he should give Leena a call if he was unable to get home on time. Was he too busy to call? Or did he just not care enough to ask how Leena felt? So did she just sit there, anxiously waiting for him toe home? And why didn''t he even think of that? "Go wash your hands. Dinner is up." Kevin''s gaze brought an embarrassed smile to Leena''s face. She lowered her head to avoid eye contact. "Hmm! I can''t eat if I don''t shower first. I''m all hot and sweaty. Go ahead and dig in. Don''t wait up. I''ll be done soon." Kevin went upstairs as he talked. He was in such a hurry to get home that he had no time to take a shower in his dorm in the army base. "Let''s eat, ire. He will be back soon." Leena had already taken her seat. Unlike women, men usually finished their showers quickly. Sometimes, just a couple of minutes were enough for them. Besides, men didn''t take as much time to tidy up in f ''t want Kevin mad at me. I promised him we would try and get along." Rather thanpletely fly off the handle, ire calmed down again after Leena reassured her. She didn''t talk about it again. "Promised Kevin? What are you talking about? Is he making you be nice to me?" Leena felt confused. She thought it was strange that ire was nice to her. But she didn''t think about it twice, since most people were nice to her. Sometimes it took a bit for people to warm up to someone. Now, it seemed that ire was treating her better because of some arrangement with Kevin. But what did she agree to? And what was Kevin''s part in all this? Leena could not help but feel curious about it. "That is a secret between me and Kevin. You will have to ask him," said ire with her lips curled. Then she dug in to the tasty food, and said nothing more about this secret. The meal was incredible, as excellent as anything cooked by Maud. "What are you guys talking about? I could swear I heard my name. So what''s up?" asked Kevin, walking downstairs. He was so quick when he showered. In the past ten minutes, he did things that would have taken Leena an hour. Wearing more casual clothing, he looked quite refreshed. Chapter 1120 A Peaceful, Easy Evening (Part Three) "We''re saying bad things about you." ire shed a naughty smile at her brother. Actually, ire could be quite pleasant. But sometimes her selfishness made her do some pretty bad things. She would resort to trickery and deceit to get her way. Since she got away with a lot in the past, it would take time to teach her the difference between right and wrong. But she was getting there. "Oh, really! What are these bad things?" Kevin asked ire, but looked at Leena all the time. He was very interested in how Leena would exin thister. He had a naughty smile on his face, too. He knew that they would never really talk about him that way, but he loved to y along regardless. "Everything, including how you were forced to kiss your ssmate back when you were in school." ire answered Kevin in a teasing tone. She really felt like teasing him tonight, so she pulled out all the stops. That incident was the best way she knew how. Leena was shocked. She tried to imagine this cold, tough man kissed by a teenage girl against his will, and she just couldn''t do it. It was such a funny picture that it immediately brought a smile to her face. She put a hand to her mouth and started giggling uncontrobly. "Hmm... I..." Apparently, it shocked Kevin, too. That was the most embarrassing moment of his life, and he couldn''t believe she brought it up. He got flustered and started to choke on his food. "Don''t get all choked up, honey. Here, take a drink." Leena still teased him, even as she passed him a ss of water. But she still had to stifle herughter, and pressed her lips tight to avoid smiling. She could tell he was really uneasy now. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up!" Kevin nced at Leena and ire angrily. He would rather die than remember that humiliating moment. He would have felt much better if that girl was hot. But she was so fat that she almost crushed him to death when she fell on him. She knocked the br mbie!" "What..." That was thest thing Leena expected to hear. She looked at Kevin, now terrified. So how did Kevin, just a teenager at the time, push a heavy girl and knock her out? What was more, how could he do that? There was no way that girl could fight back. Now, he was a strong and well-trained military officer. What would happen if she pissed him off, Leena wondered. Kevin cast Leena a cold nce. A wicked smile shed across his face when he caught her terrified expression. She was eager to know what happened to him in the past, but he had no reason to quench her curiosity. She shouldn''t know too much about him. So was she finally regretting this little conversation? That thought brought a bright smile to Kevin''s face, which only intensified the terror in Leena''s heart. Leena could not help but shudder. ''Will he treat me in the same way if he gets really mad?'' Leena asked herself in secret. The three finished supper. It was an easy, peaceful evening. They talked,ughed, and enjoyed the delicious food. As usual, Kevin gathered up the dishes and put them in the sink. He was the dish washer. He was too busy to keep Leenapany at home, and he didn''t really have the time to help out around the house. But whenever he was at home, he had to do something for her. Chapter 1121 Gerard Was Here (Part One) Leena kept her vigil outside the study. She started to walk in, but paused for a moment. She was unsure if she wanted to do this just now. She walked in, and found Kevin at theputer, fingers pounding away at the keyboard, staring intently at the screen. It was obvious he was working again. "Kevin," she began. When he straightened up and turned his gaze to her. "About this afternoon...I need to exin," she said in a small voice. Leena walked slowly over to the desk and paused near Kevin, her head lowered. She was nervous and afraid of how Kevin might react, so she didn''t dare raise her head and look at him. "Okay. Go ahead. I''m listening." Kevin set some papers down on the desk, and then leaned back in the chair. He stared at Leena''s pretty face with an intrigued glint in his eyes. He was very curious what she was going to say. She had his undivided attention. "Well, I''m sorry that I didn''t tell my friend that I''m married. But it''s not because that I''m ashamed of you, not at all! It''s just that our marriage was kind of sudden, and I don''t want my friend to worry about me. I was waiting for the right time, and it never came. So I didn''t say a word to her. I am really sorry that I ignored your feelings and kept you a secret. Besides, how was I supposed to know she''d fix me up with some guy? She said the blind date was for her!" Leena exined all this timidly, in a small voice like a kid who was caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. She knew she was wrong for hiding the marriage, and worried about what Kevin might do. "Nana,e here." Kevin put out a hand and reached for her, beckoning her toe forward. Yes, he was angry when he found out that Leena''s friend didn''t know about him. But he was mad only for a moment. Once he calmed down, how could he ever really me her? Her exnation made perfect sense, and how was she to know her friend was setting her up? So now, after h nd collected as her, at least she could make herself look more mature and sophisticated. Maybe Kevin would like that. "Who told you that I like girls that are more mature?" Kevin was very confused. Where did shee up with that? It seemed that they really needed to talk more. Everyone changed, and they grew. You had to either ept what the other person became, or dump them and move on. ''They grew apart, '' their friends would say. If one of them changed, Kevin would prefer to work through it. "But you like Daisy, don''t you? And she''s a mature girl," Leena said in a small voice. She lowered her head again as well. Right now her face reflected all of her insecurities, in in view for Kevin to see. "Okay, let''s say you''re right. Let''s say you did your best to imitate Daisy so I''d like you more. But what if I really didn''t like you? What if, despite your best efforts, you ended up a pale shadow of Daisy, and I still didn''t like how you changed? And what if you lost yourself in the process, so you had no idea how to be you anymore?" He knew he sounded cruel, but she needed to understand. There was no point in changing her personality for him. What he really wanted was Leena. Not some fake Daisy, not some fake person. Just Leena. He liked her for who she was. Chapter 1122 Gerard Was Here (Part Two) "I thought maybe if I was more like Daisy, then you''d look at me more, you''d see me as desirable and lovable. Was I wrong?" This time, it was Leena''s turn to be confused. Was she wasting her time on this? So she was doing it wrong? Then what was she in the end? Just a clumsy imitation of someone else? "Oh, Nana! I''m so sorry. It is all my fault that you''re scewed up. Now, look into my eyes, do you see who I''m looking at? It''s not Daisy or some other girl, it''s a silly girl named Leena." Kevin gently lifted her chin up and made her look into his eyes. It was his fault that Leena was so unsure about herself. How he wished he had just paid more attention to her and he''d given her more signs that he loved her. Going over this in his head, his heart broke again. "Really? You wouldn''t lie to me, would you?" This was why Leena was so insecure. It was not that she wasn''t confident, it was that Daisy was an amazing woman. She couldn''tpete with that, and she knew it. And that was why she felt she wasn''t good enough to be his wife. "If I automatically said ''no'', would you believe me? So I won''t promise that I won''t lie. However, I''ll always have your best interests in mind. I''ll try to take your feelings into ount. In fact, you should know that already, silly girl." Kevin embraced her and sighed. He rocked her back and forth, feeling the warmth and letting her soak up the love. Maybe she tried to act mature, but deep inside, she was still one insecure and naive girl. "Okay, I get it. So, you''ll be good to me from now on, right? And no matter how much I mess things up, you''ll help me fix them?" Leena blinked, and asked in an innocent tone. Her beautiful guileless eyes made it hard to refuse her. "Yeah, I''ll be good to you. But if you screw up, it''s not like there won''t be consequences. I can''t have you running all over the ce thinking that you can do what you want. There are limits. I''ll need to punish you." He didn''t smile at all, like he meant what to change her clothes since she woke up. Of course she would be shocked when seeing a foreign man standing outside the door. "Thank you!" When Gerard came in, he looked around, taking in his surroundings. He was looking for wedding pictures, masculine decor, anything that would indicate that there was a husband around. "Have a seat! So why are you here? This is a long way from Paris!" Leena started to prepare a cup of coffee for him. Though she didn''t expect his visit at all and didn''t want to see him here, she still didn''t forget that he was the guest here. So she should at least do what a good hostess should do. That was only appropriate. "If I remember correctly, you told me toe. You pretty much invited me to your house." Gerard said these words to Leena, uncertain as to whether that was the case. His young and handsome face showed that he was a bit hurt. Leena wasn''t expecting him? He was hoping she''d be delighted, not flustered. "Maybe you should have told me first." Leena''s worried mindset spilled out onto her face. She was a bit worried about how to exin Gerard to Kevin tonight. She was unsure about how he''d react. "I e-mailed you. Did you get it?" Gerard looked at her with unassuming eyes. He could tell she was angry, and he was nervous because he couldn''t quite figure out why. Chapter 1123 Gerard Was Here (Part Three) "Yeah, I saw it. But still, you should have told me before you jumped on a ne and flew all the way here! What were you thinking?" Leena was in such a bad mood because of him, so she couldn''t control what she said. The words just fell out of her brain and tumbled out of her mouth. To be honest, Gerard wasn''t entirely innocent, either. He was highly irresponsible. But he didn''t deserve Leena''s scolding tone. "I''m sorry! I thought that you would be very happy to see me, Mignonne. So I wanted to surprise you. But it appears I''ve upset you, right?" Gerard lowered his eyes in shame. He didn''t even expect that Leena would be out of sorts when she saw him. He felt like he wasn''t wee here. "No, forget it. Just ignore me. I''m in a bad mood." Leena was usually sweet and kind, so the hurt look on Gerard''s face stopped her from saying anything more. After all, he was not wrong, because she did invite him toe here and visit her. But she didn''t expect that he would take it this seriously. It was an 11-hour ne ride. "Who''s your friend, Leena?" ire came out again, this time dressed more appropriately. she still felt a bit awkward about what happened before. Fortunately Gerard had seen nothing, and was still trying to sort out what happened. "I''m impressed!" she said. "This is Gerard. He''s a friend of mine. We met in France." Leena smiled and introduced Gerard to ire, but her smile was bitter. She was still not happy about his visit. "Oh! Hi! I''m ire, nice to meet you." ire introduced herself in English, because she didn''t know a single word of French. She hoped that this man could speak English. "Hello, beautifuldy, I am Gerard. Nice to meet you too." As one of the heirs of nc Group, it was almost required to be multi-lingual. So he answered ire in fluent English. "Thank you." ire nced at Leena, she couldn''t help but be envious of her. Because all the men around her were elegant, handsome, and rich. How was she always meeting men like these guys? What was her secret? "Mignonne, is this your friend?" Gerard asked, looking at ire with a gentle smile. "No, she''s my sister-inw." Leena spoke fluent French. And maybe because she''d spent quite a bit of time in France, she had no trace of the usual foreign ent. e heard she could drive the Ferrari. At this point, she''d probably agree to anything Leena proposed, no matter how outrageous. "So, Gerard, are you my sister-inw''s ssmate?" ire watched Leena go upstairs and disappear from view, then she turned back to Gerard. He was gorgeous, but there was such anguage barrier. "Sort of." Gerard lost interest once he found out that he was totally wrong about Leena. So Leena was indeed telling him the truth. She was really married. He had to believe it, because Leena''s sister-inw was right here in front of him. "Oh." The conversation had petered out and gotten a bit awkward. His vague answer was a little off-putting, and it sounded like he really didn''t want to talk about it. So she just mmed up. At this point, she really wished Leena would hurry up and get back. This was not going well at all. Fortunately, it didn''t take Leena long to change into better clothes. She came down in a stylish outfit that was designed to turn heads, but might not inspire too many lewd thoughts. Not only that, but she eschewed makeup this time. Leena handed a card to ire. It was one she rarely used. Though the money on that card couldn''t buy a whole department store''s worth of clothing, it should be enough for ire to use. And she had changed all her cards'' password to Kevin''s birthday in case she forgot the password. It should be easy enough to remember. "Here you go. It''s a tinum card. Get yourself something nice. The password is your brother''s birthday." Chapter 1124 The Meaning Of Happiness (Part One) "You want to give me this? Are you sure? Is there any limit?" ire took the card and turned it around. She looked at it thoroughly, feeling that there would not be much money credited to it. Otherwise, how could Leena be so generous? "Um, this is for you. No limits. You do not have any ie right now, right? So, you can use this card if you want to buy something. Don''t worry. There is sufficient money in it that you can use for a while." Leena smiled. She was not exaggerating when she mentioned ''sufficient money''. Every card of hers had a minimum amount of millions of dors. She didn''t worry that it would not be enough for ire, unless she boughtrge assets, such as a vi in S City. "But if you give Kevin''s card to me, won''t he be angry once he gets to know that? I can use this card to buy anything I need, right? Won''t he think I''m wasting his money?" ire hesitated a little. Although she liked buying beautiful clothes, she dared not fritter away her elder brother''s hard-earned money. After all, she grew up in the Army Base when she was young. She knew very clearly how hard being a soldier was and how much sweat and blood went into the daily training sessions and missions. How couldn''t she be sympathetic to his hardships? "Don''t worry about it. This card is my personal card. Your brother won''t know that I give it to you," Leena said, suddenly realizing that Kevin had given all his property to her, although she never used it. Should she also reveal more about her assets to him, keeping her property transparent as well? "Oh, really? In that case, I am fine with this. Thanks." Since it was Leena''s card, ire didn''t think that there would be much money in it. A person who didn''t work all day couldn''t have a hi ed to leave home again for a while. Kevin never felt that it was a problem before he got married to Leena. Realizing this once again, he sighed unwittingly. "Oh, don''t worry about that. Leena just went out with her friend. You can try to call her again? She probably shut down her phone because of low battery. But it''s probably switched on right now. She just said that she''d text me the passwords of the rooms," ire said, her hand pausing mid-air. She wondered if she had guessed wrong. Leena''s phone was probably turned off while she was charging it. But now she had left. It was impossible that she was still charging her phone. "Oh. That could be. I will call her againter. I''m hanging up. Bye." Kevin was not a suspicious man, nor was he autocratic. Upon hearing that Leena went out with a friend, he never thought of asking whom Leena went out with. Male or female? He didn''t stop to think about it. "Okay, Kevin. I am going out too. Only call me if there is anything urgent. Goodbye!" ire was in a hurry to dress up and go out, so she didn''t want to spend any more time talking to Kevin. She hung up immediately without waiting for his response. Chapter 1125 The Meaning Of Happiness (Part Two) "What are these two girls up to?" Kevin looked at his phone, baffled to hear ire suddenly end the call. He shook his head and could not help but roll his eyes. He had been afraid that they would get into arguments and quarrels with each other when he was not home. But it seemed that everyone had their appointments to attend to, no matter if he was there or not. In any case, it was good to see that both of them had something to do. Kevin smiled helplessly. He decided to call Leenater, even though he desperately wished to hear her voice right now. The reason he wanted to talk to her was to inform her that he had a special assignment tonight and wouldn''t be able to get home on time. He didn''t expect that the first time he tried to report this itinerary to his wife as her husband, he would not even be able to contact her. "Excuse me, Major General! May Ie in?" Just then, Lee''s high-pitched voice suddenly sounded from outside. As always, Lee was calm and courteous, even during this busy moment. "Come in, please." Kevin put down his phone and leaned back against his chair. He decided to forget all his trifles and concentrate on the task at hand. He wondered why Lee had barged in. "Major General, themander would like you to go to his office right now. He said that it was an emergency." Being in the army, Lee was always dignified. One could not find any trace of indiscipline in his actions. He was a role model for the newer soldiers. Kevin immediately sat upright at his words. "Oh, I see. I''lle right away." Kevin frowned, wondering what kind of emergency this was. He did not waste any more time thinking and stood up, straightening his military uniform before stepping out of his office door. "Commander, what happened? I heard that there was an emergency." Kevin walked into themander''s ons. ''Not much information on the targets'', was that what he said? It turned out that themander was just tricking them with his uncertain nces and clueless tone. Kevin and Daisy were speechless. They had been used to his style but had forgotten just now. Kevin recovered quickly. "Does this mean that their trade is ahead of schedule too? Where will they make the deal? Do we have the address? Where are they right now?" Kevin threw several questions at themander. He had been in the n previously and could promptly link the current situation with the earlier information he had received. "The ce where they n to trade has not been changed, only the timing has. We must strive to cooperate with the Interpol and not let our international friends down. And we do not want them to look down upon us. Agreed?" Commander gazed sharply at his two most outstanding soldiers. He had absolute confidence in their abilities. "Yes, Sir. However, I do not understand something. The Interpol has sent many cops on this case. Why do they still require our support? Why couldn''t they get much more information?" Kevin was somehow puzzled. Was the Interpol authentic? Or was there a bigger picture behind this case? Chapter 1126 The Meaning Of Happiness (Part Three) "Good question, Kevin. It is correct that they have spent many resources on this case. However, there is also the problem of location. Don''t forget that this is S city, not some western countries. Once the foreign faces of Interpol appear here, it would immediately arouse the suspicions of the criminals. They''ll be too conspicuous to be kept a secret. The Interpol does not want the criminals to raise their vignce, so we have to support them." Themander sighed. It was not his intention to expose his people to such a dangerous mission, but this was an order. As a soldier, he could not disy the slightest disobedience. He had to follow the orders and so did his subordinates. "I understand. So, that''s why you''re asking us to pretend to be a couple to get close to the targets." Kevin smiled bitterly. He had long been ustomed to such missions. Daisy and he often did it in previous tasks. Before, there had never been a reason not to take up the missions. But he felt differently this time about pretending to be a couple with Daisy. He was married to Leena now. "That is correct! You two are the most suitable people to y lovers in this army base. Both of you are skilled and experienced too. Besides, you two have worked together on many tasks before and are a good team. This task should not be difficult. Aren''t you confident about it like I am?" Themander beamed, not exaggerating a bit. In th eeling in him. "For me, happiness is to have the one you love love you back. What about you? What does happiness mean to you?" Gerard stared at her intensely as if he was trying to convey the love in his heart. "Happiness is the smile he wears when he lowers his head to look at me, a quiet call of my name from his thin lips, the softness with which he holds me in his arms and the warmth I feel when his eyes meet mine. Those moments define happiness for me. So, do you think I am happy?" Leena smiled with her head bowed down. A tender look arose on Leena''s face as if she was intoxicated in her sweet memories. "Mignonne, when you say that, you look like a girl who has fallen in love. You love him very much, am I right? Even more than you loved me before." Gerard was upset. He never saw such an impassioned expression in her eyes when they had been together. She was in love, certainly, and the man she was in love with was not him. Chapter 1127 The Meaning Of Happiness (Part Four) "Gerard, I am sorry. But I have to tell you that after I met my husband, I finally came to know what love meant. The affection I had for you was the naive emotion of a little girl who was too young to know what love was. What we shared was not about true love. I know you might feel hurt by my saying that, but it is the truth. Please, please don''t expect anything else from me. It will never work and won''t be worth it. This is what I told you before in Paris too. We can only be friends." This was Leena. She never offered hope to others where there was none. Any false hope would only wound him even more. When it was time to be hard and straight, Leena knew how to be so. A short moment of pity would deepen the hurt in future. It was better not to have such pity at all. "You''re very cruel, Mignonne. You already know why I am here. Yes, I came here for you, only for you. But even before I could open my mouth, you''ve sentenced me to my death." Gerard forced a bitter smile. His young and handsome face was marked with sadness. Yes, he had made a wrong decision at that time, but how it could morph into such an impossible situation? He didn''t only lose her, he also lost his first love. He was in deep remorse. "I apologize, Gerard. This is the best response I can give you. We cannot turn back the clock. Even though you''re reluctant and unwilling right now, you must admit that what''s gone is gone. Gerard, I am married, and I love my husband he right to love you. Just please, don''t be so cruel to me. Just like you said earlier, the happiness I want can also be simple. As long as you look at me and smile, I will be satisfied." Gerard closed his eyes. This was a pain that could not be described in words. He was in love with her but had to bury his love deep in his heart. He had to pretend he was fine just being friends with her. Otherwise he would not get the chance to be near her. "Gerard, you don''t need to be like this. You know, in my mind, you are always so elegant and unconventional. Acting like this is totally not your style. You were like a young prince in France. Why waste your precious youth on me?" Leena swallowed and furrowed her brows. At the same time, sheughed at herself silently, feeling somewhat helpless. She found that she was not a good guide after all. Instead of things getting solved, they had turned an irreversible tide. The whole situation made her feel frustrated. Chapter 1128 Leena Was Taken Hostage (Part One) "Mignonne, stop trying to persuade me. I need time! Maybe I''ll forget you soon, or maybe it''ll take me my entire life to get over you. But right now, don''t tell me to stop loving you," Gerard voiced out his thought mournfully and tried to keep smiling. He had expected this result before he arrived here but didn''t anticipate it would be so decisive. "Trust me, Gerard, unrequited love is dismal and exhausting. Have you thought about that?" Leena asked, gazing up at him. She knew the acrid taste of unrequited love very well. It was the most miserable memory of her life, so she knew how much it hurt. "I feel it now. Butpared to not loving you at all, I''d rather it be a one-sided affair so that I remain true to my soul." Gerard smiled, shrugging. To many people, he was just a noble French boy born into a rich family. He was used to the party life. But in truth, he only hoped to spend his entire life with someone special. "As you wish! I can''t stop you from doing it, but I hope you can live happily," Leena said faintly. No matter what, Gerard was still her friend. Why would she want him to be unhappy? "If I hadn''t let you go in the first ce, do you think you would have been my wife by now?" Gerard asked, holding on to thest shred of hope. There was a saying that went,"The best are always unpossessed." That was true for Gerard too. "No. Because we aren''t suitable for each other," Leena said, taking a sip of her wine. She turned to focus her attention to the door and tried to avoid eye contact with him. As she nced in that direction, she saw something that shocked her. She found Kevin and Daisy walking into the hotel hand-in-hand, wearing casual clothes and standing awfully close to each other. Daisyughed at something Kevin said. Both of them were so good-looking that they attracted a lot of attention. They looked like a real couple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the army''s n was in action. The criminals were staying at the hotel. Kevin and Daisy hade here to get acquainted with the lot and to make sure everything went well. They went to sit near some foreign men. The people around them couldn''t tell that Kevin and Daisy were alert to the slightest noise. The pair behaved intimately li fed at the irony. Only minutes ago she had been convincing Gerard to get out of her life, and now she was d to be looked after by him. "Mignonne, you are not living a happy life as you described, are you?" Gerard asked with some sympathy. He had never seen such sadness in her eyes. Coldness, yes, but never such misery. "Pfft! What are you talking about? Have you ever seen anyone happier than me?" Leenaughed, pretending to be unperturbed. Her heart was bitter and suffering but she didn''t want Gerard to see that. "Don''t you always say lying to ourselves is not good behavior? Your eyes have already betrayed your lie," Gerard replied. He loved her eyes. They were so pure and innocent; her true self reflected in them. He had never seen this kind of beauty in anyone else. None of his other friends were like her. Gerard realized once again that he had been too stupid to cherish her back when they were together. "Eyes can deceive too. Never judge someone by their eyes, Gerard," Leena uttered, taking a sip of the water. She was upset, yes, but she didn''t want to drown her sorrow in drinks. Her situation wasn''t so pathetic yet. Moreover, what one saw with one''s own eyes was not always true. ''If Kevin and Daisy are behaving like this out in the open, they must be undercover on a secret mission, '' Leena wondered if it was a possibility. She didn''t n to ask them in person what was going on, no matter how confused she felt. She might ruin their task if she interfered. Chapter 1129 Leena Was Taken Hostage (Part Two) "Mignonne, have I told you you''ve changed a lot? If you were this wise back when we were together, I''m sure I would have never broken up with you." Every time Gerard brought this up, he felt intense regret. As a proud man, he knew better than to entangle himself in pursuing Leena again. He came to S City to find an answer for his restless heart and just as he had guessed, the situation between them was irreparable. He only hoped he could spend time with Leena as a friend over the next few days. It would serve as a remedy for his broken heart. "So, you regret it now? I am grateful that you let me go. Because of it, I found the person with whom I want to spend the rest of my life." She told herself not to look at Kevin and Daisy umpteen times, but couldn''t help herself. This time when her eyes wandered back to their seat, they were gone. She stood up in rm, her eyes abruptly searching for them. "What are you looking at? Are you searching for someone?" Gerard asked, standing up in confusion as well. He noticed that she kept looking in one direction, but he found nothing unusual when he followed her gaze. Previously, he had seen a passionate couple upying a table there, but such intimacy wasmon in the western world. Leena herself should know, as she had lived in France for a long time. How was she still bothered by it? "Nope. Let''s sit. I saw something but it must have been my imagination. It''s probably because I feel a little dizzy," Leena said, patting her hair nervously. That must be it. In any case, Kevin and Daisy were not supposed to be so snug and intimate. In actuality, the criminals had left, so Kevin and Daisy followed them. That was the reason why Leena couldn''t spot them anymore. Still keeping up the ruse of being a couple, Kevin and Daisy stalked the criminals from a distance and made sure they weren''t discovered. They took the elevator and got to the floor where the criminals stayed. Straightaway, the culprits caught sight of them and raised their guns. Kevin and Daisy found themselves in a sudden encounter. Fortunately, they had prepared in advance for such a scenario. The innocents staying on the same floor had been relocated to a safer ce earlier. At least Kevin and Daisy didn''t have to worr Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. s eyes didn''t move from Leena. "Well! We''ve got Hawkeye and others keeping an eye on them. I was worried you wouldn''t be able to cope with this one all by yourself, so I followed you here. But I didn''t expect this," Daisy said as she perused her surroundings stealthily. She tried to find the best corner to snipe at the gunman. "Any good position?" Kevin asked her quietly. He had coordinated with Daisy for many years so he could tell what she was thinking. "Honestly, no. We are in a dead corner, so we have zero chance. Let''s y it by ear," Daisy replied, frowning. She had carried out lots of missions in the past but never before had she been so flustered. "What are you two discussing? No talking or I shoot her!" The criminal announced. His eyes shone fiercely as he held Leena tightly. Leena winced in pain but made no noise. She didn''t want Kevin to worry about her. "As far as I know, you are a veteran! Do you consider it manly behavior to take a vulnerable girl hostage?" Kevin goaded him promptly. He was worried sick and on edge, but he pretended to keep his cool. The more dangerous the situation was, the better it would be for him to be of sound mind. "You sound like you already have all the information on us. No wonder you found us so fast," the criminal countered back, feeling agitated. Their gang arrived in S City only today. How could these guys be so quick in gathering intel and taking all the necessary precautions? It seemed these two knew the gang too well. Chapter 1130 Leenas Life Was Hanging By A Thread (Part One) "It''s impossible for you to escape from here even if you resist. If you''re a clever man, you would release the hostage first. You may be treated with leniency for that." Daisy stared at the man''s gun, looking for an opportunity to shoot him dead while he was negligent. "Cut the crap. We know what wemitted was a capital crime. No matter what we do now, we will only face the death penalty," the gangster said, sneering. Judging from their tense expressions, he assumed that the hostage he took was someone they knew. This could be of advantage to him. The more high-strung the situation was, the more likely it was that they would give themselves over to blind emotion. The soldiers could easily lose their heads, no matter howposed they were normally. Leena tried her best to stay calm, but the gun was pointed right at her temple. Anyone facing such a situation would be scared, and Leena was just a vulnerable woman. As frightened as she was, she tried her best not to show the slightest hint of panic so that Kevin and Daisy did not grow agitated. "If only Leena knew how to fight! That way, perhaps she could coordinate with us and get herself out of danger," Kevin murmured. His gaze did not stray from the gangster''s movements. Never had he felt as frustrated as he did right now. If a man couldn''t even protect his own wife, how could he be worthy of the army badges on his shoulders that celebrated his glory? "I didn''t think of that. Do you mean to shoot him dead with Leena''s cooperation? Or are you not confident about it? If you don''t kill him with a single shot, there might be terrible consequences." Daisy pondered over the strategy. As opposed to Kevin''s suggestion, she thought the safest way for them was to snipe at the criminal when he was being inattentive. "Yes, you read my mind. So now I''m at a loss," Kevin said as his eyes still locked on Leena. He feared that the gangster would go bananas and identally fire his gun. "Please help her. You must save Mignonne. She''s innocent," Gerard pleaded as he shook Kevin''s arm violently. He was obviously overwhelmed by this situation. "Who are you? You know what, never mind. It doesn''t matter who you are. Get out of here, right now. You will hinder the rescue." Only then did Kevin take note of the other man. Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. fight. She took advantage of the criminal''s wandering eyes and reached out to push away his hand that held the gun. She swiftly crouched to sweep at him. At once, Kevin jumped over to them. Moving faster than Daisy, he knocked down the gun that the criminal tried to aim at Leena''s head. Daisy didn''t stop as Kevin snatched up the opportunity to strike him down. She followed up and seized the criminal by his shoulders. He was finally in her control. "Leena, you scared the hell out of me. You can''t be so impulsive next time you are in danger." Kevin lifted her from the ground and pulled her into his arms, as if getting back a lost treasure. If he had been even a secondte in knocking the gun down, Leena would have been lying in her own pool of blood right now. "Kevin, I was scared too." Leena burst into tears, unable to hold them back any longer. She had closed her eyes during the fight and was ready to receive the bullet. She didn''t expect the gangster to be so strong that her sweep wouldn''t work. That was how he got the chance to try and point the gun at her again. "It''s all over now, don''t be afraid. I''m here with you," Kevin said as he nted a gentle kiss on her forehead. Hawkeye and others arrived on the scene. The team took over the criminal from Daisy and couldn''t help but stare at the heartwarming scene next to them. They had heard that the Major General was married, but they had never seen his eyes so tender and full of love. They had not imagined meeting his wife in such a dangerous situation. Chapter 1131 Leenas Life Was Hanging By A Thread (Part Two) "What are you looking at? Hurry up and take these criminals to the ICPO. Send them away," Daisy waved her hands at them and urged them to leave. It was the couple''s happy moment. They shouldn''t be disturbed. "Yes, Senior Colonel Ouyang. We will get going," Hawkeye said and hurriedly took the criminal away. His loud voice startled the couple, who were in an embrace. "Sis Daisy." Leena left Kevin''s arms and turned to Daisy. She hugged Daisy, sniffing her light jasmine scent. Leena blushed when she thought of how she had misunderstood things back at the restaurant. She had been convinced that Daisy and Kevin were truly dating. "Leena, you scared both of us!" Daisy had hardly recovered from the shock. Fortunately, Kevin had taken the lead and saved Leena. Daisy couldn''t imagine what would have transpired if he hadn''t knocked down the gun seconds ahead of her. She had to admit that with regards to speed, she could never outmaneuver Kevin. Moreover, he was backed by the power of his love, so his speed had been unusually fast. Kevin''s anxiety had been in to see. "Sorry. I didn''t expect that this would happen to us. We didn''t expect to run into your task. Sorry for causing you so much trouble." Leena felt incredibly guilty. She never wanted Kevin and Daisy to be subject to the gangster''s demands just because of her. "Don''t say that. You did not trouble us. Even if it was not someone we know, it''s our duty to ensure the safety of every citizen. Stop worrying your little head!" Daisy patted Leena''s forehead, feigning a sullen look. It had been a close shave. Daisy had held her breath when she realized that Leena intended to knock down the gangster. In such a critical moment when Leena''s life was hanging by a thread, Daisy didn''t know how to stop her from risking her life. She didn''t even get the opportunity to warn Kevin. She could only cooperate with Leena. Daisy had been toote to control the gangster and couldn''t imagine how it would have ended if Kevin hadn''t reacted quickly to the situation. Kevin''s gaze was still fixed on Leena. His eyes brimmed with deep affection. He had finally figured out his heart just moments ago. It was not like Kevin never had any feelings for her, he just didn''t know when she had so quietly walked into his heart. She caught him off-guard and won him over, and now she was the most important person in his life. "Mignonne, you are finally out of danger. ssion with interest. "Mignonne, I realize now why you told me that we can''t be together. I''m not your type, am I?" Gerard nced at Leena, dejected. He seemed toprehend the situation now. "No, I wouldn''t say that. It depends on what the man is like. My type doesn''t really matter," Leena said, smiling gracefully. Her ''type'' was not the only standard ording to which she loved a man. She attached more importance to a man''s morality, and how she felt when she first saw him. The first time she met Kevin, she was drunk and chose him over anyone else. He left a good impression on her at the very first sight, otherwise she would not have had sex with him. "But that confuses me even more," Gerard said, frowning. He pondered over Leena''s words, but it seemed that the harder he tried to figure out why they ended up like this, the further he drifted away from the answer he wanted. "Don''t think anymore. Just use your eyes to see and your heart to feel. You will get it eventually. Let''s go now! I''ll treat you to afternoon tea." Leena walked past him briskly and led the way. She had promised Kevin that she would wait for him to pick her up. She would dly do so. During the time she waited for him, she didn''t mind spending some more time with Gerard. "But didn''t you say that you would go home after you send me back to the hotel? Now you''re inviting me to drink tea. What made you change your mind?" Gerard didn''t understand Leena and Kevin''snguage, so he didn''t know that Leena changed her ns because Kevin told her to. If Gerard knew about that, he would probably feel distressed again. Chapter 1132 The Argument In The Tea House (Part One) "Are youing with me or not?" Leena rolled her eyes at Gerard and then walked away without even waiting for his reply. The mild smile on her cute face stayed as she was still in a good mood even after being shocked earlier. "Wait for me! Who am I to refuse you if you want to treat me, right?" Gerard shook his head helplessly before running after Leena. He acted like he didn''t meet Kevin just now. It seemed that he either ignored his existence because he didn''t want to believe the truth, or he had already epted the truth that Leena was married to a great man and decided to let go. Sometimes, men seemed to be more persistent than women but once they gave up about something, they truly gave it up. Leena brought Gerard to a tea house that she rarely visited by herself. She chose this ce because she knew that Kevin liked drinking tea. She wanted to try the tea from this tea house and then she could understand him more. "Mignonne, since when have you liked drinking tea?" Gerard asked as he sat down with Leena. He was utterly confused. As far as he knew, Leena never liked drinking tea, so what were they doing in this tea house now? "Well, I''m trying to like it." Leena just shrugged her shoulders and smiled. Then she poured herself a cup of tea and added in a more serious tone,"By the way, how long are you going to stay in S City? Are you waiting for professor Be so you could go back to France with her?" She threw him a worried nce. She was ufortable with the fact that Gerard came here by himself. She even thought that what he did was a really bad idea. Wasn''t he afraid of losing his ce in his family business while staying in another country? There might be a lot of people wanting to steal his thing that Louisa pushed her to check the card first. She didn''t expect for Leena to be this generous after all! The digits she saw had confused her about her sister-inw again. If Leena was just an ordinary girl from an ordinary family, then how on earth did she get that much money in her card? Not only that! How could an ordinary girl just give her that amount of money as if it was not even a big deal? "ire, what a nice surprise! Did you twoe here to drink some tea too? Come sit with us!" Leena patted the seat beside her as she gestured ire to sit down. However, it was obvious that she didn''t pay much attention to Louisa, who was standing next to ire. "Louisa, can we sit with them?" ire turned to thedy beside her and asked. It was obvious that she cared about Louisa, or else she wouldn''t ask for her permission. "Alright." Louisa''s tone was weird when she nced at Leena disdainfully. Just the mere sight of Leena''s face was enough to make her remember every hurtful word Kevin said to her the other night. She felt bitter all over again. How could the two of them live happily together after hurting her so cruelly? Chapter 1133 The Argument In The Tea House (Part Two) Her friend''s tone automatically made ire ufortable. She apologetically smiled at Leena. She was slowly changing her opinion about her sister-inw even though she hadn''t realized it yet. Plus! She just used her money. Thus, no matter how much she hated Leena before, she couldn''t help but be nice to her. "Would you like some pastries?" Leena didn''t mind Louisa''s action because she decided topletely ignore her. Well, it was all up to her if she wanted to act stocked up. She didn''t want to be the one to start up a conversation with her only to be mocked in return. "No, thank you. I ate a lot at lunch. I just got tired of shopping so I decided toe here and rest for a bit. How about you? I thought that you would take Gerard to visit the historic ces here in S City. I didn''t expect you two toe here." ire picked up the cup of tea Leena poured for her and sipped. To be honest, she was not a fan of tea either. She only came here because she had a very greasy meal for lunch and wanted to drink something that could help her get rid of the greasy taste in her mouth. "I nned to but then I thought that you haven''t been to those ces too. So I changed my mind. If you like, I can take you and Gerard together to those historical ces instead once you have free time." Leena''s smile to ire was a bit bitter. It was noticeable that her sister-inw''s treatment to her had changed. However, she also knew clearly that these changes weren''t because ire realized that she was indeed a very nice person. ire was being nice simply because she had spent her money. Nothing more and nothing less. Just the thought of it hurt her a lot. "Okay! Louisa, you are going together with us, right? The more people the merrier!" said ire excit r-inw. She didn''t say anything bad about you!" It could either be because of ire''s innocence or her mental slowness that she didn''t realize what Leena meant by her words. Nheless, she was also confused as to why would Louisa be suddenly angry. "ire! Are you intentionally making me mad? Whose side are you on?" Louisa red at her friend. She couldn''t believe how stupid ire could be! Didn''t this girl promise to be on her side? She wouldn''t even want to talk with ire if she hadn''t thought of her as something useful to get Kevin. Couldn''t ire understand that Leena just mocked her? Goodness! She was so oblivious! Worse was that she even defended Leena! That was so unforgivable. Didn''t she dislike Leena as much as she did? How could everything change overnight? "I was just saying the truth, that''s all! Why are you so angry in the first ce? I really can''t understand you sometimes. Louisa!" ire felt extremely wronged and couldn''t help but yell at Louisa. She wasn''t taking anyone''s side. Besides, it was Louisa who attacked Leena first. What she did was just fair. She was just being reasonable. Wasn''t she allowed to help her sister-inw? Chapter 1134 The Argument In The Tea House (Part Three) "Wow! Very good, Leena." Louisa pped her hands mockingly as she red at the twodies. "I don''t know why ire suddenly became protective of you. You must have done something really good to make her betray me. Did you use the same strategy as what you are using to get those guys?" It was clear that Louisa just came here to pick a fight with Leena. This was her way of getting back at Leena after she stayed in the parking lot for a very long time that night. Kevin''s cruel words made her cry her heart out on the cold floor. Worse, she never expected Kevin to just abandon her there without even looking back. She felt like trash. "Please mind your words, Miss Ye! I never hook up with other guys!" Leena dangerously squinted her eyes. Her stare at Louisa was freezing. So what if Louisa was amander''s daughter? She couldn''t even make a living without her father''s help! She had no right to insult her like that! Compared to Louisa, she had already proven herself by gaining her financial independence. Kevin might be her father''s subordinate. So? Who cared about it? Nobody of course! It was not like she or her dad owned the army base! Thus, Leena didn''t even have to be careful around her at all. "Oh my God! The guy you''ve been cheating on Kevin with is right before my eyes! What more evidence do I need?" Louisa felt happy upon seeing Leena lost her cool. It was exactly her goal. She wanted this woman to be mad. Moreover, she wanted her to suffer. It was only then that she would feel a bit better. "Oh! You mean Gerard?" Leena''s eyebrows deeply furrowed but it only took her a second before she suddenly smiled. "Why? Are you jealous of me, Miss Ye? Is it because the an words to Leena! Leena was still her sister-inw and Louisa surely went too far this time. How could she possibly insult Leena like that? She was horrible! "What is it, ire? Was I not right? Did I rub in the fact too hard?" Louisa turned to Leena after giving ire a smirk. "Hey, Leena! Was that how you managed to marry Kevin? Ho ho! I bet that was what you did. Well, he is kind of shy and silly after all. That must be the reason why you were able to trick him to be your husband." The more Louisa talked, the more she thought that she was right. She waspletelyshing out on Leena because of how Kevin hurt her feelings. No one could stop her from attacking Leena, not even ire! Louisa''s words were like a bitch-p on Leena''s face. She was guilty of tricking Kevin by intentionally approaching him while she was tipsy. She was suddenly at a loss for words as she felt her blood drain out of her face. Though she never demanded Kevin to take responsibility for their one-night stand, they still married. It would be a forever fact that Kevin never married her out of love but because of her trickery. Chapter 1135 The Argument In The Tea House (Part Four) "Mignonne, what are you three talking about? Why did your face be so pale all of a sudden?" Gerard had been silently drinking his tea while keenly watching them. He honestly couldn''t understand a single wording out of their mouths. However, he wasn''t blind. He could tell from the look on Leena''s face that she was unhappy and a bit angry. That made him worry about her. Were they arguing? If so, what were they arguing about? "Leena, just admit it! Tell him! Why don''t you tell him that you have been ying them and that you are only sleeping with them for their money!" Leena''s reaction made Louisa think that her guess was right. Thus, she became more smug and aggressive. She was so taken over by her negative emotions when a cup of warm tea was suddenly poured on her head! She quickly looked around to see who the culprit was. And much to her surprise, it was ire who was holding the empty cup in her hand while staring seriously at her. "Louisa, you really went too far this time! How could you say something so disrespectful to someone you don''t even know at all? Are you out of your mind?" ire said in fury. Her disappointment was written all over her face towards her friend. Though she didn''t like Leena herself before, she never thought of her as a disgraceful woman. She couldn''t stand how Louisa was suggesting that Leena was a scandalous gold digger. More, Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. less, she wasn''t regretting what she did. It was just that she could have handled the situation better. Moreover, Louisa was her friend. She could understand why she didn''t like Leena. She also knew that Louisa was a bit jealous of Leena because of her brother. But still, she shouldn''t have said those hurtful and disrespectful words. As Louisa''s friend, ire felt that it was her responsibility to stop her from saying more disgraceful words. "Ha! I went too far? Why don''t you say that to your dear sister-inw? She is hereughing and joking with a man behind your brother''s back! Is what she is doing right?" Though Louisa hated ire for pouring the cup of tea on her, she still tried to control her anger. This was not the right time to break her ties with ire. She still had something in mind that needed ire''s help. After all, Kevin had made himself clearst night. Thus, ire was her only chance. Chapter 1136 Immeasurable Love (Part One) "What are you talking about, Louisa? Leena and Gerard are friends. I know they hang out together but that doesn''t mean they have a tryst. Isn''t that a bit of an exaggeration?" ire defended Leena, thinking that Louisa was being too unreasonable. Everything had a hidden meaning for her. "Come on, ire. Don''t be silly. You''re being jerked around. Don''t you know why she gave you a bank card with so much money on it? Gifts blind the eyes. Anyone perceptive enough can see that she wants to shut you up so that you don''t tell Kevin what you see. Don''t you get it?" Louisa took a tissue and gently wiped the water stains on her face, lest her impable makeup be ruined. "What? That can''t be true. You''re thinking too much, Louisa. As far as I can see, she''s not capable of scheming. It won''t do her any good anyway." ire nced at Leena with a hesitant look in her eyes. She didn''t believe that her sister-inw was a cunning fox anymore. Her opinion had changed after spending so much time with Leena. She knew that Leena had a good heart. At least she never talked about others behind their backs, like the way Louisa did. "We are outsiders. How would we know whether it does her good or not? Only Leena knows that. She''s the one who serves the devil," Louisa said and cocked an eyebrow in Leena''s direction, obviously trying to provoke her. However, Leena turned a deaf ear to Louisa''s words. She refilled her cup and whispered to Gerard as if she didn''t hear a word of what Louisa said. Revenge was often like bi talking about? I don''t get it," Gerard said with curiosity, unable to understand her words. "Ah! You don''t need to know. It''s just a local saying around here." With her head down, Leena blinked rapidly and wondered what she could do. Louisa was long forgotten. "What are you two talking about? It''s funny to listen to you two talk in anguage that I don''t understand." ire had been eavesdropping on the conversation between Leena and Gerard, but failed toprehend what they were saying. "Don''t you know? It wouldn''t be a secret if you could understand what they were saying. As I pointed out before, there is something going on between these two. But you didn''t believe me. Don''t fall into this trap," Louisa chipped in before Leena could answer. She was bored with Leena snubbing her. "I don''t believe you! How is that possible? Come on, Louisa. Cool down." ire felt helpless. She had promised Kevin to be on friendly terms with Leena, so she didn''t want to worsen her rtions with Leena again. Chapter 1137 Immeasurable Love (Part Two) "We were talking about something rted to France. What''s wrong, ire?" Leena raised her head, still not looking at Louisa. She made no reply to Louisa''s taunt, as if thetter didn''t exist at all. "Nothing. I just couldn''t make out what you two were talking about." Leena and Gerard talked in barelyprehensible French, so ire couldn''t understand what they were saying. "Excuse me. I have to answer this call," Leena interrupted, giving ire an apologetic smile. She picked up the phone that was on the table. She had been afraid to miss Kevin''s call and so hadn''t put the phone in her pocket. "Where are you, Nana? I''lle and pick you up." Leena heard Kevin''s anxious voice as soon as she answered the call. "Are you finished with work? We''re in the teahouse next to the hotel. You will find us when youe over," Leena answered, her heart bubbling with happiness. Her cheery voice cut Louisa to the quick. "Yeah. I know where the teahouse is. I''ll be there soon. See youter." Kevin put the phone in his pocket and hurriedly walked through the crowd. Leena pouted. Kevin was not affectionate by nature, but he shouldn''t have hung up the phone so abruptly. She hadn''t even replied back. "Who''sing?" ire was curious. A deep frown marred her face when she heard the word "hotel". She wondered if Louisa''s suspicions were true. "Kevin is nearby. He''ll be here in a minute." Leena let out a long breath. The thought of exining Gerard''s presence to Kevin once they got home gave her a terrible headache. Howev n. Kevin did not feel threatened by him. He had no clue that Gerard was his rival in love. "Not bad, but I haven''t gotten to explore it yet." Gerard regarded Leena thoughtfully. He realized that she had been waiting for Kevin to arrive. The thought made him feel bitter. Leena said previously that she didn''t love him anymore, so Gerard could do nothing about it. "Well, why not stroll around S City? There are many wonderful tourist spots here. Some ces also have a long history attached to them." It was great to have friendsing from afar. Kevin was full of friendliness and hospitality. "I will. I''m just afraid that Mignonne would get tired." Gerard''s smile had a hint of bitterness in it. He took a sip of tea from his cup to hide his sorrow. "Don''t worry about that. ire can join you. The more the merrier. It''s her first time in S City too. You both can keep each otherpany." Kevin didn''t think it was a big deal. Listening to him, the others wondered if he was trying to bring Gerard and ire closer. Chapter 1138 Immeasurable Love (Part Three) "Why should I go with him, Kevin?" ire''s mouth twitched. She wanted to explore the city but she didn''t like the strange feeling she had. She was still thinking about the handsome Rain, but couldn''t find any opportunity to approach him. Leena warned her to stay away from Rain, so she was embarrassed to ask Leena for more details about him. Otherwise, Leena might figure out that ire hadn''t given up on him. "It''s your first visit to S City. Why don''t you travel in a group? Leena will show you around. Isn''t that a good idea?" Kevin didn''t know why ire was objecting. What was wrong with his proposal? Leena had to show her friend around anyway. She wouldn''t mind taking ire with them. "What you just said was very strange. You sound like a matchmaker. Like you deliberately wanted to bring us together. I know you don''t like me, Kevin, but I didn''t think you hated me so much that you''d want to wed me to a foreigner," ire said, her tone aggrieved. She liked foreign countries a lot but it was altogether a different story to marry a foreigner. "Rx. Gerard won''t take a fancy to you. You''re stroppy. I''m afraid you would bring disgrace to our country after you marry a foreigner," Kevin joked, taking delight in deriding ire. He had a quick tongue and always said what he thought without much deliberation, but his words hurt ire. "Come on, Kevin. Is that what you really think of me? I''m not that bad!" ire''s voice was loud. She would havepletely lost her temper if he wasn''t her brother. "He i ed by a brain parasite, but that seemed even more farfetched. The only conclusion was that he was in love. Meanwhile, Gerard felt a desperate urge to interrupt their obsessive eye contact. He had promised Leena that he wouldn''t interfere in her life, so he resisted his impulse and gulped down the bitterness. ''It''s great to see that she got married to a man who loves her so dearly. I love her too, but that doesn''t mean I have to be with her. This man can make her happy so I can set my mind to rest. Maybe I have to let her go and finally move on, '' Gerard thought as he lowered his eyes. Truthfully, Kevin didn''t mean to upset Gerard by his actions. He just wanted to make it crystal clear to Louisa that she would never be able to break up his happy marriage. He would never allow it. On the other hand, Leena felt a bit uneasy. She didn''t know how long such a harmonious life couldst. Once she told Kevin that Gerard was her ex-boyfriend, it would definitely cause havoc. ''Would I be doomed?'' Leena wondered. Chapter 1139 Truth And Treachery (Part One) At night, under the watchful eye of the moon and the stars twinkling in the sky, Leena gently pushed the door open and walked into the study. She was agitated, her young beautiful face looking quite gloomy. That wasn''t like her at all. "What''s up?" Kevin closed his military book and ced it on the desk, showing that she had his undivided attention. He looked at Leena with a frown. Why did she look so strange? Why was she being so furtive and tentative? "Kevin, could we talk?" Leena forced a smile. There was a tinge of mischievousness in her clear and watery eyes. Her eyes shed that way only when she was with him. "Yeah, babe. What do you need?" Kevin stood up and led her to the sofa, gently, hand on her back. He was curious what she wanted to say. "Well...it''s about Gerard." Leena bit her lip and tried to organize the jumble in her mind. How could she possibly exin this? Should she start from the beginning? "What''s wrong with Gerard? He''s a nice guy. And we can get along. Is there something I should know about him? You''re acting weird." Kevin gave her a questioning look. They all had dinner together, and everything seemed to be going well. Louisa left during the meal, but that didn''t disrupt things too much. "Well..." She paused again. She was so nervous, that everything spilled out in a word sd. "Before we got married, me and Gerard were a thing. But it was really simple. He had only held my hands. That''s all. And that''s why we broke up. I won''t give my body to just anyone, and I wouldn''t give it to him." At this point, Leena closed her eyes. She didn''t want t ined why she got so drunk that day in the bar, and why she had a one night stand with him. Because she was trying to soothe the heartache of a breakup. But it was a damn good thing she did, though, because otherwise they would never have met. Thanks to a chance moment, their lives were intertwined forever. "No. I don''t think it''s even love. I was really young, then, and didn''t know what love is. Now I do, and things are different." Leena rushed to her defense, her beautiful face turning red from the anxiety. "So why should I be mad again?" Kevinughed and stroked her nose with his fingers. He felt happy to have her in his life. Sometimes she could be very mature and had a keen mind. She seemed to really have it together, and a wisdom that defied her age. But sometimes she was very innocent and naive like a flower in the greenhouse, which would be juicy with a simple touch. "But Gerard told me that he still couldn''t forget me. So that''s why he flew all the way out here from France," Leena said hesitantly. She didn''t dare to look into his eyes. Chapter 1140 Truth And Treachery (Part Two) "So? How do you feel about that?" Kevin got a little nervous when he heard this. He wasn''t sure that she wouldn''t say that she still had a thing for him, that she was going to run off with Gerard. That would break his heart in two. "No. I blew him off when I came back from France. I told him the truth -- that I was a happily married woman. And I thought that was the end of it, but he got my address from a teacher and that''s where we are now." Leena raised her head and looked at him in the eyes. Sincerityy behind those eyes, and he would be a fool not to believe her. "Leena, thanks for telling me. I''d rather hear it from you than find out by ident. And this is what makes me think that I''m important to you. We''ll be okay. Because we can be honest with each other." Kevin finally rxed a little. But the news that Gerard never gave up on Leena was a little disconcerting. It never urred to him that he''d have a romantic rival, that someone else would bepeting with him for Leena''s heart. So he''d always felt very safe and calm. Obviously he ignored the fact that Leena was an attractivedy with a good family background. "It''s normal for a couple to be honest with each other, right?" Leena asked. Her head tilted gracefully and one corner of her mouth uplifted. Her smile made her look all the more beautiful. She actually looked fascinating from every angle. "I don''t know what to say to that." Kevin smiled bitterly. Because he failed to be honest with her right from the beginning, and that was why there were so many misunderstandings. All he could do was do better next time. "Oh? I didn''t mean to me you. It l like she was with Duke and her other brothers. "You got it! You''re slow today. You should take more vitamins." Kevin smiled as he smoothed her hair. With Leena cuddled in his arms, he could feel his heart beat even faster. The moment was peaceful and beautiful, and love made their hearts grow fonder. Although Kevin didn''t say "I love you" to Leena, all the time, actions spoke louder than words. It was a daily routine -- Kevin always got up early and came homete. Whenever Leena woke up early, she''d hear a rustling. She opened her eyes, and saw Kevin looking for clothes in the wardrobe. "Going to work now?" Leena crept out from the warm quilt with sleepy eyes. She didn''t want to miss one of the few times that she caught him before he went to work. "Oh! Sorry I woke you up. Just go back to sleep, baby. It''s too early." Kevin said, yawning as he put his shirt on. As soon as he got his tie, Leena suddenly came over and took the tie from him. She was good at fixing the tie, so he let her do it. She was a fashion designer, and her skill made the tie look wless on him. Chapter 1141 Truth And Treachery (Part Three) Kevin was surprised by her doing this. He bent his knees to make it easier for her to tie it. In fact, he''d always tied it himself, and so this intimate gesture was new to him. He quite enjoyed it, more, he was touched by her. "Okay, finished. You look handsome now." She gave the tie a yful tug. Next Leena arranged the shirt cor and backed up a few steps, surveying her handiwork. She was quite satisfied with her tidying job. "Thanks. I''ll take your praise," Kevin said as he reached out and took her into his arms, followed by kisses. The amorous and affectionate kisses made Leena lose herself in love. She even didn''t realize when Kevin put her back on the bed. "I really have to go now. Close your eyes and catch some more zzz''s," Kevin said as he covered her with the quilt. Though the heater had done its job and they were quite warm, he still worried she might catch cold with few clothes on. As much as he loved seeing her in that teddy, he cared about her health and happiness more. "Okay, take care." Leena blushed. Happy as she was, she was still not used to seeing him being so warm-hearted. It wasn''t like him. He was usually very cold and rigid. Kevin nodded and took his army coat with him before he walked out. His handsome and strong figure gradually disappeared from Leena''s sight and she already missed him. The winter morning was chilly. Kevin shrugged in his coat when he got outside. With only a shirt and coat, most people would be too cold. But not Kevin. He was different. He was a soldier and he was used to it. His training a ed. The files in hisputer were all top secret. He wouldn''t just connect any old USB sh drive to hisputer-- theputer might get a virus. Worse, he''d be in serious trouble if those secret files were stolen and posted on the inte. True, he could just press SHIFT and stop it from running automatically, but who knew what insidious things she''d loaded on there? "You can see for yourself. You don''t need me to tell you. It might ruin the surprise," Louisa said haughtily, crossing her arms. She knew sess was in her grasp, and sweet victory would be hers. And Kevin would divorce Leena and be her man forever. "I told you. I don''t have time for your games. I''m not interested in something thates from nowhere." Kevin said, still leaning back in the chair. In a direct contrast to Louisa''s enthusiasm, Kevin was calm. Suddenly he didn''t really want to know why she came here. If she wanted to y tricks on him, she wasn''t qualified to be his opponent. So the more eager she was, the more disinterested he pretended to be. Chapter 1142 The Scheme Failed (Part One) "No, you are interested, Kevin. You are just scared to see it." Louisa smiled seductively as a surge of satisfaction came to her. This was exactly what she wanted, to make the man before her fear. "Scared? I don''t even remember thest time I was scared," Kevin sneered and cocked his head. "It''s useless to irritate me. It''s not working." He knew that whatever Louisa was trying to show him wasn''t good. Nheless, he wouldn''t let her get what she wanted. "That''s what I thought," Louisa said as her smile went more mysterious. She put her purse on the desk and carefully took herptop out. She had prepared everything! She had even brought her ownptop here to show Kevin her files. "Goodness, Louisa. I can''t believe that you have done a hell lot of work just for this moment. Impressive," said Kevin sarcastically. He watched her turn herptop on. "What exactly are you trying to show me?" Well, whatever it was, he just hoped for this whole thing to be over. He seriously didn''t even want anything to do with her in the future. "You will know once you see what''s on it. Be advised, though, that I didn''t make this up, okay? This is all real." She inserted the USB sh drive into the slot and opened a document. Soon enough and reports written in French came into Kevin''s view. He might not know how to read or speak French but he at least knew his wife. Leena, who was dressed sexily in that picture was next to the headline. "Are you shocked? She has been lying to you about the so-called friendship sh anger and he was at the verge of failing it. "I was just telling you the truth. I didn''t do anything wrong. What? Do you wanna kill me? Do you want to p me?" Louisa provoked him further. She might be frightened but she also knew that Kevin would not dare toy a finger on her. They were at the army base and her father''s office wasn''t far away. "Leena already told me about her past with Gerard. Your scheme has failed. Give up. You won''t be able to break us up. At least, not with this type of cheap evidence that you just showed me." The man closed his eyes tightly and tried to calm himself. He couldn''t understand why the Commander was allowing her to enter the army base. She was a civilian and that was against the rules. "I don''t believe you. I don''t think that she has the face to tell you something like this! You must be lying! Why? Is your wife''s deed embarrassing you too?" Anger was all over Louisa''s face as she bit her lips. She didn''t believe that Leena would confess her sluttiness to Kevin. Chapter 1143 The Scheme Failed (Part Two) "Nobody cares what you believe. What matters here is that Leena and I believe each other. Save yourself from humiliating and disgracing you and your father more. Leave. Otherwise, I''ll go get your father myself to take you out of here." Kevin was grateful to the Commander. However, this woman before him was pushing the limit. He didn''t want to put up with her anymore. She was just getting worse. Who did she think she was to meddle with his personal life? She was just everywhere! "You will regret what you did to me today, Kevin. Believe me, it will cost you a lot." Louisa put herptop away as thoughts of her father''s image and reputation came to her mind. She stomped out of Kevin''s office with a crumpled face. She opened the door and was about to dash out when Mark suddenly appeared before her and bumped into her. It was toote to avoid everything! The next thing they heard was herptop hitting the floor with a bang. "Er... I am sorry, Miss Ye. I didn''t know that you wereing out." Mark apologized and squatted to pick theputer up. He got no clue that he just signed himself to trouble. "You didn''t know? Is "didn''t know'' a valid reason for you to break myputer?" Filled with rage, Louisa ended up taking her frustration on Mark. "Miss Ye, if you would like, I can check yourputer first to see if it is broken. If it is, I will take it to a shop and have it repaired." As innocent as Mark was, he thought that everything should be fine as long as he fixed theptop. He didn''t think about anything else. "Repair? I just bought thispute " As what Edward said, a problem should not be considered as a problem as long as it could be solved with money. Thirty thousand was not even a bother to him anyway. "Daisy, that''s myputer! How dare you give it to someone else!" Louisa red at Daisy. Her decisiveness and coldness astounded her. "Thisputer doesn''t belong to you anymore since I agreed to buy you a new one. Are you telling me that you don''t want a newptop anymore?" Daisy was just mischievously looking at Louisa with one of her hands inside her pocket. She enjoyed how the spoiled brat''s facial expression seemed to change every second. "Fine! You win! Even so, I need to delete the private files on it." Forced topromise, Louisa gritted her teeth. Who would prefer a repairedputer over a new one anyway? Definitely not her! "Go ahead. Mark, give her theputer. I will have someone send her a new one very soon," said Daisy with a smirk. She signaled Kevin to stay out of the case since it was just a little trouble. She might as well handle it alone. Chapter 1144 The Scheme Failed (Part Three) On the other hand, Kevin thought that Daisy actually handled the situation well. Thus, he just remained as a silent spectator of everything. He knew that getting himself involved would only cause Louisa to pester him more. As Daisy said, the issue was easily handled with money. Daisy took a picture of the brokenputer and sent it to Edward. She asked him to have someone send a new one as soon as possible. She just wanted to get the whole thing over with. "Okay. It''s done. When will the new one arrive? I''m very busy and I don''t have time to wait." Louisa raised her eyebrows doubtfully. She didn''t believe that Daisy would be able to buy her a newptop in a short time. "About two hours. Can''t you wait?" said Daisy in a bored tone. Louisa was never the type of person she liked. Thedy was too obsessed with Kevin and she wouldn''t want Leena to get hurt. She would definitely love to keep Louisa inside a bottle if she could just be sure that she wouldn''t get close to Kevin. "The problem is not about waiting. What I am afraid is you can''t afford it." Louisa cast a disdainful stare at Daisy. Daisy had always been aloof since the first time she met her. Thus, she thought that Daisy''s husband didn''t love Daisy at all. She was so self-smart that she instantly concluded it as the reason for Daisy''s constant serious face. No happy woman would seem so aloof and distant. "Don na. "Oh, I see. But she could have brought your sister together to visit us. We are all nice people! You know what, you don''t have to exin for her. I think she doesn''t care about us anymore after she married you. Now all she thinks about is her new family." Daisy gave a faint smile when she said thetter part of her remarks which was Edward''s exact words. "This topic will just get longer. Forget it. Didn''t you say that you wanted to have apetition with me? Bring it on." Kevin had no idea how to exin the friction between Leena and ire so he diverted Daisy''s attention by changing the topic. "Major General Gu, go! Senior Colonel Ouyang, Go!" mor rose in the training field as soon as the soldiers heard what Kevin and Daisy were about to do. They hadn''t seen Daisy and Kevinpete with each other for a long time. This day was extraordinary! They were all looking forward to what was going to happen! Chapter 1145 May The Better One Win (Part One) "It seems they can''t wait to catch the show," Daisy joked as she shed her uniform. A soldier standing beside her was waiting to take it from her hand, and he treated it respectfully when he did so. "It''s educational." Kevin was just in ordinary fatigues, and rolled up his sleeves. He was ready for this. "Come on! They''re not here to learn. This is a nice break for them." Daisy raised her brows and took a cold nce at the soldiers. Everywhere her gaze settled, the noisy soldiers quieted down instantly, as if there were an on/off button to control their mouths and Daisy had just switched it off. The camp went quiet. Everyone was afraid that Daisy would punish them by putting them through additional training if they made so much as a peep. "Then let them watch. You don''t give a rat''s arse what they think anyway." Kevinughed. The soldiers were extremely quiet whenever Daisy was around, because none of them wanted to end up in one of her excruciating training programs. She was an absolute stickler for the rules. Her training programs were death-defying adventures where someone could be seriously injured if they fooled around. No one wanted to sign up for that. "Right. Shut up and fight!" Daisy swung a blow at Kevin even before she finished her sentence, leaving him no time to prepare. He stepped back and she missed, because her blows were usually slightly slower than his. She hated to admit it, but it might be that women were slower than men. That thought burned in her mind. The match between these two top-notch officers brought out officers and grunts alike, and they were cheering and egging them on. The speed and force of their moves impressed the soldiers. Watching two titans pummeling each other was a lot of fun to these guys. As a woman, Daisy showed them that women could be just as forceful and fast as men. This match was really intended as a demonstration. The fight was supposed to pause every once in awhile, so they could discuss ideas and skills to bring to the soldiers'' own training regimens andbat repertoires. But Daisy and Kevin were really throwing themselves into this fight, and there was no pausing, no quarter given. Of course, both contestants avoided hitting each other''s vitals. Daisy had run a lot of c wasn''t interested in other women. He couldn''t remember where they''d met. Besides, Louisa was quite ordinary next to Daisy, so he wouldn''t have been interested even in his yboy days. "Edward, this is Louisa Ye. She''s themander''s daughter. Until recently, she was studying abroad," Daisy said in a cold tone. It was obvious to her that Louisa was trying to turn her and Edward against each other, right to her face. How stupid! Not only that, she had only just met the man, but the first words she exchanged with him were hateful ones! "Oh, Miss Ye. Quite an honor to meet you." Edward frowned at first, and then he suddenly smiled sardonically. He never imagined that the upright and broad-mindedmander had spawned a daughter who was so rude and shallow. Edward felt bad for him. "Just Louisa, please. ''Miss Ye'' sounds polite yet distant." Louisa was looking for a job. Since Edward was a big shot in the city, her attitude took a sharp turn. Anything she could do to make herself look better was a good idea to her. "Sorry, I have this habit. I''m always polite to strangers, so I''ll call you Miss Ye." A sly and sophisticated man like Edward would always take control of everything. He didn''t like being told what to do. "Fine. Be that way. But I don''t understand. How is Leena your sister? You don''t even have the samest name," Louisa asked with her head tilted, pretending to be innocent. To make the next move, she had to figure out Leena and Edward first. Best way was the direct way. Chapter 1146 May The Better One Win (Part Two) "It''s personal. I don''t think I owe you an exnation, Miss Ye. You understand, of course." Edward smiled disapprovingly. She was just the daughter of themander, after all. He didn''t have to take orders from her. Edward was a civilian. He didn''t give a damn who she was. "Oh, I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to pry. If you don''t feel like talking about it, that''s okay." Louisa had concocted her own little story about the rtionship. She figured that Leena was Edward''s half-sister. Maybe they shared the same father. It happened a lot in rich families. Rich men always cheated on their wives. It was like a biological imperative or something. "Now give Miss Ye theptop, please. I need to get back to work. Busy day and all that." Daisy wanted to hide the unpleasant matter from themander. So she had pretended she needed to borrow Louisa for a few minutes so that Louisa could leave themander''s office and he wouldn''t suspect a thing. The truth would humiliate him. He''d see how his daughter behaved and would probably punish her. This way, he never had to know. "Oh, theputer is for Miss Ye. I didn''t know that." Edward hesitated to hand over theptop. He worried that someone might start a rumor saying that Daisy bribed themander''s daughter. She''d already been the target of rumors and suffered for it. She didn''t need any more trouble. That kind of thing had happened before. This time, he had to think everything over to stop it from happening again. "It''s a recement, not a gift." Daisy didn''t want to talk about it in front of Louisa. As an intelligent man, Edward could tell Daisy''s thoughts from the expression on her face. He didn''t ask any more questions about it. He just bent down, grabbed the box theputer was in, and handed it to Louisa. He didn''t know why Daisy had to rece Louisa''sputer, but since Daisy didn''t want to discuss anything, he didn''t have to know right now. That didn''t stop Louisa from being embarrassed. However, it had gone so far that a newputer was her only choice. Her face turned crimson. "Miss Ye, now that you have theputer, we''re even. If there''s a problem with it, it''s under warranty. Thepany should help you. Their number''s in the manual." Dai hance? He might even get promoted, if he does well." Kevin regarded Daisy while he talked about this. He knew there was bad blood between Hank and her, and was worried that she''d be against this. "Makes sense. We all make mistakes. Everyone deserves a second chance. Hank deserves one too. You think he learned his lesson? At least he isn''t all evil." Daisy smiled. She hated Hank for what he did to her. He used to be an asshole, but he had paid for it. He''d been nothing but respectful since then. She didn''t want to kill his career just because she hated him. It would take a lot to earn his old rank back. She felt sorry for him. "How about this? I''ll rmend Hank. That''s all I can do. After that, it''s up to themander. Okay?" Kevin wasn''t going against orders. He was doing what he thought was right. He and Daisy were the best in themander''s eyes. He thought other officers should have a shot too. Two people weren''t the whole army. "Good. We could use the time to rx, and let other officers show what they can do. That way they won''t think we''re getting any special treatment. They don''t understand -- we didn''t just get the credit, we earned it." Daisy started thinking. They never stopped being suspicious of Kevin and Daisy. It had been going on for a long time, but themander and other higher-ups just ignored it. They always gave the best men the best opportunities. Everyone else who was working hard to be one of the best was passed over time and again. Chapter 1147 A Different Leena (Part One) Kevin began exining about the positive changes in Hank as soon as he entered the Commander''s office. Hank had improved his behavior and attitude a lot inside the military base and had been working on correcting his previous mistakes. Thus, Kevin suggested giving Hank another chance to be promoted. He believed that Hank could be a better soldier for their country. Sadly, Kevin''s suggestion neither received a yes nor a no from the Commander. Instead, he told Kevin that he would need some time to consider Hank''s case as Hank''s record was one file of a mess. That reply from the Commander disappointed Kevin a little. He wasn''t asking the Commander to approve his suggestion immediately but then he wanted a clear answer at least. The result of his inquiry had him upset until he walked back to his office. A few minutes after and Kevin was already spacing out as he sat on his desk. ire''s attitude towards Leena had been worrying him and he had no clue if ire had changed her mind yet. He would feel a lot better about not being home if the two would get along. He wasn''t sure if ire would take this chance to bully Leena again since he would have to participate in the training program soon. Why couldn''t ire just be nice? Was he to expect more conflicts since he couldn''t apany them? God, they should have known that the two of them were the most important women in his life! Leena was his wife and ire was his sister. He adored both of them a lot and hoped that they could be nice to each other even without him around. He forced himself to focus on his work. He shook his head and tried to clear his mind from all these thoughts. He took the files from his desk and began to read them . Therefore, he agreed to Leena without any hesitation. "Seriously? Are you reallying home early today? You''d like to go home with me?" Leena asked in astonishment. She couldn''t help but repeat her questions over and over as she never expected Kevin to say ''yes'' that easily. She was excited and relieved. Kevin had beening home a bitte for the past few days and she didn''t have the confidence to just ask him to drop his job to be with her. Moreover, going to the Leng''s house meant meeting Duke too. "Sure! I''m almost done with work today. I think I''ll have enough time to go home and prepare for tonight before we set off to the Leng''s house," answered Kevin reassuringly. ''You''ve got no idea how much I love to be with you everywhere, Leena. Both as a responsible man and a... loving husband?'' Kevin instantly furrowed his eyebrows with thest two words that got in his thoughts. He coughed to clear his throat and then talked to the phone again,"I''ll be there." Although he still had some work to handle, it was not as important as visiting Lloyd. He could just put the files aside and go back to them tomorrow morning. Chapter 1148 A Different Leena (Part Two) "That will be great! Would you like me to wait for you at home or would you prefer to go to the Leng''s directly from the military base? If you like, we could stay at home and wait for you here," replied Leena in a more rxed tone. Even her body felt at ease upon hearing Kevin''s positive response. Who would like to hear Mr. Cold ranting about Kevin''s absence in the first ce? She let out a deep sigh as she leisurelyy on their queen sized bed. She enjoyed talking to Kevin this way. "Umm. Let me see. Well, you can go to Leng''s house first and just wait for me there. Then I could drive from here and directly go to your family''s ce. What do you think?" asked Kevin. Respect was something Leena and Kevin never lost from each other even after being married for a while. They would always consult each other''s opinion before deciding anything, no matter how small or big the concern was. Thus, they felt free to express themselves. This was also the reason why they seldom fought with each other. However, Kevin hadn''t noticed how Leena said "we" instead of "I" thest time she talked. Thus, he thought that it would only be Leena and him that would be there. Shoot! Hepletely missed the possibility that Leena might be bringing ire to the Leng''s house too! "Okay, fine for me. I have to hang up now. See you tonight," said Leena as she jumped off the bed. She began to pack up the presents she brought from the capital city happily. The idea that Kevin would be meeting her dad with her tonight excited her beyond words. On the other hand, Kevin smiled as he stared at his phone. He had been wondering every day about what good he had done to deserve a wife as good as Leena. She was energetic and lively. At sing. I''ve eaten too much recently and now I''m getting the toll of it. I must work harder to lose what I ate. I can''t afford to be a fatso. No gaining weight. No, no, and definitely a no.'' She hurriedly continued with her yoga after thinking of how hideous she might look once she gained weight. The Leng''s house had been a little too quiet since Leena and Kevin got married. Duke and Belinda were both too busy with their work and there weren''t many people staying in the house. There weren''t many chances for them to meet up and lift the atmosphere of the house. However, today was a special day. Lloyd Leng was finally back from his long and far journeys! Everyone woulde home tonight, and Leena was not an exception. She had always been their naughty princess. Everyone adored her despite her mischievous behaviors sometimes. No one would even say no to spoiling her even though she was married now. They would all dly take care of her whenever she came back. Take note, the excitement didn''t end with the family members alone. The happiness for Leena''sing back even reached up to their servants who were all busy for tonight''s gathering. Chapter 1149 A Different Leena (Part Three) "Goodness! This is your home?" ire''s eyes popped out of its sockets as Leena drove them into the Leng''s house. She wasn''t expecting a house as grandeur and splendid as this! It wasn''t only huge, it wasndscaped to perfection. There were beautiful ponds and many rare flowers arranged carefully around the ce. ire was so shocked that she hadn''t been able to close her mouth for a while. She had never imagined Leena to bring her into such a magnificent ce. ''This is not a house! This is manor with a garden and a chateau!'' she thought. "Yeah! Do you like it?" asked Leena casually as she saw the stupefied expression on ire''s face. She shot her sister-inw a sweet smile and then continued driving. This was her home and growing in it made her too familiar with it. Thus, she never really paid much attention to its details. The only reason why she wanted to bring ire here was to show hospitality. She even thought that this wasn''t the best season to visit their house since it would look even more beautiful during summer. The botanical gardens and ponds would look wonderful during that season since it would be the time for the flowers to bloom at their best. It might be beautiful as for now but it was nothingpared with how it would look on those summer days. Most of the flowers and grasses had withered due to winter''s coldness, even the trees had lost their leaves. The ce was actually dull to Leena''s eyes. The winter wind ha Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. r her to keep this a secret any more. On the other hand, ire was still having a hard time digesting the truth. It wasn''t easy for her to ept that Leena''s family was actually wealthier than hers. She had looked down on Leena''s family countless times and she felt embarrassed now. Leena had always been kind and generous to her even after her stupid acts. The realization of how bad she had behaved was like a p on her face. She was terrible! "Leena, my little girl! Wee back home! Aren''t you going toe home and see me at all if I didn''t ask your brother to call you?" Lloyd weed his princess with fake anger in his words. He hadn''t seen Leena for a while and he missed her a lot. It was the sound of a car pulling over that made him excitedly run out of the house. Heughed so happily upon seeing his child that his eyes narrowed. His voice sounded soft even though he intended to reprimand her. His undeniable love for her was all over his face. Chapter 1150 A Different Leena (Part Four) "Of course I will, Daddy! I''m already here, right? Oh, I missed you so much!" Leena rushed to her dad''s arms and hugged Lloyd tightly. A daughter could never grow up in her father''s eyes and Leena had remained as lovely and adorable as how she had been when she was a kid. On the other hand, ire was stunned upon seeing Leena''s reaction. She had never seen her sister-inw as cute and lively like this. Leena was different tonight and it baffled ire. "I miss you too, Leena! Now, let me take a closer look at my little princess. Did you take good care of yourself while I was away? Did you eat enough every day? Come closer, I need to see if you have gained weight or lost weight," Lloyd was trying his best to sound serious. Nheless, he just couldn''t stop smiling since seeing his baby girl. He was so focused on his daughter that he didn''t even notice ire, who was still standing there. "Of course I gained weight! Look at my face. I look much rounder than before, right?" Leena said and then puffed her cheeks yfully while blinking cutely at her dad. She tried to make her face look like a plump round apple to prove her saying of gaining weight. "A... Then you must have not missed me at all! How can you eat so well if you really miss me?" Lloyd pretended to facepalm and then acted just as yful as his daughter. He found it very interesting to make fun of his daugher sometimes. They might be joking with each other but the love between the two was just impossible to hide. "U Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. re. Leena was always such a considerate person. She didn''t want ire to feel ufortable in this unfamiliar environment. She was the host tonight and ire was her guest so she felt responsible to take good care of her. "ire, do you want something to drink? I''ll ask them to bring it for you," said Lloyd. He began to make himself a qualified host of tonight''s family gathering. He liked Kevin, his son-inw a lot so he held a good opinion to ire too. He thought that being Kevin''s sister made ire share the same virtues as her brother. "Oh! No, thank you, Mr. Leng," replied ire. Frankly speaking, she did feel a little ufortable. The overwhelming decoration of the hall was beyond she could imagine. She had thought that Kevin''s apartment decoration was luxurious. It couldn''t be matched to the Leng''s house decoration though. Everything was aristocratic. Even the smallest ornament here was screaming luxury. This noble pce made Kevin''s apartment look like a humble ce. Chapter 1151 A Different Leena (Part Five) "Okay, then. But if you want anything to drinkter, please feel free to ask the servants to bring it for you. Make this ce your home and be free to ask for anything you want," Lloyd didn''t insist on giving drinks to ire. Instead, he turned to Leena again and looked at her beautiful face. His daughter was beautiful but there seemed to be another beauty that was ovepping with her face. Leena really looked like her mother. Yes! His precious wife whom he had been missing so much. He had traveled a lot but never once could he let go of his memories about her during his trips. There were even some days when he thought that he couldn''t live without all those great memories with her. His wife was stamped in his head, in his mind, and in his heart forever. He closed his eyes for a while and then looked at Leena again. He could still remember his wife like things were just yesterday. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. What had happened to them made him believe in fate. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have passed away so early and left him alone like this. He felt like an abandoned child all these years after she had left. He was always lonely. Nheless, it also worried him that she might be alone in heaven and he wished to see her again soon. "Daddy, what happens? Is there anything on my face? Why are you staring at me?" asked Leena confusedly. It was just now that she noticed how Lloyd was looking at her intensely. Besides, his eyes were so profound and misted like there were some things that he wasn''t telling her. "Well, nothing! I was just thinking of how beautiful my little baby has turned out to be. No matter what happens, you''ll always be the prettiest princess in the world. After all, you are my child," Lloyd smiled at heck if there was another prominent figureing in. She hadpletely left her dad upon seeing Belinda and threw herself into Belinda''s arms while giggling. She ran to her so quickly and strongly that she didn''t seem to worry about knocking Belinda down at all. "Leena! You''re already a married woman. How can you still behave like this? Do you know what you look like right now? You look like an uneducated little girl! I would definitely give you a hard spanking tonight if I weren''t your brother. Someone needs to teach you how to behave like a fairdy." Leena heard another familiar voice which made her turn. She didn''t need to guess who wasing as she knew that baritone voice like the back of her hand. Nobody else in this house could talk in such a cold and emotionless tone except for her brother, Duke! Thus, she had nicknamed him "Mr. Cold". In contradiction to Belinda''s fire like energy, Duke''s presence was cold enough to freeze hell. The way heshed out upon stepping in was already a sample of how his temperament worked. Nheless, his eyes were filled with care and concern to his one and only precious sister while he was staring at Leena. Chapter 1152 A Different Leena (Part Six) "Duke! I miss you so much too!" said Leena loudly as shepletely ignored her brother''s sarcastic criticism. Who cared about what he said? All that was important to her was that he was her brother and she loved him too. She hurriedly let go of Belinda and jumped to Duke''s arms. She was smiling broadly as she squeezed her brother tight. There was contentment in her eyes and she couldn''t be happier at that moment. "Hum! Do you miss me? I don''t think so. Would you evene home to see me tonight if I didn''t give you the final order?" Duke said indifferently. He seemed to have made up his mind of staying angry with Leena for a while. He wanted to teach her a lesson. "Fine. It''s all my fault. Would you forgive me this time, brother? Just take a look at my eyes, please. Do you see how sincerely I am trying to apologize to you?" She looked up at Duke straightly and instantly had an eye to eye contact with him. She gave him a poor puppy stare and blinked a couple of times. She acted like a poor and wrongly treated girl. It was so obvious that she was acting to get her brother''s sympathy but the question was, would it work on Duke? "Haha! So that''s what you''re calling sincere? Who would believe you, Leena?" Belinda interrupted mockingly. She couldn''t help butugh out loud upon seeing Leena''s cute face. Belinda knew that she should be helping Leena as her sister-inw. However, she chose to peel off her disguise instead. It seemed that Leena''s act was not gaining any results anyway, or maybe not for Belinda at least. Leena had made herself look cute but not pitiful. So her effort to soothe Duke was at least partly in vain and the result was not even ideal. "Oh my God! Belindae on! Aren''t you my sister-inw? You are supposed to help me out here. Where''d you get the heart to make things even worse for me? Which side are you on?" Leena pouted unhappily as she spoke in a resentful voice. The fact that Belinda wasn''t helping her uldn''t afford for her Dad to do the same thing. It was lucky though that Lloyd regained his posture in an instant and stopped himself fromughing. Leena knew that Duke wasn''t really mad at the moment. However, she was also aware that it would be impossible to soothe Mr. Cold''s anger once he got serious. Leena really didn''t want that. Meanwhile, ire was left frozen on her spot as she could only look at Leena with a nk stare. She felt like she was getting less and less familiar with her sister-inw tonight. The Leena who was with her now wasn''t the same Leena she had known. Was this the real Leena? It was only then that ire thought of how much she never really tried to learn about Leena. Leena could act so freely and casually before her family and intimate friends, whom she loved and cared about. She could be cunning sometimes, but also smart. She was sweet but a little evil. Sometimes she was naughty and mischievous; sometimes she was simple and pure; sometimes she was sophisticated and intelligent. She could be both artful and artless. She was a contradiction, a ball where everything blended perfectly, which was impossible for anyone else to do. Nheless, it was this side of Leena that had confused ire the most tonight. She would really need to contemte about this. Chapter 1153 Willful Mr. Cold (Part One) "Be slimmer? Let me have a look!" This was typical of Duke. He was always concerned when it came to Leena. Even small details became important to him. He clearly adored his little sister. "Yeah! My face has be smaller." Leena pouted and sucked in her cheeks. If Duke didn''t quit getting angry at her, she too would act childishly. "Stop doing that, or your face will hurt. I forgive you this time because of the effort you just made. But today is a special case. I won''t be so forgiving again." Duke reached out and flicked her nose tenderly. A wide smile spread across his face. With Leena around, he was always happy. "Thank you, bro. I always know that you''re the best brother ever." Leena stood on her toes and kissed Duke''s handsome and perfectly cold face. "Leena, is thisdy one of your friends?" Belinda eyed ire warily. She had been watching Leena and Duke, and so had ignored ire''s presence before. "Oh! This is Kevin''s sister, ire." Leena felt a pang of guilt for not introducing ire first. "Kevin''s sister, that''s wonderful! You''re wee, ire. Leave these two alone. They just love each other a lot. You get used to it one way or another," Belinda said amiably. She didn''t sound harsh. Sometimes, she felt jealous of the affection between Leena and Duke. However, sibling affection wasn''t the same as the love between a husband and his wife. Belinda didn''t bother to ask Duke foolish questions, such as who would he save first if she and Leena fell into a river and both of them couldn''t swim. Such questions would undoubtedly be silly and annoying to him. Also, it would only frustrate her and possibly worsen her rtionship with Duke. "Belinda, don''t be silly. You''re just being jealous. Right?" Leena''s mouth tilted upward as she mocked Belinda''s jealousy. "Why would I be jealous? Duke is my husband and Kevin is yours. Go and find your husband. Leave Duke to me," Belinda said haughtily. She was a woman who could be provoked easily. "Take it easy. Don''t be so annoyed. I think I have the right to borrow my brother from you every now and then." Leena pressed her body closer to Duke, teasing Belinda some more. Her lips lifted into a sly smile. "That... that sbandter at night. "Shouldn''t it be clear to you if I''m a man or not? Perhaps I love you too much, so you feel that you can provoke me and go unpunished. But you''re wrong. You can''t ask for my love by doing this. Love can be wild sometimes, but it''s always reasonable," Duke made this statement humorlessly. He had the habit of making everything sound like it was a political report. "All right! Duke, we''re educated and civilized people. Don''t treat me in this rough manner. I''m your wife, don''t forget that." Belinda cursed Leena inwardly. Why should she bear the consequences of the wrongs done by Leena? Leena looked innocent, but she was far from that. "I''m a perfect gentleman! What''s all this about? I have always been civilized. I have done nothing except love and protect you, haven''t I?" Duke said as he continued to re at her. However, a hint of amusement sparkled in his eyes. "Oh my God! This is crazy. I can''t talk to a viin about what''s right and wrong!" Belinda gritted her teeth. Duke''s aloofness was maddening. She was so angry that she could kill him. He was a wicked man deep down, but he looked so elegant and dignified in his physical appearance. He acted as if he never said provocative and teasing words. "Even if you''re right about me being a viin, I would never touch any other women but you, my darling legitimate wife." Duke was always known for his ruthlessness, however, few people knew that he was also great at charming a woman. Chapter 1154 Willful Mr. Cold (Part Two) "Fuck off, Duke. Don''t block my way. I need to go upstairs and get changed. Dinner is ready. I should get to the kitchen and give the maid a hand," Belinda announced. She shook off Duke''s hand and ran like hell, as if she was being chased by a monster. "Belinda, are you sure you''ll actually help in the kitchen and not burn it to the ground, along with the house?" Duke said to the disappearing figure of his wife. Upon hearing these words, Belinda nearly slipped and fell from the stairs. She turned around and scowled at him after regaining herposure. ''He''s saying the truth, but why can''t he be polite about it?'' Belinda thought to herself in anger. Duke blinked at her and forced a smile. He didn''t take the vengeful expression in Belinda''s eyes seriously. After their marriage, Duke had begun to understand how to deal with Belinda. He knew how to soothe her anger and how to conquer her. He didn''t think that such trivial matters could negatively influence their rtionship or their marriage. Although Kevin left work earlier than expected, he came herete. He couldn''t help but feel sorry about his dy when he found the entire family at the dining table, waiting for him. He noticed ire and frowned, wondering if she had caused trouble. "Hi, everybody. I''m so sorry that I arrivedte," Kevin apologized. He seemed intimidating and humble in his uniform, but also dignified. "Nevermind that. Workes first. Everybody, Kevin hase home, so we should begin the dinner," Lloyd said cheerfully. He had always liked Kevin and considered him to be the best husband for his daughter. "Yes, we should begin. Kevin, you''re family. Make yourself at home. Go wash your hands and take a seat with us." Belinda had also developed a great fondness for Kevin. She made sure that he didn''t feel embarrassed in front of the entire family. "Thank you, Belinda," Kevin said, giving her a warm smile. The hard lines on his face softened. However, the cold and aloof Duke didn''t seem to be so enthusiastic. He was indifferent. An unfathomable smile tugged on his lips as he sat at the table, deciding not to join their conversation. "Go and wash your hands. I''lle with you," Leena said. Leena knew that Kevin rarely came to this house. He wasn''t familiar with itsyout. However, Kevin "Dad, Kevin can eat the dinner by himself. Eat your own food and leave him alone." Leena took a sharp intake of breath when she saw Kevin''s full bowl. She felt fortunate that it wasn''t her own bowl and te that her father piled the food onto. Otherwise, she would have gained substantial weight after this dinner. "Don''t argue, or you''d be next." Duke snickered upon seeing Kevin being treated this way. He didn''t even need to do anything, somebody else was giving Kevin hell and doing Duke a favor. "Bro, you must be so delighted right now." Leena narrowed her eyes at her brother in annoyance. She knew that when it came to revenge, he could be even more terrible than those unreasonably jealous women. Leena was agitated to see that her brother still brooded over the fact that she got married without telling him first. He could be so petty and spiteful. A long time had passed since her marriage, but her brother still held grudges. "Hmm. What do you think?" Duke didn''t bother to hide his emotions from Leena. He nced at Kevin and wondered how he had managed to win the hearts of his sister and father, two of the most important people in his life. "So childish. You''re too old to be headstrong and willful. Shame on you!" Leena said with disdain and pursed her lips. Forcing Kevin to eat more food and add some pounds didn''t feel like a punishment to him. Besides, he was a soldier and participated in military training almost every day. Being overweight was nearly impossible for him. So Duke''s wishful thinking was in vain. Chapter 1155 Looking At Leena With New Eyes (Part One) "I''d like to. And it''s all your fault. If you hadn''t married him secretly, I wouldn''t freeze him out," Duke said in a very low voice, but Kevin still overheard it. As a soldier, Kevin''s senses were razor-sharp. "Come on! This is old news. Why don''t you just let it go?" Leena pursed her lips. It never urred to her that Duke would always bring this up. How a fully grown man could be so childish was beyond her belief. "It doesn''t matter whether it''s old news or hot off the presses. When he talked you into marrying him, he should have thought about that." Duke smiled with a cocky air and gracefully put more food into his mouth. He was a noble man indeed. "You''re impossible. Such an idiot," Leena pouted. She thought that Duke was too proud and temperamental. Other people wouldn''t bear grudges like this. Maybe he had too much free time and had nothing else to think about. "ire, just make yourself at home. Feel free to eat any dish you like." Belinda smiled gently at ire. Belinda was always friendly. Unless someone messed with her, she was always garrulous and loved to make new friends. She preferred to be close to people, so she used ire''s first name, instead of being more formal. "Okay, thanks for your hospitality." ire was nonplussed. This was a clearly noble family, and their manners made her arrogance wash away like sandcastles at high tide. These people weren''t any ordinary family. And that really blew ire away. Now she began to look at Leena with new eyes. But why did Leena always keep such a low profile? Leena was a woman from a very rich family r how angry he was, he''d let it pass and forgive her. Belinda fell for this more than once, and Leena almost had everyone wrapped around her little finger, even including Belinda. She easily caved when she saw Leena''s beautiful smile, and made some decisions she regrettedter. "Duke, are you just going to stand by and take this? Ugh! Listen to her!" Leena looked at Duke with her pitiful eyes. Although it was true that Edwardvished his affection on her, she knew there was a limit. When it came to Daisy, all bets were off. And right now, Belinda was pushing Leena to side with her and help Daisy. That wasn''t going to happen. "That''s for you two to sort out. Leave me out of it." Duke decided that he''d sit this one out. Because if he sided with one of them, the other person would be unhappy. He couldn''t win, so he decided to sit back and watch the show. "Okay, I get it. Nobody loves me." Leena pouted and lowered her head, pretending to be sad. Not dishing up any food for herself, she silently ate the rice in her bowl, looking rather depressed. Chapter 1156 Looking At Leena With New Eyes (Part Two) "Leena, don''t be sad. I''m always here for you." Seeing that Leena was unhappy, Kevin jumped to try and console her. He didn''t know that she was pretending to get sympathy. When Kevin said this, Leena''s heart warmed. She raised her head and looked at him, confused. Did he mean it, or was he just saying it to be nice? She didn''t know which one it was. Now she was at a loss and didn''t know what to say. "Ah! You dummy! She was y acting." Belinda shot him a "you-are-so-not-getting-it" look. Kevin was supposed to be a sharp guy. ''How did he not know Leena was faking it?'' Belinda wondered. But Duke had different ideas. He didn''t think that Kevin was dumb for not recognizing Leena''s trick. Really, he had some second thoughts about Kevin. And he didn''t hate him as much anymore. Even he had to admit that Kevin cared deeply for his sister, all because Kevin said "I''m always here for you," instead of "I love you." Duke was deeply impressed when he heard this. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Kevin, with more admiration than indifference. Kevin just smiled, despite Belinda ribbing him. He wasn''t angry at her, no, he was happy. It wasn''t a bad thing to be a fool for the woman he loved. She needed him, and that ddened his heart. That kind of happiness was what he wanted to feel for the rest of his life. There was no need to be embarrassed. ire felt left out. They were talking about old friends that she hadn''t even met yet. And she got even more of a sense that they lived in very different worlds and there was no way she was on their level. She could also see that they were more like family than friends. And ire wished she had that kind of support system. She had fi forefront, otherwise she would easily lose out to thepetition. "Don''t push her. If you''re having a hard time at work, just hire more people to work for you. There is no need to pin all your hopes on Leena," Lloyd said seriously with his eyebrows raised. He didn''t want to see her lovely daughter being forced to do something she didn''t like. "Yeah, Dad''s right. If you''re really too busy, just hire people. You can afford the sry, anyway," Leena teased as she looked at them. She felt sorry that she couldn''t help them. But she was not willing to waste her life in theplicated and ruthless business world. She had fashion on her mind, fashion in her blood. There was no way she was going to give that up to go work in some stuffy office. "We''re only joking. It''s our business, and we''ll deal with it ourselves." Belinda frowned. She wasn''t really going to have Leena work at herpany. She just wanted to give her more options. Wasn''t Leena going to get bored when Kevin was away? But she didn''t expect that Leena didn''t get what she was doing, and tly turned her down. What was she going to do with this girl? Chapter 1157 Looking At Leena With New Eyes (Part Three) "That''s good. You really scared me," Leena said, sticking out her tongue. She would be really busy soon and she was wondering whether she should hire a part-time worker to help with her normal chores. Because she worried that once she got started with the summer lines, she would have no time for housework. "Huh, you get stressed out too easily. You need more confidence, really." Belinda smiled. Since Leena made it obvious she wasn''t interested, she stopped pushing her. As Leena said, she just graduated not long ago. And she needed more time to find what she really was into. Belinda remembered that she was forced into the family business as soon as she graduated, while her father went abroad with his wife to enjoy their retirement. Belinda was dog-tired from work ever since. So she didn''t want Leena to end up like her. "You''re right. It''s better for me to stay at home. I need lots of quiet time anyway." Leena heaved a sigh of relief. She looked cheerful and lively in public but in most of the time she preferred to stay alone in a quiet ce. That was the only way she could concentrate and get more inspiration for her design. "Are you sure you want to be indoorsy? Be careful about that. You don''t want to get too disconnected from people and the society." Belinda liked to tease Leena. Probably because she was an only child, and she liked having a sister around. Although Leena often Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. didn''t mention this to you. She won''t give you a hard time. Truth be told, what you saw today is only a small taste. You''d never guess how popr Leena is in this city." Kevin meant this as a warning. Leena not only had lots of friends, but powerful ones. He wanted to warn ire not to make schemes with Louisa, particrly ns to hurt Leena. Otherwise, no one could save her. And she couldn''t rely on him either. He was barely able to handle Duke as it was. Even with all his military contacts and his circle of friends, no one could bail her out of whatever trouble she got into if she hurt Leena. "I know. I won''t mess with Leena. I''ve been trying to get to know her. Maybe we could get along. We''re just not really close right now. My fault, probably." ire smiled mischievously. But she sighed now that Kevin brought up Louisa. After what happened yesterday, she felt Louisa was bing someone she didn''t know at all. Chapter 1158 An Accident (Part One) "d to hear it. And don''t think too much about it. Leena and her family are good people and they are kind to others." Kevinforted ire, and then added in his heart bitterly, ''except for me.'' "I know, bro. I''m just trying to figure myself out." ire stared at the neon signs at various establishments they zoomed past. The nightlife here was so much livelier than in the capital. She knew all the hot spots in her home city -- it seemed like she would need a lifetime to see everything in this ce. Leena followed Kevin. Her car followed behind them most of the time. But they lost her after the traffic lights. Leena didn''t really live her life on fast forward. She braked on yellow, waiting patiently for the light to turn green. But Leena''s mind wasn''t on the road, it was on Be. Be wasing to visit. Ever since she heard that, she had the feeling of impending doom. But she couldn''t pin down exactly why. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn''t even notice that the light had turned green. The horn behind her shattered her reverie and brought her back to reality. But just as she was about to pull forward and continue her journey, someone behind her was too impatient and mmed into her car. It was good the car wasn''t going full speed, but it still sent her head flying into the steering wheel. She saw stars before the pain started. And before she could react, someone was knocking on her driver''s side window. Then she heard a voice, harsh and abusive,"Damm it! Do you even know how to drive,dy?" Leena raised her head, blinking Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. eir hard-earned money. "Ha ha! "Well yed! You''re either really brave, or really stupid, you know that?" one of the youths with yellow hair said. "You should be more respectful and y the weak, little girl," he continued,"you don''t know what we''ll do to you if you don''t. You''ve got a pretty face. And it will be a shame to mess it up..." He reached out his hand and touched Leena''s beautiful face. He smiled and said,"mmm mmm mmm." The sexual meaning was obvious. "What do you want? You might think twice before doing anything. The cops take a dim view of people like you!" Until now, Leena was a little afraid. She took a step back. She was outnumbered and scared that they might try something. "The cops!" he spat,"the cops won''t do anything to us. They''re too scared! C''mon, just pay up...or else!" To be honest, they wouldn''t try anything here. Out in the open, any number of people coulde to her aid. But in an alley, without so many people around... She was a beautiful woman, and you could imagine what they''d try if they could. Chapter 1159 An Accident (Part Two) At this point, Leena didn''t say anything. She just whipped out her phone and dialed 110. It was the emergency number that would summon the police. So, just like she threatened, she was going to call the cops. She didn''t think of Kevin, who was close by. But he was a soldier, and his first duty was to protect the people. She shouldn''t call him every time she got into a jam. That simply wasn''t his job. "Hey! What are you doing? Calling the cops?" One of them, a rather hairy guy, stepped forward and knocked the phone from Leena''s hand. The phone fell to the ground with a bang. Luckily, it looked to be in one piece. Leena thanked her lucky stars as she was smart enough to buy an OtterBox. "Awesome. Now you owe me a new phone, you dick!" Leena was angry now. She even swore, which wasn''t like her at all. She put her hands on her hips and red at them. She was trembling, but not scared. It was cold, and all she had on was a skirt. "Ha ha! Bros! Did you hear that? We owe this bitch a new phone! Ha ha! Maybe we need to teach her a lesson." The boys all spat out their gum. Pink blobsnded on the ground. Leena frowned. She was disgusted by the disy. In the meantime, she went over various scenarios in her mind. Hopefully, none of them were good at fighting. She''d learned some basic self-defense techniques, but she was wearing a short skirt, and it would definitely fly up when she kicked someone. She just hoped her pantyhose would hide enough of her to matter. "Now I get it. You guys think that you can do whatever you want, because your fam hecked the intersection in front of them. He decided to turn back and look for Leena. At first, he thought maybe she was stuck at a traffic light. So he slowed way down, hoping she''d catch up with him. But it had been awhile, and still no Leena. And now she wasn''t answering her phone. He was definitely worried. "Did she take a shortcut?" ire hadn''t noticed that Leena wasn''t behind them. When she heard what Kevin said, she began to look for Leena through the rearview mirror. "No way, we took the fastest way back to the apartment. And she knew I was in front of her. She wouldn''t have a reason to turn off," Kevin said as he turned the wheel. The car drifted into the nextne over. "Did something happen to her?" After she realized what she had said, she quickly covered her mouth. She didn''t want that toe true. "She''ll be fine," Kevin said. He was really saying this tofort himself. He was really worried. He checked out the other cars as they headed back, just in case she really was trying to catch up to him. Chapter 1160 An Accident (Part Three) And the situation Leena was in was getting worse. The man kept his foot on her phone. Leena couldn''t get to it at all. Finally, she couldn''t control her anger anymore. She aimed a kick at the man''s foot. But she was so angry she didn''t reckon with what they might do in return. "Shit! Bitch! So you know some martial arts. No wonder you think you can stand up to us. We don''t mind ying with you for awhile, chica!" They all fell into fighting stances, rolling up sleeves, shedding jackets. It seemed Leena was in big trouble now. Leena did not pay any attention to what they said. When the man picked his foot up and swore, she quickly grabbed her phone. Her action left her open to a counter attack -- an elbow drop aimed at her back. It hurt so bad that she almost couldn''t stand up. "Ugh! You sure you want to fight me?" Leena said, her voice stiffened with pain. "A rich girl like me could really mess with your parents, and you still want to fight?" Leena said and tried to fight against the pain. Fortunately, they were in the outerne now, so they weren''t blocking traffic. Thank heavens for small favors. "Our parents? Tramp, who do you think you are? You got nothing!" The men all burst outughing, thinking that they had heard the best joke ever. "Keep going and you''ll find out!" Leena sneered. This was her city, and no one here wanted to piss off Edward. She didn''t want to bring Kevin into this. So she didn''t mention lieve that he would outrank his father. There was no way this would go well for this grunt. "So who is your father? I''d like to call him myself." Kevin smiled coldly. Was this guy''s father all that powerful? Kevin also had a father who was a high official. But did he want to y his hand too early? How far were they willing to take it? "You? Call my father? Who the hell do you think you are? My father is the mayor of this city. You sure you wanna talk to him?" the man with yellow hair said proudly. Now Kevin knew why he was so arrogant. His daddy probably had got him out of all sorts of scrapes. "So you''re the mayor''s son. How about the others? Any other high officials? I''m quaking in my boots," Kevin joked. Kevin sneered and turned his eyes to the others. Unless he guessed wrong, these people were all sons of people in power. And their family might not be low-ranking politicians. This was why they felt they could get away with anything. Chapter 1161 Major Generals Anger (Part One) "What? You want to know who they are? Aren''t you afraid of me already?" The mayor''s son stepped closer. He stared at Kevin with a haughty look, trying to determine if he was afraid. "You can''t run around terrorizing people, even if your father is the mayor!" Kevin frowned upon seeing that Leena was shaking. He moved to pull the car door open and get her coat, but found that ire had already taken out his army coat and put it around Leena''s shoulders. "Leena, put this coat on, otherwise you will catch a cold." ire had been sitting inside the car. Seeing that Leena was shivering, she took the coat that Kevin hung on the back of his seat and got outside. She was worried that Leena would catch a cold in this weather. "Thank you, ire." Leena tightened the coat around her, feeling warm on the outside as well as in her heart. Leena was touched by ire''s gesture, no matter why she did it. She was very easy to please. "You... You are a Major General?" The mayor''s brash son saw the dazzling epaulets on Leena''s military coat and stiffened. He was, after all, the son of the mayor. He knew what the epaulets represented. "Does that make any difference?" Kevin seemed as cold as ever. He hated these spoiled brats. They depended on their parents and made a nuisance in the city. Kevin was also the son of a high-ranking officer, but he never relied on his family name. Everything he had today was earned through his own efforts. "There is a difference, of course. If you had told me who you were before, we would not have bothered you." The man''s voice was much lower and less arrogant than before. He knew how powerful a Major General was. "Listen, it doesn''t matter that you wouldn''t have bothered us. You should think about whether I''m going to spare you now. Your father is the mayor? So what? You think you can do wrong just because you are the son of a political figure?" "Major General, I didn''t know this beautiful woman was your wife. We''ll cover the cost of the car repair. As for her mobile phone, w ut that was only to frighten them into notmitting the crime again. But now, knowing that they hit Leena, he immediately changed his mind. "Uh... It was me, but I didn''t mean to do it." The young man drew back as he spoke. At this moment, Kevin looked like Satan. He was so frightening that the young man was afraid to stand in front of him. Soon, a clear snapping sound was heard, followed by a howl. Kevin had grabbed the young man''s hand and broken it. He was so fast that no one saw how he approached the man. "I''m just teaching you a lesson. Real men don''t hit women. I don''t care who your parents are, or how high their positions in society are. If you''re not happy with what I just did, you can tell me right now," Kevin said quietly. He looked so menacing that no one dared to approach him. Even Leena was scared of him. She didn''t know that a gentle man like Kevin could be so terrifying. The young man with the broken hand kept howling, not daring to meet Kevin''s eyes. He was scared out of his wits. He did not know how his hand was broken in a sh. All he heard was a clear sound, following which he felt the stark pain. It had been toote to stop the Major General. "Kevin." Leena looked at Kevin apprehensively, fearing that this could affect his career. Bureaucracy could beplicated and unpredictable in such cases. Chapter 1162 Major Generals Anger (Part Two) "I am fine. How are you? Did he hit you on the back? Does it still hurt?" Kevin looked over her carefully. If they had not been in public, he would have examined her injuries at once. "It hurts a bit. I''ll just get some medicine at home. It''s no big deal." Leena had just wanted to teach these boys a lesson. She didn''t expect that things would get so serious. She regretted her recklessness. "No, we''ll go to the hospital. You''re not a doctor, so what you say doesn''t count." All Kevin cared about right now was Leena. He had no time for the injured young man. For their parents'' sake, Kevin didn''t punish the young men severely. He only meant to teach them a lesson. "No. I''ll just have Tom check my back tomorrow." Leena hated going to the hospital, so she shook her head, strongly opposing what Kevin said. "I didn''t want to be so serious about this, but for your own good, I think I should tell your parents." Kevin said, turning to the men. He took out his cell phone and called Mr. Yi. He and Mr. Yi were quite familiar with each other. "Major General, please don''t tell our parents. If theye to know about this, they wouldn''t go easy on us." The young men cried and begged Kevin. They shuffled their feet nervously, wanting to escape. "If you do something wrong, you must pay for it. You are not the center of the world." Kevin snapped at them, and he was still on the phone. "Hello! Mr. Yi, this is Kevin. There is a civil dispute here. Come over and deal with it. By the way, call the director of Transportation Bureau too." Kevin gave the order without hesitation. Kevin knew that these young men not only extorted people but also beat them. It was a criminal offense. As aw enforcement officer, however, he couldn''t take action himself. "Major General, I''ll be right over. I will also inform the director of Transportation?Bureau immediately." Mr. Yi replied as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. ''I don''t know what''s going on with people these days. How could they mess with officers from the army base? Why do they keep picking on these big names? Some of them have an of the car and quickly put it on. Leena felt warmer immediately. Her coat was made of velvet, so it was warmer than Kevin''s thin army one. Kevin put on the coat that she handed over without arguing. His mind lingered on her promise that she would stay with him. Warmth seeped into his heart. It seemed that the cold winter night had also grown warmer. The young men looked at Kevin with wide eyes, startled. They hadn''t been so intimated previously. Kevin looked even more majestic and dignified wearing his army coat. It made him look unapproachable. They avoided his eyes. The young man with the broken hand was especially frightened. They wished that they could turn back time so they would not have hit Leena''s car, and especially not have forced her to pay. Things would not have ended up like this in that scenario. Mr. Yi arrived in just over ten minutes. The director of Transportation?Bureau was not far behind. As soon as they saw their sons, their faces turned red with anger. "Major General, we''re here. What is going on?" Mr. Yi asked. It was winter but there was a thinyer of sweat on his forehead. He didn''t know how to react to this and gave his son a fierce look. "You got here quite fast." Kevin had his hands in his pockets and appeared arrogant. He gazed at the officers thoughtfully. They wouldn''t have been so livid if it wasn''t their sons who were guilty of crime. Chapter 1163 Teach Them A Good Lesson (Part One) "Sorry, Major General, but how did all this happen?" Mr. Wang, chief of the Transportation Bureau asked with respect. He already knew that it was just a typical rear-end collision the moment he set eyes on those two cars. What worried him though was that Mr. Yi was also summoned. Traffic idents were not a part of Mr. Yi''s responsibility at all. Things went even moreplicated when he found out that his good-for-nothing son was there too, together with the Mayor''s son. His heart missed a beat as he suddenly felt confused. Could there be something more than just an ident in here? "See those guys over there? I think you two know who their fathers are better than I do." Kevin pouted his lips to point to the two young men. A few secondster his mouth curled into a smirk. His sarcasm was so obvious in his words. "Yes, of course. Have they done something that offended you? If that is the case, I must apologize for all their wrongdoing," Mr. Yi answered immediately and carefully. He had cold feet when faced with Daisy before. Now that it was Kevin whom he needed to deal with, he could just hope that it wasn''t obvious that he was frantic and even shaking in his shoes. "You don''t have to scramble to take the fall, Mr. Yi. They are grown ups and can take responsibility for themselves. They staged an ident and tried to ckmail my wife. Worse, they have injured her in the process. Based on your professional judgment, what crimes should they be charged with?" Kevin asked the old man without even looking at him. He was casual while talking about the incident as if ng that they could just slip through the. "Certainly. But you see, Major General, one of them is the mayor''s son..." Mr. Yi said hesitantly as he cast a nce to Kevin and then quickly looked down. He was now caught in a dilemma and started to tremble. What should he do? The effort of pleasing one without offending the other was like steering between Scy and Charybdis. "Aren''t you the chief of Public Security Bureau? Surely you don''t need my advice on how to handle this situation. All people are equal before thew and you know that. They cannot be exceptions even if their fathers hold high positions," said Kevin sternly while ring at Mr. Yi. It was obvious that these young men''s family background and their parents'' social positions had turned them into arrogant spoiled brats. Their false sense of superiority had made them think that they could get away even if they broke thew. That was why they dared tomit crimes in broad daylight as they presumed that their parents could clean up their mess no matter what they had done. Chapter 1164 Teach Them A Good Lesson (Part Two) "You are absolutely right. Thank you for reminding me, Major General. I will do just as you say," said Mr. Yi promptly. He read between the lines and understood what Kevin wanted. At the same time, he realized that Kevin''s words had also addressed his concerns. He could now punish those guys without any fear. He shouldn''t be scared of being med by his superiors anymore as it was Kevin, the Major General, whomanded him. That was everything that he needed to save himself. Mr. Yi was an absolutely clever and sophisticated man, he would not be in this high position otherwise. "Great. Now, Mr. Wang, could you please take a look at the scene and see who should be responsible for this ident?" Kevin then turned to Mr. Wang and asked. He had actually seen right through Mr. Yi and knew that he wanted him to be held responsible for all the consequences arising therefrom. However, he was ready to bear those consequences since he really wanted to teach those young guys a lesson. "It couldn''t be more obvious. It was all this BMW''s fault. Don''t worry, Major General, we will get your Ferrari fixed as soon as possible. We guarantee your satisfaction." Mr. Wang replied with a huge smile once he was called. He was well aware of how powerful Kevin was as a Major General. Even with his prestigious family background aside, Kevin was still much more powerful than him in the hierarchy. It was given that Kevin''s power was limited to the military jurisdiction and his to administrative jurisdiction. Nheless, it was more likely for the mayor to treat the military with humble respect if they would ever sh. Thus, it was just natural for a disapprove the punishment after all." Kevin said as he looked at the mayor''s son. Then he shook his head disappointedly and sighed. The young man came from a prominent family, he was very likely to have a promising future if he studied hard and behaved. It was a pity that he chose to vite thew. ''There must have been something wrong with how his family educated him. I would definitely break my son''s leg if he acts this way, '' he thought. This was Kevin''s idea about education and parenting, and he had put it in practice in the future. That was the reason why his future son would both fear and look up to him. Nheless, it was also the same thing that would enable his only son to surpass his achievements at a very young age. "I totally agree. I will absolutely exin all of this to him," said Mr. Yi as he nodded. However, he was actually moaning in his head. He did n to exin to the mayor but he didn''t have the guts to tell the whole story as exactly as it happened. He would need to choose his words very carefullyter to ensure that the mayor would take things well. Chapter 1165 Teach Them A Good Lesson (Part Three) "That''s all. We''ve got to go now, and I''ll leave the rest to you two." Kevin ordered. He wasn''t worried that they would cheat on him and send their sons back home after he left. He was confident that they would obey him since he had been talking tough. "That''s what we should do, Major General. We are so sorry to have troubled you and wasted your time," Mr. Yi said, grovelling to Kevin. He spoke in the humblest tone as he had never done before. Thus, it wasn''t hard to imagine how much pent-up anger he would release after Kevin left. He couldn''t go against Kevin, nor did he dare to be too critical with the mayor''s son. Nheless, he could surely take it all out on others. "That''s very kind of you, Mr. Yi. How about this? You can report their performance to me every day during their detention. That way, I will know whether they are truly reflecting on their mistakes. Would that help relieve some of your guilt?" yfulness was in Kevin''s voice when he asked. He had already turned away but Mr. Yi''s huge disy of politeness had him curiously turn back. Thus, he took his time to tease them. Besides, it was a good idea to assure that they wouldn''t practice favoritism as that would give him an overview of what was going on. Mr. Yi wouldn''t have a choice but to do as he said. Nheless, Kevin would know whether they were being lenient to the young guys regardless if they nned to rebel against hismand secretly anyway. "Well... it''s..." Mr. Yi became a bit hesitant. As a matter of fact, he did n to just go through the motions. However, Kevin''s words seemed to serve as a warning to him and hinted t useless man. Rather than be aw-abiding person, he turned into a racketeer at such a young age. Could anyone believe that the chief of the Public Security Bureau''s son hadmitted crimes? What a shame! "Alright, alright, I will. There''s no need to bite my head off." The young man then rose up with resignation while rolling his eyes. Seeing him still act like a total bum, Mr. Yi fumed with anger. So it was true when people said,"Spare the rod, spoil the child". Mr. Yi now regretted about not paying enough attention to disciplining and educating his son. It might have been his fault that the guy was going nowhere. "Calm down, Mr. Yi. It''s no use getting angry now. We''d better follow Major General''s orders. We''ve got no other choice, you see. Besides, it''s about time that these little assholes learn their lessons, lest they never mend their way,"forted Mr. Wang and sighed. It was his wife who took responsibility for their children''s discipline. What an epic fail! It seemed that she had spoiled their son too much. Thus, he grew out to be rude and rebellious. Chapter 1166 Teach Them A Good Lesson (Part Four) "Dad, look at my arm, is it really broken?" Mr. Wang''s son cried with his face twisted with pain and horror. "That would be best. Let''s see whether you dare to make troubles like this in the future. Come on, do as the Major General says. You know what to expect. We will get your arm fixed first then send you to the detention center. Is that clear?" Mr. Wang spoke sharply. He didn''t have the nerve to defy Kevin. If Kevin hadid the sanction unto the mayor''s son, then it would be stupid to think that his own son could escape the punishment. "Take them back to the police station and make a good record of their confessions. Then put them into the detention center ording to the procedures." Mr. Yi gestured his subordinates to go. What troubled him most now was how he should tell the mayor about what had happened. It was just difficult to exin why he would get his son arrested without irritating him. "I will take my son to the hospital first. Don''t worry, I have called my men to clean up the scene and they will be here soon," Mr. Wang said as he shook his head helplessly. Apart from his son, there was a high repair cost to worry about. The more expensive the car was, the higher the repair fee was for it. Good Lord! They had to pay for a Ferrari! "Go ahead. As for the repair fee, please tell me how much it ister so that we can split the bill. After all, my son is also to me, and I should shoulder the responsibility too." Mr. Yi suggested. He was now feeling quite embarrassed after his nervousness wore off. Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. y not be evident, but they could be serious. Do you think you can treat this kind of injury by applying some medicine?" Kevin said with a frown. There was a determined look on his face, which showed that his decision was not open to negotiation. "But that''s thest ce I want to go! Can we go home, Kevin? I''m willing to go anywhere except the hospital," Leena begged with imploring eyes. One could tell just how frightened she became by the fear on her face. "If so, tell me how can we make sure that you arepletely unscathed, both inside and out, other than going to the hospital?" Kevin asked a bit irritably while slowing down the car. Besides worrying about Leena, he was a bit upset now. There was something that had been troubling him. The ident happened when he wasn''t even driving far ahead of her. She could have telephoned him for help at once but she didn''t. Why? Was it because she didn''t need him at all? Did he ever have a ce in her heart? He came to feel dispensable and unwanted as a husband. Chapter 1167 A False Alarm (Part One) "Okay, fine. On one condition. I get to choose the hospital." Leena studied the man''s unusually grave face. She could tell he was trying to hold back his anger, but didn''t know why. "Okay, but you have to get yourself checked out." Kevin exhaled sharply and tried to cool down. He was angry, and it wasn''t helping. It wasn''t the time to y the me game. He wanted to find out how badly Leena was hurt. "Hand me your phone. I need to make a call." Leena frowned at her own phone. The thugs had broken it in the altercation. She sighed. She''d have to see what she could get off it, and then throw it away. Kevin shot her a nce, his expression confused. He had no idea why Leena wanted his phone, but he handed it over anyway. Then he turned his eyes back to the road and started focusing on driving. "Hello, this is Tom. Who''s this?" Tom said. He was at the hospital, examining the X-ray clipped to the wall. He took a sip of his coffee after answering. "Hi Tom. It''s me, Leena. Are you at work?" Leena stuck out her tongue, making a cute face. Tom couldn''t see it through the phone, but Kevin could. He saw her eyes full of mischief, and wondered what she was ying at. "Oh hey, Leena. Anything wrong? Nothing serious, I hope." Tom set his coffee mug down and looked away from the X-ray. He wasn''t familiar with the number, so he didn''t know it was from Leena at first. When he figured out who it was, he put aside his work and gave her h Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. the phone. He cursed himself for being a fool. He forgot all about Tom, the genius of the medical world. If anyone knew how to patch Leena up, it was him. "We''re stopping? Are you hungry then?" ire was taken aback when they stopped. She was lost in thought, and was suddenly thrust back to reality. "No. I''m getting Tom some dinner. I won''t be long." Leena smiled, grabbed her wallet, and left the car. The wind picked up, and chilled her to the bone. She shivered, and then suddenly felt a warm embrace. "I''ll go with you." Kevin gathered his wife''s coat, pulling it tightly to her and fastening it. Then they walked to the restaurant, his arm around her shoulder. She nced at the man. He looked cool, but what he did warmed her heart. She felt that even the chilliest weather would be as warm as summer, just as long as she was with him. They got to the hospital half an hourter. Luckily, the food was still steaming hot despite the cold weather. Chapter 1168 A False Alarm (Part Two) "Tom?" Leena carefully opened the door a crack and popped her head in to look for Tom. "Come in." Tom didn''t think anything of it. He thought that Leena came by herself, so he just nced at her casually and turned his gaze back to the case files again. "Sorry to disturb you, Dr. Qin." Kevin followed Leena into the office and greeted Tom first. "Hey! Kevin! Been awhile. Oh -- oh no! Is Leena okay?" Tom was surprised to see Kevin, but he was more worried about Leena. He probably took her here, and Kevin wasn''t a frivolous man. It was likely that Leena was hurt. "Yeah. Someone elbowed her in the back. I thought I''d bring her here and get it checked out." Kevin liked Tom. He was a lot nicer than Edward or Duke. "What? Leena was attacked? What happened? Do Edward and Duke know?" Tom stood up from the chair when Kevin told him this. This was not the time to be careless. Leena was sick recently, so he had to take precautions. "Don''t tell them, Tom. They''ll have a fit. It''s annoying," Leena said anxiously. She didn''t want to have them make a fuss over her, so she hoped he''d keep quiet. "Come over here and lie down on the couch. Let me take a look." Tom stared at Leena angrily. There probably wasn''t anything wrong. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be this happy. The person who beat her was asking for trouble. If Duke knew, he''d track the guy down and chop off his hand. If Edward found out, who knew what might happen? Maybe he''d kill the thug. "Go ahead and eat, Tom. No rush," L "Alright, we''re done now. You can sit up. We''ll need an X-ray just to be on the safe side." Grim-faced, Tom pulled down her shirt. He knew Leena could hardly bear any pain at all, but he was still uneasy. He might find something -- a pinched nerve, strained muscle, a bruised bone perhaps. Maybe an X-ray would show him what was going on. "What? Why do I need to take an X-ray? Can''t you just give me something for the pain?" Leena pursed her lips, looking pitiable. She came to Tom precisely because she didn''t want an X-ray. It was a headache for her, and frankly she was more than a little afraid of it. But she ended up needing one anyway. "You can''t just bat those eyes at me and expect to get anywhere. You need an X-ray. Let''s go. I''ll take you there." Tom grabbed her coat from the coat rack, and held it up while she put her arms through the sleeves. He affectionately tucked the loosened tendrils of hair behind her ear, while her husband Kevin could do nothing but stand by anxiously. Chapter 1169 A False Alarm (Part Three) "What happens after that? An injection?" Leena gulped nervously. She was going to cry if Tom said "yes". First an X-ray, now an injection? "It depends. You won''t need one if the injury isn''t serious." Tom showed his teeth in a humorless grin. He was starting to relish this in a way. Leena was quite pretty, and she was especially beautiful when she was nervous. He enjoyed seeing her this way. "You mean I may have to get an injection," Leena said in a resentful tone. She tried her best to give him a heart-rending look. "That''s right. Don''t try to weasel out of it." Really, Tom was curious how she got injured, but now was not the best time. But he used discretion and didn''t ask Kevin how it happened. But he did shoot an inquiring nce at him. "Kevin¡­" Since she wasn''t getting through to Tom, she thought maybe if she begged Kevin, who''d been quiet so far, he could speak up for her, and save her all this pain. "Don''t be afraid. I''m here with you." Kevin gave his wife aforting smile. It was nice to know that she could depend on him for something. He thought maybe she would turn to her brothers to get whatever she needed, so he was happy to be needed by her. "You do this every time you get a checkup," Tom said. "What are you going to do when you''re pregnant?" Tom shook his head and went out first. To be honest, Edward, Duke and Tom were to me for this. They were protective of Leena, waited on her ye and Tom didn''t press her further. She especially didn''t want him to ask Kevin about it. "Okay. Head on home. Have a safe drive. Remember to apply the medicine after taking a bath. Help Leena with that, Kevin." Tom didn''t ask them to stay. It waste, and he would also go home after stuffing his stomach with food and dealing with his caseload. "No problem. Thank you, doctor." Kevin was sincere. He really was thankful. His wife had a close rtionship with Tom, but he still needed to be polite and respectful to him. "Come on. Don''t stand on ceremony. I''m no stranger. Just call me Tom! I''ll go home after I''ve finished up here." The procedure took several hours. Tom had to admit he was tired. "Bye, Tom. Let''s go." Leena waved goodbye to Tom and then walked out of his office, Kevin on one arm, and ire on the other. She didn''t even think of introducing ire to Tom, and Tom didn''t seem to know she was there. They all forgot her. Chapter 1170 You Are Kidding Me Again (Part One) Leena had been smiling mildly since they left Tom''s office. It was refreshing that ire didn''t refuse her friendly approach as before. She let Leena hold her arm without any objection. It might not be a huge change, but it was definitely a good start for their budding rtionship. "Leena, howe your friends are all so excellent?" blurted ire all of the sudden. She just couldn''t hold back the curiosity anymore. Goodness! Why were Leena''s friends all elites? First, there were Edward and Rain who were both from FX International and then now, here was Tom, a freaking eligible who owned a hospital! "Haha! Trust me, you will not find them as perfect as you think once you get to know them." Leena chuckled in delight. She grew up with these outstanding men and she sure knew all of them like the back of her hand. They might appear to be the coolest and most domineering people ever, but they were all like kind big brothers to her. She couldn''t even see nor feel their differencespared to other men. "Really? Are you kidding me?" ire furrowed her eyebrows as she shot Leena a doubtful re. Uncontented, she even looked straight at Leena''s eyes in hope of finding the truth. "Yes, of course, it is the truth. Why should I lie to you?" A sincere smile cracked Leena''s lips and ire ended up cutely squinting her eyes to examine her sister-inw. ''Okay, that smile looks genuine. She couldn''t be lying. Oh, her smile is almost dazzling me.'' she thought. Meanwhile, Kevin wasn''t even talking as he just stayed quietly, listening to the two. Seeing that his wife and sister getting along well made him feel much morefortable than ever. He was in his best mood as he quickly drove his car back to the Grand Ap ing at all. "It''s fine. It just makes sense if you want to me me. I failed to protect you in the first ce. You wouldn''t be suffering this if I was there on time. I''m really sorry, Nana." He withdrew his hands from her and rxed his breath. It was a relief that he finally finished applying the medicine to Leena as he didn''t need to fray his nerves anymore. Little did Leena know how his heart hurt painfully every time she clenched her fist, trembled, and screamed. It was even worse than the physical pain he felt. "Kevin, are you angry at me?" Feeling the regret in his words, Leena turned her head again and looked at him. She remained lying on her stomach since Kevin hadn''t cued her that he was done. "No. I''m not angry at you. I''m mad at myself," replied Kevin. "Anyway, I''m finished. You can turn around now." Without any more exnation, he pulled her pajama-top down and then turned to the bathroom to wash his hands. Leena sat up and watched her husband disappear behind their bathroom door. She looked so confused and her mind was in turmoil. She hadn''t encountered Kevin''s cold side yet and she would never want to confront it. Chapter 1171 You Are Kidding Me Again (Part Two) One thing she didn''t know was that Kevin''s feelings were in chaos too. His emotions were mixed and unspeakable. His eyes were fixed on the mirror as he stood idly before the washbasin. The man in the mirror looked regretful and tired both physically and mentally. His hairs were in a mess, and his eyebrows were knitted. His usually lively eyes were filled with remorse. Even his lips were pale and slightly quivering. The man in the mirror didn''t look any inch close to the brilliant and promising Major General the public knew. He couldn''t even recognize himself. In all honesty, he never expected Leena to get injured right before his eyes. The enormous remorse and sadness he was feeling were enough to choke him. He wouldn''t say to her but he had been using and suspecting himself since it happened. Was it still valid for him to be called a soldier? He couldn''t even protect his woman! How could he even protect his family and defend the country? Kevin was again on the verge of guilt when a beautiful face suddenly appeared in the mirror. She was looking at him through his reflection. A few seconds after and a pair of slim arms embraced his strong waist. It was only upon feeling the warmth of those arms that his body rxed and stopped trembling. "I''m sorry, Kevin. Did I say something wrong? I didn''t mean it. Please don''t show me such a depressed look. It makes me sad too," whispered Leena as she tenderly leaned her face against his broad back and listened to his breaths. "Louisa came to the army base to see me today." Kevin ignored what the woman said and chose not to answer her previous question. He didn''t confirm whether he was angry or not. Rather, he calml He was stuck! For the first time in his life, the Major General was seeing how much he cared about Leena! It was that special type of care that was engulfing him and was driving him topare himself to her brothers. It had been a very slow process for him but he was finally there! He loved her! He loved her more than anything now! He loved her to the extent that it made him scared to think about what he would lose and gain just to be with her. "What? What does this have to do with them?" With one of her eyebrows raised, Leena looked at him confusedly. ''Aren''t we talking about Louisa? How was the topic suddenly changed?'' she thought. She raised her head a little like a puzzled child without breaking her eye-contact with Kevin. She badly needed to reconfirm his question. "Nothing." Kevin pretended to be cool and then looked around to avoid her stare. He would never tell her his real reason for asking these seemingly stupid questions no matter what Leena would askter. But God knew how much he was dying to find out who was the most important in her heart. "I would still want to know your answer though." Chapter 1172 You Are Kidding Me Again (Part Three) "You and my brothers are totally different. How would Ipare you to them? Let me ask the same thing, who is more important to you, ire or me?" Leena asked him back and rolled her eyes. It seemed that Kevin was a little strange tonight and she couldn''t understand why. He wasn''t the type to change the topic out of nowhere. He was talking about Louisa and then went jumping to her brothers. What on earth did he want to do? Leena was certainly clueless about his behaviors and didn''t even think of linking his acts to jealousy. "Those two rtionships are defined differently!" Kevin frowned. Only then did he realize how narrow-minded he seemed to ask such a stupid question. How did he evene up with that super-nonsense question? "There''s nothing different. All of those people you were mentioning are family members. You should understand that. Do you need me to exin things again?" With a sigh, Leena lowered her voice and tried to cool her head off. Kevin used to be so calm. Why was he suddenly acting like a kid right now? "Forget about it. Just pretend that I never asked you about it." That was it. Kevin made an about-face and walked out of the bathroom. He was instantly embarrassed after hearing Leena nagged at him for the first time. He was just a step away from the door when Leena suddenly stepped ahead of him and blocked his way. "No. I think I got it!" She eximed as a word sudden shed in her head. ''Jealous! God, yes! Jealous!'' she almost screamed. "Kevin, are you jealous?" A smile as bright as the sun suddenly rose on Leena''s face. Even her eyes were smiling as she looked up at Kevin teasingly. The happiness that was flooding her was immeasurable after finally figuring out what was wrong with Kevin. "Me? Jealous? Says who? Why should I be jealous?" Kevin looked up at the ceiling and deliberately avoided her grinning face. "Good question! Why are you jealous? Hold on, let me think about the answer for a while. Oh, yeah! I know now." Leena looked up at him and tried to catch his gaze. It took her a second t Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. in S City?" Kevin didn''t really want to ask that question again. He didn''t even think that ire was serious when she said that she wanted a job. As her brother though, he was still curious about her thoughts. He might not be the type to force the information out of his sister, but God knew how important those little things were to him. Still, it would be up to her if she would share her mind with him or not. She was old enough anyway and she deserved some personal space. He was a brother and he would support ire no matter whether she was jobless or not, good or bad. "Job? Oh, let''s talk about thatter. I honestly haven''t decided about that yet. I need more time to think about what career I want." If Kevin had asked her a few days earlier, then she would have answered him in an instant. However, the surprises she had these past two days had changed her thoughts. Thus, she needed to reconsider staying in S City. "That''s fine. It will always be your decision, ire. Just let me know once you have decision. Go to bed now, ire. I''ll go upstairs too." Kevin stood up and waved at his sister. It waste and he still needed to be in the army base early tomorrow. Thus, he held back from asking more questions. Again, she was now a big girl and she was entitled to live her own life. As a brother, all he could do for her was to support her decisions. Chapter 1173 You Are Kidding Me Again (Part Four) "Ummm. I know. Good night, Kevin!" ire waved back and sweetly smiled at him. "Good night!" Kevin waved at her onest time as he walked upstairs. He got the silhouette of a perfect man, slender and strong. He was the epitome of the word hunk. Back to the room, Leena was lying on the bed when Kevin came in. She was indulging in thetest fashion news with herptop open before her. She didn''t even notice Kevin approaching. "What are you browsing about? Why aren''t you sleeping? It''ste." Kevin threw a suspicious re at herputer as he sat on the bed. Nheless, he didn''t peep at her monitor. "Oh, yes! What time is it? I just checked on some news on the inte, nothing much. By the way, did you juste from downstairs? Is ire sleeping?" Leena closed herptop. It was fortunate that she wasn''t chatting with Patricia just now. Otherwise, she could have jumped out of her skin because of his sudden appearance. "Not yet. She is watching TV right now." Keviny down and saw how rxed she was while swaying her feet. "Really? Do I need to apany her for a while?" Leena put herputer aside and stood next to the bed. She was a night owl herself. Thus, she didn''t feel sleepy at this moment. "Nana, shouldn''t I be the one you need to apany at this hour?" In the past, Kevin didn''t really care about whom Leena would want to be with. However, he couldn''t help himself from thinking about everything associated with Leena now. His realization about his feelings made him into a whole new man. It wasn''t even hard to tell how jealous he was. He was almost like Edward though he hadn''t noticed it yet. "But you want to go to bed now, right?" Leena looked at him hesitantly. Why would she need to apany him if he was about to sleep? "Then sleep with me." Kevin answered in a calm tone. It was obvious how his face turned indifferent when he mentioned the word ''slee Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. her and moved fiercely. "Nana, are you sure you don''t want to try? Seriously?" Although Kevin was teasing her, he was also careful as he was afraid that she might identally roll out of the bed. He got no n of aggravating her injury. That wouldn''t be nice! Thus, when he noticed her moving away again, he immediately reached out and grabbed her hands just in time for her not to fall out of the bed''s edge. "Thank you very much!" Leena was scared for a second. Good Lord! She almost fell out of their bed. It was lucky that her shock didn''tst that long. "You''re wee!" Kevinughed as if it wasn''t his fault that she almost fell off. "No! You''re kidding me again!" pouted Leena as she threw her dagger stares. How could he act so carelessly like it wasn''t him who made her move to the edge! On the other hand, what happened to her? Why did she thank him just now! "Am I? You''re definitely wrong." Kevin yed innocent about what Leena meant. He even gave her an offended look as if it was her who wronged him. "Yes, you are. If you hadn''t moved closer and closer then I wouldn''t have moved back! Plus, if I had not moved back then how else could I fall down!" Leena bombarded him with angry questions as she kept poking her finger on his muscled chest. Chapter 1174 Louisa Lost Her Composure (Part One) "Okay. All right, it''s all my fault," Kevin said as he took the chance and slowly circled his arms around her. A smug smile spread across his face as she settled in. It seemed that his little trick had worked. "Of course it''s all your fault." As a couple, they had done the intimate things that couples did, but Leena still felt very shy. She buried her head in his arms and avoided meeting his eyes. "Okay, I admit it. So how do you want to punish me?" Kevin''s mouth twitched. He enjoyed her endearing act. "How would I punish you? I can''t defeat you in a hand-to-hand fighting; you''re a soldier. Are you intentionally saying this to embarrass me?" Leena pouted. She would not do anything that would bring humiliation to herself. "Come on, beat me as you like. I guarantee that I won''t hit you back." Kevin found that he quite enjoyed arguing with her. It was an intriguing thing. He hadn''t experienced this before with anyone else. "No, you are tough and you have muscles. My hands might hurt if I hit you." They had been spending a lot of time together recently, so Leena wasn''t as reserved as she used to be with him. She was bing more like herself around him. "Oh, then we have no other choice." Kevinughed helplessly and nted a gentle kiss on her hair. He gazed at her, his eyes brimming with affection. Whispers between lovers were the most beautiful melodies in this world. The couple grew closer to each other in the intimate atmosphere. The next morning, ire was woken up by an early call f Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. m that you are having fun with me. That would be perfect!" Louisa continued to persuade her. The contest was approaching and it was tough to find girls with beauty and a good figure. She had no choice but to ask ire. She wouldn''t have been lucky to get this opportunity if it was not so urgent. "Okay. But if I screw it up, don''t me me. I know nothing about fashion shows." ire frowned. She had watched many runway shows, but she knew it wasn''t as easy as it seemed. She was justified in her concerns. "Don''t worry, that won''t happen. So are you in? If yes, we should go to the rehearsals now." Louisa was ecstatic that she had managed to bring ire on board. "You pushed me so hard, what else could I say except for yes?" ire heaved a long sigh. She decided to throw caution to the wind. "ire, I''m so d. I love you so much!" In her excitement, Louisa grabbed ire by her arms and nted a wet kiss on her cheek. She wasn''t bothered that she had kissed away the makeup on ire''s face. Chapter 1175 Louisa Lost Her Composure (Part Two) "This is not a time to celebrate. I''m not sure that your friend would find me suitable for this job." Seeing Louisa happy, ire found that she too was delighted. However, she couldn''t help but remind her not to get carried away. "Trust me! She has no choice. You''re herst hope," Louisa said as she started the engine. She was thrilled to get this opportunity. She was tired of her father nagging her to find a job. If Louisa finished this task sessfully, she could start her career in the fashion business at once. "I hope so! But I have to call Leena first. She hasn''t woken up when I came out. She would worry when she doesn''t find me in the house." ire took out her cell phone and dialed Leena''s number, but the automated voice told her that Leena''s phone was turned off. She suddenly remembered that Leena''s phone had been smashed by those men yesterday. She also forgot that she had promised Kevin to help Leena apply the medicine on her injured back. But she was already out now. ''What can I do?'' she wondered. "What''s up? No one answered the phone?" Louisa was displeased to hear ire talk about Leena so intimately. But she was asking ire for a favor. Even if she was annoyed, she couldn''t show it. "No, I forgot that her cellphone has been smashed. I will wait for her to call me back." ire put her cellphone aside. Suddenly feeling like she shouldn''t let this matter go, she picked up the phone and dialed again. "Hi, ire. What''s up?" Kevin was examining the army tanks with the other officers. When he heard his phone ring, he walked away to pick up the call. ch family. She doesn''t have to work her way up through marriage." ire felt flustered when she remembered that she often poked fun at Leena and mocked her background. But Leena''s family background was way better than hers. Her family was richer and more powerful. "What? She''s rich? ire, don''t fool around with me. You must have been tricked by her. You''re too simple and naive and she took advantage of this. She has a lot of tricks up her sleeve." Louisa felt amused to hear that Leena was from a rich family. She would never believe that. Since the first time Louisa had seen her, she took it for granted that Leena was a woman of humble origins. "I''m not joking. I went to her family''s house yesterday. Do you know about Leng Group? It''s her family''s business. Moreover, her sister-inw is the CEO of YS Group. You can imagine how rich her family is." ire had been dumbstruck when she got to know all of this yesterday. She had remained silent in the car when they left for home. She had still been lost in her thoughts when Leena was hit by the men. Chapter 1176 Louisa Lost Her Composure (Part Three) Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt. ire''s body jerked forward because of the sudden brake. Before she coulde back to her senses, Louisa grasped her shoulders, looking at her anxiously. "ire, are you sure about what you just said?" Louisa asked in a hurry. Fortunately, they were not on a road with much traffic, otherwise they would surely have caused an ident. "Louisa, why did you suddenly stop? You freaked me out!" ire patted her chest, still suffering from the shock. Louisa''s sudden brake had scared her out of her wits. "I''m asking you, is it true? That Leng Group is really Leena''s family business?" Louisa shook her. She couldn''t believe that Leena was a noble woman. It was unbelievable! In her mind, Leena had always been a nobody. How could she ept that Leena was actually very rich? "Please let me go first. You''re shaking me too hard, I feel like throwing up." ire tried to push her hands away. She was flustered and didn''t understand why Louisa lost herposure all of a sudden. "Okay, can you tell me now?" Louisa red at ire as if she would eat her up if she confirmed that what she said was true. "But haven''t you been living in S City too? Howe you didn''t know about this? If you don''t believe me, you can check it online. Isn''t Leng Group only second to the FX International Group in S City?" ire smoothed her clothes which had been wrinkled by Louisa''s grip. She s to try and impress him," ire tried to persuade Louisa to give up on Kevin. She had given Louisa her firm and solemn promise to help her win Kevin over, but now she ate her words. ire worried that Louisa would be angry at her. Her temper was unnerving. "ire, are you still my friend? That is not what you said to me before. Huh. You now know that Leena is richer than me, so you have begun to lick her boots and kiss her ass?" Louisa shot daggers at ire. Why should she give up? ''No way! It is not finished yet, '' she thought. He whoughedst,ughed the best. She still had a chance to turn the tide. "Of course, I''m your friend. But I''m not as horrible as you just described. Do you think it''s right to insult me like this when we are friends?" ire bristled. She was pretty annoyed by Louisa''s words. It was true that she had changed her attitude toward Leena these past few days, but it was not to the extent of kissing her ass. Chapter 1177 Dignity (Part One) "Sorry! I''m having a blonde moment," Louisa said and started the car. She tried to control her temper and told herself, ''this isn''t the time or the ce. As much as I want to kick ire out of my car, she''s still useful to me.'' "That''s cool. We are still friends?" Could they still be friends, after that? ire wasn''t so sure. Louisa and ire arrived at the studio owned by Louisa''s friend. Showing her friend her runway walk, ire knocked it out of the park. Her friend pped enthusiastically. "Bravo!" she said. "You have so much potential! Wee to the world of modeling! Now, as for the rules..." ire was now part of the agency, which meant she had to do everything they told her to. It was almost ten o''clock when Leena rolled out of bed. It was toote to fix anything for ire -- she would have arranged for her own breakfast by now. But she had to check on her to see if she was okay. She skipped brushing her teeth and washing her face and raced downstairs. But where was ire? She couldn''t find her anywhere! Maybe in the study? No, not there either. It was like she''d vanished into thin air. "Where did she go? She didn''t even leave a note," Leena murmured and returned to her room to grab her phone. She opened her nightstand drawer, and saw her phone, in pieces, lying on a scarf. She had tough at her bad memory. ''Leaky like a sieve, '' she thought. She hadpletely forgotten the thugs had destroyed itst night. She had to get a new one as soon as possible. A cellphone was just too useful not to have. But she s eel them start to ache. She felt as if a dangerous person were stalking her. "You sound scared. If you had the guts to hide from me, you should have the guts to listen to me vent," Patricia said. She was as blunt and passionate as Belinda, so she and Leena got along well. "Hide? I don''t know anything about that," Leena replied, sticking out her tongue. ''Girl, you want to get together with me so you could bitch me out? No way! Not happening!'' Leena thought to herself. "Fine. Go on! Keep pretending! What? Do you have Alzheimer''s now? Do you need me to help remind you what you''ve done?" Patricia said, then snatched up the car keys and rushed out the door. She wanted details. She was going to grill Leena about her wedding. "No, thanks. I''m too weak to fight about it. I''m not disabled," Leena replied, looking miserable. Anyway, she knew that she couldn''t get out of this. "That''s the spirit! So, my ce or yours? Choose, or I''ll choose for you!" Patricia teased, sitting in her car calmly and waiting for the answer. Chapter 1178 Dignity (Part Two) "Let''s meet at that coffee shop we both like!" Leena said. She knew she couldn''t avoid this and was ready to submit. She just hoped that Patricia could save her some humiliation and not yell at her in public. "All right. Get a move on, then. See ya!" Patricia raised her eyebrow smugly after she hung up. ''This girl really needs to be taught a lesson. Why doesn''t she respect me? Then she wouldn''t have to go out of her way to calm me down when I''m pissed, '' she thought. "See youter," Leena said weakly, and put her head down on the steering wheel. She was so depressed right now. Leena would rather be dead than face Patricia. Leena stopped feeling sorry for herself after she remembered why she went out in the first ce. She fumbled with her phone in her haste to call ire, but the girl wouldn''t pick up. She pressed redial repeatedly, but there was still no answer. She started to worry, and couldn''t know that ire was practicing her turn on the runway. The music was so loud it drowned out the phone. How could she even tell someone was calling? Her head was in the clouds right now, her worldly cares forgotten. ''Where did she go? Why didn''t she tell me?'' Leena thought to herself and wondered if she needed to call Kevin to ask if he knew. It was eleven o''clock and she''d known for an hour that ire was gone. Who knows how much of a head start she already had? After she thought about it for a moment, she finally gave in and called Kevin. "What do you need? Shoot!" Kevin said. He thought the call was from ire, so he even di ces were thrown in her direction while she waited for Leena. "Sorry! Didn''t mean to keep you waiting." Leena apologized breathlessly and sat down before Patricia could say a word. She totally forgot her manners, which also showed how tired she was. "What did you do? Lollygag on the way here? It wasn''t a long drive. What took your slow ass so long?" Patricia snapped, rolling her eyes. She was farther away than Leena, but she made it here earlier than her. She really had some nerve to make her wait. "You''re one to talk! You drive like you''re training for the Geely Super League. Speaking of which, does your family know you''re a racer now?" Leena said and took her coat off, draping it over her chair. "Not yet. I don''t want to freak them out. There is a race next month and I''m thinking of entering," Patricia said with a frank smile. Racing was her favorite pastime. As it was also risky, she always did it in secret, fearing that her family would forbid her to do it. That would be all she needed, so she kept it from them. Chapter 1179 Dignity (Part Three) "I wish you wouldn''t do it. I worry about you every time you get in that form one." Leena could understand what the attraction was. Out there on the track, with speed and passion, straining the limits of machine and man. It was a way to blow off a lot of stress, she knew. But it always made her heart beat faster in worry to think of her friend crashing. "Silly girl, what could happen? Don''t you trust my skills?" Patricia said with a pretentious smile. She was one of the top three racers in thepetition although she didn''t get the grand prize. It was a good score, and definitely something to be proud of. "It''s not about trust. idents happen. I just worry about you." Patricia was her BFF and she didn''t want anything bad to happen to her. "This race is international. I don''t want to give it up. It could mean big things," Patricia said with a bitter smile. She was fairly rich, and her family was well-educated. The world was her oyster, so why do something so dangerous? But she was the only one who understood why. Her life was boring. Her family was boring. She caught the rebellion bug, as bored teens often did, and started racing. Small-time at first, but she was hooked on the rush. Now, she was after bigger prizes. "But, your family will figure it out sooner orter," Leena said anxiously, frowning. "What about yours?" Patricia asked. "Does your family know what you did?" Patricia shot a meaningful nce at Leena. From the bottom of her heart, she wanted to be like Leena, carefree, able to pursue her dreams. But that was denied for her, so she chose t t any drama," Leena said and looked around awkwardly. She lowered her head when she found people were looking at them like that. Thest thing she wanted was to be the center of awkward attention. "What is drama? Can you eat it, or sell it? No, you can''t. So why should I give a rat''s ass?" Patricia said in a reckless tone, rolling her eyes. She raised her eyebrow and thought, ''what a hypocrite.'' "Hey, enough with thenguage. We''re in a public ce. Please stop saying ''ass'' so much," Leena said, frowning. She must be nuts to agree to meet here. If she knew Patricia was going to fly off the handle like this, she would have selected a ce they never went to. "You think ''ass'' is a rude word? Then don''t fart," Patricia said, and looked at Leena, daring her to say something. Patricia acted all high and mighty, so it was like the loser won the game. Leena felt very depressed at this exchange, but she could do nothing. The only thing she could do was to swallow her anger and bleed inside. Her friend was browbeating her into submission. Chapter 1180 Are You Happy (Part One) "Patricia, keep it down, please! You are drawing attention to us now!" Leena felt embarrassed and ufortable about the silent gazes they were getting. She turned to Patricia and signaled thedy to calm down. "Who cares! I''m not in the wrong here. Why should I care about others'' gazes?" Patricia curled up her lips and shrugged her shoulders. She never cared about others'' opinions. She was a typical girl who only lived in her own world. What others thought about her was none of her business. She only did what would make herself happy. "But you are making me embarrassed here!" Leena sighed and wiped away the beads of sweat from her forehead. She was slightly distressed that previous request didn''t work. Honestly, Patricia with her wild behaviors was really getting on her nerves now. "Don''t be ridiculous. You are the one who secretly got married without telling us. How could you have the nerves to say you are embarrassed?" Patricia gave her a cold look and snapped. She was still pretty mad at Leena for not telling her about the marriage. "Please, for God''s sake! Just keep it down! You are really drawing all the attention to us here! People will start thinking that I am a bad girl!" Leena''s face turned dark. She rolled her eyes in distress and thought to herself, ''Pat, I only kept it as a secret for your own good! I just didn''t want you to feel bad about me. Now you think that I am deliberately lying to you about it. You know what, it really hurts me to hear you now. She meant business when she talked about checking on Leena''s husband. "His family is in the capital city and it is quite cold out there. If you tolerate the low temperature, you are more than wee to check his family out! But I need to say, if youe across something good out there, don''t forget to share it with me." Leena rolled her eyes and grinned. Patricia was being ridiculous because there was no way that she could carry out a background check on Kevin. Patricia might be good at fighting but she was not Kevin''s match at all. Leena thought about the time when she was held hostage and how Kevin saved her. That memory made her smile happily. Her Kevin was the biggest hero on earth and no one could defeat him. "Why should I share anything with you? Are you in the right here or should I reward your lying?" Patricia raised her eyebrows and teased Leena. She enjoyed making fun of her from time to time. She felt greatly amused when Leena blushed and pouted her mouth. Chapter 1181 Are You Happy (Part Two) "Of course I deserve anything you''ll find in the capital city! It is a reward to keep my mouth shut! Aren''t you concerned that I might go there and warn him first since you are saying that you''re going to dig his details? Anyway, don''t tter yourself. You won''t evene closer to him. You will be surrounded by a toon of soldiers even before you get a chance." It seemed that they were having a casual chat. But in reality, Leena said those words to hint that her husband had a military background. This was their unique way ofmunicating. They had been friends for years. Sometimes, they could even read each other''s mind through gestures. Leena was being honest with Patricia. She was her close friend and there was no need to hide her husband''s identity from her. "So what is his name? You could not possibly still keep it as a secret!" Patricia was slightly shocked to find out that Leena''s husband was from the military. Now she was really eager to know about his name! "Kevin Gu. I will introduce you to him properly when I get a chance." Leena knew her husband well. He would feel offended if she kept him from all her friends. It was quite important for him to get to know her social circle. She should at least introduce him to her friends as he wished. It was nice of him to try to get involved as much as possible in her life. She felt ttered by the thought. "Excellent! I have never met a real Major General in my life before! I hope he is a good-looking man! You know me, I only talk to handsome men. If your husband is not up to my standard then don''t expect me to be friendly to him." Patricia gave Leena a profound look. She lightly stirred the coffee in her mug. She was always serious when it came to her husband. The topic apparently meant a lot in her heart. Even the tone of her voice changed, she was no longer yful. "Are you happy?" Patricia sensed the seriousness of Leena''s tone and gazed at her warmly. She wanted to make sure that her friend was living her dream life. "I am very happy." Leena gave her an assuring look. Her smile was genuine and it instantly made Patricia understand her. She felt truly happy for her. "My blessings to you, girl!" Patricia extended her hand and gave Leena a splendid smile. "Thanks, hun." With these words, Leena caught Patricia''s hand and held it tightly. She felt greatly blessed to have a friend like Patricia. They didn''t even need many words, just a mere look, and thedy could magically fill her heart with warmth. Leena drove directly to FX International Group after bidding goodbye to Patricia. She thought that it would be nice to visit Mr. Mu as it was still early. She remembered what Daisy had told her before and that urged her to see him in person. Chapter 1182 Are You Happy (Part Three) "It is my pleasure to see you here." Anna leaped with joy as soon as she saw Leena stepped in. She extended her arms and greeted her warmly. "The pleasure is all mine! I heard the good news about your new rtionship. Congrattions to you!" Leena smiled warmly and said. Actually, she was quite surprised to know about her new date. It never urred to her that Anna would date that guy. "Thank you very much, Leena. Actually, I need some help right now. Would you minding in first, please? I badly need help in calming down the president. He is really in a foul mood today and he has scolded several senior managers. It is getting tough here." Anna knew how fond of Leena her boss was and she sincerely wished for her arrival to calm him down. Seeing Leenaing in earlier, flooded her both in so much hope and relief. "What happened? Howe? Was Daisy giving him a hard time again?" Leena''s eyebrows slightly furrowed. In her mind, the only person who could possibly cross Mr. Mu was his dear wife, Daisy. "I am not quite sure about that. He has been in a bad mood since this morning. I don''t know what is really going on with him." Anna could not draw a conclusion as she had no idea about the exact cause of Edward being mad. It would be wrong for her to give a false guess. "Don''t worry about it! Just leave it to me." With a reassuring smile on her pretty face, Leena walked straight to the president''s office. Usually, she would walk straight into the office without knocking. She was a bold girl in front of Edward and would not really care about those polite manners. However, today was a bit different. She raised her hand and earnestly knocked on the closed door. With her lips curled up, Leena thought of a great idea. ''t help but worry if her pretty nose was still firm! She was quite proud of her nose to start with. "Let me see. It seems alright. If it is actually broken, however, I think we should put a piggie bone there instead. What do you think?" Edward sniggered. He fondly moved her hand away and took another close look at her nose. He was no longer in a bad mood since Leena''s arrival had lightened up his day. He was delighted to see her and her unexpected visit turned out to a big sweet surprise for him. No one could resist the charm of the adorable Leena. "What piggie bone? Are you implying that I have a piggie nose? Edward, this is not cool. You are hurting my feelings! I am going home!" With her mouth pouting in distress, Leena stomped her feet and whirled around. However, her arm was caught by Edward. He stopped her and said with a grin,"Hold on now, We are not done yet! Why were you knocking the door withouting in just now?" Edward had to know the answer to that question. Leena was such a yful girl full of interesting ideas. He was greatly amused by her thoughts from time to time. He was wondering what kind of tricks she was pulling just now. Chapter 1183 Are You Happy (Part Four) "I am not tricking you, alright? I am just being polite, like always. It is important to have good manners. Therefore, I knock twice before walking in." Leena''s big eyes were sparkling with mischief. She was now lying to Edward''s face boldly. Under no circumstance would she admit to his usation. "Cut the crap! I can easily recognize all your little tricks! You never knock on my door." Edward shook his head andughed. He knew Leena well enough to tell her bullshit. She was just like Rain, restless and full of surprises. They were like two spoiled kids who tended to act on their own wills. Whenever they came to his office, they walked in straight without knocking at all. ''Manners? Unheard of with these two.'' thought Edward with a big grin on his face. He looked at Leena''s naughty face and again shook his head helplessly. ''She must have heard about my bad mood from Anna earlier. She must have teased me, in order to cheer me up a little bit.'' Edward sighed silently as he came to the conclusion. "Whatever you say! I am now more sensitive about manners. I am aware of them because I have matured!" Leena caught his arms and said softly. She smiled at him, knowing that he would never shout at her or get mad at her. Edward always had a good temper whenever he was with her. "So, ording to you, you have matured? Oh really? May I ask, is getting married secretly a mature behavior?" Edward tapped on her forehead softly and snapped. Judging from his tone, Leena could tell that he was just as annoyed as Duke when it came to her secret marriage with Kevin. The topic was sort of taboo for everyone who cared f me. How did you drop your phone?" Edward chose to bury the truth deep in his heart. He didn''t wish to tell her the real cause of his anger at all. It was through Daisy that he heard about what happened to Leenast night. He was upset that she didn''t contact him in time when she was in trouble. Was it just him who thought that they were close and wished that they were closer. She shouldn''t have kept things away from him. "Well, it was an ident. I didn''t hold it tight enough. It fell from my hand!" Leena looked away as she made ame excuse to cover up the facts. She didn''t dare to tell him what happenedst night. She knew what Edward was capable of. He was a man of iron will. Things would lead to bigger troubles if she told him about the incident. Thus, she would rather keep him in the darkness. It was a lot better this way than to see him seek revenge for her. Edward would do anything to get even, no matter who he was fighting against. Leena didn''t wish to get him involved at all. Therefore, she even went all out and stopped Tom from telling him the incident. Chapter 1184 He Is Your Husband (Part One) "Do you really think that I will believe you?" Edward smirked at Leena. He couldn''t believe how she seemingly took him for a fool. How could she think that he would believe such ame excuse? Edward knew that the truth was definitely not as simple as Leena told him. "That is the truth, whether you believe it or not. Besides, look, here is my new phone. I just bought it." Leena took her new phone out of her purse and handed it to Edward. She wanted to prove that she was saying the truth and that she didn''t lie to him. "Well, I believe that your phone was broken. What I don''t believe is how it was broken." Crossing his legs casually, Edward gave her phone an uninterested nce. Yes, it was indeed a new one. However, it didn''t mean that he would believe what she said just because she got herself a new phone. "How was it broken? What do you mean?" Leena furrowed her eyebrows and pretended that she didn''t understand what he said. She was secretly wondering if Tom had told Edward about what happenedst night. Good Lord! She sincerely hoped not. He couldn''t have told Edward about it, could he? Tom was not like Rain, he was not the type of person who would be spreading others'' secret like it was butter to a toast. If it was Rain who knew about her secret, then he would have probably told Edward already, but not Tom. She trusted Tom. "Well, you''re the only one who knows what I mean. By the way, why did you decide toe here all of the sudden? You haven''t been here for a long while,"ined Edward. It was obvious that he wasn''t happy about Leena not visiting them. "I''m sorry but I just got really bus think that it''s a very romantic thing to do, you have to put yourself first." Edward''s voice suddenly sounded worried. He was even frowning when he continued. "You must take care of your health. Don''t you remember what Tom told you thest time? Your resistance to diseases is lower than before, so you shouldn''t be exhausting yourself." Leena might be careless but that didn''t mean that he was as careless as her. Leena used to be sickly during her younger age and he knew how much she struggled to be as healthy as she was now. Thus, seeing Leena as busy and overworked made those people who cared deeply about her worry. "Edward, you don''t need to worry about me. I will look after myself. Can''t you stop being a worrywart?" Leena said these words in a sweet tone before gently leaning into her brother''s arms. She wanted him to stop worrying so much about her. She wasn''t a little girl anymore and she could surely take care of herself. What she was doing right now was actually one of her tactics since she knew that her brothers couldn''t resist her whenever she acted this sweetly. Chapter 1185 He Is Your Husband (Part Two) "We wouldn''t be so worried about you all the time if you really could take care of yourself as good as you said." Edward''s hand moved to stroke Leena''s hair gently. He was really concerned about her so much and considered her his own little sister. There was no way that he wouldn''t notice whatever was going on with her. "Have I ever told you that I''m the happiest person in the whole world? That is because I have you all in my life, my brothers who treat me like I''m the most precious thing to ever breathe." For the first time, Leena told him about how grateful she was to her brothers. She was aware of how much they truly loved her and she remembered it all deep inside. She might not be the type to put her heart on her sleeves but she was also sure that they could feel how thankful she was through her actions. "Leena, you may be thinking that you are the happiest girl in the world because of us. But you know what? In our eyes, you are the best thing we have received. You are the reason why we can be this good." A deep sigh escaped from Edward''s chest as he pondered about their rtionship with Leena. In reality, they were all a bit damaged in different ways. It was because they had Leena, their beloved little sister, that they could never be knocked down easily. It was just natural for them to encounter failures from time to time. But then, Leena was the driving force that kept theming back up to fight again. They all knew that they couldn''t disappoint their little princess. "I don''t know about that. What I know is that you all hold a special ce in my heart that nobody can ever rece." Leena was suddenly at the verge of crying upon hearing Edward''s words. She was so touched about what he sai that Kevin might misunderstand things if she hung out with Gerard alone. Thus, she wasn''t able to take Gerard out for sightseeing. Hearing Edward''s suggestion made her excited because it would allow her to have a good time with Gerard without worrying about how Kevin would feel. Edward shook his head fondly at her. Seeing her this excited lifted his mood too. So he walked to his desk and picked his phone up. Then he called Daisy''s number. Meanwhile, Daisy was checking her guns when her phone rang. An instant smirk appeared on her lips as soon as she saw Edward''s name on it. She had been thinking the whole time about how to calm his temper down once she got home. It was actually a surprise that he called her first since Edward was never the type topromise with anyone at all. "What, Edward? Aren''t you mad anymore?" "I didn''t say that. I''m still mad at you. Don''t think that I will let this go so easily." Although Leena''s visit cooled his head down a little, Edward still didn''t want to be the first topromise with his wife. They could all me his stubbornness but he would never admit to Daisy that he wasn''t angry anymore. Chapter 1186 He Is Your Husband (Part Three) "Yeah? Really? Then let me ask you, why are you calling me now, Mr. Mu?" On the other hand, Daisy already knew him so well and had seen right through him. She didn''t even have any issues with Edward being as stubborn, so she just let him enjoy it. Who said that only women needed to be spoiled in the first ce? Sometimes, men needed some way to boost their egos too. Thus, she chose to spoil the mighty Mr. Mu today. "I just want to tell you that we will be having dinner with Leena and some other friends. We haven''t spent time together for a long time. So if you are not busy,e home early. By the way, tell Kevin about it too." Edward slightly raised his eyebrows. He delivered his line in such a cold and indifferent tone as if was still very mad with his wife. "Okay, I see. Just text me the address of the restaurant once you have decided where we will be eating," replied Daisy in an equally indifferent tone. Well, in fact, it was not just Edward who knew how to y this game of bluff. She couldn''t even help but secretly smile fondly at his behavior. How could he still be this childish before her after all this time? "That''s all you want to say!" Edward''s tone came out sounding a little bit more shocked than what he had intended. Shouldn''t it be the time for her to say something sweet and nice to him? Shouldn''t she be pacifying him by now? It would only be after she yielded at him that they could make up with each other. "Yeah, that''s all. What do you expect me to say?" Now that made Daisy smirk wider. She knew what Edward wanted and what he was insinuating. It was just that she wasn''t in the mood to sati Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. already foreseen that he would react this way. "Fine! We''ll decide what happens to youter. Do you really think that I can''t do anything about this?" Edward sniggered as some private thoughts came into his mind. Hearing him made Daisy shudder out of control. She wondered about what Edward was implying and she was suddenly a bit nervous about it. If her guess was indeed right, then she might not be able to leave their bed for a few days! "Edward, how''s Daisy? Is she free tonight?" Leena approached Edward fast as soon as he hanged the phone up. It was out of respect that she didn''t eavesdrop on their call. "Yeah! She will being with us but she might be a littlete." A broad smile cracked on Edward''s lips as he talked. Daisy already yielded by saying that she really missed him and that was all he wanted. He was really easy to please. He didn''t even need Daisy to do big gestures or say something more ttering. A sincere confession was enough for him to be happy. Daisy was his everything after all. Her love and care would always be more than enough for Edward. Chapter 1187 He Is Your Husband (Part Four) "Then how about Kevin? Does he have time too?" asked Leena with a bit worry. She was afraid that Kevin mighte home to an empty apartment without anything to eat. Thus, she badly needed to know if he woulde with them. "Leena, he is your husband. If you want to know if he has the time or not, just call and ask him yourself. You shouldn''t be this careful and worried." Edward slightly furrowed his brows at her question. She shouldn''t be this anxious about calling her own husband, should she? She was being overly cautious! "I''m just worried that I might interrupt his work if I call now." The thought of Kevin''s impatient voice when she called this morning made Leena a little depressed. Although she knew that he wasn''t upset with her, she could tell that Kevin wasn''t the type of person who liked being interrupted during his work. "You two are already married, Leena. Why are you being so careful around him? You have the right to just ask him! He won''t be mad with just a simple question. There is no need for you to guess. I don''t want you to do that to yourself, okay?" Concerned, Edward shot Leena a soft re. It broke his heart to see her like this. He didn''t know if Kevin still had some unresolved feelings for Daisy. But if so, then it would surely hurt Leena. And frankly, Leena getting hurt was the veryst thing he would want to see. "I am not doing anything to myself. Don''t worry about me, okay? Well, it''s time for me to go home now. See you tonight at dinner!" Leena grabbed her purse and got herself ready to leave. Sh want to ask some stupid questions that might damage their fragile rtionship. "I''m fine. Don''t worry. I''m just a little tired after being out for a long time. I just need to rest for a bit." ire touched her face after hearing what Leena said. Did she really look that tired? But they only had a few hours'' practice. Maybe it was because she hadn''t exercise for a very long time and that was why she got haggard. "Okay. Then go upstairs and have a good rest." Leena''s eyebrows slightly furrowed upon hearing ire''s words. It was fortunate that there were still a few hours until dinner time. Thus, ire could rest for a bit. Otherwise, she would be so anxious that she might not be able to join them for dinner. It was then that an uninvited voice tore between the sister-inws'' conversation. It was Louisa, whose only hobby was to pick on Leena whenever she could. Who said that she was a fan of Leena on the first ce? She didn''t even like her! "Leena, where are your manners? Aren''t you going to greet me at all?" Chapter 1188 Do Unto Others (Part One) "Miss Ye,e on. We aren''t friends yet. Why do I need to do this?" Leena finally looked up at her, and gave a snort of contempt. "Really? Why aren''t we friends? Leena, are you trying to hide from me? As for why you''re doing this, I think we both know." Louisa opened the car door and got out. One hand resting on the roof, she glowered at Leena. It was a clear challenge. Everyone said Leena was from a rich and powerful family. Louisa desperately wanted to find out what her bottom line was. "Hiding? Louisa, do you think you''re too ugly to look at? That''s the only reason I''d hide. You shouldn''t be so hard on yourself." Leena went on the attack now. And with good reason. Louisa hade to her ce and insulted her. It was payback time. "You... Humph! You''re one to talk," Louisa retorted. "You''re such a slut, you had to sleep with Kevin to get him to marry you." Louisa was embarrassed by Leena''s retort. She gnashed her teeth in anger, but she decided to fight back. What else could she do? She was beside herself with rage. But Leena wasn''t done. "Haha! Louisa, you have no idea what a real slut is like! No man would want you even if you threw yourself at him!" She had to be tough and mean. Leena wasn''t trying to hurt her, but she was fed up. Louisa was a constant thorn in her side, and it was time to remove it. "You bitch! What are you talking about? Say that again! I dare you!" Louisa quickly moved around the car and stood in front of Leena. Her eyes zed with fury, her hands were balled into fists. "Watch your mouth, if you don''t want to get clocked!" Leena shouted. Leena tilted her chin. If Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. the whites of her eyes. She disliked her so much she wouldn''t even look at her. "Shut up, both of you. How about this? Louisa, I think you need to go home. Leena and I are going inside." This was so awkward. Both of them were behaving badly, so ire felt bad. Hurting those two was thest thing she wanted to do. "ire, I''m going upstairs. See you there." Leena was tired of fighting with the girl. She cast onest contemptuous nce at Louisa, tilted her chin proudly, and left. Her day had been entirely ruined by this horrible woman. "Louisa, I''m wiped out, so I''m going to turn in early. Have a safe drive home. Good night." ire felt harassed and strained. Right now she wanted nothing more than a hot bath and a good rest. "Good night. Don''t forget rehearsal tomorrow." Regardless of what she wanted, she was looking forward to the fashion show. If she participated, she''d be more likely to be discovered by an agent. The agent would then find ces for her to work, and she might even find a mentor. This would be the turning point in her modeling career. Chapter 1189 Do Unto Others (Part Two) "No way! Tomorrow''s Saturday. Can we startter? My legs have got tired after walking for a few hours." ire was beginning to regret agreeing to Louisa''s offer. She was in really low spirits. "There''s only a few days left. So brush up on your technique so you don''t embarrass yourself that day." Feeling trapped, Louisa had to turn to ire for the modeling gig. "We''ve got at least a week, right? Fine. I should go. Goodbye, Louisa." With a wave of her hand, ire left before Louisa could even say anything. She rushed to catch up with Leena, who was waiting for the elevator. Louisa gritted her teeth. She had been extremely furious with ire recently. She couldn''t even curse around her now. She swore that she''d teach ire a lesson as soon as the contest ended. Leena slowed down and waited, so ire could easily catch up with her before Leena entered the elevator. Although ire found herself panting for breath, at least she didn''t have to wait for the next elevator. "Come on in." Leena was about to push the button to close the door. But she saw ire rushing to her, and hurried to prevent the door from shutting. ire knew she had to exin what was going on. "Leena, don''t take Louisa too seriously. I think she''s hurt andshing out. It hurts to lose the one you love so much." ire then bit her lips and looked up at Leena anxiously. "I''m good. Her bark is worse than her bite. I''ll leave her alone," said Leena. She didn''t count on ire to help her. However, she did hope that ire wouldn''t join Louisa to attack her. She didn''t need that right now, with the fashion show and everything else. "Probably a good idea. The less you two s grade. So Hank wondered why he was helping him out now. "Well, that''s all you, Hank. Trust me, if you hadn''t earned this, you wouldn''t be getting it. You didn''t even grumble much when I punished you. At least, not within earshot." Kevin smiled. At first, he was doing this for Daisy''s sake. However, as time went on, he found that Hank was really a capable soldier. From then on, Kevin came down on him hard, insisting heplete his missions perfectly. He figured that was the way to get Hank to care about what he was doing. "Yeah, I know you''re doing this for me. I shouldn''tin," said Hank in a state of panic. He had learned his lesson and kept a low profile for a long time. However, his rep was shot, and people still talked about it in whispers. So he figured that very few people in the army thought much of him, or trusted him to do anything. "I get it if you hate me, but frankly, I don''t care, as long as you have learned something from what I did to you," said Kevin peacefully. And he really didn''t care about what everyone thought of him. The only thing that mattered was doing the right thing. Chapter 1190 Do Unto Others (Part Three) "Are you saying you''ve done all those things just because you wanted me to improve myself?" Hank grunted. He was wondering about that. He had to do things again and again, until the superior officer thought things were perfect. He thought it was just because of his reputation, but now he knew Kevin had something to do with it. "I demanded the best out of you so you could learn and grow. So you could show the base what you were made of. Rather than throw punches at Daisy, you''d grow the hell up and take charge of your career." Kevin could do nothing more to help him. Hank had to hold his own against all the ill will he''d earned. But Kevin did give him the chance to redeem himself, and really believed he could do the job. "I really appreciate you and Daisy rmending me. I know we aren''t exactly friends." Hank wasn''t young anymore. If he started again from scratch, he would never attain a decent rank again. However, with Kevin''s help, he was offered a huge opportunity to turn the tables. "Everyone makes mistakes. It''s water under the bridge. Just learn from your mistakes, and you''ll be okay." Kevin sighed deeply at the thought. People never learned without consequences. If Hank had just done what he was supposed to, he''d be in a much better position. "Yeah, no kidding. I don''t feel good about what I did. But I understand how important this chance is. If you send me on this mission, I won''t fail you," said Hank, righteously and confidently. The incidentst time taught him to be humble and careful. He ditched his conceit and arrogance. And now was his time to prove who he was. "As I said, no one''s perfect. However, we learn and do the right thing. Just do your best." Kevin nced at him reflectively. Since the army was known forpetence, he wouldn''t stand out unless Is this because of the other phone call?" Nervous and worried as he was, he really cared about Leena''s feelings. "No, no... Nothing like that. I''m distracted, that''s all. Besides, I''m an elegantdy. I''d never stay mad too long." Leena burst intoughter. She lied, because she did care about Kevin''s tone of voice over the phone. She''d be lying if she said she didn''t. But she wouldn''t worry about it. She felt depressed because of her fight with Louisa. Some mean things were said, and she wasn''t sure if she could forget that soon. "I''m sorry if I was too gruff on the phone. I was just distracted, too, being at work. I hope you''re not mad." This might be the first time that Kevin was worried about how Leena might take things the wrong way. So, he tried to exin himself to her sincerely and fully. He wanted to feel good, not depressed. "Kevin, do you think of me as your wife?" She cut straight to the heart of the matter. She felt like a cier was standing between them, stopping them from loving each other. She could feel this mountain of ice every time she thought of him, whenever she tried to hug him. She really wanted to melt this ice so their hearts would be warm once more. Chapter 1191 Getting Together (Part One) "Of course. We both signed the marriage license and made it official. It''s all there and ck and white. Littlete to deny it now!" Kevin said in a joking tone. Leena was getting serious, and he didn''t like it much. So he cracked a joke and tried to lighten the mood. "Well¡­ that''s not what I mean," Leena replied, feeling a bit embarrassed by Kevin''s teasing. "Let''s just drop it for now," she continued. "We can talk after you get back. Could you get off early today?" Leena finally brought it up. That question was burning in her brain, but she didn''t want to call and interrupt him in the middle of training. Now that he called her, she seized the chance and asked him. "Hold on. Let me check my schedule and see if there''s anything I can put off," Kevin answered, leafing through the calendar on his desk. Lee had assembled it, and put it there. "Here''s the thing. Edward suggested that we get together tonight. Daisy hasn''t told you?" Leena said, confused. It had been some time since she and Edward discussed it in the CEO''s office. Someone should have told Kevin by now. "I just finished training for the day, and haven''t seen her so far," Kevin said. He kept thumbing through his calendar till he finally found the current day. He then stopped and leaned forward, examining every line to make sure he wasn''t missing a thing. "Oh, no wonder you haven''t heard anything about it," said Leena, a light bulb turning on in her brain. She suddenly realized that she missed an important point. Both he and Daisy were busy bees. Did they really have much time to socialize on base? It might be unrealistic to think that they could talk to each other at an k you toe back early, I was only asking whether you could make it or not. One is amand, the other is a question," Leena argued with a grimace, thinking that Kevin had misunderstood her yet again. "But it makes no difference to me. See, when my wife wants something done, I do it. Amand given by my wife is even more important than in the military," Kevin said. Leena watched him take off his coat, toss it onto a nearby stool, and start to unbutton his shirt. As he did this, he moved closer and closer to Leena, who became increasingly rmed. She shuddered? What was he going to do? "What¡­what are you doing?" Leena asked nervously, retreating a couple more steps. With every move he made, a look of panic and horror marred her normally cute face. "I''m going to take a bath, of course. "They really put us through the wringer today. I''m all hot and sweaty. I''m not going out like this. What? Do you shower in your clothes?" Kevin replied, raising his eyebrows curiously. He knew what she was thinking, but he still thought it was funny to tease her. This was the most fun he''d had all day. Chapter 1192 Getting Together (Part Two) "Oh, right, a bath, I thought you were¡­" Hearing his words, Leena was relieved. However, she was too rxed to mind her words and let her thoughts escape her lips subconsciously. She didn''t realize it until Kevin got her. "What did you think I was going to do, huh?" Kevin asked with a wicked smile, shooting Leena a look fraught with meaning. "Err¡­nothing. Take your time. I think¡­I should head downstairs to see if ire''s up," Leena stammered and sprinted out of the room in no time. Her heart was still beating fast while she was walking downstairs. ''Did you really think I''d tell you what I was thinking?'' she thought to herself. There was no way she would have confessed that she was looking at Kevin, and that beautiful man''s broad chest, and imagining the two of them making love. Kevin didn''t stop her, but he saw right through her. He continued to undress, still wearing his mischievous smile. Maybe he''d pursue somethingter, if there were still time. One by one, the lights across the city turned on, burning away the darkness of night. The blurred yet colorful lights had be an undeniable part of the city, and had added to its charm. Without them, the city would not only lose its color and vitality, but would also be left in deadly silence. Leena chose a bright red coat for tonight. Under the coat she wore a ck close-fitting sweater with subtle puffy sleeves, paired with a skirt of the same series. She then picked a pair of high boots toplete her trendy ensemble. She looked young and trendy, and indescribably beautiful. ire''s choice of outfit tonight was eye-catching, thanks to all the clothes Leena let her borrow. What was more, she decided to go for more natural makeup, rather than the smoky eyes. She was never fair-skinned, so that lo Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. d inyers of clothes, a gust of cold wind at the gate still made her shiver. That was why the temperature in her house was set higher than normal as well. "You should put on more clothes, silly girl." Having said that, Daisy put her arm around Leena''s shoulder, trying to warm her up. She was teasing her, true, but she was also making sure she was well cared-for. "You alright, babe?" Kevin asked, gracing Leena with a look of concern. ''Damn, I should have remembered, '' he thought. ''I don''t get cold easily, but Leena does.'' It was his training as a soldier, so he was used to temperature extremes. She wasn''t in the army, so she was standing there shivering, even though she wore more than he did. "I''m okay. The wind''s really cold, though. I can feel it right through my jacket." Leena shook her head, smiling. For a moment, she couldn''t take her eyes off Kevin, for the more she looked at him, the more she liked his outfit tonight. She was not only proud of her fashion sense, but she could also see that he looked fantastic in those threads. She chose every piece of clothing for him. He looked both snazzy and dignified. Without a doubt, it was a good look for a major general. Chapter 1193 Getting Together (Part Three) "Come on, it''s warmer inside," Kevin urged gently. Seeing Leena trembling, he really wanted to hold her and warm her up. But since Daisy had an arm around her, it was impossible for him to get between them. So he could only look at Leena worriedly. Mr. Mu was not used to waiting. As a matter of fact, he loathed it. But this became a thing of the past. Ever since he found Daisy, he waited for her. A lot. He''d gotten used to waiting for her, so he didn''t get upset when she walked in. Nor was he surprised. When Daisy and the other three entered the VIP room, everyone else was already there, including the cute and cool kid, Justin. It had been quite a while since Kevin saw himst. Unsurprisingly, he was a lot taller than before. "Do you still like me, Uncle Kevin? Howe I don''t see you anymore?" As soon as Justin saw Kevin, he threw himself into the major general''s arms, neglecting his own mother. Little kids were like that sometimes. They''d lived in the same military dorm for years, and Kevin was always avable as a ymate. They were still very attached to each other, and absence had only deepened their bond. Kevin stood back and took a look at the kid, as if he was trying to get a better view of someone quite tall. "Hey kiddo! Ya miss me?" Kevin asked, kneeling beside Justin and gently putting his hand on his shoulder. Justin was only six, but because his parents were both tall, he was much taller than most children his age. Kevin guessed that he must be over 4-and-a-half-feet now. He''d grown a lot in a short period of time. In fact, he might eventually grow up to be taller than Edward. "Of course, I miss you every day!" answered Justin lovingly, nestling himself in Kevin''s arms. Kevin liked the feeling. He''d thought about kids every once in awhile, because these kinds of scenes warmed his heart. As for ire, this was not her environment. While she liked parties, she didn''t know anyone here. What was more, Rain was here. That man captured her attention and got her heart racing, but he didn''t even know she existed. He casually nced in her direction, then looked away again. ire felt rather shy and awkward after that. "ire,e and sit down. Gerard will be here soon, I need to go out and meet him," Leena said, motioning for ire to sit next to Belinda. She knew ire had a crush on Rain, and she saw the poor girl looking very lost and ufortable. Maybe if she sat next to someone she''d already met, she''d open up and rx. This was supposed to be fun. "I''ll go with you," Kevin said quickly. He let go of Justin and stoo Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ore he could do anything. She was always like that. She could dish it out, but not take it well. But Duke didn''t buy it. He kept looking Belinda in the eye, a wicked smile spreading across his face. ''Toote, it''s no use trying to please me now, '' he thought. ''You''ll find out tonight. I''m gonna teach you a hard lesson. Let''s see you mess with me again.'' Fortunately, his terrible n fell through, because of some event well beyond his control. But this was even better than doling out punishment, something that would make him feel beside himself with joy. "Come on, that all you got? I thought you could beard the lion in his den. You''re such a wuss," Rain said scornfully. He was enjoying the show, despite his panic at Duke''s anger. She was getting the best of Duke, and he always enjoyed watching that. He was hoping that maybe she''d take it further. "Shut up, Rain. Dude, can''t you see how pissed he is? Remember, you''re sitting right next to him," Edward said in a low voice, mouth curled into a sneer. He had been sitting back and enjoying the show himself, but Rain''s bluntness came at the worst time. Rain was a good friend, but sometimes he needed a little prodding to get back on track. He needed to stop ying with fire, lest he got burned. "Yeah. Have a bit of a brain fart, dude? That would exin a lot," Tom said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. He couldn''t resist getting his two cents in. Duke was dangerous to mess with, but Rain was an easy target. "Hey, back off, dude! Don''t judge me, you quack!" Rain fired back. But he rubbed his nose out of embarrassment. He finally realized that, yeah, it was a dumb idea to insert himself in this lovers'' quarrel. Chapter 1194 Close Friends (Part One) Justin had been pestering Kevin to ask him about the current situation in the army base and his uncle Lee. Since Kevin had no interest in joining the conversation, he had no idea what they wereughing at. "Uncle Kevin, how''s uncle Lee doing? I haven''t heard from him for ages! Has hepletely forgotten about me?" Justin asked. It had been a long time since Justin left the army base, and he was worried that Lee might have forgotten him. They used to be very close and now he wouldn''t even make a phone call. "What are you talking about?! That''s not possible! Lee could never ever forget you! If you miss him so much, why don''t you go to the army base next weekend with your mom?" Kevinughed and pinched his cute little nose. When Justin used to live in the army base before, Lee always yed with him. He used to teach him how to shoot with a sling, how to climb trees, and how to escape forest mazes. They had this special rtionship and Justin perceived Lee as his older brother. That was why he missed Lee so much after having left the army base. Some part of his life had been left behind. "But mom always refuses to take me to the army base. She''s always too busy for that." Justin looked down and pursed his lips angrily. He had the best time in his life there and really missed everything about the army base, even the waking-up-at-5am-thing. There had been of course hard days ¡ªck of snacks, lots of work, and not enough sleep. But as long as he and his mother depended on each other, he had nothing toin about. "How about this: next time, you''ll tell your mother that you want to Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ought to himself, ''Babe, you are bing cunning as I am, and I love that!" "Uncle Rain, you are being such a fool. Why did you try to argue with my mommy? She''s daddy''s favorite. You''re screwed!" Justin''s voice filled the room as he looked at Rain, making fun at his misery. Though it seemed like he was reminding Rain, he was inming the situation actually. "Nooo, I was not arguing with her, but I strongly disagree with her statement that men are too blind not to ask ire out." Rain sighed with profound resignation. He was for sure not trying to offend Edward''s beloved wife. If someone had ever done that, Edward would in no way tolerate this. Rain had no guts to set himself against Edward, as everybody else. "Are you questioning my choice?" Edward asked in a slow yet firm tone as he decided to join his wife in torturing Rain. "Edward, please don''t make fun of me. You know, I never dare to disrespect you in any way." Rain was almost crying now. All he wanted was somebody toe and rescue him from this devastating discussion he threw himself in. Chapter 1195 Close Friends (Part Two) "Good. You have a clear perception of yourself. Always keep that in mind!" Edward said, raising an eyebrow. Since Rain was obedient to him, he decided to let Rain in peace. "Rain, you are a lion among sheep and a sheep among lions!" Belinda joined in the conversation with a sarcastic smile. "Hey guys, have I done something to you all to deserve that?! Why did you mock me one after another?" Rain felt sad and dejected at this moment and thought to himself, ''Why is it always me who''s being bullied?'' "The evil will be defeated even when good men don''t do anything." Tom couldn''t help but put Rain down. Everybodyughed at his words, which made Rain feel even worse about himself. "I''m back. Gerard,e in!" The door opened and Leena came in with cheeks all flushed. Kevin wondered whether it was because of the cold weather or shyness, though the second was nearly impossible. "So you went out to pick him up?" Duke snorted and looked at Kevin, wondering what he would do. After all, Gerard was one of Leena''s admirers. "Yes! Duke, you two have met before, in France. Don''t you remember?" Leena asked with a sweet smile and looked at her brother with her big, bright eyes. "Yeah, we''ve met before, but I was not very impressed with him." Duke would never pay any attention to those he was not interested in. As Leena''s brother, he didn''t like her admirers and he disliked Gerard by default. They had just met once, and even so, Duke believed that they wouldn''t be friends. "Unless my memory is lying, this young man must be from nc family who owns nc Group. Am I right?" Edward asked with a smile. Though he had recognized Gerard, he didn''t get up to greet him. After all, he was the head here. No m and blushed like a little girl. She could feel that all the people were fixing their eyes upon them. Kevin wasn''t worried about what they would think. He had tunnel vision for Leena. The man stared at his wife affectionately as if there were nobody else in the world. Gerard smiled warmly, although he felt like he was the third wheel. "I guess I have to prescribe some Chinese herbs for Leena to improve her health," Tom mumbled to himself, but everyone in the room heard what he said, especially Leena. She shivered at Tom''s words and her bright eyes widened, full of fear. "I agree with you. Please do it as soon as possible!" Duke gave great importance to anything rted to his sister. He immediately urged Tom to prescribe the herbs for her. It was the most important thing for him that she stayed healthy, and this was the only thing that mattered. "Guys, take a seat, please. Since everyone is here, shall we start eating? We can discuss this issue after dinner," Edward suggested. ''It''s gettingte and Justin must be hungry now!'' Edward thought. Justin was a growing child and needed more food and better nutrition than adults. Chapter 1196 Close Friends (Part Three) ."Justin,e and sit with me. You already spent a lot of time with uncle Kevin," Daisy said with a frown. ''Is Justin ignoring me on purpose? He''s been pestering Kevin all this time. He didn''t even greet me nor give me a hug. Is he still angry with me because I punished him a few days ago?'' Daisy thought to herself. "Mommy, I''m starving!" Justin ran towards his mother and threw himself in her arms. "Sweetie, the dinner will be served soon." Daisy felt relieved when she realized that Justin wasn''t angry with her. She held him in her arms and asked,"What you and uncle Kevin were talking about?" "I was telling him that I miss uncle Lee a lot and I want to visit him at the army base. But you didn''t take me there. Mommy, can you take me to the army base next weekend, please, please? Uncle Kevin said he would take care of me then," Justin asked with his head bending to one side, which melted Daisy''s heart. "Well, if you behave well next week, I can take you to the army base." Daisy pinched his little chubby face with love. "You love uncle Kevin very much, huh? But you always argue with aunt Leena. Why is that?" Daisy asked curiously, wanting to hear Justin''s answer. "Yeah, I do love uncle Kevin. He''s like my best friend, and I love to y with him. As for aunt Leena, she always acts like a little spoiled girl. Even I am more maturer than her. I don''t like ying with her," Justin answered honestly. "But aunt Leena is uncle Kevin''s wife. If you continue to disrespect her, uncle Kevin may be upset. Do you want to upset your friend? Do you want to hurt his feelings?" Daisy asked with a sly smile and wondered whether Justin would change his attitude t not the only one who was amazed by the strong men surrounding her. Gerard''s attention was also focused on the women present. He thought there were just a few pretty girls in S City, but he obviously was so wrong. Every woman in the room was wless and special in her own way. "Gerard, this is a hot pot. Have you tried it before? We have two vors here. One is spicy and the other one regr. Just try whatever you like," ire invited like a weing and polite host. "I''ve never eaten such thing before, but I like to try new things. Thank you, beautifuldy," Gerard answered in a polite manner. He cast a nce at the woman sitting next to him and found she was young and pretty. "You are wee. Leena is my sister-inw. You''re her friend, so we are friends now," ire answered with a smile. Gerard was a handsome young man, though not as much as Edward. He was at his twenties, 180 cm tall. He had wide shoulders and very strong arms. His face had well-defined angles ¡ª his forehead, cheeks, and jawline were proportional, forming a kind and friendly outlook, which ire found very trustworthy. Chapter 1197 The Guess (Part One) Hearing ire talk that way, Gerard''s heart sank. There was nothing he could do to change the fact. All he could do was try and make the future brighter. He smiled bitterly about her enthusiasm. He could do nothing else, except shaking his head sadly. "ire, are you close to Gerard?" Belinda asked. She saw Gerard and ire talking back and forth. They seemed to know each other. "Not too close. We only met once. Why?" ire smiled gently. She felt nervous in front of the gang. Edward, Duke, and the rest of them were so different from her friends. Everyone here acted in a decent and elegant way. They werefortable around each other. They even teased each other. They were nothing like her friends. Those friends of hers could only bully other people and let their parents clean up their mess. Her friends were rude, to boot. "Oh! I see! I thought you were old friends, considering the way you were carrying on." Belinda smiled as she looked at ire and Gerard. Then she turned to Daisy and whispered in her ear. "Slow down, Kevin! You know what too much spicy food does to you!" There was worry in Leena''s tone. Lee told her about Kevin''s issues with indigestion. Spicy food seemed to be the trigger. "Don''t worry, babe. I can take care of myself." Kevinforted Leena, or at least tried to. He knew his limits well, and no one was more careful about his health than him. "Leena''s right. I would have forgotten about your indigestion problem if she didn''t mention it. Kevin, you really should take care of yourself. No more tummy aches. And remember to take the pills with you. It''s not good to forget them." Af ionalize a lot to hide your true feelings. You exin things too much, and end up looking foolish." Belinda rolled her eyes at Duke. Even though he was her husband, she still couldn''t understand why he was so indirect. Why couldn''t he juste out and say things, instead of beating around the bush? Duke squinted his eyes and looked at Belinda. ''Good. She must have forgotten how much of an animal I am in bed. That''s why she said that. Well, tonight she''ll know. She''ll pay for mocking me.'' "Belinda, have some fish! It''s brain food." Leena made fun of Belinda. She wondered why Belinda was razzing Duke so much tonight. "Thanks, I -- Hey! Are you implying I''m stupid? I''ll make you eat those wordster!" Belinda said that in a huff. ''Leena and Duke are really family. One teases me at home, and the other makes fun of me in public. Did they reach an agreement to bully me? Like sister, like brother...'' "Implying? No. My bro was unhappy. Yet you kept teasing him. I''m not sure what you''d call that," Leena said in an innocent way. ''What''s wrong with just stating the truth?'' Chapter 1198 The Guess (Part Two) "Here, Belinda, have some fish. Leena is right. It''s good for the brain." Daisy said, serving her arge piece of fish. She also wondered what in the world Belinda was thinking. ''Is there something going on between them?'' she thought. "Et tu, Brute? Not you too?" Belinda red at Daisy. She was a CEO after all. She even knew Shakespeare. How could anyone say she was stupid? "I''m not teasing you. I''m trying to get Duke to calm down. Or didn''t you see the look on his face?" Daisy whispered in Belinda''s ear. She was afraid to say it too loud. She didn''t need to draw Duke''s ire. "Well, if I did something wrong, so did you. Don''t tell me you didn''t notice that same scary look on Edward''s face," Belinda whispered back to Daisy. She also kept her voice low. They didn''t dare to talk about the two unhappy men in public. That wouldn''t end well for anyone. "I noticed. But I''m not worried. If he''s still unhappy tonight, I''ll handle him. I''m a soldier. But in your case, if you go home tonight, you''ll definitely lose." Daisy was a bit worried for her friend. ''I offered to teach you Wing Chun but you refused. It''s toote for regrets now, '' Daisy thought to herself. Belinda just sat and stewed. She''d done it now. "Men. All they can think of is getting freaky. I''m ready. I don''t care," Belinda said in a casual way. She had dealt with Duke''s anger a lot, so she got used to it. He had a stick up his ass, anyway, getting angry at the slightest provocation. It was Daisy''s turn to choke now. It took her a bit to recover, and she took another mouthful of salt soda to try and recover. Another cough shook her body, but she stopped herself from spraying Belinda. "You don''t know how lucky you are. I almost sprayed you. When did you get so dirty? The Belinda I knew c Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ith Tom''s answer. The boy pulled on Tom''s arms. Sometimes, it seemed like he was too used to getting his own way. "Hey! You got the wrong guy. You want a little sister? Ask your daddy. I don''t even have a girlfriend. It would be a miracle if I gave you a little sister." Tom was now feeling extremely stressed out. Everyone was overreacting, expecting him to promise things he couldn''t deliver. And all this was about an educated guess. "That''s what I''m telling you, Jerry! Find a girl and knock her up! Then Justin can have a little sister!" Rain never missed a chance to tease Tom. It''s payback, he figured. Tom always mocked him, so he''d have thestugh now. ''Revenge is a dish best served cold, Tom. Don''t make fun of me again!'' Rain thought to himself. "Speaking of girlfriends, you should talk. You''re not getting any younger. Find a girl, while you''re still able to use it." Tom red at Rain. ''Why can''t he speak less and be nicer? Why is he up in my business about a girlfriend?'' "Ha! I''m only a year older than you. We''re almost the same age," Rain said, practically hysterical. ''Girlfriend? I might never find one for the rest of my life, '' he thought to himself. Chapter 1199 The Guess (Part Three) "One year, one second... You''re still older." Tom raised his eyebrow and refuted Rain''s opinion. He was so involved in the conversation that he ignored Duke. "That''s enough. Just shut up for a second!" Duke yelled at Tom and Rain. Tom made an irresponsible guess and left him floored. Rain was just no help at all. Both of them were annoying him. At that point, everyone fell silent. This was the straw that broke the camel''s back. Duke had just lost it, and no one wanted to be on the receiving end of that. They''d seen Duke angry, and they figured the best thing to do was to help him calm down. Daisy had no idea what was happening in the lobby. She smiled when she saw Belindae out of the bathroom. "What? Stop smiling like that." Belinda walked to the basin, washed her hands, and rinsed her mouth. Vomit tasted nasty on the best of days. Belinda didn''t like Daisy''s smile, though. She felt terrible right now, and thought Daisy wasughing at her. "When was thest time you had your period?" Daisy leaned on the wall and kept that knowing smile on her face. She was implying something with her facial expressions. But it was driving Belinda nuts trying to figure out what. "What in the actual -- why do you ask? You think I can use it as an excuse to avoid Duke?" Belinda pulled a paper towel from the dispenser and dried her hands. "You can use it as an excuse, but that''s not why I asked. Did you use birth control every time you made love?" Daisy was trying to be calm, trying to act as a mentor. But she forgot how innocent she was when she was pregnant with Justin. "No! What is wrong with you?" Belinda knew Daisy was implying something, but she didn''t know what it was. She couldn''t understand why Daisy asked her about that. And especially couldn''t believe didn''t know you wanted a kid. When did this happen?" Daisy looked at Belinda and asked out of curiosity. It had been too long since they saw each otherst. Her friend was changing before her eyes. "Do you really think I enjoy being a tough woman all the time? I had no choice! I''m an only child! They made me take over the family business. If I''m really pregnant, it will be a perfect excuse for me to take some family leave and let Duke take over. He doesn''t have enough to do anyway. He always seems to have so much time to just hang out while everyone else is busy working. I''ve worked too hard. If Duke can help, then..." She trailed off, not sure of what else to say. She was really tired. "Oh! So that''s what you think of your job. I thought so! I was wondering why you seemed so willing to be a mom after you got married. It wasn''t a sacrifice. You had it all nned out," Daisy teased Belinda. But she got it. Daisy always felt stressed out when she went over Edward''s business files. She had no talent for business. Her least favorite subject when she was a student was business management. No wonder Belinda wanted to get away from work. Sometimes, it just got to be too much. Chapter 1200 A Beautiful Baby Sister (Part One) "You know what? I have always dreamed of being azy bone. I may have my own career now but this is not what I want. Being a strong woman just looks good to other people. Most of the times, I need to figure out how to fix problems with my career all by myself." A gentle sigh escaped Belinda''s chest. Frankly, what she wanted was to live a simple life without being disturbed by anything or anyone. She just wanted to dress nicely every day. "You can live the life you want even if you are not pregnant. Duke is a capable man. I''m sure that he can run twopanies at the same time. Besides, he has an assistant and a secretary to help him. It won''t be hard for him." Daisy smiled and thought, ''There are many people who would be desperate to have Belinda''s position. However, she is just looking at her position as a burden that she wants to throw away.'' "I haven''t discussed that with him and I don''t really know his thoughts. Will thepanies merge into one once he bes the sole CEO? I am fine with that but my parents might have a problem with it," Belinda said these words with a bit of confusion. She believed in Duke but it would be hard to run twopanies. He might be irritated once asked to run twopanies full-time. Thus, she would wait until Duke decided on the matter by himself. "If you really don''t know what to do with that then you might want to discuss it with Duke. Like what I said, he is a reliable man. He won''t take anybody else''s stuff and drive its owner away as other men do." Daisy looked at her sideways and thought, ''A proud man like Duke isn''t interested in anything that doesn''t belong to him. Plus, his family is wealthy enough so he won''t be interested in YS group''s assets. Many would do that, but definitely not someone as proud as Duke.'' "We''ll talk about itter. Let''s go back before they get worried." Belinda shrugged. She was justining anyway. It would not be easy giving up her own career after all. "It''s up to you. Let''s go." Daisy took Belinda''s arm and smiled softly. Just like all the other women in the world, she dreamed to have a man who was worthy of her tenderness too. She wouldn''t mind stepping out of the limelight for him. She even thought that every woman would think the same for the sake of their own humble and pitiful ent home after dinner. Justin was reluctant to leave at first but Daisy''s stern look made him follow what he was asked. "Is Daisy the wife of President Mu?" ire curiously asked Leena as they sat in the back seat of the car. She had exchanged a few pleasantries with Edward during dinner but she couldn''t seem to take his handsome face out of her mind even after the meal. "Yes. Haven''t you noticed it?" Amazement was all over Leena''s face when she turned to ire. ire and Gerard had a good chat with each other just a few minutes ago. It was like they had known each other for a long time. "I''m afraid I''m wrong." An awkward smile cracked ire''s lips. It might sound odd to say but the closer she came to the life of these people, the more she felt her self-esteem going down. All the while, she felt like she was a noble richdy who was being respected wherever she went. However, it wasn''t the case, she was not at all. Thus, she was nothing. "Honestly, he is a very good man but arrogant. He is indifferent to people he doesn''t know but he will be nice to you if you get to know him," sighed Leena softly. Edward''s indifference to Kevin was a very good example of how Edward reacted to things. If Kevin had told Edward that he would marry Leena in advance, then Edward wouldn''t have treated him so coldly. However, Kevin didn''t really care about how Edward treated him. He knew that gaining something also meant losing something. Therefore, there was no need for him to care about what others thought of him. Chapter 1201 A Beautiful Baby Sister (Part Two) Sexy World was as busy as usual. This was a seductive ce and the music was deafening. They were all bombarded by the booming noise of the ce as soon as they stepped in. It could be because they hadn''t been in this ce for so long that they forgot how to get used to it as they were before. Fortunately, they had their own private box and didn''t have to worry about being disturbed. "Is Tom telling the truth?" Duke asked as he approached his wife. "What are you talking about?" Belinda pretended that she didn''t understand what Duke was saying. She was too shy to discuss such private matters in public. Although others might not be able to hear what they were saying, she would still not want to discuss this thing with Duke in a ce like this. "Woman, don''t act like you don''t know what I mean." Duke smiled yfully and thought, ''Maybe she''s not sure whether she''s pregnant or not.'' "I really don''t know what you''re talking about. Oh! Look! Rain is so upset now. Would you like to sing a song with him?" Belinda looked at Rain as she tried to divert Duke''s attention. She thought that Duke might forget about their topic if he sang with Rain. "I don''t care! There are so many women here. He can just take anyone he wants. It''s none of my business," replied Duke angrily, thinking ''I could have taught her a lesson if there weren''t so many people around. Shouldn''t she know the consequences of provoking me.'' "I just said it because I thought you are worried about Rain." Belinda gave a sly smile. As long as Duke was not talking about pregnancy, then she didn''t really mind if she annoyed this short-tempered man. "Okay. You are making me mad now. You need to tell me, why are you doing this? If I remember it correctly, your period is already half a monthte." Duke''s words were stern and slow. He spoke in no hurry and what he said almost tipped Belinda off with surprise. How on earth did Duke know about her period? Did he write it down somewhere? "Well... Duke, why do you know about my period?" Dumbfounded, Belinda looked at him doubtfully and asked stupidly. It was said that women who were pregnant tended to be a little stupid. If so, then it seemed like Belinda might actually be pregnant. "You know, I am a man." Duke responded in a mysterious tone as he thought, ''Of course, Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. gh like she didn''t need their protection anymore. "I''m sorry. Sometimes, I would say that when I''m chatting online, so I identally say it." Leena blushed and exined. Her brothers'' stare at her instantly made her ufortable. Thus, she tried to look for an escape. ''It''s Patricia''s fault. She always says these kinds of words, so I learned them under her influence.'' "Okay. Okay. There is no need to exin. I see what you mean." Belinda was just so happy tonight that she couldn''t stopughing. Just then, someone suddenly knocked on the door. Then the box door slowly opened as the manager came in with a few beauties. It was toote for him to run back out when his eyesnded to the group that was all staring at him. He automatically turned pale with fright. He was surprised that there would be women in the box! "Manager Tang, what''s the matter?" Edward asked coldly as he looked up at the beauties behind him. Then he thought, ''This guy was trying to sell us beautiful women? Unfortunately, we all got married now.'' "I am so sorry! We''re in the wrong box. President Mu, wish you have fun tonight. We''ll leave you alone." Manager Tang wiped the sweat from his forehead and thought, ''It''s all on those bitches out there. They only told me that President Mu was here but they didn''t tell me they all brought their wives. I wouldn''t be so embarrassed if they told me on set!.'' "Wait a second." Daisy said coldly, looking at one woman brought by Manager Tang. If she was right, she seemed to have met someone she knew. Chapter 1202 Met Mary Again (Part One) "Is there anything else you want?" The manager asked with a panicked look in his eyes. He wondered what Daisy was thinking right now. Fear made him take a step back. "I''m interested in the beautiful woman behind you," Daisy said, standing up. She had already changed out of her uniform into the casual clothes that she kept in the car before she walked in. Because she didn''t think it was appropriate to wear it. She wasn''t here on army business. As soon as Daisy finished her words, all the people in that room stared up at her incredulously, wondering if she was nning to seal the deal with the women who hooked up with Edward. Did she swing that way? Was she serious? After all, Edward had a lot of history with the women there. "Lady, you''re kidding, right?" The manager replied, moving his lips. He doubted that the woman standing in front of him was a lesbian. He had been in this business a long time and he had dealt with a lot of lesbians. But Daisy looked so cold and dignified, delicate yet strong. She was not a lesbian, he figured. "No, I''m not kidding. She''s the one I want. The other girls can go now." And one girl, one who had heavy makeup and looked quite lovely in spite of that tilted her head and said,"It''s you! Daisy!" The girl''s expression darkened, her voice heavy with astonishment. She never imagined she''d meet Daisy here, of all ces. It really made her feel ashamed. "I know, right? So how did you end up here? I would never have guessed." No one there knew the girl with heavy make-up was Mary. It was obvious these two knew each other. "If you want to insult me, sorry! I''m not in the mood," Mary said and looked around. Her eyes fell on Edward, and that was when her spirits fell as well. She couldn''t have him before, and she couldn''t have him now. That was painfully obvious to her, finally. "Oh? You don''t like being trash-talked? Then why did you think I would?" Daisy said. She didn''t mean to embarrass Mary orugh at her. She just felt bad seeing Mary standing in front of her like this. Daisy had a soft heart, and didn''t enjoy gloating. Mary was now amon whore, and it wasn''t something tough about. It was sad. "Are you here to lord it over me? Sorry, I''m too busy for that," Mary said. She ll have a long way to go to be one of them." Leena apologized, biting her lower lip slightly. "It''s fine. I get it," Kevin said, ying with Leena''s hair. Actually, based on his observation, every single person in that room was enjoying their own significant others, so they didn''t care about him. But everyone in that room was also offering him a drink. As long as they were buying, he''d be drinking. Most likely they just wanted to get him drunk so he''d make a fool of himself and they couldugh. "But you have stomach issues. Now everyone plies you with booze," Leena said resentfully, pouting. "What? You are worried about me?" Kevin said with an evil smile. Obviously, he was drunk. "Yes! So, stop drinking," Leena replied, frowning. If he didn''t watch what he ate, they couldn''t figure out whether his tummy issues would be getting better or worse. "Don''t worry! I didn''t drink too much. It wouldn''t be harmful to me," Kevin said, patting Leena''s shoulder to console her. He felt a little dizzy, but not drunk. "You should care about your health!" Leena said. At that moment, she wasn''t a carefree princess but a responsible wife who was worried about her husband. It turned out she could readily move between the two roles. This time, the party didn''t spill over into the wee hours like usually happened when they got together. Still, it was around one o''clock in the morning. It was warm in the club, but outside it was frozen. Leena gathered her coat around her and shivered. Chapter 1203 Met Mary Again (Part Two) All the men had taken the phrase "party hardy" to a new level, so they were all falling down drunk. Everyone except Tom, who only drank a little -- an emergency could crop up at any time. Even Gerard was three sheets to the wind. Luke had to drive him to the hotel. "Leena, my brother''s really drunk," ire said with concern. Kevin rested his head on her shoulder. "Yeah. As long as his stomach''s okay, he''ll be better after a nap." Leena said, ncing at Kevin in the rear view mirror periodically. She was driving her family back home. "They''re quite good at drinking. Everyone needs a hobby, I guess. At least they are quiet," ire said. Most of the time, her friends acted like idiots when they were drunk. Some of them even started bar brawls, or harassed people on the streets. But Leena''s friends were all quiet and peaceful, and that was a rare scene for her. "It''s a question of character. Some can control themselves while drunk, which is quite a feat. These guys are all high-ss, they don''t get rude just because they''ve had a few." Leena was always very proud of this. She didn''t have to worry about getting groped or whatever, even when her friends couldn''t see straight. "What about Kevin? Is he like that, too?" ire asked in curiosity. She''d never seen her brother drunk. Except this time. Leena looked at him in the mirror, saw him half-dozing in the car. "Take a look. Does he act like your friends?" Leena asked with a dazzling smile. She thought ire was a lovely girl when she wasn''t being an unbearable shrew. "True," ire said, scratching her head in embarrassment. Leena didn''t continue the subject but took a nce at ire. She knew about her crush on Rain, and meant to ask her about it. Maybe spark a discussion. Considering Kevin was there, she decided to table it forter. Although Kevin was drunk, it didn''t mean that he wouldn''t overhear and figure it out. She didn''t need his two cents in this. So she decided to wait till she could talk to ire woman to woman. When they got back to the Grand Apartment, Leena and ire cooperated, horsing Kevin inside. Luckily, Kevin showered after work, so he wouldn''t dirty the bed. They just finally threw him into the half an hour, I''d have to rethink our friendship," Louisa said. She knew what ire cared about, so she liked to use this as a threat. It worked every time, too. "Got it. I''ll be quick," ire said, throwing her phone on the bed angrily. She would have just turned it offst night if she knew this would happen. Of course, Louisa would quit calling her or knocking so early. ire reminded herself of the time limit which Louisa hadid out. She even didn''t put on make-up but simply applied lotion and lipstick and then rushed downstairs. She didn''t even let Kevin and Leena know. "Did I make it on time?" ire asked, getting in the car breathlessly, her hand patting her chest to calm down. "You ARE a bad girl. Look at those dark circles under your eyes. What did you dost night?" Louisa asked in a cold voice, starting the car. "Uh! Is it obvious? Ugh! This is all your fault! You didn''t even give me time to put on makeup! We weren''t even home till 1st night," ire said, taking the mirror from her purse and looking at her reflection. "You went out to yst night. Who with? Why didn''t you call me?" Louisa said reproachfully. ''Okay, so maybe ire can''t help me as much as I thought. So who else can I get?'' Louisa thought. "Um¡­ Well. I couldn''t do that. Not my party, not my choice," ire said. If she weren''t Leena''s sister-inw, she wouldn''t have been invited. She knew that implicitly. So how could she invite Louisa to tag along? Chapter 1204 I Wont Give Up (Part One) "What are you talking about? So it was you and Kevin and Leena, and who else?" Louisa took a sidelong nce at ire as she mentioned Leena''s name through gritted teeth. "Ha! Only all the handsome guys and beautifuldies in the city!" ire said in a cheerful voice. She had never seen people as eye-catching as Leena''s friends before. And not surprising, they were the cream of the crop. "Bah! You''re shitting us!" Louisa grumbled, pursing her lips. She puffed out her chest and tried to act self-important. ''There can''t be more hot guys here than at the capital city. And I don''t think the big shots here would be friends with Leena, '' thought Louisa. "Believe it or not, there were tons of great guys there ¡ª the president and vice president of FX International Group, the president of Leng Group, and the most skilled doctor in the city. And oh yeah, my brother and Gerard too." She sounded like she was intentionally bragging. Because she was. ire was ecstatic to have hung out with so many extraordinary people. "What? Gerard was there too? Oh my god! Leena was brazen enough to bring her ex to meet her husband. Wasn''t she afraid of pissing Kevin off?" Louisa asked with a teasing smile, but deep inside, she was really envious of Leena. She was way better than her. This was so unfair! ''Why is Kevin so nice to the bitch? She even brought her husband and ex together. Kevin should dump her right now!'' she thought. "What? Who told you Gerard was Leena''s ex? Louisa, don''t talk this nonsense to my brother. He won''t like that." On hearing Louisa''s words, ire was now ticked off. The past few days with Leena were awesome. The more time she spent with Leena, the better she knew her. Leena was not a bad person at all. Why did Louisa hate her so much? "I already told him. But he''spletely captivated by the bitch! He chose to believe her instead of me. No wonder people say ''love is blind.''" Louisa couldn''t help butin to ire. ''Why did Kevin choose that bitch instead of me? I''m hotter, better educated, more regal ¡ª I''m better in every way. Kevin must have been blind to choose her. I can''t let Kevin live like this! He deserves a real woman," thought Louisa. "That''s where you''re wrong. If you told the truth, my brother would have trusted you." ire was hesitant about what Louisa had mentioned. Though Louisa was her friend, ire didn''t believe everything she said. Sometimes s ith him and Leena. It was rare that he had a morning meal with his wife and sister. Of course, when he went looking for her, all he saw was a chaotic mess of clothes and no ire. "I''m sorry, Kevin. I forgot to tell you that Louisa asked me out. I''m with her now." ire blinked a bit in anxiety. She felt guilty about lying. "Well, okay. You two have fun and be safe. You have a problem, I''m just a phone call away." Kevin was a little annoyed when she told him. He didn''t like Louisa. If she weren''t themander''s daughter, Kevin wouldn''t even talk to her. But ire and Louisa were friends. Kevin couldn''t forbid ire from seeing Louisa. All that would do was make ire go out in secret to meet her. "Got it! Bye, Kevin!" ire answered with a sweet smile. She had spent a lot of time with himtely, and now she was closer to him than ever. Kevin was reliable and always had her back. "Alright! Bye!" After hanging up, Kevin took another sip of coffee and walked towards his bedroom to check if Leena had woken up yet. He was so drunkst night that he didn''t even remember getting back. When he woke up this morning, he felt good, seeing Leena sleeping in his arms. "Hey, your brother didn''t find out, did he?" Louisa asked as she was afraid that Kevin might know what they were up to and stop them. Then, everything she was working for would fall apart. "Come on, you heard what I said." ire was a little irritated by Louisa''s suspicious look. ''If you don''t trust me, why did you ask me to join in?'' she thought to herself. The better she got to know Louisa, the less she liked her. Chapter 1205 I Wont Give Up (Part Two) "ire, you mad at me? Come on! We''re friends." It was not the right time to fall out with ire, so Louisa decided to pacify her. She still needed her. "No," ire answered in a cold voice. A note of discord sounded between ire and Louisa. ire couldn''t understand why Louisa turned so stubborn and mean. "I know you''re mad at me. I''m sorry. Please forgive me. We''ve got the whole day together. I don''t want you to be mad the whole day. Last time when we went out shopping, you had your eyes set on a dress. How about this? I''ll buy the dress for you," Louisa said as she gave ire a sweet smile. If Leena bought her off, maybe Louisa could buy her back. "No need for that. I''m not angry. Hey, is that your friend? Why is she waiting for us outside?" ire asked in confusion as she saw Louisa''s friend zipping back and forth in front of a building. "I don''t know either. Is it because we are toote?" Louisa pulled over and was about to get out, but her friend rushed to them immediately. "What are we gonna do, Louisa? We borrowed a room to practice in, but thepany we borrowed it from refuses to let us in. We have no ce to practice. What can we do?" The woman was breathless, and the words spilled out in a jumble. She was obviously distraught. She looked like she was about 20 years old. Her features were soft and delicate, skin wless, with a gorgeous s-line. "No way! How can they just break their promise like that? They promised to lend us the room! Why do this? Apany like this will go broke sooner orter!" Louisa yelled angrily, feeling both upset and enraged. "Well, actually it has nothing to do with thepany. One of my friends works there, and she took advantage of her position to lend me the space. But now, they need the room themselves. I can''t me her for that." It seemed that Louisa''s friend was a sensible girl, unlike Louisa herself. "What are we gonna do now? Go back home?" Louisa got really frustrated. She had thought she would be famous this time. This was her chance to shine. "You have a lot of friends, right, Louisa? Can''t you call your friends and ask one of them to lend us the space?" The herself like this, but she needed the favor. She cursed ire and Leena both. It it weren''t for them... "Okay, I''ll try, but no promises." ire sighed with profound resignation and took out her cell phone reluctantly. Her fingers hovered over the keys, but she hesitated. "Alright. We won''t me you if it doesn''t work out." Louisa was thrilled when ire was willing to help. "How about we not practice today? I think I need to talk to Leena face to face. I don''t think this will work, though. She and Kevin are my legal guardians. That doesn''t cover living alone." ire hesitated when she was about to dial the number. Though Leena might already know ire had a thing for Rain, ire got the sense that Leena wanted to talk to her about it. "What do you think of her suggestion, P?" Louisa turned to her friend. She thought ire''s words made perfect sense. Even if Leena agreed to lend her the house, ire had to go home to fetch the keys. "All right. Let''s take a break for today. We''ll see each other after we get the space." P had no other choice but to agree with them. She bid them goodbye and turned to leave. "What? We''re going back now? But I just told Kevin that we were hanging out today." ire widened her eyes in disbelief. If she came home now, Kevin would realize that she had lied to him. This n of theirs just dug a deeper and deeper hole, and ire was afraid she might not be able to climb out. Chapter 1206 The Villa (Part One) "Can''t you just say it was canceled for some certain reason? You are an adult person! Howe you know so little about strategies? How haven''t you been killed for being an idiot?" chided Louisa while she glowered at ire. In Louisa''s eyes, ire was but a stupid woman. She was fortunate to be born to a wealthy family. If not, silly as she was, no men would ever have interest in her, let alone marry her. "I..." ire tried to defend herself but then gave in and remained quiet. She had a feeling that it was no good for her to quarrel with Louisa. "That''s enough! Go hail a cab and go to Leena! I need to go somewhere else and don''t have time to drive you back. As to what I''ve said, inform me if there''s any update. Don''t dy it," said Louisa with a snort. Her tone was filled with contempt. It was clear that she didn''t treat ire as a friend. "Oh, I see," ire answered in a low spirit. She didn''t even take much offense from Louisa''s attitude. It was okay for Louisa not to send her home. She could just always call a cab and afford it. "I gotta go, P. Catch youter." With that said, Louisa waved goodbye with P and got back into her car. "See you!" P waved back. Then she turned her nce to ire and shed an apologetic smile. Leena had just finished her breakfast when ire reached the Grand Apartment. She was surprised to see ire at this hour. "ire, weren''t you out to have fun with some friends? Why are you back so early?" Leena asked in a surprised voice. "Yes, I was. We had to cancel the n because of some sudden incident though. Where is my brother? Is he out?" ire answered as she removed her shoes. "Yep. Someone gave him a call earlier and he headed out. He said that he has some emergencies that he needs to handle. Anyway, I didn''t expect you to be back so ''t feel for her the same way. "Vi? You must be kidding!" ire was more than excited to hear that. In this way, her task would be perfectly handled. "Of course not! It is a new house and we haven''t moved in yet. We''ve already decorated it and stored every necessity one needs there though, so you can move in anytime. The only problem is that Kevin and I will be worried about you if you stay there alone. The vi is far away from our house. I''m afraid that I won''t be able to take good care of you if you are that out of reach." Leena was a little worried. After all, ire wasn''t a good cook and she would easily starve herself. She wouldn''t be able to tend to her needs if she was that far. "Come on! I can take care of myself! I''ll dine outside or order some take-out food when I''m hungry. It''s going to be fine, I promise! I just want to be alone for a few days, not iste myself with the rest of the world." ire''s eyes flickered as she spoke. She tried her best not to stutter as Leena might find out that she was lying, just in case. "Well, you still have to ask Kevin. I can''t make the decision alone." Leena ced the dishes on the table for ire. She didn''t have the least doubt in her words. Chapter 1207 The Villa (Part Two) "Leena! Please! You must help me. I can''t talk to Kevin about this. If I ever brought it up, he would definitely go to the bottom of it and learn about my feelings for Rain. How can I let that happen?" pouting, ire pleaded. "Well... Okay then." For the first time in her life, Leena was treated like a big sister and relied on. Back in her home, she was the one to plead with her big brothers. It was refreshing now that she was the one to be pleaded with. In this circumstance, she felt like she had to agree to ire''s request. "Thank you so much, Leena!" ire eximed happily. She started to feel that it wasn''t too hard to get along with Leena. "Just say it in advance, I can''t promise anything. I''ll try what I can. Truth be told, I honestly don''t want you to live there alone. But I''ll try to talk Kevin down." Now that Leena had given her word, she had to bite the bullet and try her best. However, things went smoother than both of them anticipated. Later in the evening, Kevin readily agreed when Leena brought it up. Kevin believed it was time for ire to learn about independence. As they had agreed, Leena didn''t mention ire''s feelings for Rain, not only because of her earlier agreement with ire but also for the fear that it might make ire feel worse by them peeping into her broken heart. As she understood, girls were more sensitive than men especially when they were young. Louisa was overjoyed when she received ire''s report. Now that the rehearsal ce was nailed, she stood a chance to be popr again. The next morning, after Kevin headed off to work, ire sneaked into their bedroom and woke Leena up. Louisa had urged her many times about the vi earlier yesterday. She could no longer dy it and had to discuss her "moving out" with Leena. "Wha-- ire? Gosh! It''s early in the morning. I got to sleep more. I''ll talk to youter..." said Leena, half asleep. Her whole body was sore ? Had anything happened between them? With that on her mind, she stared at Leena and wished to find out what she was blushed about. "Let''s do a convoy. I''ll lead and you will drive after me. I won''t drive very fast and you got this navigation system installed in your car. It will be easy for you to follow up." ire''s stare embarrassed Leena more. She opened the door and walked out first to avoid ire''s gaze. Leena''s vi was within the famous vi cluster built by FX International Group. The mentioned vi cluster had its upancy rate reach 100 percent in no time after thepletion of work. Surrounded by nice neighbors, it wasn''t too scary for a single youngdy to live there. As they reached the ce, ire got out of the car and looked around. "Leena, why is the vi cluster called Waterside? I haven''t seen any river,ke or spring around yet!" asked her wonderingly. "Well, I don''t know either but I suppose it has some special meanings, maybe a metaphor." It was only Leena''s second time to set foot on the vi cluster. In reality, she had no idea about the story behind its name either. "I see. But the scenery is still good. I guess the vis here are very expensive," said ire as she nced around. She started to like the vi at first sight. Chapter 1208 The Villa (Part Three) "I''m afraid so. Edward gave the vi to us as a marriage present. So I don''t know how much it''s worth. But it seems like a very expensive house." Leena liked this vi too. The only problem that had kept her from moving in was the long distance between the vi and the army base. She didn''t want Kevin tomute for hours to work. Moreover, she didn''t think that she and Kevin should live in a house purchased by another man. No man wanted to live in a house that he didn''t buy anyway. They had their pride and Kevin was no exception. "You mean Mr. Mu? He''s so nice to you, Leena! I don''t think he''s an easy-going person and he cares so little about other people. However, you are special to him and he seems to adore you so much. And he''s not the only one. I think all those guys adore you. Why is it?" That question had been pricking ire''s mind since the night before. Now that Edward''s name was mentioned, she couldn''t contain her desire to satisfy her curiosity anymore. "Who? Oh, you mean them! I grew up with them when we were little and I am the only girl among them. They have regarded me as their own sister since then. Thus they treat me well. It is merely a habit for them. It doesn''t mean that there''s anything between us." Leena shed a smile when she recalled the sweet memories. Those people were her dearest fes too. It was very fortunate for her to have met them. "I''m being jealous now." This was ire''s true feeling. She was also treated like a princess back in the capital city. However,pared to Leena''s friends, the people were nice to her just because of her family''s power, whereas Leena''s friends were unselfishly loving her without asking for anything in return. "Don''t be. I''ll show you around and then I need to go home. I badly need to have more sleep. I don''t know what you are in such a hurry for." Leena yawned as she was very sleepy now. "Oh! I can look around myself! You should go home now and sleep since you are so tired. And please don''te to see me eserve to be better than Louisa. "Okay? Did you say okay? You''ve got to be kidding me! This is perfect! Now let''s move the couches to the other side of the room and this will be the best rehearsal hall in the world!" said P expectantly. She shed another apologetic smile to ire for Louisa''s disdainful attitude. "I said okay because it was just okay. Don''t you argue with me. Alright, that''s enough. Let''s start moving the furniture." Although the other two took Louisa''s anxiety as a sign of the good friendship between P and her, deep in Louisa''s heart, she knew she was anxious because she had bet all her future on this show. It was already three o''clock in the afternoon when Leena was woken up by her buzzing phone. Rage immediately burned inside her upon seeing the Caller ID on her phone screen. She let out a mild growl before putting the phone next to her ear. "Yes? What is it?" Leena''s tone was very unhappy when she spoke. She now med Kevin for everything. He was also the culprit who made her a fool in front of ire. "Why are you so angry? Did anyone piss you off today? Did ire offend you? If she did, just tell me. I''ll kick her ass when I go hometer," quipped Kevin after a short pause. He was almost amused by his wife''s angry tone, and found it very cute. He felt like teasing her more. Chapter 1209 A Heinous Woman (Part One) "Don''t change the subject. You know why I''m angry, right? All these love bites on my neck! I can''t go out in public like this!" said Leena with a flushed face. Her beautiful face was as red as boiled shrimp. She was happy that he loved her that much, but she was shy. She red at his picture on the table in her fury, but he could not see it over the phone. "What love bites? I''m confused now. I''m sure I don''t know what you''re talking about," Kevin replied, pretending to be perplexed. But he knew full well what he did, and he did it on purpose. He left those love marks on her neck to let other men know she was taken, like a dog marking his territory. It seemed that men were also jealous animals in the affairs of love. Kevin might be a great guy, but he was subject to the same passions all men had. "Kevin, you know what you did. You left them on my neck, and didn''t tell me. Quit joking around!" Fully aware of her husband''s trickery, Leena protested loudly. He wasn''t going to charm his way out of this one. What was she supposed to believe? That he was stricken with amnesia? Unlikely! "I''m wounded that you think I''d do something like that! It''s injustice!" Kevin bit his lips to prevent himself from bursting intoughter while he supervised the training exercise. The soldiers under hismand were trying their best to climb the mountain, starting from its base, making their way along the rugged trails winding upward along the abrupt slope. The training was harsh. But that was just the first step to select the most excellent Falcon candidates among all the soldiers. More tests were waiting for them, which were much more cruel and That soldier was the quickest one, and he outnked everyone else. That guy might make the Falcon special forces. But he would have to face many other harsh tests and pass all of them with excellent scores before he could make the Falcon team. "Yeah, yeah. I will." It would be her first time ever picking Kevin up at the army base. That rare opportunity delighted Leena. Life was never easy on base. They were always busy, and the tasks were rarely simple. Sometimes, they even had to work overtime, working weekends and holidays. Kevin was supposed to spend this Saturday at home. But they wanted him not only Saturday for an emergency mission, but Sunday for special tasks as well. It seemed what the military base employed were not men of blood and flesh, but robots made of iron. "So, that''s it! I gotta let you go. Bye, Leena!" Kevin hung up the phone and resumed his calm manner. He walked toward the group and joined his men. He looked quite different from the man who had fervently and gently talked to his wife with a brilliant smiling face just now. Now, he was a hardened major general. Chapter 1210 A Heinous Woman (Part Two) "Major General, that''s one guy we need to watch," said a captain. He was observing the proceedings, and watched the soldier not only scale the mountain quickly, but now he was making record time getting down. "It''s too early to judge. We''ll see how he does on the exams." Kevin took a closer look at him. He definitely seemed to fit the profile: fit, confident, brave. But as the saying goes: he whoughsstughs best. This was just the first test. What he needed was the soldiers who could pass all the examinations with outstanding marks. Many difficulties awaited them. Kevin was not sure whether the man who beat everyone else would get thestugh. "You''re right, sir. There are still tons more tests they need to take. And someone might beat him out." The captain agreed with him, perhaps a little too quickly. "Let''s wait and see!" said Kevin with a frown. Today''s contest was by no means an ordinary one - some soldiers going through today''s test would be recruited into Falcon. But that was a secret that he couldn''t tell anyone. "Yes, Major General. Are there more tests today?" asked the Captain in a respectful manner. Though he was much older than the young Major General, he strictly followed the protocol that a captain should abide by toward his superior. In addition to his high military rank, Kevin had won respect among soldiers for his outstanding ability. Some of this was respect out of duty, but Kevin had proved himself again and again. "Let''s leave the tests for tomorrow. They have too much on their tes today! Have them rx and rest up. They have a much harder and more challenging testing up. Tell everyone to be ready for it," uttered Kevin with a cold smile. pologies! You rich people think you can just walk as though you were the kings of the world, don''t you? You just throw money at it and make it go away. But you''re just like every other millionaire: rude!" The woman shouted in anger, with her scarlet red lips moving constantly. Vicious words flowed from her mouth nonstop. Some spittle, too. "Madam, I said I was wrong. Mea culpa, okay? Just stop screaming, please. And you''re calling me rude?" For the first time in her life, someone thought Leena was rude. If Leena were rude, what about the woman in front of her? Did she think that it was appropriate to spit to someone''s face? "Hum! Really? You should thank God that you got here in time. If I had to knock on your door, what you heard today would be ruderpared to that." The woman spoke with her chin slightly raised. Actually, she had no idea to whom the Bugatti belonged. So she asked a security guy and was told that it was the girl who owned the red Ferrari. Since she''d seen Leena driving that red Ferrari before, she knew who was responsible. So she waited there, stewing, ready to ambush Leena with a torrent of invective. Chapter 1211 A Heinous Woman (Part Three) "Okay... How much do you need?" replied Leena in a calm manner. She had seen a lot of people like this. As soon as they figured out she was rich, they''d try to squeeze every penny they could out of her. "Ha ha! How much do I need? Nothing from you, slut! I don''t need the money that you earn whoring yourself out. I''d dirty my hands just epting it. And no, I''m not going to let you fuck your way out of this one! Not if you were thest woman on earth! I''m not that type of girl, you disgusting tramp!" The woman sneered with a cold face. Her stare was one ofplete contempt. For some reason, she hated Leena. The fat girl figured that the only way Leena could have several luxurious cars at such a young age was they were gifts in exchange for sex. If she was rich enough to buy those cars on her own, there was no reason that she''d live in such a tiny apartment and not buy herself afortable vi instead. This woman seemed to think that those men got rich overnight, and then kept some hot mistresses around to feed their perverted appetites. She was saying that Leena had sex for money. "What are you talking about? You think I''m a mistress having immoral rtions with married men? If that were true, then you''d be a streetwalker! Besides, no man would touch you anyway, no matter how desperate they are. I certainly wouldn''t. Just look at yourself! The thick foundation cannot hide your wrinkled, old face. I wouldn''t sleep with you if you paid me. You''re a disgusting slob!" Leena defiantly raised her chin and gave her reply. She treated everyone with respect until they deserved otherwise. She wouldn''t just sit there and take it. Yes, she made a mistake by parking her car in the wrong spot. She even offered the bitch some Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. y, dusted herself off, and readied herself for another attack. This time, though, she would make sure she hit. It was awkward, falling like that. But Leena needed to be taught her ce. "Okay!" Leena said. "Since you''re too stupid to learn the first time..." Leena, too, adjusted her stance, preparing for whatever this woman was going to bring. Leena just stayed there, keeping an eye on the woman''s movement. She swiftly extended a leg, sweeping the legs out from under therger woman. And she stumbled as a result. Fortunately, Leena grabbed her baggy clothes before she fell on the ground, and hauled her up. "You''re quick, aren''t you? You have the guts to stay put, whore?" The womanunched into another tirade of abuse. She wasn''t even gracious enough to thank Leena for saving her from a nasty fall. "Stay put? That''s bullshit! Think I''m stupid enough to wait for you to pound on me? By the way, watch your mouth. If you can''t control it, then I''ll help you shut it." This was really an unlucky day for Leena. No sooner had she left home than she met this mad woman. Who knew what her problem was, but it didn''t seem like she was entirely sane. Chapter 1212 A Heinous Woman (Part Four) "Ooh, I''m so scared. You think you''re better than me? Do you know who my husband is? You''ll regret everying eyes on me," said the woman furiously, teeth clenched. After failing toy a hand on Leena after two tries, she was done. She realized that Leena was not the girl to mess with. "It''s none of my business who your husband is. I''m not into old men. You can keep him," taunted Leena. She figured the husband would be no better than his wife. "Worried now? It''s not toote to apologize." The woman shed a delighted toothy smile. As Leena was so young, the woman figured, she could lord it over this girl. "Apologize? Are you high? I admitted my mistake, I apologized, and offered to pay you. And you responded to all that by insulting me and attacking me. You don''t need an apology, you need a straitjacket!" Leena hated to be threatened by anybody in a self-righteous manner. But unfortunately, she kept running into those types. Louisa was one of them. And today, this insane woman. ''What? Does she think she''s queen of the world?'' Leena wondered. Those kinds of people ordered others around like they were masters and everyone else was their ve. They were arrogant and conceited, hating everyone, no matter what. They wouldn''t even get to know the people they hated. It would be a mercy if those kinds of miserable people just naturally died off, but unfortunate that breed would probably live forever, just to spite the rest of us. "You won''t apologize? Well, watch Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. what kind of a lesson that insane shrew would teach her. To be frank, she was even anticipating that event. This didn''t ruin Leena''s bright mood, however. She felt full of joy and excited all the way to the army base. She got a little frustrated, though, when she arrived at the entrance of the army base and saw the sentries on both sides of the gate. As there was no way she could get in, she had to wait for her husband outside. So she got out of the car and leaned against the door of it in a leisurely posture, eyes fixed on the solemn gate of the army base. But Leena managed to confuse the sentries. They had no idea who this beautiful woman was waiting for. Although Leena parked her car near the entrance, she wasn''t blocking traffic. So the sentries had no reason to ask Leena to leave. As Leena didn''t tear her gaze away from the entrance for a single minute, both soldiers blushed under Leena''s gaze. Anyone would have the same reaction if a beautiful girl kept staring at you! Chapter 1213 Leena Deserved To Be Cherished (Part One) The sun was still shining brightly in the sky though it was already afternoon. The weather was kind of weird. You''d think that it would be warm because the sun was shining brightly and oddly it was not. Leena even felt a bit cold whenever the wind blew. Her face was hurting with how the wind struck it, especially on the part where her skin was scratched. To be honest, that woman was too vicious for her age. Leena wasn''t sure but she thought that she could be thirty or something. It was really hard to tell because of thedy''s heavy makeup. All the products on her face were perfectly hiding her true age. Thus, all Leena could do was to guess. With her hair messed by the wind, Leena lifted her hands to tame her mane. She was not in a hurry while patiently waiting for Kevin. In fact, she was enjoying the rare free time she had to the point that she had been sporting a constant smile since she arrived. She chose to wear something really casual today, just a simple white top, a dark gray cashmere overshirt that was cut v-neck, then a burgundy wool coat outside. She paired the ensemble with leather pants and a pair of brown boots with mid heels. She might be casual but still very astounding. She couldn''t look any better with how beautiful she was. Her back was against her car''s door the whole time she was standing on that ce. Since she got nothing to do, she turned her gaze on the soldiers who were guarding the door with serious faces. Her eyebrows furrowed for a second as she noticed something about the men. ''Wow! These soldiers look even younger than me!'' Indeed, the soldiers were really young. It was amazing that they were already doing something meaningful for their country at such an age. The idea was so nice that Leena couldn''t help but admire and respect them sincerely for it. On the other hand, the soldiers were a bit bothered by the beautifuldy''s constant gaze. It was unnerving to have someone as pretty as Leena focused on them. It was really easy to tell that they badly wanted to move though they stood still. They didn''t even have any idea about how long would Leena watch them! Meanwhile, Kevi ding outside with her eyes focused on the gate. She looked like she was spacing out as if there was something mesmerizing her. At that point, the soldiers who were guarding the gate all let out a sigh. The beautifuldy had been eyeing them for a very long time. Thus, they were all wondering who she was waiting for. Did this beautifuldy juste here to visit the army base? The possibilities were endless and it stressed them that their only choice was to guess. One thing more was the fact that thedy before them was just standing there. She wasn''t even taking pictures or bothering anyone directly. Therefore, they couldn''t ask her to just leave. The distance between his office and the army base gate suddenly seemed like a race track to Kevin. He was almost sprinting as he moved across the ce. It was only when he finally saw the huge gate that his steps slowed down. He used his hand to straighten his uniform the same time he was greeted by the soldiers at the gate. They all gave him a military salute. "How long has she been here?" Kevin walked up to one of the soldiers and asked in a low voice. He gestured at Leena''s direction and then gave each of the soldiers there a questioning look. "She has been here for more than an hour, Major General," answered the soldier honestly. He didn''t understand why their Major General was asking him about this but he didn''t need to know his reasons either. Chapter 1214 Leena Deserved To Be Cherished (Part Two) "That long? If one of you see her here next time, go straight to my office and tell me." His soldier''s words made Kevin''s face even darker than it already was. More than an hour? Did Leena leave home early? Otherwise, she wouldn''t have waited that long! "Yes, Major General." To be honest, the soldier was very curious why Kevin cared so much about the woman outside. However, he didn''t dare to ask. It was their Major General''s business and he shouldn''t be putting his finger on this topic no matter what. "Are you curious about who she is?" Kevin was ready to leave but then stopped at thest minute. He turned around to face the soldiers again as he felt that he needed to rify things about Leena just in case they had her wrong. "Yes, Major General." The young soldier answered honestly in a small voice. He didn''t have much chance to talk to Kevin since he was the Major General. Thus, he wasn''t sure if he would have another chance to know something more about Kevin''s private life. "I knew you''d be curious. She is my wife. So be polite to her when you see her. Understood? I have to go now." After these words, Kevin smiled and walked to Leena. "Yes, Major General, we understand." The soldier answered aloud. It was his loud voice that pulled Leena out of her trance. She quickly turned her gaze from the sky to the gate. And as soon as she saw Kevin, a sweet smile cracked her pretty lips. She was nothing but a beautiful breath-taking view. "Kevin, you are here!" said Leena in pleasant surprise. There was not even a trace of anger nor annoyance on her face. It seemed like she didn''t mind if Kevin had her waiting for a long time. She was just happy to see her husband. "Yeah! Why didn''t you call me when you arrived? Plus, why are you standing outside the car while waiting for me? You do know that the weather is chilly!" Kevin touched Leena''s face and frowned upon feeling how cold it was. Then his hand tenderly tucked a few of her hair strands behind her ear. It was when he noticed the faint wounds on her face. That made him instantly grit his teeth. The wounds mfortable. She couldn''t help but feel a little shy as she blushed. In the end, she contained herself by adoringly staring at Kevin''s serious and concerned face. Now that view made her heart feel warm. "Are you still cold?" Kevin looked up all of a sudden and asked her. He caught her staring at him and she immediately looked elsewhere to avoid his gaze. "No, I feel better now," said Leena. She wanted to tell him that as long as the two of them were together, she wouldn''t feel cold even if she was in the freezing winter. It was her bashfulness that stopped her from saying those words out loud though. "Don''t be silly and wait for me outside next time. The weather is too cold. I am worried that you''d catch a cold." Scolding Leena was something Kevin couldn''t help himself with. He wanted her to know about how serious he was. As he knew his wife, he was sure that she would do it again if he didn''t say anything about it. That was just how Leena was. "Okay. I won''t stay out next time. I promise." In response, Leena nodded her head sessively like a little girl who was scolded by her dad. Only she could tell if she would really keep her promise as she said to Kevin. "Let''s go home now! You should have a hot bath after we get home. It will make you warm." Kevin started the car as he spoke. The deep frown etched on his face was getting even worse as it stayed there longer. Chapter 1215 Leena Deserved To Be Cherished (Part Three) "Okay! Can we pick up some groceries on the way home? Our fridge is almost empty." A guilty smile showed on Leena''s face while she was talking. She actually nned to get the groceries herself earlier but then she woke up toote. It was already afternoon when she moved out of her bed! It was then that Kevin asked her to pick him up. Thus, she didn''t have the time to shop. "No problem! Where is ire? Is she still home?" Kevin casually asked. He just thought of the call he had with his mother just a few minutes ago. "No. She went to the vi very early this morning. She told me that she would call every day and be safe so we don''t need to worry about her." Leena tilted her head to look at Kevin''s profile. She just couldn''t keep her eyes off him. He was so handsome in his military uniform. "What? Why? Did she go there that early? Why was she in such a hurry? Didn''t she know that you were really tired!" Kevin blurted out loudly without even thinking. His thoughts went on automatic and he ended up shouting what was inside his head even before he could choose his words. In reaction to it, Leena rolled her eyes awkwardly with a huge sigh. Well, he clearly knew that she was tired because of him but he didn''t say a word before. Now that ire was gone, he suddenly started to me her little sister for tiring her when in reality, it was he who did! Ha! Why didn''t he say something like this before? What a sly fox! "Why are you looking at me like that?" Kevin nced at her curiously. He didn''t understand why the expression in Leena''s eyes suddenly turned more dangerous. "Oh. Nothing. I didn''t mean to look at you that way." Leena said in an annoyed tone. Fortunately, the hickeys on her neck were barely noticeable after she woke up. Otherwise, she would surely need to put on a big scarf or hide in the apartment and turn herself into a hermit. "What do you mean? Are you implying that you don''t want to look at me?" Kevin couldn''t help but tease her as he found Leena extremely cute. He was curious about what she would say. He wouldn''t mind letting her know about the consequence if she answered him wrong. isit her brother''s today. Belinda was probably pregnant after all. She was anxious to know if it was true because she hadn''t heard a word from her brother or sister-inw. However, she didn''t want to call them either. She needed to see them face to face. It was just too unfortunate that she didn''t have that time today. "Leena, Kevin! Why are you here?" Life was just so magical sometimes. Speaking of the devil, Leena almost jumped out of her skin when Belinda suddenly showed up. It was like Leena identally summoned her with her thought. Belinda was looking at the two of them in surprise too. It was more than clear that Belinda wasn''t expecting this meet up as well. "Belinda, what a coincidence! Where''s my brother?" Leena looked behind Belinda for her brother but he wasn''t there. She turned her gaze back to Belinda as she felt a bit disappointed. "No need to look for him. He''s not here. Your brother went abroad yesterday morning. It''s about hispany. He told me it was something urgent." Belinda couldn''t help but feel a little guilty talking about this. Her husband had told her a thousand times to go to the hospital and have a check-up as soon as she got out of the bed. Hard-headed as she was, she hadn''t done it yet. She was actually afraid to disappoint him, so she didn''t go. She was worried that what was going on with her might just be a little mistake and she might not be pregnant after all. Chapter 1216 Ten Times Worth Of Damages (Part One) "What? He has gone abroad? Is it serious?" Leena asked with worry. Her brother''s safety was her biggest concern. "It''s serious, but don''t worry. I am sure he can handle it," Belinda replied. She assumed that her husband was distracted by some emergencies, which was why he didn''t inquire much about her pregnancy. Otherwise, he would have kept in touch with her after informing her that he had arrived safely. "Good. What about your pregnancy then? Have you gone to the hospital?" Leena whispered in her sister-inw''s ear so that Kevin couldn''t tell what they were talking about. "All right. You girls can have your little talk. I am going to look around," Kevin said, excusing himself. He allowed them some space. When Leena lowered her voice, he knew that they were discussing a secret. "Look at what you did! Now Kevin must think we are engaging in a murky conspiracy. Why did you ask me about this all of a sudden?" Belinda said, rolling her eyes at Leena. She was d that Duke didn''t press her about the pregnancy, but didn''t expect Leena to be waiting to fire questions at her. "He''s okay, don''t worry! Just tell me!" Leena asked with eagerness in her voice. She knew that her husband was not as narrow-minded and suspicious as Belinda thought. "I don''t know. I haven''t gone to the hospital. Besides, it''s just Tom''s guess. Don''t take it so seriously," Belinda said, trying to put off Leena''s curiosity. She didn''t want to tell Leena that she had already taken a pregnancy test. ording to the results, she was indeed pregnant. She was so happy by the news that she didn''t go to the hospital to get a more precise assessment, in case it disappointed her. "Belinda, is it because you are afraid of going to the hospital without Duke? How about I go to the hospital with you? It is Monday tomorrow. We can go together," Leena suggested. Even though the hospital was thest ce she ever wanted to go to, she still offered to apany Belinda. Leena was eager to know if her sister-inw was truly pregnant. "No, I am okay. You don''t have to do that. I can go there myself if I want to. I am not like you. My legs don''t tremble with fear every time I go to the hospital, okay?" Belinda said, turning down Leena''s offer. If she was indeed pregnant, she wanted Duke to be the first one to know the exciting news, not her childish sister-inw. "No, I just hate to go there. My legs don''t shake!" Leena said as she nudged Belinda, pretending to be irritated. She made sure that she didn''t push too hard. After all, Belinda might be a real moth was quite simple. He didn''t know how to cook moreplicated dishes. It was not the first time Belinda had been to their apartment, but she still stood up to look around. Last time she was here, she had been focused on Leena''s burned hands and hadn''t paid much attention to how the ce looked like. Meanwhile, the doorbell rang. Suddenly, someone began to kick the door with rage. Belinda hesitated for a moment before walking over to open the door. Before she could see who it was, a woman pushed her aside and burst inside along with a bunch of men. "Hey! Who are you people? You can''t just break in like that!" Belinda hissed, frowning. She could have snapped at them, but she tried to remain calm. After all, she was carrying a baby. "Who are you? And where is that bitch? Is she hiding somewhere?" the woman yelled as her restless eyes scanned the apartment. "What bitch? Hey, you old woman, I think you havee to the wrong ce." Belinda nced at the woman with contempt. She knew Leena well enough. Leena could certainly be impulsive and immature sometimes, but not enough to mess with this rude woman. "What did you just call me? Old woman? How dare you call me an old woman?" the intruder said as she stared at Belinda with fierce eyes. But Belinda was not the girl she was looking for. The woman felt confused. Had she reallye to the wrong ce? But that couldn''t be! She had asked the janitor beforeing up here and checked the door te before she marched in. "What''s wrong? What''s the noise?" Kevin asked, running toward the door. He had been cooking in the kitchen and came outside as soon as he heard the sound. He didn''t even have the time to take off his apron. Chapter 1217 Ten Times Worth Of Damages (Part Two) "You know these guys?" Belinda pointed at the intruders. Even as she asked, she was doubtful that Kevin had anything to do with such a low-ss gang. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" Kevin asked. He looked at them with cold eyes. His gaze narrowed at the woman who wore the heavy make-up. "Wait, let me guess. This is A8001, right? Is the Bugatti with a number te of 7578 yours?" the woman asked. She herself was confused now. This was supposed to be the right ce, but the girl she was looking for was nowhere to be seen. The man in front of her was not fat and old as she had thought he would be. Instead, he was young, fit and wore a military shirt. It seemed that she had really stepped into the wrong house. "Yes, it is. But why are you here?" Kevin gritted his teeth. He didn''t know that people were so rude these days that they broke into someone else''s ce for no reason. "Then it''s the right ce. I came here to look for the little bitch, not you two," the woman said, snorting. Knowing she hade to the right ce fed her arrogance. Besides, the man was just a soldier. He was a nobody to her. "Hey, now. What little bitch? Watch yournguage, all right?" Kevin asked, enraged. He red at the woman with his eagle-like eyes. Since he and Belinda were out of the question, Leena was definitely the one they were looking for. But Leena was kind and adorable. How could she have messed with this gang? "Mynguage? Humph, you are just a poor soldier. You are asking me to watch mynguage? Do you know who I am? My name would scare you enough to wet your pants. Ask the person in charge to see me! I don''t want to waste my time with a nobody," the woman said, sniffing with derision. This man was just a poor soldier ording to her. His good looks couldn''t do him much favor. However, it seemed odd that a poor person could live in such a luxury apartment. Maybe the young man was just a guest here. The fat and old man must be the master of this ce. "This is my ce. You can tell me what you want," Kevin said, ignoring the contempt in her voice. His face held no expression. How could she look down on soldiers, who risked their lives to defend the country and bring people safety? "What? You own this ce? You must be kidding me. I want to see the little bitch and her lover. Couldn''t she do something else f her hot bath but was disturbed by the sounds at the door, so she came down to see what was going on. The old woman had said that she would teach Leena a lessonst time. It seemed that she meant to ransack Leena''s ce. "Oh, so you finally decided toe out. I thought you are going to hide forever," the woman mocked Leena. She was furious to see her rival. "Humph! I didn''t do anything wrong. Why do I have to hide from you? Who do you think you are?" Leena said, snorting. She wore a casual suit which she had changed into after the bath. The scratch on her face looked more obvious now that she had washed up. "Nana, what''s wrong? It looks like the scratch has be worse," Kevin frowned, looking at his wife with worry. He had thought that the scratch was just a little problem. It should have disappeared in a few days, not gotten worse. "I''m okay. It''ll heal in a few days. Look, the thing is, I identally upied this woman''s parking ce this morning, after I drove ire to the mansion. I apologized to her, but she didn''t ept my apology and cursed me. She talked about teaching me some lesson and scratched my face before I could defend myself. I swore to God and said sorry to her, really showing this woman my kindness and respect, but she wasn''t kind in return and insulted me instead. I couldn''t stand her and so we fought," Leena said, frowning. This woman had nowe to her ce, but Leena still didn''t think there was something wrong with what she did. She didn''t mean to take the woman''s parking space. It had only been an ident. Chapter 1218 They Were Neighbors (Part One) "It''s your fault for parking in the wrong spot. What? Do you think you did it right?" Obviously, the woman didn''t agree with Leena at all. So she shouted again, just in case she wasn''t heard by others. "Look, I was wrong, I apologized. I even offered to pay you. What more do you want?" Leena never thought this woman woulde barging into her house, so she felt sorry for Kevin. He worked his butt off on base. He came home to rx, and what did he find? This horrible woman and her gang of idiots. "Yeah, you admitted you were wrong, so what? Apology not epted! That''s why there are cops." How the woman wished that she could go and scratch Leena''s milky white beautiful face again to see how she liked being ugly. Yeah, she was young and pretty, but that didn''t mean she should unt it. Shallow women always hated beautiful women. And that was the situation Leena was facing now. "So what? You think you''re a cop now? I should call the cops on you. You broke into my house!" Leena sneered at her. Leena hated bullies, and wasn''t about to let this bully win, no matter how many men she had with her. It went against everything she believed in. "Yeah I did. And I have every right to, just like I have every right to burn this ce to the ground for you ying Miss high-and-mighty. What do you say to that?" The woman didn''t take Leena''s threat seriously. Instead, she just got even more aggressive. She only respected strength, and didn''t believe Leena had the strength to bully her. Leena giggled mirthlessly. "Yeah right. My house, my rules. And right now my rules say you''re not allowed in here. I worked hard on this ce, so you won''t touch it. Get out. Now." Kevin was a soldier and it was inappro et about this. That woman kept insisting that her husband was an imposing figure over and over but she wouldn''t reveal his name. That was the key! "Huh! You little shits! My husband is -- the deputy director of the State Taxation Administration!" The woman said and raised her chin like she was the queen at the same time. She nced at Kevin and the others with scornful eyes. "Oh, it''s him. I thought this guy was big news." Belinda raised an eyebrow. If she rattled off another title she probably wouldn''t have known him. But she could not be more familiar with the State Taxation Administration. She was a business woman after all and had close ties with the tax department. The deputy director of the State Taxation Administration was a gentleman. Quite unlike this madwoman before them now. Boy, did he marry the wrong woman! "Y''know, I think we''re neighbors. Well, in that case, we can deal with this thing more easily," Kevin said and walked over to the coffee table. He picked up his phone, checked the contact list quickly, and tapped one number. Then he pressed "send," said something over the phone in a low voice, and hung up. Chapter 1219 They Were Neighbors (Part Two) "Who''s he calling?" The woman asked Belinda, confused. She had no clue at all why Kevin said they could deal with this thing more easily. This was bugging her a lot! "Who do you think? He''s probably ringing up your husband, Mr. Lu! You''ve done it now. Your husband won''t be happy. You were pretty stupid to get him involved," Belinda smirked. This woman was too dumb to breathe, let alone use her head for anything else. "Who are you? How do you know my husband''sst name?" As expected, this was a serious blow to her ego. So she opened her mouth again. "You told us, didn''t you? You said your husband was the deputy director of the State Taxation Administration. I deal with them all the time. What''s more, I met your hubby." Belinda could not help but roll her eyes at her. ''What a stupid woman! I''m sure her husband wouldn''t appreciate cleaning up her mess. She was stupid enough to drag him into it.'' "I feel sorry for you! We could have dealt with this privately. But you insisted on going nuts. I don''t think this will go well for you," Leena sighed. Her husband was bold enough to deal with the deputy mayor. Of course he wouldn''t be afraid of the deputy director of the State Taxation Administration. "Hum! Don''t try to frighten me! What? You own the city? I doubt it." Although this woman was a little scared now, she still did not believe that Kevin was powerful enough to threaten her husband. She still thought they were all full of it. "You''re right, we don''t own the city. But we can do something to you, at least." Belinda loved seeing justice be dished out. She was really excited now. "Do something to me?" she said. Then, she started to yell. "Do something to me?" sh cked her, she scratched her face. How could he just let this woman off scot free? "Sorry! I''m so sorry! If they broke something here, or hurt somebody, I''ll pay for it." The deputy director nodded and bowed unctuously to Kevin. But in his mind, he was ming himself. He had thought that it was normal for a woman to be aggressive, so he did not pay that close attention to her rudeness. But he never expected that she would have caused these kinds of problems. "It''s not the money. Think of how this looks. You met us today. What if we were just ordinary people? Have you ever thought about the consequences?" Kevin smiled coldly. The city seemed to be having a problem with corruption. He''d seen officials take advantage of their power to bully others. It got worse thest few days. Maybe God arranged it so that he could find the guilty parties and punish them. "Yes, you''re right, Major General Gu. I will definitely be strict with my family and would never allow them to abuse others using my position," the deputy director promised, trembling in fear. He didn''t dare to raise his head, unwilling to meet Kevin''s eyes. Chapter 1220 They Were Neighbors (Part Three) "It''s your business to teach your family manners. I don''t care how. Maybe you can get her to calm down. As the wife of a deputy director, she should at least be polite. And it''s up to my wife whether or not to forgive her." If the deputy director had a bad rep, Kevin would definitely punish them severely. However, this man seemed to have a good name, so he didn''t make a big deal out of this. "Please don''t worry, Major General Gu. I''ll definitely send my wife to formally ask for forgiveness from Mrs. Gu." The deputy director wiped the sweat from his brow again. He had lived here a long time. But he didn''t know that Major General Gu also lived here. What was more, his wife came to Kevin''s house to harass him! Now she offended him. She just couldn''t do anything right! "That''s a start." Kevin took a look at Leena. He worried that she might be a troublemaker at first. Now he realized that trouble found her. "Hey! Don''t just stand there! Apologize to Major General Gu and his wife, now!" The deputy director red at his wife fiercely. They were talking about her rude behavior. So why did she just stand there quietly? Why the hell did she bother this guy? "Major General? I''ve never heard of that rank. Are you for real?" the woman asked, confused. She just could not understand why her husband was so afraid of a poor soldier. Why did he keep apologizing to him? "Ha! No, he''s a figment of your imagination." Belinda could not help but giggle upon hearing the woman''s question. This woman seemed to be extremely stupid. How did she get to be an official''s wife? She even did not know what a major general was. "Don''t make fun of him, Belinda. My husband is quite real, I assure you," Leena exined immediately. The thought shed through her head that this woman might be checking him out. She dera Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. and use their family backgrounds as a weapon. "Mrs. Lu, you really need to just watch yourself," Kevin said. "Try to calm down. You met us this time and we can let this slide. But if you meet somebody else, they might be even more difficult to deal with. You don''t want your husband to lose his job, or worse." Belinda disyed a cold smile. She knew why Leena decided to drop this. She didn''t want to cause trouble for Kevin and his career. "Yes, yes, you''re right. I''ll definitely pay attention to it from now on. I''m the one who caused all the troubles today. My husband had nothing to do with it at all. He knew nothing about it. Please don''t me him." Despite the fact that Mrs. Lu still had no clue about what a major general was, she began to realize that she couldn''t mess with Kevin anymore when she saw her husband be so respectful in front of the soldier. She finally apologized to Leena. Leena wasn''t bold enough to speak for Kevin. So she avoided answering that woman''s request directly. She was clever and confident about Kevin. She knew he had his own opinions. "Well, I''m sure he didn''t know. That''s why I''m going to drop this. It''s just not worth dwelling on. But it''s not up to me, now." Chapter 1221 Travel By Train (Part One) "Mr. Lu, you may leave now. Your wife should reflect on what happened today." Kevin didn''t want to put Leena in an awkward situation, but neither did he want to spare these people easily. Otherwise, they would not learn a lesson from this. "Sure! I''m leaving with her now. I''m sure she will reflect on her actions profoundly." Mr. Lu heaved a long sigh of relief when he realized that Kevin would not be making things difficult for them. He immediately said yes, for he was afraid that Kevin could go back on his words. "Although it was your wife who did wrong, you too should take the me for not having disciplined her. You must examine your actions as well," Kevin said in a cold voice. Kevin''s words brought Mr. Lu''s heart into his mouth. Scared that Kevin was on the cusp of changing his mind, he immediately agreed. "You''re absolutely right, Major General Gu! I will do that as soon as I get home." He was itching to leave as soon as possible. Otherwise, Kevin would not let him go so easily. "All right. You may take your leave," Kevin said with a frown. ''Leena must be hungry. If it weren''t for these people, the dinner would have been cooked by now, '' Kevin thought. "Goodbye then. We''re leaving." Mr. Lu bowed before leaving the house with his wife. "Goodbye!" Leena cast a cold nce at Mrs. Lu. She disliked her immensely because of her arrogant attitude, but she decided to let it go. After all, Mr. Lu was a reasonable man and had apologized to her sincerely. Moreover, they were neighbors. As the saying went, it was better to save trouble. "They finally left. I almost had a headache because of that woman," Belinda sighed and rubbed her temples. Normally, she was busy throughout the day. Today when she had finally managed to visit Kevin and Leena, she really didn''t expect to witness this drama. "Belinda, I''m sorry. It''s all my fault. I''m such a troublemaker." Leena bit her lower lip, terribly embarrassed. "I''m going to the kitchen to make dinner. You two enjoy talking. The dinner will be ready soon!" Kevin took a close look at Leena''s face before going into the kitchen. He felt dejected. ''Leena didn''t tell me about this and even covered her wounds with make-up. She didn''t want me to find out th Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. eena bit her lower lip, eager to know his answer. "Well, if you get scars on your face, I will divorce you and marry another beautiful wife. So you must take care of yourself from now on," Kevin said seriously, as if he weren''t cracking a joke. "Just divorce me now and find another wife. I can''t promise you that I won''t get hurt in the future too." Leena wasn''t angry. She gave Kevin a sweet smile, knowing that he was just mad at her injury. "If I really do that, you would cry like a little child." Kevin screwed the cap on tightly. Tom had given Leena the scar eliminating medicine thest time she got burnt. Kevin assumed that it would work just as well this time around too. "Bah! I won''t cry like a child. I will beat the woman up so she doesn''t dare to seduce my man anymore." Leena raised her fist in front of Kevin''s face. At that moment, she looked like a hooligan who would kill anyone who tried to seduce her husband, not an elegantdy. "Good for you. I hope you can be as brave as you just said." Kevin rolled his eyes at her. If Leena were as bold as she said, she would not have gotten injured so many times. "What? You don''t believe what I said?" Leena grumbled, pursing her lips. Kevin was right. If he really fell in love with someone else, she would not fight for his love. She would leave him quietly. She was willing to give him up to the woman he loved, for she believed that if you loved someone, you could do anything for him as long as he was happy. Chapter 1222 Travel By Train (Part Two) "Other women might beat their husbands'' mistresses, but you would never do that. If I really fell in love with someone else, you would leave me without saying a word," Kevin said before standing up. He gave her a meaningful look before turning around and going upstairs. His silhouette looked lonesome. Leena gazed affectionately after his receding figure. Apparently, Kevin knew her well enough. It never urred to him that Leena would have a choice other than leaving quietly. If Kevin really had a mistress, she could pretend that she didn''t know about it and still stay with him. She was happy as long as he was with her. Nothing could be better than sleepingte in the winter mornings. Lying in the warm covers, Leena slept peacefully. The corners of her mouth were lifted upward. Obviously, she was in a beautiful dream. Kevin called out her name, trying to wake her up. "Nana, get up. Let me take you somewhere." Kevin was feeling a little discouraged. He had called her name several times. Each time, she answered him faintly before falling asleep once again. "Um... I''m listening..." Leena grumbled as she rubbed her face on the soft, warm covers. She drifted off into sleep again. "Come on! Get up! I''m taking you to a ce." Amused by her reaction, Kevin reached out to pinch her little nose. "Stop that, naughty boy. I want to sleep." Leena probably took Kevin for someone else, for she beat his hand off and turned over in the bed, still sleepy. "So, you don''t want to get up, huh? Let''s do some morning exercise then." Kevin gave her an evil smile as he jumped on the bed and took off his coat. "STOP! I''m already up." Leena''s eyes shot open at the words "morning exercise". She threw back the covers and jumped off the bed. "Really?" Kneeling on the bed, he raised his head and stared at his adorable wife with a teasing smile on his face. It was a rare opportunity for Kevin to wake Leena up in the morning. He was extremely d for it. Normally, she slept veryte. Kevin, however, had to go to the army base very early in the morning. "Um... Aren''t you going to work today?" Leena was rather surprised. Kevin should have gone to the army base by now. But instead, he was at home and making fu d sugarcane made her shiver. "That''s okay. You can try the baked sugarcane." Kevin smiled sadly as he mentioned this. Kevin hadn''t known about the baked sugarcane until someone told him about it. However, the man who had told him was already dead. It was his memorial day today, which was why Kevin took a day off and was taking Leena to visit his friend''s hometown. "Really? I''ve never heard of baked sugarcane before." Leena was confused. She thought there would be no water left after the sugarcane was baked. "Believe me. It tastes really good." Kevin gave her a tender smile and circled his arms around her. He had been separated from his friend for almost ten years now, but thetter was still very much alive in Kevin''s heart. "Kevin, would the person we''re going to visit like me?" Leena was nervous about who they were going to visit. She wondered if this person was going to dislike her. "Don''t worry. She is kind-hearted and friendly." Kevin''s smile was bitter. He felt guilty toward this person. "Great! I hope she will like me then." Leena smiled, feeling at ease. Kevin seemed rather strange today and she couldn''t figure out the reason for it. Leena assumed that she would know the answer once they arrived at their destination. When they got off the train, Leena was surprised to find that they were in a little town. It was such an isted ce that there was no expressway here. She then realized why Kevin had said that they could only take the train. Chapter 1223 A Grave (Part One) "This ce is a bit deserted and poorpared to S City. I bet you don''t like it here, right?" Kevin looked up at the sky and thought the air was fresh. Unlike big cities, life in this ce was slow and quiet. Staying here was like staying in a paradise which could make people feel veryfortable. "No. Actually, the ce doesn''t matter. I''m happy as long as I am with you," responded Leena before looking at the very few and scattered bungalows in the distance. She did not know that there were people living in such houses two hundred kilometers away from the city. "Let''s go!" Contented with her answer, Kevin smiled gratefully and carried all the groceries they brought with them. It was a puzzle to Leena why Kevin shopped for so many goods from the supermarketst night. She got no idea of what he was up to at all. "Let me help you," said Leena as she reached for some bags Kevin was holding. She wouldn''t mind giving him a hand with those heavy bags. "No. I can handle these." Kevin moved the groceries away from Leena as he refused. They had to climb the hillside before them and he wouldn''t want Leena to get tired. It was lucky that she was wearing t boots today since he didn''t think that high heels would make their journey easier. "Are you sure about that?" With a mischievous stare, Leena turned her head to Kevin''s handsome face. "Yes, I am sure. I don''t have the gut to lie to you anyway." The man shook his head at Leena resignedly. In fact, he came here every year and was so used to doing it. Even if he was busy sometimes, he would still find time toe to this ce again. "I know that you dare not lie to me." Leena picked up an unfamiliar grass and waved it in the t the house and thought that it was really shabby. A richdy like her had never seen such a house. She didn''t hate it. It was just she couldn''t imagine how life was in a house like this. "Yes. Let''s go in." Kevin gently opened the door of the house. The house was so battered that it squeaked as he pushed it. It was the creaking sound that caught the attention of the person inside the house. Soon enough, an olddy came out as she walked happily towards them. "Kevin, it''s you! I thought you weren''ting today." The olddy said loudly. She might look old but she was sure in very good health. "Mamie, I''m sorry. I amte today." An apologetic smile crossed Kevin''s face. Bringing Leena with him this year made him walk a little slower than usual. It used to take him only half an hour to get here alone. However, it took him more than an hour since he needed to consider his wife too. "It''s okay. You''re too busy. I''m so d youe to visit me. Who is this girl? She is so beautiful!" The olddy asked happily. Rural people were very simple. Thus, she just asked what was inside her mind immediately upon seeing Leena. Chapter 1224 A Grave (Part Two) "She is Leena, my wife. I brought her here so you can meet her. We weren''t able to inform you when we got married since we were in a hurry." Kevin shot Leena a warm gaze and smiled. He knew that Leena was not like other wealthydies. Thus, he was sure that Leena would not hate this ce. That was why he brought her along. "Hello, Mamie. Nice to meet you." Leena greeted the olddy with delight. Her curiosity about Kevin''s rtionship with the old woman was eating her but she didn''t ask. She was sure that Kevin would tell her everything anyway since he brought her here. "Nice to meet you, Leena! How beautiful you are!" Mamie took Leena''s hand kindly and looked at her lovingly. "Thank you for yourpliment." In reaction, Leena said in a shy tone and bowed her head. "Let''s go in first." It was Kevin who broke the exchange of pleasantries between Mamie and his wife. He couldn''t be happier that Mamie seemed to like Leena almost instantly. "Oh! Right! I''m so happy that I forgot to let you in. Why do you bring so many presents every time youe?" Mamie grumbled at Kevin and took over what he had in his hand for fear that he would be too tired. "It''s not easy for me to see you, so I must bring what you need." Kevin knew that she didn''t usually go downtown and couldn''t afford to buy expensive things. Thus, he bought what she needed every time he went to see her. He felt better seeing her okay. "s! I actually don''t need so much stuff since I live alone. I haven''t used up what you bought mest year. There would have been more left of it if I didn''t give some to my neighbors. Don''t buy me anything next time. It is tiring to bring so much stuff," scolded Mamie as she feigned anger. However, house and Leena could feel it from where she stood. "Are you all right?" Leena asked Kevin worriedly. She had been watching him since this morning and still, she didn''t have a clue about what he was thinking. "Yes, I am fine. Let''s get to work!" Trying to control his tears, Kevin looked up and blinked his eyes. A few seconds after and he was able to recover himself. He then walked out of the house quickly without even looking back. That moment made Leena realize that Kevin and Mamie might have shared something really sad. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have acted that way. She knew, however, she couldn''t ask. Thus, she just silently walked next to him and helped him by handing him his tools. She was mummed the whole time. Her curiosity was eating her inside out but she just smiled at him every time their eyes met and pretended to be calm. That afternoon, Kevin and Mamie took her to a country graveyard. Standing before one of those graves there finally made Leena understand how heavy and sad things were for the two. The tall trees around the ce yed as silent spectators to them, together with the mild wind and afternoon sun. Chapter 1225 A Grave (Part Three) "Bruce, do you know that Kevin came to see you again? He also brought his wife. Look! Isn''t she beautiful? She is not only beautiful but also thoughtful." Mamie wiped her tears as sheid out the offerings for Bruce. It had been so many years since Bruce left that she thought she would never be sad again. However, she could not help but shed tears whenever she was on that ce. Was there really a way to keep a mother''s heart from breaking every time she remembered her child who died so young? "You should be married too if you''re still alive. I wouldn''t mind taking care of your children. You left so suddenly that you didn''t even leave me a word." Mamie murmured alone, sounding very sad. "Bruce, are you all right over there? Do you still sing the song Green Camp every day? You know what? You were a terrible singer. You scared everyrade we had in the dormitory whenever you sang. The bad part was that you didn''t care and still belted it out loud passionately. You really made us love and hate you." Kevin''s voice trembled a bit as he poured wine for Bruce. It was a rare sight for someone as strong as Kevin to cry but that time, he just let his tears out. Meanwhile, Leena stayed quiet as she had no intention offorting Kevin. She knew that it would be better for him to have all his pain vented out. Moreover, she didn''t know what was going on, so she wasn''t sure how to express her feelings. "Remember the little por we nted together? Thest time I went back to thepany, I found it had grown up. The ces where we trained together have c hat kept winding people. It shouldn''t besting. Thus, Kevin was already calmer while they were sitting on the train as they went back to the downtown. "Do you want to hear a story?" Finally, Kevin spoke as he looked out the train''s window. He could tell that Leena had a lot of questions and he wanted to answer all those. Thus, he opened his heart to her. "If this story will make you sad, then I won''t listen. But if you want me to share your pain, I''ll listen." Leena looked at him sideways and thought, ''Thank God! I thought he wouldn''t talk the whole way. I didn''t expect him to speak first.'' "I gave up college and went to the army without hesitation that year. I deliberately chose apany which was far from home so that I could escape my father." Kevin let out an emptyugh without gazing away from the window. On the other hand, Leena got no idea why he was still looking at the views outside. Perhaps, it could be that he was embarrassed to face her concerned eyes. Or maybe, it could be because he was lost in his memories too. Chapter 1226 Kevins Emotional Side (Part One) Leena looked at Kevin without saying a word. It was the first time that Kevin had exposed his emotional side to her. Kevin was a red-blooded military officer and always remained calm under all circumstances, so sometimes people forgot that he was just a human being, who could get sad and vulnerable. "That''s where I met Bruce. I was told that his father was also a soldier who sacrificed himself to defend our country when his son was little. Bruce didn''t have much of a chance to get to know his dad. He admired his father and chose to be a soldier too when he grew up. That way, he could be a great fighter, just like his role model," Kevin said softly. An image of a fit and cheerful boy smiling at him surged into his head. "Bruce worked very hard in training and soon stuck out from the crowd. He was promoted as our squadron leader," Kevin continued, lowering his eyes. The pain was written across his face. The storyteller dwelt on this painful memory. His agony reverberated to his audience, who rested her chin on one hand and looked at him with worry. A frown marred her features. "As the days passed by, we became experienced soldiers. Bruce was the best we had in the army. We were close, just like brothers. We promised each other that we would treat the other''s parents with respect like they were our own. We imagined holding our wedding together on the same day. Our children would be brothers if they were boys and sisters if they were girls. But if there were a girl and a boy, we hoped that they would get together. If one of us died, the other would shoulder the responsibility of the child and take care of our parents until they passed away," Kevin said, tearing up. They had been young and ambitious in envisioning a beautiful future. Neither of them had expected death toe so early. "You must have been heartbroken the day he died, right?" Leena asked. She was never trained in the army, but she could sense how great theradeship had been between them. "When the moment came; when the bullet lodged in his head and his face was covered with blood, everything suddenly became too real. I felt death stare a d to act tough in front of their loved ones. Kevin only spared one day for himself to feel sad. For the rest of the year, he was always on his feet. He knew Bruce didn''t want to see him sad. He had sacrificed himself so that Kevin could lead a happy life and make his dreamse true, not for him to wallow in grief. Kevin couldn''t let him down. Leena couldn''t fall asleep that night and rolled out of bed. She came into the den and took out her sketchbook. Her pen flowed rapidly across the paper and a beautiful dress was sketched. It was penned in deep blue and was reminiscent of a wide sea. It held a tinge of sadness to it. Leena drew the design in ordance with how she felt. As a fashion designer, everything could be her muse. It was Bruce''s story that made her feel so down. Like every day, Kevin opened his eyes at dawn and reached out to the woman who was usually by his side, but found that Leena was not next to him like he was used to. Startled when his handsnded on an empty space, he sat up and looked around to try and find her. He was a light sleeper and always woke up before Leena got out of bed. He must have slept in because he felt too sad yesterday. "Oh, you are up. I made breakfast. Have a bath ande downstairs," Leena said when she walked in and ran into Kevin. "Why did you get up so early today? You look terrible. Did you have a bad night?" Kevin asked, stroking her pale face. Chapter 1227 Kevins Emotional Side (Part Two) "Well, it''s just that I woke upst night and began to sketch. I lost track of time," Leena said. She walked to the closet and took out Kevin''s military uniform. She never had the chance to do it before because he always went to work before Leena even got up. But since she had woken up early today, she wanted to prepare his clothes for him. "Okay, but be careful next time. Staying upte is not good for you girls." Kevin looked at her. He walked to the bathroom and Leena made a face to his back. "Can I drive you to the army base? Or do you want to drive yourself?" Leena askedter, when she stood on her tiptoes to help Kevin wear his tie. "No, thanks. Lee will pick me upter. You can go back to sleep after having breakfast," Kevin said. He had to bend down because Leena insisted on making the knot. "Has your car been repaired?" Leena buttoned up his shirt. She stepped back to admire her fit, good-looking husband. He was so good-looking that she wanted to ask him if he could be her model, but she dropped the idea. Too many girls would chase after Kevin in that case. "Yes. I called Leest night. Don''t worry. Let''s go down and have breakfast," Kevin said, putting his phone in his pocket. He took his briefcase and walked downstairs with Leena. She would have had a good sleep after Kevin left if it was not for a call. "What''s wrong? Why did you call me so early in the morning?" Leena asked. She picked up the ss of water in front of her and stared at Patricia who sat opposite to her. "Hey, hey. Be kind to me. I am your friend! Can''t I just call you for fun?" Patriciained. She always bossed Leena around, so she felt ufortable when her friend spoke so coldly. "Then why did you ask me toe here? I have been busytely, you know?" Leena said, yawning. She had only slept for 2 hours when her friend''s call came. "What have you been busy with? Oh, I see. You have been busy making a little baby with your husband. You must have worked the whole night, that''s why you can''t stop yawning," Patricia teased Leena, studying her. "Can''t you be more decent? I can''t imagine what you are thinking about. I am sick of your cheap jokes." Leena rolled her eyes at Patricia. She didn''t care if her remarks would s stare. It depressed her to think that her happy andfortable life woulde to an end now that Patricia was going to live with her. "Okay. Come on, don''t worry. I have a game to go to. I will never give you an excuse to kill me," Patricia rolled her eyes again. Leena couldn''t stop prattling on about various trivialities after she got married. Maybe it was how married women were; they always worried too much. Patricia nced at her friend with disdain. "Why the look? You think I won''t dare to kill you?" Leena asked. She sat upright to show that she was not bragging. "No, it just looks like you are increasingly bing like my mother who never stops nagging me," Patricia said, pretending to plug in her ears. She would never get married early as Leena did. Marriage would ruin her carefree life. People rightly said that marriage was the tomb of love. "Oh, no. I am too young to have a big daughter like you," Leena said, sighing. She wondered if she should tell Kevin about Patriciaing to their house first. After all, it was his house too. He had the right to turn her down. "As you wish! I don''t want to be your daughter either, okay? And before I go to your ce, don''t you think we should go shopping first?" Patricia said, giving her a meaningful look. "What? You didn''t bring anything with you before you got here? What''s wrong with you?" Leena said. She wanted to kill herself for getting trapped with such a burden. Patricia was nothing like a friend. She was a bandit. Chapter 1228 Patricia Had A Crush On Tom (Part One) "Come on, have you never run away from home even once? If I had my daily essentials with me, it would be called a journey, not running away." Patricia shook her head in disbelief, like Leena was an idiot. "Fine! Let''s go. I wish to God I hadn''t met you." Leena sighed with profound resignation. She had no other choice but to grab her car key and do as she was told. After all, Patricia was her best friend. "Honey, I knew that you are my most favorite friend. By the way, would it be inconvenient for you if I live in your house?" Patricia asked with concern and held Leena''s arm. "Don''t you think it''s a little toote to ask that question?" Leena taunted her, rolling her eyes. "So you have a brain, huh?" The two women were both young and pretty. They turned the heads of men. One was sweet and quiet, while the other was sexy and feisty. Although they were opposite in character, they were best friends and made for a perfect match. "You didn''t drive here?" Leena was stunned to see Patricia open the former''s car door and sit in the driver''s seat. Patricia''s car was her life. Leena couldn''t imagine her running away from home without her beloved car. It was pretty odd! "Well, I don''t want anyone to know where I am. If I drove my car to this ce, they would know I''m here. Come in! Don''t worry." As a racing driver, Patricia must have the steering wheel in her hands, even if it was Leena''s car she was in. "Fine! Please drive slowly though!" Leena sat in the passenger seat and felt terribly uneasy about the uing journey. "I''m going to live in your house for a couple of days. Are you sure you don''t want to discuss this with your dear husband first?" Patricia asked with an air of uncertainty. The moment Leena was strapped in, Patricia pressed down hard on the elerator and the car flew like a bat out of hell. Leena was terrified to death and her face went pale. This was why she had urged Patricia to drive slowly, but thetter just ignored her request. "Don''t worry. Kevin is soft-hearted and open to persuasion. He won''t have a problem with it," Leena assured her friend. In truth, she was a bit unsure. ''Kevin would say yes, wouldn''t he? He''s a generous man!'' Leena c g. She swore to herself that she would take him down. "Really? I didn''t expect you to be a gamester." Tom''s interest piqued. The woman in front of him was certainly different from thedies he hade across in the past. "If I have your car fixed, will you pretend to be my boyfriend for the next couple of days?" Patricia blurted out. She didn''t even try to put her request in a more euphemistic way. "What? May I know the reason for that?" Tom raised his eyebrows. It was the first time that he had met such a straightforward woman. He was curious about her. "Well, you look handsome. You are my cup of tea. Those are reasons enough. Does that sound good?" Patricia disliked doctors. If she ever found out that Tom was a doctor, she would regret what she just said. "How do you know I''ll say yes to such an unreasonable request? There are so many other people who can fix my car." Tom leaned against his car and slipped his hands in his pockets. He was not irritated by her words; he just thought she was very arrogant. "I was not forcing you, just asking for your opinion," Patricia said, still gazing into Tom''s eyes. Leena looked back and forth between Kevin and Patricia, her eyes wide. All of a sudden, an idea struck her. She giggled to herself without being noticed by the two. ''Patricia hates doctors. She might not have heard me calling his name. She doesn''t know he''s a doctor but has a thing for him just because of his looks!'' Leena thought. Chapter 1229 Patricia Had A Crush On Tom (Part Two) "I''m sorry, but I can''t say yes to such a strange request. I''m not in a hurry so I''ll just wait for the mechanic." Tom stopped smiling. He didn''t like women who were so dominant in a rtionship, so he did not want to y this game with her. "Are you sure? You should know you just rejected a first-ss mechanic!" Patricia was now even more interested in him. Other men would have agreed to her request without wavering for a second, but this man who stood before her refused her. She was quite shocked. "Yes, I''m sure. Thank you for your kindness. If you want to y games, just go find someone else. I''m not interested," Tom said indifferently. He had to admit that Patricia was a beauty, but he liked soft and shy women. "What a pity! Leena, let''s go. He prefers to stay in the cold wind. We should leave him be." Tom had already made himself clear, so Patricia decided to leave. She admitted that she had a thing for him, but she was too proud to beg for his attention. She turned and was about to leave, but was stopped by Leena. "Patricia, please help him fix it for my sake." Leena held her hands together and looked at Patricia with a hopeful expression. "Why should I help him for your sake? Who is he?" Patricia stopped, wanting to know his name and their rtionship. "He''s one of my brother''s friends. Please help him!" Leena didn''t tell Patricia his name on purpose, nor did she tell her that he was one of her sworn brothers. She wanted them to spend time with each other for she believed that they were a perfect match. However, if Patricia got to know that Tom was a doctor, she would not give him the time of the day. Tom frowned at Leena''s introduction and turned to look at her. He didn''t understand why Leena was keeping his name a secret. But he remained quiet when Leena winked at him slyly. He believed she had her own reasons. Little did he know that Leena was trying to conceal the fact that he was a doctor to set him up with Patricia. "I should help him just because he''s your brother''s friend? I''m your friend as well. Why are you not taking my side? You saw how he just r all, you did help me fix my car. By the way, may I know your name?" Tom felt relieved upon hearing her request. He was really not interested in pretending to be her boyfriend, for he was afraid she might fall in love with him and pester him. "Just call me Patricia. And you go by?" Patricia looked at Tom with bright eyes. She was thrilled but she kept her enthusiasm to herself. After all, she didn''t want to scare him away. Tom was her cup of tea and she would not mind getting into a rtionship with him. "Patricia, we are going shopping, remember? We''d better go now! You can ask him to buy you dinner next time," Leena interrupted them in a hurry. If Tom introduced himself to Patricia, she would definitely lose interest in him. Leena grabbed Patricia''s hand and pulled her to her car before she could say goodbye to Tom. "What are you doing? He hasn''t even told me his name yet." Patricia red at Leena, annoyed. She wondered why Leena was in such a hurry. ''She said she would be on my side!'' she thought. ''Since when is going shopping more important to her? She told me to pull over, but now she wants to leave abruptly. What a strange woman!'' "Don''t worry. I know his name and number. You don''t have to ask him." Leena dodged Patricia''s eyes with a guilty conscience. ''I''m doing this for her own good. She didn''t even thank me and is ring at me instead. How ungrateful!'' Leena thought. Chapter 1230 A Warning From A Friend (Part One) "Yeah, you''re right. How could I forget? Now he''s your brother''s friend, right? We should get to know each other. He''s avable? No girlfriend?" No matter how hot the guy was, Patricia would never be a home wrecker. She wasn''t interested in being "the other woman" -- her cardinal rule in rtionships. "Don''t worry! He''s single. You have a really good chance here." Leena let out a sigh of relief. As long as Patricia didn''t ask the guy''s name, she had nothing to worry about. Leena had to figure out if she really wanted her friend dating this guy. While Leena and Patricia were talking happily, on the other side, ire and Louisa were arguing, their voices echoing around them. This was the first time that they got into it so bad. No one wanted to give in. "Louisa, how could you do that? It''s my sister-inw''s vi, for Christ''s sake! Breaking things? Really?" ire red angrily at Louisa. She couldn''t believe that her best friend did that. She looked at the broken swing and the scattered roses with sad eyes. What would she tell Leena? That she let her best friend do this? "Huh. I couldn''t stand looking at them. So what?" Louisa spewed these words in a cold tone. She didn''t seem to have an ounce of regret. Her eyes were deadly cold, showing her hatred and jealousy. "What? You couldn''t stand them? Really? They weren''t even in your way! Why did you have to break them?" ire was so furious that her eyes were starting getting red. She really couldn''t understand what was up with her friend. Louisa had been so consumed by her jealousy and hatred towards Leena that she had to be hateful and break things. ire was ashamed for her friend''s behavior and didn''t know how to face Leena now. "Roses represent love!" Louisa shouted. "Love, that''s something I''ve never gotten. I never had a swing growing up. I just don''t like them! So yeah, they got in my way!" Louisa screamed Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. s. As soon as she saw Kevin was back, the sweet smile on her face grew to a happy grin. She loved it when he got home. "Yeah. We have a guest?" Kevin asked. He kicked his shoes off and nced behind Leena curiously. "Yeah! Haven''t you always wanted to meet my best friend? So she came over today to meet you. Isn''t that great?" Leena decided to tease him, because he was upset she hid him from her friend. So she just seized the chance and teased him. "Who said I wanted to meet her?" he teased back. "No offense," he added quickly. Kevin nced at Leena. He was just upset that she didn''t mention to her friend she was married. That was all. He didn''t say that he wanted to meet her best friend. "I''m not sure how to take that." Patricia walked out of the dining room. And she finally understood why Leena would have gotten married so quickly as soon as she saw Kevin. And why not? Kevin was really a handsome man, and he seemed like a great guy too. Patricia would have snatched him up right away if she were Leena. "Um. Sorry. I didn''t mean it like that. Don''t take it the wrong way," he said quickly. Kevin was a little embarrassed. He didn''t expect that Patricia might overhear what he said. He extended his hand, trying to recover. "Nice to meet you." Chapter 1231 A Warning From A Friend (Part Two) "I''m just kidding. Nice to meet you too. Looks like Leena has a good taste in men after all." Patricia looked him up and down a few times. She didn''t even try to hide it. It was obvious that she was checking him out. Kevin knew too. "You want me to turn around?" he joked. Kevin didn''t shy away from her intense gaze. He looked back at Patricia, wondering how a sweet, innocent girl like Leena had a best friend so vivacious and bold. He couldn''t help but wonder how the two met. "Haha. Don''t you know it? By the way, I''m Patricia Bai, your wife''s best friend." Patricia reached out her hand to shake Kevin''s, formally introducing herself. To be honest, her first impression of Kevin was not bad. He seemed like a good guy, quick with a joke, and could evenugh at himself. "Since you are Leena''s best friend, you probably know more about me than I do about you." Kevin politely shook her hand and then quickly withdrew his hand like a real gentleman. He decided to be careful not to crush her fingers. Turned out he needn''t have bothered. She had a surprisingly firm grip. "Ha ha, I can''t say that I know everything about you. But I''ve done my research. By the way, the soldiers you work with, are they all as handsome as you?" Patricia''s eyes were full of excitement when she asked Kevin this question, as if she was already imagining a group of handsome and young soldiers showing off their muscles in front of her. This was a vision she could easily get lost in. She enjoyed herself without reservation. She wasn''t the type to get embarrassed if a man undressed in front of her. "Well, I''m no judge, but probably! Why? You interested in our soldier boys?" Kevin''s eyes flickered with excitement too all of a sudden. There were still a few officers who were single in the army base. Maybe he could introduce them to Patricia? Fix them up? He liked the idea. Kevin nced at Leena in surprise. He didn''t know that she disliked onions before. He silently filed away another fact about Leena. One of the things he liked about her was that she did keep surprising him. "Humph! Meanie!" Patricia gritted her teeth and then put the piece of eggnt in her mouth. She still didn''t like it. But she knew that Leena only wanted her to be healthy. As long as it was with her best interests in mind... Leena stuck out her tongue and didn''t say another word. Because she knew that if she kept teasing Patricia, then she''d tell Kevin all those embarrassing stories. That was just how Patricia was. As usual, Kevin was the one doing the dishes. But this time, Leena was beside him. From the hesitant look on her face, Kevin could tell that she wanted to tell him something but didn''t know how. But he wasn''t known for his patience. "Why that face? You have something to say to me?" Kevin turned his head so he could see her better while washing the dishes. "Yeah. Well, Patricia ran away from home, and wanted to stay here awhile. That okay?" Leena anxiously yed with her hands while saying this. Her tone showed her nervousness. She was hoping that Kevin might say yes, but fearing he might say no. Chapter 1232 A Warning From A Friend (Part Three) "Babe, you don''t need my permission. Do what you want. Of course Patricia can stay here awhile. But if she ran away from home, what about her family? Aren''t they worried?" Kevin straightened his back and asked, feeling a bit worried. He didn''t want any drama. "That''s alright. I have already gone behind her back and told her family she would be staying with me. So they won''t worry too much." Leena sported a big grin after hearing that Kevin didn''t mind Patricia staying with them. She didn''t have to worry anymore. "That''s good. She can stay as long as she wants. Now you have someone to talk to when I''m at work." Kevin also stopped worrying. As a soldier, he didn''t like the thought of Patricia''s parents looking for their daughter and worrying about her constantly just because she ran away from home. Not only that, but she''d be staying at his house. So that was one less thing he had to worry about. "Yeah! As long as she doesn''t bug you." Leena put her arms around Kevin from behind and gave him a back hug. She pressed her face into Kevin''s back. She felt very safe and at peace with Kevin here. There was nothing better. "I''m good. Besides, you know I''m busy. I''m never home." Kevin wasn''t even surprised at her sudden affectionate behavior this time. Maybe he was already used to her being like this. Which was good, because sometimes he wanted a little affection. So he just lifted the corners of his mouth into a soft smile. He was indeed very happy. "Thank you! Honey, you''re the best!" Leena rarely said sweet things like this, and she wasn''t used to calling Kevin ''honey.'' Apparently she really cared about what Kevin thought and was very happy that he agreed. "Yeah? Just now you realize that I''m the best, huh?" Kevin wiped his hands on the towel and hung it back up. Then he held her cold small hands in his. "No! I mean, I alwa is Summer something? Or Winter?" Kevin said slowly. It seemed that he really cared about what happened, or he wouldn''t have remembered the man''s name. But why was he grilling her? Her face reddened. "Oh! You mean him! That was an ident! Really! Sorry, I''m not feeling well. I must have eaten too much." Patricia rushed out of the room after she finally got the words out. She didn''t want to admit that she had intentionally set Leena up with another guy, or she would basically be admitting that she tried to break up a military marriage. She was pretty sure Kevin knew that she didn''t know Leena was already married. But she didn''t want to continue his line of questioning. After all, she just threatened Kevin, and she wasn''t sure if he would easily let this go. This was his way of telling her that in a contest with him, she''d lose every time. So she was smart enough to pretend she didn''t know what he was talking about and get the heck out. Kevin shook his head helplessly at Patricia''s back. He couldn''t help but smile at her behavior. He thought that she was tough and arrogant. All those big words talking about making him pay. But he shooed her off pretty quickly. Just a few words were enough to make her leave him alone. Chapter 1233 The Role Of A Wife (Part One) With Patricia living in her house, Leena certainly felt less lonely than before because she had someone to talk to throughout the day. Unfortunately, she also had a lot more things to do and worry about. idents just kept happening with her friend around. "Patricia, you better tell me right now, why is there water on my floor?" Leena shouted at Patricia angrily with her hands on her waist. "I was helping you clean the floor, of course! I feel bad crashing for free at your apartment so I decided to help you with the housework." Patricia looked at Leena with innocent eyes. Was she wrong in wanting to help her do the chores? She didn''t understand why Leena was screaming at her like this. "Are you sure you are helping me clean the floor? Because from where I stand, I see that you are ruining it! So please, don''t ever feel guilty about living here rent-free! And you better not help me with my housework! You are only increasing my workload." Leena gritted her teeth, trying to contain her annoyance. She looked at Patricia with exasperation. Was her friend being serious right now? How could she not see that she was making it worse? She was ruining the floor by leaving the water on it. "Oh God! You are just being dramatic! I watched how you cleaned the floor yesterday and I did the same just now! I have no idea why it turned out like this. It''s not my fault, okay? me the floor for not sopping up all the water." At these words, Patricia looked at the wet floor with indignant eyes. She felt wronged. She was just trying to help Leena; she didn''t expect things to turn out like this. Besides, Patricia had slipped on the wet floor and fallen down. Her ass still hurt. She had already learned her lesson. "What? me the floor? Do you hear what you are saying? It''s a tile floor for God''s sake! And sop up the water? Do you think it''s made up of sponge? I really don''t know what to say to that." Leena was at a loss for words and couldn''t believe what she just heard. ''Fortunately, we don''t have a wooden floor, or it would have surely been ruined by finitely burning in the kitchen. "Ah! I was cooking the meat!" Leena quickly ran toward the kitchen in the middle of shouting this. In her hurry, she forgot about the wet floor and lost her bnce. Suddenly, she slipped on the water and started falling backward. Patricia gave a yelp at what was about to happen and hid her eyes behind her hands. She didn''t want to see Leena fall. However, when Patricia didn''t hear a loud thump or Leena cry out in pain, she slowly put down her hands and opened her eyes again. Leena hadn''t fallen down. It seemed that Kevin caught her right in time. "Be careful. Wait here. I will go and check the kitchen." Kevin let go of the hands that were holding onto Leena''s waist and walked over to the kitchen. He didn''t want her to hurt herself in this anxious state. "Leena, are you okay? You scared the shit out of me!" Patricia walked up to Leena, still a bit worried. She looked Leena up and down to check if she was hurt. "It''s all your fault! I just embarrassed myself in front of Kevin because of you." Leena red at Patricia. Luckily her husband was quick to catch her, or she would have fallen down and broken some bones. "What are you talking about? He is your husband! You don''t need to feel embarrassed at all." Patricia puckered her lips. She still couldn''t understand why Leena was so shy and awkward around her own husband. Chapter 1234 The Role Of A Wife (Part Two) "I will get back at youter. Right now I need to see if the meat is still edible or not." Leena knew that the meat was probably not edible. Her lips thinned in a grim line. "The meat is burnt? Then what would we eat? Please don''t eat me." Patricia looked at Leena with wide eyes. Seeing how pissed off Leena was, she definitely regarded it as a possibility. "Ah, that tells me it might be a good idea after all. Thank you, I will consider it." Leena nced at Patricia with a sly glint in her eyes. She followed Kevin and left a shocked Patricia behind, who was frozen in ce. Patricia never thought that she would shoot herself in the foot one day. "The meat is burnt. We can''t eat it, so I have to throw it all in the dustbin," Kevin said when Leena walked in. He poured the burnt dish in the garbage. "I''m so sorry! It is your favorite dish." Leena lowered her head in shame, like a child who had been caught doing something wrong. Kevin felt amused at Leena''s behavior. He wasn''t even mad, for crying out loud. Why was Leena acting like she did something awful? "That''s all right. Just be more careful from now on, okay? I don''t want any idents to happen to you." Kevin didn''t me her for ruining his favorite dish. He just wanted Leena to be more careful and not hurt herself. He only cared about her well-being. "Yeah, of course. I will be more careful. At least we have other dishes." Leena bit her lower lip gently. She nced at the wasted dish in the dustbin with guilty eyes. She had nned to cook Kevin''s favorite dish for him, but it was all ruined now. "What were you two doing just now?" Kevin turned to face Leena, thinking of the water on the living room''s floor. He was curious as to why it was such a mess. "It was just as you saw. While I was cooking dinne onfused at Kevin''s words. She didn''t understand what he was trying to tell her. "I can''t exin it to you, Nana. You have to figure this out by yourself." Kevin put his hands on her shoulders and patted her. He walked out of the kitchen. If he straightaway told Leena what he really meant, she would probably still be wary around him. He hoped that one day, Leena would figure out what he really wanted. Leena looked at Kevin''s receding figure and bit her lower lip. She was in deep thought and wondered what Kevin meant. Was he right? That she didn''t think of herself as his wife? Leena was puzzled. Kevin''s words kept repeating in her mind. She couldn''t let it go. She still smiled and went about her routine, but her heart lingered on the strange question Kevin had brought up. The next day, when she met Gerard, her mind was still miles away. "Mignonne, are you okay?" Gerard looked at Leena, feeling a bit concerned. "Oh! I''m fine. Don''t worry. Professor Be will be in the city tomorrow, right? I want to ask you if she has contacted you in advance." Leena tried to hide that she had spaced out by posing Gerard the question. She had a smile on her face, but it seemed a bit forced. Chapter 1235 The Role Of A Wife (Part Three) "No, she hasn''t contacted me yet, but she said before that she would give me a call when she gets here. Are you worried that you''d miss her at the airport when you go and pick her up? If so, you can send her an e-mail to confirm the time of her flight." Gerard was curious about why Leena was asking him about professor Be. She could have just asked Be herself. Why did she want to go through him first? "It''s not that. Professor Be told me that the organizers would pick her up from the airport and that they had already booked a hotel for her. So I don''t need to worry about these things. But... I just can''t help but have a bad feeling about this. Maybe I just think too much. I feel like she doesn''t like me anymore." Leena thought back of the conversation she had with professor Be. She thought that the professor had sounded almost too polite; too distant. "Mignonne, you are thinking too much. You are professor Be''s best student. How could she not like you?" Gerard''s golden hair shone brightly under the sun. He knew that professor Be never nned a soiree for any of her students, but she did it for Mignonne. That was evidence itself of how much she liked Leena, who was her best student. "You think so?" Leena was perplexed at first. She looked up and stared at the leaves swaying in the wind and got lost in thought. Suddenly, she realized something and a beautiful smile spread across her face. She understood what Kevin wanted her to knowst night. What she was feeling right now about professor Be was simr to what Kevin must have felt. Leena thought that professor Be didn''t like her because she was being too polite to her. Leena being too careful around Kevin must have felt the same to him too, although her rtionship with Kevin was not the same as her rtionship with the professor. "Mignonne, after this I will go back to Paris with professor Be. I will also take over nc Group, bring these to your car. And thank you for the kind offer, but I want to have a walk and clear up my mind." Gerard followed ire closely and walked over to the car. He didn''t want to go back to his cold and empty hotel room. He really needed some time to make sense of things, as he said. "Oh. That''s all right. Well, maybe I could join you? If you don''t mind of course! I have nothing to do right now anyway." ire tilted her head, looking at him with expectant eyes. ire wasn''t busy right now as Louisa had something to do. They had put off their practice forter. "Really? Of course, I don''t mind! That would be a delight. Thank you." Gerard didn''t expect ire to want to apany him. He was genuinely happy that he didn''t have to walk around alone. He really needed someone to talk to and it was a bonus that someone was ire. After all, they knew each other through Leena. Gerard was still new to S city and didn''t particrly want to wander by himself. "No need to thank me. I would like somepany too. I hate being alone, after all." The two lonely people walked around the city and got a chance to get to know each other. Something was definitely brewing between them, but nobody could tell if it was for the good. They just had to wait for their story to begin. Chapter 1236 The Day Before The Competition (Part One) "Commander, are you sure that you''re not giving Hank a second chance?" Kevin asked tentatively as he stood at themander''s office. It had been a while since the deliberation started and he was already getting anxious about the superior''s final decision about Hank. "I''m not in the position to decide on that. I''m just carrying out the superior leader''s order. I have nothing to do with Hank and we both know that what he did cannot be forgiven easily." Themander sighed softly and thought, ''You have no idea how much I want to give him a second chance. It''s just that my hands are tied.'' "But we all see his changes recently. Why don''t you report these things to the superior leaders? I believe that they will forgive him and give him a chance once they know. I''m positive that Hank will not let us down," insisted Kevin with his own opinion. He clearly knew that it would take Hank a very long time again to get a chance like this. Great achievements as such didn''te to them that easy. By the time it came, Hank might have already lost his passion for the army. "Do you think that I don''t want to give him a chance? I have exerted my best efforts to argue with the leaders for him but I failed. We have to face the fact. We can''t change this anymore. You might as well prepare for what will happen next." A frown crossed themander''s face as he said those words. He honestly believed that everything happened was Hank''s fault. Thus, he couldn''t me others. It was him who did this to himself. "OK. I''ll take your orders." in a low voice, Kevin answered resignedly. ''I tried my best to help you, Hank. You have to rely on yourself from this point, '' he sile Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. on. Is that true? Well, if that''s the case, it''s no wonder that you are so depressed." Daisy turned to her back and looked far into the distance just like Kevin. Honestly, she also wanted to know how much more passion was left in her for the military uniform she wore. "Yes, that is true. I heard that this training will take three months which are much longer than usual. I hope you can take care of Leena while I''m away." A heavy sigh escaped Kevin''s chest. He and Leena hadn''t stayed that long with each other yet. The thought that they were going to be separated from each other made him feel even worse. "What are you being so polite to me for? Leena is our little sister. There will be a bunch of guys to take care of her even if you don''t ask me to." The beautiful army woman rolled her eyes at Kevin. She was wondering why Kevin would say such a thing. "I know that. I know that there are a lot of people who care for her in this city but I don''t know if she will be happy." Kevin said as he thought, ''She would definitely miss me when I''m not around her. How will she get through this kind of moments?'' Chapter 1237 The Day Before The Competition (Part Two) "I know what you mean. All our love for her is useless without you. All she wants is for you to stay with her." Daisy smiled sadly. She knew what Leena was thinking since she was a woman too. The difort that was hitting Kevin was getting heavier as he thought, ''That''s exactly what I''m worried about. I know that I have to let Leena get used to this kind of life since there will be a lot more of these moments in the future. And I have no idea how long each separation will be.'' On the other hand, Leena didn''t know how to tell Kevin that she would not be home tomorrow night. The fashion designpetition of Dream City would be held tomorrow and she had to participate in it. Leena was walking to the FX International Group building when her phone suddenly rang. "Why are you calling me at this moment?" said Leena as she answered the phone. The security guard there knew her, thus, he didn''t disturb her and even helped her press the button for the special elevator for Edward. It made Leena smile sweetly at the guard''s gesture and say thanks. "Well, I just want to know what you are doing now." Kevin was sorting through his briefcase as he talked. As a matter of fact, it was not yet time to get off his job but since themander told him that he could go home early, he packed up his things earlier than usual. "I''m about to meet Edward. What are you calling me for? Are you spying on me?" joked Leena with him while thinking, ''Kevin never calls me when he is working, let alone cares about me.'' "What if I say yes?" said Kevin and smirked. "Wow! I can''t believe that your self-confidence is running that low. Or are you thinking that I''m Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. een polite to everyone she met. "Yes, he is, but he was pissed off by Mr. Xia. Thus, he is not in a good mood," said Anna cautiously. She knew that Leena wouldn''t care about that news because Edward would never get mad at Leena for whatsoever reasons. No matter how bad his mood swing was, he would never vent at Leena. "It''s okay. I can handle this." Leena smiled shrewdly and then confidently pushed the door to Edward''s office. "Get out! Knock the door ande in again." Edward didn''t raise his head and shouted at her angrily. "Well, I am wearing a mini skirt and high heels. I don''t feel like doing that. Please don''t ask me to do that." Leena pouted unhappily while sporting her puppy eyes. She stood at the door and looked at Edward who was already turning red and losing his temper. After hearing that, Edward mmed his palm on his desk and finally shot her with a dagger stare. "Oh! It''s you! Come in, little girl." The surprise on Edward''s face was monumental. He thought that it was just one of his employees that went to his office. Never had he thought that it was Leena who came. Chapter 1238 The Day Before The Competition (Part Three) "Yes. It is none other but me. Who else would break into your office when you''re in a bad mood? Anyone else who would do that must be fearless of death." Leena went behind him and put her arms around his neck. She pressed her chin against his shoulder and acted like a spoiled child. "I know that you are the only one who would do that. Why are your hands so cold?" A frown got into Edward''s face as he thought, ''Is this girl still so weak?'' "Cold? I don''t think my hands are cold." In reaction to what he said, Leena put her hands on Edward''s face and thenughed. "Don''t you think? Your hands are about as cold as the ice cer." The man shrugged at Leena''s gesture but chose not to pull away. Instead, he cocked his head and waited for her to say what she came here for. He was sure that Leena didn''te to his ce just because she missed him. "Ha-ha! Maybe it''s because I just came in from the outside." Leena took her hands off Edward''s face. With a shy smile, she took a few steps forward and sat down on the desk. "You know that it is cold. Why didn''t you wear something thicker? Don''t you know that you''re not in good health? You always worry me." Tentatively, Edward touched Leena''s pretty face and sighed a bit. Her face was as cold as he had thought. "I''m wearing a lot of clothes. It is just that today''s temperature is too low and that''s why my face is cold." Leena was aware of how much Edward cared for her. Nheless, she still had to argue with him from time to time to defend herself. "Are you ming the temperature?" Edward shook his head and made a phone call. "Anna, bring me a cup of hot coffee." "I heard that you are one of the sponsors of the Dream City''s fashion designpetition. Is that true?" Leena asked nervously as she didn''t dare to look Edward in the ey ich hotel Be is staying at, huh?" A menacing smile showed on Edward''s face as he thought, ''You are trying to tease me? How could I let you get away with that?'' "No, no, no! I want to know, Edward. Tell me where Be lives." Leena immediately turned anxious about what Edward said. She wouldn''te this far if she didn''t want to know, right? "Think about it. Which hotel will we choose since it is ourpany that sponsored thispetition?" Edward grinned. ''My employees are smart enough to make money for mypany without my orders, '' he thought. "Oh! I see. Kate Hotel! What''s Be''s room number? Do you know?" asked Leena happily and thought, ''If that''s the case, then I could surprise Be by suddenly showing up before her!'' "She''s in the presidential suite. The room number is 818. Be seems to be a big shot." Another smile came from Edward as he thought, ''Only big shot people can live in the presidential suite.'' "You bet! She usually won''t take part in such a smallpetition unless she has something to do with it." Leena was not sure if Be was here because of her. However, she was pretty certain that the reason why Be did so must have something to do with her. Chapter 1239 A Date (Part One) "Well, then I''d like to have a look at thepetition," Edward said with a smile. It was a casual remark and actually he didn''t n to go there. "Really? So will you be there tomorrow?" Leena asked with a hopeful expression. The following day, Leena would make her domestic debut, and she was very nervous about it. If Edward would be there, things would be easier for her as he would not allow the media to harass her. "You want me to be there? Or you also want to join in the fun?" asked Edward. He had no idea that Leena would attend thepetition as a judge. "I will be there with Be and I''d be d if you''d be there as well." With her lips pursed, Leena jumped off the desk. At the same time, Anna entered the office. "Here is your coffee, Mr. Mu. I also made a cup for your guest." Carefully, Anna ced two cups of coffee on the table and then left. "Thank you, Anna!" Leena said as she walked towards the tea table to pick her cup. She was grateful. Badly, she needed something hot for the freezing weather. She knew Edward had asked Anna to make it, just for her. "Go ahead, drink something. Your hands are so cold. I''ll ask Tom to prescribe some supplements for you." Rising from his chair, Edward walked towards her and sat on the couch next to the tea table. The coffee was the exact taste he was used to. "What? Oh no! Edward, I hate you! Really!" On hearing about the supplements, Leena put on a long face. She disliked all kinds of medicines or supplements, but her sworn brothers always thought she was too weak and needed more supplements. "You can hate me, but your health is the most important thing to me. There''s no bargaining on that. It''s for your own good." To emphasize his point, Edward stare ing she fancied. She was okay with losing anything else, other than her family who genuinely cared about her. "Of course we won''t. You''ll always be our loving little sister." Unwilling to ept the fact that his sister was old enough to choose her own fate, Edward held her in an embrace and buried himself in a myriad of thoughts. He knew she would eventually lean and depend more on her husband than her brothers. But he thought the day had arrived a little too early. Even though Edward was a hard man, who didn''t care much about other people, Leena was always an exception. Besides Daisy, his wife, he always had a soft spot for his sister Leena. When Kevin arrived at FX International Group, Leena was still in Edward''s office. Kevin didn''t make a call to hurry her up, but pulled over and took a nap in his car. He knew he''d better give her some space. "Mr. Xia, is it Mrs. Mu''s car?" Aaron elbowed Rain and signaled him to look at the military car. "I don''t think it is. The number is different. Even if it is, she should have gone upstairs." Rain saw the registration number and looked away. He remembered Daisy''s number was not the same. . Chapter 1240 A Date (Part Two) "Sounds right. Let''s just go upstairs as soon as possible, otherwise the boss will get angry again. It''s all your fault. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have to work outside in such a cold day," Aaronined. ''What is wrong with Rain? After Annie went missing, he''s been always trying to provoke Edward, '' Aaron thought. "I''m not to me. Maybe your boss has entered upon the change of life." Adamant, Rain shrugged his shoulders, unwilling to admit that he had provoked Edward on purpose each time. "You''re screwed. How dare you mock him! He''ll punish you with the meanest way ever!" Aaron sped up and was about to get into the building. "I''m not scared of his punishment at all. Let storms rage against me! I fear nothing. Not even death, let alone punishments." Feeling unmoved by anything, Rain let out a mocking smile. "You''re not afraid of anything, but I am. Please do not drag me in next time." Walking on unperturbed, Aaron cast Rain a warning nce. "Come on! "Real buddies don''t turn their backs on each other that easily. You can''t just back out like that, after all we''ve been through together." With his lips curled in protest, Rain followed Aaron. But after a few steps, he stopped, turned and walked towards the military car. He was stunned to see the person sitting in the car. ''What''s he doing here during office hours?'' he wondered. To attract Kevin''s attention, Rain feigned short dry coughs, but Kevin was so asleep that the coughs alone couldn''t wake him. Rain had to raise his hand to knock on the window. Tired of waiting in the parking lot, Kevin took a nap. But he didn''t expect he''d fall so deeply asleep. Startled by the incessant knocking on the window, he opened his eyes and turned to look who was knocking. He frowned when he saw Rai herself in Rain''s arms, in an attempt to console him. Annie had been missing for quite some time now, but they still hoped to find her, although they had not had any positive leads. In frustration, Leena sighed, so many questions crossing her mind. ''We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. Maybe, that''s a point I should keep in mind about the love Kevin and I have, '' she thought to herself, before Rain interrupted her reverie. "What?" he began. "You must be kidding me! I''m good," he protested. "What about you? Are you feeling any better?" Unwilling to talk about Annie, Rain changed the subject, as he reached out and held Leena, ignoring Kevin once more. Last time, Tom had cautioned that Leena was suffering decreased body resistance. Thought of it really worried Rain. In silence, Kevin stood looking at them. Though he was a little angered inside, he knew Leena had a close rtionship with her sworn brothers, and there was nothing he could do about it. So he patiently waited for her again. "I''m great. I''m as strong as an oak!" While speaking, Leena stole a nce at Kevin. She was afraid if Kevin heard this, he would also force her to take supplements. Chapter 1241 A Date (Part Three) "Great! You may get in the car now. It''s freezing outside. I don''t want you to catch a cold." Without further dys, Rain loosened his arms and smoothed Leena''s messy hair, his eyes full of affection. "Okay! You may go find Edward now. He must be waiting for you." Leena gave Rain a sweet smile. She regarded her sworn brothers as her own brothers, and didn''t think there was any problem with how they got along. "Major General Gu, I''d like to offer you a drink next time." Before turning and entering FX International Group offices, Rain cast a proud nce at Kevin and gave him a cold smile. He had such a delicate face that his picture-perfect smile attracted many girls passing by. "What''s wrong with him?" Uncertain why Rain was acting more weird, Kevin asked Leena. He could feel the hostility in Rain''s eyes. ''Does it have anything to do with the so-called Annie? Who is she?'' he thought to himself. "He has been hurt in love, and his heart is broken. Don''t worry. I think he''ll be okay sooner orter." But actually, Leena was not so sure of what she said. Annie had left for a long time, but Rain hadn''t shown any signs of recovery yet. ''Will he behave like this forever?'' she asked herself. "Did you drive here?" Leaving aside the problem with Rain, Kevin held Leena in his arms for warmth. "Yes, I did. My car is in the underground car park. Are we going home now? Or anywhere else?" Against the wind, Leena soon began to shiver like leaf. "Get in the car first. You''re freezing." Kevin opened the car door for Leena and shut it after she got in, before he got in the driver''s seat. "Hey, you got off work so early today." Once i e without her. "The Fragrance Restaurant? Never heard of that before," Kevin said with a frown. As a soldier, Kevin was very busy and seldom had time to eat outside. As such, it didn''t surprise Leena that he had never heard of the restaurant. "They have really nice food there. I''d like to take you there for a sampling of their delicious food." As she located the address with the on-board navigation, Leena gave him a sweet smile. She was really excited to spend the night with him alone. "All right. You''re the boss, and I''m all yours tonight." Hoping that Leena would much enjoy the night, Kevin stepped on the gas, not wanting to waste any more time. He''d make this night special so that Leena would be prepared when he finally got to talk about his impending travel. More and more, he paid closer attention to Leena now. It felt like his love for her was being tested in many ways, but he was sure that they would stick together against all the odds. Unbeknown to him, he would soon meet the worst trouble in his life ¡ª Leena would be in aa, and they might be forced to separate by death. Chapter 1242 Will You Miss Me A Little Bit (Part One) With her brow furrowing, Leena opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but she closed it again. Then she just moved her lips, staring at Kevin silently. She felt he was behaving quite strange today. The reason why Kevin had kept silent along the way was because he was thinking about how he would tell Leena that he was going abroad for a few months and still not hurt her in any manner. Meanwhile, Leena looked down, still wondering what made Kevin so quiet today. "Is this the ce that you were talking about?" Kevin asked, looking up at therge te with "The Fragrance" written on it. ''What an elegant name! Is it somehow rted to her?'' Kevin thought. Somehow, he felt a little familiar with the building in front of him. "Yes! Don''t you think it''s kind of familiar? It feels like a stream of clean water flowing slowly into your heart. Or it feels like you have found an oasis in a desert and you stop to take a drop of the fresh-tasting spring water from it." Leena said, continuing to smile at Kevin. If he could feel the same way, it proved that he also loved her the same way she did. A ce decorated by her could make him feel attached to it just like he was attached to her! "Since when have you be so poetic?" Kevin asked, trying to dodge eyes from Leena. It seemed that he still needed one more chance to pour his feelings for Leena out. "Just imagine about it a little bit." Leena said, a sh of disappointment reflecting on her lips, then she gave a sweet smile immediately. At that moment, she looked as innocent and graceful as before, pure like a white lotus, without any kind of impurity attached to her. "Let''s go there would be more shocking things waiting for him. "Yes! I can tell you that I grew up with this restaurant. Edward and my brother helped me to take care of it when I was in high school. I rarely showed up here because I was busy studying at that time." Leena exined smugly with a smile. In fact, if she had actually handled the restaurant on her own probably it would have stopped existing long back. Because she had no experience in the business. Even her LN Fashion was supported and managed by a very strong group. Without them, she couldn''t handle it by herself as she felt she was not capable enough. "You have impressed me again!" Kevin said, shaking his head in disbelief. He thought he knew a little about her. He had no idea whether any other unexpected things could happen again in the future. "Thanks for your praise and admiration." Leena said smiling happily. She took hispliment gracefully. "Leena, is this handsome man your boyfriend?" One of the employees asked curiously. Leena had a very good rtionship with the employees because of her easy-going and fun-loving character. Chapter 1243 Will You Miss Me A Little Bit (Part Two) "Oh! I forget to introduce him to you. To be true, he is not my boyfriend. He''s my husband. So when you see him next time, you should treat him in the same way as you treat me. Hope I am clear?" Leena said seriously, especially thest sentence. It sounded like nobody should doubt her. "Clear enough! Leena. Definitely, I will pass this information to all the staff." One of the employees answered as soon as he could. He had never thought Leena would get married so soon since they were almost of the same age. "Good! Is Manager Mo around?" Leena asked casually. Manager Mo was in charge of her restaurant. Although Edward and Duke helped her to supervise the restaurant, it was impossible for them toe here frequently. So they had hired Mo to do the managing work. "He went home earlier today because he said there was some emergency. Do you want me to call him now?" One of the employees asked after some hesitation. After all, it was the first time Leena had asked about the manager. She had never done this before. "No need. We will sit in the booth, so please serve us some favorite dishes in our restaurant." Leena said. She insisted on having the personal touch in her restaurant. So all the staff had to work very hard even if she wasn''t there, and this was something that made her feel very proud of them. "Got it. Leena, I''ll do it right now." One of the employees said, nodding and then leaving. "Let''s go inside, then!" Leena said, smiling at Kevin shyly. Both then walked inside holding hands with their love visible to everyone. "Girl, how many things do you have that I don''t know about?" Taking off the coat and putting it over the back of the chair, Kevin asked while he stared at vin asked, staring at Leena quietly and expecting a reaction from her. "For how long?" Leena asked peacefully, but something hade to her mind. "About three months. Or maybe even longer." Kevin answered, his eyes locked onto Leena. He could see that she was trembling. "Can you tell me that are you going for official or personal purpose?" Leena was dismayed about this. If Kevin''s trip was official, she would be absolutely supportive even if she didn''t like it. Because she knew that Kevin didn''t just belong to her but also to the nation. If he was leaving for any personal issue, she would like to know what kind of matter needed his attention for such a long duration. "For official reasons. But is there any difference?" Kevin asked, confused. Eventually, he was leaving home no matter what the reason was. "Of course. As a soldier, it''s your responsibility to go on your mission. But if it''s for your personal issue, I can''t understand it unless you give me a solid reason to go away." Leena answered. She didn''t think herself was a woman with jealousy. But it didn''t mean that she had no judgement or her own personality. Chapter 1244 Will You Miss Me A Little Bit (Part Three) "Do you think I''m that kind of selfish person who leaves home for some personal reason and doesn''t take his wife along with him?" Leena''s sensible behavior at that moment impressed Kevin. He continued looking at her with more passion. "That''s hard to say! Like my sister-inw said, men should not be trusted." Leena said, looking at Kevin, her eyes trying to provoke him. In fact, as far as she knew, Kevin wasn''t going to do anything that was considered immoral." "Am I also included in it?" Kevin asked, frowning. He didn''t think he was a bad person! "What about you telling me?" Leena didn''t answer but asked him, enjoying Mapo Tofu which the staff had served minutes ago. Although she looked rxed, her heart was sad. "If you want me to judge myself, I don''t think I''m that kind of man." Kevin answered, grinning. It seemed that his thought process was simr to that of Edward''s. "Is your this time''s mission dangerous?" Leena asked, biting her lips. Finally, she asked about something that was bothering her for a long time. Because she was worried that the answer would be something that could increase her sadness. "No. It''s just a simple mission. But I can''t promise about any idents that might happen." Kevin answered. He didn''t n to hide it from her. The truth was that this mission was only a little dangerous. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have rmended Hank to themander to finish this mission. The truth was that Hank wasn''t scared of death. "Can you not make me feel so worried about you?" Leena asked, looking at Kevin with expectations. She was as Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. starting the car and driving into the traffic slowly. "Kevin, this time, you would not be able tomunicate with the outside world too?" Leena asked faintly. It seemed that this time too she would not be able to get in touch with him. "Exactly. But I will send you a message as and when I get a chance." Kevin said. He knew she would miss him. But he could do nothing about this because he couldn''t break the rules set for him. "I''m just wondering if you are going to miss me a little bit." Leena talked to herself, unconsciously blocking the answer that Kevin was giving. It seemed that she was totally disappearing in her own world. Kevin had never seen Leena in such a sad mood. "Nana. You''re my wife, there''s no doubt that I will miss you." Kevin looked very serious and emotional when he said this. He nced at Leena to check her reaction. But she gave no response. "Okay. I got it." Leena said, showing neither cheer nor any happiness. As he said, he would miss her just because she was his wife. It wasn''t because he loved her deeply. Chapter 1245 The Misunderstanding (Part One) The city was a special economic zone, so even at night, the streets were still overcrowded. People did all kinds of things, going to work, going out to eat, going shopping, or just going home. When they walked outside, Kevin always held Leena close in his arms, sheltering her from all the other busy people. Walking the busy streets with a Major General was definitely going to turn some heads. Other women looked at the pair with obvious interest. Leena had expected this. But seeing other women enchanted with her hubby still made her unhappy. Leena could tell from their eyes that they couldn''t help but be a little jealous of her, because she was the one in the handsome man''s arms. "All the girls are looking at you again." Leena couldn''t help but pucker up her lips, her tone betraying a trace of jealousy and possessiveness. When this kind of thing happened when she was out with her brothers, she hadn''t thought much about it -- because they were all her brothers, and she didn''t need to be jealous. But Kevin was different. He was her husband, after all. So Leena, being the possessive type, could do nothing butin. "I didn''t do anything!" It sounded like an usation. Kevin didn''t understand where this came from, because he didn''t even look at other women. All his attention was solely on Leena. "Exactly! You didn''t do anything, but they still think you''re hot. And it''s so annoying." Leena rolled her eyes at him. She wanted to hide him away from everyone. She knew this wasn''t logical, and it wasn''t Kevin''s fault for being so handsome and enticing. But she just couldn''t help it. Who would have thought that Leena would be so possessive once she fell in love with somebody? Certainly not her. "Don''t worry. They''re looking at me, but I only have eyes for you, bae. You should feel proud of yourself for nabbing a great guy like me." Kevin was clearly very satisfied with himself. What did she want him to do, anyway? Wear a brown paper bag? Then suddenly, he pulled Leena into a ceramics shop. "You''re impossible." Leena nced at him. She couldn''t deny that Kevin was really a great and outstanding man. And she was lucky. "That''s all right, because I''m only impos Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. elle wouldn''t be romancing a soldier. Since they didn''t find Michelle, they quickly left. "All right. They''re gone now," he said, and disentangled the girl from his arms. Kevin wanted to push her away at first -- a natural reaction, given she wasn''t his wife. But she seemed desperate, so he decided to help her out. When those guys walked into the shop, he knew what was up. So to make her look less suspicious, he held her even closer, letting her bury her head in his chest too. "Thanks a lot, handsome. Gotta jet. See you around!" Michelle pulled on her cap and winked knowingly at Kevin. Then she quickly walked out of the shop and disappeared into the crowd. Kevin shook his head helplessly, and tucked the receipt into his wallet. Then he turned around and looked around for Leena. But he couldn''t spy her in the store. He looked behind shelves and around other disys. Nothing. He walked back up to the counter. "Excuse me, did you see the girl who was with me just now? The one I came in with, I mean," Kevin asked the shop assistant. At the same time, he still craned his neck and stood on his toes, hoping to catch sight of Leena. "Oh. That one? She took off," The shop assistant said, handing the nicely wrapped pair of dolls to him. To be honest, she was also curious why the girl left. The girl was excited when she walked in and Kevin showed her the dolls. But then she left in a real hurry, her color ashen, and her eyes full of tears. Chapter 1246 The Misunderstanding (Part Two) "What? When? Where did she go?" Kevin took the box that the shop assistant handed to him. His face was full of worry, as was his voice. Why did she leave? Well, he guessed he could deal with thatter. The most important thing right now was to find Leena. "She went that way," The shop assistant kindly told him, pointing down the street. She was pretty sure Leena was distraught. That was why she paid more attention to her. She wasn''t used to her customers looking that way at all. "Okay, thanks!" Kevin quickly excused himself and ran out of the shop, heading in the direction the shop assistant indicated. He just hoped that she didn''t go too far. As expected, he had to deal with crowds, turning his body this way and that just to get past them. None of them were moving at the same pace he was. Leena walked the crowded streets with a lost look on her face. Tears fell down her already tear-stained cheeks, but she didn''t even realize that she was silently crying. She was like a zombie, walking with her head down, paying no heed to where she was headed. People kept bumping into her, but she didn''t give a damn. She just kept walking with hollow eyes. ''She is about my age. Does he think she''s prettier?'' she thought bitterly to herself. Leena saw Kevin talking to her at first, and she didn''t think much of it. She had thought that maybe she was just a friend, someone he hadn''t run into for a while. He''d lived here awhile, so he probably had people he knew. But imagine her surprise when the girl suddenly threw herself into Kevin''s arms. And what was worse, Kevin didn''t push her away, instead, he even held her closer and buried her head in his chest. Leena just couldn''t stand looking at them anymore. This was like a dagger in her heart. So she just left without a word. She didn''t know where she was going, and she didn''t care. She just dragged her numb feet and left the shop. She had thought that Kevin was a simple and honest man. But it seemed that she was terribly, deeply wrong. He''d been in love with Daisy, then Louisa popped up. Now, there was another girl she didn''t recognize, and they were obviously affectionate But he wasn''t fat -- this was all muscle. His words were nasty and as foul as his appearance. Leena just ignored him because she didn''t want to waste any time on someone like that. Her tears finally dried. She walked ahead with a nk face, showing no emotion. "Hey, missy! Didn''t you hear me?" The thug saw that Leena ignored him and was very unhappy about it. So he followed her. "Fuck off! Or else." Leena stopped in her tracks and red coldly at him. She was pissed off. And if the guy continued saying nasty things to her, then she''d make him regret even waking up today. After all, it was a piece of cake for her to beat this guy. "Haha! Whoa, are you a fighter, girl? I like it. That''s hot!" The man tried to grab her while he said this, but before he could touch Leena, a strong hand appeared out of nowhere and grabbed his shirt, bunching it in his fist. "Didn''t you hear her? She told you to fuck off." Kevin''s face was stone cold. He pushed hard, and the guy fell down to the ground. And as soon as the guy looked up and saw Kevin in his military uniform, he scrambled to get off the ground and scampered down the alley. He didn''t want a confrontation with a trained fighter. Not only would he be beaten, but he''d end up in prison. That was thest ce he wanted to be, assembling various items all day, hearing the constant cries of "faster", and earning a p or a kick if you looked at someone wrong. Chapter 1247 The Misunderstanding (Part Three) Leena continued walking as if she hadn''t seen Kevin. He gritted his teeth and followed her. Because he needed time to calm down and think, or he was afraid that he would shout at her in frustration. He was happy when he found her, then she made his heart sink again by walking off. He was about to call his men stationed at the base and have his soldiers to help him look for Leena. Because he was extremely worried that something might happen to her -- and he was right. But he heard her voice down the alley, and quickly ran to her direction and helped her chase off the thug. And then she stalked off again. Finally, after a few minutes'' walk, he walked up to her and grabbed her wrist. In shock, Leena fell backwards and he caught her in his arms. "Why did you leave without saying anything?" Kevin held her tightly in his arms. He had thought he almost lost her. He didn''t mind the people passing by staring at them with strange looks on their faces. He didn''t care. He had her back, and he was in heaven -- for the moment. "Not like you care. Let go of me!" Leena struggled violently, trying desperately to break free. But Kevin didn''t let her go, instead, he held her even tighter. "Not like I care? What are you talking about? You''re being unfair, Nana. I care about you. A lot." Kevin was frowning, now, his feelings of euphoria forgotten. He didn''t let go of Leena because he had sensed that Leena''s attitude towards him had changed. She was cold towards him. And that was something that never happened before. What was going on? And how could he fix it? "Ha! Really? Don''t even try to lie! If you really cared about me, you wouldn''t have let that girl hug you! And you... you... you hugged her back!" Leena had to struggle to get thest bit out. She fought back tears, and tried to keep an even tone. Leena''s tone was cold, distant and full of sarcasm. This was the first time that she showed her jealousy to him. She knew she was being petty, but she just couldn''t help it. She cared too much about Kev Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. r. He wanted to do everything he could to help her rx. She had passed her breaking point tonight. Leena just stood there stubbornly, coldly watching Kevin doing all these things for her. She thought that Kevin dragged her into the bathroom with him just because he didn''t want her to escape. She figured, ''Good, let him do all this. He deserves it.'' And to be honest, she couldn''t escape anyway. So she didn''t even try at all. "Take off your clothes. Or do you need my help?" Kevin said, taking off his military coat. He carelessly threw it on the shelf beside him. Then he rolled up his sleeves and looked at her with a cold look on his face. It was clear that he was also in a bad mood. He wasn''t yful when he offered to help her undress. "No. Just get out." Leena gritted her teeth and said in a cold tone, as if they wereplete strangers. Kevin just sighed. "Okay, you need my help." Saying these words, Kevin didn''t give her any chance to struggle. He just grabbed her and yanked her coat off. There was no trace of emotion on his face. It seemed that their rtionship was very strained at this moment. He tried not to be too rough, no matter how angry he was. "Ah! Kevin, you little --" Leena wrapped her arms around herself protectively and red at Kevin with angry eyes, fuming. This was not going to be a fun night. Chapter 1248 A Big Problem (Part One) "I think the word you''re searching for is ''asshole.'' A real asshole would never ask for your permission before taking off your clothes, but I did." Kevin gave Leena an evil smile. Though he was still angry at her, her usation amused him. He decided to y with it. Maybe he could put them both in a better mood. "But you didn''t wait for my answer! Liar!" Leena was incensed by Kevin''s sophistry. He did ask her before taking off her coat, but she didn''t say yes. To be fair, she didn''t say no, either. But that still didn''t give him the right. Oooh! The man was so infuriating sometimes! "I''m a soldier. Time is important to me, and even a one second dy would put your life in danger. I don''t hesitate, I act." While speaking, Kevin took off her sweater as well. He was serious about this. She might end up naked if she didn''t do something. "Stop it! I''ll do it myself. Get out!" Leena demanded and rearranged her underwear. He practically took that off. At this moment, Kevin''s phone rang. He took a meaningful look at her before he whipped out his phone. He frowned when he saw the number ¡ª it was from the army base. "I need to take this. Have a nice bath!" He didn''t bother telling Leena who was calling. Instead, Kevin warned her and walked out of the bathroom. The subtext behind "have a nice bath" was clear. The real message was "take a bath, now." The moment he stepped out, Leena shut and locked the door, which stunned him. He recognized that sound anywhere. So he walked out towards the balcony, sighing in resignation, and pressed the "answer" button. "Hello, this is Kevin Gu." Leaning forward with his ha Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ne, are you okay? You look terrible, and you seem so upset. What happened?" Gerard asked worriedly. Since he''d poured out all his feelings for her, he was calmer and moreposed. He didn''t feel lonely as expected, and that was because of ire''spanionship. She was the one bright spot in his life. "Uh, I''m good. I just caught a cold." Leena gave him a bitter smile. Gerard was Be''s good friend, and that was why he was here as well. At least he finally epted the fact they would never be together. "Have you taken anything for it? Are you sure you''re able to attend thepetition tonight?" Be asked. The reason Be had agreed to take part in thepetition as a judge was because of Leena, her favorite student. Be wanted to raise Leena''s reputation. To be honest, Be had never treated her any other student like this before, but Leena was the special one. Leena was a gifted designer, and Be''s gut feeling told her that they would create new spectacles together. This was a special mentor-mentee rtionship, and had forged bonds that would never break. Chapter 1249 A Big Problem (Part Two) "Don''t worry, Be. I''ve already taken some decongestant. I''ll be okay." Leena was afraid that her cold would affect thepetition, so she had already taken something beforeing here. She hoped the pills would work. "That''s good. Mignonne, it''s your special performance tonight. Poise and grace are a must, and you can''t let a cold knock you down." Be was a confident designer. She was sure that the media would focus all their attention on the designer of LN FASHION instead of thepetition tonight. After Leena had made her debut in Paris, her poprity had reached a record high. Be believed that Leena would gain the same poprity in China. She had high hopes, and so did Leena. To be recognized in her home country would really be something. "Be, why is it my special performance?" Leena knew if people knew she was the designer of LN FASHION, it would cause a stir. But she didn''t know what Be meant by a special performance. "You''ve kept a low profile in the past. People want to know the face behind LN FASHION, and when you do your thing, it will go viral. Everyone knows that a prestigious designer in Europe will be at the show tonight. You''ll be the one the media focuses on. They''ll pay no attention to the participants. Pity, that!" That was the real reason Be epted the organizer''s invitation, otherwise she wouldn''t have agreed to take part in such a tinypetition. Of course, there was another reason: FX International Group was one of the sponsors. It was said that the CEO of FX International Group was handsome and charming, and girls the world over were enamored of him. Be also wanted to get to know this dashing gentleman. "I get it. But, Be, I don''t want to do the interview." Frowning, Leena thought she''d like to l isn''t on you. Why are you making all the reports?" Lee was outraged. He thought Kevin was getting screwed. Though Kevin was Major General, thepanymander and battalionmander should also share the me. "Lee, no matter which one of my soldiers made the mistake, it''s still my fault. There was something wrong with how I managed things. I''ve not been doing enough in the areas supervision and administration. I know you feel I''m taking too much responsibility, but it''s my choice. My men, my mistake." Kevin raised his hand to rub his aching head. He had worked the whole day and night without a break, and he felt exhausted. "But I still feel you''re getting the shaft," Leeined. He felt that Kevin was dragged into this for no reason. "Don''t worry. They''ll be held ountable as well. By the way, is Senior Colonel Ouyang back yet?" Kevin knew Daisy had her own work cut out for her today, so he hadn''t informed her of what had happenedst night. If he had told her that, it would just piss her off and wouldn''t help anything. So Daisy was not in the army base today. "No, she isn''t. She''s ted to be back tonight," Lee answered as he checked the time. Chapter 1250 A Big Problem (Part Three) "Got it! I''m going to the hospital to check the situation of the injuredter. And I''m heading home after that. If you need me, just call." Kevin was worried about his wife now. He had left home in such a hurry that he hadn''t exined anything to her. He hadn''t called her at all as he had been busy the whole time. And now, he decided to exin everything to her when he got home. After all, it was better to exin it face to face. That way he could gauge her reactions and figure out what points to stress. He''d done nothing, but he could understand why she felt he had. "Major General Gu, the Commander said an emergency meeting ising up. So you may have to be here awhile. Please eat something first." Lee transmitted the Commander''s orders to Kevin. Actually, an emergency meeting had already been held this morning. Lee didn''t know why another one was needed, but his order was not to question, just obey. So he did. "What? Maybe because some city bigwigs are here." Kevin frowned. He just wanted to get home. "The Commander didn''t say. They''ll start when Senior Colonel Ouyang gets here. She''s on her way." It was rush hour, so the traffic was bad. Daisy would not arrive until at least 8 PM. Kevin cursed his luck again. But flexibility was required in the army. "It sounds like high muck-a-mucks are here. I guess I''d better prepare the meeting draft." The so-called meeting draft referred to the self-ountability and treatment measures of the unwarranted attack, and Kevin had gathered a lot of information about it today. "But, yo China, so few people knew the name. When the host introduced her as the designer of LN FASHION, they cried out in disbelief and turned to take a second look at her. To ordinary people, LN FASHION only meant one out of countless brands. But to those people in the know about the fashion industry, including some fashionistas, their eyes went as wide as saucers when they heard the news and gazed at her with admiring eyes. They had thought the designer of LN FASHION was an elderly or a middle-aged person. So many designers had paid their dues and gotten their wrinkles and grey hairs. Little did they know that it was an innocent young girl. And to their intense surprise, she was one of Be''s students, world-famous Be. So many people wanted to study under her but failed, as Be was very picky selecting students. Leena stood and bowed to the audience, and won a standing ovation. Though she was used to this happening abroad, she was still a little shy. After all, it was her first time appearing before the public in China. Chapter 1251 The Media Was Being Troublesome (Part One) The stage was an attractive ce and all models were eager to walk on it. All the contestants knew that being on the ramp was a privilege that only a few people could get. Hence they put in all their efforts to ensure that they rocked the entire event. The theme of thepetition was "Dream City", so all the clothes that were up on disy focused on that. They were a blend of grace, style and poise, so all models wearing them looked extraordinary too. As one of the judges of thepetition, Leena was being very serious about the whole matter. She looked at the clothes on the ramp and wrote her opinion about each. However, she didn''t expect to see Louisa and ire on the ramp, and that surely left her shocked. Actually, Leena was not the only one who was surprised. Louisa and ire were also surprised to see Leena on the jury so much so that they almost fell off. However, the two soon adjusted and became calm like before. They didn''t want to mess up thepetition because of her; otherwise, all their training would have been wasted. "ire, what''s going on? Why is she in the jury?" As soon as Louisa came back to backstage, she asked angrily, thinking, ''She is a judge? Who has appointed her to judge me?'' Apparently, seeing Leena there had definitely damaged Louisa''s self-esteem. "How do I know? Don''t ask me. I don''t know why she is here." ire said anxiously, and thought, ''I told them I was going to the vi for a vacation, but now I''m on the ramp. They will know that I have been lying. How could I exin this to them?'' "What? That woman hates me. She must have probably given us a low grade on purpose in thispetition." She didn''t expect that she would meet Leena here, so she had forgotten everything that she had nned to do on the stage. Now, she was worried that no model agencies would be considering her for work. If Leena had given her a low grade, all her dreams and efforts would be wasted. "Louisa, Leena is not such a narrow-minded person. You don''t have to worry about that at all." ire said in frustration, thinking, ''Kevin''s going to be very upset when he finds out. It''s all Louisa''s fault. I have been rehearsing for this program for a long time, but I le sister. Few people in the city knew her identity, so no one knew that she was also Mignonne, the founder of LN FASHION. "Miss Leng, can you tell us why you didn''t disclose that you are Mignonne?" "Miss Leng, are youing back to S City to give your career wings?" "Miss Leng, do you have a boyfriend?" "Miss Leng, are you now going to appear in public under the name Mignonne or your good name?" Faced with such questions from the media, Leena was very troubled. She didn''t want to answer their questions, and she didn''t know which one to answer first either, so she looked very embarrassed about the whole matter. "Miss Leng, I''ve heard that Be only participates in internationalpetitions. And in no circumstances would she participate in a small program like this. Be took up the post as judge of thispetition because you asked her to?" "Miss Leng, can you tell us something about President Leng and President Shangguan''s married life?" "Yes. Miss Leng, can you please tell us?" Duke never gave interviews, so only a few people knew about him. The media finally managed to get this opportunity, so they wouldn''t let it go from their hands. "Look, ire. Our work has not even entered the next round. Is it because of Leena?" Louisa angrily stared at Leena, who was surrounded by the media, and thought, ''Why? How does Leena get everything she wants without making any major efforts? Why can''t Ie even close to what she has achieved?'' Chapter 1252 The Media Was Being Troublesome (Part Two) "Huh! Didn''t you see that? In addition to Leena, there are other judges also. Do you think only she can decide whether we should be shortlisted or not?" ire had no idea that Leena was the designer of LN FASHION. No wonder she had a very good fashion sense and had the knack of finding the best piece as a winner. "Huh! She is the designer of LN FASHION? So what? I will be definitely better than her. I''m going to make her bow to me. You just see!" Looking at Leena''s smile, Louisa wanted to hurt her somehow, and she thought in anger, ''This bitch has stolen my thunder. No one pays attention to me. It''s all because of that bitch. If she hadn''t turned up, it wouldn''t have been like this.'' Thinking of this, Louisa started hating Leena even more. "Louisa, don''tment without thinking. People willugh at you. It is better if you keep quiet at the moment" P gently tugged at her dress. She seemed very calm and did not show any dissatisfaction with the result. She knew that there were many people who were much better than her, so she believed in the fairness and impartiality of the result given. She also believed that Leena was not against them. "What do you mean? Now, are you going to make me angry, too?" As Louisa said, she looked at Leena in the limelight. Everyone was trying to get her attention, but Louisa didn''t think she deserved so much importance. "That''s not what I meant. I just want to tell you that LN FASHION is an international brand and is popr even in European countries. A lot of people love this brand, including the so-called very rich ss. This brand sells very well in the international market." To avoid getting scolded by Louisa, P tried to exin in a soft voice. She felt that maybe Louisa had no clue of the truth. She also thought, ''I''m not angry with Leena as a participant. Why did Louisa get angry? This is a designingpetition, not a modeling one. This contest has nothing to do with her.'' "So what? Should I respect her just because she is a renowned designer at LN FASHION?" Louisa gritted her teeth. After hearing what it for me here for a moment, I will go and say hello to them, and then wille back to you." Edward reached out and gently squeezed her face, which was quickly noticed by the media. Edward and the Leng Group were known to be family friends; however, media always looked for such opportunities to gossip. They here could not help but think if there was an affair between both of them. Some senior reporters didn''t notice this little gesture at all, because they all knew that Leena was like a sister to four celebrity men in this city. "OK! I''m going to say hello to ire." Leena knew that Edward had scolded the media persons and they did not dare to interview her again. She was safe now and she could rx. "Okay. Go ahead." Edward gently smiled. He wasn''t supposed toe here, but Daisy had called and told him that she wasing back from thepany for a meeting at the army base. Since he was free at that time, he decided that he would go to see Leena. He knew she was looking forward to thispetition. "ire, didn''t you say that you were going to be at the vi for a few days? Why are you here?" Leena did not even look at Louisa. She asked gently, trying not to show any anger in her tone. "Leena, let''s go to the other side and talk." After what had happened, ire no longer trusted Louisa, so she decided it was better that she did not notice them talking. Chapter 1253 Leena In The Water (Part One) "Yeah! Let''s go!" Leena reached out and straightened ire''s clothes a little. From a design point of view, the dress that ire just showed was not bad, but it was not suited for the theme of thispetition. And the chosen fabrics were not wless, which negatively affected the texture of the dress. Even so, Leena still gave it a decent score with a slight bias. "Leena, I can''t believe that you''re the brand designer for LN. But why didn''t you ever mention this before?" ire pouted and voiced her displeasure. "It''s not something worth bragging about. Why would I mention it? Though you should tell me why you are here at thepetition!" The two walked by the pool as they spoke. Since the venue was specifically used for a fashion show, all kinds of set pieces were in ce. The pool was entirely used as a background for something like a swimwear show. The design was made ording to the standards of a model walkway incorporated with the water element. "Leena, sorry! I lied. Actually I did this only as a favor for Louisa''s friend. The models who promised to walk for her dropped out all of a sudden, so I filled in when they couldn''t find any other models. I was afraid that my brother wouldn''t agree if he found out. That was why I hid this from you on purpose," ire said quite apologetically. She also chuckled at herself as she was not sure if she should still consider Louisa as her sister. After all their rtionship was very much on thin ice. "Even if that''s the case, you should have told me! I really thought you were at the mansion, recuperating. That''s w . I look up to the old man as a hero. He is my husband''s superior officer after all, but that doesn''t mean that you share that same respect. So don''t alwayse in front of me looking for a fight. I''m going to be the hard pill that you wouldn''t want to swallow." Leena always followed the rule of staying in her ownne as long as no one offended her. However, Louisa seemed to be oblivious to her own worst qualities. She was just so insistent on being disgraced, almost as if she enjoyed the humiliation. "Tsk! Nobody asked you to respect him. What''s more, my father is not a fan of hypocrites who suck up to him, so why don''t you just save it? Stop acting so high and mighty." If it weren''t for the reporters and the prominent figures in the venue, Leena would have ripped Louisa''s nasty mouth off her face. "If that''s the case, then please leave! Do yourself a favor and stop squeezing yourself into ces where you are not wanted." Leena didn''t care that Louisa was barking. She might have been bitten by the bitch, but she was not going to bite back. Chapter 1254 Leena In The Water (Part Two) "Louisa, please just go! And keep it together. After all not everyone is as naive as I was, unknowingly manipted by you like a fool." About her "friend" Louisa, ire had figured everything out. So after she thought things through, she didn''t feel bad about the current situation at all. On the contrary, she was grateful that she saw through Louisa before she could cause more serious damage. After careful consideration, ire felt that this was instead most fortunate. "What, you are drawing a line between us so quickly? ire, with your intellect, even if I didn''t manipte you, somebody else will pick up the strings, so why don''t you go home and buy a pig brain so you can have something to stuff in that empty head of yours? That''s in case you''re going to be clueless after some man has his way with you." With her arms crossed before her chest, Louisashed out with such mean words. "Then, howe despite your great intellect, you went so low as to seduce a married man, bringing your father shame and disgrace?" ire was tightly gritting her teeth. She couldn''t regret more about helping this evil woman before her in hurting Leena so much. "What did you say? I seduced a married man? Are you implying that I was a mistress? Don''t you forget that you were part of that! I''m going to shut your bitch ass mouth up." Louisa lifted her hand as she spoke. She no longer cared about damaging her reputation and swung her palm towards ire. But before she could hit her, Leena reached out and grabbed her wrist. An icy condemnation quickly followed. "Louisa, weren''t you just bragging about being the daughter of an official? So this is how poorly an official''s daughter would behave? Look around you. This is not the ce for you to act out like this." Leena force ess towards her that really hurt her. At such a moment, she didn''t react, but instead she closed her eyes and waited for death to arrive. She thought that maybe this way, her pain and suffering would be alleviated somewhat. Everybody saw the sweet smile on her face, but no one knew about her badly wounded heart deep inside. In all honesty, the endless waiting had made her a little tired, so Leena wanted to take a break from it all and start her journey anew. Hopefully, she would not make the same mistake of falling in love with someone before someone falls in love with her. Just after Edward pulled Leena out of the water, Luke almost just as quickly got to the scene. He didn''t expect Edward to show up in there either. When Luke left the house, Edward was still at home, so when Luke saw him just now, he was quite surprised. He was just thinking of resuming his guard duties after he finished other business. Yet he could not have foreseen such an ident. "Mr. Mu, is she all right?" Luke took off his own clothes and quickly covered Leena with them. Because of the drenched gown that had clung to her body, Leena''s fine figure was quite noticeable through the thin fabric. Chapter 1255 Leena In The Water (Part Three) "Call Tom immediately and ask him to send for an ambnce. And if he''s at the hospital right now, then he needs toe along, too." After he finished, Edwardid Leena on a clean nket that the venue staff brought them. He then started taking first aid measures. The more severe the situation was, the more his calmness and steadiness showed. Edward also kept telling himself that nothing would happen to Leena, otherwise he would never forgive himself. After all, it was under his watch that the girl got into this ident, which meant that it was because of his negligence that she got caught in such a humiliating incident. Meanwhile at the army base, a shiver suddenly ran through Kevin''s hand holding a hot cup of tea. Unavoidably, the spilled hot water burned him a little, so he instinctively let the cup go. The crisp cracking of the cup ensued when it hit the ground, shattering into pieces. "Major General, are you alright?" Lee asked hurriedly, thinking that the man might have been too tired to even hold a hot cup of tea. "It''s OK, Lee. Why don''t you drive me back tonight?" Kevin sighed gently and pinched the top of his nose bridge that was already in a bit of pain. He hadn''t had a good rest for two days, so to avoid falling asleep at the wheel, he thought Lee would be better-suited to drive. "Yes, Major General." In fact, even if Kevin hadn''t brought this up, Lee was nning on taking the wheel anyway, so he agreed without hesitation. When their car just exited the gate of the army base, Kevin''s phone suddenly rang. He lightened up a little, subconsciously assuming that it was Leena who was calling. Did this mean that she had forgiven d out of his usual yful personality. He seemed totally different, sharp and impregnable. "Yeah! Mr. Mu, please change into dry clothes first! Leena will feel upset when she hears about this." Luke joined in persuading Edward and brought up Leena in the hopes that she could motivate him. "Hand me the clothes. I''ll be out in five." Edward was always obsessed with cleanliness. Every time before he changed the clothes that came in contact with his skin, he would take a shower first. But he didn''t care so much today. Edward snatched the clothes that Luke brought and quickly walked towards the hospital toilet. Luke followed him closely. Right after Edward left, a discordant set of high-heel steps approached. Soon people saw Belinda staggering towards them. It was obvious how shocking the news was to her. Most importantly, Duke was not in S City at the moment. He said he was returning today, but he was probably still on his flight since he only boarded this afternoon. She wouldn''t know how strongly he would react after learning something as serious as this. She didn''t even dare picture the scene. Chapter 1256 She Has No Will To Survive (Part One) "Rain, how is Leena? What did Tom say?" The moment Belinda arrived, she peeped into the operating room through the ss window and asked for Leena''s news. She was in no mood to make fun of Rain at this critical moment. "Tom is giving emergency treatment to her. Don''t worry. She''s gonna be fine. We have Jerry. He''s the best doctor in the world," Rain assured Belinda. But deep inside, he was worried about Leena as well. "I hope so. What happened to her? How did she fall into the water? It''s so cold this evening." Belinda walked up and down with unease. She was flustered and her mind was in great confusion. It was not until now that she realized how important Duke was to her. If he were here right now, she would not be in so much panic. "I don''t know either. I guess Edward knows what happened. He was the one who brought Leena here." They had been so concerned about Leena''s safety when they heard the news that they forgot to find out what had actually happened. Leena was saved from drowning. However, they all knew that she could swim. So how did she almost drown? "ire, you''re here! Were you with Leena when she fell into the water?" Belinda finally registered ire''s presence and guessed that thetter would know something about this. "It''s all my fault. If I hadn''t taken part in the Dream Citypetition, Leena wouldn''t be in danger right now." Recalling what had happened, ire burst into tears again. She felt guilty and repentant. If she had seen Louisa''s true colors at the beginning itself, thetter would have had no opportunity to hurt Leena. "Dream Citypetition? What is that?" Belinda asked with a frown. Worry was etched across her face. "I know about it. It''s a fashion designpetition. FX International Group is one of its sponsors," Rain said, rubbing his brow. If he had known that Leena was one of the judges, he would have attended thepetition instead of leaving it to his subordinates. Then this might not have happened. "I don''t care about thepetition. All I want to know is why Leena fell into the water." Belinda shook her head anxiously. "Um... We had a fight with Louisa and she identally bumped into Leena. That''s how Leena fell into the water." Even though ire had fallen out with Louisa, she still absolved he in a hurry. He had never known it would take so long to reach the hospital from the military base. He had been in deep suffering all along the way. "The doctors are still working on her." ire lowered her head in shame. She felt that what happened to Leena was her fault. "Kevin Gu, you should pray and repent before God. If something happens to Leena, I will make you go down with her." Edward grabbed Kevin''s cors and stared at him with dangerous eyes. "Major General Gu!" Seeing Edward''s actions, Lee reached out in an attempt to pull him away, but Kevin stopped him. Lee stepped back, watching them helplessly. "If something bad happens to Leena, I would not forgive myself either. You should wait until they operate on her," Kevin said in a cold voice. He freed himself from Edward''s grip easily. All he cared about right now was Leena''s safety; he was in no mood to be gentle to Leena''s sworn brothers and face their usations. "Bah! Kevin Gu, I am telling you bluntly that if Leena doesn''t make it this time, I will have you and I buried along with her," Rain sneered, casting a scornful nce at Kevin. Resolution was written all over his face. Apparently, he had no interest in living any longer. Annie''s disappearance had been a huge blow to him. There was nothing to keep him in this world now. "Come on, guys! Are you cursing Leena? Or do you not believe in Tom?" Belinda cast the three of them warning looks. Why were men so vtile? They were in the mood to fight even in such a critical moment! Chapter 1257 She Has No Will To Survive (Part Two) "Listen man, you better pray for Leena now. If she doesn''te out of this fit, I won''t spare you, no matter who you are!" People said that Edward was a heartless man, but in actuality, he was extremely loyal and affectionate to the people he cared about. "Edward! Stop behaving like a spoiled brat!" Daisy''s cold voice came from behind them. They didn''t know when she had arrived. Maybe it had been when they were quarreling, so nobody noticed her. "Ha! Senior Colonel Ouyang. Did your heart break when you saw him being threatened?" Edward had been going crazy worrying about Leena and began to scold anyone who dared to defend Kevin, including his beloved wife. Leena had been in the operating room for more than an hour. He had no idea what was going on in there. "Edward Mu, you bastard! If you continue to act like this, I will cuff you up to calm you down. You''re the CEO of a transnational corporation! Why are you being so ridiculous in such a vital moment?" Daisy cast a stern nce at her husband. She had just got off work and was about to go home, but was informed of the bad news. When she arrived, she saw the three fighting with each other like brats. She couldn''t believe her eyes. ''Are they really looking after Leena in this ridiculous manner?'' she wondered. "I told them not to fight but they just didn''t listen to me. I wonder what''s going on in there. I''m so worried about Leena," Belinda said, still pacing up and down. Why was Tom still in there? "Belinda, don''t worry. Come and sit down. Take some rest. You should take care of yourself. After all, you''re..." Daisy reached out and helped Belinda sit on a nearby bench. Belinda was pregnant and Daisy didn''t want her to lose the baby because of Leena''s emergency. Belinda hadn''t been to the hospital yet to check out her situation, but she had bought early pregnancy kits which told her that she was pregnant. "Shh! I''m okay. Don''t tell them the news yet!" Belinda whispered in a hurry, interrupting Daisy. She didn''t want the others to know about her condition yet, for she wanted to double check it at the hospital first. Moreover, this was not the right time to announce the news. Edward gnashed his teeth together and stared coldly at Da Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. alm voice as he held Daisy''s waist. Only Daisy knew that Edward was not as calm as he looked. His hand around her waist was shaking. "Just be silent as much as possible. No matter how angry you are, you must stay calm until Leena wakes up." Tom sighed with profound resignation. ''I hope she will find the meaning of life again, otherwise even if she recovers physically, she might not wake up at all. She has shut her mind from the outside world. I hope someone can convince her to open her heart and mind again, '' he thought to himself. "Doctor Qin, can I go in to see her?" Kevin pleaded, an expectant expression on his face. He knew why Leena had no will to survive and was seized with remorse. ''If I knew she was so bothered by the hug between me and Michelle, I should have called up and exined everything to her as soon as possible, no matter how busy I was. She wouldn''t have ended up like this then.'' "We''ll transfer her to the ICU first. Only one person is allowed to go inside. Remember, do not talk too much to her. You can decide who will go in." As a doctor, he could only do as a doctor should do. He wouldn''t make the decision by himself, so he asked the others to decide who would go in. Everyone wanted to be the one to go in, but they knew the only one who was qualified for it was Kevin. He was Leena''s legal husband. More importantly, he was the person Leena was most anxious to meet. This was the reason why Leena''s sworn brothers disliked Kevin so much. Chapter 1258 Youre Just Tired (Part One) "Kevin should be the one to go inside. Leena might not want to see us." Belinda managed a bitter smile. She had to admit, if she were Leena, she would only want to talk with her husband at this time. That was beyond doubt. "That''s right. Major General, Leena needs your encouragement. I guess she has lost all hopes of living, due to some misunderstandings. Right now, her heart is broken. You should try to exin yourself to her and lift her spirits." As far as Daisy was concerned, if a woman felt her life was hopeless, the man was to me. In Leena''s case, Kevin must be the bane of her miserable life. "I understand. Thank you," said Kevin while looking at the two women with gratitude. Without theirpany and sincere advice, the damage could have been greater. He knew that he himself could even be badly hurt. Edward and his group cared for Leena so much that they wouldn''t refrain themselves from punching Kevin to death. However, even if this was an unfair circumstance and he was beaten up, Kevin wouldn''tin. He failed to protect his wife, which was an undeniable fact. Consequently he deserved all of this. Kevin''s heart skipped a beat when he went inside the room and saw Leena lying on the bed, her face drained of all colors. Although he had already imagined such an image in his mind, it still came as a shock to him. He had to grab a corner of the desk for support to prevent himself from copsing in a heap. "Are you ok?" asked Tom with concern. He frowned. Among all those men who loved Leena, Tom was the only one who didn''t consider Kevin a repulsive man and did not hate him. He didn''t think that Kevin waspletely to me for what happened. "I''m fine. Don''t worry." Kevin smiled apologetically at Tom. Then, he walked quietly t ou''re in heaven or in hell, I''ll find you and bring you back. You know that?" Kevin smiled, with a mixture of fondness for his wife and deep resentment at his failure to keep her from danger. He glowered at her, as if to say that if she didn''t listen to him, he surely would take actions and kick her ass immediately. Leena felt her way apprehensively in the dark. Suddenly, a halo appeared in front of her and a gentle and beautiful woman waved at her. For a moment Leena thought this woman was the mother whom she had never met before. She had only one of her mother''s photos and used to spend a great deal of time staring at her and imagining their first meeting. And now Leena''s imagination came alive. She was more willing toe forward and hug her mother. Before she could take a step forward, she heard a familiar voice. A voice she longed to hear but couldn''t remember clearly. Her mother kept waving at her and smiling at her. But the voice said otherwise. The voice wanted her back, begged her toe back to his life. Leena''s heart was struggling, and being torn to pieces. She looked around, trying to find out where this voice wasing from and who it belonged to. Chapter 1259 Youre Just Tired (Part Two) "Babe, our fates have been entwined since the day you got drunk and came to me. You stirred up my life and you should take the responsibility. Are you listening? How dare you pretend to be asleep and keep avoiding me?" Kevin was pouring out his feelings of love for Leena. At that moment he regretted having not done it earlier when he had the chance. Human beings couldn''t realize mistakes until the veryst moment. Regret always camest. In Leena''s subconscious, her mother was looking at her intently with a gentle,forting face, and calling out to her in a loving voice. However, she had been waiting too long, and ended up being badly hurt. She needed her mother''s shoulders to lean against and her mother''s soothing voice to repair her broken heart. She longed for everything rted to motherhood, her maternal warmth, care and calmness. She started to walk towards her mother who, she knew, would never hurt her. "Christ! Her heart beats are getting weaker and far in between, we''re starting to lose her. Call Doctor Tom, right now!" said an assistant calmly but with a noticeable panic in her voice, picking up speed with her every movement. In response, a nurse rushed outside the room, looking for Tom. The atmosphere in the room got more and more tense, with the monitoring machines and their beep sounds going faster. Kevin looked around him, confused and scared, not knowing what was happening. But he knew that it wasn''t something good. He gripped Leena''s hand more firmly. Life or death had never been a big deal for him. However, for the first time, he was scared by the prospect of losing the only woman he really loved and cared about. "Nurse, prepare for defibrition. Kevin, go out now!" said Tom hurriedly and in amanding voice. He rushed into the ward, took a look at Leena, and sn . Go home, take a shower and hope for the best," said Tom in a tired voice. He rushed to the hospital from an academic seminar, after he received Luke''s call. It had also been a long and exhausting day for him. Kevin felt relieved when he finally got some positive news from Tom. He felt calmness return to him, and smiled his thanks. He knew Leena must have heard his whispers and decided to fight her way back to him. "I have got more important things to do than rest," replied Edward coldly. ''Commander, it''s not my fault. First of all, your daughter has crossed the line. Didn''t she know that Leena''s my sister and my family? Even I don''t darey a finger on her. But your daughter easily put her life in danger. Shouldn''t I have a nice talk with your girl?'' thought Edward inwardly. "Where are you going?" asked Daisy alertly. Daisy saw Edward''s face contort with anger. Deep inside, she knew that something was wrong. "Can I go with you guys?" asked Rain wickedly. Since Tom had asked them to go home, staying in the hospital wouldn''t help. Knowing nothing about medicine, Rain knew he was no use if Leena needed further medical attention. Instead, he had determined to go out and avenge Leena. Chapter 1260 Youre Just Tired (Part Three) "Wait! Where are you going?" repeated Daisy, standing in front of them and blocking their way. Until Leena was clearly out of the danger zone, she didn''t want any other disturbances created. "We''re going to drag the culprit in and deal with her," Rain blurted out. He was too furious and excited to notice that Edward kept shooting him warning nces. "Whom are you guys referring to?" Both Daisy and Kevin arrived at the hospitalter and didn''t know who put his wife into the critical condition she was in. "For this, you must ask Edward!" Rain met Edward''s angry stare and immediately realized that he was being stupid by telling Daisy such things. Daisy, beyond doubt, would stop them from bringing Louisa to justice. "Mr. Edward Mu, I don''t believe that you''re hiding it from me," said Daisy, raising her eyebrows. Strict discipline was imposed on soldiers, which meant that they couldn''t deal with things using questionable means. Under all circumstances, she would try to prevent them from lynching Louisa. Being court-martialed was thest thing she wanted. Besides, tolerating this kind of wrongdoing would make her an aplice. More than that, she was afraid that Kevin''s name would get dragged in the mud if Louisa was hurt. After all, both she and Kevin were special and they couldn''t talk their way out of this. "Damn! Listen to me. It''s rumored that it''s themander''s daughter who pushed Leena into the swimming pool. Now, she''s being held by Luke in the FX International Group building." Belinda was well aware of the potentially severe consequences of this. So, she didn''t dare to keep their scheme from Daisy. Imprisoning Louisa, they had already broken thew. "What? It''s madness. Release Louisa right now," Daisy demanded. Her brow furrowed in disgust. What a world of madness! Didn re well-educated civilians, and not some gangsters so they should do things by the book. "You do trust her. Fine, I will let her go, but not tonight. She has to pay the price of hurting Leena." Edward wasn''t going to give in. No matter what, he had to make that woman suffer. "Ok, I can promise you that. But you must keep her alive, and not hurt her one bit. Otherwise, it would get quite ugly." Daisy knew Edward too well. He always paid his debt. The use of torture on the imprisoned Louisa was inevitable. Daisy didn''t care whether Louisa was to be flogged or not, as long as she was alive, it was fine. She also felt Louisa''s arrogance and self-will repulsive. "I will keep her alive and conscious all the time so that she can have a taste of those gruesome tortures and beg for mercy." Edward took no effort in hiding his true thoughts. He had learnt a thousand methods of torturing a man without killing him. "Don''t overdo it. Even though you don''t mind pissing off themander, please put me and Kevin in your mind." Daisy pursed her lips and wondered whether she had followed a bad example. Otherwise, why would she choose to turn a blind eye to these things that she considered terribly wrong? Chapter 1261 Evil Is Rewarded With Evil (Part One) Anger like a volcano ready to erupt consumed Edward. All he wanted was to severely punish Louisa in his own way. He closed his ears to everything that Daisy said. "Which side are you on, Daisy? You think I''ve gone too far? Humph! Louisa has been stirring things up. Hasn''t she gone too far? You think I can just sit by idly?" In bitter hatred, Edward clenched his teeth. Louisa''s father was Daisy''s immediate boss, but he was aplete stranger to Edward, so Edward didn''t need to fawn on him. "I didn''t say that. Anyway, I have told you what I think. Do as you see fit." With her eyebrows knitted in a frown, Daisy cursed within. Although Louisa was a bitch, her death waspletely unnecessary. And Daisy didn''t want to inme the situation. Sitting by, trying as much as possible to remain calm, Kevin moved his lips, but he didn''t say anything. But in truth, he wanted to kill Louisa, were it not for the fact that he was a military officer who needed to exercise self-restraint. So instead Kevin fought back the urge to act on sudden impulse. Besides, he also believed that Edward knew what he was doing. "Don''t worry. I won''t ce you in a dilemma." Dejection written in his eyes, Edward sighed. For Daisy, the love of his life, he had to make concessions. There was no way he would hurt her. "Okay," Daisy answered softly. Now, she had no option but to let her husband have his way. If Daisy tried to stop him, it might only get him mad and push him over the edge, which certainly she didn''t wish for. The only thing she could do under current circumstances was to let him be, hoping he wouldn''t lose his cool. She had to trust his judgment. When Rain stormed out, preceded by Edward, Daisy knew they wanted to vent their anger tonight. Trying to mediate, she held Luke''s hand and whispered to him,"Luke, you must try to s Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. mile, ire answered. Since she brought the trouble, she couldn''t stay out of it. "Okay. Let''s go, Belinda. We''lle back early tomorrow morning." Calm and collected as ever, Daisy knew what to do at this critical moment, living up to her reputation. "Well, then, Kevin and Tom, please take good care of Leena." Hearing what the others said, Belinda no longer insisted on staying. She would go home to sleep ande back tomorrow morning. After Leena woke up, she would need some time to recuperate. They would be busy by then. "Don''t stand on ceremony. I treat Leena as my sister, and I''ll try my best to get her out of danger. You have to be careful in the first three months of pregnancy, Belinda." Having observed her for some time, Tom was sure that Belinda was pregnant. Sometimes she unconsciously touched her belly, but he felt that she was hiding it. "Take care on the way home, Belinda," Kevin cautioned. Since he knew that Mark would be waiting for Daisy outside, he wasn''t worried about her. Instead, he was worried about Belinda. "I will. Take care of Leena." Belinda patted Kevin on the shoulder and looked at Tom. An embarrassing look appeared on her face. Then she reluctantly left with Daisy. Chapter 1262 Evil Is Rewarded With Evil (Part Two) "I have to go back to my office. Let me know at once if anything happens to Leena." Feeling a little tired, Tom had to take a nap now, to keep his mind clear in an emergency. "Okay. Get your things done first." Foring to Leena''s rescue, Kevin was much obliged to Tom. "Are you all right, Kevin?" A worried ire asked as soon as Tom left. The usually mboyant Kevin appeared wholly drained of color. "I''m fine. Rest assured! Now tell me what happened," Kevin inquired. As far as he knew, ire was in the vi. Why did she stay with Leena and Louisa? "I''m really sorry. If it hadn''t been for me, Leena wouldn''t have quarreled with Louisa." Bit by bit, ire told Kevin the whole story, her eyes looking downcast. Her voice was shaky, on the verge of tears. She was really frightened. "Don''t cry. God protects the good. Leena will be okay." With a tired, sad expression, Kevin let out a sigh, wondering how little he knew about his wife. It had surprised him to learn that she was such a famous fashion designer abroad. Now he kicked himself for not having known it when he saw her stuff in the workshop. Genuinely, he felt sorry for not having paid attention. How could he be so uncaring? "I don''t understand, Kevin. Mr. Mu said that Leena could swim, but why did she drown?" ire had been listening to their talk, so she wondered why. "Maybe she was bitterly disappointed in me, so she chose to escape," sighed Kevin. It was clear that Leena always dressed following thetest trends. She always had a great sense of fashion. No wonder she even had her own opinions and taste about his clothes. To discover that Leena majored i no escape. For that, she shouted even louder. You''d think there was a ferocious beast caged and feeling threatened within her. "Oh? I wonder how you''ll make us suffer." Edward''s face fell. He walked in with a mocking, arrogant smile. "It''s you, Edward. Why do you detain me here?" At the sight of Edward, Louisa was taken aback. This man was so noble and extraordinary that she could only look at him from a distance. "Why? Do you think I brought you here for sex because you''re pretty? Look at you. I wouldn''t even take a hopeless jackass like you for a housekeeper!" The man grinned wickedly. As Daisy said, he couldn''tsh this woman, but he could torture her in other ways. "You¡­ You''re contemptible, Edward!" Frustrated and fully aware there wasn''t much she could do, Louisa looked at Edward with conflicted emotions. She didn''t know whether to keep on with threats, hoping somehow he''d back down or if ying to his bloated ego would help. But both options were improbable, given the gravity of her offense. With this in mind, she was only left to gaze on with resignation and apathy. Chapter 1263 Evil Is Rewarded With Evil (Part Three) "Don''t be rude to a girl, Edward. You know what? Girls are delicate. We must be gentle to them. Moreover, we have to satisfy their vanity. How about asking some men to serve her?" Rain followed Edward behind, but not as fast. No one could ignore a conspicuous figure like him. As soon as he was quiet, Louisa feltpletely deted. Her arrogance was gone. "What do you want to do? My father is amander. How dare you take such liberties!" Horrified, Louisa shrank back against the wall. She looked at Rain in a panic, fearing that he would act on his threat and let men vite her. She wasn''t stupid. She certainly knew what Rain meant. "Do you hear what she said? Her father is amander," asked Edward, lightly shaking his head apanied by exaggerated gestures. But even so, he still looked handsome. "So what? That''s none of my business! Bring me a bucket of water. Fill it with ice cubes, please," said Rain, wearing a mischievous smile. He could be as scheming as Edward if he wanted to. "Come on, Rain. You just said I was rude to her. What do you want to do? Do you want to give her a cool shower?" Edward sneered. It was a good idea. His wife had only warned them not to hurt Louisa, but that didn''t bar them from giving her a cool shower, if they wanted. "You have no idea, Edward. It''s a veryfortable shower. Leena can''t enjoy it alone. It has to be shared. Miss Ye should enjoy it too." At his words, Rain extended his hand to cup Louisa hard at the chin. The dark, expressionless face he wore looked as if it was carved of stone, his smile bone-chilling. He withdrew his hand stic bucket and poured the cold water and ice cubes along Louisa''s neck, doing it leisurely slow, as if it was a special moment to savor. "Ah! Damn! Help! Help me! You''re trying to kill me! Bad ass!" It shocked Louisa that they weren''t bluffing. She screamed out, shivering with cold and jumping about like a cat on a hot tin roof, as she tried to shake out the ice cubes inside her clothes. "Have you prepared a camera or something for this sexy scene, Edward?" With wicked thoughts, Rain proposed. "Don''t you have a phone? You can take some pictures with your phone." Edward rolled his eyes at Rain. It was what Rain wanted. He ordered to pour ice cubes into Louisa''s clothes, and then he could take some pictures. Only a shameless man like him coulde up with such a mean trick. "You''re right. Such amazing photos will be an instant hit on the Inte." Eagerly, Rain took out his phone and took pictures of Louisa''s messy clothes. It was known to all that women''s curvy body could often arouse men''s desire. The click-through rate would certainly be high. Chapter 1264 Edward’s Tricks (Part One) "No, you can''t do that to me! It''s...it''s...inhuman!" Louisa''s voice trembled as she shivered in the cold. But even though she was humiliated like this, she still felt she did nothing wrong. She kept her chin up and shot daggers at them. She still had her dignity, even as water dripped off of her and puddled on the floor. "Huh! Now you finally realized what inhuman is. But did you think about that when you tried to get off with Leena''s husband?" Rain sneered. It was taking all of his willpower not to beat this woman who hurt Leena. Leena was still in aa, and it was Louisa''s fault. "Kevin was always mine. Leena stole him from me, using all her tricks. And she''s just a ho! You people are too much! What made you think that you have the right to use me here?" Louisa shouted indignantly. Why did everyone always side with Leena? Was she wrong to love a man with all her heart? Louisa wondered. "Excuse me, did you say that Kevin was yours? That''s odd. He didn''t marry you. Why not?" Nowadays there were too many egotistical women. From Jessica, to Rachel, and now Louisa, they were all great examples. And it all came down to men. Men really didn''t stand up for themselves and say once and for all that they were married to someone, or not interested in someone else. Men would just string them along, not wanting to hurt their feelings. That was why women flew off the handle when their dreams were shattered. "It is all because Leena got in my way, otherwise I would be Mrs. Gu." Even when their rtionship began to sour, she still believed Kevin belonged to her. And no one knew how she ca could be so horrible when he got angry. The thought never urred to her before. She wouldn''t make that mistake again. "I let you off easy. You''d better pray that our little princess ends up safe and sound. Otherwise I''ll beat you to death no matter who you are," Edward said before he flung her away. The worst women in the world fell into one of two categories. The pretentious, artificial women, and the sightless fools who didn''t know where they stood. Louisa was abination of both. And that just made her even more hateful. "It''s a shame. Your dad''s a great guy. How did he end up with a daughter like you-a shallow and shameless woman?" Rain said as he sighed and shook his head. He found he didn''t even want to do anything to this woman even to avenge Leena. Had he touched her, it would only make his hands dirty. "If you''re so high and mighty, why are you torturing me? Why did you kidnap me? And keep me locked up? You think that''s somehow noble?" As soon as Louisa was able to breathe again, she went back on the attack. She never knew when to stop. Chapter 1265 Edward’s Tricks (Part Two) "Yeah, you''re right, we''re not noble. So watch your mouth," Edward said with a cunning smile. Since he couldn''t torture her physically, he would like to change the tactic and torture her psychologically. He liked seeing his foes cowering in fear of what he might do. He hopedter she would be as tough as she used to be. If she really went crazy with what she would suffer next, he was not the one to me anyway. "Edward, any ideas of what you want to do with her?" Rain asked blissfully. Truth to be told, he had never seen a woman so pretentious and arrogant. He was anticipating what came next. Edward knew a lot about punishing people. "Luke, bring all the home theater equipment in here. Find some horror movies, any old one will do. Put ''em on repeat, so they just y 24/7. Crank up the volume as high as it will go. And get her a nket, if you feel sorry for her." Edward left the room as soon as he gave his orders, leaving no room for her to negotiate. She pissed him off, and had to pay the piper. "No, Edward, you bastard! You can''t treat me like this! My father will hear about this, and you''ll pay, believe me!" Louisa cried out and cursed in fright of the unknown looming danger. Louisa never expected that Edward would resort to such a terrible means to deal with her. But all she could do was scream at nk walls that had no answer for her. "Save it!" Luke shot her a cold look. If she''d just kept her mouth shut, Edward wouldn''t have been driven to this point. She wouldn''t be treated like this. But she decided to insult him, and Edward never took that well. She had to pay. "What a great idea! You are a genius!" Rain followed Edward and jogged to c ed at him, but finally said nothing. What was there to say? He turned around and walked into the ward. He knew that Kevin was facing something he never had to worry about before. He was a young and talented Major General, but behind his shining appearance, he had to taste the bitterness of life alone. The winter night was bitingly cold, especially at four or five in the morning. Frost glittered on the buildings and the grass. Looking outside through the window, Kevin could see the trunk of the tree had been sheathed in ice -- like it had melted and frozen just as quickly. He could imagine how cold it was outside. He had been sitting here for hours. Although sometimes he stood up and walked here and there out of uneasiness, he still felt stiff all over. He took a small sip of coffee. His cold body was warmed as soon as the hot liquid streamed down his throat. The hot coffee rxed him, making him feel a bitfortable. But fatigue still got the better of him. He didn''t get a nap before. But as time passed, he felt drained of energy. It was hard to feel good now, and the only thing he wanted was a bed. Chapter 1266 Edward’s Tricks (Part Three) "Hey. Why don''t you catch some zzz''s? I can stay here, and make sure she''s okay," Tom suggested, when he walked out of the ward and saw Kevin''s tired face. "Naw. I''m good.. How''s Leena? Is she alright?" Kevin asked eagerly. He was still deeply concerned, and that eclipsed his need for sleep. Leena''s condition was what worried him most. "Currently, her vital signs are normal. I''d like to keep her under observation for a few hours. If she stays stable, we can transfer her to a normal bed." Tom felt delighted to tell Kevin this. More importantly, he could see clearly that Leena had the will to survive now. That was some serious progress. He wanted to see everything be okay again, which was why he became a doctor in the first ce. "Really? Great. It''s all thanks to you." Kevin got very excited when he heard Tom''s words. He really wanted to hold Tom''s hands to show his thanks. But he gave up when he found that he had that cup of coffee in his hand. Even so, he couldn''t help feeling overjoyed. He hadn''t felt like this in awhile. "Hey, no need to thank me, thank yourself. You lit that spark in her. She improved as soon as you started talking to her. Whatever you said did the trick. " Tom didn''t really want to know what Kevin said to Leena. In his eyes, as long as it worked, the process was not that important. "I didn''t help that much. You''re the hero who saved the day." Kevin smiled. The past several hours were torturing to him. So he would keep this lesson in his mind and never let any situation deteriorate again. "You''re too kind. No matter what, Leena''s my sister. So don''t worry about it. And don''t pay any attention to Edward and the gang. They said what they said because they were worried about Leena," Tom said after he sat d out of the airport holding each other. What a loving couple! "Where are we going? Don''t we need to go home first?" Duke asked doubtfully when he saw that Belinda missed the turnoff for the highway. "Didn''t you say that you want me to get a checkup at the hospital? Let''s drop by there now. We can save time and energy," Belinda said with evasive eyes. She didn''t tell him now that Leena was fighting with death. She didn''t want him to lose his mind. That was probably not what he wanted to hear right when he got home. "But we don''t have to do it so early. I just got in. And it''s probably too early for a nurse practitioner." Duke looked at her with doubt in his eyes. Didn''t she say that she was alright? But why did she seem like she wanted to rush to the hospital? "Don''t worry. I just called Tom. He''s there now. He''ll get everything set up," It was hard to keep lying. Belinda now regretted that she came up with such ame excuse. "Okay, it''s all you. But wasn''t Tom pissed? I know he likes his beauty sleep." Duke didn''t have any reason not to believe Belinda. But subconsciously he had a hunch that something was wrong. He just didn''t know what it was. Chapter 1267 Dukes Wrath (Part One) Belinda just smiled, not saying a word to Duke. It confused him. He had no idea what was up until he got dragged to the ICU. All of a sudden, he felt a bad feeling creep up on him. He looked at Kevin. Why was he here? Who was in the ICU? Why did Belinda get him to this ce? Duke had an answer to all the questions in his head, but he refused to believe it. "What the hell is going on? Why am I here?" Duke didn''t want to assume the worst, but he had a terrible feeling. He lost his usual cool, afraid of hearing their reply. The panic in his heart rose. Kevin and Belinda looked at each other. They wondered how to break the bad news to Duke without making him go crazy. Neither of them opened their mouths. They didn''t know how to exin the situation. "Duke? I thought you were still abroad? When did youe back?" Tom, who had just gotten out of the ICU, asked in surprise when he saw Duke. He hade out to tell Kevin that Leena was finally stable and not in dangerous condition. "I am the one being kept in the dark! Why are you all here so early in the morning? Who''s in there?" Duke looked from one person to another. His heart pounded faster in his chest as he got more and more anxious. "Okay, let me exin the situation to you," Tom said, slightly furrowing his eyebrows. Fortunately, Leena was out of the dangerous condition now, so there was no need to hide this from her brother. To be honest, they couldn''t hide something this big from Duke anyway, even if they wanted to. The real problem here was how to tell him. Belinda and Kevin looked at him with grateful eyes as he said this. As Leena''s doctor, Tom was the most appropriate person to exin Leena''s condition to Duke. "Then tell me! I''m still waiting!" Duke urged. He didn''t understand what Tom was so hesitant about ng over this!" Belinda knew Duke would be worried sick over Leena and vexed with Kevin. That was why she didn''t tell him the news the minute she got to know it. Now, looking at Duke, she felt she had made the right decision. "Can I go in and see Leena now?" Duke turned to look at Tom with expectation, trying his best to contain his rage towards Kevin. "Just wait a minute. Let us run a final test on her and make sure she is really stable. Then we will transfer her to a private ward." Tom could understand how anxious Duke was. After all, everyone knew how much he loved his sister and how he always spoiled her. But still, what was more important right now was Leena''s health. Duke would have to wait for a few minutes until the check-up was done. At this, Duke didn''t insist on seeing Leena anymore and red at Kevin one more time. ''Don''t tell me that Leena''s ident actually has something to do with you, Kevin, or I will make you pay for it, '' Duke thought. "Kevin, why don''t you go and see a nurse for your wounds? We will wait here for Leena," Belinda suggested to Kevin apologetically. She felt bad about Duke''s violent behavior, not having expected him to hit Kevin out of the blue. Chapter 1268 Dukes Wrath (Part Two) "That won''t be necessary. I''m all right. Thank you for your concern." As a soldier, Kevin was used to being injured, so he didn''t care much. Besides, he deserved it for not protecting Leena. He was not a good husband at all and was not as caring and attentive as he should have been. Duke still red daggers at Kevin. He didn''t think what he had done just now was wrong. Leena had never been hurt before she met Kevin. But ever since she married this guy, all kinds of idents kept happening to her non-stop. How could Duke not be mad at Kevin? "Leena, please wake up! I''m here." When Duke finally saw Leena lying on her hospital bed, his heart broke. Her face was extremely pale. She seemed sockluster and lifeless. When he had seen her in Parisst time, he thought she was at her worst. He had been wrong. Nothing broke his heart more than the pale little face he saw right now. Her breath was shallow, as if she were seconds away from leaving them for good. Duke was heartbroken and afraid at the same time. Kevin, on the other side of the bed, stared at Leena with pain and affection in his eyes. He wanted to hold her in his arms so badly, but he knew it was not the right time to do so. He knew that Duke was probably even more devastated than him. Leena was the little princess in their family. Duke had watched her grow up into a beautiful and kind youngdy. It must be heartbreaking for him to see her like this, so Kevin tried his best to contain his emotions. "Tom, what''s wrong with Leena? Why hasn''t she woken up yet?" Duke asked Tom anxiously. Leena was out of her dangerous condition, right? Tom had confirmed it. So why was she still asleep? "Don''t worry about it. She will wake up. It''s just a matter of time," Tom said as he carefully chec se he knew he deserved it, but that didn''t mean that he wouldpromise on everything. He was not a Major General for no reason. "All right, all right. That''s enough, you two! Don''t you see that Leena is still lying here? You are arguing about something that the two of you don''t even have the right to decide! You should know that is Leena''s choice." Belinda couldn''t help but roll her eyes at them. They were such fools. It was ultimately Leena''s decision if she wanted to stay with Kevin or not. Why couldn''t they understand such a simple thing? "Humph!" Duke''s eyes did not move from Kevin. He still could not forgive Kevin. Kevin, in turn, stared back defiantly. It seemed that the feud that had always been between them rose again. "Tom, could you please find a good obstetrician for me? I want to get a check-up done," A deep blush appeared on Belinda''s face as she said this. Now that Tom had guessed that she might be pregnant, there was no need to hide it anymore. After all, Tom was their close friend. "No problem. Do you want to see the obstetrician right now?" Tom looked at his watch. It was almost eight o''clock in the morning. The doctors should be here. Chapter 1269 Dukes Wrath (Part Three) "No rush. I can go and see the obstetricianter. Kevin, why don''t you go home and have a shower first? We can watch over Leena. You have been here the entire night." Belinda looked at Kevin''s tired face. He was family and she felt sorry for him. She understood how tired and worried he must be feeling right now. He deserved a good shower to freshen up. "I will wait until after Leena wakes up. I want to be the first one she sees when she opens her eyes. She''d like it too." Kevin smiled a little, but his smile was bitter. When he had suddenly left, it had made Leena think the worst of him. Now he was determined to never disappoint her again. "You should listen to Belinda. Just go home and freshen up. Leena won''t wake up so soon," Tom said to Kevin. From the heavy bags under Kevin''s eyes, Tom could tell that he was indeed exhausted. He had heard that Kevin didn''t sleep in two days, so Tom was touched that he was willing to watch over Leena in this state. "Fine, I will be back soon." Kevin nced at Leena with concern. He was afraid that Leena would wake up in his absence and leaned down to gently kiss her on the lips, in spite of others'' presence. As Kevin slowly walked out of the room, he kept turning around to look back at Leena. Not long after Kevin left, Daisy arrived. She wanted to see Leena before she went back to the army base, but Leena still hadn''t woken up. Daisy didn''t stay for long as there were still a lot of things at the army base she had to deal with. Besides, she had to visit the injured soldiers before she went back. She didn''t have much time. To the people who loved and cared for Leena, the night was painful. At the same time, it was a suffering to Louisa. She had been forced to l with something myself! I will make them pay for what they have done to me. Just you see." Louisa touched her face where her father had pped her. It hurt. Her eyes burned like fire as she red at her father, who was as furious as she was. She refused to back down and admit that what she had done was wrong. "From now on, you are not allowed to leave this house! If you do go out, don''t evere back." Commander Ye shook with rage. He couldn''t understand why his daughter was behaving like this. Where did he go wrong with her? He could manage soldiers worth an entire army base, but he couldn''t manage his own daughter? How ridiculous! He was a failure of a father. "Don''t worry, I won''te back! Do you think I give a fuck? What good is being your daughter? I can''t have the man I like. My own father wouldn''t help me when I''m bullied! You are a coward for a father. You don''t want me as your daughter? That''s fine. I don''t want you to be my father either!" Louisa raised her chin at themander and raised an eyebrow. She was the same as she had been when she got shipped abroad. She felt there was no ce for her in this family anymore. Chapter 1270 The Sleeping Beauty (Part One) "Stop talking nonsense! It''s all my fault. I failed to find out that you had a thing for Kevin. Oh my god! I even let you get close to him! From now on, you are forbidden to contact him, meet him, or even look at him. Disobey me and I''ll sue you myself for sabotaging a military marriage even though you are my daughter!" The Commander closed his eyes in embarrassment. What a shameless daughter he had! How could he face Kevin now? But he knew that he was at fault too. He had been so busy working all these years that he had neglected his daughter''s education. And now she had be a willful person with no morals. "Ha! You think that I would still have the chance to get close to Kevin? He hates me and won''t see me anymore. It''s all your fault! When they applied for a marriage license, you should have used your position to turn down their request. Leena wouldn''t have be Mrs. Gu!" Louisa''s voice teetered on the edge of hysteria. She was such a selfish and spoiled little brat that she still put the me on others despite what had happened, oblivious to her own mistakes. In her eyes, she had been betrayed by everyone including her father. "What? You still haven''t learned your lesson? Have you got no shame, you woman? I am so humiliated because of what you have done. Look at you! Even if Kevin were not married, he would never choose someone like you. You are a disgrace. Just stop the delusions ande back to reality!" The Commander sighed with profound resignation. He had been so busy at work that he hardly had any time for his family. He now felt much guilt and felt responsible for what became of his daughter. He always met her requests and satisfied her every whim to make up for his absence. He now realized that it was him who had spoiled his daug Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. horities to reassign it to Hank." The Commander was not an unreasonable person, albeit an understanding one. He could imagine Kevin being too preupied with this crisis to carry out his tasks effectively. "Thank you, Commander. I was nning to discuss it with you. You are so thoughtful as to give me a break." That was the reason why Kevin respected the Commander very much. The Commander always ced himself in others'' position and was kind enough to meet their real needs. "Don''t worry about your work. Just take care of your wife. I''ll be responsible for everything in the army base," the Commander offered. He had to do this to make up for his daughter''s mistakes. After all, Louisa was his only daughter, and he had to deal with the mess she had created. "All right. Thank you, Commander." Kevin could imagine what a difficult position the Commander was in right now, and that was why he didn''t hold Louisa ountable for what she had done. After all, Edward had already punished Louisa. Kevin decided to let go of it, otherwise the Commander would be in an awkward position. Someday, maybe he and Leena would find a way to forgive her and forget about all this. Chapter 1271 The Sleeping Beauty (Part Two) "Kevin, thank you so much for not holding Louisa ountable. I know you spared her only for my sake. I promise you, she will not have any chance to get close and bother you in the future. You have my word." The Commander''s face blushed red with shame when he said this. It had never urred to him that his daughter could stoop down so low and be a home wrecker. Her behavior had provoked much discussion. Luckily, Leena''s friends didn''t really hurt her. Otherwise, the Commander would be so overpowered by his guilt and shame that he wouldn''t have the face to look Kevin in the eye again. "Let bygones be bygones, Commander. Don''t think too much of it. Louisa has been punished, right?" Kevin didn''t know how Edward had punished Louisa, but he believed it was not an easy one. "I''m afraid she still hasn''t learned from her mistakes. Never mind. I''d better call the higher authorities now. The sooner, the better." The Commander was furious with the manner that Edward punished his daughter, but he had to hold back his anger. After all, his daughter deserved it, especially that Leena was still in a semi-stable state. He had heard of Edward''s cruel style of punishment before, and he knew Edward had showed his daughter mercy. The Commander had a clear estimation of himself, and he knew Edward would by no means show mercy to his daughter because he was a Commander, but because of Daisy. "Thank you, Commander. Whether the high authorities agree to your request or not, I appreciate your efforts." Kevin rubbed his brow. If the high authorities didn''t agree, he had Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. r that tired. "Well, then you should go and eat something in the hospital canteen. It''s lunch time." Edward had to chair an important meeting that morning, so he had just called Tom to inquire about Leena''s condition instead ofing here. Rain also hade to the hospital that morning, and becasue of that, he waste for the meeting. As soon as they adjourned, Edward wasted no timeing to the hospital. "Don''t worry about me. ire just called and she will bring me lunch soon." Edward realized Kevin would by no means leave Leena. He sighed and thought, ''If he had realized his true feelings for Leena earlier, things wouldn''t have worked out this way.'' "Okay. I''ll go find Tom and ask about Leena''s situation. Please do take good care of her." After thinking for a whole night, Edward had calmed down and was moreposed in the morning. Maybe part of the reason was because Leena was already out of danger. He felt much relieved and was more able to control his temper. As a matter of fact, he was no longer in the fight mode. Chapter 1272 The Sleeping Beauty (Part Three) "Well, she is my wife, and this is what I should do," Kevin said with a frown. He didn''t think taking care of Leena was a burden to him. After all, Leena was his wife, the closest person to him in the world. But Edward''s words, as if giving him orders, made him feel like an outsider, which made him very ufortable. Then there was a soft knock at the door. Kevin looked up to see who it was and couldn''t believe who was standing by the door. His mother came. Although it was a long way from the capital city, she rushed over as soon as she could. Apparently, Shannon cared a lot about her daughter-inw. "How''s Leena?" Shannon entered the ward with ire, travel-worn and weary. Anxiety was written all over her face. "Mom, why are you here? ire told you everything, didn''t she?" Kevin had told Leena his true feelings for her the whole day, but there was still no sign of her waking up. Kevin felt both physically and mentally exhausted. Luckily, the Commander had persuaded the superior officers to reassign his tasks to Hank, otherwise Kevin would not know how to bnce himself between his country and his wife. "Yes, she did. Last night, she called me and told me what had happened, and I was eager toe here then. But it''s not safe to drive at night. So I set out this morning. How''s Leena? She still hasn''t woken up?" Shannon approached the bed and gazed worriedly at Leena''s pale face. "No, she hasn''t. But the doctor said she would wake up sooner orter. Did you drive here? Or dad arranged a driver for you?" Kevin asked casually. He didn''t think his father would care about Leena. After all, he had always made no secret of his dislike for her. "Your father asked his guard to drive me here. You know, I am so worried about Leena. Your father said it was dangerous for me to drive." Shannon didn''t hide her feelings for Leena ei "Ah, nice to meet you, Aunt Shannon. I''m Belinda Shangguan, Leena''s sister-inw. Just call me Belinda," she introduced herself to Shannon with a wide smile. She didn''t expect Kevin''s mother to be such an elegant and gracefuldy. In her eyes, women from military families were usually careless and didn''t care much about how they dressed in public. "Nice to meet you, Belinda. I''m Shannon Long, Kevin''s mother. Leena is such a good girl. She is adorable and capable. Thank you for letting Kevin have the chance to be her partner. We''re so sorry for not having taken good care of her." Belinda could tell from Shannon''s words and manners that she was a well-educated woman. She heaved a long sigh of relief to herself and hoped that Kevin''s family would treat Leena well. "That''s very kind of you to say that, Aunt Shannon. Leena is indeed an adorable girl. If she does something inappropriate, please forgive her. After all, she is still young and has a lot to learn." Belinda was a sessful woman in the business circle, and she knew how to switch back and forth with words of politeness for people whom she met for the first time. She thought Leena would not do anything inappropriate, and she was just being polite to say that. Chapter 1273 Time To Get Up (Part One) "What are you talking about? As to how I see it, she is doing great! I really admire her. You should know how rare it is to find such a nice and decent girl like Leena." Shannon sighed softly as she silently wished for ire to behave more like Leena. She would surely be happier if that was the case. "Thanks for being so gentle and gracious. My Leena is really lucky to have you as her family," replied Belinda. Then she cast a nce at Leena and smiled. As Leena''s sister-inw, she couldn''t help but feel proud whenever othersplimented Leena. "Actually, I think Kevin is the lucky one here. Being a soldier makes him always busy with military matters. I know that he seldom has time for his family. Therefore, Leena has to manage a lot of things all by herself. I feel sorry for her." As someone who was married to a soldier, Shannon herself knew just about everything that Leena was going through too. It honestly amazed her to see Leena handle so many things by herself despite her young age. "Sounds like a heated chat here," said Duke as he stepped in with his gloomy face. He was deeply concerned about Leena''s health and he just couldn''t rx about it. In reality, he had always been worried about her all this time. "There you are, Duke. Come here. I would like to introduce you to Major General Gu''s mother. She came all the way from the capital city to see Leena upon hearing about the ident." The sincerity on Belinda''s face was so clear as she greeted Duke. It was actually a pleasure to see him here. She had thought of giving him a call and asking him toe just a few minutes ago. Thus, it was a pleasant surprise that he showed up here so unexpectedly. "Good to see you, madam. My name is Duke. I am the elder brot require your signature. I have brought them here for you." Lee stepped in with some files in his arms. He looked apologetic as he knew that he was disturbing Kevin and Leena''s moment together. It was clear to him that the Major General''s priority right now was his beloved wife. However, the issues concerning the army base were also important and couldn''t be dyed. It was Kevin''s responsibility to deal with them as soon as possible. This was what was required of him for being a soldier. With a heavy sigh, Lee nodded to Kevin and walked towards him with the documents. "Sure. Noted with thanks. Please leave them on the corner table for me. Has Hank set out already?" Kevin knew that the documents were not confidential since they could be brought outside of the army base. He gave Lee an approving look and watched him carefully put the documents on the table. "He has! He actually set out one hour ago. He told me to send his best regards to you and your wife. He said he was truly grateful for your kind help on his promotion." With full respect, Lee forwarded Hank''s messages to Kevin. He then walked to Kevin''s side and waited for his further instructions. Chapter 1274 Time To Get Up (Part Two) "That is really nice of him to say so. Have you had your dinner already?" said Kevin as he looked away from the papers. He wasn''t interested in dealing with those now. Rather, he looked at Lee''s face and noticed that he had been sweating due to the long trip he just had to get there. "Don''t worry about me. I have eaten something on the way. How is Leena doing now?" said Lee as he cast a concerned stare at the sleeping Leena. She used to be so energetic and cheerful. However, it wasn''t the case right now as shey motionless on the hospital bed. The sad sight made Lee a bit depressed. He felt his throat ache a little so he quickly looked away. "She hasn''t woken up yet but I think it won''t be long before she recovers. You know Leena, right? She is not the type of person who enjoys lying in bed all day long." As he spoke, Kevin reached out to tuck Leena''s stray hair to the back of her ear. A bitter grin cracked his lips. He was just consoling himself. He knew that there was nothing that he could do to wake Leena up at this stage. Even someone as extraordinary as Tom couldn''t give his words about the exact time Leena would be waking up. Things were really not looking fine for them at the moment. "I really hope for Leena toe back to her senses soon. Major General, is there anything I can do for you?" said Lee tofort Kevin. It worried him a lot to see Kevin as gloomy and down as this. He had been with Kevin for years and this was honestly the first time Lee saw him being this discouraged. "If you have time, could you please help drive Leena''s car back? I got a phone call today that the car has been fixed. I have to stay h him so much. She couldn''t possibly choose her own background, could she?" Resignedly, Shannon sighed and turned the stove off. She turned around and worriedly gazed at ire. As a mother, she cared greatly for Kevin and it wore her out to see him this down. She had to do something for him to share his burden. "Well, there seem to be no secrets then. You guys have known that Leena is from a rich family since the very beginning!" ire covered her mouth in shock. It never urred to her that her parents knew about Leena this well. She had always thought that her background was an untold story. "Of course, we knew! Your father doesn''t like Leena very much because he is deeply bothered by her family background. He is concerned that her family might be the hindrance for your brother''s career. Who knows what kind of trouble would she bring to our family?" Shannon gave her daughter a sad smile as she bitterly shook her head. She knew her own son well enough that she trusted in him perfectly. Kevin was such a righteous man and he would never do anything against thews to gain profits. Chapter 1275 Time To Get Up (Part Three) "How could dad possibly think of her like that? From my point of view, Kevin seems to have a better career because of Leena''s help. She is truly an ideal wife and good life partner for my brother." Since ire was brought up in a typical family of high ranking officials, she had been taken good care of and didn''t know much about the business concerning her own brother. It was her ignorance that gave her many doubts about her brother''s marriage. She gazed at her mother''s face earnestly and hoped to find answers from her. "My dear, you are way too naive when ites to the hidden rules in the officialdom. It is considered a big taboo when officials have business connections. People are strongly against the collusion between government officials and business owners. Your father is deeply concerned that Leena''s family would contribute negatively to your brother''s career. Sometimes, bad rumors can literally destroy a person and his future. To be honest with you, I am also slightly worried about it." As she was exining to her daughter, Shannon carefully put the cooked soup into a thermal bottle and sealed it tight. Then she looked up and fondly gazed back at her daughter in an attempt to soothe her concerns. She still believed in Leena despite the little worry she had. In her opinion, Leena was well brought up and her parents were decent people. Shannon had every reason to believe that her daughter-inw was a trustworthy girl and deserved everyone''s love and care. "Oh dear, this is quite shocking! I don''t believe it at all! Business is just business. I don''t think Leena''s family has anything to do with the army base! Dad was just throwing false usations around! He shouldn''t be this stubborn. At least, he sho talk to her." sighed Kevin. He had been talking to her all this time. He wanted her back to him so much. He usually leaned closer to her and whispered to her ears softly whenever he got the chance. His words for Leena were all genuine and uplifting, but she seemed to be deaf to all of them. Despite his constant effort, Leena never moved, not her eyes or even her fingertips. "You look very tired. ck a bit, will you? You also deserve a good rest. It is pointless to look after her every single minute. Have a break, otherwise, you will fall ill yourself. You need to look after yourself as well." Tom shot Kevin with a concerned look. Leena might be the patient here but that didn''t mean that Kevin could abuse himself. He cared for Kevin too. He never thought highly of Kevin before since he knew very little about him. However, as time went by and they got to know each other better, Tom found Kevin was a really nice man. He felt truly happy for Leena for marrying such a decent man like Kevin. In his opinion, the two were a perfect match. There might be many people in the world, but not all were fortunate to be married with their rightful match. Chapter 1276 Time To Get Up (Part Four) "Thank you for your kind reminder, Dr. Qin. I will see to that." said Kevin in full respect. He had always thought highly of doctors as they rescued people and saved lives. He honored Tom for saving his wife''s life and he would be eternally in debt to him for that. "You don''t need to be formal with me. You can simply call me by my first name, Tom." A warm smile made it to Tom''s face as he calmly said those to Kevin. He wanted him to call him by his first name just like how the rest did. He was looking at Kevin as a part of his family now since he wasn''t holding any grudge against him anymore. "Thank you!" Kevin was no fool. Of course, he understood the message between Tom''s lines. He appreciatively patted Tom on the shoulder and gave him a big warm smile. He was determined to change these people''s view about him through his hard work, including Edward''s. "Don''t worry too much about it. My best wishes to you. I need to carry on with my duties in other wards. Please try to talk to Leena as much as possible. Especially about the things that matter to her." With these words, Tom walked out of the room. He cast a profound nce at Leena before he closed the door. She meant so much to him and how he wished for her toe back to her senses right now! As he silently closed the door, the other doctors who were waiting outside all gathered up. Together, they moved on to the next ward. No one asked anything as they knew that Tom had a lot in his mind. They were all aware of how important the patient lying inside that hospital room was to Tom and that she shouldn''t be disturbed at all. Back inside the room, Kevin poured some hot water into a clean basin as soon as Tom left. He tested the water temperature carefully before soaking the towel into the basin. He then rinsed it, spread it, and then gently wiped Leena''s face with it. He was extra gentle with his every move. Leena was a girl who cared about her looks and Kevin knew that. He was cleaning her face as he knew that she wanted to be pretty all the time. "My little sleepy cat. It is time to wake up. You are going to be chubby if you keep lying here. Are you sure you want to lie here and end up being chubby?" whispered Kevin softly as he lovingly gazed her sleeping face. He remembered that her biggest fear was looking fat and ugly. Thus, he deliberately chose that topic to scare her. He hoped for his words to encourage her and wake her up from her long sleep! Not many knew but Leena could hear his familiar voice echoing inside her ear. Sh g man of few words. He didn''t wish to reveal his vulnerability in front of his close ones. "Don''t worry too much about it. Come here and drink some of this soup I made for you. You have lost a lot of weight these days due to the stress. You are worrying me, child! It would be a huge irony once Leena wakes up and she finds you ill." Shannon''s voice was also trembling despite the braveness she tried to put on. As she carefully poured the soup out of the thermal bottle into a bowl, she tried to keep her hands calm. She needed to look after her Kevin well. Her beloved daughter-inw was already ill. She couldn''t afford to lose her son. The bare thought of Kevin falling ill would destroy her confidence instantly! "Thank you for the soup, Mom. I am sorry for making you worry." Kevin took the bowl from his mother''s hands and said gently to her. He knew that he should do anything he could to please his mother. He couldn''t just let his mother worry this much, right? Moreover, he couldn''t afford to break her heart. "ire, please bring the rest of the soup to Dr. Qin. He has been busy working for Leena these days. I would like to thank him for his effort." Shannon said warmly as she handed the thermal bottle to her daughter. She only knew about Tom yesterday while she was dining out with the others. Of course, she had also met other close friends of Leena. These men were really outstanding and she couldn''t help but feel proud of Leena upon learning how everyone around her loved her. As the saying went, birds of the same feathers flock together. Judging from the manners of Leena''s friends, Shannon could easily tell that Leena was a nice girl herself without doubt. Chapter 1277 Do We Know Each Other (Part One) "Okay, I will do it now," ire gently replied, taking the soup from her mother''s hands. Then she walked out of the hospital room. "s! What the hell is wrong with Leena? Why hasn''t she woken up yet? Does she really have the heart to hurt us like this? It''s breaking my heart seeing her in this state." Shannon carefullybed Leena''s hair. When ire told her that her daughter-inw was indeed a fashion designer, she was a bit shocked. She didn''t expect a girl from a wealthy family would make a living on her own. After all, it wasmon for children from rich families to spend their parents'' money. But Leena was an exception. She was intelligent, talented and independent. And it pleasantly surprised Shannon. Her daughter-inw couldn''t get any more perfect. "Mom, I have to go to the army base this afternoon. So please take good care of Leena for me." In Kevin''s heart, he really wanted Leena to wake up, soon, now, if possible. But there was no sign of her waking up, as if she was intentionally making him suffer for what he had done wrong by keeping her eyes closed. "Of course. What''s the matter? Is there something at the army base that you need to deal with?" Shannon would surely take care of Leena. She considered this girl her own daughter. And at the same time, she was also worried about her son''s health. He still looked a little too tired for her liking. She really hoped that he could at least get enough rest. "Yes mom.. It''s a bit urgent. So I need to go now. But don''t worry. I will be back here as soon as I can." Kevin stared at Leena, who was still sound asleep, feeling a bit helpless about this situation. He really wanted to be by her side at all times, but he had work to attend to. He was slowly getting frustrated. He really loved Leena and this was something that he recently realized. And he was thankful that she was willing to be in love with him, even though he hadn''t been treating her right. At the same time, he couldn''t help but be mad at her for not believing in him, for punishing him this way. He didn''t know what s frustrated and disappointed all of a sudden. He even promised to take her out for a meal as a thank-you gift for helping him fix his car. Well, maybe he promised her in the heat of the moment. "Oh! It''s you. I''m sorry for not recognizing you. I am really busy recently, so Ipletely forgot about you. Sorry! Well, are you here to visit Leena? How about this. I will take you to her room. But how did you end up in the motuary in the first ce?" Tom finally realized who this girl in front of him was. He was really slow sometimes. He hoped that Patricia didn''t think that he intentionally ignored her because he didn''t want to treat her to a nice meal like he promised. "Wait... what? This ce is really a mortuary? Oh my God! No wonder I couldn''t find my way out of here just now. It must have been the ghosts keeping me in here!" Patricia said while getting even closer to Tom, feeling afraid all of a sudden. Her hand on his arm tightened too. It seemed that she really believed in ghosts. "Pffft. Please. How old are you? Why do you still believe that there are ghosts in this world? That''s nonsense." Tom shook his head helplessly at Patricia. He had nned to go to the mortuary to get some samples but now that he ran into Patricia, he changed his mind. Well, the samples could wait. The most important thing was getting her out of here and into Leena''s room. Chapter 1278 Do We Know Each Other (Part Two) "How dare you say it''s nonsense! Don''t you know that anything is possible in this big world?" Patricia held her head high and her tone was proud. She didn''t want to admit that she was being a bit dramatic and old-fashioned right now. She was really freaked out being stuck in the mortuary and that was that. "Well, I am sure that it doesn''t include ghosts being real. Everything you ever encounter that makes you believe that ghosts are real is just a phenomenon of nature. That''s all. You should believe in science. By the way, your name is Patricia, right? Come on! I will take you to Leena''s room." Tom shook his head at her again. To be honest, he didn''t understand how Leena was friends with this girl. She was too chatty and too vivacious for his liking. Tom could tell that she was not the gentle and caring type of girl at all. "Thank you! What''s your name by the way? Are you the Tom that Leena mentioned before? The almighty doctor?" Patricia looked at Tom in surprise. He was a doctor, and he was also Leena''s friend. Maybe she was right. This man in front of her was Tom indeed. "Yes. My name is Tom Qin. You can call me Doctor Qin. How about you? What''s your family name?" Tom''s tone was polite but distant. One could tell from his self introduction that he didn''t want anything to do with Patricia. "I''m Patricia Bai. Why? You don''t trust me? That''s why you asked for my full name." Patricia couldn''t help but press her lips together in a tight line in annoyance as she followed Tom. He was so obvious! It looked like she wanted something to do with him. Well, yes, she did when she first met him. But not now. She had lost interest in him as soon as she found out that he was a doctor. "That''s not what I meant, Miss Bai. Please don''t think too much. I just think that we are not close enough to call each other by our first names. That''s why I wanted to know your family name." Tom was always like this. He acted distant and polite to the ones he wasn''t familiar with. He liked to keep his distance. It was as if he didn''t want to make new friends. "Fine. Whatever." Patricia was disappo you being cold anyway." Patricia made it sound like she really had a past with Tom. Shannon was totally confused right now. What was happening? Were they ex-lovers or not? "Miss Bai, please mind your words. We were not lovers before, and we won''t be lovers in the future. So please stop lying and making others believe that we have a past. You may think it''s funny but it''s in fact very disturbing," Tom said in a very serious tone, staring intensely at Patricia with serious eyes. Then he turned around and left the room without looking back. "Are you two in a fight? That''s all right. That''s what lovers do. Just give it time. You can make up when both of you calm down," Shannonforted Patricia with a worried tone. It seemed that she had bought Patricia''s story and actions, thinking that they were really a couple. "Thank you, ma''am. Well, how''s Leena? She has been like this the whole time? Hasn''t she woken up even once?" Patricia didn''t exin to Shannon about the rtionship between Tom and her. Instead, she changed the topic and asked about her best friend. She walked to the side of the hospital bed and held Leena''s hand in her hands. Had she known that this horrible ident would happen to Leena, she wouldn''t have been angry at her at all. Now, she deeply regretted having a fight with Leena. Because no matter what she said or how she tried, Leena would not reply to her now. Chapter 1279 Do We Know Each Other (Part Three) "No, she hasn''t woken up even once. Well, you are her good friend and now that you are here, go ahead and chat with her. Maybe she will react to your words and your voice." Shannon wouldn''t let go any possibility that could wake Leena up. Her heart broke when she thought of the vivacious Leena she had always liked. Now, seeing Leena lie in the hospital bed with her beautiful eyes closed made her feel extremely sad. "Yes, I will definitely give it a try." Patricia smiled to Shannon, but the smile was bitter. She knew Leena was not likely to wake up just because she heard Patricia''s voice. Even Kevin himself could not wake Leena up. But she had to at least try, for her best friend. "Okay. I will go and use the washroom. Talk with Leena please." Shannon looked at Leena with sorrowful eyes. She sincerely hoped that Patricia talking to Leena would stir Leena up. They might have had a very strong friendship. Besides, she was running out of ideas to bring her back to consciousness. "Of course, ma''am. Don''t worry." Patricia gently smiled at Shannon. To be honest, she was a very sweet girl in front of her elders. She knew when to hide her true colors. Shannon thankfully smiled at Patricia, and then turned to walk out of the room, leaving them alone. In fact, there was a bathroom in the ward, so she didn''t have to go out in the hall. That was just an excuse. She just wanted the two girls to have some time alone with each other. "Leena, you keep sleeping just to avoid my punishment, right? You know that you did something wrong. I was right! Or why did you drag me away so hurriedly the other day? Now I know the reason. But it''s a shame that your n will never work. Because Tom has no interest in me at all. He made it very clear. Besides, I date doctors. You know that, right? So you can''t y matchmaker anymore." Patricia''s tone was a bit smug. She didn''t seem to take Leena for a patient who was still in aa. She just talked like Leena was still normal, as if she had already woken up. Only by this way could she convince herself that Leena would wake up and get better. "Also, if you don''t wake up soon, I will introduce Kevin to othe ther for dropping everything toe here and help him. "I just hope that Leena wakes up soon. Look at you, you are getting thinner everyday. I am afraid that you will exhaust yourself running back and forth from the hospital to the army base like this." Shannon picked up the coat that Kevin randomly threw on the sofa, and skillfully folded it in case it wrinkled. She then put the folded coat back on the sofa. "Don''t worry about me, mom. I am fine. I am more worried about you. Thank you, mom, really," Kevin spoke a bit apologetically to his mother. After all, he knew that looking after a patient was tiring for an elder woman like his mother. He couldn''t help but feel bad that he had to let his mother do the hard work. "Don''t worry about it. We are a family, aren''t we? We should always help each other." Shannon looked at his son with adoring eyes. She didn''t think looking after her daughter-inw was a tiring job. "Where is ire anyway? I will call and ask her toe here and pick you up." Kevin looked at his watch. It was already nine o''clock. Where was ire? "She is on her way here. She will be here soon. By the way, ire is getting more and more responsible recently. She even helps me do housework now! I guess that''s all because of Leena." Talking about the positive changes in ire, Shannon was really d. And she thought that it was all to her daughter-inw''s credit. She had taught ire well. Chapter 1280 Leena Woke Up (Part One) Hospitals usually have a slightly spooky atmosphere when it gets dark. In an army uniform, Kevin stood against the cold wind on the balcony outside Leena''s ward. The decision of the higher authorities had reached the military base in the daytime. Though Kevin was not downgraded, he was suspended. The massive brawl between the seniors and recruits had led to life-threatening conditions as well as damage to property. As their instructor, Kevin had to take the responsibility. He took a drag on his cigarette, and exhaled the smoke. Smoke blurred his face. He hardly ever smoked, but he was very upset now and needed to smoke to vent his frustration and despair. Leena suffered a ck-out which so far hadsted for two days. For Kevin it seemed like two centuries. He was used to her being around, especially her smiling face. Now, it was just a quiet Leena that he was not ustomed to. Heaving a long sigh of temporary relief, Kevin crushed out the cigarette and entered the ward. He adjusted the covers for her so that she wouldn''t catch a cold, bent down and kissed her softly on her cheek. Then he walked to his briefcase, took out a pen and paper and sat beside the bed. After thinking for a little while, he began to write. The handwriting belonged to a man, vigorous and forceful. Kevin was a handsome man. His face had well-defined angles ¡ª his forehead, cheeks and jawline. Though he looked a little fierce, it added to his temperament as a soldier with stoicism and fortitude. Leena felt like she had an extremely long dream. When she opened h sibility that she might never wake up made him shudder. Luckily, she did wake up, making him more than ecstatic. "Sorry, Kevin. I heard what you said, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn''t get through the dense fog. And I saw my mom. She asked me toe to her, but then your voice stopped me." Leena heaved a sigh of relief. She had made the right decision. Otherwise she would not be able to see her beloved husband again. "Thank you, Nana. Thank you so much for choosing me." Leena''s words made him tremble with fear. He held Leena in his arms as he couldn''t imagine what he would do if she had chosen to go with her mother. "Kevin, do you really mean what you said when I was asleep?" Leena asked with a sweet smile. Kevin''s confession was so sincere and appealing that she managed to ovee all difficulties to wake up and return to him. "What did I say? I said nothing while you were asleep," Kevin teased. He had spent thest two days in tears, worry and frustration and now he decided to crack a joke with her. Chapter 1281 Leena Woke Up (Part Two) "You said it! I heard clearly what you said. You said that you loved me!" Leena blushed scarlet with shyness, which added color to her pale face. "Really? Are you sure of it? You must have misheard it!" Kevin stared at Leena with a big grin on his face, his eyes full of affection for her. "Come on! How could you deny what you''ve said? I won''t speak to you until you repeat what you''ve said before," Leena grumbled, pursing her lips. Her energy was starting toe back just because of spending this moment with the man she loved. Leena knew Kevin was trying to make herugh, so she was pretending to get angry. Kevin gave her a cunning smile and whispered in her ear,"Nana, I love you. I''ll be there, for better or worse, till death do us part." He finally realized his feelings for Leena and showed them to her without hiding. After all, running away from reality did not help solve any problem. "Kevin, you... you admitted it." Leena stared at Kevin with tears of joy. It was because of Kevin''s confession of love that she had woken up from the darkness. "Yes, I said it. And I will say it every day from now on." He leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. He had suffered all kinds of torment in the past two days, and he was not willing to experience that ever again. As long as she was happy, he was willing to say it every day. "Kevin, do you know how long I''ve been waiting for you to say it? I thought that I would never hear you say it to me in this life. But you just did. Am I still in the dream? I''m Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. s Kevin was, he was also proud when hearing Leena''spliments. "Help me up please! My back is killing me." Leena cast a nce at Kevin, unable to bear him acting like a peacock. She was stiff all over, probably because she had been in a horizontal position for a long time. "Sure. Are you hungry? When Doctor Qin gets here, I''ll go get you something to eat." Kevin reached out his hands to help her sit up in bed and propped a pillow behind her back so that she could lean against it. "I''m not hungry at all. What time is it? It feels like night time." Leena looked at the window, but it was covered by thick curtains. She had to look away and turned to Kevin. "It''s 4 AM. It''s almost dawn." Kevin nced at his watch to check the time and wondered if Tom was awake or not and whether he had seen his message. "Why were you not sleeping? You''ll be tired and sleepy at work!" Leena said with a frown. Worry was written all over her face. She cared about Kevin so much, despite her own current weak condition. Chapter 1282 Leena Woke Up (Part Three) "Don''t worry about me. I''ve reported our situation to the Commander so I can take a few days off. So I have plenty of time to be with you," Kevin said, pinching her little nose. He didn''t tell her that he had been suspended like what had happened to Daisy in the past. He didn''t want Leena to worry about him and feel guilty. After all, if he had epted and aplished the mission this time, he would not have been suspended. But he cared about Leena and was willing to ept the disciplinary action. He just treated it as a vacation and nned to stay home to keep his wifepany. "Really?" Excitement shed across her face, and her eyes lit up. She really didn''t want to lose hispany just yet. No doubt his words were like a refreshing shot of energy. "Of course it''s true. When have I lied to you?" Kevin reached out his hands to pinch her little nose again. He reminded himself to act normal so that she would not expose the fact that he was suspended. "Did Leena wake up?" Tom asked as he rushed into the ward in slippers and messy clothes. "Tom, I''m terribly sorry to have roused you so early." Leena made a face and stuck out her tongue at Tom. She was deeply moved by his care and concern for her. "Naughty girl! I was worried to death about you." Tom held Leena in his arms as a wave of excitement swept over him. He had been sleeping in the hospital since Leena was confined here for fear that she would go into shock, or some other kind of emergency. "Sorry! I was being selfish this time." Leena hugged him back. She knew everyone was scared to death for what had happened to her. "You don''t need to apologize to me. As long as you''re okay, it''ll take a load off my mind. Please lie down so I ca Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hers," said Kevin. Though he knew Kate Hotel was under FX International Group, he felt a little embarrassed to ask people to cook for them in the early morning. "It''s okay. The Food and Beverage Department of Kate Hotel is avable at any time. So it''s not even an issue." While speaking, Tom called the Food and Beverage Department. Actually, Leena had more privileges than he did. Leena owned the limited-edition Dragc Card from the FX International Group, and she had the same powers as Edward. Tom had been pining for a Dragc Card, but Edward just turned him down. ''You''re not a friend of mine, Edward!'' Tom cursed silently. "Ah, I get it. I thought you were going to wake them up in the early morning." Kevin knew nothing about Kate Hotel and seldom went to upscale hotels. After all, he was a soldier who spent most of his time in the army base. Before getting married, he sometimes went to his friend''s bar to have a drink and that was it. Since he got married to Leena, he always went home after work. No wonder people would treat him like a peasant. Moreover, soldiers were not allowed to frequently visit upscale entertainment venues. Chapter 1283 Asshole (Part One) Thank goodness! Leena finally came around. They even thought of all the possibilities and nned for the worst. Now they could finally set their minds at ease. "Naughty girl, you really scared us. We were so worried about you." Rain excitedly gave Leena a bear hug even though he was scolding her on the surface. Duke looked at her, standing frozen. There was a ghost of hesitation on his face. ''I may still be dreaming, '' he said to himself. Leena''s sweet smile seemed unreal. "Brother," Leena looked over to Duke and acknowledged him. She knew that she had frightened him all this time. "Do you know what you did? Do you still take me as your brother?" The thought that Leena chose to drown herself instead of swimming to the shallow end of the pool made Duke mad. Kevin broke her heart, while Duke doted on her, but in her mind, Kevin mattered more. "I''m sorry." Leena kept making apologies after getting out of the crisis. She could now see that the wrong decision she made in a moment of weakness greatly affected those who loved her. She shouldn''t have acted like a selfish child. "Cool down, Duke. Leena hasn''tpletely recovered. She still looks rather pale," Edward tried to smooth things over as he didn''t like seeing Duke me Leena. Duke frowned but he shut up. Truth be told, he didn''t actually have the heart to me Leena. It was all just for show. He straightened his face just for effect. "I heard that you are pregnant, Belinda. Congrattions!" said Leena with a grin to cover up her feeling awkward. Although Edward changed the topic, she still dared not look directly at her brother''s stoic face. "Thank you. You will also be an aunt soon," Belinda responded wittily. She knew how to ease the tense atmosphere. "That''s true, but I seem to have been an aunt for a long time." Saying this, Leena thought of Justin. What a little naughty fellow he was! She really missed him. They were as ipatible as fire and water when they stayed together, but she couldn''t help missing him when he was away. "You know, it''s different," Belinda spoke in azy tone, and at the same time, she gave Edward a challenging look, telling him that her ba Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ly with Leena. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist to support her. "It''s only once in a blue moon that we can take a walk like this. It reminds me of the clich¨¦d story in that trendy drama. I used to scorn it, but I didn''t think it would happen to me one day." Leena gave a soft smile. She never expected herself to be the heroine in her own story one day. "I am so sorry that I didn''t pay you enough attention and care." Kevin felt guilty. After they got married, he seldom spent time with Leena. It was normal for her to feel that way. "Never say sorry to me. I don''t want you to keep making apologies for the same mistake." Leena looked up at her husband. If people thought that an apology could solve all problems, they would make endless mistakes. "Okay fine. What a clever girl you are!" Kevin rubbed Leena''s nose with affection. He certainly knew what she meant. He really owed her a lot. That was why she would bring it up more often. Leena felt herself blush. How she wished she could snuggle in his arms like this and be with him forever. Whether he loved her or not, it would be enough for her to have him by her side. "The girl you saw was Michelle. She is a typical tomboy. I met her by ident when she jumped into my arms to avoid her bodyguard that day. It was really not what you thought." Kevin owed Leena an exnation. He had to make it clear to her, so that she wouldn''t continue to be depressed and insecure. Chapter 1284 Asshole (Part Two) ."I was small-minded. Sorry that I misunderstood you." Leena felt embarrassed. She just reiterated that she didn''t want Kevin to make apologies. However, she kept making apologies herself instead. "Never mind. You cared about me too much, so you were jealous," Kevinforted Leena with a gentle smile. They would love each other more after this. Misunderstandings were inevitable in life. As long as we were willing to spend some time exining or listening, we wouldn''t get hurt. As soon as Leena got home, Shannon gave her a big hug. She was still worried about Leenast night and wondered when she would wake up. To her surprise, Leena hade home safe and sound. "Thank goodness! You''re back atst!" Shannon''s voice was filled with emotion. She stared at Leena up and down with tears in her eyes. Originally, she wanted to cook something for Leena and bring it to hospital, but Kevin told her not to anymore, because they would be back soon. What a pleasant surprise! "Mom, I''m sorry to have worried you." Leena didn''t expect that her mother-inw woulde to see her from the capital city. She was moved when Kevin told her about it. Now, she was even more excited and grateful to see Shannon. "Silly girl, don''t make a big deal out of it. I''m no stranger! Go wash your hands so we can eat. I made congee with pork bones for you. You can''t eat greasy food for now but I''ll cook whatever you like after you fully recover," Shannon said as she patted Leena on the back. "Okay. Thank you, Mom," Leena answered in a soft voice. She looked around and found that the house remained the same and was as spotless as before. "Wee home, Leena," ire said excitedly. She seemed to havepletely changed after the ident. "Thank you, ire." Leena gave her a big hug. After Leena was snatched back from the jaws of death, she became more kind-hearted. She didn''t even want to get back at Louisa at all. Meanwhile in the hospital, Tom encountered Patricia again. He thought that whatever happened was predestined, and it was useless to think of running away. "Mr. Qin, where on earth have you transferred Leena? I went to her ward just now, but I didn''t see her." Patricia gave the esteemed doctor a challenging look. If she didn''t ask Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ard. "What are you talking about? Of course I''m real! Have you ever seen ghosts in broad daylight?" Leena talked back in an irritated voice. She rolled her eyes although she knew that Patricia couldn''t see her. "Thank God! You finally woke up! Where are you? Kevin didn''t call to tell me that you''ve changed rooms. I''m running about like a chicken with its head cut off in this hospital," Patricia said angrily. She was still enraged at Tom''s arrogance. "What? You''re in the hospital? I''ve already gotten back home. Would you like toe over?" Leena stuck out her tongue. She knew Patricia must be angry. "What? You''re already home? It''s a miracle then! You were just unconscious in bed yesterday, but you left the hospital and went home today. I can''t believe it! Is it because of that doctor dickhead, Tom?" Patricia''s anger rose further, mentioning his name. Why didn''t Tom tell her that Leena had been discharged from the hospital? He just asked her to make a call. What a ssic asshole! "Err¡­ You know it." Originally, Leena tried to hide Tom''s identity, but she didn''t think that everything had changed after she drowned. "Know what? That you deliberately misled me? Or that Tom is just an asshole?" Patricia didn''t know why she was in a bad mood after she learned that Tom was a doctor yesterday. How agonizing it was. "What happened? What did Tom do to you? Why are you so angry?" Leena drew back her neck. She didn''t know why the two were at odds. What happened while she was in aa? Chapter 1285 The Sweetest Moments In Life (Part One) "Stop talking about him! You''re being so annoying! Since you''re safe and sound now, I''ll go home. Try to rest up and take good care of yourself. I''ll see youter," said Patricia to her friend furiously. She was fully aware of Tom''s hostile attitude against her. Love and hate sometimes reced each other in their fragile rtionship. "Oh alright, I see. I''ll call youter then." Leena pursed her lips and faint wrinkle lines appeared around her eyes. She wondered what Tom had done to anger Patricia so much. "Ok, I''m gonna go. Bye," said Patricia, and hung up. She frowned and headed quickly towards the hospital door. Thest thing she wanted was to bump into Tom in the hospital. Frankly, Tom wasn''t such a terrible guy. However, his arrogance and falseness made her sick. He for sure had assumed, and of course-falsely, that she had fallen in love with him already, and he didn''t need to talk nicely to her anymore. This fake he was! She drove away off the hospital and passed dozens of cars, over-speeding. When she looked at the rear-view mirror, her eyes found a Harley-Davidson tailing her car too closely. She couldn''t recognize the rider, as he was wearing a helmet. Patricia looked at him again. She had no idea of why the hell he was driving like that. Was the driver annoyed because she was faster? Patricia looked back to the road ahead and ignored the motorbike altogether, even though they happened to be driving down the same path. However, when she pulled over at a narrow street, where the video center was located, the motorbike also stopped beside her car. Patricia''s way out was blocked and she couldn''t even open the car door. "Hey! Bro! Could you park your motorbike away from my car? Can''t you see that I can''t open the damn door and get off?" said Patricia with a calm voice, but apparently annoyed deep down. She rolled down the car window and waited impatiently for his reaction. She had no intention of picking a fight with this guy or starting up any trouble on the street. "What''re you calling her new friend to get off. "It sounds great!" Patricia thought Michelle was funny. Michelle being 5''3'''' in height was suddenly dwarfed by the perfect figure of Patricia when she stepped out of her car graciously. "Patricia, can I ask you something?" Michelle swallowed with a throat already dry. She somehow admired the way of her new friend was standing out. She even felt jealous. "Go ahead!" said Patricia in confusion, wondering why such a strange girl had got so many questions to ask. Patricia mmed the car door shut. While talking to Michelle, she kept looking in the direction of the video center. Shepletely ignored Michelle''s staring. "May I know your height?" Michelle couldn''t help but stand on tiptoe, so that she might look as tall as Patricia. "5''7''''. Why, what''s wrong with that? Why are you asking?" Patricia looked even more confused. "Oh! No, no problem at all. I''m just curious." Michelle answered in awe. Her face reddened. Patricia was taller than her with almost 5 inches. It was no wonder that she looked slender and much more beautiful. Michelle''s jealousy started to grow. "Michelle, I have to go now. It was very nice meeting you. Have a nice day!" said Patricia. She was looking forward to rxing herself at the video center, and releasing the sudden tingle of excitement in this strange auto racing game. Chapter 1286 The Sweetest Moments In Life (Part Two) "Wait! How can I find you again?" shouted Michelle at the disappearing figure of Patricia. She really wanted to follow Patricia inside, and ask her for the phone number. However, she was in a hurry now, and had to leave immediately. Besides, she really disliked the noise at the video center. Patricia didn''t even turn around. She shouted out her phone number honestly, without the slightest caution to this weird girl she had met just a few moments ago. Destiny tied them together. This was the start of their close andsting friendship. They met because of a misunderstanding, but made friends in an unexpected way. This sort of friendship only belonged to people with some real personality. Kevin had a good long sleep, and didn''t wake up until the dinner was ready. He opened his eyes and felt the darkness surrounding and engulfing him, which made him panic unconsciously. He got paranoid due to the nervous tension in thest two days. The boy stood up,pletely losing sight of time and ce. Suddenly, the bedroom door opened, and a figure came inside, turning the light on. The bright glow of the light-bulb made Kevin feel dizzy for a brief moment. When the dizziness passed, he saw Leena stand beside the bed and stare at him. He immediately felt relieved. A big smile cracked on his face. "You''re already awake! I intended to wake you up if you were still sleeping," said Leena, surprised. She had a long white dress on. It was warm inside the room, so Leena didn''t feel cold. Seeing Kevin was awake already, sitting on his bed, she was really awkward. She didn''t bear to disturb his sleep. But the dinner was ready and her tired husband needed some real food as well as a good rest to get invigorated. "Yeah! What time is it? How long have I been sleeping?" Kevin massaged his temples softly and rhythmically. He couldn''t remember thest time he slept this soundly and deeply. "Not too long. About five hours. How is your headache? Better?" Leena knelt down on the bed, removed his hands nger. Shannon was also getting angry. Troubles were following ire all the time. So no wonder everyone was worried. Kevin called his sister several times and she didn''t answer. He frowned, also worried. "What''s wrong? Didn''t she answer her phone?" Leena asked looking at Kevin with worry. She knew ire was a good girl and wouldn''t stir up troubles without provocation. "Yeah... I don''t think she heard her phone ring. We shouldn''t be waiting for her. Let''s eat," said Kevin, obviously displeased and disappointed. Kevin left his phone at the table and was about to pick up chopsticks when the door opened and ire came inside. All eyes were on her and she felt embarrassed. "What are you doing, staring at me in such a weird way?" asked ire. She looked herself, examining her clothes, but didn''t find anything wrong about her outfit. "Where have you been? We''ve been waiting for you to join us for dinner. Don''t you know that somebody back home might get worried about you when you don''t answer your phone? Leena just got discharged from the hospital. Don''t you think you shoulde home earlier and try to take care of her?" Shannon almost shouted at ire. Extremely disappointed, she thought her daughter had changed, but actually she remained the same. She was still the spoiled child, self-willed, selfish and naive. Chapter 1287 The Sweetest Moments In Life (Part Three) "It''s not toote, and you haven''t started your dinner yet. Besides that, I told you I was leaving," ire objected. ire felt herself being falsely med. However, she decided not to get into an argument with her mother, in case she tried to lecture her. She hated being told what should or shouldn''t be done. "It''s good that you are back home. Now, wash your hands, sit and eat dinner with us," said Leena,ing to ire''s rescue. She was in ire''s age and knew what ire was doing and thinking. Most girls wouldn''t spend their free time home, or share their private life with their families. They loved parties, nice clothes and all funny things, and boredom was their mortal enemy. "Thank you, Leena! ire made a funny face at her mother before rushing to the washroom. "Look at her. Not the good girl I have expected her to be when she was born," said Shannon remorsefully. Gritting her teeth, Shannon regretted that her daughter didn''t live up to her expectations. "Mother, ire has changed a lot. Please don''t be always so angry and give her more time to grow up and be mature," said Leena in aforting tone. Leena really liked her mother-inw. A mother-inw rarely would care about her son''s wife as sincerely and warmly as Shannon did, and Leena really appreciated that. She had feared that she and Kevin''s mother couldn''t get along after the marriage. But their rtionship got even stronger with the time. She was like her own mother now. Shannon rushed to the hospital without a single halt when she heard Leena had an ident. From then on, she had tried her best to take care of her daughter-inw. "I''m just worried about her future. ire should be ashamed of herself. She has no idea where her life''s heading and where to find a suitable husband." Speaking of which, Shannon sighed again. ire''s father wanted her to marry a suitable soldier. But this was nearly impossible, as ire was demanding, picky, spoiled and unable to do anything well on her own and find dozens of boyfriends and take them home. You can interview them and find the most suitable one as my boyfriend. Are you ok with my n?" ire rolled her eyes, annoyed with this stupid discussion. Mother always liked forcing her opinions upon others. She had put pressure on Kevin to marry a woman. Any woman. Back then he wasn''t ready and he wasn''t in love. And therefore he wasn''t happy. Now, ire was under constant pressure to find a husband, too. "Girl, don''t make a fool of yourself. You can''t bring a dozen of boyfriends home, can you? Even if you try!" Shannonughed bitterly with lots of sarcasm flushing out her eyes. A single good husband was enough for ire. No need to find so many candidates to choose from, which would be too embarrassing for both ire and Shannon. "What should I do? If I, as you ordered, fall in love, you''ll also get worried about if he''s really my Mr. Right. In this case, I better allow you to pick a satisfying son-inw for yourself. Then, you''ll stop bothering me, right?" ire answered with mouth full. If her father saw this, he would lecture her about the proper table manners. Her father disallowed his family to talk while having a meal. Especially during dinner. Strict discipline was imposed on his family. However, living with Kevin, ire felt relieved and much more rxed. Chapter 1288 Put Out To Sea (Part One) "Everyone says that a daughter is a sweetheart to her parents. So why aren''t you sweet to me?" Shannon felt frustrated. But ire was her daughter after all and she could not just force her daughter to do something she didn''t want to do. She always wanted to see her daughter do well, not make her a ve. Leena yed with her ring finger. She actually knew who ire was, and what she wanted. She was still a young woman and she enjoyed being free. She didn''t want to settle down and marry just yet. Oh, of course, there were also some idiots like her who married a man at the drop of a hat. But Leena never regretted her decision and considered marriage to be the most precious gift in her life. At that moment, she raised her eyes and took a good look at Kevin. Kevin seemed to sense it, looked her way, and smiled back at her warmly. It made Leena happy. "Oh! Leena, Gerard told me that he was d to know you finally woke up. And he passes along his congrattions." After dinner, ire grabbed her chance. Kevin wasn''t around. So she sat beside Leena and carefully outlined what Gerard said. "What? Gerard? Didn''t he go back to France with Be?" Leena was surprised to hear it. She tore her eyes from the fashion magazine in her hand and started to think. She remembered hearing from Kevin that Be had already gone back to Paris. But why was Gerard still here? He told her earlier that he was going back with Be. That was when the gears started turning in her head. Why did ire mention Gerard, and why were they talking? "He nned to. But he said he was worried about you and wouldn''t go back until he knew you were okay. I think he likes you a lot." ire looked at Leena, lost in thought. Louisa was right that Leena and Gerard were once a couple. But ire chose to believe Leena. She''d seen how Leena and Kevin were when they were together, and she thought Leena loved Kevin and would never betray him. Gerard also told her that he and Leena weren''t a couple anymore. He was still wistful, but she was a memory he chose to treasure. "You talked to Gerardtely, ke that you''re home. I''m just curious. Didn''t you take some leave while we visited the capital?" Why was she questioning him on this? Did she doubt his word? "Yeah, I did. But it doesn''t mean that I can''t im more vacation days! Are you worried that it might be hard to support the family when I lose my job?" Kevin said in a joking tone. Now Leena wondered if he were joking or not. "Are you willing to have me bring home the bacon?" Leena reached out and put her arms around his strong waist. They just looked at each other with their heads tilted together, foreheads touching. It was very sweet and warm. "You bring it home, I''ll eat it." Kevin hugged her harder and their bodies were closer to each other now. "Ah! Cut it out! I --" Leena''s face turned red as she felt Kevin''s member brush against her. "I want it to be like this all the time. I want to spend every day with you, weing the days and nights," Kevin said emotionally. He looked quite cozy and charming. Leena was still trying to fight down her embarrassment. "Am I dreaming, Kevin? I didn''t think you felt that way." Suddenly, Leena felt quite shy and afraid. She was afraid that she might get hurt after this. For a long time, she''d just been willing to take whatever she could get from the man. He was less than romantic, so her heart was happy any time he showed her sweetness. But now, he was so different. Chapter 1289 Put Out To Sea (Part Two) "I do now, angel." He kissed her forehead. "But I think that''s enough for now. Know where I''d really like to go? The sea." Suddenly, Kevin sat up. It was a sunny day today and it was alreadyte in the morning. It would take a bit to get ready, and get out there. People usually sleptter in the winter. They got a taste of how bears lived, and why they hibernated. "The sea? In the middle of winter?" Leena frowned. Why did he want to see the sea all of a sudden? But she didn''t say no. And when they finally stepped onto the deck of the warship, she was astonished by the breadth of the sky and the sea. This was all you could see as you looked off in the distance. The majesty was humbling. "Are you cold?" Kevin asked, tightening her coat. He was worried that she might feel cold because of the sea wind. He knew she got cold easier than he did. "No, I''m not. So is this the navy? What''s the difference between the navy and the army?" Leena wore a warm coat, so she did not feel cold at all. It was lined with faux fur, because she was an animal lover, but it was warm nheless. Fleece-lined, and very fashionable. "Simple. We fight onnd, they fight on the sea." The harmony of sea and sky made a beautiful picturesque view. The ship cut through the water, leaving white rapids in its wake. Waves rose wherever the warship passed. "Hey, Kevin! Got your sea legs yet?" A young major came and greeted them respectfully. "Hey, Morris, you old sea dog! How have you been?" Kevin looked at his friend''s flushed face and said in an admiring tone. He knew Morris was doing quite well. "You got the best deal! Cute wife, and you''re a major general now! Congrats!" Morris Cheng and Kevin were quite close once. They trained together as new recruits. But eventually the service decided Morris was better suited for the navy, and pulled him for special training. Kevin went into the ould get lucky. The sea was full of fish and other wildlife. Who knows? He might catch something. "Why not?" Kevinughed loudly. He was arrogant, especially in front of his beloved wife. Men were always proud and would seldom show weakness around their women. Not even Kevin was immune. He''d show Morris a thing or two. "Wait a sec. I''ll ask my men to bring some tackle," Morris Cheng said and went back to the cabin. A fishing show was on the way. The crew immediately went to work, bringing out rods, reels, bait, hooks, lines, sinkers, ands. "Here you are. Hold my coat. I got this." Kevin took off his coat and handed it to Leena. His voice was full of confidence and bravery. And more than a little bravado. He''d only fished a little. "Big talk, honey. You''ve never fished the whole time I''ve known you." Leena held his coat and looked at the man with soft eyes. He was her beloved man who excelled at everything. But he knew his limits, and she probably knew them better than he did. "Nice. Don''t think I can do it?" Kevinughed out proudly. He reached out and rubbed her small nose. He was definitely confident about himself, you could hear it in hisughter. He was having a grand time. Even if he didn''t win, he was making memories. Chapter 1290 Put Out To Sea (Part Three) "No, I don''t think I can do it. I''m afraid that I might see someone''s defeat. Is there even a bathroom on this tub?" Leena giggled. She liked this a lot and felt rather happy. Sailing on the colossal ocean inspired her, and now she had a theme for her summer fashion show. As a brilliant designer, she got inspiration from everything. She had to remember to put this in her pher on. "Come here, man! Let''s see how lucky you are!" Morris Cheng threw a big to Kevin and wanted to see whether Kevin had the makings of a fisherman. "I''m a major general! Of course I can use a!" Kevin took over the without hesitation. Yes, it was true. He''d never used a to fish. Particrly not a gill. But he''d seen it done in movies and on TV. How hard could it be? All he needed to do was do it like he''d seen it done, right? "Yeah, I''m not so sure," Morris warned. He was waiting for Kevin to give it a shot. Fishing was not as easy as people thought. He spent quite a long time figuring out how to manage the at first. It was pretty simple, once you set it up. A fish swims into the, and is caught by the gills. Thoses weremon worldwide. But Morris was pretty sure and fisherman wouldn''t know about all this. "Don''t count me out, yet." Kevin readied his and prepared to throw it. First, he grabbed the weight, then threw the out with all his strength. He did it as if he were the god of the seas. The result was sad, though. When the was pulled in, there was no fish at all, let alone a shrimp. He''d failed at his first attempt. "Ha ha! Nice catch! Told you. A perfect soldier might not be a perfect fisherman." Morris Cheng burst into loudughter. A soldier standing beside him could not help joining in. He was quieter though. He wasughing at a major general, after all. Although Kevin was not one of the navy, he was still a superior officer in the armed forces, and stillmanded the requisite respect. "But I thought -- never mind." Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. entually knew the truth. It turned out that he was not on vacation, but instead being punished! But for what? Was it because of her? "Oh, I have. It was my fault because I didn''t pay close enough attention. I ept the punishment." Kevin squeezed Leena''s hand a bit, to tell her soundlessly he was fine with it, and to reassure her everything would be okay. Couples had such wonderful ways tomunicate. "I''m d to hear that you can cop to what you did wrong. There''s always a period of adjustment, when the new recruits and more experienced personnel meet and have to try and get along. You should know this. You''ve been a leader for years and you aren''t supposed to make that mistake. To tell the truth, I''m quite disappointed in you." Nathan was still wearing a poker face. Although Kevin was his son, there was no father and son when Nathan was reprimanding him for something. The man had his principles. "I''m sorry!" Kevin pursed his lips and replied. He clearly knew that they were not father and son at this moment but superior and subordinate. So he replied solemnly. The atmosphere seemed to be depressing and serious. It was always like this, and it would probably never get any better. His most powerful memories of his father were when he behaved like this. They didn''t really have a warm family rtionship. Chapter 1291 A Meeting Between The Two Families (Part One) "Never mind. I know you didn''t mean to! Just take this as a lesson. I hope that you will follow the management norms in the future. It would be better and safer for you." Nathan sighed softly. He knew that it wasn''t all Kevin''s fault, but it had its repercussions, even if he tried to cover for him. Moreover, he had no intention of helping Kevin solve the problem because he thought that Kevin should be responsible for his own mistakes as a married man. "I know." Kevin didn''t talk much in front of Nathan. Although they were father and son, there was littlemunication between them. Even when they lived under one roof, they had nothing much to say to each other. As both Kevin''s father and his superior leader, Nathan always put on airs in front of Kevin. In the face of Nathan, Kevin also showed respect for him. As a result, the two were indeed so estranged that they did not look like they had any familial connection. When Nathan returned home, the atmosphere in the family was less warm and more political. Having married into such a family, Leena became more cautious. She knew that Nathan, unlike the others around her, was a high-ranking andmanding military officer. Her kindness and sweetness were useless in front of him. "Why didn''t you tell me that you were removed from your office?" Leena looked up at Kevin and asked doubtfully. She didn''t know if he hid it from her because he didn''t think she deserved to know or because he didn''t want to worry her. "It''s okay. It is only temporary. And I wasn''t removed. I was just suspended. You would have been stressed unnecessarily if you knew. So, I told you instead, that I was on vacation." Kevin said resignedly. He did not expect Nathan to blow the whistle on what he had deliberately kept a secret. It seemed that god''s way was higher than man''s. "Even so, you should have told me. Isn''t it hard to suppress it within you like that? Didn''t you say that we should share joys and sorrows as a couple? Or have you forgotten what you said?" Leena reached out her hand and stroked Kevin''s chest, with her lips puckered to show her disapproval. "Are you angry?" Kevin lifted her beautiful face and gently kissed her cherry-like lips. The kiss made Kevin feel like he had the world in an instant. He thought, ''Does she know what she is doing? Doesn''t she know how sultry she is now?'' "Yes. I a han didn''t like Leena very much. Hearing Duke''s words, Nathan was a little surprised, then looked at Leena and thought, ''Did she tell them? If she did not, why would he say something like that?'' "Don''t worry, Uncle Nathan. My little sister didn''t say anything. What I have just said is just my own spection. If what I just said offended you, please ept my sincerest apologies." Although Duke sounded apologetic, there was a touch of sarcasm in his voice. Leena was no worse than anyone else, so he didn''t want her to be wronged in any way. Even if he might offend Nathan, he would not allow anyone to bully his little sister, whom he had guarded for more than two decades. "What are you talking about, Duke? Nathan, he''s just a kid. He doesn''t know anything. It''s my fault I didn''t teach him well. I hope you won''t mind. Come on. Let''s drink more." Hearing what Duke just said, Lloyd hastened to smooth things over, not wanting his son to embarrass himself and the family and ruin the moment. "It''s okay. Duke is right. I do have such concerns. Now that he says so, I''m not worried. And I hope you don''t mind that I had this concern before." Nathan was a soldier who had experienced a lot in the army, so he had grace and manners. However, he made no secret of the ideas he had once had, and behaved candidly. "Now that you''ve all toasted Uncle Nathan, I''m no exception." Rain smiled evilly. In fact, a military officer like Nathan had little to do with him, and he was just trying to protect Leena. If someone tried to hurt her, he would not let go of that man. Chapter 1292 A Meeting Between The Two Families (Part Two) "Rain, he would be drunk if you do that." Leena said anxiously. She was aware of Nathan''s personality, so she worried that Rain''s inattentive attitude might irritate him. "It''s okay. I''ll drink with you, young man." Nathan took another drink immediately. He knew why Rain was doing this, and he thought, ''It looks like a lot of people like Leena. It doesn''t help that I don''t like her.'' Kevin frowned and thought, ''Even if I help my dad drink this cup of wine, Rain might not let him off easily. Forget it. Anyway, my dad''s not a bad drinker. He won''t get drunk that easily.'' Kevin consoled himself and silently watched what was happening. "Uncle Nathan, since they''re all toasting you, I''m not gonna be left out. Here, let me propose a toast. I hope you take more care of Leena. She is a good girl." Tom smiled faintly and then drank his wine in one gulp. He was not as gentle as he used to be. These people were all speaking for Leena, which made Nathan change his mind about her. ''There is a reason why everyone here is very protective and caring for this girl. She must have a lot of good qualities. Otherwise, it would not have been possible for so many people to like her this much, '' thought Nathan. Nathan looked at Tom admiringly, and then drank the wine, feeling a little fonder of Leena. Everyone toasted Nathan at the meal, so he got a little drunk. Everyone got along very well and the atmosphere was not as tense as expected. It was a little awkward, but fortunately there were no major issues. Nathan was finally willing to reflect on whether he was too hard on Leena. As an industry owned by FX International Group, the Kate Hotel was fully loaded and well equipped. Here, people didn''t have to worry about getting drunk, because those who got drunk were sent to the guest rooms so that there would be less trouble for them. "Is it proper for father to stay in a hotel?" Leena said nervously. He stayed at the Grand Apartmentst night and ire stayed at the vi. "Don''t worry. My mom''s here with him. Besides, Tom is staying here, too." Kevinforted her. Lloyd was not as drunk as Nathan, so he went back with Duke. They both drank quite a bit, so Belinda drove them home. As for Edward, Daisy could take care of him. So, only Tom and Rain, two single sick all over. "It was you who dragged me. I didn''t want to talk to you at all, but you wrapped yourself around me like some crazy drunk squid. Speaking of this, did you cling to my arms on purpose? Don''t tell me it was a coincidence." Luke said, gritting his teeth. He was a quiet man, but now he said so much. It was obvious that he was now mad at Michelle. "What did you say? I came here to meet another gang, not you. I just wanted to go to the bathroom, but I didn''t expect you to bring me here. I''m going to call my people so they won''t have to look for me everywhere. Give me your cell phone." Michelle said angrily, thinking, ''Now I''m finished. I made a bet with them that the one who got drunk first would give up West Street unconditionally. This fool brought me here now. They''d think that I deserted them? West Street is going to be theirs.'' "What? You just threw yourself on me and now you want my phone. You are such a calcting woman! Don''t waste your time. I''m not as stupid as you think. Now that you''re awake, you can get out of here." Luke said grimly. There was no expression on his face, but his eyes were full of contempt. "You idiot. Are you suffering from delusions? I just wanted to borrow your phone. You''re overreacting! You think you''re a star that everyone wants your phone number?" Michelle said disdainfully, and then jumped out of bed. ''Do you think I want to stay here? I don''t want to stay here at all. I don''t want to be with a dickhead like you for even a second, '' she thought. Chapter 1293 Spoiled Louisa (Part One) "I might believe you if you were someone else; But you? I doubt if you have any good intention." Luke said, shing an evil smile, which made his cool face seem far more sinister and vicious giving off a deathly air. Then his thick hand pinched Michelle''s chin so hard as if almost to squish it. "Ouch! Let go of me, you fucking lunatic! How dare youy your hand on me! You should go to hell, you asshole! What did I ever do to meet such an idiot like you? Are you trying to kill me?" Michelle yelled out, ring at Luke with her big and wide eyes. She was so frightened that all the alcohol buzz had left her body. "Hah! It would be a loss for me to kill someone like you. Get out. Now!" Luke said grimly, opening the guestroom''s door to show Michelle out. He couldn''t eveny his eyes on her for a minute longer. "Humph! You ungrateful piece of shit! Don''t count on me to save you when you are in danger next time. And when that happens again, I would sit there with my legs crossed watching you beaten to death while I eat chips." Michelle said with her chin up proudly, like a queen walking past Luke. ''What a poker face! Nothing is attractive about you! With neither any muscles like Sylvester Stallone nor a handsome face like Brad Pitt, I really don''t know why you''re so proud of yourself.'' Michelle thought to herself. Luke red at Michelle without any retort and then mmed the door after her. The moment Michelle walked out the door, she couldn''t help but shrink in humiliation. She just left, running away from that ce as fast as her legs could take her as if being chased by a monster. "Miss, where have you been? We were looking for you everywhere." The guy working for Michelleined when he saw Michelle walk back into the restaurant. "Where''s the damn one-eyed chicken? Is he still here?" Michelle had no time to exin why she disappeared suddenly. All she cared about was the result of the bet. "Not any more. He said that you sneaked out first, so the bet ended with your escape. They are in charge of the West Street from now on." One of the men said nervously with his head down. "What? I escaped? With which eye did he see me escaping? Was I not allowed to have constipation?" Michelle yelled angrily, with her hands resting on her hips. But what she felt more angry about was that Luke insulted her figure. She hated that Luke didn''t look at her carefully. She thought that although she wa e focused on the TV program than on her. He had to ignore her for a while because that military program was worth learning from and could be his reference. "Hehe! You got me!" Leena said and giggled shyly. Kevin was somehow right, but she was indeed a bit worried about ire. "Are you feeling bored? Huh?" Kevin asked, bending over Leena and kissing her on the lips slightly. Meanwhile, Leena yed up with him tenderly, putting her arms around Kevin''s neck without any intention of letting go. The kiss was neither impetuous nor fierce, like the clean spring flowing down from the heart and then spreading over the peaceful woond. It was like music with beautiful notes that people couldn''t easily walk away from. Louisa had never expected her father would do this to her. He not only grounded her, but also took her phone away, which made her life boring as hell. At the thought of how she was treated by Kevin the other day, she ground her teeth with hatred. Then she couldn''t help shifting this extreme bitterness towards Leena. She knew she couldn''t fight with Leena head to head, but she knew she could do something to her behind her back. "You get out of my way. I''m going out." Dressing up nicely, Louisa yelled at the soldiers who were standing guard at the door. The reason why she couldn''t go out was because her father arranged for these soldiers to stop her if she tried to leave. "Sorry! We are just following the Commander''s orders." Two soldiers replied without a leer at Louisa. They didn''t intend to stand down, holding their ground there as firmly and calmly as couple of iron pirs. Chapter 1294 Spoiled Louisa(Part Two) "Good, Very good. You won''t get out of my way, right? Actually, you''re just two of my father''spdogs. What''s the big deal? Today let me give you a lesson on how to be obedient." Louisa said, lunging at them with her hands and feet, beating the soldiers and unleashing her fury on them. She didn''t intend to stop or show mercy at all. "Miss Ye, please stop. What you are doing is a huge insult to us and disrespectful of our dignity. It''s true that we''re under the leadership of the Commander, but it doesn''t mean that we are the lower ss in our society. Besides, following orders is a soldier''s bound duty, and nothing to be ashamed about." One soldier said, grasping Louisa''s hand. He didn''t allow her to be an arrogant brat. After all, the Commander had specifically instructed that they should stop her if she took as much as one step out of the house and they could do so with whatever method. Hence, they didn''t even worry about handling her physically since they were under orders of the Commander. "Let go of me. Believe me that I''ll tell my dad about this when he''s back. Hah! Soldiers like you want to talk about dignity? It''s so funny." Louisa said with a scornful smile, pulling her hand back. Since her father wasn''t in S City, she wanted to take this chance to sneak out today. She would do whatever it would take. Or she would have not a chance at all if he returned. "Miss Ye, don''t forget that the Commander also started as a low ranking soldier. Do you think he did not have his personal dignity?" The soldier argued. He was too young and aggressive to bear this. As he expected, Louisa pped him in the face with a sound that echoed in the hall. No one could guess how hard she pped him. Even she herself could feel her hand shaking. "You? Do you think you canpare with my dad? Just look at you. There is no contest. Aren''t you apdog? If you''re not, why are you standing guard at my doorway?" Louisa yelled loud, without the slightest remorse. "Louisa, what are you doing? Apologize to them right now!" Louisa''s mother hade because of the loud noise their argument was making. She didn''t expect to hear bad words from her daughter, so, with a serious face, she scolded Louisa immediately andmanded her to stop. "Mom, why are you taking their side? Don''t you think it''s beneath you at you could get privileges from me." Louisa''s mother said, standing up. She thought she was a little impractical at that moment since Louisa was too emotional to listen to her. "Hehe! I knew it. But do you think you can stop me from going out?" Louisa said. She seemed to have lost her mind. Not knowing whether she was traumatized, all the people she met would be subjected to her sarcasm and verbal assaults. "Louisa. We''re your parents, so we must discipline you. If you were someone else, I am not sure if we would treat you this nicely. Maybe we would leave you to die in the streets. So you think about it! Think about how to go from here." There are no parents who don''t love their children. But It would be harmful once the children were spoiled. Louisa''s mother could totally understand this feeling at that moment. Leena was a little excited to see Patricia again, her face was shining with a sweet smile. She looked at Patricia with acent attitude, in case Patricia would scold her for hiding things from her. "Don''t smile like a puppy. Let me tell you. Don''t expect that I would let you off the hook easily. So wipe off that saliva in your mouth! It''s disgusting." Patricia said, looking at Leena angrily. ''Bad girl, you use this trick every time. Do you think I will fall for it again? Nice try!'' She thought. "Annoying! Who has saliva in the mouth? Well, you look very good in this suit today! Noble and majestic." Leena said, smiling and looking at Patricia piteously. She was trying her best to butter Patricia up. Chapter 1295 Hi, Beauty! (Part One) "For God''s sake, shut up. Don''t think I would forgive you so easily! You think making fun of me is funny, you brat?" Patricia hissed at Leena. It vexed Patricia to think of what Tom had said to her. ''Fine! I admit that I had a thing for him when I first saw him, but he is so mean. Moreover, he is a doctor! I hate doctors! I can''t be interested in him any longer!'' Patricia thought. "Come on, Patricia. I thought you fell for him at first sight. Why are you so mad at me?" Leena asked. She had a guilty conscience for she had concealed Tom''s profession. She wondered why Patricia''s feelings toward Tom had changed so dramatically. Patricia found out that Tom was a doctor, but she shouldn''t be mad at her like this. Tom was a remarkable man. "Stop talking nonsense! If I had known he was so arrogant and shameless, I wouldn''t have shown interest in him even if he were the only man left in the world!" Patricia took a slug of her drink through her straw, as if she were sucking Tom''s blood. A couple of days had passed since herst meeting with Tom, but she always lost her cool at the mention of him. "You''re acting so weird. Did something happen between you and him? Did he kiss you? Or..." Leena stared at Patricia with a goading smile. "Leena Leng, enough of this mind-wandering! If you continue to talk nonsense, I swear I will sell you to a remote mountain area. I hear that bachelors there are pleased to buy a young and beautiful wife like you. You''ll never be able to see Kevin again," Patricia said through gritted teeth. The resolution in her eyes revealed that she was not kidding. She would do exactly that if Leena continued to provoke her. "You''re an evil woman! I was just wondering about what happened between you and Tom. Why are you so mean to me?" Leena said, her eyes widening. ''What did Tom do to her? She seems to hate him so much!'' she thought. "You would do well to remember not to mention his name in front of me, otherwise we won''t be friends anymore. If you don''t believe me, give it a try!" Patricia made her statement firmly as she cast a provoking nce at Leena. Her face was as beautiful as a rose, although she was very angry. "You''re awful! Fine, I won''t mention him in front of you from now on. I did this for Really? As long as you don''t mind that I''m a gang member, I won''t hesitate to go through fire and water for you," Michelle said earnestly. Michelle was influenced by other male gang members and was straightforward in expressing her feelings. "Don''t worry. A humble family does not determine a humble future. We won''t look down on you," Patricia assured Michelle. Kevin had mentioned Michelle''s family background to Leena before, so she was calm when she heard Michelle admit her family background. She believed that a blunt person like Michelle could never be a home breaker. She suddenly recalled how naive she had been before, when she saw Michelle hugging Kevin. Leena blushed scarlet with embarrassment. "Thank God! Here''s to both of you, Patricia and Leena. I hope we will be best friends in the future." Michelle raised her drink and clinked sses with them. Three women of different family backgrounds and different personalities started their friendship from this moment onward. After several decades, when they recalled this day, they couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible fate. In the evening, Leena sat at the dining table and waited for her husband. Her feelings now were not what they used to be. Since they had confessed their love for each other, she was not as suspicious as she used to be before. Belinda had been suffering from morning sickness increasingly, but Leena was not pregnant yet. She became more and more anxious. She was too shy to see a doctor about this. Chapter 1296 Hi, Beauty! (Part Two) Patricia''s race would be held within a month and it made her worry. She could do nothing other than pray for her. This was Patricia''s dream. Leena had no right to stop her from doing this. "Babe, what are you thinking about? You didn''t even notice when I came home." Kevin was surprised to see Leena staring ahead nkly. She looked upset. "Um... It''s nothing. I was just in a haze, Kevin. You''re back. Was work busy?" Leena asked and proceeded to the kitchen to fetch the dishes. "It was busy as usual. Daisy identally sliced her hand. I guess Edward would use her when he sees her wound." Kevin was now fully aware of his feelings and talked about Daisy very casually. Daisy was family to him now. "What? Daisy got hurt? Is it serious?" Upon hearing this, Leena stoppeddling soup into the bowl. She grew concerned about Daisy. "Don''t worry. She''ll recover in a couple of days," Kevin assured Leena and smiled. Daisy was often injured, but this time her wound was not as serious as before. "Oh, thank God. I''ll call her after dinner to ask about it." Leena ced a bowl of soup before Kevin. She missed the times when ire lived here. The house had been full ofughter then. "All right. But Daisy seemed to be in a bad mood today," Kevin said. He took a sip of the soup. ''Daisy was in a bad mood. That was why she got caught off guard and hurt herself. I guess she was pissed off with Edward, '' he thought. "Don''t worry. Daisy is a reasonable person. She won''t vent her anger on innocent people. She has never med me before." Leena put food into Kevin''s bowl repeatedly, as if she wanted to fatten him up before selling him in the market. "All right. I''m going to H City tomorrow morning. I wille back veryte at night. Don''t wait up for me, okay? Go to bed early and don''t stay upte. It''s bad for your health." Kevin looked at her in concern. Whenever he was not home, she went to bed veryte. Even if he was home, she tossed and turned restlessly. Maybe she was used to sleepingte and it was hard for her to fall asleep early. "Sure!" Leena answered. She would not ask her husband about his whereabouts. She wanted Kevin to know that she was an understanding wife. "Why aren''t you asking me why I''m going to H City?" Kevin asked in disbelief. He could understand why she never asked about his wh he saw Edward eyeing her from head to toe when she opened the bathroom door. His face was long and hard. He looked like he had something on her. "What are you doing here? Were you peeping on me while I was taking a shower?" Daisy dried her hair with a towel. She walked to the dresser and applied her skin care products. It was winter. She had dry skin so she put on moisturizer every day. "Senior Colonel Ouyang, don''t you want to confess something to me?" Edward asked, following her. He joked around with her usually, but he was in no mood for it now. Daisy not only got hurt but even tried to conceal the fact from him. They had made a deal before that she would take care of herself and be honest with him, but she had broken her promise. Edward was furious. "Confess something? Like how many bowls of rice I''ve eaten today? Or how many men I''ve seen today?" Daisy retorted in a harsh voice. She had seen Edward being cozy with an actress yesterday. It had angered her. "Don''t try to sidetrack me. Are you still nning to keep me in the dark?" Edward rested his chin on her shoulder. He stared at the woman in the mirror and gave her a cold smile. "I don''t know what you are talking about. I''m going to check on Justin." Daisy stood up and was about to leave, for she felt it was rather dangerous to stay with him. "You know what I''m talking about, and you know why I''m angry. That''s why you want to leave now, am I right?" Edward strode forward and blocked the door. He didn''t dare to grab her arm as he had no idea which part of her was injured. Chapter 1297 I Dont Bite Shit (Part One) "Yes, I got injured. But it''s not a big deal. It''s only a minor wound and I don''t think it''s even necessary to discuss this with you or to make a fuss about it." Daisy was a little annoyed. She knew who told him - she heard her phone ring while she was in the bathroom. She assumed that Kevin told Leena about her injury. The call must havee from Leena. She was always the one to spread the information. But she didn''t expect that Edward would pick up the phone. "Senior Colonel Ouyang, could you tell me why you are so temperamental recently?" Edward asked. He didn''t know why Daisy was ying hot and cold with him today and he started to think that he must have done something wrong. But what? "You''re overthinking this whole thing. Let''s stop that, I want to go out and have some fresh air." Daisy gave him a cold look. She just wanted to get off here. "I won''t let you leave before we clean this up. Tell me what''s going on!" Edward crossed his arms in front of his chest, ready for the war he felt wasing. He had no intention of letting her go out. And he suddenly realized that something was not quite right. Her injury. He wanted to know what really happened. But why did he have the feeling that she was avoiding the topic? This girl was hiding something. "Okay! Let''s talk! Tell me, who is the woman I saw yesterday?" Since he wanted to go toe to toe, she would surly tell him what was bothering her. And she would let him know what he did wrong to earn all that behavior now. ''I will just give him a chance to defend himself before the death penalty, '' Daisy thought. "Woman? What wom white fabric, and even if he wanted to see whether it was serious, it was not possible. "Daisy, did you forget what you''ve promised me? You promised that you won''t get hurt any longer. But you always get injured from time to time. Do you really want me to make you quit your job?!" The air around Edward froze. He knew clearly, it wouldn''t be some minor injury if there was bandage on it. His heart ached from the view of the heavily bandaged arm. "Yes, I promised that I would try my best to avoid getting hurt, but it doesn''t mean I won''t get hurt at all. That''s my job! So you can''t make decisions that don''t depend on you. My job as the Senior Colonel is not controlled by you." Daisy didn''t want to cave in or to hide the truth. The reason she chose not to tell him about her injury before was because she knew he would pester her endlessly like what he was doing right now. "Huh! You want to bet whether I''ll really do it?" Edward said with a tricky smile. His arrogant manner clearly revealed his overweening conceit, as if there was only himself in the room. Chapter 1298 I Dont Bite Shit (Part Two) "Then I will also tell you that if you really mess with my job, I will never forgive you." Daisy knew what kind of person Edward was. He was a sly man, who had many tools to reach his goals. But she didn''t want to submit to his threats, because they were endless. She raised her eyebrows at him and stared indifferently. As she saw things, there was a limit even between couples. And her concession did not represent that she would allow him to do whatever he wanted. Her perception didn''t align with his demanding personality right now. "Oh, is that so? Let''s wait and see." Edward smiled gently. He was sure that whatever she was saying, she wouldn''t slip out of his control. Men always did things in a sweeping manner, that was how they made their women obey. The only thing that decided his action was whether he wanted to break her heart or not. "Hey, Edward, are you out of your mind? I''ve shown what you wanted to see, but when I disagreed with you, you turned up against me!" Daisy red at him. She was furious. Edward was indeed a very sly man. He could always get what he wanted, even it was an impossible task. If she didn''t want to lose her job and all of her power so quickly, she had no choice but to y to his rules. Moreover, he was behaving like this because he was worried about her safety. "Huh! Senior Colonel Ouyang, do you doubt my words?" Edward knew she already gave up on this losing battle. And he might disappoint Daisy again, because this was what he liked to do recently. He really enjoyed seeing how his beautiful wife was pissed off by him and her stubborn side was shining out. Life was too boring and peaceful these days and he had to create something to add spice to their life. Althou go to bed early. Don''t be carried away even if you think you know everything!" Justin never made her worry about his study. Daisy felt very happy about this. She was proud to have such an amazing son! "Okay, mommy. Mommy. Goodnight!" Justin said sweetly. But he would never go to bed before ten o''clock. "Good night, sweetheart!" Daisy said, and she gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead. At the thought that she had to go back and face Edward again, Daisy felt sad. She was very tired, as if she wasn''t raising one kid, but two. Walking out from Justin''s room, Daisy didn''t go back to her bedroom, but directly went to the study. Obviously she was avoiding Edward. But to her surprise, as soon as she opened the door, she saw Edward sitting there, with his legs crossed, waiting for her to finish the fight. He was staring at her with a yful smile. "Why are you here?" Daisy asked, thinking about how to escape the horror room. Did he have PhD in psychology? Or could he read minds? Otherwise why would he know she woulde here first? What a cunning man! He knew her too good, and he could predict every step she was about to make! Chapter 1299 I Dont Bite Shit (Part Three) "As you see, I am here, waiting for you. Come here, I''ll help you put some medicine on the wound. The bandage might be wet after the shower," Edward said calmly, as if nothing had happened just minutes ago. Daisy also saw the medical kit beside him. "Don''t worry. I was very careful in the shower. I think it''s okay. I can change the bandage tomorrow in the military medical room," Daisy said, a bit resistant. Because her wound wasn''t that minor, as she imed it to be. She didn''t want to be bombarded by his hot temper again. The little voiceing from her heart told her that she should try and keep him away. "Why are you being so resistant? Or maybe you''re hiding something from me," Edward said as he touched the ce where she kicked him before. This vicious woman, why would she kick the same ce every time she got mad at him? "Okay, I''ll let you do it. But you need to promise me something. Don''t get angry when you see it. You already got panicked and angry when I rolled up my sleeve." Daisy knew she couldn''t escape. She had no choice but to take the bullet. So she decided to negotiate first and prepare him for what he was about to see. She really feared that without prior agreement, he would lose control again. "Fine, I give you my word," Edward said and rolled his eyes. He assumed that she must have been seriously injured, otherwise she wouldn''t make him promise such things. He was deeply concerned already. He worried that if he untied the bandage, the wound was even more serious than he imagined. Daisy slightly bit her lip and then walked towards him. She sat down beside him and rolled up her sleeve again, lifting the injured arm in front of him. Meanwhile, she closed her eyes, ready to receive storm of howls. "Are you as stupid as a pig? Why didn''t you get a stitch? It''s a deep wound. Okay, I have to send for Tom n because of that troublesome Summer, she wouldn''t have been here in the middle of night. But if she didn''te here, how would she know he also lived here? If she didn''t see him, she wouldn''t get the amazing idea of frightening him. After the analysis, Patricia came to the conclusion that it all came down to one reason - it was him who caused all this. "Even so, don''t you know it''s very dangerous to drive so fast in the parking lot?" Tom snapped. He had the feeling that the car was about to crash into him and had thought it would be some friend of his patient who was seeking revenge on him. After all, no matter how excellent he was as a doctor, he couldn''t save everyone. For some cases, even the greatest doctor in the world came, he wouldn''t save them. So he had no choice but to give up on them and ept the facts. "I don''t know. I have always been driving like this. What? Do you have any problems with that? Come on! Feel angry now? So what?! Bite me!" Patricia felt very guilty in the beginning. But when she heard his menacing words, she was also irritated. "Sorry, I don''t bite shit." Tom said as he stood up. He would forgive her this time because she helped him before. But next time, he wouldn''t let it go so easily. Chapter 1300 An Unexpected Situation (Part One) "Wait. What do you mean? Did you just say that I am a shit?" With her hands on her hips, Patricia gritted her teeth and red at Tom with dislike. She might be a head shorter than him but that didn''t stop her from being aggressive. "I didn''t say that. However, I won''t refuse it if you insist on that meaning," replied Tom as he yanked the door open. He shot Patricia a cold look and then went into his car. He didn''t have any ns of staying here any longer. He honestly just wanted to leave. "Damn it! Stop right there!" Patricia sputtered and shouted at him loudly. She had never expected him to y a trick on her at all. "Well, I''m leaving! You can enjoy your time and stay here alone!" Tom screamed back as he started the car. It didn''t take long when his car suddenly shot out of the ce in full speed and disappeared, thus, leaving Patricia extremely angry. "Shoot! What a disgusting jerk! He is not even a gentleman at all!" shrieked Patricia on the top of her lungs. Her face was all red with how angry she was. She unwittingly kicked the car next to her in full force and the action jarred the poor car''s rm to an exploding noise! The scandalous sound made her immediately hop into her own car and drive away as fast as she could. It was usual for Tom to visit Edward''s house. It wasn''t the first time for him to be called here by Edward. In fact, he was actually so used to doing this already. However, he wasn''t expecting the stabbing re that Edward shot him with the moment he said that he wasn''t able to bring any anesthetic. "Hey! Don''t re at me like that! It''s totally an ident. I am also a victim, okay?" Tom looked away from Edward. He hated it when Edward was ring at him this way. Why couldn''t this man just be nicer and stop shooting him with such an angry stare? Didn''t Edward get a clue that his eyes were giving him t didn''t even chip anything from her usually heroic beauty. "No big deal. Just remember to keep the wound dry. If there''s nothing more to do here, then I''m driving back home. I have an operation to do tomorrow," said Tom as he tidied up his medical bag. He was asked to deal with many patients recently. Moreover, even his friends seemed to be getting hurt one by one. What was going on? Was this year the official year for injuries? "Go back home! We won''t keep you here." It was true that it wasn''t Tom''s fault that Daisy had to be hurt again due to the stitches. However, Edward couldn''t help but remain angry at the doctor. "I won''t stay here even if you ask me to. Bye, Daisy!" said Tom as he quickly took his medical bag without any hesitation. He was a responsible doctor and he couldn''t just let himself get stress before conducting operations. He needed to have a good rest tonight for him to be ready. "Take care and bye." Daisy had always been polite. Thus, she stood up and watched Tom leave. She did not look away from him until the doctor disappeared from their living room. It was only after Tom was gone that she shot Edward with a dagger stare. Then she turned around and walked upstairs without even saying a single word. Chapter 1301 An Unexpected Situation (Part Two) Now that action got Edward puzzled as he touched his nose. What was wrong with her? He didn''t do anything! Why did she stare at him that way? It was good that he didn''t mind it. Lucky her that he loved her. He didn''t think that he could endure her acts if she was someone else. Edward shook his head helplessly. It was obvious that there was nothing he could do anyway but go upstairs as well. On the other hand, Kevin got up early this morning but didn''t want to wake Leena up. Thus he was moving very carefully. However, he forgot what his initial goal was when he saw Leena''s cute lips. He couldn''t help but kiss her softly despite the fact that she was still sound asleep. It was to his great surprise when Leena''s arms suddenly reached out to him and embraced his neck. Then she opened her eyes and looked at him slyly. "I got you! How dare you kiss the sleeping princess?" said Leena as she blinked her eyes. She was still sleepy and it was obvious that Kevin''s kiss woke her up. "Oh? Well if that is the case, then I must be the prince... Yes. That one who woke Sleeping Beauty from her slumber." Kevin lowered his head and put his forehead against Leena''s. His voice was full of tenderness for his wife. "Are you leaving now? I think it''s still too early." Leena took a look at the clock. It was only six in the morning and it must still be dark outside. "Yes! I should go now. You can sleep some more, Nana. Cover yourself nicely since it''s raining outside. Don''t get cold," said Kevin gently as he kissed her lips one more time. He then tucked herfortably so she wouldn''t feel cold. "Okay. Be careful." Happiness flooded Leena upon seeing what Kevin did for her. She was so touched by his action that she ended up smiling at him sweetly. "I''lle back soon." Kevin took a look at her and then walked out quickly. Little did he know about how his gentleness made Leena feel. Compared with sweet words, she liked this kind of tender actions a lot more. She knew that they were a family and she would be waiting for him toe home. The Blue Enchantress was far from its usual tonight. Something special was going on as there were several noisy and young wom , she quickly reached out and tickled Leena under her arms. Leena immediately lost all her defense. She couldn''t help butugh out loud. Sheughed so hard that she bent over to protect herself from Patricia''s sneak attacks. Michelle took the opportunity and slipped away to open the door. When she managed it, she turned around and gave Patricia a thumb up to praise her. "Oh! Wait! I''m going with you!" Now that the two crazy women had done these things, Leena was left with no choice but to run after them. She had to be with them together in case of emergencies since the two were simply out of their mind right now. Noisy music, dazzling dance floor and dancing people. These were probably the mostmon elements of a bar! Truth be told, Leena did not like this kind of ce that much. It was just that the two drunk women were enjoying everything and she couldn''t do anything about it. Women with beautiful faces and nice figures were always the targets of men in this ce. So the moment Patricia and Michelle went to the dancing floor, they were greeted by oohs and ahhs from the crowd. It was the alcohol that was making the two dance sexily and voluptuously. Series of whistles suddenly filled the ce for the two as they moved to the beat. On the other hand, Leena chose not to join them. She was left standing outside the dance floor while massaging her temples. She was so worried and couldn''t think of anything to control the two. Chapter 1302 An Unexpected Situation (Part Three) The alcohol, plus the hot atmosphere of the dance floor made the two women more excited. They kept dancing and even sped up shaking their bodies. Their bolder actions aroused crazier screams from the crowd. "Don''t just stand there, Leena! Come and join us!" Patricia said and pulled her into the dance floor. Leena instantly felt lost and anxious since she got no clue about how to deal with the situation. She was in full panic! "Alright, Patricia. Let''s get out of here and go back to the room!" The multitude of men surrounding her made Leena leastfortable. However, Patricia and Michelle seemed to enjoy themselves a lot now. They were acting like they couldn''t even hear Leena''s advice. "Hey, beautifuldy. Let''s be friends!" A man took the opportunity and danced close to Leena. He touched her with his body while dancing and Leena was inexplicably disgusted. Her feet immediately stepped backward to avoid body contact with him. Unfortunately, another man was behind her and hugged her in his arms. Leena was so scared that she could not help but scream out. Both Patricia and Michelle were unable to hear her since they were too drunk to care and were also surrounded by crowds of men. Leena was left alone. Meanwhile, Kevin was already on his way back home. He could feel his heart getting softer the closer he was to the downtown. There was only half an hour left before he could see his cute wife again and just the thought of it excited him beyond control. He was filled with thoughts of Leena when his phone suddenly rang. "Hello. What''s the matter? If you are calling me to have a drink with you, I''m sorry but I have to say no. I''m not avable today," answered Kevin in a cold tone as he looked outside the window. "Oh? Really? What if I tell you that your wife is in the bar right now? Are you not gonnae here? Furthermore, from what I see, she seems to be surrounded by a legion of men now." Hoyle was standing before a ss window as he looked at Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. r but those men surrounding them were already too hyped and excited. They just couldn''t let thedies go! The group of men surrounded them too firmly. Thus the two weren''t able to make a move no matter how hard they tried. That was when some random guy suddenly hit another and a fight exploded on the ce. "Patricia, Michelle!" Seeing that something went wrong, Leena tried to rush to them and give her friends a hand. She forgot about the man who had been harassing her until a pair of disgusting arms hugged her from behind. She was struggling and doing everything she could to escape when another set of arms grabbed her from nowhere. Everything happened so fast that the next thing she saw was how the shameless man crawled to the floor. He was kicked! "Get out of here. I''ll get your friends out of here soon." It was Hoyle! He protectively pulled out Leena from themotion and pushed her away quickly. Leena was his friend''s wife and he just couldn''t let her get into this kind of trouble. Of course, he would save her! Leena was left dumbfounded and puzzled as he stared at the man. It took her a few seconds before she realized who the guy was. If she guessed it right, the mysterious man who suddenly appeared must be Kevin''s friend! Otherwise, she really had no clue why he helped her and her friends. Chapter 1303 Fight In The Bar (Part One) Both Patricia and Michelle were actually quite good at fighting. But they couldn''t muster their actual strength and abilities since they were drunk. Besides, the muscle head they met seemed to also be good at it. That was why they got trapped in the crowd and were unable to get out of there. But the root cause was because these two women were too willful. So basically they brought it upon themselves. "What the hell! Who did that? Who the fuck hit me? How dare you do that?! No one is allowed to leave here. There are consequences if you hit me," shouted Michelle loudly. After all the tension and chaos, she had be less and less drunk. Plus, she danced fiercely earlier and that helped her sober up a bit. She could finally figure out what was happening around them in the bar. "Forget it, Michelle. Where is Leena? Let''s go find her," Patricia suggested as she shook her heavy head a bit. For a moment she had forgotten about Leena. Thank goodness! At least she did not forget herpletely. "Oh, right! I forgot that she is still here. Look around and check where she is now, Patricia. She might have been hurt by these sons of bitches," Michelle said to Patricia and kicked off a man who began to cling to her. She was an expert at fighting, having some practice almost every day. "Ok, I''ll go find her! You be careful. Why is there so much trouble? We just came here for fun! I hope that she is fine. Otherwise, her brothers will definitely hold us responsible!" Speaking of this, Patricia thought of Tom. His gentle face shed in her head. No, not a gentle face, but a demon''s face! He was gentle in front of other people but not to her! She had seen his evil face several times. Hoyle was a soldier once. So it was a piece of cake to deal with those good for nothing punks. He did not expect that these two women could handle them quite well without any help. That was such a surprise. ome faces. That was how she made her final choice between the two men. Well, that was amon scene nowadays. A handsome or beautiful face would be much more preferred and weed. How cruel this world had be! "Bitch! What did you say? I am strong and heroic. How could it possible that he, a macaroni-like boy toy, is more preferred than me?" The stranger red at Patricia. Herments had insulted him. "Pfft! Your reasoning doesn''t stand at all, okay? A butcher is much stronger than you. Am I supposed to like him? That''s totally different, understand? Well, that is if you are also smart, which I doubt, because you are still here!" Michelle pursed her lips disdainfully. She wondered who this big guy was. She had never seen such a rude and stupid man in all the gangs she had met in S city. "Bitch! You are asking for death! How dare you mention me and a butcher in the same breath?" The big man was outraged and reached out to attack Michelle. But he was stopped immediately by Hoyle. Hoyle had no way but to twist the corners of his mouth. Why couldn''t the two be quiet for just one bit? Why did they have to irritate each other with shallow yet hurtful words? Fighting was tiring. Especially if it was with this guy who was big and surely powerful. Chapter 1304 Fight In The Bar (Part Two) "Patricia, Michelle! Stop talking!" Leena finally made her way towards her two friends. She could not help but knit her beautiful eyebrows worriedly at such a confrontation. "Are you okay, Leena?" Patricia felt relieved, seeing Leena appear safely in front of her. "I''m okay. But look at you two. What have you done? Now we are in trouble. Oh, God! What should I do?" Leena sniffed. She could still smell the stench of alcohol on Patricia. "Trouble? What trouble? They came and bothered us first. We were just fighting back to protect ourselves." Michelle was born and raised up in a gang family. This kind of situation was quite familiar to her. So she did not take Leena''s words seriously at all. Leena twisted her mouth a bit and froze immediately. She always acted properly and hardly went to a bar because she did not want to cause unnecessary troubles for her husband, a military man. Now, her two female friends had gotten involved in a bar fight and Kevin would definitely find out about it. His friend came out to help them, after all. This meant that Kevin must have already known by now. "Nana, watch out!" The moment Kevin walked to the dance floor, he saw someone throw a chair and it was about to hit Leena. He rushed towards her and turned around to hold her in his arms to protect her from being hit. The chair crashed on his back with a heavy thud. "Kevin, why are you here? Oh, wait... No, that''s not the point! Are you hurt?" Leena struggled out from his arms. She was worried so much, turning him around to check his back. "I''m okay. It stings a little. Get yourself out of this area and stay out of more trouble. I''m gonna take care of this situation." Kevin smiled at his wife tofort her. Nothing in him wanted to me her at all. "Okay, you be careful!" Leena replied obediently. She was indeed worried about him. But she also knew that it wa ould be endless troubles waiting for him. "Now that you are willing to admit your mistake, I can let go of it this time. But don''t forget to pay the bill and all the damages you caused tonight." Kevin said this, not to make it easy on him, but because it was not appropriate to punish him. A fight wasmon in such ces like the bar, after all. What was more, no one got hurt or worse, ended up dead. A warning to him was enough in principle. Besides, he did note here as an officer on duty. Therefore, he might get into another set of troubles if he showed any abuse of power. He didn''t want to find himself in a viral video about that. "Thank you, thank you. We will pay the bill and will be on our way." The muscle head walked away quickly as soon as he finished his words as if he was afraid that Kevin might pull him back. His men also followed him like chickens to a farmer with feed. "Kevin, you just let them go like that?" Patricia still reeked of alcohol. She turned her arm which still hurt a bit, unsatisfied. "What would you have preferred? Call the police here? And then the police take you to the station for questioning?" Kevin frowned tightly. He did not want to experience it with them. It would be extremely troublesome. Chapter 1305 Fight In The Bar (Part Three) "No, of course not! But I think you should have at least hit them heavily and given them something to remember," Patricia muttered. Obviously, she was not satisfied with the way Kevin dealt with those guys. "And then? People would have the opportunity to gossip that the military bullies people at a bar and takes advantage of his power? Is that what you want?" Kevin said coldly. It was not that he was afraid of that man, but he did not want to be the one to create a bad name for the military. Thest thing he needed was another case for disciplinary action. "Is that really so terrible?" Patricia was confused. She heard that soldiers always threw their weight around and disrespected the rights of civilians. Was that not the case? "You tell me!" Kevin replied to make her think. The reason why there was sometimes disharmony between the army and the ordinary people was because many people thought of the military the way Patricia did. "How could I know? Why do you ask me that?" Patricia red back at Kevin. She knew he wasn''t in a good mood now because Leena was almost hit by a chair. "Alright! Why don''t we take this to another room, please! We can continue this discussion there peacefully and with a few drinks and some food. What do you guys say?" Hoyle led the way to a private room. He did not think it was wise for Kevin to stay in the public area with his military uniform on. "Let''s go, Nana." Kevin reached out to hold Leena''s hand and talked to her in a careful tone, which was totally different from the cold and distant tone he used to talk to other people. "Hey, what''s their rtionship?" Michelle was confused and asked Patricia following them closely behind. "Obviously, they are a couple. Can''t you think a bit?" Patricia replied hel ice to meet you. I am Leena Leng. Thank you so much, especially, for your kindness and hospitality." Leena reached out politely to Hoyle for a handshake. Her face blushed immediately at the thought that he always saw her in awkward situations. "I''m Hoyle Yi. Nice to meet you, too. Probably my parents were quite confident about their son, so they gave me such an umon name. Also, don''t thank me for the billst time. It''s on Kevin. You can thank him," Hoyle told a joke about his name to rx the atmosphere. At the same time he reached out to shake her hand. "No way! You know each other?" Patricia said and took a look at Leena with ming eyes. Now she understood why Leena was so concerned when they invited her to this bar. The boss and Kevin were friends! "It''s not her fault. It''s her first time to see me today." Hoyle smiled broadly. Actually he saw her before. He was also present that night when she was drunk. But Kevin was still there with her, so Hoyle did not sit close to her. Despite this, he saw everything, except, of course, what happened inside the private room. He was not a person who liked to talk about what other people did behind closed doors. Chapter 1306 The Appointment With The Obstetrician (Part One) "Now is not the time to talk about this. You know the bar is aplicated ce. Why weren''t you more careful?" Kevin didn''t mean to me anybody. It was just that he thought girls nowadays didn''t know how to take care of themselves. Leena was a good example of it. Back then, if she had decided to approach someone who was not Kevin, she might have run into a creep. That would have been a big possibility. How would Leena''s life have turned out then? "Who knew that all men were creeps?" Patricia mumbled, a bit reluctant. They didn''t face such a situation every time they went out to a pub. Besides, they were not as reckless today. How could they have known that this would happen? "Wait a minute. Not all men are creeps. I appreciate beautiful women, that''s true. But I am definitely not a creep," Hoyle was quick to exin himself. At a pub, he could meet all kinds of beautiful girls every day. However, he still couldn''t find a girl who truly caught his eyes. Maybe there were just too many choices so he couldn''t decide. He had already forgotten what he had been searching for in the first ce. He knew that every woman had her own special qualities. Every woman he met was proof of it. They also shared a lot inmon, and it confused Hoyle quite a bit. "All right, everybody. I know you must be very tired. Let''s call it a night. Hoyle, can you help me drive them home? We should get going now." Kevin looked at his watch. It was already one o''clock in the morning. For some people, this was the beginning of nightlife. But Kevin had had a tough day. He was already tired. It was obvious from the tired expression on his face. "Yes, of course. But before we go, could you at least introduce us to one another?" Hoyle''s mouth twitched in amusement. He didn''t even know the names of these girls, for God''s sake. Kevin had forgotten to tell him. "Oh! Right. Sorry. The tall one''s name is Patricia Bai. And the short one is Michelle Mi. They are both Leena''s friends." Kevin didn''t want to he asked his sister to apany Belinda. And Leena, being her kind and caring self, dly agreed. "Wow. Is this the heartbeat of the baby, doctor? It is amazing!" Leena said, the surprise evident in her voice. She couldn''t tell where was the baby on the dark screen, but the heartbeat was there and easy to hear. She had never apanied a pregnant woman to her appointment, so she felt everything to be magical and surprising. "Yes, it is. The baby is quite small right now so the heartbeat is not that strong, as you may hear. Don''t worry about it though, it will get stronger as the baby grows," the doctor exined in a patient voice. Belinda was a friend of the head of this hospital, so the doctor was aware that she had to treat the patient carefully. "Is the baby healthy, doctor?" Just like every pregnant woman in the world, what concerned Belinda the most was her baby''s health. "Yes. From what I can tell, the baby is quite healthy. As a pregnant woman, you should be careful about what you eat. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Protein is important, too. Eat healthy and nutritious food, but also be careful of your dietary intake," the doctor said as she wrote something down on her medical chart. She was d that Belinda''s baby was healthy. As long as Belinda followed her instructions, she should be fine. Chapter 1307 The Appointment With The Obstetrician (Part Two) "Okay, I see. Thank you, doctor." Belinda put her hands on her abdomen, touching it gently. One could tell that she already loved her baby. The look on her face was the look that only a mother could have for her child. "Besides, you should also walk more. Go for a walk each day. Do adequate exercises every day, but don''t tire yourself out. Don''t have sexual intercourse with your husband during the first three months and thest three months of your pregnancy. The former one may lead to miscarriage and thetter one may cause premature birth. You can have sex in the middle stage of your pregnancy, but please be extremely careful. You don''t want to hurt the baby. That''s all you need to remember," the doctor continued, instructing Belinda about everything she should be aware of. She didn''t notice that Belinda''s face immediately turned red at the words. "You could do some antenatal training if you like. Listen to soft music, talk to the baby, etc. Keep yourself in a good mood. Do not exhaust yourself. Sleep is important for both you and the baby. Keep what I said in mind and you would be fine with your pregnancy. You will have a beautiful and healthy baby in the end." The doctor finally finished writing and raised her head to look at Belinda, hoping that her patient kept the instructions in mind. "Doctor, the baby is still so small right now. Can it hear our voices if we talk to it?" Leena asked out of curiosity. She had never been pregnant nor met a pregnant woman before. Naturally, she was curious about this and was full of all kinds of questions. "Of course. The baby is in her abdomen but it can still hear all kinds of sounds, including your voice. The baby gets the energy from the mother''s food, so it''s important for the mother to eat healthy." The doctor nced at Leena, thinking t Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. , now that we are already at the hospital? The doctor told me that if you are ready to have a baby and want a healthy one, you should thoroughly prepare for it. It''s good for both the mother and the baby." Belinda didn''t expect to be pregnant so soon. If there was one thing she regretted, it was that she didn''t n for the pregnancy in advance so that she was in her best possible health when conceiving the baby. She couldn''t forget what the doctor said to her. She hoped that Leena would pay attention to the instructions if she wanted to have a child. "No. I don''t think there''s any need for me to have a check-up right now. Every child is an angel gifted to us by God. I think I will just wait for it to happen." Leena shook her head. She was still too young to have kids. Besides, Kevin was not of age to want a child either. They should wait a bit longer. Right now, the two of them alone were enough. "That''s up to you. You and Kevin are still young anyway. I guess you don''t want a child right now." Belinda smiled at Leena. Ever since she got pregnant, she had be more gentle towards others. There was a glow to her that only pregnant women had. It made others feel morefortable around her. Chapter 1308 The Appointment With The Obstetrician (Part Three) "You''re right. We will take our time." Leena grinned at Belinda''s words. Her face reflected the happiness she felt. She had been over the moon ever since she came to know that Kevin was in love with her. She didn''t think she could feel any happier at this moment. "There is a mall near the hospital that sells baby stuff. How about we go there and shop?" Belinda asked in excitement. When Duke got to know that she was really pregnant, he took over her business and became quite busy. Belinda, as a pregnant woman, had nothing to do, so she suddenly had a lot of free time on her hands. She was not quite used to it. After all, her life had always been busy before. "Okay. I don''t have anything to do anyway." Leena looked up at the sky. The sun was beaming and the weather was nice. It was indeed a good time to go shopping. Besides, she was in a great mood, so she didn''t mind apanying Belinda to shop for her little niece or nephew. "But before we go, let''s grab something to eat first! I don''t know if it''s because I am pregnant, but I get hungry very easily these days," Belinda said, looking around for a nice ce to eat. Her eyes immediately lit up when she saw a bakery nearby. She was craving a delicious cake. "What do you want to eat? It''s my treat! For my little niece or nephew." Leena looked around too. Maybe it was because they were still outside the hospital, but most of the shops here were flower or fruit shops. It was hard to spot a quiet ce to get something to eat. "Haha. All right. If we are going to go shoppingter, how about we eat nearby? Um, how about cakes? I am craving a nice cake." Belinda didn''t know if it was normal for her to suddenly crave for certain foods. She had never been like this. Ever since she got pregnant though, she always wanted to eat a particr food. The feeling was always strong. She did not rest until she was satisfied. "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go! We can eat all the cakes you want. How about this Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. omer would be leaving. We really can''t do as you say." The waitress had a friendly smile on her face, but secretly, she regretted that she had forgotten to pack up the cake for Leena. It had led to this disaster. "Are you stupid or what? What are you waiting for? Why don''t you go and ask that customer for me? Why did your boss hire a stupid employee like you? I am going to file aint against you if you don''t do something about it right now!" Louisa raised her voice, furious. It drew the attention of the other people in the bakery, including that of Leena and Belinda. From where they were sitting, they could only see the back of the rude customer. Leena didn''t know that it was Louisa, but she did think the voice was quite familiar. "Okay okay, please wait here. I will go and talk to her." The waitress looked at Louisa with frightened eyes. This woman was scary and demanding. But she was just an employee so she couldn''t do anything about it. Besides, she was afraid that the customer would be violent. There were all kinds of people in the world. She had to do as Louisa said and go to ask the other customer. "Be quick! I don''t have all day." Louisa smirked to herself. She knew that she had to be aggressive and tough to make others do as she demanded. It was the only way to get what she wanted. Chapter 1309 The Worst In Louisa(Part One) The waitress bit her lower lip and walked uneasily towards Leena''s table. She really hoped that the two women were open to persuasion, otherwise she had no idea how to deal with the situation. "Sorry to trouble you,dies. I wonder if you''d do me a tiny favor?" she asked while looking at Leena with a hopeful expression. It was Leena who had asked her to pack up the cake. "What''s the matter? Rx. Say it to me." Leena gave her a sweet smile. She had a good temper and always spoke softly. "Here''s the thing. A guest also wants to have a green tea cake, but there''s only one avable now and you''ve asked me to pack it up first. If you are not leaving so soon, I wonder if we can give her the cake. The new batch of green tea cakes will be avable in half an hour," she said carefully while keeping a close look at Leena''s face. She was afraid that Leena might lose her temper on hearing the bad news. "Oh, I see. That''s okay. We''re going shopping in the nearby baby store. I don''t minding back for the cake after that. So yes, go ahead and give the cake to that guest," Leena said as she shrugged. Maybe that person was in a hurry, and Leena could totally understand that. "Really? Thank you so much. You really helped me a lot." The waitress didn''t expect Leena to be such an amiable person, and had thought she would be rejected, and even scolded. She was relieved and even a little excited because the problem was easily solved. "No problem. Just give it to her," Leena said while looking in the direction of the showcase. Meanwhile, Louisa was fed up with waiting and turned to check if the waitress was done. As a result, Louisa and Leena saw each other right re stupid things to ruin his reputation. If you continue to act like this, no one will ever respect you." Leena''s frustration crept up to her. She didn''t expect to meet Louisa here. And it seemed that Louisa hadn''t learned her lesson at all. Leena couldn''t help but shake her head, feeling pity for the Commander to have such a waste of a daughter. "Bah! Did I ask you to do my father a favor? Did I ask you to respect me? Don''t act like you are a noble person. You are making me gross." At the mention of her father, Louisa was even angrier. She didn''t understand why her father helped outsiders punish her instead of taking her side. "If it were you who asked us to spare you, we would act as if you didn''t exist, okay? You should feel lucky that you have a good father who is willing to entreat our forgiveness for you, otherwise you would have been dead now. Stop yelling and leave us!" Belinda cut in. She finally realized that the shameless woman was Louisa, the Commander''s daughter, the one who had pushed Leena into the water. Leena had barely survived that catastrophe, drowning and going intoa for two days. Chapter 1310 The Worst In Louisa (Part Two) "This is between me and her. You have no right to interfere in our affairs!" Louisa glowered at Belinda. Every time she tried to get even with Leena, there was always a personing forward to protect her. On the contrary, Louisa was always on her own. Even ire, who Louisa had thought would always side with her, betrayed her and turned against her. This made Louisa both angry and sad. "Maybe in your eyes, I''m an outsider, but I am not. I''m Leena''s sister-inw. We are family. So I have every right and duty to protect her," Belinda said in a calm voice. She was not angered at all, as it was no use quarreling with a person like Louisa. "So what? Are you going to fight with me because of her?" Louisa suddenly pulled a chair and sat beside them without their consent. Calm as she looked, she was fuming on the inside. ''Why? Why is everyone taking Leena Leng''s side?'' she asked herself. "I''m not going to fight with anyone. But I won''t allow anyone to hurt Leena. I have to be more cautious as there''s a mad dog here." Belinda had a silver tongue and didn''t even yield to Edward in swearing at people. "Ha! I know you are trying to irritate me. But I won''t buy it." Louisa was a clever woman. Even though she was pissed off by the two right now, she forced back the strong urge to kick over the table. Otherwise her father would ground her again. "Belinda, let''s go!" Leena offered as she picked up her purse. She didn''t want to waste time on Louisa anymore. They had finished their cakes and there was no reason to stay any longer. "All right. Go ask the waitress to pack up the cake. Don''t give it to her." Belinda stood up. She was happy to give the cake to anyone other than Louis cles, Patricia slowed down, pulled over, and got out of her car. She was wearing a red racing suit, which made her look breathtaking, like straight out of a ming poster. Her helmet covered her ruddy face which gave an aura of mystery and sophistication. "Michelle, how was it? Did I go faster than thest time?" Taking off her helmet, Patricia tossed back her short hair, stepped across the railing and strode towards Michelle. "Yes! Ten seconds faster! But my heart also stopped for ten seconds. Patricia, how could you enjoy this? It scared me to death!" Michelle was still stunned, reeling from the shock and awe of the race, which amused Patricia. "Only ten seconds? That''s not enough. I still need to be faster," Patricia said with a frown as she was not satisfied with the result. It was in the middle of winter, but her forehead had grown damp. She had been really focused on driving. "What do you mean? It''s not fast enough? Are you kidding me? I finally realized why you easily overtook me the other day." Michelle shook her head in disbelief. She really admired Patricia for being a highly skilled race driver. Chapter 1311 The Worst In Louisa (Part Three) "Ha! That''s why Leena is afraid of riding my car." Patricia picked up the towel she had prepared to wipe her sweat off. Speaking of Leena, Patricia hadn''t seen her in a long time. Thest time they had seen each other was during that incident at the Blue Enchantress. Since then, they had only kept in touch by phone. "I bet she is! In my eyes, she is as fragile as a porcin doll. Look how rough our skins are! But her skin is as smooth as silk," Michelle said with a littleugh. "Exactly! When we were ssmates, she was always the school muse." Patricia gave Michelle a proud smile as if Michelle were praising her instead of Leena. "To be honest, I really envy her sometimes. Even though I''m also a woman, I am sometimes a little attracted to her. No wonder Edward is so nice to her." As Michelle leaned on the railing and stared nkly at the sky, she suddenly became weary of her current way of life. She hoped to lead a simple and peaceful life like Leena was doing. "Don''t be upset. We are all beautiful in our own ways. Let''s go. I''m gonna go change." Patricia didn''t envy Leena''s lifestyle as she knew that it just wasn''t for her. She wasn''t the type who would settle down, do housework while waiting for her man toe home. "Are you really going to participate in thatpetition abroad? It looks very dangerous. Plus, I believe there will be countless race veterans in the game as well." Following behind Patricia, Michelle looked at her figure with a worried look. She had just witnessed an entire race event, and still cringed when she thought about it. Though being a gang member had its risks, for Michelle, it was far less dangerous than racing. On the track, death could ur in a split second. "Yes, I am. And don''t even try to stop me. I know I might lose, bu Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. stin gave her a ttering smile. The cool look and demeanor had disappeared, all for the sweet green tea cake. "Oh? Really? So I''ve misunderstood you. Does anyone else want to have this delicious cake?" Leena teased him with one of her eyebrows raised. But when she saw the cover of the book in his hands, she almost dropped the cake. A kid like him was reading a book on business management! Was he really reading it, though? "I want the cake! Please give it to me, Aunt Leena." Justin stopped pretending to be an adult and wrapped his arms around Leena''s legs, shaking and begging her. "Stop shaking me. I feel all dizzy. By the way, you are reading a business book. Is that real? Are you sure you can read it?" Leena asked with curiosity. She couldn''t even read the book now at her age, not because she didn''t know how to read but because the contents would bore her to death. "I can''t. Why are you asking?" Justin took away the cake at once, afraid that Leena would change her mind. "What? You can''t read? Then what were you doing with it? Do you just carry it around with you without actually reading it?" Leena was even more confused. She didn''t know what the boy had in his head. Chapter 1312 Buying Flowers (Part One) "By doing this, don''t I look like a smart, knowledgeable man? A stupid girl like you won''t know this," said Justin. With the cake in his hands, Justinughed widely, and then cast a disdainful stare at Leena. "What did you just call me? Well now, I want my cake back! Give it back to me," said Leena with a sulky face. Leena glowered at Justin, stretched out her hands, pretending to grab the cake. "You can''t take back what you have already given to me. Besides, even if I''m willing to return it to you, won''t you feel ashamed of taking it?" answered Justin, rolling his eyes. ''She never admits that she''s stupid. Did she lose part of her brain when she fell into the water?'' thought Justin inwardly. "Feel ashamed of myself? Why? The cake is still mine. I paid for it. You can''t rob me of that!" said Leena defiantly, raising her eyebrows. She looked like a pouting, care-free, little child, which was her actual true self. "Feel ashamed of you for Uncle Kevin marrying such azy and uncivilized woman," said Justin, curling his lips. He gripped the cake box more firmly, refusing to let Leena take it from his hands. "But Kevin just can''t love me more than he already does. Are you being jealous?" retorted Leena, making faces at Justin and then giving him a sly smile. Her smile was as brilliant as the bright sunshine. "Jealous? Of you? Are you kidding? You really are stupid. Why would I feel jealous?" Justin replied with disdain. His cool and expressionless face was very amusing and even funny. "Haha! Exactly! You''re not a man yet. Ohh Justin. This is why I''ve missed you. You never fail to make meugh. Hahah!" Leena bent down and burst into arson, or anything of that sort for you," said Justin, with his small mouth filled with cake. Then all of a sudden, he just spit the cake out. He didn''t trust Leena and didn''t want to owe her a favor. He now hoped that she wouldn''t ask too much from him. She had never really been that kind. Justin started to wonder why she bought him a cake today. Was there a catch? Was she ying a trick on him? "I may have disappointed you before. But, your guess is right, smart kid. I do need something from you, and hopefully it is something that you''d be happy to do. Justin, can you do some modeling work for me?" asked Leena, looking at him with imploring eyes. Hearing Justin''s question, she decided to tell the truth andy it all on the table. "What? Modeling? Like wear some weird clothes and walk like a fool with other dumb people while others watch you?" Justin asked in surprise. The sarcasm level in this child was higher than that in most adults. He stopped wolfing down the cake, wondering whether Leena was telling the truth or just ying with him. People had got to stop treating him like an idiot. Chapter 1313 Buying Flowers (Part Two) "They''re not weird clothes. It''s a fashion show. You know, the clothes are supposed to be... Forget it, you won''t understand it yet. Just tell me, will you do it for me?" asked Leena. Leena gave up. She didn''t want to argue with Justin any more. She would never beg a kid if not for the perfection of her summer clothing fashion show. "Watch my mouth carefully, and listen to what I''ll say," Justin paused a moment then slowly but clearly said, "I will not do it for you. Never!" Justin pouted. He was clever and cool, just like his father. He wouldn''t help Leena and get judged by some strangers. What kind of self respecting person would want to do that? "Are you sure?" asked Leena. Leena gritted her teeth, fuming mad, and stared at Justin. What was the use of being handsome, if he couldn''t do her such a small favor? He wasn''t all cute any more. "I''m absolutely sure of this. I''m sorry but l will have to let you down this time," Justin answered confidently. He winked then continued to eat cake. He wouldn''t refuse free food. As for what would happen next, he would think of that only after he was full. "Okay, I respect your decision. But... I think you''ll ept my offer eventually. We''ll wait and see,d! Well, I have to go. See youter!" said Leena in a subtle manner. The mysterious and unfathomable look on Leena''s face sent chills to Justin''s body. He had no idea of what Leena would do next. "Wait, wait, wait! What did you mean by that? Exin before you leave," demanded Justin. He frowned and pondered over why Leena was doing this. Did he piss Leena off? But he couldn''t remember which part of the conversation did he go too far. "No, I won''t do that. But you can guess. Bye!" Leena replied only turning around slightly. But she kept walking. Leena gave a smile and waved before getting in her car. "What an evil girl! Bad things ur whenever s made unimaginable sacrifices for the family and for him and he should feel content. Everyone had his or her own goals and dreams that were worth fighting for. He wouldn''t be the one to prevent his wife from pursuing hers. "Good designers need all the inspiration they could get. So, she needs solitude. Then you should show her your support and understanding and let her do her work," said Daisy in aforting tone of voice. Daisy felt relieved. She had been worried that Leena had been deliberately avoiding her. "Do I look like an unreasonable person to you? By the way, what about the injury in your hand? Has it gotten better?" asked Kevin. He couldn''t refrain himself from asking. He got a serious scolding for this injury in the past. "How long has this been? How could it have not gotten better? Don''t you want my wound to heal? You must be holding a grudge against me because I have been pestering you for a long time, right?" Amused, Daisy eyed Kevin, knowing that he was a good sport and wouldn''t feel offended. "Hahaha! You know me much better than I have expected. I used to think that I was good at hiding my thoughts from you," Kevin replied, with a smile on his face. They exchanged jokes and talked warmly like two old friends. Chapter 1314 Buying Flowers (Part Three) "Well, it is time for me to go. You can go back to whatever you were doing. Always take care of yourself and be mindful not to make a fool of yourself. My regards to your wife! Bye for now and see youter!" said Daisy as she left. A smile twisted around the beautiful corner of her mouth. Then, she got in her car and drove off. She was thinking carefully whether what he had said were all true. Kevin shook his head helplessly. Then, he got on his Humvee, started the engine, and left the army base as well. It was still a bit early in the evening. When he was about to drive past a flower shop, he thought for a moment and pulled over. He jumped out and casually walked towards the shop. "Good evening, sir. Are you looking for flowers? Do you have a friend or a lover waiting for you at home?" the young girl at the flower shop cheerfully asked. She smiled at Kevin charmingly. But it had no effect on him. As far as he was concerned, she was no match for his wife. Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder. And now, every other woman had be nothing but ordinarypared with Leena. "Let me have a look first," said Kevin awkwardly. This was the first time for Kevin to enter a flower shop and he felt embarrassed. To make it worse, some girls were standing in a corner, watching him. He desperately wanted to do whatever he came to do and get out of there as soon as possible. However, as a soldier, he had to stand his ground. There was no escaping from it. There were so many flowers in the shop unknown to him that he had no idea which ones to buy for his wife. "Wow! So handsome! Do you think he has got a girlfriend?" came a female voice from somewhere in the shop. "I bet he has some sweetie waiting for him at home." "You can''t say that for sure. Don''t you know that some soldiers are not allowed to marry?" another girl said. "Really? Are you kidding? If that were true, it would be such a waste of a handsome man! Have you noticed his shoulder mark? He must b Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ng closer to choosing the best set of flowers. She stared at Kevin, wondering whether his pure and smart wife would like the Lily of the Valley. She might not like flowers that shared the same characteristics with herself, because she did not need any other things topliment her virtues. "I will take your advice." Kevin took a deep breath after he had made up his mind. He wasn''t gonna get out of this flower shop without a beautiful bunch of flowers in his hands. "All right. Let me help you. The matching of flower colors may be tricky sometimes. They have their own different meanings. When you mix them up, the meanings change. Besides, you have to know the number of flowers that you want. Different numbers have their own different representation. I can''t exin them all in a short time," said the girl. She then started to choose flowers for Kevin. She had an impressive knowledge of flowers, bouquets, how to care for them and so much more. The more she exined to Kevin, the more he got confused. Eventually, he had to agree with whatever she said. Walking out of the flower shop, he was still in a state of shock. However, he had to quicken his steps and almost ran towards his car when he noticed the curious nces towards him. It was strange for a man holding a bunch of flowers and walking on the street. Chapter 1315 It Is Great to Marry You (Part One) Leena had been at home for many days. She had not gone outside her house at all and was absorbed in her creation, with no interruptions from the outside world. She stretched her taut body. Looking at the sketch on the desk, she put down the brush in her hand and smiled in relief. After several days of hard work, she had finally finished the sample she had failed toplete before. There wasn''t much left and she was winding up now. Leena pushed open the door of the workroom and rubbed her sore eyes. The air emanated a faint fragrance of flowers and food. It dispelled her weariness, making her feel refreshed. She trotted downstairs. A bunch of purple tulips greeted her as she got to the living room. So that was where the fragrance wasing from! Who were those flowers for? Who would receive them exactly? Leena didn''t like tulips very much, but she did know that purple tulips stood for endless love. She couldn''t help but pick the bouquet up and smell it. She put it down gently. She didn''t even think that it was a gift from Kevin, assuming that a man like him would never be so romantic. It was said that men who worked hard were the most charming, but in Leena''s eyes, the man who could cook was more attractive. Leena felt it was very affectionate of Kevin to cook for her. She wrapped her arms around Kevin''s waist from behind and rested her cheek on his back. She felt him pause for a moment at her sudden move. "Are you finished with work?" Kevin asked in a soft voice as he washed the vegetables. He was much more careful than before, for he feared that the cold water would stter on Leena''s hands. "Yeah. It''s almost done. Why are you cooking? Where is the housekeeper?" Leena loved snuggling to her husband like this and feeling his warmth. "I got off work early today, so I asked her to go home. Get dressed. The dinner will be ready soon." Kevin put the washed vegetables aside. When he came home, he saw the housekeeper Leena had hired about to cook. He volunteered instead. It was a rare opportunity to show off his cooking skills to Leena. "No, I like hugging you like this. It makes m Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. typing away on his keyboard. He looked up asionally at the girl who was lying on the couch and staring at the flowers. He didn''t know whether it was her favorite flower or not, but he felt satisfied to see that she couldn''t move her eyes away from them. "It seems you like the tulips very much. You have been staring at them the entire night," Kevin teased his wife. She usually went back to her workroom right after dinner, but she didn''t tonight. Kevin still had some work left to do so he couldn''t give her all his attention. "I like whatever you give me." Leenay on her side and looked at him with her fingers intertwined under her chin. There was a fondness that lingered in the air. "You''re so easy to satisfy. Such a good wife you are, honey." Kevin stopped working and smiled brightly. He felt rxed in this quiet atmosphere amidst his busy and tense work. "Come on, focus on your work. Don''t get disturbed by me." Leena stood up. She thought it would be better to leave; otherwise she would interfere with his work. "It''s all right. I''ll finish the work soon. Why don''t you take a bath first?" Kevin continued to type. Something big was scheduled in the city for tomorrow. The soldiers in his army base would be transferred to maintain order and security, so he had to work out a n in advance. "Okay. Meanwhile, I''ll answer my mails." Leena winked at Kevin and went out, still smiling. Chapter 1316 It Is Great to Marry You (Part Two) The next morning, Leena got up very early. She had to go to FX International Group today. Justin refused to be a model for her show, so she had to turn to Edward for help. "Hello, Mrs. Gu. Mr. Mu is at a meeting," Anna saw Leena and walked over to her, greeting her. She had always been a conscientious secretary. "Hello, Anna. When would he be done with the meeting?" Leena smiled. She was her usual self, sweet and charming to everyone. "In about an hour. Do you want to wait for him here?" Anna asked. She didn''t think Leena would want to waste her time waiting over here. "Um¡­ I will go somewhere ande backter. Good-bye, Anna." As Anna had guessed, Leena didn''t want to spend her time waiting here in boredom. "Okay. I''ll tell Mr. Mu that you arrived. Bye." Anna nodded. She watched Leena enter the elevator and turned away her gaze. "Anna, do you know that she is the designer of the famous French brand LN FASHION?" As soon as Leena left, the other gossipy secretaries in the room gathered around Anna. "Sure, I know that. Fashion magazines and weekly publications have reported her story. I''ve read them all. Now go on with your work. Work hard, or Mr. Mu will fire you if hees to know that you ck off at work. You know we can''t gossip during office hours." As the general secretary, Anna did her job well and tried to discourage the beautiful women at work who only wanted to marry a rich husband. Naturally, she offended a lot of people. However, this was her job. Even if they said bad things about her behind her back, she wouldn''t change her work ethic. As the saying went, nothing could be aplished without norms or standards. To have a foothold at FX International Group, they must work efficiently; otherwise they would get reced. Anna''s strictness and rigidity were for their own good. Leena left FX International Group and went straight to the Leng Group building. She hadn''t had a good talk with Duke since she recovered, so she wanted to see him. Luckily, Duke was in his office. He was acting coldly Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. rned up her nose at him. A crafty look came to her eyes that further pissed Justin off. "Ah! You''re unbelievable!" Justin shouted. How annoying Leena was! "What''s wrong, Justin?" Daisy turned to Justin with a frown. Justin''s squeal had interrupted her talk with Belinda. They had finally found time to get together at Belinda''s house this weekend. "Mommy, she''s driving me crazy! I want to get away from Aunt Leena!" Justin put on a long face. Leena was born to be his enemy. She was nice to everybody, but she transformed into the devil in front of him. "What happened? Did she ask for your help again?" Daisy was curious. Justin was seldom enraged. What did Leena do to piss him off so much? "No. I just have to calm down," Justin said as he walked away. He was quite familiar with the house and headed to the other end of the garden. "Leena, what did you say to him? Why is he so angry?" Belinda asked. She was eating oranges and was in fear that she would vomit againter. It was not until today that she realized how painful it was to be a mother. She vomited continuously every morning. She wanted to eat food that she wouldn''t normally want to eat in the middle of the night. The longing for it was so strong and intolerable that she had to wake up Duke from sleep every night. Just so he could get up and drive out to buy her what she wanted. Chapter 1317 Her Feelings For Him (Part One) "Ha ha! I was just joking around with him. That escted quickly." Leena could not help butugh. She jumped off the swing, walked towards them, and finally sat down. "Just ignore him. He''s been in a bad mood these days since you asked him to be a model. Why do you still try badgering him? Of course he''s pissed." Daisy took a look at Leena helplessly. She just didn''t get why Leena and her son couldn''t get along. "It''s not my fault. He talked to me first." Leena picked up a small piece of cake and popped it in her mouth. She was not worried that Justin might really hate her. They always bantered back and forth. It was always a game of wits, nothing serious. She just figured she''d give him time. He was young, after all. That was just how they were with each other. Always poking, trying to get a rise out of the other. "You''re not a kid anymore. So why don''t you grow up and stop making fun of him. He''s a child." Belinda did not know what to do with them, either. Those two had fought like cats and dogs since she met them. "But he''s so cute when he''s mad," Leena protested. She didn''t even try to hide it, the little minx. She just liked making fun of Justin. She always couldn''t see why it was so wrong. "Would you listen to yourself? In the future, he might fight back in a way you don''t like. He is his father''s son." Though it was her son who was bullied, Daisy didn''t want toe between them. No actual threats were made, and she trusted Leena, so she just let them be. But she felt she needed to warn Leena. Her kid was quite precocious, and given to scheming. She didn''t want it to cross over from harmless fun into something worse. "Ha! He''s a kid, what could he do?" Leena was not worried at all. She was adaptable, after all. She wasn''t worried a so stubborn. He was not an ordinary child, after all. Sometimes he thought about things more deeply than the adults. Duke was happy that Justin epted his exnations and decided to help Leena. It was the right thing for the kid, and the right thing for Leena. It was not an ordinary day. There was a special patient at Tom''s hospital. Why was this patient special? She headed directly to Tom''s office, and refused to be examined by other doctors. "What are you doing here? I''m not running a mall. You can''t just walk in here." Tom put the film on the desk and looked at Patricia, frowning. "Huh! Of course I can. Or is your hospital off-limits to me? If I didn''t need your help, I wouldn''t be here." Patricia was annoyed. She didn''t brake fast enough, and crashed into a guardrail. It was lucky she wasn''t in a real race, otherwise the other contestants would have smashed into her as well. Then she''d be in a world of hurt. Right now she was a little banged up, and nothing hurt worse than her pride. "There are other hospitals and doctors. You don''t have toe to me." Tom would never talk to her if she were not Leena''s friend. As it was, she was trying his patience. Chapter 1318 Her Feelings For Him (Part Two) "But I''m not interested in other doctors. I''ve met you, I trust you. So you''re my only option." A sly smile cracked on Patricia''s face. Stupid man! Didn''t he see that her hand was bleeding? How could he stay calm and stand there, doing nothing? Wasn''t he a doctor?! A doctor was supposed to heal the wounded and save the dying, wasn''t he? So why was he shooing her away? "Look, I''m super-busy now. Here, let me call up a buddy of mine. He''ll patch you up," Tom said and picked up the phone, trying to make an internal call to another doctor. Obviously, he did not want to be Patricia''s doctor. "Hey! I don''t want another doctor. You wanna watch me bleed to death, that''s fine." Tom didn''t realize why Patricia was here. Another doctor? No. She didn''t just want her wound to be looked at. If she wanted that, she''d go to just any other doctor. If that was the case, she wouldn''t have bitten the bullet and barged into his office. "That''s not going to happen," Tom said. "The blood would congeal before you bleed out, and.. you''re threatening me." Tom frowned as it finally dawned on him. Thest thing he wanted to see as a doctor was someone who didn''t value her own life. Most people wanted to be healthy. A doctor was responsible for keeping people healthy. He could be held liable if he turned her away and something happened. "Yeah. So don''t try me! My wound could be infected, and I could die from that, huh?" Patricia bit her lip. She didn''t want to force him, either. But his face, voice, and smile shed through her head from time to time now. She just couldn''t get him out of her head. Patricia wanted nothing more than to figure out why she always thought of him. "So whye to me, and not someone not realize that she was such a mess until now. The injuries were consistent with a crash, so he figured he''d offer some free medical advice. She could be suffering from soft tissue damage, and there might be internal bleeding or some such that might not be immediately obvious. "I''ll do that, but can you do the exam? I''d rather not have to answer questions all over again." Patricia looked at him carefully. She was trying to be coy, but it was getting harder. She preferred to be blunt. Now that she had stopped running away from her feelings, she was going to get close to him, no matter how she had to do it. "Miss Bai, I think I need to remind you that you are nobody to me. I''m doing this as a favor for Leena, nothing more. After this, we''re done here." Tom was getting angrier and angrier. As he was still dealing with her wound, he was a bit rougher than he had nned to. It was like he didn''t know he was hurting her. But still she clenched her jaw and refused to cry out. "What? Did I make you angry?" Patricia smiled carelessly. Though he disliked her so much, she still managed to give out a brightest smile that she could. . Chapter 1319 Her Feelings For Him (Part Three) "I''m really angry that you tricked your way in here. I''m angry at all the patients who don''t value their lives. You know what? You are the first one I''ve treated who''s so gutsy." Yes, it was his first time meeting a woman like that. That was why he tried hard to keep her at arm''s length. He didn''t want to get close to her. To him, they were entirely different people who would never see eye to eye. A rtionship was impossible. "I can be more gutsy as long as you remember me." Patriciaughed proudly. But she felt hurt deep down. He didn''t indicate he liked her, but instead made fun of her. She pushed her sadness away and still smiled brightly. "Okay, let''s get this stitched. Don''t worry. It won''t hurt a lot. The anesthetic should have kicked in by now." Tom decided not to talk with her about it anymore. They couldn''t be boyfriend and girlfriend. So he wasn''t going to keep her hanging on. He had to totally cut her off and let her know where he stood. Otherwise he''d have no end of troubles. Patricia bit her lip. The pain from her wound was fine. It was her heart that hurt. She knew he didn''t want to talk to her, so she stopped trying to make conversation. But she still stared at his handsome face with her obsessive eyes. Suddenly, the office got quiet. They could even hear each other''s hearts beating. They both felt really weird. "Can you drive me home?" This was what Patricia asked him when they reached the CT room entrance. She was looking forward to his answer. She didn''t want to piss him off, so she got herself checked out. ording to the scans, she suffered a mild concussion, but it was not that severe. She saw Tom''s demeanor soften, so she thought she''d try again. "Sorry. I''m too busy here. If you don''t want to go back alone, I can call you a driver," Tom replied distantly. Then he turned around and walked into the hospital quickly. He figured a curt rejection should do the trick. Though she figured he''d say no, she didn''t i believe her. She wanted to appear serious. "Really? But the blood on your clothes --?" Leena was frightened when she saw the bloodstains on Patricia''s clothes. She was really doubting her at this point. "An ident, nothing more. I got stitches. No need to make a fuss. Everyone''s starting to look at us." Patricia rolled her eyes at Leena helplessly. She wondered if Leena''s IQ dropped sharply after almost being drowned the other day. She''d be in a hospital bed if she''d been seriously injured. The Leena she knew would know better. "Look at us? Why are they looking at us? There''s nothing to see here! Is getting hurt against thew?" Leena said carelessly, raising her head to take a quick nce around. She hated when people rubbernecked, sticking their noses in where they didn''t belong, without offering to help. "You got me! Well, screw it. I''m hungry. Let''s eat. It''s on you!" Patricia did not care about what other people thought, either. So she continued Leena''s thought, being obvious about her distaste for their actions. "Okay. What do you want? It''s on me." Leena did not ask Patricia who treated her wound. She was pretty sure Tom didn''t do it, since Patricia got furious when she mentioned Tom around her. She thought Patricia had been close to walking out on their friendship over it. Chapter 1320 A Broken Heart (Part One) "Really? I can eat whatever I want? Then let''s have spicy hot pot!" Patricia suggested with a sly smile, leaving Tom behind for the moment. She wanted to see whether Leena would agree with her. "No, you can''t! You are injured. The spicy food will work against your body''s recovery. We should grab some light food instead," retorted Leena at once. She knew that Patricia was just cracking a joke with her. However, she still couldn''t help but worry about her friend. "Didn''t you say that you would buy me whatever I want to eat? How can you just take your words back?" Patricia pursed her lips. She shouldn''t have trusted Leena''s words. "Well, I am taking my words back. What are you going to do with me then?" Leena said with a teasing smile. She was not even ashamed of taking her words back at all. She was confident about their friendship and she was sure that Patricia would not get angry with trivial matters. "I guess I have to live in your house for a couple of days again. Otherwise, my parents will forbid me to take part in thepetition once they see my wounds," Patricia said with a frown. "No problem! You are always wee to our home. By the way, how did you hurt yourself?" asked Leena confusedly as she opened the car door for her. "I got distracted while driving and forgot to slow down when I made a turn. Then my car turned over and I got hurt." Luckily, the car had just started and the speed wasn''t that fast. Otherwise, she could have been seriously hurt. "What? Are you out of your mind, Patricia Bai? How did you dare be distracted on the track?" Leena was horrified about what her friend said and unconsciously spun the steering wheel sharply. "Hey, calm d he should, or else, she would eventually go crazy sooner orter. "So you just went to Tom, right?" asked Leena with utmost care. It was only just now that she realized how sad and dejected Patricia had been looking like when she arrived at the hospital. "Yes, I did. I even forced him to bind up my wounds against his will. Am I a shameless woman?" Patricia told the story in a self-disapproving manner. "No, you are not. You are different and courageous to pursue your happiness. I really admire you." It was said that winning a woman''s heart was difficult for a man, while the opposite was easy. However, Leena knew that it wasn''t really the case. She had so many female friends who had encountered difficulties in pursuing their true love, not to mention that she was also one of them. "Thank you for not making fun of me." Poor Patricia disguised her sorrow with a cheerful smile. As Leena said, she was indeed a courageous woman. She was not the type of person who would hold back even if the path to happiness was covered with thorns. Rather, she would move forward boldly as all that mattered to her was to be happy. Chapter 1321 A Broken Heart(Part Two) "Come on, Patricia. Don''t be so formal with me. I know Tom like the back of my hand. He is honest but dull. He doesn''t like talking and he isn''t that expressive too. Thus, you will have a hard time pursuing his love. Now that I''ve said these things, won''t you change your mind?" Leena said sincerely as she stared at Patricia in the eyes. She would be more than willing to support Patricia if Patricia really loved Tom. However, she didn''t think that dragging Tom to this would work since that might just make Tom hate Patricia even more. "I don''t see myself falling in love with someone else," said Patricia in a serious tone. To be honest, she wanted to drink herself down right now. It was just that she knew that Leena would not allow her to do that. Alcohol was not good for her recovery after all. "Anyway, I hope for you to win Tom''s heart someday. It''s not easy to fall in love with someone." Leena raised her ss of water and clinked it with Patricia''s. She had wanted to set Tom up with Patricia before. That was because she had thought that Tom would have a thing for her friend. However, it turned out that Patricia was not his type. Kevin saw Patricia sitting in the living room as soon as he got home. For a moment, he wondered if he hade to the wrong ce. Didn''t Patricia say that she wouldn''te here again thest time? Then why was she here now? "Major General Gu, you look frightened. What''s the matter with you?" A teasing smile cracked Patricia''s lips when she turned to Kevin. His surprised reaction really amused her. "Nothing. I''m just wondering why you took your words back and came to my house again," responded Kevin with a friendly smile. He then looked around to search for his wife. "The reason is very simple. I''m here to snatch Leena from you." Patricia''s lips curled. Her eyes were bright as she grinned at Kevin. It was obvious that sh e." A fake grin appeared on Patricia''s beautiful face. Her heart was breaking silently but she did her best to conceal it. She knew that he didn''t want to see her, However, she wasn''t able to help herself from being hurt when she heard his harsh words. "I''m the hospital administrator and I have the right to serve you the way I think is the best. I know that you are up to something." Tom wanted Patricia to retreat since what she wanted was impossible. However, he didn''t expect her to be such an insensitive person. He was sure that Patricia knew what he meant but she just refused to ept the fact that he didn''t like her. She was so annoying that even just looking at her could give him headaches. "Tom, why are you being so hard on Patricia? Fine! She might have brought you inconvenience before, but she did it because she likes you." Leena cast a worried nce at Patricia. Just the thought of Patricia getting upset because of this man''s words made her extremely sad. "Since you''ve said that, I have to make myself clear. Miss Bai, thank you for your love but you are not my type. So please forget about me and go find someone else. I will never fall in love with you," said Tom as he turned to Patricia and stared at her with his cold eyes. Chapter 1322 A Broken Heart (Part Three) "Ha! Tom Qin, I''m telling you. You can''t just ask me to love someone else. I''m entitled to follow my heart regardless if you ept me or not." That was it! Patricia''s tears began to spill no matter how hard she tried to control it. She couldn''t even understand why was she being humble in front of him. Had she fallen this deeply in love with him even before she realized it? "I know I can''t force you to do something but please stay away from me," Tom said before turning to Leena. "Leena, I''m tired and I want to take a rest. Take her to another doctor to rece the dressing," he added with finality. He was tough and unwilling to take no for an answer. He doted on Leena but that didn''t mean that he felt the same for her friend. "Tom..." Leena still wanted to persuade him but then stopped upon seeing his gloomy face. Tom barely lost his temper and it was more than obvious that he hade to the end of his patience now. She was still staring at Tom when a burst of loudughter suddenly took both of their attention; it was from Patricia. She wasughing as if she heard a really funny joke. However, she wasn''t able to hide the bitterness on her face no matter how hard she tried. "Leena, let''s go! Stop begging him." Patricia dragged Leena out of Tom''s office. She didn''t want to act like a poor beggar. She couldn''t even ept the thought that she was actually begging for Tom to love her. "Patricia, are you okay?" Leena asked anxiously as they left Tom''s office. "I''m all right. Don''t worry." Patricia dried her tears with the back of her hand and gave Leena a reassuring smile. "I''m really sorry. I don''t understand how it turned out like this," said Leena. She felt really gu unique scent. "Sometimes I feel like I''m in a dream and I''m scared to wake up. What if we are still strangers once this dream is over?" Leena embraced his head and then stroked his hair tenderly. She knew that she was young and she still had a lot to learn. She had been trying so hard to learn how to love him, how to take care of him and how to forgive him. She was still deep in her thoughts when Kevin suddenly pinched her cute face mildly as he stared at her with eyes full of affection. "Does it hurt?" "Ouch! Why did you do that?" Leena pursed her lips as she grumbled. Then she cast Kevin a ming stare. "If you feel the pain, then you are not in a dream." Kevin kissed her on the same cheek tofort her. "Bad boy!" blurted Leena. She beat on his chest with her fists. She might be acting angry right now but she honestly loved this moment. "Hey, stop that! What time is your flight tomorrow? Have you bought the ticket?" Kevin asked as he grabbed her fists. Leena wasn''t the type who would interfere with his work and neither was he to her. Their love was based in respect and it was simply the best there was. Chapter 1323 Flying To Paris (Part One) "Three o''clock in the afternoon. Why do you ask?" Leena raised her head to look at him. She was confused why Kevin was asking. He thought for a second and then said, "I see. Okay, I''ll drive you to the airport tomorrow then." He was supposed to be at the office at that time, but he still could manage and adjust his schedule so he could go with her. "You don''t have to! It''ll be troublesome for you toe all the way here, drive me to the airport and then drive back to the army base again! I can get a taxi myself. And if you are worried about me taking a taxi, I can ask Duke to drive me," Leena didn''t want to bother her husband too much. She was going to the airport, one of the safest ces in the city, not some shady and dangerous ce. She could manage to go there by herself. "What? I want to see you off tomorrow! Is that so bad? It''s okay. I won''t be that busy at that time anyway. I have a few hours to spare." Kevin insisted on doing this because he did not want to miss another chance to see her off. She always came back from Paris without telling him, which he minded a lot. "Okay fine. If you''re going to be persistent about it, there''s nothing much I can do," Leena gave in with a smile. "I''ll wait for you at home tomorrow, then." Although still reluctant, she also wanted to know how it felt to have someone see her off at the airport, especially if that someone was a loved one. She had seen that warm and touching scene of other people saying their goodbyes all the time, but as an outsider. She finally epted Kevin''s offer and now looked forward to that moment. However, while it looked beautiful and tender from the outside, it was also heart wrenching and downright sorrowful, especially if it was the first time. Leena felt it eventually the following day at the airport, as Kevin pulled out her luggage from the back of the Humvee and put it on a trolley. She stood there frozen, her eyes coul Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. "Get out of my way," Luke said with a poker face. He had no clue what this woman was doing in Edward''s house. "No, I won''t, unless you apologize to me." Michelle could not help but feel much angrier as soon as she remembered that this man was the cause of her business losses thest time. She had to take lots of remedial measures to gain back control of her territory. West Street first came to mind. "Loser." Luke simply let out a word coldly. He did not care who invited her here. She was in the wrong, always looking to find fault with him. "What did you say? Did you just call me a loser? Well, go to hell! I''m smart and beautiful. Nothing about me says that I''m a loser, damn it!" Michelle grew more furious at him. This guy could really push her buttons. She couldn''t help it. Every time they met, she just wanted to fight him. "A loser would never admit that he is a loser, just like a drunk man would never admit that he is drunk," Luke said and passed her firmly and apathetically. He did not intend to stay and waste time with a stupid woman. "Arghhhh! ... I''m gonna kill you!" Such rudeness was uneptable to Michelle. She turned around immediately and rushed towards Luke. However, she was stopped by a leg sweep from Luke and tripped on the grass face down. Chapter 1324 Flying To Paris (Part Two) "Don''t overestimate yourself," Luke snorted through his nose. He had no intentions of reaching out to help her up. Oh, he was definitely not the kind who was tender nor sensitive to women. "I''ll definitely make you pay for this, Luke. You can count on it." Flopping down on the ground, Michelle red at Luke angrily. She had thought that he was a cool guy. But now he was the world''s biggest asshole. "I''ll look forward to it. Don''t make me wait for too long." Luke did not even look at her. He immediately turned around and walked away, both hands in his pockets. "What the fuck! That asshole! I''m gonna kill that bastard! Arrrgghhhh! Motherfucker! ..." Michelle was so angry that she could even feel the blood pumping in the veins on her head. But she had to face the fact that she was unable to beat him today, again. "What are you doing, lying there on the grass? Michelle! Did you fall down?" Daisy walked out because she heard amotion. But she never expected to see such a scene. Michelle was down on the ground, all alone with nobody around. Who was she talking to just now? Daisy was confused. "Ha ha! Oh my god. Did I disturb you? I''m so sorry, I did not mean to!" Michelle felt extremely awkward and embarrassed. She stood up and patted off the grass and dirt from her clothes. "Be careful. The soil under the grass is uneven. You might sprain your ankle or fall down if you are not careful enough." Daisy looked at her from head to toe to check if she got hurt. "Yes, I got it. I''ll be more careful. Thank you!" Michelle was cautious in front of Daisy. In her mind, she was like a goddess. She was a bit relieved that no one saw the squabble between her and Luke. Especially not Daisy. There was no need for her to know. "I heard that you are Leena''s friend, is that right?" Daisy took another look at her from head to toe. She was curious how they knew each other as they appeared to be from two different worlds. "Yes, we are friends. We just knew each other not long ag r mind, she swore that she would definitely make him beg someday. "Don''t mind him much. That''s how he is. He''s cold to everyone. He seems to be difficult to deal with but actually he''s quite warm-hearted." Daisy decided to put in a good word for Luke. Somehow she felt that with the right circumstances Luke and Michelle might have a chance to stir up a romantic story. "Oh, is he? I can''t see that. He is not nice to me at all," Michelle pursed her lips and sneered. Luke had done a good job of being the total bad guy in her mind. "You will know him better when you spend more time with him. Do you need my help?" Daisy asked her conditionally. She attempted to know whether Michelle might have feelings for Luke. If yes, she would give them a hand. It was time for Luke to start thinking about settling down, finding the right girl and having his own family, after all. "Ummm... What are you talking about?" Michelle lowered her head shyly and in a bit of panic. "What am I talking about? Well, I think you know what I''m talking about. Think about it. It might be good for you two!" Daisy tried to say it half implied. Luke was indeed a cold man. But he was also kind-hearted. Luke and Michelle being a couple might be a good thing. Whether they could make it would still depend on both of them wanting to make it happen. Chapter 1325 Flying To Paris (Part Three) "Uncle Luke, does that woman like you?" Justin, the equally straightforward kid asked Luke with a sly smile on his face. "Don''t talk nonsense, little boy. I''m not interested in her," Luke replied in a cool tone. He got to know why Michelle was here when he saw Daisy talking with her. "There''s time for you to be interested in her! Uncle Luke, she is quite beautiful, don''t you agree? Although not as charming as my mom, she looks quite good. I like her beautiful face." Justin looked at Luke with a seemingly innocent expression on his face. However, he had alreadye up with some ns in his young but advanced thinking mind. It was time for his uncle to have a girlfriend and he could try to do something about it. "Really? I don''t see that. She''s just a crazy woman. Beautiful? I doubt it." Luke said with disdain, not giving a crap. He would never be forced to like that little thug. It was totally stupid and thus impossible. It would be easier for the sun to rise from the west than for him to have the slightest feelings for such a creature. "Okay, let''s just stop discussing whether she is beautiful or not. But don''t you think she is cute and real?" Justin started to analyze her for him like a mature, grown up man. He seemed to want it very much that Michelle and Luke would fall in love. "Hey! How old are you, kid? How do you know these things? Tell me. Have you been checking out the inte for special websites that are not for children?" Luke twisted his mouth heavily. How could kids nowadays think so maturely just like Justin? "Come on! Uncle Luke, don''t be so old fashioned, okay? It happens a lot in the dramas on TV. Almost every channel is showing such love stories. I''ve been watching for a long time. You are the only one who''s behind in these trends." Justin did not consider it seriously though. Though he never had such an experience, he saw it more often than he should be seeing it! It made sense that he knew about these things. "It seems that it is time to reconsider if you can watch TV that frequently. Otherwis Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ime alone. Michelle did not say a word but her eyes betrayed her. She was very excited now, unable to control her lips from curling into a smile. She did not care whether Justin was telling the truth or not. She was quite happy to hear what the boy just revealed. "Don''t be happy too much. I will only show you around here this time. It won''t happen again, I promise," Luke gritted his teeth. If Daisy did not request for him to do this, he would definitely not even go near her, let alone show her around. "You could have just straight up refused her, you know! I didn''t ask to be shown around. What? Is this a museum or something?" Michelle raised her eyebrow a bitcently. But deep inside, she was screaming with joy at Daisy''s arrangement. Didn''t this man try hard to stay away from her? He had nowhere to run this time. "Don''t take this undeserved gain for granted. Let me remind you of this kindly; I dislike you, no matter what you do and how close you get to me." Luke gritted his teeth again. How he wished he could bash her in the face so that she would stop smiling triumphantly. "Thank you for your kind reminder! Well, news sh, I dislike you too. You are nobody to me, and that is not a coincidence!" Michelle hitched her chin toward him. She was unwilling to be the one at a disadvantage in this fight. She''d do whatever it took to save face. Chapter 1326 I Miss You (Part One) "Woman, do not try to irritate me, because you will not be able to handle the consequences." Luke felt a suddenpulsion to turn and leave. The reason was quite simple: His life was all about his boss, Edward, and he took no interest in women or getting in a rtionship. "Don''t even think about scaring me, man! I fear nothing." Michelle showed no sign of weakness. As a member of a gang, she was not scared by Luke''s long face at all. "I''m warning you, don''t even think that there is something here for you. I''m not interested in women like you." Luke cast a scornful nce at her and shed a mocking smile. Most women would be startled by his devilish face and even walk away from him at once, but Michelle was an exception. "Luke, to be honest, I don''t really have a thing for you. But you''ve got me wrong too many times. And I hate being wronged. I lose sleep at night thinking about revenge. So to get even I''ve decided to make you my boyfriend." Michelleughed out loud and sauntered forward. She was amused by Luke''s arrogance, and since she was currently not upied with anything, she decided to y him to kill time. "You damn woman!" Luke cursed through his gritted teeth, staring at her. How he wished he could rush to her and knock her out so he could no longer hear that annoyingughter. Taking a sip of his coffee, Edward frowned at what he had witnessed. "Are you really sure that they will bepatible?" he asked when Daisy came and stood by his side. "So you don''t think that they will be?" Daisy looked at him right in the eye, waiting for his reply. "Don''t get me wrong. I just think that you shouldn''t meddle too much. Let nature take its course. Without external interference, I think they will have a better understanding of their own feelings." Edward curled his lips to a curious smile. He wanted to know since when had his wife been interested in ying Cupid. "I don''t think so. Luke is a dull and inart Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. great Master! You should feel honored, because your student has now surpassed you. You should watch out for the day when she eventually turns against you!" Daisy shed a proud and challenging smile. She then gave him a meaningful nce before brushing past Edward and walking to the kitchen. Being slightly pushed by Daisy, Edward staggered and stared at her receding figure, rubbing his chin. They really enjoyed thefortable and quiet life they were now leading. Though they would have asional arguments and would quarrel from time to time, it didn''t affect their affection for each other. Their love for each other was as strong as ever. They cherished every day that they spent together. Paris was like a second home for Leena, and she knew the city like the back of her hand. She could move around without getting lost and act like a local. As soon as she arrived in the city of love, she wasted no time devoting herself entirely to her work. Like every designer, Leena always strove to perfect her artwork and put her heart and soul into it. As a result, she would forget to contact her husband every now and then. Kevin felt lonely these days because of her absence, especially at night. He missed her so much that he sometimes would go to his friend''s bar to distract himself. Chapter 1327 I Miss You (Part Two) "Here you are! Ice and Fire, my new concoction. Give it a try!" Hoyle ced a ss of cocktail in front of Kevin. It had twoyers of color ¡ª blue and red. He was excited to see Kevin, as the military man seldom came to his bar, ever since he had gotten married. "Tastes good. But I think women will like it more." Kevin took a sip of the drink and looked at Hoyle in confusion. ''Does he think I likedies'' drinks?'' Kevin thought. "I just wanted to know your opinion. If you really think women will love it, bring your wife here soon so we can see her reaction to this Ice and Fire cocktail. What do you think of it?" Hoyle sat on a stool and stared at the dancing girls on the stage while waiting for Kevin''s reply. "She doesn''t handle alcohol well, so you''d better give up the thought. Plus, remember what happened thest time she was here?" It was just a suggestion, but Kevin already began to worry about Leena getting drunk. He''d rather steer his wife from any trouble if he could help it. "Don''t worry. I''m here and I won''t allow Leena to get drunk. You are way too sensitive and overprotective." Hoyle spun his chair and clinked sses with Kevin before he swallowed the whiskey in one gulp. "Whiskey in one gulp? Hey, buddy. What''s going on? Are you okay?" Kevin was a little surprised at Hoyle''s behavior tonight. "Nothing. Just drink with me. Let''s drink till all''s blue." Hoyle gave Kevin a bitter smile. Everyone has those days when they feel dejected or down and Hoyle was no exception. "Sorry, buddy. I have a lot of work assigned to me tomorrow. I can only drink a little." Kevin was a very reliable and responsible man, and he was very good at disciplining himself. He wouldn''t allow anything to affect his work. "Aww... Come on! It''s Friday night! Saturday tomorrow! Who works on a Saturday?" Hoyle asked while filling Kevin''s ss. He felt that h Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. t he already hated her. How could anyone have such low respect of one''s self. "See you!" Kevin waved without looking back and proceeded to the door. "Kevin, wait for me." Louisa trotted behind Kevin and finally stopped him as he hailed a taxi. "Louisa Ye, you''d better leave while I can still hold my anger. Otherwise I won''t care whose daughter you are," Kevin threatened through gritted teeth. This woman''s persistence was just exhausting. He felt guilty for Leena as he could not punish the woman who had pushed her into the water, for the sake of the Commander. He didn''t expect that Louisa had the audacity to appear in front of him and act as if nothing had happened. What a shameless, despicable woman Louisa was! "Kevin, I just want to talk to you. Why are you being so rude to me?" Louisa pursed her lips grumbling. "Stop talking nonsense! I have nothing to talk to you about. I have nothing to say to you, except to remind you of the evil thing you''ve done to my wife. Now get out of my face and never evere near me again!" Kevin opened the taxi door and got in before she could respond. "I..." Louisa wanted to say something to make him stay, but couldn''t find the words. She could only watch the taxi disappear into the night. Chapter 1328 I Miss You (Part Three) Watching Louisa in the mirror, he shed a victorious smile. He thought he had been too nice to Louisa, but he couldn''t hold his tongue tonight and gave her what she deserved. It seemed that she had never learned her lesson. He decided to stay away from her from now on. It was still early when he arrived at Grand Apartment. An empty living room weed him, which made him feel lonely. ''Oh Nana, '' he thought, ''what are you doing right now? I miss you so much!'' He turned on theputer, but didn''t know how to kill time with it. Then he noticed the QQ application on the desktop. He hadn''t logged in since applying for an ount thest time. Why did he, a military man, have the need for it? Nheless, with nothing else to do, he decided to log in. There was only one person in his buddy list, and it was Leena. Her avatar was grayed out, which meant that she was not online. She had a few updated moments. In the QQ application, a "moment" is an update, story or random thought that a user wants to share with friends. Seeing Leena''s moments in the app, Kevin clicked on one to view the full text. "I miss him. I really really miss him. Am I going crazy? We''ve been parted for just one day, but my mind is filled with nothing but him. What am I going to do? Damn! I must focus on my work!" Taking a look at the update time, Kevin saw that it was posted just the day before. If she had missed him so much, then why hadn''t she called him? He took out his phone from his pocket, not knowing if he should call her now. After a long moment of hesitation, he was defeated by his sensibility and dialed the familiar number. "Kevin! Hi! Why are you calling me now? How are you? Have you eaten? I''m so d to hear your voice!" Leena fired him questions one after another, tears streaming d Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hernguage. "So Babe, have you eaten yet?" Kevin checked the time and found it was dinner time where she was. "Not yet. I''ll go get something to eat after work. Honey, isn''t itte? Why don''t you go to sleep? Besides, I need to get back to work now." After saying that, Leena also checked the time. It would take a long time toplete her scheduled tasks for the day, so she decided to eat first and thene back to finish it. "All right. Remember to eat on time and always take extra precautions, Nana. Be on your guard at all times," Kevin reminded her. He was so worried about her as he knew she would be too preupied and would be unable to take good care of herself. "Got it! Okay, good night, Kevin. I love you!" Despite the unwillingness to hang up, Leena said goodbye and decided toplete the work that she came to do, as early as possible so that she could go back home to her beloved husband. Staring at his phone, Kevin couldn''t help but sigh at the very thought of Leena''s miserable face. As a soldier, he knew they had to separate from each other from time to time in the future as he had to carry out military tasks. She would have to get used to more separation. Chapter 1329 Treat Others As You Want To Be Treated (Part One) "What are you doing?" Seeing that Patricia was blocking the door to his car, Tom grew furious. Patricia wore a bright smile. ''Howe I keep meeting this woman? The less I want to see her, the more often I meet her. It is so annoying!'' he thought. "Nothing. Don''t you know this parking space is mine? Why are you taking it up?" Patricia raised her eyebrows. She hadn''t seen Tom in days. She thought she had forgotten him, but just now when she saw him, she realized she could not forget him at all. "Are you kidding me? Your parking space? You have your name on it or something?" Tom retorted. ''Ie to this gallery a lot. Does she think she can fool me?'' "Look! It says ''Staff Only''. You didn''t see that?" Patricia said, pointing to the sign next to her. If someone took her parking space, she didn''t mind finding another spot to park her car. However, she was not willing topromise this time. Not with Tom. "You mean you work here?" Tom asked doubtfully. He didn''t believe that a bad-tempered girl like her could work at such an elegant ce. "You have a problem with that?" Patricia pouted. A hint of sarcasmced her tone. "No. I just thought it was kind of weird." With an indifferent smile, Tom lifted the convertible. ''Fine, you want to block my door?'' he thought, ''I''ll just get out another way. The door to my car can still open up!'' "You..." Patricia perceived the sarcasm in his voice and almost choked with anger. She didn''t know his car door could be opened this way. "I''m sorry, I have to go." Tom waved his car keys in front of her and walked past her arrogantly. He knew the boss here well and always parked his car at the employee parking lot. He had been doing it for so long that it had gradually be a habit. He had no idea when Patricia became an employee at this ce. He had never seen her here before. "You asshole!" Patricia stomped her feet in rage. She looked at his receding figure and kicked his car, venting out her anger. However, her kick did nothing to the car. Instead, she cried out in pain when her foot hurt. "Long time no see, Mr. Qin." As soon as the gallery manager saw Tom, he solicitously walked toward hi Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. The wound on her body had healed, so she wanted to continue to train for her race driving. "Goodbye." Upon seeing that Patricia was in a hurry to leave, Manager Cheng didn''t say anything further. Patricia had been so angry at Tom, but she felt much happier when she walked out of the gallery. She basked in the warm sunshine. Just as she walked toward her car, Tom suddenly drove up to her. Patricia took a few steps back in shock. "Damn it! Do you even know how to drive?" Patricia was so frightened that she struck the wheel of Tom''s car with her foot. "Did someone ever tell you that you should treat others the way you want to be treated? You know what it feels like to be scared now, don''t you?" Just as Tom said this, he drove away in a rush, before Patricia could get in a word. "Are you kidding me? What kind of a man are you? It''s been so long and you''re still mad at me. You''re stupid!" Patricia cursed loudly in the direction Tom left. She didn''t know he could be so mean. Tom looked in the rearview mirror and saw Patricia stomping around in anger. He smirked. ''I bet you won''t dare joke about life again.'' "Hello! Duke. Are you in your office? I''ming," Tom called up Duke as he drove. "Yes,e. I''ll wait for you." Duke put down the keys he had just picked up. He wondered why Tom had suddenly nned to arrive. ''Belinda did the birth test at his hospital. Is there something wrong with it?'' he wondered, upset. Chapter 1330 Treat Others As You Want To Be Treated (Part Two) "Okay. I''ll be there in twenty minutes." Tom hung up and drove up to Leng Group. Duke frowned. ''He doesn''te to me very often. It must be something important.'' At this thought, Duke became uneasier. Although Tom seldom came to Leng Group, the security guards knew that he was a good friend of Duke''s. They did not stop him. Tom made it to Duke''s office without any trouble. "You are punctual." As soon as Duke saw him, he looked at the time instinctively. Businessmen like him were very sensitive to time. Every minute was money for someone rich like him. "You bet! You think I have no sense of time like Edward?" Tom smirked. He wondered how Edward would react to this description of him. "Go ahead. What do you want from me?" Duke had nned to go to YS Group but changed his schedule temporarily because of Tom. "What? You don''t want me toe to you?" Tom raised his eyebrows and surveyed his office wantonly. Unlike Tom''s office, Duke''s office was veryvish. "Just tell me. Don''t be glib like Rain." Although Tom was a good friend of his, Duke was still as cold as ever. He did not change his tone. "Huh! You have no sense of humor," Tomined. The more anxious Duke became, the less Tom wanted to talk to him. Tom, like a child, enjoyed keeping others in suspense. "You think I am free like you? I don''t have time to discuss my sense of humor with you." Duke red at him. ''Rain has had an impact on this guy. How could he speak to me like that?'' "Who told you I am free? I''m very busy. I wouldn''t havee to you if it wasn''t for Leena," Tom said and sat on the sofa. He knew that Duke was interested in everything about Leena. "Leena? What happened to her?" Just as Tom thought, Duke was particrly interested in Leena. "s! There is something wrong with her health. I don''t know how to tell her. You''re her brother. Perhaps it would be better if you tell her." Tom pressed his lips together and looked at him questioningly. "Damn it. Can you just say what it is?" Duke asked urgently. ''Since when does Tom speak in such a roundabout way?'' he thought. t arrived in Paris, quickly adapted to the beautiful city. Paris had one of the best cultures so she was particrly happy. "Haha! No need. We already know each other very well." Leena shook her head, rejecting ire''s suggestion. ''I''ll be home in a few days anyway. I cane back here when the press conference is held, '' Leena thought. "Okay. Let''s go! Let''s see what''s ahead." ire pulled Leena forward in excitement. She finally had the chance toe outside, so she wanted to have a good time. After all, when she returned home, there would be no one to hang out with her. "ire, wait for me." Leena couldn''t keep up with her pace. She did not know why ire had so much energy. ire was still not tired after walking around for so long. "I''m sorry. I was too excited." ire slowed down. She had notpletely changed her unruly personality, but she had be more polite than before. "It''s okay. How is Gerard these days? I''ve been in Paris for so long but haven''t seen him yet," Leena asked her casually. No matter what, she and Gerard were still friends. "He is trying to learn how to look after hispany''s business. He told me he wanted to invite you to dinner, but he didn''t have time to do so because he had a business deal. I only see him at work," ire replied carelessly, pursing her lips. Her eyes were drawn to a sand painting made by a young man nearby. Chapter 1331 That Was Not Really Love (Part One) "It seems that he is really mature, knowing that he has to help manage the business." Leena smiled with delight and looked along the direction ire pointed to. "Leena, it''s awesome! Isn''t it?" ire said blissfully and excitedly, sounding like an innocent little girl. "Yes, it''s very impressive. This kind of art could be found everywhere, especially on the streets. It seems that it has be a trend nowadays." Leena looked at the art with keen eyes, her delicate faceced with a gentle smile. "By the way, has Louisa caused you any more trouble after that fateful incident?" ire asked cautiously, unable to look straight at her. "No, never. Why did you ask?" The mention of Louisa reminded Leena of the scene that happened in the cake store the other day. But she quickly shook it off, refusing to dwell on this issue. Louisa didn''t do anything unforgivable that day, so she just let it pass. "Nothing, I was just curious. What she did is hard to forget. At least for me." ire smiled. She and Louisa were friends for years, but their friendship ended in a blink of an eye. Although she felt a little sad over it, she was d that it was over. Because she was fortunate enough to have figured out what kind of person Louisa really was before everything spun out of control. Something bad always tended to happen around Louisa. "You''re sad over this." Leena turned her head to her sister-inw. If she were in ire''s shoes, she would be extremely sad and heartbroken too, if she found out that she was betrayed by someone she considered to be her BFF. "Was. I was sad. Not anymore. Now I am really fine. Let''s drop it. How about you and my brother? How is everything with you? Have you started nning to have a child? I''m eager to have a nephew... or niece!" re changed the topic and gazed at Leena, eyes gleaming with a yful smile. "What? How long have we been married? It''s too soon to have a baby! We haven''t really talked about it." Leena blushed and lowered her head, a smile finding and bodynguage showed nothing but genuine sincerity. "I know and I believe you. Okay, let''s go! It''s time to check the results," Kevin said while jumping up to his military car. He hurriedly turned away because he didn''t want Daisy to catch him being too emotional. Daisy raised her eyebrows and then followed him to the car. They headed to the finish line and were about to see who would be the first few to stand out in the special training project. The next time Patricia saw Tom, she was not as irritated as she was before. She seemed very calm. "Huh! Doctor Qin! What an honor! What brings you here?" Patricia asked, standing at the door. She was supposed to leave, but happened to run into Tom at the door. What a coincidence! "I came to the gallery to see the exquisite art works, of course. Were you thinking that I came here to see you?" Tom frowned and squeezed himself through the door. Whether he bumped into her or roughly brushed her aside, he had no care for that. "Hey! Watch your manners! Why so rude to ady?" Patricia turned around and shouted behind him. "Umm, you watch you manners. This is a gallery, an elegant ce. You can''t speak too loudly here." Tom ced his finger on his mouth, motioning for her to keep a low voice. He looked like a gentleman with such a gesture but it was quite condescending. Chapter 1332 That Was Not Really Love (Part Two) "Huh? Are you lecturing me on how to behave around high culture? You are the one who don''t have proper etiquette. Pigs would fly if someone like you could understand high art!" Patricia lowered her voice, despite the ribbing tone. She really did not want to be the cause of any disturbance in the gallery. Tom didn''t talk back. He slowed his pace and started his tour, pausing in front of every piece of artwork. For some of the paintings, he had seen them quite a few times. He noticed that his feelings were different each time he appreciated them. He didn''t know whether it had something to do with the mood he had at the time when he looked at them. Although Patricia was the daughter of a famous painter, she didn''t know much about painting, or most of the mainstream art genres. So she was very curious about what Tom was thinking when he quietly stood in front of every painting in the gallery. To her, they were only scribbles and smudges of different colors and different types of paint. She hardly understood what they really wanted to express. Even so, she still quietly followed him around. She told herself that he might need someone to apany him. "Hmm, why are you following me?" After a while, Tom realized that Patricia was beside him. He looked at her with a frown, stepping back. "I''m not following you. I am going around and appreciating these paintings. I am also a woman with good taste," Patricia pouted and defended herself. There was no way that she would ever admit that she was following him. Though she had a character that looked tough on the outside which was almost boyish, she also had a pleasant and timid side. "Really? So tell me, what do you see from this painting?" Crossing his arms, Tom motioned to a painting of a woman on a couch holding an apple. He gazed at Patricia and waited for her reply. He would like to see how she could continue to support her im that she knew wall and squeezed his body on her. He leaned forward and ced his hands above her, firmly locking Patricia in his arms, both of them unable to move. She could feel his gentle breath as he spoke and that had her spellbound. "You... What are you... what are you going to do?" Patricia''s body became stiff instantly. She couldn''t think straight and was unable to utter aplete sentence. She waited for his next move and at the same time, she was very nervous. "What? Isn''t this what you have long been waiting for? Stop pretending that you are a saint! You''ve been dreaming of this." After whispering these words, his face approached her lips, a movement that made her think that he was going to kiss her. "Tom, you asshole!" At this point, Patricia flew into a fit of rage and pushed him away. She didn''t expect that such a gentle man would be self assuming and disrespectful. "Asshole? Haha! Since you already knew that, why did you provoke me? All these stupid games! What on earth do you want from me?" Tom said as he pinched her jaw. Although he only used a little strength, it still hurt Patricia. "If I tell you, will you do as I wish?" Patricia looked into his eyes. In order to win his heart, she must first show some humility, gentleness and some manners. Chapter 1333 That Was Not Really Love (Part Three) "I can only say that you are thinking too much. Patricia, keep your hands off me. If possible, stay away from me. Don''t expect that you will get anything from this because I won''t give you anything. If you were not Leena''s friend, I won''t waste time even talking to you." The words that gushed out from his mouth were as cold as if they wereing from hell that had frozen over. Patricia felt a shiver down her spine. "Tom, am I really so despicable to you?" Patricia bit her lower lip. Even though he said such ruthless words, she still kept her chin up, as proud as she had been all this time. She wouldn''t waste a tear or give him the impression that she was easily defeated. "You are not despicable, but what you do makes me feel sick." Tom didn''t know why he would have such a feeling. The more she got close to him, the more he felt resistant, even to the extent of exasperation. "Haha! Okay, I hear you. Say no more Doctor Qin, and take care. I hope we never run into each other again." Patrica looked up at the ceiling, trying to hold back her tears. Then she smiled, as if nothing had happened. The bright smile on her face could make one think that she never seriously cared about anything. "Good. And I agree. I hope we never see each other again." After saying this, Tom was surprised that he wasn''tpletely happy about this. He was supposed to be celebrating in his heart now that this crazy annoying girl decided to leave him alone. Instead, he felt his heart get stung by something. He fell into a despondent mood as if he lost something valuable. Patricia watched him until he disappeared from sight. As soon as he turned the corner, tears streamed down her face and messed up her makeup. She had alreadypromised her dignity in the hope that he could see the vulnerability in her h . Unlike Rain who was a business man and had frequently been to nightclubs and other entertainment venues, Tom rarely went to such ces. "What would be better than our old watering hole? We are already familiar with it and we know the people there," Rain said casually. Since Edward and Duke had their own families, they seldom got together like they did before. "Okay, good idea. We''ll go to Sexy World and let''s get hammered." Tom seemed ready to go all out for a binge. He smiled bitterly. It should have been a victory to have gotten rid of Patricia. But he didn''t know why he felt at a loss. He felt anxious as if something was missing, and he didn''t know what. "Really? Get hammered? Are you serious? I can''t believe that this remark came out from your mouth. Come on, buddy, what happened to you? Were you beaten up by someone or did some girl turn you down?" Rain teased. He knew Tom was not the kind of guy who would feel down because of woman. He had never seen him attracted by any woman for that matter. Tom was just an unusual person, very different from the others. He seemed to have no worldly desires. The only rtionship he had was with hisb. Nothing else could captivate him. Chapter 1334 The Encounter (Part One) "Fuck off. We''re not the same. I can live without a girlfriend, but you..." Tom quickly attacked Rain for hisments. Perhaps too quickly. Because he kept thinking about a certain girl, and didn''t know why. "You mad, bro? Come on, I was just joking. But duty calls. See you after work!" Rain was never one to follow the rules, being a very spontaneous guy. Even if he was one of the most important people in thepany, he only did what he wanted. He even made his own schedule, never showing up at 9, and never leaving by 5. This annoyed Edward a bit. But as long as Rain did his job, Edward decided to turn a blind eye to his actions. "Patricia, what the hell is up with your eyes?" Michelle asked loudly, as soon as she saw Patricia. "Nothing. I''m good. I just drank too much water before I went to sleepst night." Patricia looked askance as she avoided Michelle''s eyes. She was too ashamed to admit that she''d been crying. "Still going to train? If you can''t see that well you might get hurt." Michelle didn''t notice that Patricia was lying. She was just worried about her. She was right, if you were concentrating on your red eyes or blinking too much, you might miss a critical turn and really get hurt. "I''m fine, really. Don''t worry about me." Patricia looked at Michelle with grateful eyes. She really appreciated that Michelle cared about her. But she wasn''t about to skip training. The race was too important to her, and she was definitely ready. "But I still don''t think that it''s a good idea. How about this? We skip training, go out, and have a few drinks! My treat. Sound good?" Michelle didn''t know why, but she had a bad feeling about today. So she was going to try and convince Patricia to y hooky. "But I''ve already changed into my on See ya." The only reason Rain stopped to talk to Michelle was that Daisy liked her. If it weren''t for that, Rain wouldn''t have given her the time of day. "Of course. Bye!" Michelle said to Rain. Unlike the girls Rain had met before, she didn''t approach him on purpose. It was just a chance meeting. Rain stopped for a second when he walked past Patricia. He nced at her with meaningful eyes but didn''t say anything. Then he quickly caught up to Tom. He was curious. There was something going on there, something he didn''t quite get. "Hey! What is it with you and that girl? I know that look, by now, my friend. You guys know each other." Rain elbowed Tom''s side as he said this. He knew it. Now he just had to get Tom to dish. "What girl? That chick you talked with at the door?" Tom pushed open the door to the box in the bar. He knew who Rain was referring to by ''that girl'', but he wasn''t going to make it easy for him. Rain was being too nosy. "Cut it out. I''m talking about the other one. Isn''t she Leena''s bestie? Are you dating her or what?" Rain followed Tom inside and closed the door. Being his usualzy self, he immediately plopped down on the big sofa. Chapter 1335 The Encounter (Part Two) "Dating her? What the hell are you on about? I don''t know who she is!" At this time, Tom was getting annoyed. But why? Because of Rain''s teasing, or because he didn''t know how he felt. He certainly didn''t expect to run into her here. And he wasn''t blind. He could tell she''d been crying. Was it because of him? He was worried about her, and mad at himself for getting too involved. ''Yeah, she cried. So what? It can''t be over me!'' Tom tried to convince himself. He still wasn''t sure, though. "Ha! Don''t bullshit me. It''s weird enough you wanted to pay for drinks. What is it? You have feelings for her?" Rain asked. He was not one to be tactful. In fact, he was d that Tom finally seemed to like a girl. He had been wondering if Tom was batting for the same team. Tom never seemed to be interested in girls. Or anyone, now that he thought about it. Tom shot him a look. "I''d say you''re drunk, but we haven''t even started yet." Tom dodged the question and avoided Rain''s eyes. It was not hard to tell he was lying. "Come on, man. It''s me. So? Am I right? Maybe I can even give you some tips on how to work this." Rain needed to know what was going on between Tom and Patricia. And he wouldn''t let this slide easily. It was Rain, he had to know everything, even when it was none of his business. Besides, maybe he could take Tom under his wing. He''d like that. It appealed to his ego. "I still don''t know what you''re talking about. Drink up, dude!" Tom picked up the bottle of alcohol that the waitress brought in just now, poured himself a cup and threw it back, clearing his throat afterwards. No, nothing was bothering him in the slightest. "All right man. I can''t make you talk. I''ll drop it." Rain also poured himself a cup. But he just sipped his, unlike Tom. They came here all the time to loosen up and forget the day. So the staff here already knew them, talking about Dr. Qin?" Michelle finally blurted it out. She was really curious. She didn''t know much about the doc, but at least he was nice-looking and seemed decent. Patricia had good taste. "How... how did you know?" Patricia looked at Michelle in surprise. How did she know? Was she really that obvious? Then she smiled sulkily. ''Yeah, of course I am. Even Michelle could tell, and she doesn''t notice anything half the time.'' she thought to herself. "It''s not rocket science. It was as in as the nose on your face." Michelle gave her a look of sincere sympathy. She could tell that Patricia really loved Tom, or she wouldn''t be drinking herself into oblivion right now. It was too bad they couldn''t get together. Otherwise, they would have made a cute couple. "He doesn''t like me. I even annoyed him, and he got mad. If I wasn''t Leena''s friend he wouldn''t have even treated me." Patricia mocked herself. She wasn''t really secretive, so this stuff was bound toe out anyway. It was no use lying to Michelle, so she decided to tell her everything. "You told him how you felt," Michelle said hesitantly. Patricia must have, right? Or she wouldn''t have known what Tom thought. It wasn''t a question. It was a statement of fact. Chapter 1336 Drunk And Disorderly (Part One) "Come on, that''s not like you. You''re the most driven person I know when ites to racing. Maybe put a little of that chutzpah into going after this guy." That was Michelle to a T. Everyone was fair in the game of love. She didn''t care what other women did. If she fell in love with a man, she would do whatever she could to make him her man. "Ha ha! I tell you. I swallowed my pride and went straight for him. But he said he wouldn''t even talk to me if I weren''t Leena''s friend. What am I supposed to do?" Patricia drained her wine ss then. The sorrow and grief she tried to push away flooded her heart again. Hearing Patricia''s heart-broken tale, Michelle was at a loss. The only thing she could do was to keep filling her wine ss. Maybe an answer would be found in the bottom of the ss, or maybe sweet oblivion. Maybe if she got drunk, things would be better. "I have to -- have to tell you," Patricia said, her voice thick with drink. "Don''t fall in love with someone if he doesn''t...doesn''t love you back." Patricia sat on the ground. The two young women sat there and swapped tales of their limited love experience. "But you can make someone fall in love, right? With the right wit, charm, and looks? He must have really rattled you." Michelleughed helplessly. A man''s face and figure shed through her head at the same time. "Yeah, you''re right. Well, never mind. Bottoms up!" Patricia picked up her ss and clinked it against Michelle''s. Suddenly, she realized that Michelle and her were both drinking a lot, drowning their sorrows in wine. "Cheers." Michelle got it. Patricia wasn''t going to listen to her. So she decided to let her be an the gas that built up in her that insisted oning out when she opened her mouth. "Ok! I trust you." Michelle giggled. But she was drunk too and she couldn''t think straight. She just agreed with Patricia, no matter what she said. "Awesome! Get in. I''ll drive you home," Patricia answered in an ted tone. She was quite happy when Michelle agreed with her. "Are you crazy? How could you drive when you''re this drunk?" Tom ignored them at first, but he overheard Patricia offering to drive Michelle. He was a doctor -- he had to go over and warn them, stop them from risking their lives. They were putting their lives in danger! "Ha ha! You know what? You... look like a man I know. But you''re a...a busybody. That''s not like him," Patricia giggled goofily. She even reached out, trying to pinch Tom''s face. Tom deftly dodged it, but found that his reaction times were far faster than hers. "Yup, that''s me! But Miss Bai, maybe you don''t want to live, but I think your friend does," Tom said with a heavy face. What did she say? Not drunk? She didn''t even recognize him! She was as drunk as a skunk! Chapter 1337 Drunk And Disorderly (Part Two) "What? Who... doesn''t want to live?" Patricia shook her head and stared at Tom, confused. Shaking her head was a big mistake, because she was immediately overwhelmed by vertigo. She gripped the side of the car, hoping to stop the world from spinning. "This is getting ridiculous. Don''t drink and drive!" Tom snarled at her. He couldn''t help it. He kept telling himself that he didn''t care about her at all. But here he was, practically yelling at them not to drink and drive. Why was he driven to do this? "Patricia, let''s go." Sitting in the car for a long time, Michelle was getting impatient. So she decided to say something. "Michelle, look at this guy! He looks like Tom, huh?" Though she was standing, Patricia wasn''t stable at all, and almost fell down. Tom rushed to rescue her, and caught her before she hit the pavement. He regretted it, because he wanted nothing to do with her. "Who? I can''t see him clearly. I''ll check him out," Michelle said and opened the door, trying to get out. But somehow, she almost tripped over the door. She caught herself, mercifully, before she fell. But she wasn''t exactly light on her feet either. They must have been talking about him while they were drinking. They didn''t recognize him now, but they keptparing his appearance to Tom. He wasn''t sure how he felt about that. So was Patricia talking about him behind his back with her friend? And why? "Ha ha! Maybe I''m wrong. Tom... Tom''s a cold fish! He wouldn''t talk to me, unlike this guy," Patricia said andughed at her own joke, half-mockingly. Sheughed, but her face looked sad. "No, Patricia. It''s really him!" Michelle tilted her head and studied Tom carefully. The longer she looked at him, the more she felt that this man was actually Tom. "Really? Let me get Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. r? Good. Then she''s yours. I''ll drive Patricia back to her ce." Tom did not have the heart to leave Patricia alone. She might do something dangerous, or worse, find someone dangerous. If something happened to her, he wouldn''t know how to exin it to Leena, much less Patricia''s mother. "Why should I be responsible for it? Why did you let them get drunk in the first ce?" Luke said to Tom. But his eyes were staring at Michelle, with a burning anger. If looks could kill, she would have been a corpse. "Come on! I didn''t drink with them and didn''t get them drunk! Just like you, I came across them. What kind of guy do you think I am?" Tom was originally just angry. Now he felt more insulted thanks to Luke''s teasing. "Hey! You guys. Are we invisible?" No one wanted to be ignored. Michelle was no exception. So although she was tipsy, she still remembered to stand up for herself. She was getting impatient, and tried to boot. "It''s always the ugly ones who have to work hard to get attention," Luke teased Michelle coldly. Despite this, he still epted Tom''s proposal. He would make sure she got home safely, trusting that Tom would do the same with his drunken charge. Chapter 1338 A Misunderstanding Between Them (Part One) "Damn it! What do you mean, ugly one? Who are you referring to?" Michelle gritted her teeth angrily. Although she was drunk, she could still hear everything. "Get in the car now. Or I''ll take you to the police right now!" Luke knew that a thug like Michelle would be afraid of the cops. So he did not hesitate to threaten her. "Luke, you bastard! What wrong did I ever do to you? Why are you so mean to me?" Michelle shouted angrily but hardly stood still. She was unable to fight when she was that drunk. Nheless she still cursed him. She was a tough girl no matter what. "Because you are trouble in my eyes. Am I clear enough? Ahh right! You''re too drunk to understand." Luke pulled the door open, waiting patiently for her to get in the car. "Humph! You are nobody to me! Do you hear?" Michelle said proudly. She turned around and staggered away, trying to leave. But she was stopped by Luke who caught her firmly in anger. He threw her into the passenger seat rudely and she almost hit her head on the car roof. "Don''t touch me, you bastard! What are you doing? I''m not going with you," Michelle howled, stamping her feet angrily. The alcohol had made her temper worse. "Don''t be afraid, Michelle. I''m gonna help you!" Patricia staggered over to Michelle when she heard her screaming. But Tom grasped her by the arm and threw her into his car as well. Two drunk women, two angry men, in two separate cars. "Ouch! That hurts!" The way Tom pushed her down to her seat made Patricia dizzy. She drank too much wine so every sudden movement made her feel like her head was a heavy watermelon that was being smashed with a hammer. "Shut up! I am not a gentleman." Tom bent down a bit to help her with Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. doctor. As a doctor, I can''t refuse help to someone dying. That''s a doctor''s basic principle," Tom exined to her in his most annoyed tone. Would he still do the same if it were not Patricia? There was never any time to think about it. "You have universal love for everyone, doctor. In that case, there are tons of people you need to save and bring back here to your house, right?" She winced in pain as if a tiny electric shock went through her head. It hurt this much not only because of the alcohol, but also because of Tom''s emphasizing that she was nobody to him. "Whatever. Remember what I said about the rule. I am very strict and very serious about it." Tom turned around and closed the door as soon as he finished speaking. No good nights, no sweet dreams, nothing. He went back to his own room and did not want to stay with Patricia for one more second. He did not even give her a chance to say anything else. It was said that one could forget everything and feel nothing when he or she got drunk. But why did the pain seem to have doubled? It was like a drill went through her head and a knife had sliced through her heart. Chapter 1339 A Misunderstanding Between Them (Part Two) Patricia raised her head and took a glimpse around the room curiously. Then the alcohol eventually took overpletely, knocking her out. She fell asleep on the bed with her mouth wide open. After Tom went back to his room, he took a shower. Then he walked to his study to organize the files he had gathered in the past few days. He was free the following day with no scheduled surgery to conduct. So he was not in a hurry to go to bed. He even forgot about Patricia and did not think of her until he passed her room to go to sleep. The door stayed closed firmly. He was a little bit worried about her. He thought for a few seconds and finally opened the door and walked in to check if she was doing all right. Patricia slept quietly and peacefully with a cute little snore every now and then. She waspletely different from when she was awake, arrogant, willful and oh so annoying. Tom''s heart could not help but stop beating for a second. He never expected that she would look nice like this, quiet and harmless. He hesitated for a while and finally reached out to tuck her in. He did it quickly fearing that she would wake up any second. Then he walked out of the room just as quickly without making a sound. He did not allow himself to stay any longer. He was afraid that the longer he stayed, the more he was going to lose his heart. The next morning, he almost had a heart attack as he jumped out of his own bed,pletely shocked at what he saw. Luckily he didn''t make a sound. There, sleeping peacefully on his bed was Patricia. He exploded with rage. "Patricia, wake up!" Tom liked to sleep in the nude. So he did not wear anything except his underpants. No wonder he was so angry at the sight of Patricia. "Umm.. What? What''s with the noise, man?" Patricia frowned. She rolled over and went back to sleep, oblivious to the hysterical semi-nude man in front of her. But Tom would not allow her. He picked up his bathrobe nearby and t too farst night with what she did. But she had to face him eventually, no matter how long she stayed in this room. She had to walk out and talk to him. To her surprise, the moment she opened the door, there was Tom who was already well-dressed. But he was looking at her disdainfully. "Tom, I''m so sorry! I didn''t mean it. I don''t even remember doing it, to be honest. I''m afraid, I may have caused you trouble! " Patricia lowered her head and apologized. Then she raised her face and forced a smile to look at him. She did not want to be so humbled in front of him "You didn''t mean it? You don''t remember that you took off your clothes and slept in my bed, while I was almost naked in there! So, now you mean, that you didn''t do that deliberately? Are you for real?" Tom crossed his arms around his chest and looked at her in a condescending manner. "Well if that''s what really happened, then yes. Am I so cheap in your eyes now?" The smile on her face quickly faded. She wanted to disappear immediately. But she lost all her strength somehow and was unable to move. She just stood there frozen and unable to move, not knowing what to say. It hurt so much because of the man she had feelings for. Every part of her body ached badly. Wasn''t that enough? Why did he still keep hurting her? Chapter 1340 Wait For Me To Come Back (Part One) "What do you think?" Tom''s face was full of disdain. He didn''t look like he even wanted to talk to Patricia. Truth be told, he was actually a nice guy. But he didn''t know why every time he was with Patricia, he got this uneasy and fluttery feeling in his stomach, making him feel extremely annoyed at her. In fact, he didn''t hate her that much. She was not all that bad. "Okay. I see. I think I know now." Patricia lowered her eyes and gave a short, bitter smile. Then she turned around, walked away from Tom and didn''t even look back. Her face was determined. Tom snorted and pursed his lips, shaking his head. He didn''t try to stop Patricia. Why should he? She could leave if she wanted. After all, this was what he wanted, wasn''t it? Patricia waited till she was out the door. As soon as it closed behind her, she didn''t hold back her tears as they began streaming down her face. No matter how tough and strong she was before, she was not prepared to take Tom''s hurtful words. Tom''s coldness was like a knife that cut her heart open, causing her so much pain. Winter mornings were always extremely cold. As a strong wind blew, Patricia put her arms around herself, trying to stay warm. She then realized that she had forgotten to take her coat with her when she hurriedly walked out. But she didn''t n to go back for it. If she did, Tom would think that she had left the coat intentionally giving her a reason to go back. No, she had more pride than that. The corners of her lips pursed into a bitter smile. She raised her head and looked around. To her su he knew how to bettermunicate now. "You are right. But I still feel like a bad friend. Well, how''s work been? You have finished it all, right?" Gerard stared at her with curious eyes. Ever since he decided to let go of Leena in his heart, he felt much morefortable and more at ease. Because now he knew that there was someone in Leena''s life who could take care of her better than him. Letting go of her was not an easy decision to make, but it was one of the best that he had ever done. Now he could see Leena as a true friend and still care about her. And he no longer had the same feelings he had for her before. Feelings that could hinder their good friendship. "That''s right! I''m d that I got to finish it all in time," she said proudly. "Now, I can go home without any worries tomorrow," she added. The corners of Leena''s lips curled into a beautiful smile just thinking of being back in Kevin''s arms. She was excited and couldn''t wait to go back. She missed her husband too much. And now, she could finally see him again. Chapter 1341 Wait For Me To Come Back (Part Two) "Tomorrow? That is too soon! We didn''t even have much time to talk or hang out with each other," Gerard said in a rather sad tone. His golden hair shone brightly under the beaming sun. He had thought that Leena would stay longer. But hepletely understood. Leena had been here for a long time. Of course, she would want to go home to her husband as soon as possible. "We can still do that next time. This isn''t myst time here. I will surelye back to Paris, I promise." Leena was ying with the cup in her hands. Her sweet smile never left her face. She looked at the Seine, admiring the scenery. "Excellent! I was a bit worried that you would nevere back." Gerard''s eyes were as intense as they were before, but Leena could tell from the look in his eyes that he really only considered her as a good friend now. "That''s silly! Of course I wille back. ire is still here, you know. I have more reasons toe back now, other than for work. Oh by the way, on that note, could you do me a favor and look after her for me, please? Nothing too serious. Just check on her once in a while. This ce ispletely new to her and she still needs to make a lot of adjustments. If you could show her around or something, that''d be great! I am still a little worried about her well-being," said Leena, who was being the good sister-inw that she was. Even when she and ire didn''t get along before, she had thought about her a lot. Since they had be friends, she worried even more, now that ire was living alone in a foreign country. "Of course! Don''t wo Leena puckered her lips, staring at Kevin''s handsome profile. She felt a warm glow inside her. Now, she knew the feeling of having someone she loveding to pick her up at the airport, like this. In fact, ever since she knew that Kevin loved her back, she was constantly in a state of tion. Life couldn''t be happier. Kevin didn''t say anything. He just nced at Leena with adoring eyes. Yes, she was right and Kevin was indeed lying. He was afraid that he would miss her at the airport, so he came an hour earlier than the scheduled arrival. But what he didn''t expect was that her ne would get dyed. He then had to wait for about three hours in total. The sky was still a bit dark, but a mild glow in the horizon was a sign that pretty soon the sun would being up to rise gloriously. As soon as Leena got in the car, and away from ogling eyes, Kevin immediately pulled her in his arms. His lips met hers in a hurried and hungry kiss, gently nibbling, sucking and tasting her full delicious lips. The air in the car suddenly became hot. Chapter 1342 Wait For Me To Come Back (Part Three) After a long time of steamy making out, Kevin finally let Leena go. He needed to cool down. If he kissed her any longer, he was afraid that he would probably take Leena right here in this car and still on the airport parking lot! A deep blush was high on Leena''s face. She looked at Kevin with hungry eyes, obviously seducing him and testing how much he could control himself. "Leena, don''t look at me that way. Or I will not be able to contain myself and devour you here." Kevin curled his lips into a teasing smirk. He wanted Leena so bad right now. But it was not the right ce. He loved seeing Leena like this, all flushed but still looking so innocent. Wow, he really loved this girl and he was more than thankful that he did. "Don''t be so crude!" Leena withdrew her gaze from Kevin, feeling shy all of a sudden. She wasn''t used to Kevin being so straightforward, but she couldn''t deny that she secretly loved it. She felt all hot and sweaty, knowing that she was wanted by the man she loved. "Are you hungry right now? How about we eat breakfast first and then go home?" Kevin smiled at her shyness. His eyes were full of affection. He didn''t think it would feel this good once he realized his feelings for Leena and became honest about it. He just wanted to cherish and spoil this woman that he now truly called his wife. "I am not hungry right now. Are you?" Leena tilted her head and looked at Kevin in question. She was leaning on Kevin''s shoulder, snuggling up to him. Though she knew that he was driving, she just couldn''t let go of him yet. She wanted to feel him, smell him, be near him as much as possible. "What do you think?" Kevin nced at her with a teasing smirk on his een away in Paris? He couldn''t count anymore. He just knew that it felt like waiting in eternity. Now that she was back, he finally feltplete. And they would surely make up for the time they had lost. They might never leave the bedroom. "Of course." Leena''s face became hot because of his words. Thinking of what was about to happen tonight, her face became even hotter. She couldn''t even meet Kevin''s eyes. After Kevin left for work, Leena could finally take a good look around their home. The apartment was still the same as when she left for Paris half a month ago. Everything felt familiar, making Leena feel rxed immediately. She ate the breakfast Kevin bought for her. But instead of having a bath and then napping like he suggested, she opened the fridge to check what was inside. Her brows knitted into a frown when she saw that there was nothing inside. Well it was not a big surprise to her. She never really expected that Kevin would have the time, nor the initiative to do the grocery shopping. It seemed that she had to do itter, or she would have nothing to make dinner with when he came back after work. Chapter 1343 Car Accident (Part One) Although Leena was only gone for half a month, she was seriously homesick. She hit the streets immediately after taking a shower. And she was dressed impably, sporting clothing from well-known brands like Givenchy, Gi, and Balenciaga. She had superb taste. She went to the nearby supermarket to buy some food and various items like toothpaste, lotion, etc. Then she suddenly realized that she had not seen Patricia for quite some time. So she took out her phone and rang her up. "Hey, about time you remembered me." Patricia was lying in the sofa cozily when she answered the phone. Her voice sounded non-nonsense like always. If you looked at her you could tell she was lonely. "What? I called as soon as I got back." Leena paused for a minute, turning the wheel to head on to a side street. She was driving while on the phone. "You''re back now?" Patricia sat up. She was really excited. Her best friend was back, and maybe she''d get to spend some time with her. "My nended this morning. And I''m bushed. I think I need to lie down and beat this jetg." Leena arrived at her apartment and eased her car into the parking space. She frowned at the thought that she would have to carry everything upstairs by herself. The items bought from the store, yeah, that would not be fun. "Let me guess, you knew that I wanted to hang out. So you shut me down before I could ask!" Patricia had been extremely delighted a few second earlier, but now she was annoyed. She really wanted to see her best friend again, but now she probably had to wait another day. "It sounds like something''s wrong. What''s the matter?" Leena frowned deeply. She wanted to ask how Patricia was getting on with Tom. But she didn''t want to ask that too soon. ''I need to wait for the right time, cia from the mangled car. She was too scared to even ask if Patricia was still alive. She wasn''t sure what she''d do if the answer was no. "Patricia?! Was she racing?! Where is she now? Did you call an ambnce?" The phone dropped out of Leena''s hand and bounced soundlessly on the mattress. She fumbled to pick it up again. She could barely hear, as the chaos rushed in and filled her ears. She kept asking questions until she figured out what Michelle was talking about. She started to panic and had to fight to breathe. "We are still at the track. I''ve already called an ambnce." Michelle''s voice was cracked and hoarse. Michelle should have been used to sights like this, since she grew up in aplicated environment with violent people all around. But this was different. This time, it was her friend, and she was paralyzed with fear and worry. "Okay. Tell the ambnce staff to take her to Renxin Hospital. I''ll call Tom." Leena hung up immediately after she finished speaking to Michelle and dialed Tom. She almost lost control of her hand because she was frightened out of her wits. It took more than one try before she could summon up his number from her contact list. Chapter 1344 Car Accident (Part Two) Tom was about to leave the hospital for a seminar when his phone rang. As a doctor, there were lots of such seminars and conferences he needed to attend. At times, he grew somewhat weary of them. It wasn''t easy, traveling and living out of a suitcase. "Hey Leena. Back already?" Tom asked and opened the door of his car. Then he got in and stuck the key in the ignition. "Tom, are you at the hospital now? It''s Patricia. She''s in a car ident and needs your help," Leena said rapidly. Meanwhile, she grabbed her coat and practically ran out of the bedroom. "What? A car ident?" Tom went nk for a few seconds. What scared him most was that deep down, his heart felt like it had been struck by a hammer. "Yes. You have to save her, please. I sent the ambnce to Renxin Hospital." Leena burst into tears, finally overwhelmed by it all. The tears blurred her vision and stung her eyes. "Ah! Stupid girl! Why did you send them here? The best choice is the nearest hospital. Didn''t you know that?" Tom said and got out of the car. He ran to the emergency room to ask the staff to prep the OR for surgery. "I... I don''t know." Leena sniffed. She was telling the truth. Her first thought was Tom. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have told Michelle to do that. "Never mind. She''s on her way here anyway. Don''t worry, I''ll do what I can." Tom cared for Leena a lot. He did not have the heart to me her. She was distraught, and yelling at her wouldn''t help anything. "Yeah! Thank you, Tom." Leena stood beside her car, hesitating. She eventually decided not to drive herself. She was not sure it would be safe for her to do that, given that she still felt like crying. She would need to calm down befo saw Leena''s downcast look and came back to her senses. "I''m sorry, Leena. I''m just worried. I didn''t mean it." Michelle realized that she spoke without thinking and said some terrible things. She shouldn''t take it out on Leena. It was just that she was right there. A convenient target. Leena was innocent, wasn''t she? "It''s all good. I''m worried about her too. I get it." Leena tried to raise the corners of her mouth to force a smile, but failed. The grimace on her face looked even more terrible than an expression of grief. "She''ll be fine, right?" Michelle did not have many good friends. She cared about Patricia a lot. She did not want to lose her. "Yeah she will. She''s ours. No one''s going to take her away from us," Leena said firmly. Her words were serious and heartfelt, like she would kill any one who tried to take Patricia''s life, even God. But in her heart, she also worried a lot and was quite uncertain about what was going to happen. "Really?" Michelle was a strong and independent woman. No one could push her around. But right now she felt extremely weak. She was anxious and had no clue what to do about it. Chapter 1345 Rescuing Her (Part One) "Yes, I''m sure of this." Leena said while firmly gazing at the operation room. She was very anxious and wanted to see how it was going inside. Being this frightened and scared while waiting outside the operation room wasn''t something new to her anymore. She had already experienced this a lot of times. However, it was only now that she realized how fragile life was and how any negligence could put life in a threat. Restless minutes ticked by as Leena remained in the same ce. She couldn''t really tell how long she had been sitting there when a familiar face appeared in her view, it was Concordia Pei. This wasn''t the first time that she had met thedy but just like before, Concordia''s artistic air had given her the silentfort that she needed. "Leena, how''s Patricia?" asked Concordia worriedly. Her hair was a little messy and it was easy to tell that she had rushed from home to get here. Opposite to Patricia''s carefree and arrogant character, Concordia was a gentle and quiet woman. "Don''t be too worried, Auntie. Patricia is a good girl and God will help her," Leena said as she held Concordia by her shoulders. She was trying her best to give thedy the strength to ovee sorrow. She knew just how much Concordia loved her only daughter. "Thanks. I hope so. I told her not to participate in anypetition anymore but she didn''t listen. What should I do now? She''s going through surgery and her dad happens to be abroad." The aged woman looked at the surgery room with uneasiness. Her usually peaceful face wasced with some apprehension. "Don''t worry. We''re here with you. And Tom is doing his best to save her." Leena bit her lips. She was running out of things to say because she was extremely worried too. She couldn''t even help her hands from sweating since she stepped into that ce. "Oh my! My poor girl. Why did she never listen to me? I would be very satisfied if she co Sorry. I forgot to tell you that I''m in the hospital. Are you off work now?" Leena sniffed and then realized that she had unintentionally forgot about her husbandpletely. "Don''t worry about me, Nana. How about you? Are you injured? Is it Renxin Hospital? I will be there right away," Kevin said as he rushed downstairs. All his nerves were suddenly on full alert. His Nana was in a hospital right now and he got no clue on how she was! "I''m fine. It''s Patricia. She got injured," replied Leena with her head down. She didn''t want others to see how much she was crying at the moment. "Don''t worry. I will be there soon. Wait for me." Kevin ran out of their house and drove towards the hospital quickly. He could feel how scared and helpless Leena was by just the sound of her voice. "They have been inside that operating room for hours, Leena. Why are we still not getting any news?" Michelle asked in a concerned tone as she grew impatient. "I don''t know, either. The only thing we can do is wait. Didn''t you say that she was seriously injured? It might take more time and effort," answered Leena as she leaned her back on her chair. Her eyes had been fixed on the operating room for a long while. She could only wish for Patricia to juste out from there! Chapter 1346 Rescuing Her (Part Two) On the other hand, Michelle stood up and started walking back and forth in the hallway. She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt nervously. She wasn''t as patient as Leena and every minute passing by felt like a year to her. It was at that moment when a nurse walked out of the operating room. Leena couldn''t stay calm any longer, so she rushed to the nurse and grabbed thedy by her arm. "Miss, how is the patient now? Is she out of danger?" "I''m sorry but please don''t get in my way. Her condition is grave and we are still working to rescue her." The nurse quickly walked away. Seconds more and she was already running back with two bags of blood sma in her hands. The sight of the blood bags made all of them freeze on their feet as their fear aggravated. "Leena, is my Patricia''s life in danger now?" Concordia was a very simple and pure woman. In her world, everything was very pure and beautiful, and that was why her paintings also appeared very pure and beautiful. This was the very first time for her to get exposed to such a serious situation. "Don''t worry, Auntie. The nurse said that they are still rescuing her. She''s still alive, okay?" Leena wasn''t sure if what she said was still a valid truth. It had been hours and she really couldn''t tell how much more anxiety could she take. Inside the surgery room, Tom was feeling as bad as the women waiting outside. Patricia''s condition was very critical. Even a doctor like him couldn''t help but shudder at the view of Patricia''s injured body. He could hardly believe that the woman lying in front of him was the same hard-headed and hateful girl who used to challenge him. Her ribs were broken, one of her lungs, Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. d her thest cup that he was holding. He then took off his coat and wrapped her carefully with it. He knew that Leena was the type who easily got cold. Confusedly, Leena nced at him and found that he was only wearing a shirt after he gave her his coat. "Won''t you feel cold?" She asked with concern. "I''m okay. Drink the milk. It''s getting cold." Kevin looked at Leena with worried eyes. "Okay." Leena took a sip and felt the milk stream down her throat. Her body immediately felt warm. Even so, her heart had remained feeling cold because Patricia was still in danger. "How about I buy some food for you?" offered Kevin as he nced at the operating room. Although he knew that Leena might have no appetite for anything, he still wanted her to eat some food. She needed to remain strong as she waited for any good news. "No need. I want to wait until Patricia gets out of danger." Leena raised her head and silently prayed to God. She prayed for Tom to do wonders. She believed that bad luck would never fall on her and Patricia. Furthermore, she believed that Patricia wouldn''t disappoint her this time. Chapter 1347 She Was In Danger Being a doctor, Tom had already rescued more lives than anyone could imagine. However, he could easily tell that it was Patricia''s case that made him feel worse among them all. Mixed emotions caused him nervous the whole time when he was operating her and he couldn''t even tell why he was so nervous. All he knew was that he would never have the guts to face her or himself anymore if ever he failed. "Dr. Qin, the patient''s hemoglobin is going down." Tom''s assistant looked at him with wondering eyes. It wasn''t normal for the prestigious doctor to be this uneasy. Thus, he thought, ''This is weird. I have never seen Dr. Qin this anxious before. Why?'' "I know. Stem the bleeding immediately, and check the sma supply." Tom was holding a scalpel in his blood-covered hand. It was winter now but he was sweating badly. The nurse who was standing next to Tom hadn''t stopped wiping his sweat away. Everyone in the operating room knew that this surgery was important to him. "Okay." The assistant immediately began to stem the bleeding. They always learned a lot every time when they did surgery with Tom. More chaotic hours passed by. It was already passed ten hours when the light in the operating room finally went out and Tom came out. "How was Patricia''s operation? Did it work?" Leena stood up as soon as she saw Tom. She wanted to run to him but she couldn''t since her legs went numb because she sat there for too long. "I really cannot tell yet. It will be up to her if she will make it or not." Tom''s face looked drained and tired. He hoped he could tell everyone that everything was fine but he couldn''t. He was not even sure if she would survive. "Thank you, Tom. I know you tried your best," said Concordia in a thankful tone. She knew that Tom was an excellent and kind doctor. He would not just give up on anyone he wanted to save. "You''re wee, Mrs. Bai. I will do everything I could to save Patricia. We are friends, right? You should trust me." After saying that, Tom scanned everyone who was waiting outside the operating room. He then fixed his eyes on Leena and frowned. "I will always remember what you did for her. Thank you, Tom," It was Concordia''s sincere words that took his attention from Leena. The old woman had always been a kind and polite person. The situation they were in might be sad now but she just couldn''t stop herself from expressing her gratitude. "Auntie, don''t worry. I believe Tom will save Patricia. She will be fine," said Leena w just pretending to be angry as she knew that Kevin loved her so much. She wouldn''t tell him directly but God knew how much her heart was melting right now with the sweetness she felt. Although Kevin and Leena had been separated from each other for a long time, they were both not in the mood to enjoy this tender moment. They were too worried about Patricia. Thus, they both forgot about their teasing words earlier that day. On the other hand, Tom was having the toughest night. It was given that Patricia was not Tom''s type and that was why he turned her down multiple times. However, staring at Patricia as she lying on her hospital bed was driving Tom crazy. He was sad beyond words. He was honestly wishing that she could quarrel with him as before. ''God, what''s wrong with me? Why am I feeling this way?'' he thought. A soft sigh escaped from Tom''s chest as his hand moved by itself to touch her cheek. He was only seconds away from caressing her face when he suddenly withdrew his hand, as if he was burned. He felt like there was a beast inside him and he was trying his best to control it. He just couldn''t allow himself to fall in love with her. Patricia suffered several cardiac arrests that night and it was fortunate that Tom was beside her to rescue her the whole time. The night was particrly exhausting for Tom. He was both mentally and physically getting tired. "Do you need a break, Dr. Qin?" A paramedic in the intensive care unit advised Tom to take a rest. He had been operating on Patricia for so long during the day and had been saving Patricia for the rest of the night. Everyone in the intensive care unit knew how tired he was. Chapter 1348 Death Was No Laughing Matter (Part One) "That''s all right. I will be here watching. Otherwise I''ll be extremely worried." As soon as he heard himself say these words, he froze for a short second. He was shocked at himself. Since when did he start caring this much about Patricia? How did this happen? The paramedic also heard it and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He couldn''t help but wonder what was the rtionship between the patient and Tom. Based on what he heard, the good doctor seemed to care a lot about this girl. The morning came and the golden rays of the sun brightened everything they touched. But Patricia still didn''t wake up. She was lying on the hospital bed with a peaceful look on her face. She must have been really tired, both mentally and physically, just wanting to sleep forever and forget about all the pain. Fortunately, her condition had be stable overnight. It didn''t worsen, which made everyone who cared about her let out a sigh of relief. Standing inside his own office, Tom''s face also showed how tired he was. Yes, the operation on Patricia was very sessful, but it didn''t mean that she waspletely out of danger. After all, she was badly injured. The surgery performed on her was not an easy one. What happened next would be crucial to her recuperation. Now all they could do was wait. Even Tom didn''t know when she would wake up and if there would be anyplications. Why was he so worried about Patricia? Tom couldn''t understand his own feelings towards this girl. Had he be inevitably attracted to her? That would exin why he was so anxious, whether she would wake up from it or not. His heart throbbed, and it was a new and strange feeling to him. This was impossible and it came out of nowhere! In addition, he hated anything not be he could do was spoil her and let her do what she wanted. "Yeah, that is just how Leena is. She will throw some tantrums from time to time, but she never holds grudges. So we usually just let her. She won''t do stupid things anyway." Tom shrugged his shoulders. He could almost imagine the look on Leena''s face when she puckered up her lips in anger. "Well, maybe she is like that because you all spoil her." Kevin said with a littleugh. He actually liked it, that there were many people in Leena''s life who loved and cared about her. Most of all, he was happy to be one of those people now. "So are you unhappy that we spoil our little sister?" Tom raised one eyebrow at Kevin''s words. If Kevin dared to say ''yes'', he might kick his ass. "What? No, of course not! In fact, I''m happy that you are spoiling her because I do exactly the same. She deserves it." No matter what Leena was like, with the good and the bad, they had promised to spend their lives with each other and ignore each other''s imperfections. Throwing small tantrums from time to time would be part of that marriage and would not be a big deal. Even Kevin might have his tantrums in the future. Chapter 1349 Death Was No Laughing Matter (Part Two) "Yeah, of course she deserves it." Tom smiled. But suddenly, his smile turned to a frown, remembering that Leena would have a lot of difficulty getting pregnant. He nced at Kevin with worried eyes. Till now, Kevin had no idea about it. But what would he think once he knew? Would he still be this good to Leena? Would he treat Leena the same way he was doing now or would he change his mind? Tom knew that it was impossible for a man topletely ignore it. Maybe Kevin wouldn''t mind it for now. But what if, in the future he wanted a child and Leena couldn''t get pregnant? Who could guarantee that his feelings for Leena wouldn''t change? "How is Patricia doing right now?" Kevin asked Tom in a more serious tone. Since his wife had spent the whole night worrying about Patricia, he couldn''t help but get anxious as well. "If I tell you that her condition is not promising, what would you think?" Tom felt helpless. Yes, he was a damn good doctor, if he said so himself. But he also just was human and sometimes, things were just out of his control. It was not up to him which patient got to live and which patient would die. "It doesn''t matter what I think. What matters is what you are going to do about it." Kevin''s heart dropped. If Tom, a great doctor, said that Patricia''s condition was not promising, then it was surely not promising at all. Did this mean that Patricia would not survive this ordeal? "I am a doctor. I am not God." Tom rolled his eyes at Kevin. He felt pressured. No matter how good he was in his field, if it was someone''s time to go, it was time to go. He really wanted Patricia to get better. But it was not up to him. "So there is nothing you can do? Really?" Though Patricia was not family, Kevin still cared about her as a friend. Besides, he did not know how he was going to tell his wife. "At least not for now. Do you think that I would still be here if I already figured out how to save her?" Even if Patricia wasn''t Leena''s best friend, he would still do everything he could so that she would live. "So, a Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. want to see me work my ass off and exhaust myself to death? Do you like me going to the army base on a weekend?" Kevin said in a casual tone and then winked. But when he saw that Leena''s face suddenly be pale with what he just said. He immediately realized that he had used the wrong words. "Were you kidding just now? Because it wasn''t funny at all! I don''t want to hear you talk like that again! You know how much you mean to me! Why are you trying to twist my words?" Leena was particrly sensitive these days. She didn''t like Kevin talking about his own death, even if it was just a joke. In times like this, death was noughing matter. "Okay Nana, I am so sorry! I didn''t mean to upset you. It was just a silly joke. Please don''t take it seriously. I''m really sorry." Kevin had gotten used to her throwing tantrums, but he didn''t know that she could get this sensitive. He didn''t expect that his silly joke would upset Leena like this. Leena loved him so much that she couldn''t even tolerate this kind of joke. She just couldn''t stand the thought of losing him. "But I have already taken it seriously." Leena furrowed her eyebrows. Then all of a sudden, she had a feeling that she had forgotten about something very important. But she just couldn''t tell what it was. She felt lost, like a very important part of her memory had faded into nothingness. Chapter 1350 An Unhappy Encounter (Part One) "I''m really sorry. Please tell me you''re gonna get over what I said. I will make it up to you," Kevin said as he walked up to Leena. He pinched her red face, his eyes full of affection. "Never mind," Leena grumbled, pursing her lips. She shook off his hand and continued tidying up the room. "Have you eaten your breakfast?" Kevin asked her. He noticed when he hade back, the breakfast on the dining table was still set, just as it had been before. Naturally, he was worried. Leena had suffered quite a shockst night. "Not yet. I''ll eat soon and then go to the hospital to check on Patricia''s situation," Leena said, unperturbed. Kevin heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Leena did not forget about what had happened to Patricia. "I thought you forgot Patricia''s ident!" Kevin eximed, looking at her with amazement. She looked so calm this morning. He thought she would not be able to stand the blow of Patricia''s ident and forgot everything. He too began to help her do the room. Leena seemed veryposed. "Come on. Patricia is one of my best friends. How could I even forget about her? I''vee around to the idea that however sad and dejected I am, she won''t get better anytime soon. So why should I be so hard on myself? I have to cheer up." Leena gave Kevin a bitter smile. She had now be more mature than she used to be. "I''m d you see it that way. You know, you really scared mest night." Leena had crumbled under the shocking news of Patricia''s situation. It had startled Kevin. Luckily, Leena seemed to have made her peace with it. Otherwise afford to stay in the ICU. The expenses incurred were high. Patricia had already been in the ICU for about a week. The cost of it was equivalent to what ordinary families earned throughout a year. "Tom, may I ask you a question?" Leena turned to look at him, wondering why he hadn''t fallen for a beautiful and sincere woman like Patricia. "Of course." Tom cast a final nce at Patricia before leaving the room with Leena. On the way to his office, he looked at Leena, still waiting for her question. "You really don''t like Patricia?" Leena fixed her eyes upon his face, not willing to miss a single expression on it. She didn''t want him to hide how he felt. "You know I hate being forced to do anything," Tom said with a frown. He didn''t dislike Patricia. She was beautiful, funny and too clever by far. He just hated the way she approached him and how she pushed him to ept her. "So, you dislike how forward she is about her feelings?" Leena asked him again. If so, it would be hard for Tom to say yes to being in a rtionship with Patricia. Chapter 1351 An Unhappy Encounter (Part Two) "Yes. It makes me feel like she is intruding on my privacy," Tom said, still frowning. He didn''t intend to lie to Leena. He could always be frank with her about his feelings. There was no point in making a secret of what he thought of Patricia. "Can''t you just try to get along with her? Maybe you''ll fall in love with her after you truly get to know her," Leena said as hope shone in her eyes. "Leena, you''re a married woman. I believe you know what love is. What if I force you to leave Kevin and fall in love with someone else? It won''t be right." It was true that Tom felt something different for Patricia now, but he didn''t think it was love. It was a kind of sympathy that a doctor had for his patient. "I get your point. I''m just finding it hard to ept the possibility that she may never wake up again." What about Patricia''s F1 racing? Her championship dreams? How could all of it die because of one single ident? "Leena, I know. And I am sorry. I''m doing my best to bring her out of thisa. But I can''t be with someone I don''t love," Tom said. He didn''t love Patricia, and that was that. Certainly, he felt bad about the tragedy that had befallen her and hoped she would wake up soon. But after she did, he would not be forced to get into a rtionship with her. "Okay, I get it." Leena gnawed on her lower lip and gave up trying to persuade Tom. He had made himself very clear. She had to respect his choice. Tom looked at Leena and patted her shoulder. He knew how dejected she must feel right now, but some things couldn''t be helped. As Patricia''s doctor, he too felt frustrated. As Leena stepped sister-inw that she could kill her. "Calm down! Watch yournguage. Your baby is listening, okay?" Leena giggled, amused by Belinda''s reaction. "It''s all your fault!" Belinda hissed, putting the me on Leena. "Why is it my fault?" Leena thought she was innocent. Belinda had a worse temper ever since she got pregnant. Everyone had to y by her rules and please her. "Of course it''s your fault! You made me angry!" Belinda argued. She knew she was making an issue out of nothing, but couldn''t help herself. It was probably her hormones. She was not this rude before she got pregnant. "Fine! It''s all my fault. By the way, I''m eating the tastiest cake at that shop we went tost time." Leena''s words made Belinda even more furious. She couldn''t help but curse Leena in her mind. ''She is so awful! I will kill her when I see her. Does she not know what kind of appetite pregnant women have?'' "Woman, I order you, you must send me a cake over right now!" Belinda demanded in a firm tone. She tried her best to hold back her temper, but failed at the mention of cake. Chapter 1352 An Unhappy Encounter (Part Three) "What did you just say? The signal is bad here. I''m hanging up now. I''ll call youter." Saying thus, Leena hung up at once. A cunning smile lingered on her lips. Little did she know that her mischievous actions had made Duke the victim instead. Belinda immediately called up her husband and asked him to buy her a cake, despite the fact that he was busy at work. The afternoon was pleasant. Leena had her delicious cake and coffee at the bakery. She wished that Patricia could wake up, but was aware it was wishful thinking on her part. She looked outside the window and found that she was no longer in the mood to enjoy her food. After paying the bill, Leena walked to the door. As she opened it, a hastening figure knocked her to the ground. "Damn it! Are you blind?" The arrogant tone sounded like it was Patricia''s, but Leena knew that was too good to be true. It couldn''t be her. She was lying inside the ICU, still unconscious. How could she appear in front of Leena magically? "Please get your facts right. You knocked me down, okay? Now you''re scolding me instead of apologizing to me." Leena struggled to get to her feet and rubbed her aching bottom. She was a little surprised to see Louisa standing in front of her. "Leena Leng, it''s you again! Why do you materialize everywhere I go?" Louisa said as she turned up her nose and looked down at Leena. As the daughter of the army Commander, Louisa had the habit of belittling everybody. "That''s what I''m thinking too. You are present everywhere I go. Are you stalking me?" Leena was still downcast because of Patricia''s ident and was in no mood to be polite to Louisa. "Bah! Are you afraid of bei . "I finished my work ahead of time so I aming back earlier. Sorry I forgot to call you first. Don''t bother making me a meal. I''ll cook something for myself when I get home," Kevin said and smiled. He had nned to inform her before, but after he got into his car, he felt so sleepy that he took a nap. That was why he forgot to call her up. "Don''t worry. I don''t n on making you a hearty meal. You are expecting too much." After hearing what Kevin said, Leenay down again. She was in no mood to make a big meal. She decided to take a little rest first. In any case, if she cooked for him right now, the food would get cold by the time he arrived. She could just make something simple for him when he came home. "Nana, you just broke my heart!" Kevin joked, but deep down, he was d that Leena was beginning to regard him as family. Before, she used to treat him with utmost care and cautiousness. It used to stress him out. It was good that she was bing more rxed around him. "Liar! I know you are making fun of me." Leena pressed her lips together. She knew he was just teasing her. Chapter 1353 Luke And The Lady (Part One) "Hey, I didn''t mean it like that." Kevinughed gently. Although Leena wasn''t here, you could still see his love for his wife in his eyes. "I don''t like being mocked," said Leena. People in love were always sensitive. Leena was not an exception. A careless word in the wrong ear, and Leena would get insecure. No matter how much she tried to improve, there would always be something wrong. So, like everyone else, she would get anxious and wonder if he still loved her. But it was all on her mind. She wasn''t used to dealing with a rtionship. "I know, I''m sorry. I''ll be back soon, at any rate. Go eat!" Kevin checked his watch and found that it was nearly meal time. He wanted to make sure she had something to eat. It wasn''t healthy to skip meals. "I will. Drive safely." After their exchange, Leena hung up the phone. She felt warm from the bottom of her heart. Her eyes wereughing, and that sight was just as beautiful as the crescent moon. Kevin looked at the phone. A smile tugged at his lips. He was quite satisfied with his life now. It couldn''t get any better, could it? "Major General, are we heading back to the base?" Lee looked at Kevin through the rearview mirror. He wondered if they were going to drop off the documents at the base. These were confidential files, and it would be best to have them under lock and key. "Yeah! We''ll drop by there first!" Kevin was insistent on this. Though he was pretty sure Leena wouldn''t peek at them if he brought the files home, he was a stickler for the rules. They needed to be filed correctly and locked up. He needed to obey the rules even if he was a major general. There was no privilege for him. "Yes sir." Lee answered briskly. He liked Major General Gu because he was considerate, but tended to do the right thing. He knew Kevin loved his wife, but duty came first. They all knew that the confidential documents could not be taken home no matter how much they trusted their families. What was more, the military code was very clear on how these files were to be handled. When Kevin finally got back home, it was nearly ten o ''clock. The lights were off downstairs, and Leena wasn''t there. But he could hear gentle musicing from the first floor She was gasping, her chest hurt, her heart threatening to burst. Because she was afraid innocents might be hurt, she aimed for dark alleys and backroads, where they hopefully wouldn''t see anyone. But no people meant less chance of getting help, too. Besides, everyone just minded their own business downtown. If they caught up to her there, there still would be nobody willing to help. She could hear the voices of those thugs behind her. "Bitch, can''t you run faster?" "We''re gaining on her!" "You better run!" She rounded the corner, and it was a dead end. She turned to face them. More than a dozen gangsters blocked Michelle''s path. Some were holding weapons. They advanced on her slowly, enjoying the thrill of the chase, like a serpent stalking a mouse. "Are you kidding? I''ll run if I feel like it!" Michelle knew that she was probably screwed. But she held her chin up and faced these guys head on. She acted high and mighty, so maybe she could scare them off. She was arrogant, and it showed. "Ha ha! I think the choice is made for you. There''s nowhere to run," one of the gangsters said,ughing. But he coughed a little after that. It was possible he was still out of breath, and needed more time to recover. "Great, then I can stop running, huh? Bye!" Michelle joked, stalling for time. She rolled her big eyes as she racked her brain, trying to find a way out of this. She was Michelle. If they intended to hurt her, she wasn''t going to make it easy for them. Chapter 1354 Luke And The Lady (Part Two) "C''mon, chica. Do you really think you have a chance against us?" Everyoneughed evilly. Everyone, that was, except Michelle, who was getting more and more nervous. "I dunno. What if I know something you don''t? I wouldn''t be too quick to judge. If I were you, I''d run now!" Michelle kicked the pebbles on the ground with her toes, regretting her carelessness. A dead end alley was no ce to get caught. She should have seen thating. Theyughed again. "What, you think you''re tough enough? Boys, we have a winner. Let''s have some fun," said one of the men who looked the same age as Michelle. And he seemed just as carefree. "I mean it. Back off, now!" She was as brave as she could be, given the odds. She''d been in some of the seediest ces in the city, ande out unscathed. She was used to walking into such ces, risking her life. "Bitch, you have no idea. C''mon boys, the moon is high. It''s a night for love!" The man smiled evilly and stared at Michelle''s breasts, visibly moving up and down as she got more and more nervous. Michelle frowned deeply, though she just wanted to cry. She had no choice now. As the saying goes, "do or die." Was she really so stupid to continue to insult these guys? But then again, she was Michelle. "Hey you! Help me!." Michelle pretended to be surprised and looked over the gangsters'' heads, like there was someone there. Everyone turned their heads -- the police might be there. Michelle''s trick worked, and she ran right past them and out of the alley. They didn''t expect this, and were absolutely pissed at her. Naturally, they gave chase. Michelle realized how much a mistake she''d made, trying to find back alleys. There was no one around, and no ce to hide. "You''ll regret this bitch! Stop running and let us have some fun!" The gangsters shouted loudly behind her. Michelle ran like all the hounds of hell were after her -- because they were. She just ignored their cries and ran even faster. Only an idiot would waste his breath on them. The most important thing to do was run. Let them yell at her all they wanted. Maybe they''d run out of breath first. She was headed for the gate of a courtyard when a hand reached out, grabbed her arm, and Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ds," Michelleined to him. Maybe he could get him to drive her home. She really didn''t feel safe anymore. "I already saved you once. What? You want me to follow you around and save you all the time?" Once Luke thought of that, he got goosebumps. He could just think about it, but he couldn''t really do it. He was Edward''s bodyguard, not hers. "Wow, that sounds good. So how about it?" Michelle seemed to haven''t heard the mocking tone in his voice. She really hoped that was a serious suggestion. Then, she caught herself. ''Oh my god! What am I thinking? I must be nuts!'' "Are you a retard? Or do you try hard to be that stupid?" Luke didn''t even realize what he was doing. He was a man of few words, yet he was carrying on a conversation with her. Or didn''t he notice that something strange was happening? "Luke, this is so cute. It''s like a lover''s quarrel." Michelle looked up at him as this man was really tall. So she could always just see his nostrils, but not his head. She couldn''t even tell if he was going bald. "Take that back. It''s not funny." Luke''s face sank. Instantly, he became even more dangerous. His whole life revolved around protecting Edward. So he never thought about loving anyone, let alone getting serious with a woman. "I''m just kidding. Don''t bust a nut." Michelle felt a little embarrassed. She didn''t know what came over her, but she found herself liking this guy a lot. She wasn''t kidding, but she wasn''t going to let him know that. Chapter 1355 Ran Into Rachel (Part One) "Don''t talk to me as if we are close. You know what? I''m not even close to you at all. We are literally strangers," said Luke in a hateful tone. Many people said that ''men who are cold always have the warmest hearts''. However, Michelle found it hard to believe that saying, because of Luke. For Pete''s sake, Luke was an anomaly! The man was just downright made of ice! "Oh my God, Luke! Stop looking too highly of yourself. Do you think that you are some kind of a superstar? You don''t even have the right to be arrogant. You are nothing but a ''nobody''. Do you understand?" Michelle cast a disdainful stare at Luke. If he could talk this way to humiliate her, then she could talk the same way to get even to him. "Don''t you dare tell me that I talk like a superstar. I don''t and I will never. I''m different," Luke hissed with a warning. It was evident how harsh he was with just the way he spat his words. Having to stay with Edward all the time gave him the chance to deal with different actors and actresses from FX International. For him, the entertainment circle was totally a dirty different world, which was full of conspiracies and malicious things. "You..." Michelle might be fluent but definitely not eloquent. She had never won a quarrel with Luke as she usually ran out of words to say against him. "You...You..." insulted Luke as he mimicked Michelle''s tone, highlighting how stupid she sounded like she couldn''t even finish her words. "I suppose that you''re trying to ask about me. Well, don''t worry. I''m good. Now, if you don''t want to go, you can just stay here." He then gave Michelle an uninterested once-over with his cold eyes. He didn''t even think that Michelle was of any importance at all. Thus, it was okay for him to be condescending against her. "Hold on. Did you just say that I can stay here with you?" A little excitement hit Michelle upon hearing what he said. She couldn''t even understand why she felt happy with the thought that she could stay with him for a while. ow but she was sure that she would be fine as long as she paid more attention to her health and not get sick. It was so strange that Tom was forcing her to drink some medicine. "Be a good girl, Leena. I won''t harm you." Tom was a bit worn out now. His handsome face looked lifeless and drained. He even looked sicker than his patients. Thebination of Leena''s case and Patricia ina took its toll on him in a really bad way. "I''m afraid that you are the one who should take the medicine! Look at yourself! You''re getting skinnier!" said Leena. She felt sorry for Tom and thought that it was only Patricia''s case that was draining him. It was obvious how tired and dispirited he was. She knew that Tom was starting to feel something for Patricia but never had he admitted this to anyone. Thus, she had no choice but to pretend that she knew nothing about it. "You little fool. I''m on a diet now. I''m not skinny at all. Don''t you think that I have a better built than before?" A bitter smile cracked Tom''s lips. To tell the truth, he was confused about himself too. He was very upset and disdainful about how Patricia was clinging to him before. However, things had changed after what happened. Now that she was lying motionless on her hospital bed, he couldn''t help his heart from getting heavier and heavier every single day. Chapter 1356 Ran Into Rachel (Part Two) "Really? I don''t see that." Leena looked over Tom and thought that he had a better built before. It was actually sad to see his health quickly deteriorating. "Don''t try to change the topic. Take the medicine. Make a video call to me every time you take it. I need to make sure that you are having it." Tom didn''t allow her to refuse. He was doing this for her own good after all. One thing he could assure her was that he would never do anything to harm her. "You better kill me. There are so many types of medicine, Tom. How could you give me this when you know that I hate herbal medicines the most?" As hard headed as she was, Leena didn''t give up and kept on bargaining. She was already at the verge of crying as she sniffed. She looked so adorable while looking at Tom puppy-eyed. "You are not the one to decide about that. Now, get out! I need to deal with a lot of things." Silently, Tom sighed in relief and evaded Leena''s stare. He couldn''t imagine how heartbreaking would it be once Leena found out the reason behind the medicine he was giving her. He thought that he could get on with the secret as long as Leena stopped asking anything about the herbs. "Fine! I have a question though. How long should I take the medicine?" Leena felt frustrated as it seemed that she had no choice but to listen to Tom. She knew that Tom was not the type of person who would force someone to do things unless they were necessary. "I can''t tell you for now. We''ll decide on that once it works," said Tom. He knew that he could only conceal the truth from her temporarily. She would be suspicious should she take that medicine for a long time. "Am I going to take it for a long time?" asked Leena as she pursed her lips. She disliked the smell of herbal medicines because it made her feel like vomiting. "It''s up to you," was Tom''s answer. He then reached out to pat her on her head with a sad smile. All he ever wanted was for her to be urged Duke immediately with a frown. He couldn''t afford to get this twodies sick. Thus, he would not allow them to just stand here at the gate as they might get cold. "Brother, can we go to another restaurant?" As a woman, Leena was certain that Belinda minded Rachel, so she made the proposal for Belinda''s sake. "Why? Isn''t it good here?" Duke asked confusedly. He had no idea about what was inside Leena''s mind. "Yes, it''s good but somehow I want to make a little change. I think it''s better for us to have the hot pot in such a cold weather." A sweet smile appeared on Leena''s face as she spoke. She was acting so nicely that no one could even see through her. She was really convincing when she said that she just suddenly changed her mind and wanted hot pots. "How about you? Do you want the same, Belinda?" Duke was still frowning when he turned to Belinda. He wouldn''t mind agreeing with Leena''s thoughts as long as Belinda was okay with it. Recently, he had been doing whatever she wanted. She was pregnant and she was simply his top priority among everything else. "It doesn''t matter to me," said Belinda without rifying her thoughts. It was obvious that she didn''t even care. She just had this gentle smile on her face the whole time. She was indeed a mother-to-be. Chapter 1357 Ran Into Rachel (Part Three) "Well, if you don''t mind it, then let''s not bother going to another ce. Let''s go inside, finish the meal quickly and then go back home," suggested Duke as he reached out for both of their hands. He guided them to walk-in to the restaurant before them and it seemed that his idea was already fixed. Meanwhile, Leena took a quick look at Belinda. She felt relieved when she saw that Belinda was doing alright. She was actually worried that Belinda might be unhappy about this arrangement. "Okay, take a seat!" The first thing that Duke did upon reaching their table was to pull a chair for Belinda. He wasn''t saying anything and yet his actions spoke louder than words. He was very considerate to his pregnant wife and it was evident that Belinda had his full attention. "Aren''t we going to the private room?" asked Leena as she looked around. She was trying to check where Rachel sat. "We''ll stay here. The air is fresher here than in the private rooms. It''s not good for an expectant mother." Obviously, Duke already made a research about the do''s and don''ts for pregnant women. He was an excited father-to-be and he honestly had high expectations for his unborn child. "Yes, you are right. I almost forget it." Leena stuck her tongue out and then sat down. She saw Rachel who was sitting nearby upon raising her head. The thought that Rachel was just close made Leena look at Duke nervously. She was wondering if the woman woulde to their table to disturb them. Seriously, it was a disgrace that Rachel''s heart wasn''t as beautiful as her face. "What''s wrong with you, Leena? Why do you suddenly look strange?" Although Duke cared about his wife and baby, he would not just simply ignore his beloved sister. Thus, he noticed the slight changes on Leena easily. "Oh! Nothing. My leg just hit the desk. It hurts a bit," said Leena with an awkward smile as she discreetly peeked at where Rachel was sitting from time to time. "Be careful. Don''t be careless all the time!" re s she was not strong enough. "Try me! Please go away if you don''t want to be looked down to or threatened. We are enjoying our time here," warned Duke in a cold tone. That was his personality. He wouldn''t want to waste his effort on people he disliked. Thus, he easily turned cold. "You..." Rachel was suddenly speechless and bit her lips. She had nned to show off before Belinda. She didn''t expect herself to fail though. Although she wanted to vent her anger, she was scared of Duke''s warning. She wasn''t sure about Duke''s capabilities yet as there was FX International Group behind him. Duke might have limits by himself but with Edward in the picture, that was another case. Edward was more powerful and his control was vast. Rachel decided not to be too aggressive. She would not want anything bad to happen to her after all. On the other hand, Belinda was listening to Duke and Rachel''s conversation secretly although she was talking with Leena. She pretended not to care about it because she didn''t want to appear rude before Rachel. She wanted her to know how unaffected she was with them talking before her. Seconds more and Rachel stomped her feet and walked out of that ce angrily. Now that made Belinda smile triumphantly. She was very satisfied with Duke''s indifferent and aloof attitude towards Rachel. Chapter 1358 The Sweetness Of Love (Part One) "Why didn''t you tell me that she was also here?" Duke nced at thedies, scolding them. It seemed that all men were ruthless. Once their love for any woman was gone, they would not even want to see her or talk to her. "What difference will it make if she is here or not?" Belinda said with a frown. To test whether a man still had feelings for someone, one should check whether she still had any influence on him. If his behavior quickly changed just because she was suddenly around, it only exined one thing - that he still loved her. If he felt at ease and handled it well, it meant that he had already gotten over her and he didn''t care anything about her. "Nope, it wouldn''t make any difference at all," Duke replied calmly. Just like he said, his feelings were not affected at all just because he saw her. "Then, why would you care so much whether we told you or not?" Belinda lifted her ss and took a sip, looking very peaceful. But deep inside, her emotions had gone up and down just like a roller coaster. Her blood was starting to boil, but she was trying to control it. "I just care about you. I think you might be unhappy." Duke was not good with verbal arguments, but he truly cared about Belinda''s feelings. Loving someone meant caring for her and considering things from her perspective. This was one of the basic rules that a mature man should know and follow. "She is only a woman from your past. Why do you think I should care?" Belinda smiled. Although she still felt stung thinking that there was another woman he once loved, she wouldn''t show it. She was not that childish. "Okay, stop then. Let''s talk about something else. Aren''t you guys hungry? Why do we waste time talking about someone who''s not even here?" Feeling that the atmosphere had be awkward between them, Leena hurriedly averted the topic. "Sure. You c a was a grown-up. There was no need to be too cautious. Although she also had qualms about letting her go alone, she didn''t want to make Leena feel restrained. "Oooh that''s hateful! I''m not as bad as you described." Leena pouted and stared at Belinda. Then she turned to Duke and showed her adorable face. "Duke, look! Belinda''s making fun of me. You should scold her!" "You naughty, naughty Leena! I was not poking fun at you. I was just concerned about you!" Belinda stared at her aggressively. Although she couldn''t do many things after she got pregnant, she felt that she was being treated with privilege in many ways. Leena was a case in point. She used to take pleasure in irritating Belinda whenever they met. But now, she became more moderate in her jokes, and showed her lovely side in front of her more. Surely, it was because she didn''t want to stress the baby in Belinda''s belly. "I know, I know! Thanks for your concern. Just be more careful with yourself. Duke, I''ll leave now. I will call you when I get home." Leena said as she quickly left, giving no time for Duke to react. "What''s been going on with Leena recently? She looked pale today." Watching her recede into the distance, Duke muttered worriedly to Belinda. Chapter 1359 The Sweetness Of Love (Part Two) "She''s probably worried about her friend, Patricia. Haven''t you heard? That Patricia has been lying unconscious in bed for nearly a month now. And there is no sign when she would wake up. As her best friend, how could she not feel worried?" Belinda could understand why Leena looked stressed out and even a bit moody. If that was Daisy in aa for almost a month, she would also feel gloomy like Leena. She couldn''t even imagine how she would handle it. "What has Tom done? He''s her doctor right? Can''t he save her?" Duke wondered. It was strange. Didn''t Tom dere himself as a miracle-working doctor? Why couldn''t he revive an unconscious patient? "No one is almighty, not even Tom. Patricia was badly injured. He already has done a good job keeping her alive." Belinda got this information not long ago from Leena. She had dropped by Patricia''s ward once, when she went to the hospital to do the prenatal check up. The woman lying on the bed was pretty, but her face had be too pale, probably because she had been bedridden for too long. As Belinda looked at her, she took pity on such a beautiful girl. "Well, Let''s go then. It''s useless for us to get too worried. Only the doctor could help her now. We can do nothing about it." In Duke''s heart, except for the people he cared about, nothing or no one else could afford him the slightest interest. "I''m curious. How long has it been since thest time you and Tom and your other buddies got together?" Belinda asked as they walked towards their car, with Duke assisting her, holding her by her arm. She found that Tom had been in low spirits recently and didn''t know why. So she thought she needed to remind Duke of this. "It has been a while. What''s wrong with that? We all have our own lives to live." Duke pulled the door open for her, feeling very strange why she would suddenly ask something like that. "Nothing, it just cros ave it!" Duke was firm in his attitude. To assure Belinda and the baby''s safety, he couldn''t take any risks. In the early stage of her pregnancy, he couldn''t be more careful to avoid a possible miscarriage. He would never risk the life of his future baby and more importantly, his wife. "Duke, you are too mean. You Fascist!" Belinda never expected that he would refuse her so bluntly. She felt wronged and her eyes became red. It was amon reaction that pregnant women easily got irrational and sentimental. Belinda now looked insulted. "Yes, I''m autocratic and dictatorial, are you satisfied now? Icy food like ice cream is too cold. Can''t we eat it when the weather gets warm? Not now when the ice you eat can make a snow flurry." Duke softened his tone and tried to cheer her up. He admitted that he caved in. One moment ago, he just refused her so firmly, but the next moment, his heart was melted by Belinda''s puppy dog eyes and begging tone. That was why he suddenly changed his attitude. "But I just want to eat it now. If we get it on another day, I may change my mind then, and wouldn''t want to eat it at all." Belinda said as she bit her lips. To her, her husband was the person to whom she could act girly and throw a tantrum whenever she wanted. Chapter 1360 The Sweetness Of Love (Part Three) Duke became speechless when he heard her say so. Unfortunately, he couldn''t scold her, let alone beat her. The only thing he could do was to talk her out of the idea of eating icy food by stressing her role as a future mother. But it seemed that he failed. Because he had underestimated how much a pregnant woman would crave certain kinds of food. "Are you happy now?" Duke asked at an ice-cream parlor. In fact, he had called Tom to ask about this first. He only brought her here after he got Tom''s confirmation. It had to be attributed to her good health. If it were Leena, it would be impossible for her to be allowed to eat ice cream during pregnancy. "Yes, do you want to have one as well?" Belinda asked with a happy smile, as if what she was holding in her hand now was the most delicious food in the world. "No, I don''t. Stop pushing it to my face! You enjoy it yourself. But you can''t eat too much, okay?" Duke frowned as he looked at therge bowl of shaved ice in her hand. He ordered for a small cup of the ice, but she insisted on arge one. So that was what she had now. "Don''t worry. I''ll be okay. Didn''t Tom say that I''m very healthy and asionally eating icy food won''t affect the baby?" Belinda was like a spoiled child who just got her sweet goodies. She had been smiling all the way back home and she looked more soft and gentle, a big contrast to the image of a strong business woman she used to be. Probably because of the increase of female hormone inside her body during pregnancy, she looked more tender as a loving expectant mother. "You''re only saying that because you want to eat ice water." Duke said helplessly. He loved her deeply after all. He had no choice but to let her have what she wanted. "Duke, don''t you agree? Time is an ingredient of magic and miracles! Who would think that we would fall in love one happened. She seemed too lost in her thoughts that she didn''t even feel any pain. When the phone rang, she didn''t n to answer and just let it be. ¡¤She wanted to leave the world behind her just for once. But the person who called seemed to be so persistent. The phone kept ringing and ringing, and she had no choice but to pick it up. "Hi, Tom, what''s going on?" Leena frowned at the prospect that he would urge her to send him the video recording of her drinking up all the herbal medicines. She hadn''t gotten home, so she hadn''t taken the medicine yet. "Leena,e to the hospital! Patricia has woken up!" Leena almost dropped the phone. She couldn''t believe what she just heard. But Tom''s excited voice came through loud and clear. Leena could sense how happy he was! "What? Patricia woke up? Are you sure? Okay, I will be there right away. Take care of her." Leena''s gloomy face faded away. She beamed and turned around, running towards the direction in which her car was parked. She was very excited to hear such good news and couldn''t wait to get to the hospital. "Don''t hurry too much and be careful on the way here," Tom added with concern, his eyes still fixed on Patricia who was staring at him with confusion. Chapter 1361 Patricia Woke Up (Part One) "Miss Bai, do you know who I am?" After putting his phone back in his pocket, Tom leaned towards Patricia and asked. He was aware that he had some sort of feelings for her, but as the head doctor in this hospital, his tone remained formal and professional. "Umm...Yes. Yes I do." Patricia blinked. Her voice was a bit raspy because she hadn''t spoken for so long. "Okay, good. Then tell me what my name is." Tom stared at her with intense and expectant eyes. He couldn''t stop himself from smiling. "Hmm... I don''t know," Patricia said in a small voice. She just woke up and was still confused somehow. She looked around the room, trying her best to take in everything around her. Aside from this doctor, there were also a couple of nurses taking notes from the monitors and gadgets attached to her and to her bed. The doctor''s smile disappeared quickly. "You don''t know my name?" Tom couldn''t believe what he just heard. "You asked me if I knew who you were. Yes, you look like a doctor. You didn''t ask me if I knew your name or not. And right now, I am not sure." Patricia looked back at Tom with innocent eyes. She was also confused about his question. Why would she know his name? "Okay, I am going to ask you again. Do you know who I am?" Tom had done this before. He knew that sometimes when patients woke up from aa, they would be extremely confused and slow at the beginning. Patricia just needed time to adjust to the surroundings and the people around her. "Of course I do! Like I said, you are a doctor! What kind of question is that?" Patricia gently bit her lower lip. She knew that she was the one talking, but the voiceing out of her did not sound familiar. Her throat hurt, she felt no strength and was in p n he thought about it. But he shouldn''t dwell on it now. There were still a lot of things to do regarding Patricia''s condition now that she hade out of hera. "Of course I remember. My car lost control on the track and crashed into the guardrail," Patricia said in an indifferent tone, as if she was talking about someone else''s ident. Though she knew how she got hurt, what she couldn''t understand was why she crashed into the guardrail. She knew she was really good at driving, and it shouldn''t have happened. But she just couldn''t remember what exactly caused her mind to go nk when she tried to think more about it. Something was missing in her memory but she could not pinpoint what. It hurt just trying to think about it. "Patricia, Patricia! You finally woke up!" Leena burst into the ward and almost slipped. She happened to be in the neighborhood so it didn''t take long for her to hurry over after hearing that her friend had woken up. "Oh please! Stop making it sound like I have slept for a long time." The moment Patricia saw Leena in her room, a sweet smile appeared on her face. She was happy to finally see her best friend. Chapter 1362 Patricia Woke Up (Part Two) "Oh yes, you have! Do you have any idea for how long you have slept? For a full freakin'' month!" Leena''s eyes reddened thinking of the past month. She buried her head in the crook of Patricia''s neck, feeling her alive and breathing in her embrace. "What? A whole month? Your''e kidding! I have been in aa for that long? No wonder I feel pain all over my body." Patricia raised her hand, though she could not do itpletely. She put it lightly on Leena''s shoulder, gently patting her, trying tofort her best friend. "Where does it hurt? Tom,e quickly check up on her!" As soon as she heard Patricia''s words, Leena immediately raised her head and looked at Tom with worried and pleading eyes. She had almost forgotten that Tom was also there in the room. "It is normal for her to feel pain. That''s because technically, she is still injured. Her wounds aren''t fully healed yet. She just woke up. She did not miraculously get healed all of a sudden. She still has a long way to go." Tom waspletely confused right now. Because Patricia seemed to remember everything well except for him. She could recognize Leena as if they just saw each other yesterday. What the hell was going on? "Oh! He is the Tom that you often talk about! No wonder! He kept asking me if I knew him." Then she turned to Tom. "See? Now I know your name. Tom!" It suddenly hit Patricia why Tom asked her those weird questions earlier. He was Leena''s hotshot doctor brother. But what she seemed to have forgotten was that the man in front of her was also the man she deeply loved. "What? Are you okay, Patricia? What are you talking about? Don''t you remember him?" Leena''s eyebrows knit ved. This is the best way to get rid of the world''s most annoying person. She''s never gonnae here to bother me anymore, right?" Tom smiled, but the smile didn''t reach his eyes. He just didn''t want Leena to worry. "You are clearly lying. But I will let it go this time. Is her memory loss permanent or not?" Leena should be happy that Patricia had forgotten Tom, she really should. Because in this way, Patricia wouldn''t be hurt anymore. But she was still sad because Tom had just started having some feelings for her. She knew this would hurt Tom. If only there was something she could do so that it didn''t have to happen like that. "Well, I am not sure about that. Maybe she will never have her memory back, or maybe one day she will suddenly remember it all. It''s really hard to say." Tom smiled again, but his smile was bitter and forced. He should be happy that Patricia forgot him, right? She wouldn''t bother him anymore. And it was something he always wanted, wasn''t it? But why did he feel disappointed and frustrated once those words left his mouth? There was a lump in his throat and he looked away. Chapter 1363 Patricia Woke Up (Part Three) "Wouldn''t she be even more devastated if she suddenly remembers it one day? And by that time you have moved on?" Leena asked worriedly. She didn''t mind Patricia listening to them talking about her. She had no idea anyway. "Hey! What the hell are you two talking about? I''m starting to feel out of ce here. Hellooo..." Patricia looked between them with suspicious eyes. Though she couldn''t understand what they were saying, she felt that whatever they were talking about definitely had something to do with her. "That''s all right. But you don''t have to understand everything just yet." Leena nced at her, eyes full ofplicated emotions. Why the hell did she have to forget about the man that she was head over heels crazy for just a month ago? Was she really so hurt that she wanted to forget about Tom once and for all? Tom let out a silent sigh. As a doctor, it was not the first time that he encountered a situation like this. Nothing shocking here. But it was the first time that something like this happened to him on a personal level. What he really worried about was what he would do if Patricia did forget about him for good. As soon as this thought came up in his mind, he froze. What was happening to him? Did he really fall in love with this woman in such a short time? No. He should probably stop thinking about it. He had to nip this in the bud. Besides Leena, Patricia''s parents were also the ones who were the happiest about her waking up. They were very grateful to Tom. They thought that he would be the biggest reason why Patricia would wake up. Michelle received the news about Patricia the next day. ired. And his eyes also lost their usual shine. He looked quite sad and depleted. "Doctor Qin, when can I get out of this ster cast? It is really inconvenient for me." Patricia looked at Tom expectantly, addressing him formally as she would do to any stranger. "Well, you will have to live with it a bit longer. Do you feel any pain?" Tom tapped on the cast. Though the operation was sessful, he still couldn''t guarantee if her leg would fully heal. Nobody could tell the result, until after some x-rays or even an MRI. "Ow! It hurts." Patricia furrowed her eyebrows in pain. There was not a part of her body that didn''t hurt. She was really badly injured so naturally, it felt like that everywhere. "That''s a good sign. Take your medicine on time and don''t eat anything too heavy, especially solid food in case you upset your stomach. Stick to eating baby food for now." Tom''s face was nk, as if he was talking to aplete stranger. He had thought a lot when he got back homest night. It seemed that he had his emotions under control now. At least on the surface. Chapter 1364 Patricia Woke Up (Part Four) "Yes I will. Thank you, doctor!" Patricia really considered him only as her doctor. It seemed that she really hadpletely forgotten about Tom and her feelings for him, or she wouldn''t have been this calm around him. Michelle looked at the scene in front of her with a confused look on her face. She didn''t know that Patricia had lost a part of her memory because nobody told her. That was why she felt strange when she heard how Tom and Patricia spoke to each other. "You are wee. I have to go and check up on other patients right now," Tom rushed these words out and quickly left the room without even looking back, as if he was running away from something. His lonely back indicated that he was not as calm as he seemed. He was, in fact, a bit devastated. "Patricia, what happened between Doctor Qin and you? Why did you talk to each other like that?" Michelle watched Tom leave the room, and then turned around to face Patricia. She was very curious. "What do you mean? Talk to each other like how? Isn''t he always like that?" Patricia leaned back on her pillow and looked at Michelle with a strange look on her face. "Um. I thought you were in love with him? But why are you acting so cold and indifferent towards him?" Michelle knew that she shouldn''t bring up the sad truth to Patricia when she just woke up. It was not the right time to talk about this. But she just couldn''t help it. She was really very confused. "I was in love with him? I don''t know why you and Leena keep telling me this, but I really don ce. There was something he said or did that hurt you really bad. That''s why you got distracted when you were training and crashed your car into the guardrail." Michelle tried to tell the story and make her remember what she had forgotten. But it wouldn''t be this easy. It seemed that Patricia had nothing left in her for the man who hurt her so much. Then how could a few simple words make her suddenly gain her memory back? "Well, if he really hurt me that bad, then why should I remember it now? Some of the most hurtful things are the hardest ones to forget. Maybe it''s all for the best. All right, you know what Michelle? Let''s stop talking about him. Let''s change the subject. Okay? There are a lot more interesting topics to talk about." Patricia subconsciously avoided thinking about this any longer. She just wanted to end this topic as quickly as possible. She decided to put everything behind her. After all, if Tom really hurt her that bad like Michelle said, she just had to let it go and not obsess about it. Chapter 1365 I Was Just Passing By (Part One) Tom was quite proud of himself. He remainedposed throughout the procedure when he performed a check on Patricia''s body. He didn''t do anything inappropriate afterward either. Instead, he headed out of her ward. A feeling of relief overwhelmed him once it was over, more intense than he had ever felt. Truthfully, this was quite unlike him. His heart beat faster than that of a kid who had stolen a nce of his puppy love. He breathed heavily and his blood drummed in his ears as he walked down the corridor. Tom''s excuse was that he was making the rounds of the wards. In reality, he had already inspected this area of wards before he checked in on Patricia. He left her ward because he feared he would do something improper if he stayed any longer. So, like a defeated soldier at a battlefield, he fled. "Tom, hi! I was looking for you! Why are you lurking around here?" a female voice suddenly called out, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was Leena. She carried a thermos jug in her hand, which contained the nutrition soup she had made for Patricia. She hoped her friend would recover soon when she had it. "Hi, Leena. Nice seeing you too. I was just checking in on Patricia inside," Tom answered, collecting himself. He feigned being calm and indifferent as he spoke. His feelings were all over the ce but he hid them well. "I see! I''ve brought a bowl of soup for you too. I didn''t see you around, so I went to your office and put the soup on your table. You better drink it hot. It wouldn''t taste good when it''s gone cold." Leena was a considerate person. Since she had made soup for Patricia, she thought she''d make some for Tom too. She liked to cook for her friends. "Soup? Are you using that to bribe me into sparing you from your daily medicine?" Tom rarely joked, but when Leena was around, he always felt like teasing her. The girl was too naughty and full of tricks. "Oh no, that''s pure nder. I brought the soup for your good. I saw you looking pale and wanted to make something good for you. How could you misun Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. s the night before, she could not have done anything about it. Needless to say, one was not entitled to learn about everything about one''s friends. Just as Leena said, the soup tasted great. She had simmered it for hours to thicken the chowder. Although there was surprisingly little grease in it, it allowed for a unique but delightful taste. Patricia had just eaten some hospital food, but she still took some sips of the soup. "Hey, Patricia? I just saw Tom in the corridor. He looked so lost and bewildered. I wonder what happened to him," Leena asked once Patricia put the soup away. She wasn''t a gossipy person by nature, but she cared for Patricia and Tom. Patricia was her best friend and Tom was like a big brother to her. Leena wanted to help them out if they were in some sort of trouble. "Really? I have no idea. He seemed fine when he left. I think he said he was going to make the rounds of the wards. He had been gone for a while when you came... How could you have met him in the corridor? Didn''t he go to check on his patients?" Patricia was puzzled. Her brows knit together into a frown. She too started to feel that something was wrong here. Was it possible that Tom liked her? Every time he looked at her, it was like he tried to express something through his eyes. His gaze always seemed affectionate, but he never said anything out loud. Chapter 1366 I Was Just Passing By (Part Two) "I guess he was just upset about something. He was just lurking out there." Michelle studied Patricia''s face but failed to find any clues regarding her feelings toward Tom. Michelle couldn''t believe what had happened. How could someone happen to selectively forget one person, but at the same time, remember everyone else? She was puzzled. What kind of magic was that? "Hey, why are you looking at me? Are you suggesting that I am the one who upset him?" Patricia asserted her innocence. She just woke upst night. She hadn''t even had time to catch up with what was happening yet. How could she be the one to upset Tom? "You don''t say. He is upset for you, somehow, because you two were in a very twisted rtionship. He''s been trying to make up for it. Tom hadn''t been too kind to you in the past but has been taking such good care of youtely. You don''t have to feel obliged to be nice to him, though." Michelle was a fair person. She didn''t like to see other people being wronged. She always stayed impartial and never exaggerated or concealed the truth for dramatic effect. "Well, it sounds like I am the bad guy here. But what am I supposed to do? Love him in return? Come on, I don''t even remember who he is. How can I pretend to like him just because he''s upset?" Patricia grimaced. She wanted to get her memories back more than anything else, but try as she might, she never seeded in doing so. Aftering out of Patricia''s ward, Leena lingered in the corridor for ages before turning in the direction of Tom''s office. She hated the traditional Chinese medicine and would do everything in her power to stall for time. It was only when she couldn''t dy it any longer that she knocked on the door of Tom''s office. When she heard a soft e in" from inside, she pushed open the door slowly. "Tom." Leena scowled as she walked in reluctantly. "Hi, Leena. I have to take a look at this X-ray to make sure of something. Have a seat. I''ll talk to you as soon as I''m finished," is inappropriate about it. Come and have a cup of tea with us!" Leena said as she pulled Michelle forward. The guards knew Leena, who was a frequent visitor to FX International. They didn''t question her and let them in respectfully. "Leena, what if Luke is with Mr. Mu too?" Michelle asked once they were in the elevator. She was riddled with a guilty conscience. Luke hadn''t been friendly with her. "Luke? I don''t know about that. What''s wrong if he''s there too?" Leena asked, ncing at Michelle. "Oh, it''s nothing! I was just asking," Michelle said in a hurry. Her strange behavior raised suspicion in Leena''s mind. Michelle seemed very tense. "Is that so? Are you sure everything is all right?" "Of course! Why would I lie to you?" Michelle averted her eyes, fearing that Leena would guess what was in her heart. She didn''t want Leena to know about her feelings towards Luke. They were friends, but not so close yet that they could speak freely about these things. Before long, the elevator reached the top floor and came to a halt. As the door slid open, they saw Luke walking toward them in the corridor. It looked like he wasing straight from Edward''s office. "Hi, Luke, is Edward inside?" Leena greeted Luke, giving him a sweet smile. She didn''t notice the subtle change in Michelle''s expression. Chapter 1367 I Was Just Passing By (Part Three) "Yes, he is. I was just talking to him," Luke said. He ignored Michellepletely, as if she were invisible. "I see! I''ll go and meet him then. See you!" Leena waved Luke goodbye and stepped aside to make way for him. "Bye." Luke walked past them. His voice was cold and emotionless as always. "Let''s go, Michelle," Leena called out when she realized that Michelle wasn''t following her. She turned around and nced at Michelle, surprised to see the lost look on her face. ''What is up with this girl?'' Leena wondered. "Sure," Michelle said, snapping out of her reverie. She followed Leena down the corridor, but turned around again to watch Luke''s receding figure. It wasn''t until the elevator door closed between them that she drew back her gaze. Inside the office, Edward stood by the window and looked out. His slender and charming profile was aze with the iing sunlight. Leena and Michelle held their breaths at the scenery in front of them, in fear of disturbing his brooding figure. Leena had always known Edward Mu was a good-looking man. He had a handsome face but was also a person with hidden depths. His style of dressing up brought out his enchanting and royal temperament. The ck shirt he wore would have looked gloomy and harsh on anyone else, but on Edward, it looked charming and eye-catching. He had a trace of untamed arrogance on him that was irresistible. "Come on in. Why are you just standing over there?" Edward turned around and called thedies inside. He nced over them with careless eyes and took the seat behind his desk. "Edward! How do you know we are here? I thought I moved quietly." Leena smirked. Walking in, she blinked her eyes at him mischievously. "Please, your footsteps might be quiet, but the gasps gave you away. I heard them when you were standing there, drooling over me." Edward rolled his eyes. His gaze moved to Michelle. Intrigued, he wondered if she was here to see Luke. "d to see you, Mr. Mu. I hope I''m not disturbing you." Michelle smiled sheepishly. In fact, it was she who had gasped out loud. "Not at all. Are you here to pay me a visit, or are you looking for someone whom you were hoping to find in my of Edward said. A mysterious smile bloomed on his face. Since Daisy was interested in bringing Michelle and Luke together, he decided to y matchmaker too. He would definitely try his best to set them up. "What surprise?" Leena interrupted him. The conversation between them piqued her interest, so she couldn''t help but ask again. "It''s none of your business, Leena. I want to have a little talk with Michelle here, and you are going to check whether or not Rain is back in his office. Then we''ll go and have lunch together." Edward deliberately sent Leena on the little mission of finding Rain so he could have a chat with Michelle alone. His conversation with Michelle wouldn''t be private if Leena were around. "Oh, okay." Leena was still mildly curious as she walked out of the office. She turned around to the door but kept stealing nces at the two of them from the corner of her eyes. She didn''t appreciate being shooed away. All the way to Rain''s office, she wondered what this surprise was. "Now that we''re alone, what do you want to say, Mr. Mu?" Feeling the sudden shift in the atmosphere, Michelle decided to take charge of the conversation as soon as Leena left. She was an easy-going and carefree person, but she was also quite perceptive. When she heard Edward ask Leena to leave, she knew he meant to talk to her about something specific. Michelle had dealt with Edward a few times before and knew him to be an unpredictable and enigmatic man. Chapter 1368 A Disturbance (Part One) "Are you serious with Luke?" Edward asked as he leaned back in the chair. He looked quite rxed when he locked his fingers behind his head and then stared at Michelle. Though he was smiling, Michelle couldn''t help but shiver as she could feel how dangerous Edward''s aura was. "I don''t know what you are talking about, Mr. Mu." Michelle refused to answer his question and bit her lips. "You know what I''m talking about. I think you''d better be honest with me if you want my help," said Edward. Michelle might have helped him once but he didn''t think that he had to pay for that by helping her back. "I..." stammered Michelle. A part of her wanted to admit her feelings for Luke but she shook her head and chose to say nothing. If Luke didn''t have a thing for her, he might be pissed off once Edward forced him to ept her. This would be thest she wanted. Although she hadn''t spent a lot of time with Luke, she could tell that he was a confident and proud man who wouldn''t be forced to do anything he didn''t want to do. "Don''t you need my help?" Edward asked again upon not getting any response from Michelle. Her reaction was really surprising him as he had anticipated her to happily ept his offer. "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Mu, but I don''t need that." A forced smile cracked Michelle''s lips. It was ironic how she had been persuading Patricia not to give up a forest for just one tree. However, she never expected herself to fall for a man who didn''t love her as well. Unlike Patricia, Michelle didn''t even have the courage to express her true feelings for Luke. "Okay. Remember this though, this is yourst chance to a to Luke. "Luke, Michelle saved us once. Don''t just eat the dishes but take good care of her for me." Though Edward decided not to intervene between Luke and Michelle, he still nned to create an opportunity for them. Luke''s lips jerked at Edward''s request. He didn''t understand why his aloof boss began to y Cupid. Thus, he felt extremely ufortable. Meanwhile, Michelle felt really embarrassed. She could clearly see the dislike on Luke''s face when she discretely nced at him. Was Luke thinking that she arranged all these? She could bet her bottom dor that he hated her more now. "Michelle, please eat some more. The dishes here are really delicious," Leena butted in to make things lighter. It was the longest lunch Michelle had ever eaten. Everyone there had their own thoughts as they smiled wickedly. They were all acting as if they were gate crashers that shouldn''t be there and as if she and Luke were the only ones who were supposed to meet. "Thanks, Leena." Michelle peeked sideways at Luke. However, thetter just ignored her as if he didn''t notice what she did. Chapter 1369 A Disturbance (Part Two) "Michelle, there are so many good men in the world. Why did you fall for a blockhead? You''ll regret it soon," Rain said with a teasing smile as he looked back and forth between Michelle and Luke. He didn''t even care to lower his voice, thus, everyone in the room heard him. As a reaction, Luke raised his head and cast a warning re at Rain. Michelle was so embarrassed that she could only wish that there was a hole in the floor she could jump into. She had never confessed her feelings for Luke but everyone knew it now! How was she able to face Luke in the future? Edward watched the drama indifferently. However, he would not bother himself to defuse the tension since Michelle had rejected his help. He decided not to give her any advice from now on. After lunch, Michelle made an excuse and left them hurriedly. Her movements were so fast as if she were chased by a wild animal. She couldn''t stand Luke''s detached attitude anymore as it made her feel low. "Mr. Mu, since when you''ve begun to y Cupid?" asked Luke with a frown. He was really displeased with this arrangement. "You''re misunderstanding me. Michelle is Leena''s friend and she came to FX International Group with Leena. I was being polite when I asked her to have lunch with us." Edward was too proud to admit his initial n of pairing Luke with Michelle. He didn''t want Luke to think that he was a matchmaker. "Really?" Luke said in disbelief. He had served Edward for so many years and knew him well. He didn''t think that Edward was telling the truth. "Forget it," responded Edward in a cold tone before turning to Leena. "Leena, do you want me to drive you home?" he offere aid of gaining weight?" Rain pinched her cute face as he ignored the curious stares of the passersby. "You brat! Why are you always reminding me of my weight?" Leena feigned anger as she turned her head and shook off his arm. Then she walked past him without even waiting for him as if they were a couple who just had a fight. In reaction, Rain just chuckled as he caught up with her. He grabbed her hand and then walked through the streets and alleyways. Theyughed and yed with each other like they were still children. They were free and careless at the moment as they forgot about all their troubles and difficulties. It was indeed a good time. On the other hand, Kevin was stopped by amercial vehicle as soon as he walked out of the army base. He was still wondering about who was bold enough to block his way when a beautiful woman got off the car. "Major General Gu, it''s so nice to see you again." Dorothy greeted Kevin with a smile. She didn''t look like she was wearing makeup, but she still looked extremely beautiful with her clean, sharp eyebrows, full lips, and pretty nose. Chapter 1370 A Disturbance (Part Three) "Ah, it''s you, Miss Lu. Why are you here?" Kevin asked with a frown as he checked the time on his wristwatch. "Here''s the thing. I''m wondering if I could have the honor of inviting you for dinner since you saved mest time. It was very kind of you to help me." Dorothy was a popr celebrity. She was both pretty and smart. "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Lu. Serving the people is a soldier''s pledged duty. Dinner is not necessary." Kevin turned her offer down without hesitation. He didn''t save her in exchange for anything. Furthermore, he didn''t want to have dinner with a woman alone. "Major General Gu, are you looking down on me because I''m an actress? Do you think I don''t deserve to have dinner with you?" Dorothy''s voice trembled a bit as she pretended to feel sad and dejected. "Miss Lu, I didn''t mean it that way. I just can''t make it this time." Embarrassment washed over Kevin in an instant. He would have rejected her offer in a more resolute way if Dorothy acted bossy. However, she looked like she was about to cry and Kevin really had no idea on how to politely decline her offer. He simply didn''t know women. "If you really have no time, then I won''t push you. How about this? Will you please give me your private number? We may have dinner next time when you''re avable," asked Dorothy. She might be a little disappointed, but then, she was clever to know when enough was enough. "I''m sorry, but we soldiers are not allowed to disclose our numbers." Kevin rejected Dorothy in a more subtle way this time. He didn''t want to have a close rtionship with any woman other than his wife. Though he didn''t think Dorothy bore malice against him, he was always alert to the possibility of getting involved in scandals. He was a soldier and he must be a model of clean living. "Oh, really?" Biting her lower lip ed seriously at Kevin. He had known Kevin since Kevin was a kid, thus, he knew Kevin like the back of his hand. However, the outsiders knew nothing about Kevin, and would think ill of him. This would greatly affect the reputation and image of army force. "Don''t worry. I''ll handle it myself," said Kevin through gritted teeth. He really felt angry and frustrated. Nheless, he had to face whatever problem it was and find a way to solve it. He believed that there would be a way out. "How are you going to solve it? People won''t believe what you are going to say." The Commander sighed with resignation. He would be retiring in a few years and he had nned to rmend Kevin for a higher position. However, it seemed impossible now as this situation would leave a stain in Kevin''s personnel file. Furthermore, the fight among the soldiers had barely subsided when the army base was again exposed in the public eyes. It would be really hard to put things in order again. "I will find a way out. If you don''t need me for anything else, I''ll take my leave," said Kevin. The only thing he was worried about now was that Leena might have seen the news and misunderstood him. He had to call her now to exin everything. Chapter 1371 The Truth (Part One) As Kevin walked out of the office, his phone rang. He took it out, and was surprised to find that it was from Edward. "Hey, Edward, what''s up?" Kevin sounded helpless. He knew why Edward called. It would surely be for Leena''s sake. "Kevin, by hook or by crook, I want this shit gone. Get your act together and pick up the pieces. One condition. Don''t hurt Leena, or you''ll be in trouble." Edward sat at his desk in the FX International Group. He was enraged by this tidbit in the entertainment weekly. "It''s not what you think. Don''t worry. I know what to do," Kevin said as he walked to the parking lot. He had to go home. It was better to exin this in person than on the phone. "Good. Don''t let me down. I''ll try to block the news. Just do what you have to do." Edward pressed a button on the private line on his desk, and Anna came in quickly. She stood quietly and waited for his instructions seeing that he was still on the phone. "Thanks a lot, Edward. You''ve been great. I don''t know how I could possibly thank you enough." Kevin didn''t refuse Edward''s offer. He knew clearly that Edward had a wide range of connections and could efficiently solve the problem. He was grateful for that. "Mr. Mu, you have a task for me?" Anna asked after Edward hung up. "Anna, ask the Public Rtions Department and the Media Department to do whatever they can to block the news released by TT Entertainment Weekly this morning. And incidentally, send them ourwyer''s letter." Edward yed with his signature pen and le ed away, leaving Louisa alone in the parking lot. Lines of displeasure marred her attractive face, even with impable makeup. Instead of humiliating Kevin, she made a fool of herself. Leena got upte today. She left in a hurry after visiting Patricia. She needed to prepare and go to Paris for the Fashion Week in a few days, and there were still many things to do. She turned around just when she was about to leave from the hospital because she wanted to ask Tom whether she could now stop taking the medicine. The door of Tom''s office was a bit open. She was about to walk in, but what she heard from inside made her stop. "You prescribed Leena so many kinds of medicine. Doesn''t it arouse any suspicion?" Belinda came to the hospital for the pre-natal examination today. She worried about her baby because recently, she would often have a slight pain in her stomach. Fortunately, the results showed that it was just a normal gastric reaction and nothing to worry about, and she could set her mind at rest. Chapter 1372 The Truth (Part Two) "Yeah. She has asked about it many times. I can''t cover up the secret for too long. I''ll have to tell her the truth when the timees, and that time is soon." Tom was in a dilemma. Leenained every time she came to him. He wanted to tell her what the deal was, but the words always got stuck in his throat. "Oh my! Poor Leena." Belinda was depressed. Leena was a good girl, but she seemed to attract a lot of misfortunes in her life. "Don''t worry too much. I''m trying to find a cure for her. Maybe she can get pregnant one day. It''s the 21st century. It''s no longer imperative to have a baby. Even if Leena can''t get pregnant, I don''t think Kevin will make a fuss over it." Some time ago, Tom got so preupied treating Patricia that he didn''t have time to look into Leena''s infertility. But now that Patricia was up and about, he could now concentrate on Leena and how to solve this problem. "No woman can ept that she''s infertile. Leena will get devastated when she finds this out." Belinda was an expectant mother, so she knew the feeling very well. She hoped that all women could be pregnant like her, at least at the right time when they were ready. "That''s why I haven''t told her yet." Tom massaged his temples and grimaced. It already took an extraordinary effort to treat Patricia. Now it was his sister''s turn. He had to think about Leena''s problem. Leena didn''t know how she left the hospital. She always thought that Tom''s prescriptions were to build up her resistance. It wasn''t until she overheard Tom and Belinda talking that she found out they "Are you okay?" Kevin asked with worry. He drove back at full speed but didn''t find Leena in the house. He was afraid that she would take the news to heart and do something silly. "Yeah. I''m all right." Leena smiled sweetly although her eyes were red and tears marred her face. "Where are you? I''ll pick you up." Kevin didn''t believe her. The news gave rise to much discussion all over the city. Leena must have seen or heard about it. "Err¡­ Aren''t you at work now?" Leena''s smile died. She thought she misheard Kevin. "Well, I just went downtown for some work, and then I returned home, but you''re not here." This was the first time that Kevin had told a lie to Leena since she bared her heart to him. He felt bad about it, even if it was just a white lie. "Don''t bother to pick me up. I brought the car and I''ll be home very soon. Take out the ingredients in the refrigerator. I''ll cook lunch for you when I get home." Holding back her sadness, Leena started her car and drove into the traffic, knowing that Kevin was at home waiting. Chapter 1373 The Truth (Part Three) "Okay. Have a safe drive." Kevin was relieved. On the phone, Leena sounded okay. "Okay. Be with you in a sec." Leena hung up and put her phone down. Kevin would be worried if he saw her red and swollen eyes, but she didn''t have sunsses in her car. At this thought, she swung by a shop. Kevin took off his military coat and obediently went into the kitchen to take out the ingredients from the refrigerator. Instead of waiting for Leena till she got back, he began to prepare it himself. Leena shouldn''t have to do anything. They could have lunch as soon as she came back. After Leena parked her car, she looked in the mirror and saw that her eyes were still red and swollen. She sighed. It was impossible to reduce the swelling in such a short time. She had to wear the sses she just bought. The sunsses would arouse Kevin''s suspicion, so she bought a pair of non-prescription sses. In this way, she would be able to muddle through. Otherwise she really didn''t know how to exin why she wore sunsses in the house. At the door, she hesitated for a while, but then decided to go in. Kevin might suspect something if she spent too much time at the door. Besides, she didn''t know whether Kevin had to rush back to the army base this afternoon, so she had to prepare lunch quickly. To her surprise, as soon as she opened the door, the smell of delicious food greeted her. She took a few deep breaths, making her feel better momentarily. She knew she still had to face Kevin no matter whether the tidbit was true or not. Therefore, she didn''t intend to waste time. She held back her sadness an nd didn''t dare to look at Kevin. She was afraid that Kevin would see through her little game. "Thanks, Nana." Kevin seldom thanked Leena. He thought marriage was a two way thing, so both of them should assume their respective responsibilities. But somehow he wanted to say "thank you" to her today. He thanked her for her selfless love, but he did not say it. "Ha ha! What''s up? What do you thank me for out of the blue?" Leena giggled. Kevin gazed at her with seriousness and emotion, and she felt herself blush. She quickly ran out but Kevin didn''t stop her. He just shook his head and started to cook thest dish. Time was running short, so he didn''t cook too many dishes. He just cooked some simple ones that Leena liked. Obviously, he did this to tell Leena how much he loved her. There was no escape from reality and from the truth. After lunch, Kevin made some tea and asked Leena to sit next to him. It was time to exin the thing between Dorothy and him. Although she didn''t bring it up, she looked very preupied. Kevin had to get rid of her hang-up. Chapter 1374 Remember What You Said (Part One) "What''s wrong with you? Why are you so serious?" Leena asked nervously as Kevin''s seriousness was frightening her. "Nana, have you read the report?" Kevin already knew Leena had read the report but he asked anyway. Although Leena had just lied about her eyesses, he could tell from her movements and expressions that she had cried. "Yes. I''ve seen it," confessed Leena openly. Honestly, she didn''t even care about the report at all. What she was concerned about though was the explosive news she heard in the hospital. "Do you believe me?" Kevin asked anxiously as he feared to hear her say no. "Have I ever let you down?" Leena looked at him sideways as she spoke in a shy tone. She felt much better now although her eyes were still red. Instead of answering her, Kevin reached out his hand and pulled her into his arms. His kiss fell gently on her lips before it touched every inch of her skin. He couldn''t speak whenever he was faced with Leena''s faultless eyes, thus, all he could do was to express everything he felt through gentle kisses. There were some times when actions spoke louder than words. A trusting look, a warm hug, and a gentle kiss were all more powerful than meaningless words. These had fascinated people greatly. Faced with Kevin''s kisses, Leena couldn''t help but blush. She breathed softly and looked even brighter. It wasn''t the first time she had kissed Kevin but she was still shy. Thus, she buried her head on Kevin''s chest. "Dorothy was held hostage by a mentally-ill fan that day and I happened to be nearby. I saved her. She came to the army base yesterday to invite me to dinner. She said she wanted to thank me for saving her life. I turned her down because I knew that you were waiting for me at home," patiently exined Kevin. He was patting her back gently with his big hands as if he was coaxing a child. "Shh! Don''t say anything. I trust you." Leena put her finger to her mouth and gestured him to stop talking. In this love endurance race, she chose to trust him unconditionally. "Now can you tell me why you just cried?" Kevin asked her about what bothered him most. Since she chose to trust him, it would be impossible for her to be saddened by the unreliable reports that c rtainment Weekly to write this apology letter?" Edward looked at the paper on his desk and thought, ''Why did TT Entertainment Weekly publish a letter of apology? I don''t think I asked Anna to do this.'' "No. I think it was the Major General''s request. I heard that he went to TT Entertainment Weekly after we left and stayed there for a long time. He might have told them something, thus, they did it." Anna replied honestly. She wasn''t the type of person to take credits for something she didn''t do. "I didn''t expect him to do that. I always thought that he was a meek fellow." A meaningful smile cracked on Edward''s lips as he yed with the phone in his hand. It seemed that he had underestimated Kevin. As a major general, he couldn''t keep silent after being bullied. "Then shall we send awyer''s letter?" asked Anna cautiously. She knew that Edward was a thoughtful man who couldn''t be seen through by a little secretary like her. "No need. We''ll see." It would be great if Kevin could solve it himself. In this way, Edward would be much relieved. "I see. Then I''ll go now." Anna was wearing a shiny ring on her finger and it caught Edward''s interest as she was about to leave his office. "Wait a minute. Did Aaron propose to you? When will be the wedding? You have to tell me in advance. I will prepare a wedding present for you." Edward already knew what happened when he saw the ring on Anna''s hand. He was d to see two of his most capable assistants getting married. Chapter 1375 Remember What You Said (Part Two) "I have just epted his proposal. As for the wedding... I don''t know." Anna, who had always been aloof about this topic, blushed. She didn''t expect Aaron to propose to her. Though she had many doubts about it, she was moved by his sincerity and agreed to the less romantic proposal. "Well. You should keep him waiting longer, lest he does not cherish youter." Edward could only imagine how Aaron would react if the man heard what he said. Aaron probably didn''t think of him to say that. After all, Edward was a very serious man deep inside. Unlike the calm atmosphere at FX International Group, Kevin was a bit surprised when he got punched as soon as he met Duke. Kevin knew that Duke would question him when he arrived but he didn''t expect Duke to instantly punch him when they met. "What, huh? Do you think you are wronged?" Duke gritted his teeth as he looked at Kevin. He didn''t usually pay attention to entertainment reports, thus, he didn''t see the story about Dorothy until today. He immediately called Kevin to find out what was going on right after he read the report. "No," answered Kevin as he rubbed the corner of his mouth. He knew that the corner of his mouth was bleeding because he tasted blood from it. Even if Duke did this to him, he didn''tin because he knew that he was wrong in the first ce. "Who do you love? Louisa, Dorothy, or my poor sister? Tell me. How many women are there with you that I don''t know?" Duke was furious. He might be behind Kevin when it came to verve. However, he was better looking than Kevin in terms of appearance whenever Kevin was down and without his military spirit. "I could assure you. Regardless of how many women are around me, I only love Nana," said Kevin with a frown. His mouth was still bleeding and he was thinking about how to exin the injury to Leena once he got home. "Remember what you said," Duke said coldly as he sarcastically gave Kevin a once-over. Leena was the most important person in his life, thus, he didn''t feel that there was anything wrong about what he did. Aftering out of Duke''s house, Kevin looked at his mouth from the rearview mirror and thought, ''Damn! It really hurts. This may take a few days to recover. How am I going to exi ude. He was even smiling brightly as he thought that Kevin deserved his bruise. "What do you think?" Kevin didn''t answer him directly, nor did he say anything more about his ridicule. Rather, he nced at the woman standing next to Rain. The woman was very beautiful but she was reeking of strong perfume. ''How can Rain stand the smell of this perfume?'' he thought. "I''m not interested in it. I must tell you bluntly that I don''t care about how many gossips you have. Once you let Leena get hurt, I will never let you go. Trust me. This will be far worse than the bruises on your face," threatened Rain. The woman next to him was a neer to the film and televisionpany of FX International Group. He came here in order to resolve the publicity issue between this woman and her client. Rain didn''t expect to meet Kevin here. ''Well. It seems like Tom is the only one who hasn''t threatened me yet among Leena''s brothers. I must be really lucky to be threatened by these influential men in S City, '' Kevin thought as the corner of his mouth twitched. "Thank you for your warning. I won''t let that happen." Kevin might look a little distressed right now but then he replied in a firm manner. He was a proud man after all. "Remember what you said." Those were thest things Rain said before leaving. He didn''t even pay any attention to the woman beside him. By the time that the woman realized that Rain had left her, she smiled apologetically at Kevin and caught up with Rain in a hurry. Chapter 1376 Danger In France (Part One) "Oh my god! What happened to your face?" The moment Kevin went into the house, Leena immediately saw the injury on his face. This rarely happened to him, maybe never, and was something that she wasn''t used to. She dropped whatever she was doing and walked to him immediately. "I hurt myself during training. Don''t worry, it was my fault. Nothing serious." Earlier, Kevin did not know what to tell her because he did not want her to worry one bit. He thought of tons of excuses to avoid her question and he picked out the most convincing one. "Really? Because it looks like you were hit by someone!" Leena did not believe him right away. She felt sorry for him and reached out to touch the wound but decided not to, because she was afraid that she might hurt him more. "Yes, really! I did not focus well during one of our practice fights so one of the recruits did a nice upper cut and got through to me. Don''t worry. It''ll be fine in a few days." Kevin grinned but was quickly jolted and grimaced in pain a bit when the part of the wound on his face was stretched because of the smile. "I''ll go and boil some eggs! You can roll them on the wound to ease the pain," Leena said and walked to the kitchen before Kevin could protest. She didn''t like seeing her husband injured like that. Kevin did not try to stop her. He was actually relieved. At least she didn''t look closer to examine the wound, which had started to darken around the edges. She could do whatever she wanted, after all. What was more, the injury on the face would heal more quickly with her suggestion and there was no reason for him to refuse it. For most people, hospitals were typically terrible and they would avoid them as much as possible. They were mostly dark and gloomy, with a lot of worry, sadness and suffering in the air. Death was also inevitable in hospitals. But it was different for Tom. He liked hospitals a lot. He liked the feeling of aplishment whenever he got to save someone''s life and again when the patient was fully recovered. Recently, however, he was bey ngs be. So she did not take it seriously when Tom acted abnormally. For in her mind, she had never met Tom until recently. She had no memory of him so she just assumed that that was his normal self. Leena went to Paris with Justin to prepare for the summer fashion conference of the year despite still being worried about Patricia. Her business and career also needed her attention. Justin had never been trained to walk on the ramp as a model, but he did quite well during the rehearsals. Leena was both surprised and proud of the little genius. "Good job, Justin! You did very well." It was the first time Leena openly praised Justin because he really did perform very well. That was one less thing to worry about. "Humph! There is nothing in this world that I can''t do!" Justin raised his chin and cracked himself proudly. That was the truth. As long as he liked doing something, he could do it easily when he devoted himself to it. He had inherited some good genes and acquired this good character from his parents. "Well! Don''t feel much too confident and cocky when you are praised." Leena pursed her lips at him. She did not think it was good for him to feel self-satisfied and arrogant too easily. "I have the talent, don''t I?" Justin brushed the clothes on him as if to beat the dust off. He totally spoke like an adult, to be more precise, like Edward. Chapter 1377 Danger In France (Part Two) "Ha ha! You little thing. Do you really think you are an adult? Let''s go. It''s time to go and eat something." Leena reached out and tapped on his forehead sightly with a helpless expression on her face, looking a bit annoyed. "Wow! I''m free! Finally! But for how many days do I have to walk on the stage like a clown from the circus?" Justin wrinkled his nose and rolled his eyes. He actually disliked such activities. If his father had not asked him to help Leena, he would never have agreed toe here with her, let alone for such a frivolous event. He did enjoy the journeying here. He had never been to this world famous city that many people had been talking about, so he was interested in everything about Paris. "Kid, what did you say? Like a clown from the circus? It''s all about fashion, understand?" Leena knocked on his forehead heartlessly instead of merely touching it this time. Of course, she did it with proper strength so that it wouldn''t hurt Justin much. "Ouch! That hurt! I''m gonna tell Daddy, that you hit me!" Justin red at Leena, stroking the part of his forehead that hurt. "Go ahead. Do you need me to make the call for you?" Leena did not worry about it at all because she was certain that Edward would not rebuke her for this kind of thing. Edward was a reasonable man. "I..." Justin was surprised and froze. He did not expect Leena to call his bluff. Moreover, his father told him that he was a man and he should get along with Auntie Leena well, and that he should be kind and polite. He shouldn''t quarrel with her. He should act like a gentleman, or other foreigners mightugh at him if he did not behave well. "Let''s go! Kid, I''ll buy you something delicious to make it up to you, okay? Are we good?" Leena let o to spend this much time with Justin. Although they had met before, they did not really have a conversation. That was why she felt a bit awkward. Although he was just a kid, he looked quite like Edward who was always serious. No wonder she felt a bit intimidated. "Is ire your name? But how should I call you? Daddy told me that you are Uncle Kevin''s sister. Should I call you Auntie ire?" Justin asked as he wanted to address her properly. He did not want others to think he was rude. "Yes, you can call me Auntie ire! That sounds good to me." After living in Paris for quite some time, ire had be more sophisticated and matured like an adult. She was no longer willful and arrogant like what she had been like in the past. She had blossomed into a gentle and elegantdy. "Yes! Auntie ire, will you stay here in Paris for a long time?" Justin raised his head and asked curiously. Although he thought Paris was very beautiful, he did not want to stay here all the time. The reason was simple. His beloved family was not here. So even if this city looked and felt like heaven, he would still prefer to live in the warmth andfort of his own home. Chapter 1378 Danger In France (Part Three) "Yeah, I will. At least for the time being. Why do you ask?" ire liked her present life very much. In Paris, she could have the chance to start her career and pave the way to her dream. She had to make great efforts by herself because no one from her family could protect her here. Although Gerard gave her a hand from time to time, it was different from that of her family. Back home, she used to be very aggressive and did whatever she liked, taking advantage of her father being a big personality in the military. But here in Paris, her father would not have much power to help her, no matter how capable he was in the home country. Her life here also made her realize how rude and unreasonable she had been in the past. She cringed every time she remembered those days. It was hard to believe that she was once that kind of person who probably caused her family a lot of embarrassment. "Oh, nothing. I''m just wondering. Don''t you miss your family, living so far away from them?" Justin asked with his childish voice. Although he asked from the perspective of a kid, his question hit ire. She could not help but be emotional. "Then, Justin, tell me, do you miss your daddy and mommy?" ire was afraid that she would break into a sob if she kept talking about this topic. So she did not answer the boy''s question. Instead, she returned the question to him. "Of course I miss them! I started to miss them as soon as I stepped into the ne. But my dad told me that I am a man, so I have to be strong as a man should be," the little man replied proudly, as if he were already an adult. There was pride on his face. "Yeah! You are right. You are a man. So could you do me a favor now?" ire felt that Justin was so cute when he talked like an adult. Her face also turned red because she had to suppress herughter thanks to Justin''s cuteness. How she wished she couldugh out loudly! But she was afraid that Justin might feel awkward. She would just have to try hard to t with his age. The two guys were frightened by him and could not help but hesitate. But soon, because of the alcohol, they became more confused. They continued to drag ire and did not let her go. Even though there were many people in the area, they just passed by in a hurry and no one cared to stop to give a hand. "Justin, I was just kidding! You are still a kid. Don''t try to be brave. Just go!" ire was extremely worried, seeing that Justin was not listening to her. Without thinking twice, she lowered her head and bit the man who grasped her on the arm. The young hooligan felt the pain and let go of her. ire took the chance and turned around to run away. But she forgot that there was still another thug. He caught her by the hair and pulled her back. That all happened in an instant. So Justin was unable to realize what happened until she screamed out because of the pain. The moment he heard her screaming and saw the terrible thing that man did to her, Justin ran to him quickly and kicked him in crotch. His mother once taught him that he should find a smart way to win over someone who was stronger than him. That was why he kicked his balls. They liked beautiful women, right? So he did them a favor to let them know how it felt when something happened to their balls. It must feel ''extremely good''. Chapter 1379 Kung Fu Boy (Part One) The young thug felt a sharp pain in between his legs, and couldn''t help but let go of ire. He grabbed his crotch with both hands, screaming unholy things at her. She had no idea what he was saying as she knew next to nothing about French. Seeing hispanion down on the concrete, wriggling like a worm in water, the other hooligan spat out and reached out to grab Justin. He thought hispanion was just caught off guard. It was hard for him to believe that a boy of Justin''s size could easily fight them and even hurt them. Before he knew what was happening, Justin jerked out of the way and even put his leg out to trip him. The man staggered and fell to the ground face down. The two men might have been a bit tipsy as they were quite slow in reacting. That was why Justin had taken them down that easily. He stood there proudly like a hero, as a shocked ire watched with widened eyes and her jaw wide open. The man was infuriated after falling but was not about to give up just yet. He struggled up, raised his fist and threw a punch toward Justin''s head. But Justin was flexible enough to dodge the attack, turn around for momentum and kick the man hard in the shins while throwing a solid punch to his belly. "Justin!" ire screamed as she finally came to her senses. The two meny on the ground, moaning. She grabbed Justin''s hand and they ran as quickly as they could. She didn''t dare to linger in that ce, for she had no idea who they were. They could have friends nearby who could quicklye and create bigger problems. "Aunt ire, we don''t have to run away. I could easily hurt them more. I want to teach them a lesson." Justin didn''t understand ire''s reaction. He knew that the two losers were no match for him. "We don''t know who they are. What if they in S City, Edward was already waiting for them. As soon as Justin saw him, he dropped his suitcase and threw himself into his arms. "Daddy, I missed you so much!" Justin held Edward''s neck with his arms and shed a very happy smile. ''What a hypocrite this little gremlin is! Justst night, he kept talking about the food he hasn''t eaten yet. He didn''t miss Edward at all, nor did he want toe back home. Little liar, '' thought Leena. "Son, I missed you too." Edward kissed his face softly, his eyes full of affection. Earlier, while he waited for Leena and Justin, a group of girls took notice of this masculine man and started flirting with him from afar. Some even took out their cameras in hopes of taking selfies with him. But now that they saw this lovely family scene, their shallow hearts were broken to pieces ¡ª this handsome man was already married and even had a son. They would have no chance to be with him. "Hypocrite!" Leena blurted while pretending to cough out loud. She didn''t lower her voice, so both Edward and Justin could hear what she said. "It''s none of your concern!" Justin retorted immediately and even made a face to Leena without being noticed by Edward. Chapter 1380 Kung Fu Boy (Part Two) "Not again, you two! Did you guys quarrel with each other every day when you were in Paris?" Edward asked with a frown. He was really having a headache because of these two. "Hmph!" "Bah!" Leena and Justin blurted out at the same time and stared at each other up and down with scornful eyes. They just couldn''t make peace with each other. When they got out of the airport, Leena couldn''t help but shiver at the cold weather. Then a warm coat was ced on her shoulders. "It''s a little cold in the morning. Don''t catch a cold now." Edward gave her a short brotherly smile, which made Leena feel really warm. "Thank you, Edward." Leena put on the coat and zipped it up to make herself warm. Paris was much warmer, and the clothes she wore were too permeable for S City. "Okay, get in the car. I''ll drive you home first," Edward offered as he knew Leena might get sick if they stayed out in the cold much longer. On their way to Grand Apartment, Justin kept talking about the interesting things that he had witnessed and experienced while he was in Paris. Leena, however, didn''t seem to be in the same car, looking out of character. She stared out the window and remained quiet all the way, which made Edward feel strange. "Hey there, how was your trip to Paris this time?" Edward asked with a frown. He noticed that she was in low spirits and wondered what had happened to her. ''Was it because of her business? Was her summer wearunch a failure?'' he thought to himself. "Well, theunch was a sess, especially for the children''s wear part. We have received a lot of praise and de for that one. And I owe it to some certain arrogant little boy, who was actually a great model and the perfect illustration of my designs!" Leenamented, looking at Justin. Leena wasn''t making it up. At theunch event, the shutter sounds had clicke w have you been? Are you feeling better?" Leena asked as soon as she came in, holding up a gift which she had bought for her in Paris. Patricia was now sitting on a wheelchair. Leena could tell from the look on her face that she had gotten much better while she was away. "Hey, Leena, you''re back! Yeah, look at me! I''m much better, haha! How''s your trip to Paris? Was it a sess?" Patricia was thrilled to see Leena. The car crash did not kill her but the boredom in this hospital might. Michelle often came over to keep herpany, but she couldn''t go anywhere, and that stressed her out. "Yes, it was a sess. How about your therapy?" Leena looked worriedly at her leg which was not in ster anymore. She was afraid that there might beplications in the future. "I''ve made some progress, but it is really exhausting." Speaking of therapy and rehabilitation, Patricia couldn''t help but remember Tom''s cold face. The rehab was carried out by a doctor with specialized training in the field. Tom, however, woulde every time she was in session. Oddly, he didn''t even cast her a single nce. He would say a few words to the doctor but he would leave in a hurry. Patricia couldn''t help but wonder what Tom was actually up to. Chapter 1381 Kung Fu Boy (Part Three) "Don''t worry. Take it easy. You''re gonna be okay sooner orter. What about the scars on your face? Did Tom say something about it?" Leena looked at the dried up wounds on Patricia''s face. Though the wounds were not very deep, they would leave permanent scars if they were not properly treated. She wondered why Tom hadn''t applied the special scar eliminating gel on her face. Was that jerk doing it on purpose, still hating on Patricia? "Do you think I''m ugly with the scars?" Patricia asked, stroking the scars on her face. "No, I don''t. But they remind me of that ident," Leena said honestly. She regretted having asked Patricia the question. After all, Patricia was a woman, and it was a huge deal for women when it came to anything about their looks. "Ha! Don''t worry about me. I believe I look cool with the scars," Patricia said with a smile. She lived very freely, refusing to give in to the pressure of modern society on women when it came to beauty. "Good girl! You are so cool that no men dare to get close to you." Leena rolled her eyes at Patricia. She had never seen a woman who didn''t care about her face at all. "Hey, woman! Was that a back handedpliment? Does Major General Gu know you are actually a mean woman?" Patricia retorted at once. "Really? I''m a mean woman?" Leena asked in reply while casting Patricia a reproachful nce. ''I''m not mean at all. I was telling the truth. Does she really think that it''s cool to have scars on her face?'' she thought to herself. The two spent a few more hours catching up until it was time for Leena to leave. After bidding goodbye to Patricia, Leena went straight to Tom''s office. She pushed the door open without knocking, in attempt to surprise him. But to her disappointment, Tom was not in his office. She entered the room, looked around and sat casually on the sofa. deal with. But the idea was voted down by her sworn brothers who thought she looked like a princess with curly long hair. "I thought you would be back any minute, so I didn''t call you." Leena made a face and stuck out her tongue at Tom. If she had known that it would take him so long, she would have called him right at the very beginning. "When did youe back from Paris? This morning?" Tom asked and wondered how Leena had the patience to wait for him for such a long time. Was there something important she wanted to talk to him? It had gotten to be that. "Yes, I arrived this morning. Edward picked me and Justin up and drove me home. Then I came here to visit Patricia and you. I nned to go back home and really have a good rest after this, but I didn''t expect myself to fall asleep quickly. I guess I was that tired." Leena smiled shyly like an innocent girl. "So you''ve seen Miss Bai?" Tom asked. He didn''t look at Leena in the eye as if it were a casual question, but his heart began to beat faster just by saying that name. "Yes, I''ve seen Patricia. And I want to discuss something with you about her," Leena said honestly. She failed to notice the strange expression that suddenly appeared on Tom''s face. Chapter 1382 An Annoying Couple (Part One) "Oh, all right. I''m listening," Tom said while standing up. The gentle person had be indifferent and cold. Leena couldn''t understand why love always wore people out. "Um... the scars on Patricia''s face... I mean, what are you gonna do with them?" asked Leena after a short hesitation. Tom had been really weird recently. She was afraid that she might piss him off easily by mentioning Patricia before him. "Did she send you here to ask about it?" Tom replied with a mocking smile. He was having a hard time epting the truth though he knew that Patricia forgot about him because of her serious injuries. It was Patricia who had intruded into his life and told him that she had a thing for him. Sadly though, it was also her who took the unteral decision of pulling out of the love game just in time he fell in love with her. "No! Don''t get me wrong. She is okay with the scars. It''s just that I''m worried about her. You know, women all care for their faces." Leena scrunched her nose. She was at the verge of tears as she wasn''t used to seeing Tom torture himself like this. However, she also understood that things were happening with reasons. If only Tom hadn''t kept rejecting Patricia before, then the two might have been happily together by now. "Since she''s okay with the scars, why are you so worried about her?" Tom''s voice sounded grating on Leena''s ears that it stunned her for a while. He honestly didn''t know what was wrong with himself too. Leena was his beloved sworn sister and he shouldn''t talk to her in such a rude manner. It was just that he couldn''t help but lose his temper whenever he heard of Patricia. "Tom, are you okay? You''ve been acting really weird recently," Leena asked in a worried tone. Tom had never med her regardless of her mistakes in the past. Thus, she felt wronged. He had never been this impatient while talking with her. "I''m really sorry, Leena. I didn''t sleep wellst night and that''s why I''m really tired now. Please don''t get angry at me," apologized Tom upon realizing what he just said. "Was it because of Patricia?" It was then that Leena decided to make it clear with Tom. She didn''t want him to be full of remorse like Rain. "Leena, I really don''t want to talk about it right now. I want some space, okay?" Tom turned his back to Leena as he did Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ck home and was weed by an empty house. She was unable to stand it as Kevin''s figure kept shing across her mind. Therefore, she took her suitcase out again and packed several clothes. Less than an hour after that, she was already driving to the airport. Upon arriving at the airport, she booked the earliest flight to the capital city which was two hourster. It was not until now that she realized how impulsive she had been toe here without checking the flight schedule. She could just guess how tough the two hours waiting time would be for her. To kill time, she went to the coffee shop at the airport and ordered a cappino. She looked around to observe people''s clothes in an attempt to get new inspirations. She had a pretty face and her long ck hair framed her distinct beauty perfectly. Thus, her presence attracted the attention of many passersby. She was still observing when a familiar built suddenly caught her attention. To her intense surprise, she saw Dorothy! The same woman who had been in the newspaper with Kevin not long ago. Though Dorothy''s sunsses were big enough to cover half her face, Leena still recognized her. Dorothy was sitting on a nearby table. She didn''t wear any makeup and looked like a girl next door. That was why nobody recognized her except for Leena. On the other hand, Dorothy let out a friendly smile upon seeing Leena. Then she lowered her head to read her magazine. She was really graceful and elegant. Leena curled her lips, stopped looking around, and enjoyed her coffee. Chapter 1383 An Annoying Couple (Part Two) Time dragged and Leena felt hungry after having a cup of coffee. She realized that she hadn''t eaten anything the whole day. Thus, she ordered a cake and some snacks. Before her food was served, a young couple sat opposite to Leena. She looked around and found that the shop was fully upied. The weather was so cold that everyone wanted to have a cup of hot coffee. The girl threw herself in the boy''s arms. They were upied with endless whispers of love and even exchanged passionate kisses. They were acting as if there were no one else sharing the coffee shop with them. Nheless, Leena didn''t know whether tough or cry at the scene. She would have no appetite if the couple continued acting like this for a minute more. So she stared at them deliberately in an attempt to remind them to behave. "Hey, old woman, stop staring at us!" said the girl in an arrogant way. She raised her head and stared back at Leena defiantly. ''Old woman?'' Leena was stunned at her words and didn''t know how to respond. The girl was really impolite and rude. "Sorry. You may go ahead," said Leena after some seconds of silence. Her face was suddenly flushed scarlet with embarrassment. The girl''s loud voice attracted too much attention from the people inside the shop. Leena felt like she was a peeping Tom! "You''ve ruined our romantic moment. What a romance breaker!" The boy was also infuriated so he cast a burning nce at Leena. In reaction to it, Leena remained quiet on her seat as she mocked herself inside her mind, ''So I''ve changed from a peeping Tom to a romance breaker?'' Leena furrowed her eyebrows. She did feel a little sorry to have interrupted them at first, but she was totally angry now because of their attitude. It was they who behaved improperly in public. ''How dare you two use me? This is a public ce, not a bedroom. If you two want to have sex, just go back home!'' She thought. "She must be an old maid and no man loves her," the girlmented as she shot a scornful nce at Leena. "Hey, watch yournguage. If you two are in heat, please find somewhere else. You are making me gross, okay?" Finally, Leena said calmly and looked away. These two were simply making her sick. "Honey, she is mocking us! Teach her a lesson!" The girl held the boy''s arm and acted in a pettishly charming manner. "Babe, don''t get angry. She is jealous of you. She really envies you. N ll gone popr. Now that the designer was right beside her, she wondered if she could seize the opportunity. "Yes, I am. And you must be Dorothy Lu, a popr celebrity in S City?" Leena said in a whisper as she could tell that Dorothy didn''t want to be recognized. "Uh... how did you recognize me?" Dorothy asked in a low voice as she looked around. She feared that the others might also recognize her. She was dressed in a totally different way today as she didn''t want people to know who she was. She had stayed in the airport for a few hours but her fans hadn''t even recognized her. How did Leena recognize her? After all, they hadn''t seen each other before. "Well, I guess that''s because I''m a designer and have a pair of sharp eyes. Don''t worry. I won''t expose your identity," Leena assured her. She was not the type of woman who always put her finger into another''s pie. Frankly, she was not even interested to know the reason why Dorothy was dressed like this. "Oh, thanks," Dorothy said. She was about to go to the capital city for private affairs. Even her agent or assistant knew nothing about her trip, let alone her fans. "No problem." Leena closed her eyes to take a nap and hoped that Dorothy was clever enough not to bother her. Fortunately, Dorothy was a smart woman who kept quiet the whole journey. It was already dark outside when Leena reached the capital city. It was not her first time here but it was the first time she came here alone. After walking out of the airport, she was at a loss of what to do next. It was much colder than S City and she couldn''t help but shiver. Chapter 1384 A Surprising Reunion (Part One) "Miss Leng, is no one going to pick you up?" Although the night had already fallen and it was generally dark, Dorothy was still wearing her big sunsses in order to avoid being recognized in public. In contrast, Leena was dressed casually. Despite the fact that she had built a name for herself abroad, there were not many people who knew her back home. Here in her own country, ordinary people usually did not pay much attention to designers unless they were closely connected to celebrities. Instead, they cared more about the brand. As for the designer behind the brand? They did not care much. They only cared about superstars, those who had be famous in TV and movies, as well as those who had be popr as singers and musicians. They were the ones whom people usually followed blindly. "No, I''m good. Thank you! I just decided toe here in the spur of the moment. So, I''m kind of in a hurry," Leena replied politely with a smile on her face. Although she tried to be as mature as she possibly could, she still looked quite sweet. It seemed that she was born with a natural sweetness and charm in her personality. "Same here. That''s why I need to call a cab." At this time, Dorothy took out a mask and put it on. Then she took off the sunsses. Looking out of ce with sunsses at night, she would be more visible in public. "Then, have a nice drive. I gotta go now." Leena said goodbye to her cheerfully after she took a look at the taxi spot. The moment she turned back, she ran into the couple she had met earlier. What was more, the girl was holding a cup of hot coffee, and the coffee was spilled right on Leena''s clothes. None of them had expected that. So all of them froze, standing mortified for a moment. "It''s not my fault. You came to me and hit me," g the broadest smile. As he got closer to her, it felt like she was the only person in the whole world and all the other things just faded in a blur. She was his light. At that same time, Leena seemed to feel a pair of burning eyes staring at her as a man on her right side walked towards her. She raised her head to check who it could be. The moment their eyes finally met and stared at each other, both of them felt that time stopped and the world around them froze. "Hello you! What a nice coincidence, Kevin!" Leena smiled and greeted. Although she felt a bit worried in her heart as if she did something wrong, she brushed it aside and kept smiling, looking sweet and beautiful. "Yes, haha. Is it a coincidence?" Kevin said the same in order to match up with herme way of greeting. How he wished he could hold her in his arms and kiss her until they were both out of breath. But he held himself back. He reached out and took the suitcase from her. Then they walked back to his car. "Hey! It''s really you, Leena!" Lee opened the door for Leena and greeted her with a sincere smile on his face. "Hi, Lee. Yes, it''s me. It''s been a long time," Leena responded, feeling a bit shy. Chapter 1385 A Surprising Reunion (Part Two) "Let''s go." Kevin told Lee softly, not taking his eyes off the beautifuldy beside him. If he blinked or looked away for one millisecond, he might wake up from this dream. The car stopped in front of Kevin''s home. Kevin took Leena by her hand and walked in hurriedly. He even forgot to get her suitcase from the car. When they got inside, there was nobody in the living room. Kevin lifted her off her feet and carried her upstairs and went straight to the bedroom before Leena could say a word. He did it so quickly, looking so serious. Leena felt a bit worried. She wondered whether he was angry because of her sudden and unannounced visit. "Is that you, Kevin?" Shannon heard something in the living room and walked out to see who had possiblye in. But nobody was there when she took a look at the stairs. Did she hear it wrong? Maybe no one came back at all. At that moment, Kevin and Leena stood frozen behind the stairs and did not make a sound. Kevin put a finger over her lips to signal her to stay quiet. It took all her strength and self control to keep fromughing. They remained like that, hardly breathing, until Shannon went back to her room. They then hurriedly but silently went to theirs. The moment they entered the bedroom and closed the door, Kevin pressed his lips onto Leena''s with shameless passion. He kissed her on the lips wildly without any skills nor style. Leena never had such an experience. She had no other choice. She was forced to take his crazy kiss and tried to kiss him back. "Ouch! It hurts!" Leena could not help but let out a yelp in pain, when he bit her on the lip way too heavily. "So now, you know how it feels, huh?" Kevin let go of her lips and put his face on her her parents. "I see! That made sense. Then what are you waiting for? Aren''t you ufortable in that? Take those off and get in the shower. I''m going downstairs to get you some food. You can eat here in the bedroom." Kevin tried to say it as nicely as possible but looked visibly annoyed as could be seen from his face. So he made that suggestion to save time and hit two birds with one stone. "But, I should go and greet Mom and Dad first! I don''t want them to think that I''m a disrespectful daughter-inw." It was already rude for them to rush upstairs. Should she not go downstairs to greet her parents-inw as a sign of courtesy? She might be considered to be ill-mannered if she did not. "It''s fine. Just take a shower first! They might feel strange if they see you like that. I''ll tell them you are here, and you can exin it to them yourselfter when you''re done," Kevin looked at her with an amused expression on his face. Did his cute wife finally realize how rude their behavior was just now? But he did not n to help her with it. She needed to learn to deal with it by herself. It was a lesson for her to some degree. Chapter 1386 A Surprising Reunion (Part Three) "Oh! How could you be so cruel to me? Besides, you''re the one who half-carried me up here! It''s not fair!" Leena felt pressured and a bit wronged at Kevin''s suggestion. She could not help but shiver a bit as soon as she thought of her father-inw seriously staring at her. It was not because she was afraid of him, but that she felt quite intimidated at his extremely powerful countenance. "That''s the punishment for you." Kevin let out an evil smile and then walked out. Leena was left alone, helpless and dumbfounded at his childish behavior. The moment Kevin walked downstairs, his mother was waiting by the living room, staring at him with burning and questioning eyes, her arms folded across her chest. He took a glimpse at the suitcase beside her and immediately knew why. Lee must have told her everything. "Is there anything you''d like! I''m getting her some food." Kevin frowned a bit and felt a bit awkward thanks to his mother''s piercing look into his soul. But he brushed off the awkwardness and kept himself as calm as he had always been. The distant and indifferent expression on his face blocked everyone who tried to see through him. "I''ve already sent Maud to do it. So, don''t you ever try to find any excuse and get away from me." Shannon knew her son''s intention. She was his mother, after all. She was intentionally stopping him and blocking his way so that she could have the chance to make fun of him. As far as Shannon was concerned, he must have been too horny, missing his wife all too much and had already done something with her daughter-inw! "I''m not a criminal. Why should I run away from you?" Kevin replied, eyes shifting. He wondered since when did his mother be a gossiper. "Where''s Leena? What did you do to her?!" Oh, she missed her too and her son knew it! But what did he do? He took her to hi ided to invite her to divert a little of her mother-inw''s attention from her. This was most probably because ire was not home. Shannon had missed taking care of her daughter and now that Leena was here, she took it out on her. She was a good mother. "It''s okay! Just enjoy it! We''ve already eaten." In Shannon''s eyes, her daughter-inw was lovely and favorable from every angle. The gracious smile kept lingering on her face. Nathan on the other hand did not have much response toward the news that Leena hade for a sudden visit. However, his eyes were much warmer than they used to be, towards his daughter-inw. However, being his true self, he still remained serious like always. They had a short chit chat and then Kevin took Leena back to the bedroom hurriedly, regardless of his mother''s curious and prying eyes. As soon as the door was locked, he did not try to hide his desperation to pour out his overwhelming love for his wife. He almost ripped her clothes off in a thoughtless blur of desire. He had been missing her so much that he wanted to be one with her as closely and as deeply as he possibly could, until nothing in him remained. This was one of those moments and he did not want to waste it. Chapter 1387 A Surprising Reunion (Part Four) After a long time of making love, the two young sweaty bodies finally stopped. Leena was exhausted from the raw animal passion that they shared just now, andy on top of Kevin''s body. Her sweaty face was slippery against his sweaty neck and she breathed deeply. She bit his chin slightly as if to punish him for being too crazy on the bed just now. He in return grabbed her behind, squeezing her more tightly to him. Kevin did nothing with her bite. He merely smiled and let her be. She then slid downward and bit his arm. It did not hurt him at all. Instead, he was quite aroused again. However he was concerned that she might feel too tired. Should she keep biting for a long time, it could mean one thing. The muscles on his body were quite firm, after all. Before long, they were kissing again. This time, as she was already on top of him, she took the lead for another round of fiery intercourse. Kevin came back to the capital city because of work instead of personal reasons. So he had to deal with lots of business in the day time and thus did not have much time to spend with Leena. Leena was sensible and knew this all along. She did not me him for this at all. She could entertain herself easily and could find other things to do while he was off and busy with work. She was already pleased and satisfied as long as she stayed close to him. It was much colder in the capital city than in S city. Leena put lots of clothes on in order to stay warm. Despite theyers of clothing, she still felt a bit cold when she walked on the street. "Are you cold? I told you, that you didn''t need toe here with me. But I couldn''t convince you otherwise," Shannon said in a doting tone. She heard that Leena got cold easily, so she tried to persuade her to stay at home instead of going out. But Leena insisted on going out with her to have some fresh air. It was also a good chance for her to keep Shannon somepany. Leena did note to the capital city a lot and nowadays, ire wasn''t around, livi s and status in society. But their innate elegance and dignity could still be perceived in the way they carried themselves, the way they spoke and the way they treated others. People nearby could not help but notice them. They talked andughed as they wandered around the market. Sometimes, they stopped to check and buy some other things. Before they knew it, they were already carrying more and more items in their hands and their shopping bags had almost be full. Despite this, they did not feel tired at all. On the contrary, a happy expression lingered on their faces. They got along with each other so well. There was someone who seemed to appear wherever Leena went, as if deliberately and all the time. At the oddest of times, she felt like she always came across Dorothy. The moment Leena and Shannon finished shopping at the marketce and walked out, there she was, whom Leena had just run into at the airport yesterday. Compared with yesterday''s attire, Dorothy was now dressed like a teenager. The exaggerated sunsses were reced by a pair of ordinary sses. No one would consider her to be a super star with such a look. Moreover, she did not really have that many fans in the capital city. That was why Dorothy could hang around everywhere. She did not need to be concerned too much about catching any attention. Chapter 1388 Too Many Coincidences (Part One) "Miss Leng, what a coincidence!" Dorothy looked surprised. Fate was magical and it made them meet again. "Hi!" Leena replied with a graceful smile. However, a suspicion secretly crept over her. ''Howe there are so many coincidences between us recently? Isn''t it too strange?'' she wondered. "Leena, is she your friend?" Looking at Dorothy, Shannon asked curiously. If they were friends, then howe they were so polite with each other? They even seemed estranged. "Hi, Madame. My name is Dorothy Lu. Miss Leng and I met each other on the ne," Dorothy greeted before Leena could even reply. "Oh! You met each other on the airne! What a coincidence!" said Shannon with a graceful smile. She felt restrained to be too enthusiastic as she sensed that Leena was very indifferent to Dorothy. "Yes. Are you Miss Leng''s mother? You look so young!" Dorothy shifted her attention from Leena and began to grease the wheels with Shannon. "I''m ttered. I''m already old. By the way, I''m not her mother. To be precise, I''m her mother-inw," Shannon said with a smug smile. She felt happy to hear the praise. All the more, she felt proud to have a good daughter-inw like Leena. "What? She is already married? But isn''t she reported to be only about twenty-something?" Dorothy was bbergasted. The fact that Leena was already married really surprised her. "Miss Lu, sorry. We have many other things to do and we can''t stay here too long. Mom, let''s go now." Leena had never been so impolite and left so bluntly. It was just that she had this strange feeling that Dorothy would cause her trouble soon. Thus, she didn''t want any connection with Dorothy. "Oh! Sorry! It slipped my mind that you are carrying a lot of groceries. It''s my Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. possible. Thus, Leena wouldn''t worry that she would be out of shape after giving birth to a child. "Oh! Well. I''m just in it." Leena''s face immediately flushed. She honestly didn''t know how to react in regards to her mother-inw''s question. "Really? Don''t lie to me." Shannon became very excited upon hearing Leena''s answer. Knowing that they were not intentionally doing birth control made her feel relieved. "Yes!" Leena smiled amidst the bitterness that engulfed her heart. Yes, she was in it, but it would be a very long journey before she could get pregnant. Kevin came home veryte that night. He also reeked of alcohol. It was easy to tell that he had drunk a lot. He might have been together with his colleagues after the meeting was finished. It was a pity that he didn''t have extra space in his stomach for any food that Leena had specially made for him. "Why did you drink so much?" Leena frowned and covered her nose with her hand. Kevin was smelly. Seeing her turn her head away, Kevin mischievously blew in her face. "Stop it! Take off your coat first!" said Leena as she pushed his face aside. Then she helped him to take off his coat. Chapter 1389 Too Many Coincidences (Part Two) "Haha! Nana, do you think that I am drunk?" Kevin suddenly pulled her into his arms and blew hot air around her neck. "Drunk people would never admit that they are drunk," snapped Leena while avoiding his tease. She was also trying to untie his necktie from his military shirt. "Leena, are you so eager to taste me now?" Kevin shed a sly smile. Leena''s hands paused when she saw that smile on his face. He didn''t look like the usual upright major general at all. Leena gazed at him unbelievably. "You are shameless and dirty! You untie the tie yourself!" Leena gritted her teeth and cursed. Then she broke herself free from his embrace. Why hadn''t she found about this side of him before?" "Are you mad at me, Leena?" Kevin sat up and nced at her. "Go take a shower, I will go downstairs to get some soup to sober you up," Leena said as she avoided looking at him. Yes, she was mad because he made her worried. He drank so much despite the fact that he knew how vulnerable his stomach was to alcohol. He always med Leena for not taking good care of herself and always making him concerned. However, Kevin was no better than her in that matter. Seeing Leena''s sullen face, Kevinughed. He didn''t feel angry at all. On the contrary, he was surprised to see Leena be so hot-tempered. In fact, he didn''t drink much. He only drank a few sses as necessary for socializing. He was far from being drunk. They were going back home. Kevin came here by car so they could just drive back. That would save them from a lot of trouble since they didn''t have to wait for a long time in the airport lounge if they went back by air. "Lee, the New Year ising in one month. What gifts do you prepare to bring back to your fam poster was sent to him from the entertainmentpany. Thepany wanted to get his opinion about the poster. However, he was not interested in it. He would say ''yes'' as long as it looked good. Compared to the other people in the entertainmentpany, he was not in the position to offer very professionalments. "Okay, be prepared to empty your wallet." Since Leena knew that it was difficult for her to conceive, her smiles never appeared as sweet and bright as they used to be. There wereplicated emotions in her eyes and she looked sad and gloomy the whole time. Nevertheless, her innocent beauty never faded away and her mncholy made her all the more captivating. "That will depend on how much you can eat." Rain felt sad as he looked at Leena''s forced smile. He already knew what happened to her but he didn''t ask. He just pretended to know nothing about it because he didn''t want to make her feel depressed. Walking out of the office, they happened to run across Edward who just came back. His face was sullen and cold. The anger in his eyes was so prominent that it was easy to think that he met something that made him very irritated. Chapter 1390 Too Many Coincidences (Part Three) "Edward, you''re back!" Leena greeted him enthusiastically as if she hadn''t seen his angry face. "Yes. Where are you going?" Edward frowned and shot a nce at Rain. ''Is Rain thinking of cking off again?'' he wondered. "Of course we are going out to have a meal. Where else could we go at this hour?" responded Rain aggressively while raising his eyebrows. "Do you want to join us, Edward?" Leena knew that Edward was extremely mad. However, she didn''t feel afraid of him at all. Whatever he was mad about had nothing to do with her. She wasn''t the one who ruffled his feathers anyway. "You guys go ahead. I''ll stay here. I have a lot of work to do," said Edward as he touched her cold cheeks. He furrowed his eyebrows deeper as soon as he felt her cold skin. "Edward, you are implying something, aren''t you?" Rain was flustered. He was only going to have a meal, did Edward have to show that somber look when he said that? His words sounded like that Rain had left all the work to him. ¡¤ "What do you think?" Edward raised his eyebrows and nced at him coldly. It was true that after two people lived together for a long time, they would influence each other''s personality. Look at Edward now, he was showing the indifferent and aloof demeanor that could only be seen in Daisy before. "Huh! You are so shameless to admit it so bluntly. Leena, let''s go. Don''t mind him. Probably he''s suffering from premature climacteric and that''s why he is so mercurial recently," Rain said as he grabbed Leena''s hand and dragged her away. He got no n of spending more time arguing with Edward. He would just end up with a cruel and ruthless man if he did. When they reached downstairs, they saw Michelle by chance. She looked just as hesitant as she was when she first came here. She probably came here to look for Luke and had qualms abouting in without an appointment. "Hi! Luke''s girl, what are you doing here? You look l sigh. He knew that Luke didn''t listen. However, he couldn''t do anything about it because Luke was the one who decided his own life. "Luke, you are here!" Michelle''s heart beat faster at the sight of Luke. ''So it is not that he has no feelings for me at all, '' she assured herself in her heart. In response, Luke shot a cold nce at her and walked past her. He didn''t say anything to her at all, as if she was very ridiculous in his eyes. That reaction made Michelle bite her lips. However, she had no ns of giving up here. She shed a bright smile and caught up with him immediately. "Luke, wait for me!" Michelle''s legs were not very short and she walked very fast. It was just that her legs were no matchpared with Luke''s long legs. Luke couldn''t hold his temper any more when Michelle followed him to the parking lot. He reached out his hands and cornered her to the side of his car. "What on earth do you want?" He red at her in fury. It looked like he would kill her immediately If murder was not considered a crime. "I... I..." Michelle swallowed hard in fright. She suddenly realized how horrible Luke was when he became angry. She was considering whether she should escape immediately because she really didn''t know how to face the extremely furious Luke. Chapter 1391 Being Mad At Her (Part One) "You still have no shame. Why are you always chasing after a man who wants nothing to do with you? Oh, I get it. You are a thug. So how is it possible that you would have any shame at all?" Luke sneered. He used the worst words he coulde up with to insult her. "What... What did you just say?!" Michelle widened her eyes at him. Her lips quivered in shock. She knew Luke disliked her but she couldn''t believe that he would throw such hurtful words to mock her. "What, didn''t I make myself clear enough? Or do you want to hear what I said one more time?" Luke gritted his teeth and looked her over from head to toe. Despite the fact that he just talked to her so hatefully, he could not help but feel sorry when he caught a glimpse of the sadness that lingered in her eyes. The guilt caught him off-guard. It was strange to experience such a feeling. "Yes, you are right. I''m a thug and I don''t have any shame. That''s why I keep chasing after you regardless of what other people think and how they taunt me. But if you think I''ll give up on you so easily just because of the way you insulted me, you have another thinking. You underestimate how far I can go!" Michelle felt like her heart was being torn apart, but she still forced a bright smile on her face. He was right. She could indeed be quite shameless. "Michelle, I''m warning you; stop following me and trying to get close to me. You don''t know what I could do to you if you persist." Luke''s hand still rested around her neck. He could have strangled her if he exerted enough strength to squee . Luke was lucky that Michelle was into him. He''d better take the opportunity given to him. They would have certainly shot him if he was anyone else. "Did I not make myself clear? Go away! Are you people deaf? Go away! All of you!" Michelle was unable to control her emotions. She rose to her feet unsteadily and staggered forward. The men stared at each other. They had no choice but to run after Michelle, otherwise they would be punished severely by the boss if something bad happened to his daughter. Luke said Michelle was not qualified for him, that she was shameless and a stalker. He used the meanest words to malign her. Still, Michelle did not cry. Instead, she felt likeughing out loud. ''Luke, you look down upon me? I would never have liked you or your cold attitude towards me if I was prone to giving up so easily. Now that I have chosen to love you, I will never stop until I have achieved my goal. I will pursue you endlessly, whether you like it or not. Don''t try to escape me, unless you really want to shoot me.'' Chapter 1392 Being Mad At Her (Part Two) As time went by, Dorothy became one of the stars of FX International Group. She was a high profile celebrity. Leena had great difficulty recognizing her when she saw her with the heavy makeup in press conferences. Back in time, she had been so innocent and pure. The woman was a stunner. Her beautiful face had made it possible for her to be a star. With the right makeup and clothes, she looked even sexier. Leena could not help but smile as she turned her eyes away from the big screen. She was probably too concerned about this. She and Dorothy had nothing to do with each other. They were strangers. Why would Dorothy cause trouble for her on purpose? Leena''s mood lightened up as she convinced herself of this. But as soon as she saw the dreaded medicine bag lying on the dining table, she fell down in the dumps again. In the past, she had never thought it would be difficult for her to give birth. However, the cruel fate had decided that it was beyond her to have a child. "Major General, Lieutenant General Hank is back." Lee rushed into Kevin''s office. He was unlike his steady and calm self. "Oh! Really? I''ll go and see him then." Kevin was happy to hear this piece of news so he did not reprimand Lee for his behavior. "He is reporting to themander right now," Lee said, following him. It seemed that Lieutenant General Hank had done good work this time. It had been obvious from the delighted expression on his face. To wee Hank and celebrate his sessful work, the army base held a party that night. Kevin was unable to return home on time. It was the same for Daisy. "Here, Major General Gu and Senior Colonel Ouyang, I''d like to make a toast ration. Sometimes, he felt like no matter how much he loved her, he would always be unable to see through her. She was clearly hiding something from him. How could she not trust him with her secret? "Really? Didn''t you ask her what happened?" Daisy hesitated. She did not know if she should tell Kevin the truth. Leena had asked her and the others to keep the secret from Kevin for now. Daisy was in a dilemma. "Yes, I did. But I think she didn''t tell me the truth. She said that she watched too many Korean dramas, so now she''s been feeling sad. I can tell she only said it to keep me from worrying over her," Kevin sighed heavily. He had been wondering about her situation for thest few days and almost couldn''t stand it anymore. It was overwhelming him. Was she in trouble? "Maybe you are thinking too much. Don''t worry. She''ll be fine soon." Daisy struggled with a guilty conscience, yet she forced herself to speak and behave as usual. To ease her mind, she picked up the ss in front of her. it had been filled up by the waiter again. Daisy gulped down the liquid. She coughed heavily immediately afterward. Chapter 1393 Being Mad At Her (Part Three) "Why did you drink it in one go? No one''s gonna take the wine away from you." Kevin frowned. Daisy''s behavior was very suspicious. He could tell she knew what was wrong with Leena, but she was keeping him in the dark. Why was she hiding this information from him? Why was she helping Leena keep this secret? "Sorry, I thought it was water," Daisy said, grimacing. Who filled up her cup without her realizing it? Well, she would definitely be intoxicated soon enough. Daisy could already feel the shivers. "Let''s go. I''ll drive you back." Kevin shook his head at her. No one would believe that such a reckless woman was the youngest female senior colonel in S City, if they saw what thisdy was up to tonight. "It''s okay. Edward will pick me up. He''ll be here soon." Daisy raised her arm and took a look at her wrist watch. It was quitete already. The party was supposed to end soon. "Okay. Then you stay here and take a seat. I''ll go and talk to the soldiers, in case there is any trouble brewing." Kevin stood up and turned around. He walked over to the group of soldiers who were easily distinguishable as the battalionmanders. Ever since the fight between the new recruits and senior soldiers, Kevin had been more careful when it came to their security and discipline. He would never allow such a thing to happen again. A car was parked outside the army base. Edward was not sitting inside. Instead, he leaned against the door frame and patiently waited for his wife toe out. A handsome man''s stance, even a casual one, could be fatally attractive to a woman. When Daisy stepped out and saw Edward leaning against the door so casually, her heart could not help but beat faster. She knew he was an extraordinary man. He had the most handsome face and elegant manners. Even now, his charm and sexiness made her heart run a mile. Her mind just went nk as she stared at him unabashedly. At that moment, she forgot that this man was her husband, not a god whom she should worship. "Hehe! Darling." Daisy staggere vy workload recently. Plus, she drank alcohol at the party. It was natural that she wanted some rest. Kevin did not drink too much. When he arrived home, Leena was asleep on the sofa. Herptop was on the coffee table, still running some Korean drama. If he remembered correctly, this one was her favorite. It was named Secret Garden. She must have watched it a thousand times, but she never got bored of it. Kevin saw her watch the show from time to time, her eyes red and restless. He shut down theptop and was about to pick her up from the sofa to take her to the bedroom. That was when Leena opened her sleepy eyes and stared at him. "You''re back." Leena reached out and put her arms around his neck, snuggling infortably. "Yeah. You fell asleep on the sofa. Don''t do it again. You might get a cold." There was nothing but deep affection in Kevin''s eyes. He let her adjust herself to find the mostfortable position to snuggle up to him. He never expected to love a woman so passionately, with all his heart. Finally, he had found his Mrs. Right. A smile from her was enough to take his breath away. "Don''t worry, I''ve turned on the heat. So how was it? Did you enjoy the party?" Leena raised her head to look at him. There were only a few inches between their faces. She could kiss his soft lips if she just leaned forward a little. Chapter 1394 I Am In Love (Part One) "It was just a gathering of officers and soldiers. I don''t think you like those types of events," answered Kevin. Frankly, he felt awkward when the soldiers asked him to sing a song earlier. He was never a singer and he couldn''t even carry a tune. He would just make a show of himself if he agreed with their idea. "Have you been drinking in the party?" Leena asked as she could smell the wine from his breath. "Yes, but just a little. Don''t worry. I''m not drunk," assured Kevin before kissing her on the forehead. He knew how much Leena hated it when he got drunk, thus, he just drank a little. "Take a bath now, Kevin," said Leena while standing up. She had initially nned to wait for him but she didn''t expect herself to fall asleep on their couch. "Nana, I guess we need to talk." Kevin''s voice was low when he spoke. He then looked at his wife straight into her eyes as he didn''t want to miss any of her expression. "Oh, okay. What are you trying to say?" In reaction, Leena sat again as she waited for his response. "Nana, I''m really worried about you. You''ve changed a lot since you came back from Paris. Can you tell me what happened?" As Kevin wasn''t the type of person to beat around the bush, he went straight to the main problem without any ado. "Uh... Are you kidding me? I think you''re thinking too much," said Leena. She refused to talk about it as she still wished to get pregnant soon. She was not ready to tell Kevin about her situation right now. She sincerely didn''t want him to worry about her. Moreover, she feared that he at''s going on here? Why is it so noisy?" A cold voice came from outside the door. Tom entered the hospital room and frowned at the sight of the mess all over the ce. It was then that his confused gazended on Patricia, who was still hysterical on her bed. He didn''t intend to but for a while, he felt his heart broke silently while looking at the woman he secretly loved. "Doctor Qin, please do something. Miss Bai got angry as she thinks that her medication isn''t working." The nurse exined in one breath upon seeing Tom. Fear was written all over her face and it seemed like she was going to pass out anytime. "You may leave now. I can handle this," said Tom to the nurse as he walked towards Patricia. His eyes were dark as he focused all his attention on the woman. Meanwhile, the nurse who was attending Patricia left the room in record speed. The door even created a huge bang when she shut the door behind her. She really felt grateful that Tom came as she didn''t know if she could stand another second inside the room. Chapter 1395 I Am In Love (Part Two) "What are you going to do? Are you deaf? Get out of my room!" Patricia yelled loudly as she tried to reach for even more things to throw. She didn''t see who was approaching as she was staring nkly at nowhere. She looked very frightening right now as she moved madly on her bed. However, Tom didn''t care. "Patricia, what do you think you are doing? Do you think that this is helping your recovery?" Tom rushed to her as he spoke. She was holding a flower vase now and he was afraid that she might hurt herself with it. He suddenly got no sense of danger for himself. All he wanted was to protect her when he suddenly stepped on something that was sttered on the floor and he began staggering. Goodness! He almost fell on his face. "You are not the one who can''t stand! If you put yourself into my shoes, you would know how I feel," Patricia continued to scream. Seconds more and she began to beat her leg as hard as she could. "God! Why couldn''t I feel a thing? Why? Why!" Seeing Patricia losing it scared Tom to death. Thus, he quickly reached for her hands and stopped her at once. "Can you please calm down? The rehabilitation is slowly working. You will be able to stand in the future," Tom assured her. Honestly, he also hoped for her to stand as soon as possible. However, as a doctor, he knew it would take a long time for her to recover. The process of rehabilitation was long and boring and it demanded patience from Patricia. "In the future? When? When I''m already a granny?" roared Patricia at Tom. Her eyes were beaming with anger. "You won''t be able to stand till the end of your life if you keep acting like this!" Tom thundered back. He was too molding to hers. Tom stopped and retreated just in time she thought she would suffocate. He licked his lips unconsciously which made her swallow. She felt a sudden impulse to kiss him again. "You... I..." Patricia stammered as she was still in shock. "If you ever try to piss me off again, I''ll punish you this way. So look before you leap," said Tom with a sly smile. He felt much rxed now as he just made up his mind to court Patricia. Yes, she had forgotten about him. So what? He could make her fall for him once again. Oddly, he felt as if a heavy weight just got lifted from his chest. There was this type of warmth that filled him and for some reason, made him happy. "Uh... Tom, are you going nuts?" Though Leena and Michelle had kept telling her that she loved Tom, Patricia had always doubted that since Tom had been treating her in a cold way. If Tom was really her boyfriend, why was he so indifferent towards her? However, he just kissed her and she couldn''t deny the impact of that kiss. Patricia was now a little more convinced that Leena and Michelle might have been telling the truth. Chapter 1396 I Am In Love (Part Three) "I guess so, otherwise I wouldn''t do something like that," said Tom with a shrug. He couldn''t stop smiling at her. "What do you mean by that? You regret having kissed me or regret having been hasty?" Patricia''s attention hadpletely been shifted from her leg to Tom''s kiss. "Maybe both. But I''m not gonna apologize. It was you who started it first by irritating me. You should pay for what you''ve done." Tom was now acting like Edward, arrogant and shameless. Patricia was dumbfounded at Tom''s shameless behavior. ''When did I irritate you? It was you who started a fight with me first! You are such an ass!'' she thought. "Actually, you have a thing for me, right? But why have I forgotten you? Did you do something horrible to me in the past that I''ve blocked you from my memories?" asked Patricia in curiosity. Her cheeks flushed and lips were trembling a bit. She was no longer feeling bad but happy after he kissed her. "Well, I won''t tell you that. Why don''t you try to remember everything? Then you''ll know it. Just be patient with your rehabilitation. No pains, no gains. Stop being so willful, okay?" Tom said in a soft voice. His face twitched when he saw the mess in the ward. "But I want you to be my doctor. I will be more motivated that way," Patricia said with a shy smile. She was still thinking about the kiss. "No way," Tom rejected in a cool way. He was really busy every day and had to deal with tons of patients. He really had no time to apany her. "Come on! Don''t just say no," pleaded Patricia. She should have been pissed off by his kiss as she didn''t know him, let alone love him. She didn''t know why but she felt a sense of familiarity when he kissed her as if they had done it before. "No! That''s not possible. So you better stop daydreaming." Tom left without turning his head after saying that. He acted so indifferently as if the man kissed Patricia before were not him. Patricia pursed her lips as she felt wronged. She was a straightforward woman and she shook the unpleasant things off easily. However, she decided t "What do I know? Maybe you''ve wiped the saliva off before I came here. Come on, just tell me who the man is! Otherwise, I''m leaving," Leena threatened Patricia and pretended to leave. Actually, she really had something else to do. "Okay, okay. You know him. He is your beloved sworn brother Tom," said Patricia with a guilty look on her face. She had told Leena before that she hated doctors and would never date any of them. However, she was taking back her words now. She felt so ashamed of herself. She just couldn''t understand why she had a thing for Tom. Though she had changed her views towards doctors after having spent such a long time in the hospital, she still couldn''t ept to date doctors other than Tom. "What? Are you serious? What did you just do? You''vee to the third base, right?" Excitement suddenly flooded Leena upon hearing what Patricia shared. That was the best news she had heard recently. Her face lit up in joy and she was eager as curiosity ate her up at once. "Come on, Leena! Stop making fun of me!" Patricia snapped at Leena but actually, she was not angry at all. They had been friends since they were students, and they always made fun of each other. This was the way they showed their affection for each other. Patricia''s face flushed again when she thought about Leena''s question. But this time, she decided to take it easy with Tom. Chapter 1397 We Are Not That Familiar (Part One) "I am just happy for you." Leena had a big grin on her face. Well, her best friend and her brother were finally together. Wasn''t it a huge miracle and something to really be happy about? Patricia rolled her eyes at her friend''s words in fake annoyance. Leena was indeed her best friend who knew her inside out. They were alike in more ways than one. Life was just perfect for Patricia now. She had great friends who cared much about her around, a bittersweet love she would remember for the rest of her life and a lot more to look forward to. "Hi, would you mind if I sit here?" In an elegant and tranquil coffee shop, Dorothy gently asked Leena in a sweet voice, looking at her with smiling eyes. "Oh. Hello, Miss Lu. Of course not. Please, have a seat." The corners of Leena''s lips lifted into a gentle smile. She was much more mature than she was before. She had that beautiful and elegant aura around her just sitting there. "Thank you." After these words, Dorothy pulled a chair and sat down in front of Leena. As usual, she had that pair of over-sized sunsses, hiding half of her face. She looked sexier than thest time they saw each other and Leena noticed it. "Would you like something to drink? I can order it for you." Saying this, Leena raised her hand and gestured for the waiter toe. There was a small smirk on her face. ''What is going on, that Dorothy and I keep running into each other? I can''t even have a cup of coffee alone.'' she thought to herself. "I will have atte. Thank you." Dorothy gratefully smiled at Leena. The smile lit up her young and beautiful face. Though she and Leena were about the same age, Leena still thought that Dorothy looked more youthful and was much more childish than her. Maybe Leena just went through too much in her life that she couldn''t help but be a grown up. "Miss Lu, it''s such a surprise seeing you here. Are you not busy filming? How about other projects?" Leena asked in a casual tone, taking a sip from her coffee. She was really curious why Dorothy would be here instead of working. "I just happen to have some time for myself, that''s all. I will start filming a tunately, Leena was not the same naive girl like before. She didn''t really mind what others thought about her. So she quickly threw it in the back of her mind, smiled at Dorothy and didn''t say a word. She didn''t want to change just because of what the young actress just said. Especially an actress that she wasn''tfortable calling by her first name. "I am wondering if it is possible to ask you a... quite a private question?" After an ufortable silence, Dorothy hesitantly asked Leena a question. "Well, if you are sure that it''s a private question, I guess it would be better if you don''t ask. There is a reason that it is called a private question," Leena said while ying with the coffee cup on the table. Originally, she wanted to have some time to herself in this quiet coffee shop and think about some things in private. But now, it seemed impossible with Dorothy at the same table, struggling to do away with the awkwardness. She should just go away. "Umm..." Dorothy was a bit stunned at Leena''s subtle but direct refusal. She didn''t expect that Leena would be this straightforward and she was taken aback. She just shut her mouth. Now, after Leena specifically said no, she couldn''t ask the question that had been lingering in her mind anymore. And right at this time, Leena''s phone suddenly rang, breaking the deafening awkward silence. She smiled at Dorothy a bit apologetically and picked up the call. Chapter 1398 We Are Not That Familiar (Part Two) "Hello. It''s me," Leena answered in a low voice and didn''t say Kevin''s name out loud because she was in front of Dorothy. She didn''t want Dorothy to know it was Kevin''s call. "I know it''s you. I am wondering if you are free now?" Kevin felt amused at her words. How could he not know whom he was calling? "Yeah, I am free. What''s up?" Leena got a bit nervous all of a sudden. She was worried that he might want to discuss with her again, the thing that he brought up the other night. "Right. I forgot to bring one of the documents. I''m sure I left it on your desk. Do you think you can bring it to me?" It was not some secret file, just his daily report that was important for the meeting this afternoon, Leena could save him a lot of time and effort if she could bring it to him. This way, he wouldn''t have to drive home himself.. "Yeah, of course. Give me your location and I''ll bring it to you. See youter." Leena stood up after these words. But then she sat down again as if she suddenly thought of something. "Miss Lu, I''m sorry. I have to go now. I have something urgent to do. You can stay here and finish your coffee. It''s all on me, as an apology." Leena smiled a bit apologetically at her. Secretly, she let out a sigh of relief. She was d that Kevin called her now, because she really wanted to leave but she couldn''t find a good excuse to do so. It was so awkward sitting in front of a person she didn''t really like and having small talk with the said person. The call was really a life-saver. "That''s all right. Just do your be nice to go home with her husband, like what normal couples would do. "It''s still a few hours till I get off work, silly girl. I don''t want you to waste your time just sitting around, waiting for me here." Kevin gently pinched her face. She was really cute sometimes. But Kevin didn''t take her words too seriously. He thought that she was just joking. If she decided to actually stay until he got off work, she would have to wait for hours before they could leave. "I won''t mind it at all. I really want to." Leena stared at Kevin with eager eyes, hoping that he would see how much she wanted to wait for him. She didn''t have anything else to do for the rest of the day anyway. It would be better than just staying around the house. Their home felt empty without him. "Are you serious?" Kevin couldn''t do anything about it, because Leena seemed to have already made up her mind. He just shook his head helplessly at Leena and silently agreed. Well, if this was what she really wanted, who was he to deny her this little wish? Chapter 1399 We Are Not That Familiar (Part Three) "Yes! So you will let me stay here?" Leena got excited because she could tell that Kevin would eventually give in. She didn''t mind waiting for hours at all. Waiting for her own husband to get off work was actually a pretty sweet thing to do, in her opinion. "Well, how can I refuse if you insist like that? You make such good arguments that you''re so hard to resist. Of course I agree. Just wait here. Let me ask Lee to take you to my apartment here. Such a stubborn girl!" Kevin couldn''t do anything about her perseverance. He tapped her forehead with his finger, with eyes full of affection towards his wife. "Yay! Thank you thank you thank you!" Leena stood on her tiptoes and smacked a loud kiss on Kevin''s cheek. Her face was proud and showed her happiness. She was d that she had Kevin wrapped around her little finger. "Leena, we are in a public ce," Kevin gently warned Leena, as he rubbed his face. It seemed that a little smudge of red had stayed on his cheek. Then he nced back at the gate of the army base. He didn''t know if Leena''s behavior just now was seen by any of the soldiers. He sincerely hoped not. How would he keep his reputation of being strong and tough in front of them, if he was seen making small lovey-dovey, public disys of affection in the army base? Might as well strip off the uniform and wear a pink couple T-shirt during training. "It''s just a friendly smack. I did it everyday when I was abroad. Don''t think too much of it." Leena looked at him with raised eyebrows, a smirk on her face. Though her heart felt a pinch of pain whenever she thought that maybe one day Kevin would belong to another woman, she kept the sweet smile on he t. Yes, this ce smelt just like Kevin. It was the same faint mint smell she was so familiar with. She then entered the bedroom and opened the closet to have a look. The clothes were mostly military uniforms. But there were still some casual outfits. It seemed that Kevin rarely bought clothes for himself. It was understandable. He could not wear anything other than his military uniform when he was at work. He hadn''t worn most of the clothes she bought for him, much to her disappointment, which she didn''t show. He hadn''t even gotten rid of the tags attached to the clothes yet. Also, Leena couldn''t ignore that the apartment was sparkling clean. Leena knew it must be Lee who helped Kevin clean his own room. She knew Kevin too well. He was never good at doing housework, and he was definitely not the one who made the ce this clean. For one, he never lifted a finger to do any housework back home, other than cooking. Maybe because Kevin didn''t live here for long periods of time, this ce seemed empty. And to make it worse, there was no heater in this apartment, so it was a bit chilly for Leena''s liking. Chapter 1400 We Are Not That Familiar (Part Four) Suddenly, something caught Leena''s eye. It was a phone that was on his desk. The photo of Kevin on the phone had a big happy smile on his face, looking at Justin with eyes full of affection. At this moment, Leena suddenly realized how much Kevin adored kids. If she really couldn''t have kids, what would Kevin think? Would he still love her like he did right now? Or would it affect their marriage? Leena had no answers to the questions in her head, no matter how hard she tried to think of one. Her mood suddenly turned sour thinking of this. And she also realized why she always wanted to be by Kevin''s side. She just wanted to cherish every precious moment together with him, in case one day he would leave her, after finding out that they couldn''t have a baby together. The day had ended and as soon as Kevin finished his work, he hurriedly walked to his apartment where Leena had been waiting all afternoon. He was worried that Leena might have been bored just hanging around for hours. But what he didn''t expect was to see her sleeping peacefully in his bed. Maybe she had waited too long and had gotten a bit tired. Looking at her beautiful and angelic face, he silently let out a sigh. He felt lucky that such a good girl hade to his life and fallen in love with him. Yes, there were ups and downs in their rtionship. But in the end, he was blessed with the beautiful life that he wanted. But when he looked closer, he noticed that there was still something hiding behind her eyes that showed a trace of sorrow. Was it possible to know what it was? Maybe she had decided to keep it to herself and he respected that. A woman had every right to keep her secrets. Though he wanted to be as close to Leena as possible, there was a part of her that he might never get to see, which made him feel helpless. "Nana, wake up. It''s time to go home." Though Kevin wanted to let Leena sleep some more, he had to wake her up because it was alreadyte. The sky would be fully dark by the time they were back downtown. ful and sweet girl like Leena made her want to hug her as if she was a friend that she hadn''t seen in a very long time. "Thank you Mrs. Xu! Yo are also very pretty yourself!" Leena thanked Mrs. Xu and then nced at Kevin with a proud look on her face. She raised one of her eyebrows at him as if saying, "Look! Your wife is so adorable and everyone likes her!" Kevin just smiled happily at her and didn''t say any words. "Do you have any ns this evening? How about the two of you have dinner with us at our home? It''s about time for dinner after all. Besides, you can meet my husband. You haven''t been around for a long time, Kevin." It seemed that Mrs. Xu was also hospitable. She had just met Leena, but she immediately invited them to her home for dinner. "Nana, what do you say?" Kevin tilted his head and asked, looking at Leena. He often went to Battalion Commander Xu''s home before. But ever since he got married to Leena, he didn''t go there anymore. Especially nowadays, he went straight home after work so he didn''t have time to visit or hang out with his friends anymore. He still remembered the happy times when Daisy and Justin were still here and they all got together and just hung out. But ever since they all moved away, this ce seemed much quieter. There were new people who came but it wasn''t easy to make new friends. Chapter 1401 The Plan (Part One) "You''re the boss," Leena answered, her eyes full of affection. She always looked favorably on Kevin''s ideas. "Well, then let''s go have dinner with them?" Kevin asked, looking at her. He always asked for her input. That was how rtionships worked best. "That is great," Mrs. Xu said. "Leena''s never been here before, right? There are some friends in this building really want to meet her. We''re all military spouses so we definitely have things to talk about." Mrs. Xu held Leena''s hand and led them to her house. She was so kind that Leena and Kevin couldn''t very well refuse. "You''re too kind, Mrs. Xu," Kevin said with a smile. Mrs. Xu was right; he should have introduced Leena to his co-workers and their wives. Leena might be happier making new friends. "Please, not so formal. I''d like to have you and Leena over every day." Mrs. Xuughed. Her child was a junior high school student and was in boarding school, so he was only home on weekends. And her husband was busy at work, so she stayed home, bored and alone. Battalion Commander Xu''s apartment was on the first floor, and the entrance faced the elevator. Mrs. Xu left her door open, so other people coulde and join them. The building was originally quiet, but became louder thanks to Leena''s visit. People who got along well with the Xu family came over to have supper with everyone. "Major General Gu, now I know why you never brought Leena here. She''s so pretty and soft, and you just want to hide her away from prying eyes, right?" Battalion Commander Xu asked with augh. Battalion Commander Xu was the eldest one there. He was born and raised in a small vige, and was promoted to Battalion Commander from a soldier. He was broad how off in front of other people. "I heard it was a whirlwind romance between you and Major General Gu. So who made the first move?" another young woman cut in. Leena''s face flushed red at her words, and she had no clue how to answer the question. And their early days weren''t exactly fodder for happy memories. "Come on now. Don''t be so curious! This is her first time here. You''ll scare her off and she won''t want toe back," Mrs. Xu said, saving Leena from yet another awkward question. She knew they wanted to know all about Leena, but she didn''t think that question was appropriate. "But I really wanna know. Come on, Leena, am I bothering you?" the woman asked. She just wouldn''t let Leena go. She was in her twenties, and she was certainly pretty and trendy. But she wasn''t smart enough to figure out her question was out of line. "Uh... no, you''re not," Leena answered after some hesitation. The "not" in her statement was higher pitched, more like a question than a reply. Deep inside, she thought, ''Yes, you are bothering me. So can you just shut up?'' But she gave the woman a sweet smile, pretending she was okay with that. Chapter 1402 The Plan (Part Two) "See? I''m not bothering her at all!" the woman challenged Mrs. Xu, holding her gaze. She didn''t want to hurt Leena, but she was making her ufortable. The women here were all military spouses, but Leena was the only one from a rich family. Moreover, her husband was capable and handsome. Some were ovee with jealousy, and really did want to bring her down. Leena had no choice but to handle them with grace. After supper, Kevin and Leena bid them goodbye and left the building. Kevin had some wine, so he didn''t drive, but instead sat in the passenger seat of Leena''s car. "You were great tonight! Everyone likes you!" Kevin teased her with augh. He was going to butt in and save her from the embarrassment when she had to field countless questions, but then he decided to let her deal with them by herself. After all, he couldn''t always hide her, and she had to meet them one day. His decision was correct; Leena had been very reserved at the beginning, but she rxed and was bantering with themter. "Well, I am such an adorable girl, and everyone loves me," said Leena who made a face and stuck her tongue out. Then sheughed out loud. "Tonight was your warmup. They get worse as time goes on, believe me." Kevin lived in the building for several years, and knew them well. Not everyone was as kindhearted as Leena. Daisy had also lived there for years, and had been the talk of the building. She had been a single mom at that time, and hot as well. But Daisy couldn''t care less what they thought. Let them talk, she figured. It had nothing to do with her. "I know, but I think I can handle them. After all, I'' rdered, as long as she held those pics over her head. "That depends on you. Be careful, and don''t let anyone find out our n," the woman said impatiently as she waved her hand dismissively, indicating that Dorothy should leave. And she did have to be careful ¡ª if they were spotted by paparazzi, it could ruin everything. Dorothy bit her lower lip. She was going to speak, but thought better of it. "What? Anything else?" the woman asked, annoyed. "Why do you hate Leena so much? There''s gotta be a story there," Dorothy asked in confusion. In her eyes, Leena was so kind and adorable. Why did the woman want to hurt Leena? "None of your business! You may have heard the expression: curiosity kills the cat. Just do as I say." The woman''s voice was cold as ice, which made Dorothy tremble. Dorothy could imagine the hatred on the woman''s face. She could feel it. "But... what if I mess everything up?" Dorothy asked tentatively. She knew she wasn''t a nice girl, but she didn''t want to hurt Leena. It was only the photos that kept her here, and doing as this woman demanded. Chapter 1403 The Plan (Part Three) "Well, you can try. Even if everything is out in the open, I''ll get off scot free. That''s why I have you," the woman taunted. She was always cloaked in darkness. Even if things went south, Dorothy would take the me. Dorothy bit her lower lip, saying nothing more. She had no other choice but to follow the woman''s orders. After all, the woman had her career in her hands. At Renxin Hospital, Tom was in the rehabilitation room with Patricia. Though he turned her down when she had asked him to be her doctor, he''d help her out as much as he could. "Let''s do it again," Tom encouraged. It was the dead of winter, but their faces were covered with sweat. "Damn it! This isn''t helping," Patriciained, breathlessly. She was totally discouraged, unwilling to move anymore. It was hard work, it was painful, and in her mind it was useless. "You''ve only practiced for a couple weeks. It''s no secret it''s slow. Do you know how long it takes for other people to walk again? Don''t give up just like that, okay?" Tom said. He would get angry every time Patricia wanted to give up. But he was not angry at her, but at himself, for he thought he was good for nothing. People called him the genius doctor, but he could do nothing to fix her leg. So the hard work began. "I can''t even move if I don''t hold the railings," Patricia said, exhausted. She didn''t think she was making a fuss over nothing. She was exhausted, for she had been grinding awa ght. "Why apologize? You make me feel like a spoiled woman," Patricia said with a frown. She really couldn''t figure out why she had fallen for him in the first ce. Tom was so dull and inarticte. Why couldn''t she see that before? "Never mind. I have patients I need to see. I''ll drop by when I''m done," said Tom. He knew it would take a long time for him to figure out what Patricia was thinking, but he didn''t have time for it now. He hoped that she would be a little bit more rational when he got off work. Patricia watched his receding figure and felt sad and dejected. Cool as she was, she was sensitive and fragile in love. Was it right for her to continue this? After all, she had already forgotten him. Would it be better if they broke up? But when she was thinking of leaving Tom once and for all, her heart began to ache, as if a sharp knife had been plunged into it. She shook off the thought and concentrated on how to improve their rtionship. Chapter 1404 A Marriage Promised (Part One) It had been one week since Michellest saw Luke. For the previous week, Michelle went to a remote vige with the excuse of traveling. But in fact, she wanted to stay away from S City for a while in order to rethink about herself and her feelings for Luke. She was the kind who expressed her love and unhappiness without inhibition. In order to win Luke''s heart and make him change his attitude towards her, she had to be strong enough, so that she would be able to endure the pain that he caused over and over. That was how much she loved him. He still remained cold with a certain, noticeable distance between them and Michelle still could not help but feel small. Despite this, she still raised her chin and proudly walked up to him. "Hey! Iceman." Michelle tried as hard as she could to greet him with a steady voice and calm expression. She greeted him in a casual tone as if she just ran into him. But actually, she followed him all the way here. Luke saw her but did not acknowledge her, acting indifferently and continuing to drink the tea in his hand. At this time, Edward was staying with Daisy so he did not need to be on standby for any work for Edward. He was enjoying his rare free time, especially happy that Michelle hadn''t shown up for an entire week to bother him, which he appreciated. But now, out of nowhere, she showed up here, and that was something Luke did not anticipate. He thought she''d already given up. Michelle had already gotten used to his attitude. But she still could not help feeling a bit awkward when he made no response The only time she would stop bothering him was if and when he got married. She would not be a shameless loser who ran after a married man. Yes, she was a thug, having connections in the underworld, but she had her limits and she would draw the line at some point. Far up ahead, she already knew what she should and should not do. "Fine. If that''s the case, I will marry you! But I have one request. You go and persuade your parents about it. Don''t expect me to help you with that. I''m not the type who visits the family and asks their daughter''s hand in marriage. Yuck." Luke shrugged in disgust. "Let me know how that goes." Just then, Luke stood up. His parents actually could not stop talking about his future, especially about marriage recently. He did not want them to worry about him anymore. Plus, Michelle was the only single woman he knew. So he''d considered that it could be worth a try. She desperately wanted to have him, while he was in need of a wife. As long as his parents were happy, he did not care who his wife was, at all. Chapter 1405 A Marriage Promised (Part Two) "Excuse me? What did you just say? Are you serious?" Michelle opened her eyes wide, staring at him in disbelief. She never saw thating and was totally out of the blue. She was expecting a rude retort, not a marriage proposal. It wasn''t a romantic proposal but still, what a surprise! She was so shocked that she just could not think of a proper response. So many things were going on in her head at the same time. "Well, I hate repeating myself," Luke said impatiently. Had Cynthia and Jonathan not kept bugging him that they would like to introduce a woman to him, he would not have said that. Even though he was just an adopted son, he considered them his natural parents and gave them the highest respect. And since it was their wish for their son to get married, he would make every effort to please them. That being said, Michelle was just a sacrificialmb whom he took advantage of to make them happy. Apart from that, she was nobody to him. "Fine. I think I heard what you said. It is just very hard to believe. Especially with your attitude towards me. Also you blocked me. I can''t call you," Michelle said in a wronged tone. Anyway, she received the best and most inspiring response from him. Of course, she was not that naive to believe that he decided to marry her because of love. But she did not care. She believed that he would eventually fall in love with her someday as long as she tried hard enough and did her very best. "I''ll unblock you. Oh, and just to be clear, there won''t be any wedding ceremony. We''ll simply go to the civil It looked like Luke was deliberately forced into a marriage which turned to be a blessing in disguise for Michelle. Had his parents not paid too much attention to Luke''s personal life and pressured him about it, he probably would not have considered even hanging out with her. Fortunately for Michelle, the stars in the sky, with the help of the gods, had aligned perfectly to her favor. Edward knew Luke well. If he had his own way, he would not even think of getting married. "No way! Uncle Luke, are you confirming to us that you like men? I remember that Grandma was busy choosing among lots of women for you. But it turns out that you like men!" Justin joined in the conversation and turned to his uncle. He took his father''s words seriously. Actually, he did not think there would be something wrong should his Uncle Luke marry a man. These were the modern times and he was allowed to love anyone he wanted. As for the sex? It did not matter a lot, did it? It was done in private and was nobody''s business, so why worry about that? Chapter 1406 A Marriage Promised (Part Three) "Hey, you boys, be quiet, okay? Let Luke exin it." Daisy shot a cold re at the father and the son to stop them from being too noisy as they were not helping. Also, she was curious about who that woman was. She knew Luke was a tough man and it was definitely not easy to please him, let alone make him fall in love. Only an extraordinary woman would be able to do it. Who on earth could it be? "What''s her name? Who is she?" Jonathan finally asked in a calm tone when the noise had died down. He asked seriously because he knew Luke was of stability and mature, and that his son would not marry a man. "Yes, tell us. What''s her name? Did you just pick up a girl at random outside to y us, poor old people?" Poor old people? It just sounded so weird when Cynthia described herself to be poor and old because both she and Jonathan could easily pass for someone in their forties! Wouldn''t she feel embarrassed to consider herself an old woman? "You''ve seen and met her before." Luke felt a big headache, thanks to their ridiculous guesses and usations of him being gay. What were they thinking? He might not be an expert in dating women. But he would not just pick up a girl at random and bring her home! "Oh! I know! I know her! It''s Michelle, right?" Edward stepped ahead excitedly and raced to be the first to guess, as if it were a game. He apparently did not like it when he was ignored. "Oh! Daddy, so you''ve already known! Why did you keep it a secret and didn''t tell us?" Justin was totally a junior Edward. He wanted to be the center of attention, just lik t matter. Let them decide that by themselves. Pick up a date, Luke. Any day is fine with us." Jonathan still remained cool, but he became softer when around his family. Although the changes were not obvious to most people, it was already too much for him, considering that he was more uptight and much stricter in the past. "Okay. I''ll let you know when we decide on it. Thanks!" Luke sighed in relief. He had been worried that they might object to this marriage. Michelle was from a gangster family, which was a sharp contrast to his family that Jonathan led with strict values. "Anyway, Luke, congrattions to you." Daisy was the first to congratte him and Michelle. Although she was not sure whether they were getting married out of love, she was still willing to support them, and believe that they would live a happy life and get what they wanted as long as they worked hard for it. "Thank you," Luke replied in a cool tone like always. However, his face turned a faint red as he could not help feeling a bit embarrassed at this time. Chapter 1407 A Marriage Promised (Part Four) "What about your life after getting married? Are you gonna stay here or live somewhere else? I''ll prepare the house for you." This was what Edward was concerned about. If Luke and Michelle stayed here, he would have the rooms in this house rearranged. But if they wanted to live somewhere else, all he needed to do was find another house that would be perfect for them. "We haven''t discussed it yet. But we probably won''t live here. I''ve started looking around and I have my eye on a few good houses nearby." The reason Luke did not want to stay here with the rest of the family was because he did not want them to find anything wrong between Michelle and him. He was worried that their rtionship would be the center of excessive attention. A different house would be good to maintain privacy. That was why he preferred to live with his future wife separately. "Okay, I got it. I''ll take care of the house hunting. You don''t need to worry about it," Edward said in a serious tone. He stopped making fun when it came to serious topics like this. "It''s okay! I can pay for it!" Luke refused. He had saved arge amount of money through all the years. He could even afford to buy a grand shopping mall if he wanted to. He had been well-paid thanks to Edward. Besides, he had stock shares in FX International Group. He was literally quite rich. "Consider it our wedding gift to you and your new wife! That''s all. Don''t refuse us brother!" Edward surely knew that Luke did notck money, and that he was actually rich. He knew exactly how much money he made. But the house was a gift that he wanted to prepare for him and he would not take no for an answer. Besides, it was not a tough task for Edward to find a house nearby, especially that money was not an issue. He had bought a couples nearby did not have any effect on him at all. Michelle momentarily paused as if in deep thought when she was about to sign on the paper, which made Luke frown a bit. What was she thinking now? Was there a bit of regret? "Miss, you can stop now if you don''t really want to marry him." A young female was proceeding with their registration. She never saw a mane here to marry with a cool face like Luke. He even read the marriage deration so reluctantly with a poker face and a monotonous voice during the whole time, as if someone was holding a knife against his throat. "No. I''ll be done soon." Michelle smiled awkwardly. She made up herself slightly today and put on a skirt she seldom wore. She dressed herself elegantly, thanks to Leena''s fashion sense. Leena, being a celebrated designer made sure that her friend looked great on her wedding day and prepared all of these for her. When their marriage certificates were sealed officially, they both felt quite relieved as if the seal was stamped on their heart. She felt that this man finally belonged to her for eternity, and he knew that his life would be changedpletely, which was something he dreaded a lot. Chapter 1408 Tied In Wedlock (Part One) After getting the stamp on their marriage certificate, Luke and Michelle were finally tied in wedlock. Previously, their life was riddled with skirmishes, quarrels and insults, but Michelle was now Luke''s wife. However, at the gate of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Michelle realized that she was the only one happy about it. "Here are the keys to the house. Pack your things and move them there. But I can''t help you. I have to go to work." Luke took out a bunch of keys from his pocket and handed them to Michelle. He gave out a faint snort, barely looking at her, and then turned around to leave. "Okay," was Michelle''s simple answer. She really didn''t know what else to say. Luke had already told her that he could only give her a nominal marriage, and she''d better not try in vain to expect other things. She didn''t pack up that much. Except for some clothes and things she held memorable and dear, she didn''t need to bring anything else. It was said that the house was newly decorated as ordered by Edward. The ritzy and glitzy furniture suited his taste. Nothing in that house was cheap. Michelle felt embarrassed remembering how she refused his help rudely before. Now, she was concerned how to get along with him from here on. Thinking that she would be living here with Luke afterwards, Michelle was of course secretly pleased. She didn''t know whether she could be a good wife, but she would double her efforts anyway. While hanging her clothes in the wardrobe, Michelle suddenly found that Luke had nothing but ck suits and white shirts to wear. She frowned at the monotonous and dark colors and thought that her husband was too stereotypical of a bodyguard. She thought long and hard, tryin ch about his real identity. As a new wife, Michelle knew nothing about cooking. She grew up around gangs and adopted that kind of rough and always on the go kind of life. Surprisingly, Cynthia didn''t know how to cook either. She hired cooks and didn''t have to worry about everyday meals for her and her family. Michelle went to the kitchen because she thought she needed to learn about cooking. She couldn''t be as good a cook as Leena now, but at least she needed to learn to cook something decent and fit to eat. It had been amon joke how some women got married and then fed their new husbands burnt rice, fried egg with sugar or soup with too much salt. There were other horrifying stories such as entire families needing to go to the hospital after eating what the new daughter-inw made. In this family, Daisy was always thest one to arrive. Although she looked cold on the outside, Michelle got to know that she was a lot nicer than the others who gave out a feeling of invisible pressure. "So Michelle, have you adjusted to living there now?" Daisy in an olive-green army uniform looked bright, snappy and respectable. Chapter 1409 Tied In Wedlock (Part Two) "Yeah. It''s very nice of you to ask, Senior Colonel Ouyang." Michelle was embarrassed. She felt as if they met yesterday, but everything had changed now. "Ha ha! Just call me Daisy. You''re part of the family now." Daisy grinned. Luke was unwilling to change the way he addressed her, but she didn''t want Michelle to follow his example. "But is that proper?" Michelle hesitated. She felt gawky because of Luke. "Sure. We''re of the same family. Luke has been used to calling me Mrs. Mu and he said he can''t change it. That''s why he calls me like that. I''d say bullshit, but if he''s happy with it, I won''t make a big fuss." Daisy didn''t expect that Luke and Michelle would get married so quickly. They didn''t even go through the proper dating and falling in love phase and now, all of a sudden, they had be husband and wife. They still had a long way to go. Unexpectedly, change was an instantaneous thing. "Okay, Daisy." Michelle smiled as she purposefully mouthed out the name. She had be morefortable around these two women of the Mu family. "Auntie, Grandma said you married into our family. Is it true?" Justin came out from nowhere, blinking his big ck eyes and smiling excitedly. "Huh?" Michelle was taken aback. What an awkward question this boy asked. But she had to answer him, "Yes, it''s true." "Wow. Then you''ll have babies, right?" Justin asked another straightforward question. Michelle''s face reddened. She just got married and hadn''t thought about that. Justin''s question prompted her to put it on the agenda, but she knew that it would be difficult to get intimate with Luke. She had be his wife, but it didn''t mean th Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. re. She knew what Michelle thought. It wouldn''t be easy, but she had a lot of time. Michelle went to say goodbye to Cynthia before she left, but Luke wasn''t outside waiting like Daisy said. She was disappointed not to see him there, but she brushed it off and confidently raised her head and walked home very leisurely. When she got home however, it was strange that the house was quiet. ''Hasn''t Lukee back? Maybe I misunderstood. He''s probably still back in Daisy''s house, '' thought Michelle. A deep frown marred her face. She threw herself onto the couch. She was always optimistic, but now she suddenly felt a bit sad. She really didn''t know whether she had made the right decision. She was finally married Luke, but she could tell that he was colder to her than ever and even acted as if she were just a stranger who had nothing to do with him. It was easy to pay no mind to it when they were just people who knew each other. But now they were a married couple, and that kind of behavior was impossible to ignore. However, since she had made this choice, she had to work hard to win his heart. Chapter 1410 Tied In Wedlock (Part Three) Luke came downstairs naked to the waist, wearing a pair of casual trousers. He stopped when he saw Michelle, but then he went straight to the refrigerator, took out a bottle of water and drank it. "You''re home, Luke. I thought you were still in Daisy''s house." Michelle jumped up from the couch instantly when she saw Luke. Her mncholy was gone, and she brightened up, just seeing him. When she saw Luke''s six-pack abs, a mild blush appeared on her cheeks. Her eyes were glued to his midsection, staring at him without a blink. She had never seen his abs before. "Wipe that drool off your face, will you?" Luke put the bottle of water back in the refrigerator and brushed past her in a distant way. "Err¡­ Drool?" Michelle wiped her lips. Then she realized that she was fooled as she found that she didn''t salivate at all. She turned around and followed Luke upstairs with a ttering smile. "When did youe back? Why didn''t you wait for me?" Michelle asked while she trotted to catch up with Luke. Luke didn''t give any answer but went straight into his study. "Hey, say something." Michelle frowned, now having a bit more courage toin. "I remember I have warned you that we''re a couple in name only. Don''t try to impress me. It''s useless. And please, oh please, don''t disturb me here at home." Luke suddenly stopped, and Michelle bumped into him unprepared. She felt great pain in her nose, but his cold and ruthless words hurt her more. He didn''t care that his sudden action might have physically hurt her too. "I''m sorry. It''s my fault." Michelle bit her lip, turned around sadly and walked silently to the bedroom, humiliated. Luke just exhaled heavily, rolled his eyes and went to his desk. Apart from being Edward''s bodyguard, he still had to be in charge of all the security measure ng into a thousand pieces. She shouldn''t have had any wild wishes for this marriage. Her wishful thinking only brought her much pain. The night grewte. The bed was just an arm''s length from her but she stood frozen, quietly, forgetting the time and herself. Like a ghost, she let her thoughts wander around. Desire was really a very strange thing. Sometimes people would want to get something desperately, but suddenly realized that it wasn''t what they wanted after they got it. They set goals, sometimes impossible ones, but found that they were wrong in the first ce. Michelle was a good example. She was in a dilemma and didn''t know how to free herself. And this was just on her first night as a married woman. She spent a sleepless night. The next morning, she wasn''t downhearted anymore as she had straightened out her thinking. When the sun shone through the window curtain and gently cast its rays on her body, she let out a brilliant smile. She knew that every rtionship had its share of ups and downs, and all the problems would be readily solved as long as she rose to the challenge. She was going to patiently wait for that day. Only in this way could she stand on top as the winner. Chapter 1411 The Newlywed Woman (Part One) In a VIP ward of Renxin Hospital, Patricia was chatting with Michelle, who had just gotten married. Though Patricia was still unable to walk on her own, her condition was much better than before. So, she was in a good mood. "So, Michelle, how was your wedding night? Was it exciting?" Patricia teased, as she eyed Michelle up and down in an attempt to to find some hickeys and other signs of a wild night. "Fuck off! Stop talking nonsense! You are such an asshole! By the way, how''s your leg?" Michelle gave her shoulder a light thump. Though she wore a big grin on her face, she was weeping deep inside. "Don''t try to sidetrack me. How would you assess your husband''s skills from 1 to 10? What''s the score?" If Patricia knew the actual state of Michelle''s marriage, she would not make fun of her like this. "Well, well. If you really want to know what a wedding night is like, why don''t you get married with Doctor Qin. Then, you''ll get to know and give a score yourself!" Michelle rolled her eyes at Patricia. She also wanted to know what a wedding night was like, but she hadn''t even been able to hold Luke''s hand, let alone have a hot wedding night. "Hey, stop making fun of me. We''re talking about you and Luke. Let''s not get distracted." Patricia didn''t intend to let Michelle off so easily. "Okay, okay. A wedding night is just like... um... a man and a woman sleep on the same bed... uh... they kiss and..." Michelle''s face flushed scarlet with embarrassment. Gang member as she was, she had never dated someone before, and she was still a virgin. Plus it was hard to describe something that she had never experienced. "What? You think I''m a 3-year-old child? I want to know the details, okay? Give me size, duration, the sensation. That kind of shit!" The more Michelle refused to tell her the details, the more interested Patricia became. She shook Michelle''s hands, begging her to tell more. "No er. They could talk to each other in whatever manner they wanted and they could say whatever dirty words they wanted to say. That was how real best friends were. "Well, yes! I n to sell you at a higher price after fattening you up. How skinny you were in the past! No man was interested in you before, right?" Leena smiled proudly, as she had an excellent body shape ¡ª a slender waist as well as a pair of perky boobs and a nicely shaped butt. She was sexy and she knew it. "Pfft! I think you only have a pair of B-cup boobs," Patricia sneered as she cast a mocking nce at Leena''s breasts. For her, Leena was just daydreaming and must wake up from it. "You''re just being jealous! And excuse me, but I wear a C-cup bra!" Leena defended herself, looking down at her breasts and shaking them a little. ''Patricia must be envious of me!'' she thought to herself. "Why not ask Kevin? I''m sure he knows it," Patricia said, giggling. She was really in a good mood to make small dirty talk with her friends. They could never talk like this in public within earshot of anyone. "Bah! Look who''s talking? I won''t let myself be fooled by you. Where''s Tom? I''d better call him over here so he can teach you a lesson," Leena snapped, staring at Patricia with a cunning smile. Chapter 1412 The Newlywed Woman (Part Two) "Don''t ever say that name in front of me again. He is just so dull and inarticte! I still can''t understand how I had a thing for him. I need to exercise more so that I can recover as soon as possible," Patricia said with a frown. In her eyes, the reason she fell for Tom was because she had stayed in the hospital for a long time and there were no other handsome men around other than him. So she wanted to recover soon. Then she would be able to meet more handsome guys, and maybe she would forget that boring, arrogant doctor. "Well, after you get discharged from this hospital, will you still continue racing?" Leena asked worriedly. She didn''t want Patricia to engage in such a dangerous sport anymore. "I don''t know yet. But I have to do something first. I must go out with more handsome men, so that I will get to know whether I''m insane or not, to have fallen for this doctor," Patricia said, dejected. She was really frustrated at Tom''s cold and indifferent attitude towards her. If Tom held the same attitude towards others, then Patricia would not feel so bad. But Tom was amiable and friendly, always beaming to others while he was a jerk to her. Patricia could do nothing but curse him secretly. "What? Are you going nuts?" Leena yelled, rolling her eyes at Patricia. She wondered what Patricia''s feeling would be after her memories of Tom came rushing back. "Leena, just ignore her. She has been in such a romantic rtionship recently, but she never seems to get enough. Let''s just go now, otherwise we will get sick and tired of her public disy of affection," said Michelle, who believed that Patricia was groaning but not really in pain. Michelle, on the other hand, was really upset because of the frustrating rtionship between her and Luke. "I guess you''re right, Michelle. By the way, how about your married life?" Leena ving Patricia behind. Patricia yelled at them toe back, but they just ignored her and giggled their way out of the hospital. "Do you think it''s okay to leave Patricia like that? She might never forgive us," Michelle said. She was a little worried about Patricia. She had made friends with her not too long ago, so she didn''t know Patricia well like Leena did. "Don''t worry. She''ll be okay soon," Leena reassured her with a smile. "If she gets mad, she''ll stay mad for a very short time. Trust me." She knew Patricia would not really get angry at them, so she agreed to go shopping with Michelle. "Leena, I am wondering if you could teach me how to cook well, one of these days. I know nothing about housework, and I feel useless. I''m a good-for-nothing wife." Michelle was in low spirits. She wondered whether Luke would fall in love with her after she became a good housewife. "All right. But I''m not a good cook either. Why don''t you learn how to cook in a chef academy? I once enrolled at a chef school, and it has helped me tremendously. I think it will work," Leena said with a friendly smile. She was really not that good in cooking. She knew that she wouldn''t be a good teacher and it would only end up in disaster. Chapter 1413 The Newlywed Woman (Part Three) "Well, okay? How about you go with me to the chef school to inquire?" Michelle asked with a hopeful expression. She was worried that she might be the dumbest student in the ss. If Leena went there with her, she would feel much better. "I''m sorry, but I''m hustling and grinding at work recently. The Paris Fashion Week is in just a few months, and I have to design new, cutting edge clothes for that," said Leena, apologizing profusely. If it weren''t for that, she would be very happy to go with Michelle. "Oh, it''s okay. If you don''t have time, then I''ll go by myself," Michelle said, a little disappointed. But she knew Leena must be really busy now as she was a well-known designer. She could do nothing about it. "I''m really sorry," Leena apologized, as she held Michelle''s arm tofort her. "We''d better hurry up then. What if Patricia were so angry that her leg suddenly got healed and then she ran away from the hospital, so that she coulde after us?" Michelle cracked a joke with Leena. She really couldn''t get angry at her. "That would be a piece of good news for sure. If that happened, she wouldn''t have to go through that boring rehab program. Then she should thank us," Leena joked back. They stared at each other, and then burst into a heartyugh together. "Did you drive here?" Michelle asked when they arrived at the garden of the hospital. Michelle''s car was not so good. She was afraid Leena might not like it. "Yes, I did. Just follow my car. I''ll take you to a nearby supermarket," Leena said. But then she frowned at the sight of a familiar figure. ''What the hell? Oh dear god, not again! I''ve seen this woman so many times recently. She didn''t even get recognized by her fans for once. Is it because she''s not that popr yet? Or her fans we are not really that close yet, Miss Lu. I guess you have the same feeling as well?" Leena said with a mocking smile. Actually Leena was not an arrogant woman, who would go out of her way to make people feel bad. But she just hated being fooled by people like Dorothy. It was no longer a coincidence that she had run into Dorothy so many times already, and most recently too. Something was up with this girl, and she knew that she was not going to like it. "Um... I think you are a kind person, and I really want to be friends with you." Dorothy praised Leena as if she had no idea of Leena''s distaste for her. However, Dorothy''s reaction convinced Leena even more that Dorothy was up to something, otherwise she would have been pissed off by now. "I''m d you see me that way. I''m sorry, but we have to leave now," Leena said with a polite smile. She was in no mood to talk to Dorothy any longer. Their encounters had be really boring and meaningless. "Wait! I am wondering if I could invite you to dinner." Dorothy immediately stopped Leena when she was about to leave. If she missed this opportunity now, she didn''t know how and when she could get close to her next time. Chapter 1414 Confronting Dorothy (Part One) "Have dinner with you? May I know why I have the honor?" Leena stopped, turned to look at Dorothy in bewilderment, and wondered what on earth this woman was up to. Dorothy burst intoughter at Leena''s uncertainty. "It''s just a meal, and a wee opportunity for conversation. I hold nothing against you, I promise. There''s no need to worry, I''m not an enemy. I''m working for the FX International Group now, remember? I heard that you and our boss are good friends, so it''s only natural that we connect. I have hoped that having a meal and a chat, might start our friendship." Dorothy assured her. Her carefully chosen words were aimed at making refusal impossible, and she watched Leena enquiringly. "Seems that you know a lot about me, Miss Lu. Let me guess: You are aware that I am Kevin''s wife?" Dorothy nodded, and Leena continued, "In that case, I should get to know you too." Leena''s reply wasced with an ironic smile. It was a cunning woman who stood in front of her, she thought to herself. Strategically, Dorothy had mentioned the FX International Group to cotton up to Leena. If Leena declined her offer, she would seem most ungracious. "I see that I can hide nothing from you. I know that Major General Gu is your husband, but only became aware of this fact after I signed with the FX International Group. Someone mentioned it, and then I understood why you had been so hostile to me. Please don''t misunderstand, there''s nothing between Major General Gu and I. I visited him that day to express my gratitude, and that was all. I never expected that the paparazzi would snap a shot of us together, and cook up a story which could provoke so much discussion." Dorothy exined with fake innocence. She would never confess that she was behind all of this, or that it had been she who had leaked their whereabouts to the press. Hungry for stories, they had helped her start the rumor. Gossip had been her goal after all. "I''m afraid that you have misunderstood me. I have never believed the press lies, nor did I ever hold hostility towards you. It''s just that ... I''m introverted and not very good at socializing. If I happened to offend you steady. Kevin''s discovery that she had been taking medicine, left her a bit flustered. She tried not to stare at the medicine bag in Kevin''s hand, her face turning pale. Feigningposure, she turned to look at him. "Yeah. I finished work early today, so I came home early. Now, what is this?" Kevin insisted, as he examined the bag carefully. He couldn''t figure out what was inside, and his brows knitted together as he puzzled over the thing. "Well... it''s nothing. Tom said that my physique is poorly, and he suggested that I take some medicine to improve my general health," Leena answered with a bright smile. Luckily, she had not been in very good physique recently, and Kevin knew that. Hopefully Kevin would find that reason enough for her to take medicine. "When did he suggest this? Why didn''t you, or he tell me about it?" Kevin demanded, still frowning. From his point of view, Leena''s condition was quite a big deal. Tom should have discussed it with him beforehand. He was Leena''s husband after all. Leena giggled lightly upon hearing his words. "Take it easy, dear. Honestly, I''ve only taken it for a few days now. I just didn''t have a chance to tell you about it. You''ve been so busy recently." Leena shrugged off his concerns. She would not admit that she had in fact, taken this medicine for nearly a month! The medicine made her horribly sick every time, but she forced herself to drink it, for Kevin''s sake. Chapter 1415 Confronting Dorothy (Part Two) "Is it really just for improving your health?" Kevin asked disbelievingly. He dubiously gave the medicine back to Leena, still considering whether he should trust her or not. In the past she had always been afraid of taking Chinese medicine, and this change concerned him. Howe she was willing to take it now? Kevin remembered that Tom had once told him how Leena disliked taking bitter Chinese medicine so much, that she would run away from it. So, it was just odd that she was now taking it in secret. "Of course, what else do you think it is for? I have nothing to hide from you." Sheughed, trying not to sound nervous. "Now, you should go wash up. Dinner will be ready soon." She changed the topic. As a matter of fact, the medicine was indeed a kind of tonic, therefore Leena''s words were somewhat true. What she didn''t tell Kevin though, was the medicine''s intended use and desired result. "I''ll fix the dinner," Kevin offered, "go, take your medicine first," Kevin said, removing his coat. Tossing the garment over the back of a dining-room chair, he returned to the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves. "I can cook after taking the medicine. You really should take a break, " Leena quickly said. She knew how tired he could be from his work, so she hadn''t the heart to let him cook. "Don''t worry. I''m not very tired today, it was quiet at work, and I didn''t have much to do." Kevin said cheerfully, and bowed to kiss Leena gently on the forehead. He then started cooking, beaming with satisfaction. Seeing Kevin working happily in the kitchen, Leena no longer insisted on fulfilling her womanly tasks. Watching his broad back, Leena felt a gush of happiness sweep through her. He was such a thoughtful husband, and cared so much about her. She sincerely believed that she might be the happiest woman in the world. Most women would feel the same way if they were Leena. After all, who didn''t want to be loved and adored? After gazing affectionately at Kevin for a while, Leena sighed wistfully and turned to drink the medicine. Like always, it tasted terrible. So, when the liquid went down her throat, she couldn''t help but gag, her face turning pale. "Are you okay, babe?" Kevin asked, concerned by the sound. He set the spat down at once, and came to Le everyone who approaches you has an axe to grind." Dorothy replied with a sneer. It was true that she had an agenda for getting close to Leena, but not all of their meetings had been nned; at least, the one in the Capital City was merely a coincidence. "Believe me, I wish I was imagining things. But Miss Lu, could you guarantee that you want nothing from me?" Leena asked. She wasn''t irritated by Dorothy''s words, for she trusted her intuition which told her that, Dorothy was a sophisticated woman, but not as nice a person as she pretended to be. "If you insist." Dorothy sighed. "If I left you with this bad impression, you have my apology." She took a deep breath and continued, "Yes, I try to make friends with you for a reason, but it''s not what you think. All I want is the opportunity to repay Kevin for his kindness, and for that I need your help." Dorothy said demurely. Sorrow was seemingly written on Dorothy''s face, as if Leena''s words had been a real blow for her. "Very good, though I must say, Miss Lu, that this reason does not seem convincing at all. If you want to repay Kevin, you can approach him directly. Surely, you do not need my help. I''m not involved in this in any way." Leena stated coldly. ''I wasn''t born yesterday!'' She thought, not knowing whether tough or cry. She just couldn''t believe that Dorothy woulde up with such ame excuse. It was almost as if she had just recited lines from one of her pulp dramas. Good heavens! Mentally, Leenaughed at the tragedy of it. Chapter 1416 Confronting Dorothy (Part Three) "I did! I went to him some time ago, but he simply refused my offer. He was not even willing to give me his phone number. I''m surprised that you don''t know this, it was all over the news." Dorothy said dejectedly, momentarily looking so sad that someone who didn''t know her maniptive nature might have believed her. "I think he has already then given you his answer, and quite clearly so. You should forget about it, move on. Why do youe to me now? Don''t you see that your efforts have caused us much trouble already?" Leena said grimly. She was not happy with what Dorothy had done, and made no secret of it. She wouldn''t have spoken such harsh words had Dorothy not disturbed their peace and threatened their life together. "I''m so sorry, I never realized that to be the effect, I just wanted to say ''thank you'' to Kevin," Dorothy apologized guiltily. Despite the seemingly earnest apology, she was gnashing her teeth, her nails digging deep into her palms. What she had truly realized now, was that she had underestimated Leena. She had mistaken Leena for a mere pushover, and had believed it would be a piece of cake to use her. But now Leena had proven herself to be a clever woman, and Dorothy knew from her tough stance on the issue that she would fight if her limit was challenged. "Never mind. d that we can talk it out. If you really are grateful to my husband, please leave us in peace. That would be the best reward. We all know that you are a public figure, who can easily catch the media''s attention and make the headlines. Remember, we don''t want to be any part of your story. Can you understand my meaning, Miss Lu?" Without batting an eye, Leena voiced her worries firmly. She knew that it was a bit mean to speak to Dorothy in this way, but she had to. She wanted nothing to do with this woman anymore, as she knew instinctively that this woman wanted more than simply returning Kevin''s favor. Leena hadn''t figured out her true purpose so far, but subconsciously she felt it wise to keep her at a distance. "Of course, I understand your concerns." Dorothy responded, biting her lip. Her n fell through, and she didn''t know how she was going to exin everything to that woman. "That''s all I want to say, and I no longer see the ne ldn''te here otherwise, you know." Unthinking, Leena''s answer gave her away. "What? I knew it! I knew you were not so kind as to simply visit us! Here you are, all reluctantly because your husband isn''t at home." Belinda teased. "You heard her, my baby, she isn''t here to see you. That was merely sweet talk. The truth is, all of us are nothingpared to your uncle Kevin!" ''An?eye?for?an?eye, and a?tooth?for?a tooth, '' Belinda thought, making fun of Leena by talking to her unborn child. Her words made Leena giggle, the game continuing. "Is it good mothering to teach your baby to bear grudges at such a young age? I wonder if Duke knows about your parenting skills." Leena could not helpughing. What was more, she suddenly realized that there might be others who held the same idea as Belinda, believing that Leena had forgotten about her family after marrying Kevin. Or else Belinda wouldn''t have said that she didn''t care about them all. "Are you talking about me?" Duke''s deep voice interrupted from behind. They looked up at his appearance on the stairs. He descended slowly before they answered his question, his cold eyes studying the two women he loved. Of course, his attention was quickly caught up by Belinda''s pregnant belly. He frowned, remembering again what Tom had said about the decreased absorption rate of the baby, which was the reason why Belinda''s belly was rtively small. This problem had been troubling him constantly, and he was quite worried about Belinda''s health. Chapter 1417 Create A Business Empire For You (Part One) "There you are! I didn''t think you''d be home yet." Leena happily walked up to Duke and cuddled up to him. Though they were brother and sister, she was always loved, so cuddles and hugs weremon between them. "What are you doing here?" Duke asked, pretending to be indifferent to her. In fact, in his mind, he really wanted her to visit more, but he wasn''t about to let her know that. "I miss you, silly! Not buying it? Alright, the truth then. I came for dinner." Leena looked up, smiled sweetly, and didn''t mind how Duke felt when he heard that. Belinda smiled, too, and thought, ''Does this guy still think he''s the only one in Leena''s heart? Ha-ha! He has a strongpetitor now. And that is Kevin.'' "Where''s Kevin?" Duke asked. He could never bring himself to like the guy, but he still cared about him. "Kevin? Why do you care? You always give him a hard time. He''s not here. He doesn''t want things to be awkward," Leena said mischievously. She blinked, and thought, ''How can this big man be meaner than a woman? I''ve been married to Kevin for awhile now, and he''s still mad. That''s nuts.'' "Ha ha! He should know it''s all in fun. Now wash up for dinner!" Duke frowned and seemed a little unhappy. "Did you hear that, youngdy? My husband asked you to wash your hands. So get your paws off him! He''s mine!" Belinda said in a yful tone and raised her eyebrows. Sometimes Belinda envied the way they got along with each other, wishing she had a big brother like Duke to take care of her. ''She''s lucky to have so many brothers like Duke. Why can''t I get pampered too? Lame!'' Belinda thought. "Belinda, stop looking at me like that. It''s scary." Leena shrank into Duke''s arms, pretending to be frightened by Belinda. "That''s right. I''m giving you the jealous wife re. So hands off!" Belinda said jokingly. She had always been blunt, with no filter. "Hear that? She''s threatening me." Leena turned to Duke and pouted in an exaggerated way. "Yeah? So? She''s pregnant now. She''s allowed to be a little nutso. Just go wash your hands, okay?" Duke gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, and then shook his head resignedly. Now he finally knew what it was like wouldn''t talk to Leena otherwise. "I will. But why Dorothy? You think she''s up to no good?" Luke''s face was a mask of confusion. ''Isn''t this the woman who signed with FX International Group?'' Luke wondered, ''Why spy on her? Did I miss something?'' "Don''t you think the news before was too dramatic? Someone did that on purpose." No matter why Dorothy came to Kevin, Edward would never allow anyone to hurt Leena. "You mean the report about Dorothy and the Major General? I remember they said they were being followed by paparazzi." Luke looked at Edward doubtfully and thought, ''That was some time ago. Why is he so agitated now?'' "She showed up at the army base, no disguise. She wasn''t hiding from anyone. I think she did this on purpose." Edward tapped on the table in a rhythmic pattern, thinking, ''If she went to Kevin to pay him back for a favor, it makes sense. But why would she want to meet Leena?'' "Then should we warn the Major General and Leena?" Luke asked. He believed Edward was right about this, as usual. "No. Just send someone to keep tabs on Dorothy. And, if necessary, you can ask my dad for bodyguards to protect Leena. Go home and rx. Your wife will be happy to see you." Edward smiled yfully, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "Don''t make fun of me, Mr. Mu. You know me too well." Luke''s mouth twitched a little. He knew why Edward said this, but he had little interest in married life. He liked being a bachelor. Chapter 1418 Create A Business Empire For You (Part Two) "Yeah I do, but time changes. You''ll understandter," Edward said. He was talking from experience. He used to think that way too. When he met Daisy, everything changed. "Nope. I just got married to make Dad and Mom happy." Lukeughed at himself and thought, ''I know that sounds bad, but it''s what she wants. There''s nothing wrong with making her happy.'' "Luke, don''t say that. Anyway, she''s a girl, and girls need attention. Whether you love her or not, you should be the best husband you can be. If it doesn''t look like you''re trying, other people will talk about you behind your back," said Edward with a frown. Frankly speaking, he did not approve of what Luke had done to Michelle. "I see. If there''s nothing else, I can take off." In fact, Luke really hadn''t listened to Edward at all. "OK! Be nice to your wife. Remember that." A gentle sigh escaped Edward''s mouth. He promised not to stick his nose in Luke''s business anymore, but he still felt he needed to remind Luke to be nice to Michelle for returning her favor. Coming out of the study, Luke walked so fast he didn''t notice Justin. If Luke hadn''t stopped in time, he might have knocked Justin down. "Oh! Uncle Luke, in a hurry much? You almost broke my cute nose." As Justinined to Luke, he gently rubbed his nose, as if he wanted to make a point. "You all right? Let me see. It''s just a little red. No need to worry about your cute little nose." Luke seldom spoke; much less told stupid jokes. Thus, what he just said sounded awkward. "If it was broken, then what would you do? Huh! Where are you going in such a rush anyway? In a hurry to see Aunt Michelle?" Justin said jokingly with a sly look in his eye, gazing at Luke expectantly. "I''d shut up right now, young man. Isn''t it past your bedtime?" Luke gave him a serious look, which made him look even more aloof. "Gosh! I''m a genius. Try and keep up." Justin shook his head and pushed the study door open. Luke''s mouth twitched a little. ''The boy is as narcissistic as his father, '' he thought. "Daddy, are you still busy?" Justin walked over to Edward at a brisk pace. "Right now? Yeah. What''s up?" Edward asked without looking up, eyes still resting on th or a bit, Michelle, body glistening with perspiration, ordered a ss of wine and downed it at once. Her sexy dancing and brazen attitude had everyone at the bar counter interested. "Hey! Girl, can I buy you a drink?" A man came up to her and spoke to her in a yful tone. This man must have a lot of confidence in himself. "Thanks, but I don''t need it." Michelle didn''t even look at the man and went on pouring more wine into her ss from the carafe. She felt so suffocated by Luke that she just wanted to get drunk and throw off her shackles. She felt so sorry for herself, and felt so ridiculous that she fell in love with a man who didn''t love her. "Then let''s have a drink together. I''m alone anyway." The man took the initiative to sit beside her, ogling her breasts with lust in his eyes. Seeing the beads of sweat rolling down her chest, he couldn''t help licking his lips. Michelle ignored him. She didn''t own the bar, so she couldn''t stop him. She just kept drinking, without saying a word. "You can hold your liquor. I like that in a woman. Wanna to race me to see who gets drunk first?" Seeing that Michelle was ignoring him, the man continued to jabber. "Really? You think I don''t know what you''re gonna do to me when I''m drunk? You are unbelievable! That won''t work on anyone. Quit bothering me and piss off! Now!" Michelle stared at him coldly, thinking, ''Don''t you know who I am? Are you tired of being alive? How dare you hit on me like that?'' Chapter 1419 Prostitute (Part One) "Men hook up with girls in bars with only one purpose and that is to have sex with them. What other reasons do you think there could be? Huh? You are looking for your customer here today, am I right? Don''t think that you can fool me, pretending that you''re a clean girl." The man looked at Michelle disdainfully and aggressively. He became very angry after being made fun of by Michelle. "What did you just say? Say it again if you have the guts!" Michelle suddenly grabbed him by his cor. What made him think that she was looking for her customer? Was this son of a bitch blind as a bat? "Yes of course! I will say it once again. And listen well so that I don''t have to repeat it over and over again. You. Are. Only. A. PROSTITUTE! Don''t pretend to be a good woman. Is that clear enough for you?" The man continued to challenge her. He was indeed very bold. It was extremely humiliating for a man to be seized by a woman in public. How could he be a coward while being watched by so many people? "Okay, you will be surely dead! Consider yourself already dead!" Michelle gave him a punch in the gut without hesitation. The man curled down in pain but was able to straighten up and swing back. Fortunately, she was able to avoid it. In an instant, the situation went out of control. Before she realized what had happened, she was already at the police station. Much worse, she had to face Luke, who bristled with rage. Even a good-tempered man would feel infuriated if he was called to the police station in the middle of herself. But at the sight of his intimidating eyes, Michelle swallowed back her words and didn''t dare to make another sound. "This will be a private settlement, whether you like it or not. Spit it out! How much money do you want?" Luke didn''t want toplicate the matter. He did not want to have this resolved any other way. This problem must go away quietly because he didn''t want the FX International Company to be dragged into the mud. "Why should we give him money? I did nothing wrong! He was the one who harassed me!" Michelle said as she looked at Luke angrily. Terrified as Michelle was by Luke''s furious look, she knew that she was on the right side of thew and didn''t want to be wronged. "Look! This is not a thing that could be solved with money. You heard what she said and you know what an unscrupulous woman she is!" The man shouted, as if only he could be counted on as a good citizen who observed the rules ofw. He was aggressive and arrogant earlier, but now reduced to a filthy lump. . Chapter 1420 Prostitute (Part Two) "Is 10, 000 enough for you? Or you can consult the police and let them make the calction for you," Luke said while taking out his wallet. If it was not for his identity, he would not give the man even a penny. "10, 000? Do you think I am a beggar? No matter what, you need to pay at least 20, 000." The man was getting too greedy. In fact, it was beyond his expectation for Luke to offer 10, 000. But seeing that he didn''t have any hesitations about taking out so much money, the man decided to take advantage of him and demanded more. "What? 20, 000? 10, 000 is a lot already. If you want that much money, you''d better go and rob the bank! You are shameless and pathetic!" Michelle was vexed. ''God forbid that I ever run into this hillbilly again, otherwise I will really break his legs. We''ll see whether he''d dare to demand that much money again!'' Michelle fumed inside. "Okay fine, here is 20, 000." 20, 000 was to Luke what 200 was tomon people, so he didn''t care at all. The man''s jaw almost dropped to the floor when he saw Luke take out the money. He didn''t expect that it would be so easy for him to get 20, 000. He considered whether he should have asked for more. "Why the hell are you giving him the money? He''s ripping you off and you''re giving him what he wanted. Luke, are you brainless?" Michelle stood right up out of anger. She hated it the most when people who had wronged her got to show their smug faces in front of her. Completely ignoring Michelle, Luke turned to the man who seemed to be the chief at the station and said, "Officer, we have reached an agreement. Could I take her home now?" "Oh! Sure. Just sign your name here, then you can go." Truthfully, the chief officer was also taken aback by Luke''s way of dealing with this matter. He didn''t even try to make a bargain, or more precisely t she would stay outside overnight. She could if she liked the freezing cold. Plus, he had pretty much time anyway. "Okay,e on, Michelle. You can do it." Michelle encouraged herself and knocked her fist on her chest, then she walked into the house as if she were a heroining in for a death fight. She was not good at ying the "graceful card", but no one could be better than her in ying the fool. So after she entered the house, sheughed a sillyugh in front of him and hurriedly said, "I''ll go upstairs to take a shower now." Then she quickly disappeared, running up the stairway. Luke was not in a hurry and just let her go. She could take her time. He had already waited for so long so he didn''t mind waiting a little bit longer. But she had to face what woulde to her sooner orter. When she walked out of the bathroom, she saw that Luke hade to the bedroom. It was rare for her to see him there, but Michelle didn''t look surprised. She knew Luke wouldn''t let her get away with this fiasco so easily. During the shower, she had prepared for the worst and told herself to behave her best. She also made up her mind that she would not talk back no matter how harshly he scolded her. Chapter 1421 Prostitute (Part Three) "I am very sorry for what happened today," Michelle apologized, wondering whether this could make him less angry. It was a long shot but she said it anyway. "Do you know what you did wrong?" Although Luke was only Edward''s bodyguard, he also had his own unique and strong presence. Michelle felt frightened and backed a few steps as she saw him casually raise his eyebrows. "I admit that I shouldn''t have gone out to drink sote. But I don''t think that I was wrong to punch that low-life piece of scum," Michelle said defiantly. She soon forgot her initial n to y soft, getting defensive after seeing his overbearing manner. "In that case, why did you call me instead of solving the matter yourself?" Luke said, a little irritated. Although he had tried his best to suppress his anger, he still had the urge to strangle her to death. In fact, he already considered it a miracle that he could hold his temper for this long and didn''t let it explode. "It was the police officer who asked me to send for my parents. I had no choice but to give your number to him," Michelle said in a weak voice. She was his wife, and she didn''t think that it was still appropriate to call his father in this case. If her father came, he might burn the police station down. Her father got quite a temper and did not respect the police force. He actually had quite a few unpleasant encounters with them! It was a miracle or rather it was the loopholes in thews that made him walk freely on the streets. "You sound as if you are the one wronged and I''m the one who deliberately put you into trouble." Luke narrowed his eyes and gazed at her with his raging eyes. His voice was solid but it trembled at certain points of uncontroble fury. "I didn''t mean that. Since you are not happy about it, I will not call you next time." Michelle swallowed hard and didn''t know where to look at under his intense gaze. "Next time? There''s going to be a next time? You mean you will find yourself in trouble back at the police station again?" Luke asked in a piercingly cold tone. If Edward hadn''t talked to him earlier that night, he would not have been so calm. She should feel lucky. "There are so many bad guys out there. I can''t assure you 100% that I won''t run into them in the future. Otherwise I should just stay at home and be locked up here all day long and just be a grumbling and nagging housewife. Is that what you want?" It was true that she loved him, but that didn''t mean that she would bend over backwards and lock herself up in a dungeon for him. In this case, Michelle would not be Michelle anymore. She would be a ghost. "Very good. You have a gift of a gab. It seems that I have stuck my nose into your affairs tonight. My apologies." Luke said sarcastically as he looked deeply into her eyes. He sneered and turned around to leave. "Hey, wait. I am here at your disposal. You can do anything, if you want to beat me up or scold me, I will notin." His indifferent manner was emotional abuse to Michelle, a "Mom, I know." Michelle smiled bitterly. Perhaps even the warmest sunshine would be unable to melt the most frozen piece of ice which was undeniably the one in Luke''s heart. Michelle had thought that as long as she devoted herself into loving him, she would be duly paid back with his love. But she didn''t expect that all her efforts would have no effect on him. She never wanted him to be that enthusiastic about her. She only wanted him to ept her love, to allow her to express her love to him. Love is aplicated thing in this world. It depended on how one perceived it. Now she was caught in a dilemma and wasn''t sure how to continue. She didn''t want to me anyone for this. Her only regret was that she shouldn''t have agreed to this marriage set up so rashly. Leena still had to drink the herbal medicines everyday. The bitter vor almost made Leena throw up every time. Seeing Leena''s miserable expression, Kevin thought that he needed to take some time from his busy schedule to visit the hospital and discuss it with Tom. "Major General Gu, what brought you here?" Tom teased when he saw Kevin drop by his office unexpectedly. "Who knows? Maybe I was carried here by the tailwind. Are you still busy now? I kind of wanted to have a talk with you." Since thest time they talked to each other, they got along quite well. So Kevin didn''t have qualms about exchanging any banter with Tom. "So you came here especially to talk to me?" Tom was a little surprised. He had thought that Kevin came here with Leena to visit Patricia. It was always the case. At least in this hospital, it was strange to see Kevin here without his wife with him. "Yes, pretty much." Kevin nced around the room and then sat on the sofa without waiting to be invited. "What do you want to talk about? It''s about Leena, I''m sure." Tom knew that try as they might to keep the truth from him, Kevin would sense it. It was only a matter of time. And he was right. Kevin hade today, wanting to find out the truth. Chapter 1422 What Is The Truth (Part One) "Obviously, you knew I woulde. Let me guess. What Leena has been taking are not exactly health supplements. Am I right? They''re not really tonics, right?" Kevin cautiously asked in a nervous voice. He wasn''t sure whether he guessed it right. The uncertainty of it made him uneasy and anxious. "No, you''re wrong. She is indeed taking tonics. But if she doesn''t want to tell you why, then I can''t say anything else." Tom had promised Leena that he wouldn''t take the liberty of telling Kevin the truth, and he would never go back on his word. As a doctor, he had sworn to protect the patient''s privacy. "Fine. But could you at least tell me whether it''s life-threatening or not? I mean, what she''s taking them for," Kevin asked with hopeless expectation. He wondered how serious it was before he figured out why she had to take tonics. As her husband, he felt that he had the right to know. "Well, it''s hard to say," was Tom''s ambiguous answer. He understood how frustrating it must be for Kevin, but at this time, Leena was his patient and therefore he couldn''t tell Kevin. He pondered that some women had died during childbirth, so one could say that it was life-threatening. That was why he couldn''t give an absolute answer. "What? Tell me. Is she going to die? You''re a doctor, Tom. Can you save her?" Kevin rose from the couch but did not let go of it, trembling as he started to panic. He was mistaken about Tom, so he lost control of his emotions. "As you can see, I''m doing everything I can to help nurse her to optimal health. So please calm down. You are scaring me right now." Tom patted his chest, as if he was really frightened. "What disease is she suffering from? Why is i ng? Are there any improvements?" There were a lot of patients today, so Tom didn''t have time to visit Patricia until now. For quite some time since she got out of hera, he had been faced with a dilemma. He didn''t dare to tell Patricia his feelings for her because it mightplicate things. If they somehow fell in love now, he had no idea whether she would still ept him after she got her memory back. Most of her memories of him had not been pleasant, to say the least. "Yeah. The doctor said it was good. Have you finished your work for the day?" Patricia was beaming with pleasure at the sight of Tom. "Good to hear that. Yes, I''m pretty much done. Try to get exercise as much as you can, or ask the nurse to massage your weak areas. It''s very helpful for your recovery." Tom didn''t know why he always kept a poker face in front of Patricia. He liked Patricia, but he didn''t know how to get along with her. His IQ was high, but he had an EQ simr to an eighth grader, insecure and uncertain. "What''s happening to you, Tom? You make me feel weird." Patricia sitting in a wheelchair gazed at Tom, her face puzzled. Chapter 1423 What Is The Truth (Part Two) "Nothing. I''d like to have a talk with you." Tom sat down beside Patricia. His love for her was immense, so he decided to take the initiative to start some sort of courtship. "About what?" Patricia didn''t know what game Tom was ying. They already had a long talk about rehabilitation not long ago. What did Tom want to talk about this time? "Well, I want to talk to you about your amnesia." Tom looked Patricia directly in the eye. No one could escape from the facts. "I''m recovering well. Why should we talk about this again?" Patricia was nervous. Was Tom seeing through her now? Was it time for the big revtion? If so, what should she do? "Don''t you want to have yourplete memory restored?" Tom pondered more seriously. Didn''t she want her missing memory back? Maybe she didn''t want to remember anything about him. "If it''s a bad memory, I''d rather not remember it. I do think that I remember everything, despite everyone telling me otherwise." Patricia stared at Tom. If she''d lose him after she remembered the past, she''d rather not go down that route. "So it doesn''t matter if you forget some things about me?" Tom knew that Patricia had a lot to hate about him in the past. She surely wouldn''t want to recall those days with him. "But I know you now, right? Isn''t that all that matters? Why do you think the past is so important?" Patricia bowed her head. She felt apologetic, but she didn''t say anything about it. "Okay, I hear you. Whatever you say." Tom knew it was a lie. He put on a bitter smile. For better or worse, no one wanted to be forgotten. "Come on, Tom. How about a smile? Don''t be so damn serious. I mean, we are already in a hospital." Patricia was as lively and active as ever. Eve ould feel at ease now that she was home. "Ah yeah, sorry I forgot and left it somewhere. Actually, have you seen it? Did you call me?" She stayed in the workroom all day and forgot the time. Close to six o''clock pm, she realized that she hadn''t bought any food and there was nothing to cook for dinner, so she rushed to the supermarket. "How heavy are these. Why did you have to buy so many things?" Kevin grumbled. Leena always bought much food every time she went to the supermarket. "That''s all right. I have gotten used to it. I''m sorry! I was so absorbed in my sample drawings that I forgot the time, so I haven''t cooked anything yet," Leena apologized and followed Kevin into the kitchen. She could only cook some simple dishes tonight. "You''re my wife, not a hired cook. You don''t have to apologize to me for that, you know." Kevin put down the grocery bags in his hands and turned to look at Leena. His face grew solemn because her apology was unnecessary. "Hey! You look too serious, Major General! Of course I know I''m your wife, not your mistress." Leena grinned. She didn''t look very good as she had been sleeping little recently. Chapter 1424 What Is The Truth (Part Three) "I actually want you to be my mistress. Then you wouldn''t need to do anything but wait around for me, doing nothing but keeping yourself pretty," Kevin blurted out. He was so annoyed that he didn''t know what he was talking about. "Hah! I would like to see that! Don''t forget that you''re a major general. If you had a mistress, you''d be turned over to the military court." Leena challenged, finding it funny to see a man like Kevin get irritated. "I''m willing to risk everything for you." Kevin rolled up his sleeves and began to wash vegetables. "Well, it sounds like I''m a seductive but dangerous woman. I have actually heard that before. I just don''t remember who said it!" Leena affectionately ran her hands on Kevin''s back. She knew that Kevin wouldn''t let her cook tonight, so she just helped him. "Well, you might be such a woman. But maybe in ancient times." Kevin was dying to ask her about the tonics, but this wasn''t the best time. No matter how anxious he was, he had to take his time and wait for the right moment. "Ha ha. Then that would make you a kinsman of the emperor." Leena was getting good at jokes now. The Gu family had held high official positions in the army for generations. They had been influential in the capital city as a notable family. "So you''re just a siren." Kevin was no longer angry. He liked this intimate time, cooking with the woman he loved dearly. The two teased each other. Leena preferred such a warm scene to cooking alone. Her heart danced with happiness. After dinner, Kevin led Leena to sit on the couch. This time he had a straight face which made her nervous. "What''s wrong? You''re being too serious now." Leena was curious and wondered what had suddenly happened to her husband tonight. Was there som hen she was a child, she had never felt that she was unfortunate even without her mother''spany, because her brothers regarded her as a treasure and took good care of her. But now she felt so helpless and thought that God was so unfair to her. She had a happy marriage that everyone admired, but why were they deprived of a wonderful baby? If she was selfish, she could just ask Kevin and give him the choice to divorce her for this reason, but she couldn''t do it. She loved him too much, and she was unwilling to impose her misfortune on him. He didn''t do anything wrong. None of this was his fault and he shouldn''t have to suffer because of her. She washed away her tears, filled with deep sorrow. Although she had known about her infertility long ago, she bore it alone silently and didn''t cry. But when her husband started to ask her about it, it was as if the dam that had been holding all her fears and emotions broke and they had alle crashing down on her. She wanted to lean in his arms and listen to hisforting words, but she didn''t have the courage to see his sad eyes when he found out the truth, so she chose to be cowardly and wanted to escape from it. Chapter 1425 Long Time No See (Part One) Kevin stood before the bathroom door and knocked for several times. Leena had been in the bathroom for quite a while. She should havee out by now. Thus, he couldn''t stop worrying that something might have happened to her in there. "I... I forgot to bring my clothes." Leena answered abruptly upon hearing him knock. Her voice was a bit raspy as she had been crying for a long time. "Okay, wait a minute." Feeling amused, Kevin shook his head at her words and turned around. He walked to the closet and took her pajamas out for her. He had thought that she fainted in the bathroom. However, he felt relieved that it was just the clothes that she forgot and that she didn''t know how to tell him. That was just so Leena. She was still a bit embarrassed about things like this. Though they had seen each other naked many times by now, she just couldn''t shoo the awkwardness she felt whenever she thought about it. She was just that shy. "Nana, open the door," said Kevin. He walked back to where Leena was and waited for her to open the door. He knew that Leena was shy whenever he was around, thus, she would neverpletely open the door. And he was right. Soon enough, the door cracked open and a thin arm reached out from it as if waiting for Kevin to put the clothes in her hand. If it weren''t winter, he would surely tease her for a bit. However the air outside the bathroom wasn''t warm enough, and Kevin was worried that she would catch a cold if the door was opened for too long. The door closed again but Kevin didn''t leave. He stood by the door and waited for her toe out. He looked a bit sad tonight. His handsome face was hard and serious. The traces of sadness in his eyes were so potent that one could even huge part of his life. He just couldn''t lose her. He knew that something was bothering Leena but she just wouldn''t tell him. It frustrated the shit out him. That was why he was gentle but also passionate with Leena during their lovemaking as if he was trying to melt away the pain that was buried deep inside Leena''s heart. He tried to tell Leena that he would be with her no matter what through his action. At some point during their lovemaking, he had felt that he seeded. But what now? He still didn''t know what Leena was thinking. Kevin''s lips twitched into a bitter smile. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest whenever he thought about it. As a tough soldier, he didn''t think that there was something that he couldn''t achieve as long as he worked hard enough. However, with Leena, he just felt so useless sometimes. He still couldn''t fully understand her even though they were in love with each other. He was sure that Leena loved him to the moon and back but he just couldn''t understand why Leena was hiding something that made her sad from him. He didn''t know what to do in front of her sometimes, especially when Leena acted like this. Chapter 1426 Long Time No See (Part Two) He really wanted to know what was hurting his precious girl. He wanted to make Leena happy again. He just couldn''t think of anything that could make Leena cry in the bathroom alone. His heart ached when he thought of Leena''s swollen red eyes. He wanted her to forget about the thing that pained her, so he kissed Leena to take her mind off it. And now, he was the one left alone while smoking in the cold night air. He put out the cigarette between his fingers. He was suddenly no longer in the mood for smoking anymore. He turned around and walked back into the room. Standing beside their bed, he stared at Leena''s sleeping face. She was as peaceful as an angel. Then he bent down and gently kissed her cheek. She was so beautiful. He got inside the bed and pulled Leena in his arms. Leena struggled a bit in her sleep but she settled down soon upon finding afortable ce in his arms. She then continued her sleep. A tender smile cracked Kevin''s lips upon seeing Leena''s peaceful face. She was as cute as a small kitten and it melted his heart. He adoringly kissed her forehead and tightened his arms around her. It was time for sleep. Regardless of what was bothering her and how serious it was, he was going to face it with her. He would never leave Leena no matter what. The next morning, as usual, Kevin was not in the bed anymore when Leena woke up. Though she told herself that she was used to it now, she still couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed. She slowly got up. Her body was sour everywhere and the slight tingles on her skin made her think of how she and Kevin passionately made outst night. A blush crep Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ingter? Are you staying at home or going to the hospital to see Patricia?" The Kevin before would never ask questions like these. Since when was he curious about Leena''s daily life? Leena couldn''t understand why he was asking these normal but also weird questions. "I am not sure yet. But aren''t you busy right now?" Leena asked in a curious tone. He was acting really strange today. Thus, she just couldn''t help but wonder if something had happened. "Yeah. I am in the training field right now. All right, go and have some food! I am going back to work as well." As soon as he saw amissar walking towards him, Kevin quickly said goodbye to Leena and hung the phone up. He didn''t want the official to see him calling his wife when he should be watching over the soldiers on the training field. Leena pursed her lips, tilted her head, and thought for a moment. However, she quickly shrugged, threw her phone on the bed, and put it behind her. It seemed that Major General Gu could also be weird sometimes, just like her brother Edward. They were indeed very alike in some ways. Chapter 1427 Long Time No See (Part Three) When she arrived at the hospital, Patricia was sitting beside the window, staring outside. She seemed to be simply spacing out. Leena called her several times but she didn''t even hear her. She was transfixed. "Patricia, what are you looking at? Is there a handsome guy outside? You didn''t even hear me," Leena teased her as she looked outside the window herself to see what had caught Patricia''s attention. "Yeah. How did you know? There was indeed a very handsome guy just now. However, you are unlucky, he just left. Why are you here? I thought you were busy preparing for the fashion week? By the way, I think your job is really tiring. You just finished the summer fashion show and now you have to work on the next fashion week. I feel tired just hearing the work you have to do." Though Patricia just graduated from university, she didn''t seem to be worried about her job at all. After all, she would take over her mother''s gallery one day for sure. That was not a very tiring job and she was happy about it. "What can I do? Working in the fashion industry is tiring. If I don''t have my newest designse out, I will be reced by some younger and talented designer soon. There are hawks watching your every move closely in this cruel industry. It is just what it is." Leena let out a silent sigh. She didn''t choose to be a fashion designer because of the money. She chose it because she really loved it. "Yeah, you are right. It''s a shame that I can''t help you with it. However, I am here for moral support." Patricia looked at Leena with apologetic eyes. As her best friend, she surely knew how tiring Leena''s j hout real malice. However, Patricia didn''t seem to be afraid of her warning. She knew her best friend. Leena was a big softie, so she wouldn''t mind. "All right, all right. I won''t joke about it anymore. By the way, your sister-inw came earlier. She was here for a check-up on the baby and she dropped by." Patricia stopped her teasing in case Leena really got angry. She knew that Leena was shy about topics like that, so she just didn''t have the heart to tease her anymore. She could already see Leena''s face burning. She decided to let it go easily this time. "Oh! What did she say? Is the baby healthy?" Leena was a bit frustrated. Had she known that Belinda would be here, she would havee here earlier to see her. "Don''t worry. The baby is healthy and everything else is also fine. Just wait to be an aunt! Talking about this, when are you going to be a mother? Are you on birth control? With Kevin being so eager, you should have already been pregnant by now." Patricia put her eyes firmly on Leena''s stomach. Was Leena already pregnant and just didn''t tell others? Chapter 1428 Long Time No See (Part Four) "Um. I am still too young to raise a child, don''t you think? There is no hurry." Leena''s face became pale for a second but she quickly hid it and acted as if nothing was wrong. In fact, her heart throbbed painfully when Patricia unintentionally brought up this sensitive topic. She didn''t want her to know. She didn''t want her best friend to feel sorry for her. "Yeah, you are right. You should enjoy your life with Kevin first. You are too young to be a mother after all." Patriciapletely agreed with Leena on this. To be honest, she didn''t think that it was the right time for Leena to have a child either. After all, Leena still needed to be taken care of. Then how could she take care of a baby? She was still young and didn''t need to think about this. "Yeah. That is exactly what I think." Leena forced a smile on her face as she silently let out a sigh of relief. She was d that Patricia easily epted her excuse and didn''t ask more questions. "By the way, I have a question for you, Leena. If you suddenly know that somebody has lied to you, what will you do?" Patricia bit her lower lip and looked at Leena with nervous eyes. "What will I do? Well, I guess it all depends on why this person has decided to lie to me. If it is a white lie, I guess I won''t be so mad. However, I will definitely still feel sad about it. But if this person lies to me because he or she tries to hurt me intentionally, then I will never forgive him or her for it. In my opinion, being lied to is always going to hurt, no matter what the reason is. It''s just my personal opinion after all. Why are you suddenly asking me this?" Leena looked at her with ded toe and visit you. Hello, Leena, I didn''t expect that you''d be here," Summer greeted them friendly with a beaming smile on his face. Though they were all about the same age, Patricia and Leena both thought that Summer was more vibrant than them. Maybe it was because they both went through a lot of things. "Yeah. Long time no see." Leena politely nodded her head at him. Though they were both tricked by Patricia, they didn''t have any bad impressions on each other. They couldn''t be lovers, that was true. However, they didn''t have to be enemies either. "Yeah, long time no see indeed. You are still as beautiful as thest time I saw you. Unlike some girl I know, who is not even like a girl. Tsk! She even got herself injured," said Summer while ncing at Patricia. It was obvious that the girl he referred to was Patricia. "Hey! You can suck up to Leena all you want. But don''t drag me into it!" Patricia was unhappy about Summer''s words. Why did he say that she was not like a girl? She was just strong and tough, okay? She also had her feminine side that Summer didn''t know. Chapter 1429 Even Death Cant Part Us (Part One) "Hey, where are you going?" Summer asked in curiosity. It was freezing outside. He wondered why Leena and Patricia wanted to step out instead of staying inside the warm ward. "We''re going to bask in the sun in the garden. What does it have to do with you?!" Patricia blurted out. She was clearly a bit pissed off with him. "Are you sure you want to bask in the sun on such a cloudy day? You might get wet instead," Summer said ironically. He looked at the sky from the window. It was damp and cold outside and it was probably going to rain. What the hell were these two women up to? "That''s none of your concern! Leena, let''s go. Don''t waste your breath talking to him!" Patricia pulled at Leena''s arm as she rolled her eyes at Summer. "Hey! Why are you getting so pissed off? This is not like you at all!" Summer stooped down to rest his hands on Patricia''s shoulders. He stared at her teasingly. Just then, Tom entered the ce. From his angle, it looked like Summer was kissing Patricia. "What are you doing?!" Tom interrupted them all of a sudden. His icy re could have frozen ake. Patricia couldn''t help but shiver at his tone. "Tom, you are here!" Leena greeted him with a smile. She had nned to visit himter on, but here he was, in front of him. She hadn''t expected him toe. "Hi, Leena. Come to my office in some time," Tom said to Leena, but his eyes were still fixed on Patricia. He was still waiting for her answer to his question. She must exin herself! "Tom, how did you find time toe here today?" Patricia asked him eagerly. She was so excited to see Tom that she didn''t notice he was about to lose control. He misunderstood what he saw. "Why? You''re upset you''ve been caught red-handed, is that it?" Tom taunted her while casting a contemptuous nce at Summer. He Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. t was that back there? Why did your anger hit the roof?" Leena asked him with augh. She didn''t believe what he just imed. "It was just that I was in a bad mood." To cover up his embarrassment, Tom held his fist against his mouth and coughed shortly. "That''s a very poor excuse," Leena grumbled and pursed her lips. She decided to let it go. Tom was not ready to admit to his feelings. "Who''s that man?" Finally, Tom couldn''t help but blurt out. "Which man?" Leena pretended to be clueless, like she didn''t know who he was asking about. "The man who was with you and Patricia. Don''t y around with me, you naughty girl," Tom said as he pinched her cheeks. "I thought you didn''t care about that," Leena teased him. "I don''t care. I am just curious," Tom mumbled, a little embarrassed. The color on his cheeks heightened a bit. "Okay. He is Summer Xia, Patricia''s senior at university. He has excellent manners and was brilliant at academic performance. Also, he''s so handsome. He used to be very popr at university, you know. He even won the de of Mr. University," Leena said before she sighed in admiration. She continued to tease Tom. She wanted to see how he would react. Chapter 1430 Even Death Cant Part Us (Part Two) "Hmm. Excellent manners and academic performance? Mr. University? I don''t think so," Tom said, snorting. Summer was only above average in looks, ording to him. Why he was so popr with women? "Tom, I heard that Patricia used to have a thing for him," Leena whispered conspiratorially. She winked at Tom, goading him. "What? Are you joking? Patricia has such bad taste in men." The moment he heard that Patricia had a thing for Summer, Tom immediately straightened up. Suddenly, he realized that he was acting weird and leaned back against the couch in repose, as if nothing had happened. However, he was troubled inside. Did Patricia still love Summer? "Bah! Just admit that you''re jealous of him. You are such a stubborn man!" Leena said. ''Are all men as stubborn as Tom? He obviously cares about Patricia. He is just too proud to admit it, '' she thought. "I am not jealous! Has that man left yet?" Tom defended himself, even as he wondered about Summer. His reaction amused Leena. Tom used to be coolheaded. When did he be like this? "I asked him to take care of Patricia before I came here. So, no. I think he''s still with her," Leena said honestly. She didn''t think it was a big deal. If Patricia and Summer still had a thing for each other, they would have long be a couple. "What? Why did you leave him with Patricia?!" Tom raised his voice instantly. He realized that he was no longer rational when it came to Patricia. "Haha! What happened? Why couldn''t I leave Patricia with Summer? He is a reliable man! Oh, I see. You don''t feel at ease when they are together, do you? Don''t worry your pretty little head, Tom. They are just good friends," Leena said with a k with him. "All right. But you must put on a coat first." Kevin stood up and went to the bedroom to fetch a coat for her. To him, Leena was more important than work. It was their first time strolling through the park at night. They walked slowly, hand in hand. ''How I wish this moment couldst forever, '' Leena thought. "Are you cold?" Kevin asked as he cinched her coat, fearing that she might catch a cold. "No," Leena said. She raised her head and looked at him, smiling sweetly. She treasured every moment she spent with Kevin. "Did you go to the hospital today?" Kevin asked her. He could tell she was in a different mood tonight and it made him nervous. "Yes, I did. Patricia''s leg ising along fine. I guess she will get discharged from the hospital in a couple of days," Leena told him. She entwined her fingers with his as they wandered through the path lined with trees. It waste and the sun had gone down. Streetmps gave off uneven beams of light on the cobblestones. Maybe it was because of the cold winter, that only a handful of people could be seen outside. Silence hung around the park. Chapter 1431 Even Death Cant Part Us (Part Three) "Really? That is great!" Kevin was d to hear the news, but he was puzzled. ''If this is not the reason why Leena is upset, then what could have happened to bother her so much?'' he wondered. "Yes, it really is. I''m so happy for her," Leena said and smiled. She truly loved this moment ¡ª strolling together through the beautiful park in peace, when no one was around. "Nana, do you have something you want to tell me?" Kevin stopped and looked at Leena in the eye. "No, I don''t. I just want to go for a walk with you after dinner," Leena said, dodging his eyes. She didn''t think it was the right time to tell him the truth ¡ª that she could not get pregnant. "I wish this moment couldst forever. We could walk hand in hand to the end of the world," Kevin said as he started walking again. He had thought she would tell him what she had been hiding this evening, but it seemed she was still not prepared for it. He''d have to be more patient with her. "I feel the same way. What a coincidence." Leena turned to look at Kevin with a smirk. She decided not to look so dejected in front of Kevin, otherwise, he would grow concerned. "Yes, it is a coincidence," Kevin said. He rubbed her hands together to warm them up. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head ¡ª that Leena would leave him. ''What am I thinking?'' Kevin shook his head. "Kevin, I''ve made a prepayment for the utilities and gas. The water and electricity as well as the gas won''t get cut off in a long time," Leena told him casually. She looked calm, but deep down, her heart was breaking into pieces. The pain seemed to spread through her veins. "Why are you saying that?" Kevin stopped in his footsteps once again. He stared at Leena, trying to figure out but he could not force Leena to tell him. Her sweet smile was ripping his soul apart as a sharp dagger would. She wasughing in his arms but crying on the inside. It was painstaking. Leena met Dorothy once again. This time, they met at the promotion party for a TV show. Leena had gone there as Rain''spanion. "Leena Leng, you look stunning tonight," Dorothy told her with a smile. She was wearing a purple dress that entuated her perfect body. "Thank you, Miss Lu. You look good too," Leena answered politely. To most people, she was a sight to behold. She had fair skin and brown hair that emphasized her bright eyes. She was fond of white, so she chose to wear a white dress tonight. She looked like a fairy out of a tale with her light make-up and jacinth lipstick. "Why isn''t Major General Gu with you tonight?" Dorothy asked her when she noticed that Kevin was not around. "Oh, well, he neveres to this kind of parties," Leena exined casually as her eyes followed Rain. She saw him flirting with the actresses. Leena felt sorry for him. She wondered how long it would take for him to finally move on and find love again. Chapter 1432 A Drunken Rain (Part One) "Oh, well, I can understand it. After all, he is a Major General," Dorothy said politely, by way of exnation. Passersby greeted her from time to time; she was after all a popr actress. "Excuse me," Leena said, "but, I must be leaving now." Leena frowned as she noticed Rain, surrounded by a group of women fawning over him. She quickly trotted over. He really was going too far. Dorothy drank some more wine and stared at Leena, licking her red lips. The woman who had used her photos to ckmail her was pressing her again, and Dorothy must do something about it this evening. "Enough, Rain! Stop drinking!" Leena instructed firmly, taking his ss and setting it on the table next to them. "I just had a few sses," Rain exined. ''I shouldn''t have asked Leena to be mypanion to this party, she is being a bore, '' he thought. "It doesn''t matter how much you drank. You are going too far this evening. You are acting like a fuckboy!" Leena gritted her teeth in suppressed anger. Leena hated this kind of behavior, especially in men, so she was quick to stop him. "Oh no, look, our little princess has gotten angry," Rain teased in an animated voice, avoiding Leena''s disapproving eye. "I''m not angry. I just don''t want you to be taken advantage of by a group of shameless women," Leena said with a frown. She just didn''t understand how women could act so shamelessly, and without honor. They pretended to be the purest and most innocent women, but under the magnifying ss they were revealed as willing to sleep with anyone who was rich and powerful. "So what? If I have sex with them, I''m not the one on the loose," Rain said, arching one eyebrow. Rain found that Leena had changed a lot since she got married. In the past she would not have involved herself in his affairs. "Come on! You were acting like a man-whore, with those women touching you all over. And to act so in public! I hate seeing you like this, so I interceded. But, if that''s how you want to act and be seen, then go ahead, I''m tired of caring." Leena was really pissed off with Rain now as he was making a mockery of himself. "Ha! Why should I deny myself some pleasure? No one truly loves me, so if so many women are interested in spending time with me, why should I turn them down?" Rain said bitterly. Sorrow had crept into his voice, breaking Leena''s heart. been blue recently, and wanted to vent her sorrow by yelling at the KTV. She thought that it might help Rain too. "Just the two of us? That''s hardly funny." He was not in the mood for antics. Actually, he had not been in the mood to do anything since Annie left. He felt like a zombie, a walking dead in his own life. "You think that I can''t be fun?" Leena cast a challenging nce at him. "Look at what you are wearing! You are in a formal dress. Have you seen anyone go to a KTV in a formal dress?" Rain nced pointedly at Leena''s dress and added, "You''re being silly." "Oh, no, well I guess not. I didn''t consider that," she admitted, deted by his attitude. "So, where do you want to go then?" she added and shivered in the freezing cold outside. Leena wanted to go home now, but she was worried about Rain, and didn''t want to leave him alone. "Let me drive you home. We can''t go anywhere with you dressed like that, in any case." He had noticed her difort, and draped his coat over her shoulders. "Okay, let''s hang out next time, then," she suggested, grateful for the warmth of his coat. "You''ll owe me one." Rain agreed, walking her towards his car. Arriving at Grand Apartment, they saw Kevin, who had just returned from out of the city. Kevin, however, didn''t see them, and walked briskly towards the elevator. "Kevin, wait!" Leena called out to him. She recognized her husband, even though his broad back was towards them. She was thrilled to see him. On hearing her familiar voice, Kevin turned, and was stunned to see Leena and Rain. Chapter 1433 A Drunken Rain (Part Two) "Nana, Rain, were you out together?" Kevin asked. "It''s none of your concern!" Rain blurted out. He still held hostility towards Kevin. "Rain!" Leena rebuked him, furrowing her brow. She pinched him hard on the side. She was angered by Rain''s attitude. "Hey, would you stop pinching me? What an ungrateful woman you are! I''ve been so nice to you, but instead, you hurt me for another," Rain said bitterly, rubbing at his bruised skin. He felt heart broken; the reason why he had always held hostility towards Kevin was that Kevin was now more important in her eyes. Amused by Leena''s move, Kevin tried his best to hold back hisughter. He felt great having such a sweet and loyal wife. "Rain!" Leena coughed dryly, embarrassed by Rain''s statement. She hadn''t expected Rain to say it out loud, and Kevin must now think her a rude woman. "Stop coughing, okay? Kevin already saw your true colors now," Rain said, walking to the elevator, and leaving them behind. "Rain, where are you going?" Leena called in confusion. She couldn''t understand why he was going to the elevator, and not back home. "Aren''t you going to invite me in? How rude? I''m so disappointed in you!" Rain said coldly, looking Leena in the eye. "Uh...sorry. I thought that you would be going back home now." Leena apologized, rubbing at her nose in embarrassment, concerned that she had gone too far and offended Rain. "Let''s go in," Kevin said, indifferent to the sudden tension. Leena had been in low spirits recently, and he thought it was not a bad idea to have Rain forpany to cheer her up. Rain didn''t want to go back home now. There would be no one waiting for him, and he would be alone and bored there. So, he decided to stay at Leena and Kevin''s house instead. They entered the house. Rain walked towards the couch, and leaned casually against it, while Leena went upstairs to change her clothes. "What would you like to drink, coffee or tea?" Kevin offered from the kitchen. "Is there a third option?" Rain asked spitefully, intending to make things difficult for Kevin. "Yes, there is. So, you want water?" Kevin replied seriously, as if he didn''t realize Rain''s intention. "Ha ha! Kevin, can you stop being so serious? Never mind, give me coffee, please." Rain was upset that Kevin had avoided his n, and he was unable to be difficult any further. "S beloved sworn sister, and he shouldn''t do that. "No, I want Leena to cook for me," Rain insisted. His eyes had gone a little red, like he was about to cry. "Fine, I''ll cook. But, I have to warn you first, I''m not a good cook." Entering the kitchen, Leena winked at Kevin, silently asking him not to argue with Rain. "Hey, Kevin. Do you have any wine? Let''s drink together," Rain said, rubbing his nose to cover his emotions. Rain didn''t know why he missed a sense of home, when seeing Leena and Kevin together. He anguished and almost lost control. "Yes, we have," Kevin said, but made no move to fetch any. Rain had drunk enough. Leena had told him about the story of Rain and Annie, but he hadn''t met the mystery woman. "Kevin, you know what? You are so lucky to have married Leena. But, you had better promise to never hurt her, otherwise I''ll not spare you," Rain stammered, the liquor he had consumed catching up to him now. "I know. I''ll always thank god that I met her." Kevin smiled, unavoidably happy. Seeing Kevin''s joy made Rain feel even more dejected. "What a lucky dog you are! She is our little princess, but you stole her away!" Rain said darkly. Rain took a sip of his coffee. It was bitter, but he liked it, for his heart was filled with bitterness. He had met the detective this afternoon; he had said that they had tried their best to look for Annie, but had failed, finding no sign of her. They guessed that Annie might have left the world. Rain had had a tantrum upon hearing the news, and had almost thrown the detective out of the window. Chapter 1434 Got Drunk (Part One) "Sorry for this," Kevin smiled and said apologetically. Even though they had held grudges against him because of his sudden marriage with Leena, he would notin. Because in this regard, he actually owed them. He admitted that he did not really take their feelings into consideration when he married her. "Just forget it. The rice is already cooked. What is done cannot be undone. What else could we do now?" Rain smiled helplessly. The talk concerning marriage made Rain be very emotional as he suddenly thought of Annie. Although they had already slept with each other, Annie still left him without so much as a note or goodbye. "Have there been any problems in your work recently?" Kevin asked casually. This was a mission from Leena. Rain hadn''te around yet from his emotional issues, so Leena asked Kevin to straighten him out. But in Kevin''s eyes, he himself was the one who needed to be straightened out. He also had a lot on his mind recently. "Work will never be the reason that bothers me. Work problems are not real problems for me. Moreover, even if the sky falls, Edward is the one to bear the brunt." This was the first time that Rain had been willing to spend time with Kevin as friends. Probably because he was down and depressed today, and he really needed to let off some steam. Unlike on other days, he had be less overbearing. "Then it is love that you are troubled by." Kevin frowned, feeling that Leena had given him a very daunting task. "What do you think?" Rain pursed his lips andy back on the sofazily. He was always like this, idle and carefree. "It''s beyond me," Kevin acknowledged. He was not a person who was good at reading people''s minds. "Then don''t try to pry into my personal affairs." Rain was a man who liked to showcase his individuality, that he was different from most people, but he turned out to be very reserved when it came to matters of the heart. "I''m sorry if I crossed the line," Kevin sa . Otherwise, it''ll be a social media viral party with you in the spotlight, understand? I will go upstairs to handle my emails." Leena thought that it was better for her to keep them out of her sight. If they wanted to get drunk, then just let them be! At least they were not out in a bar or somewhere else, doing something they might regret. Probably they would feel better this way. She knew they would not cause anymotion here even if they got too drunk. "Okay! Go then!" Kevin agreed. He didn''t want her to stay here and nag him all night. "Come on, cheers!" Rain was eager to gulp the whole ss of wine down. He really wanted to get drunk. "Hey,e on, take it slow!" Kevin reached out his hand and tried to stop him. If he continued to drink like this, he''d be drunk and unable to control himself way before midnight. "Huh! You are probably worried that I would drink up the good wine you have collected here at your home, right? Well don''t worry about that. I will give you a truckload of your favorite wines tomorrow." Rain said impulsively. He had started to get a little tipsy now. "It''s not the matter of the wine. Leena would be worried." Although Kevin also drank much wine, he was still very much clear headed. He could hold his wine well and few people could beat him in this aspect. Chapter 1435 Got Drunk (Part Two) "It surprises me and makes me very happy that you care very much for our little princess. I hope that you can always be this good to her. Even if you know that she may never be pregnant, you should always love her and treasure her. Because she is the most precious person in our hearts, and no one else could rece her." Rain probably had already gotten drunk, otherwise he wouldn''t be so negligent and spill the beans to Kevin. His tongue got too loose too soon. "Huh? Wait...What did you say? Who may never be pregnant?" The alcohol had started to kick in and Kevin was a little dazed. He was already zoning out at the moment, that was why he didn''t hear it clearly. "What pregnant? I never said pregnant. I said that Leena was very precious to us. Come on, let''s drink some more." Rain momentarily became sober as he identally blurted out Leena''s secret. Fortunately, Kevin didn''t clearly understand because of the alcohol and Rain was quick enough to rebound and cover it up. But in his own honest opinion, he believed that Kevin should be informed of such an important thing. But Leena insisted that they help her hide it from her husband. She just wasn''t ready to ruin Kevin''s happiness and bliss with such bad news, choosing to keep the pains and sorrows to herself. "No, that''s not right. I know you said ''precious'', But I know that I heard you say something like pregnant as well." Kevin frowned and tried to remember what Rain said exactly but he couldn''t. Was he really drunk? The alcohol might have nked his memory and that was why he might have misheard Rain. "Aww, Come on! Let''s just keep drinking. Any way, thank you for taking care of our precious Leena," Rain hurriedly tried to steer the conversation away from a potential disaster. He couldn''t let Kevin sense that something was amiss. The drinking session ended with both men so drunk that they almost couldn''t get up from the couch. Leena couldn''t let Rain go home like this, so she made him stay in the guest room for the night. "Annie..." Rain mumbled. One could feel how much he loved her in the endearing enly ordered her. "Oh! Out here in the hallway?" Leena was stunned. She nced at the stairs and looked hesitantly. Although Rain was drunk, she still worried that he might suddenly appear. "What else do you think?" Kevin suddenly became sulky and stubborn just like a child. No one knew what was on his mind now. He was just making a fuss. "Let''s go to our room first, okay?" Leena frowned and refused subconsciously. He never behaved aggressively like this before. Leena wondered what happened to him tonight. "No, I just want to do it here, right here," Kevin insisted, unwilling topromise. He looked intensely at her with his blurry eyes and rested his gaze firmly on her luscious lips. "Haha! Kevin, what happened to you tonight? You are acting like a kid!" Leenaughed. The Kevin before her now was not the one she knew. He was confronting her with raised eyebrows, together with a tinge of charm and childishness. This was not like him at all. ¡¤ "Don''t try to distract me. I will not fall into your trap of maniption." Kevin firmed his grasp and pulled her closer to him. He looked deep into her eyes, his face bing red and hot and his eyes shing with passion and fire. Leena exhaled deeply and took a look at the downstairs again. Then she tiptoed and timidly nted a quick kiss on his thin lips, the way a dragonfly would skim the surface of the water. Chapter 1436 Got Drunk (Part Three) "There, are you satisfied now?" Leena bit her lips and lowered her head, looking at her toes. She felt a bit embarrassed at the unfamiliar thing she just did. Kevin was making her do little shameless things bit by bit. What was going to be next? "Just so so," Kevin replied. He stopped messing around because he felt a little more dizzy now. The alcohol was really starting to have its full effect. "Okay, okay, let''s go into the room now." Relieved, Leena helped him into the room. They could finally rest. With that much alcohol, she saw how her husband could turn into a giant baby. "Nana, you are good at taking advantage of loopholes." Lying on the bed, Kevin gazed at herzily. "Me? You are so wrong! Stay there, I will go to prepare the bath water for you." Leena hurriedly ran into the bathroom, happy that she managed to muddle through this situation but she wouldn''t admit it. Wasn''t he the one who said it? She only needed to kiss him. He didn''t require how long she should do the kiss. Therefore it was up to her to decide how long it was going to be. Kevin smiled with self-mockery. It was true that he was a little drunk, but he was still conscious. He then remembered and dwelled on the thing that slipped out of Rain''s mouth earlier when they were drinking. He felt that he hadn''t misheard anything. The feeling in his gut that they were deliberately hiding something from him was getting stronger. The next day when Leena woke up and opened her eyes, she found herself in the arms of Kevin, who was still in a deep sound sleep. She felt so warm as Kevin wrapped her by the waist with his muscr arms. And she found that he would subconsciously tighten his grip at her slightest movement, as if he was afraid that she would go away at any time. She carefully and quietly slid out of his embrace and got out of bed. There were now two men in the house who would need breakfast soon. Coming downstairs, Leena found that Rain was still asleep. He drank too muchst night. He was so drunk that he didn''t even have any reaction when she walked into his room and tucked him in. Thinking that they would feel like crap after they got up because of the hangover, she went into the kitchen and cooked some millet porridge. She added some c es especially for you. Have a try! I know they''re your favorite," Leena hurriedly interrupted the two and came to the rescue. She could no longer sit and watch, as the situation might spin out of control. "Specially made for me? Look at that! Just for me, right? Surely I will have a try." Rain looked at Kevin with a smug face, as if saying, ''Look, these dishes are specially made for me by Leena. You can only watch me eat, huh!'' "Is it good?" Leena kicked Kevin under the table, ordering him to shut up. She was happy to see that Rain and Kevin had just started getting along, and she couldn''t let the newly built and still fragile rtionship go back to being cold and abrasive. "Yes! It''s very tasty. I''m very proud to have such a sister, who is always the best in everything." Rain beamed. He was happy to see Kevin''s face be sullen. Kevin frowned but he said nothing. He thought, ''Huh! Your sister? She is my wife now! If it were not for Leena who asked me to keep quiet, I would definitely strike back!'' The breakfast ended in an awkward atmosphere. Seeing that they stopped wrangling with each other, Leena felt relieved. She really thought that her life on earth would be shortened if they kept quibbling. Rain soon bid good bye to them and left. He didn''t believe that Annie would really disappear from his life easily and once and for all. So he decided to go to a morepetent detective agency to find her. He would not easily give up until he was left with no other options. Chapter 1437 I Love Her Only (Part One) "Kevin, do you know what''s wrong with him?" Leena asked. Watching Rain''s car pull out into the street made her hug herself worriedly. "Only love can hurt him that much," Kevin replied in a low voice. He remembered what Rain said to himst night, thus, he sighed. "Love can be tiring sometimes," said Leena with a disapproving frown. She then gently leaned against Kevin''s shoulder as if wanting him tofort her. "You''re right, Nana! By the way, It''s cold here. Let''s get inside." Kevin wrapped his arms around Leena as he spoke. He had always cared about her health, thus, he protected her from the cold wind. "Aren''t you going to the army base today?" inquired Leena as she looked up at Kevin. Spending some quality time with him wasn''t something she could easily get due to his career. "I''m free today. Would you like us to go somewhere and do something together?" Kevin lowered his head and kissed his wife''s forehead gently. Leena had been excessively stressed recently. Heaven knew that he would do everything tofort her mind. "I''m too familiar with S City and we don''t have much time to enjoy some out-of-town trips. Just forget it, Kevin. Let''s just stay at home." These days, Leena had spent most of her time at home as she was rushing her designs. She would love to go out and travel. However, she wasn''t ready to do that with Kevin emotionally yet. "How about we go shopping? Don''t girls like that? Just walking around the mall with their boyfriends or husbands?" He was trying his best. Nheless, Kevin felt as though Leena was getting out of his control. He really couldn''t stop himself from getting illusions that she would leave him soon. He was wondering i im. His mind was reeling whether the driver was an enemy. He knew deep down that he might have pissed off some gangsters in the past. This could be an act of revenge against him. "Let''s get out of here," said Leena. Terror quickly ate her up after hearing Kevin''s exnation. Moreover, she could read from Kevin''s serious face that they were indeed in great danger. "It''s toote. I bet the roads outside have been blocked," Kevin frowned when he saw another car driving towards them. He had always been a brave man, however, an unexinable fear still made it to his chest. What if these people got desperate and shot him and Leena? They might not survive this if that happened. "What about now? What should we do?" To be honest, Leena had never been scared of death. However, knowing that Kevin was in danger together with her still frightened her. Kevin''s safety was her biggest concern. "Get on the car right now and call the police," ordered Kevin in a calm tone. His eyes were now focused on the group of men who were getting off the cars. He felt relief washed over him upon seeing no signs of guns anywhere. Chapter 1438 I Love Her Only (Part Two) Leena didn''t hesitate and got on the car as quickly as possible. She had faith in Kevin''s judgment and never would she dare question him right now. On the other hand, Kevin took off his coat and threw it into the passenger seat. He could sense that there would be a fight soon and he didn''t want his coat to get dirty. "Nana, close the window," said Kevin, without looking back at his wife. His expression was so dark that even Leena felt terrified just by how dangerous his eyes were. "Not bad, kid! I have thought you would escape with your wife. However, you didn''t do that. You do want to be a hero, don''t you?" said the man who appeared to be the leader. He had blond hair and he wore a pair of big earrings. He removed his sunsses while walking towards Kevin. "Who are you?" asked Kevin curiously. He wasn''t wearing his uniform today. Nheless, his sportswear didn''t make him look any less dignified than how he usually was. "No need to introduce ourselves. Regr men shouldn''t make friends with us," said the leader arrogantly. He thought that Kevin was just a nobody. His master only wanted Leena dead. However, Kevin was standing between him and his prey, thus, he had to deal with him. "Don''t be a fool. Do you want to do it on your own or together with them?" Kevin scanned the group of men standing behind the leader. There were seven of them and he immediately knew that he was much better than all of thembined. The men might look terrifying but then they weren''t soldiers. What did they know about actual and life-threateningbats? "Be a smart man. Walk away from here while you stil wice whatever the price is," said Leena scornfully. She got off the car and stood beside Kevin. Her sweet face hadpletely changed from being angelic to looking bloodthirsty. "Good girl! However, we must follow the rules. You are a dead woman regardless of how much you''re offering. It just doesn''t work that way," said the man slowly and calmly. The leader''s aura was dripping with confidence. He wasn''t even worrying about any potential helping here to rescue his prey. Moreover, he didn''t even think that his prey could escape him. He eyed Leena amusedly and felt bad that such a beauty had to die. "You have to ask for my permission if you want her life." It was then that a cold voice suddenly cut between the conversation. It was from Luke. His young master had ordered him to protect Leena as soon as the incident was reported to them. Thus, he came here as quickly as he could to rescue her. "Luke, what are you doing here?" asked Leena in surprise as she scanned the number of men that came with Luke. Calmness returned to her and made her smile sweetly again. Chapter 1439 I Love Her Only (Part Three) "How did youe here?" asked the leader in shock. He had ordered several of his men to guard the gates. Had they been killed by this Luke and his people? "We walked inside without being interrupted. Next time, if you want to do such a job, find yourself better people to work for you. Otherwise, they would be dead even before they know what happens," said Luke in a cold and threatening way. His eyes scanned the killers thoroughly. Had he known that Kevin was with Leena, he would have note here running like hell. He was almost halted by a policeman because of over-speeding. It was lucky that another car distracted the policeman. "Impossible. I should have been warned if you tried to break in," said the man in disbelief. The man saw the people standing behind Luke. He couldn''t believe how his men were dealt with so easily. It didn''t even make a sound! "Your men are pigs. They don''t know how to fight. However, as I can see, you''re not smart either. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have agreed to kill without doing some pre-work," said Luke. Luke''s group closed in on him. Luke controlled S City and he could do whatever he wanted. Besides, the Mayfly would give them enough support. "What do you mean?" the man asked. He really loved learning and would ask whenever he had some doubts in his mind. However, he clearly should be considered stupid for not knowing what Luke meant. "You''re making a fool of yourself. Do you have any idea of whom you''re threatening? Hurt him and you''ll find yourself being hunted down by a whole army. Is that what you want?" Luke seldom teased people. Nevertheless, he was amused by how foolish these people before him were. A huge sigh escaped his chest as he couldn''t help but feel sorry for these men''s miserable fate. "Don''t try to frighten me. I''ve been killing people when you were just a kid. Don''t you dare talk to that Dorothy might be behind this. However, he had no time to think of why she would do such a thing. "Do you think I''ll tell you that?" The man eyed Kevin in awe. He had never wanted to pick a fight with a soldier, moreover, an elite general! He knew that doing so would be as bad as digging up his own grave. "Of course, you can keep quiet. However, I have various ways to make you speak," said Kevin with a wicked smile on his face. Nobody was better than Hawkeye when it came to interrogation. However, he didn''t expect his skill to be of use today. He wouldn''t mind to demonstrate how Hawkeye handled their prisoners. One thing for sure though was that there had never been a prisoner strong enough not to beg for mercy under their brutal trials. "I''m afraid that you won''t have the opportunity! Guys? What''re you waiting for? I want him dead right now," shouted the man in a suddenly desperate tone. He rushed to Kevin as he believed that Kevin was young and weak. He was expecting Kevin to surrender as soon as he got punched and kicked. Kevin was too young to be a major general and he might have used influence for him to climb the armydder. It would beughable if this weak looking guy knew somebat skills or martial arts. Chapter 1440 What Jessica Ended Up With (Part One) Kevin had been in several fights before. He realized his opponent was too strong for him to fight head-to-head. With a strong offense, his target was also too arrogant to let him get away. Fortunately, this worked for Kevin just fine. As a soldier, Kevin often took a more practical approach to subdue enemies, which was hitting right in the vital parts instead of unting his strength. So as the man ran towards him, Kevin didn''t evade and grabbed him by the wrist just as the man was about tond a punch on Kevin. Immediately after, Kevin twisted the man''s arm behind his back, and a loud agonizing pop was followed by the man screaming in pain. The pain briefly disabled the man from fighting back, and then he attempted to give a sweeping leg. Unfortunately for him, Kevin noticed his slow move and jerked away from it. While evading the man''s attack, Kevin struck him in the stomach with his fist. His counter-attack was so smooth that the man didn''t even get the chance to defend himself. When the boss was defeated, his men fled in confusion with their tails between the legs. It seemed like these men were only good at bragging after all. After a while, when themotion finally died down, the police cars raced along with sirens at full st. They were sote to the party that Leena wouldn''t have survived if it weren''t for her husband. After taking all of the fighters to jail, Kevin asked Hawkeye to interrogate them one by one. He really wanted to know the culprit behind all of this. To everyone''s surprise, the person turned out to be none other than Jessica. It didn''t, however, make sense. Jessica was one of Edward''s ex-girlfriends. ''What did she have against Leena?'' thought Kevin. But he was, by no means, much as she could. "Jessica, you volunteered to be a part of this game. You''ve always known that I''m way out of your league. You shouldn''t have fallen in love with me," snorted Edward. Their rtionship was purely a business deal. Jessica was his sex partner, and in return, Edward gave her money and fame. How could she me Edward for dumping her when all he did was give her every fancy thing that she wanted? "But, what is it about Daisy?" asked Jessica, "What''s so special about her?" If only Edward had treated all his girls the same, Jessica wouldn''t have hated him so much. It was because there was an exception, someone who was treated better than the rest - Daisy, who made jealousy get to Jessica''s head. "Right. I ask myself the same question. Like, why Daisy? What''s so special about her? I''ve been looking for all the reasons, but haven''t had much luck finding an answer. All in all, she just ended up bing part of my life. She just... became someone whom I can''t live without," Edward replied, getting lost in his own musings. It was true that he had asked himself the same question plenty of times. The answer just never came to him. Chapter 1441 What Jessica Ended Up With (Part Two) "Then, what about me? I used to be a part of your life too! How could you just dump me like I''m a nobody?" Jessica asked, biting her lips. She didn''t get the satisfaction she imagined she would get after having her revenge. Even worse, she was now beginning to have doubts if it was ever worth her sacrifice. "You are a nobody to me. Jessica, listen, the biggest mistake you''ve made was to mess with Leena. She is too adorable to get in touch with someone like you." To Edward, Jessica was the embodiment of craziness and evil. He felt deeply sorry to see that Leena became her target. "Someone like me? What kind of woman do you think I am? Am I too indecent to you? That''s funny." she snorted sarcastically, "Have you already forgotten all the times that we''ve had sex? You didn''t use toin before. And now, you think I''m dirty just because I slept with tons of men. What about you? How many women have you slept with?" she asked in an using tone. When he didn''t answer quickly enough, she continued, "We are the same, you see." Jessica struggled to get free. Her hands, however, were tied too tightly. Her attempts did nothing else but bruise her. But it was better than doing nothing as he looked at her with those cold, judgemental eyes. "Look at yourself, Jessica. You''re totally a crazy whore now. You wouldn''t have ended up with this if you had given it up in time. Before it ever got out of hand." Edward said lightly. Even though Jessica had gone insane, and he could no longer talk some sense into her, he truly felt bad for her. He still felt a small amount of remorse since they had spent so many years togethe yet! What''s so good about Daisy? I can bring you more happiness than her!" screamed Jessica madly. She thought Daisy was just a better sex partner who was more skilled than her, and that was why Edward was obsessed with her. But judging by his words, she was starting to notice that there was something more. And she wanted to know what it was, wanted to hear ite from his own mouth. "Shut up! Mr. Mu is not as vulgar as you. Mrs. Mu is so extraordinary that you will never amount to anything close to her." Luke said, ncing at her in contempt. He would never have interacted with her, if she had not been his boss'' girlfriend. She had always rubbed him the wrong way. "Shut your hole up, stooge. Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?" Jessica snapped, gritting her teeth. Luke had been holding a grudge against her since she became Edward''s girlfriend. But Luke was shrewd. He always wore a poker face whenever he was around her. Luke didn''t bother to talk back. He put on a pair of gloves, and went over to Jessica to show her what a stooge would normally do. Chapter 1442 What Jessica Ended Up With (Part Three) "What are you going to do?" Jessica felt a sudden rush of panic, as Luke walked towards her. That was typical of Jessica: she only had the nerve to bully someone who was vulnerable. But once they began standing up for themselves, she would cower back almost at once. "Don''t worry," assured Luke mockingly, "You''re too vulgar to be my taste." Suddenly, Luke pped Jessica across the face. He had worn the glove to prevent his hands from touching her. Luke took it off, and flung it on the ground to humiliate Jessica further. Hearing what Luke said, one of his men''s mouth twitched. Edward would have been furious if he was present and heard Luke use Jessica of being vulgar. After all, she was still once Edward''s taste. Kevin took care of the case personally, and made sure Jessica spent the rest of her life in prison. After all, no one wanted such a dangerous person out in the open. Kevin''s priority was to protect his loved ones. It was the first time he made use of his job to deal with personal matters. Jessica was indeed a special case. She deserved everything she got in the end, trying to murder Leena. Even though she failed, it was still attempted murder. The police would never go easy on her even if Kevin didn''t involve himself. The next day, Dorothy called Leena. She wanted to apologize to her. "Mrs. Gu, I''m so sorry for what I did to you," she apologized. Being told that Jessica was caught, Dorothy began to worry about her video being exposed to the public, and so she confessed everything to Edward. Even though she did get involved once in the murder, fortunately, she didn''t hurt anyone. Besides, she was a signed entertainer of FX International Group now. It would do thepany no good if her career was ruined. So Edward went easy on her, warnin ake any medicine recently. "Tom, could you please give me my new prescription? So I could get the medicine I need when I get out of the country," Leena asked, pretending to be casual. She avoided Tom''s eyes in case he would see how much she wanted a child. "I haven''t worked it out yet. But when did you be so mature? Now you''re asking about taking medicine?" Tom frequently worked on finding how to improve Leena''s health during his spare time. But being a busy person, he kept being distracted by other patients and hadn''t been able to finish it yet. "What are you saying? I''m mature all the time!" Leena pouted, ying with his stethoscope. "I''ve always seen you as a little girl. You''re like a little sister to me," Tom teased. He had been told about what Leena had gone through these past few days. It was a relief to see that she wasn''t hurt. Otherwise, there was nothing he could do. "Hmpf! Can''t you just take me seriously for once?" Leena frowned, giving him a stern look. Even though she still looked like a young girl, Leena had be pretty mature deep inside after going through a lot of things. Her young appearance just made it easy to conceal everything. Chapter 1443 Back To Base (Part One) There was a nk look on Leena''s face as she walked out of the hospital building and stood at the entrance. She would have to wait a while to carry out her n. Heaving a sigh of relief, Leena decided to treat this period as a reward for herself. She remembered what Kevin had told her a couple of days ago. After thinking for several minutes, Leena proceeded to her car and drove towards a big mall. Hourster, she emerged bearing various stic bags in both hands, with several sales clerks following her carrying more shopping bags. Afterward, Leena headed to a supermarket for food supplies. Her car was filled with an assortment of stuff when she drove to the army base. It was 1 PM by the time she arrived at the residential area of the army base, which appeared deserted. She thought people might be napping. She brought out the food that needed refrigerating before going upstairs. There were still a lot of things in the car, but it was impossible to carry all of them inside. Leena nned to call Kevin for help. Using the key given by Kevin to enter the house, Leena found it empty. "Isn''t Kevin taking a nap?" she asked herself. Puzzled, she took out the coffee pot and began to make coffee while calling Kevin. Kevin picked up the phone and recognized Leena''s voice. "Hello, Nana!" he greeted her. The man was busy, but stopped what he was doing. He was studying arge military map spread out on his desk when Leena called. There was another military assignment for him again. "Kevin, where are you?" Leena inquired. "In the office?" she guessed. While speaking, she familiarized herself with the kitchen. Thest time, she had a hearty meal in Battalion Commander Xu''s house. Deciding to invite Kevin''s colleagues and their wives to dinner this evening ry came to her mind about an officer who told Daisy about his wife always asking when Kevin''s wife woulde to the army base again. "Yes, she gets along well with them. You know, our army base is far away from the city and traffic is not convenient. So women here seldom have the opportunity to go to the city to shop for clothes. Leena is a fashion designer, and they want her to help them mix and match clothes for them. That''s quite understandable, right?" Kevin exined. He smiled as he remembered the many times soldiers'' spouses would stop and ask him when Leena would being. Unfortunately, his wife had been really busytely. "Oh, I see. I was wondering if we could arrange a shuttle bus to run twice a day between the army base and city, so people without cars can go there ande back easily and without hassle. Presently, we only have a bus operating between the camp and food market, and this isn''t very convenient for them," Daisy suggested. She''d had this idea for a long time, but no one proposed a shuttle bus before. So, Daisy thought they didn''t need one. Now, it seemed she''d been wrong in her assumption, and they indeed needed to go to the city frequently. Chapter 1444 Back To Base (Part Two) "I think it''s a great idea. If there''s a shuttle bus avable, spouses can go shopping as many times as they want. Remember to send me a written proposalter so I can approve it immediately," Kevin said. Like most men, he was not interested in shopping at all, so he had never thought of this before. "Hey, why don''t you write the proposal yourself?" Daisy suggested. She cast him a reproachful nce. Kevin could write the proposal himself so she wouldn''t have to be bothered to do it, Daisy thought. "Because I''m your superior, that''s why you should do it," Kevin answered smartly. Heughed at his statement. He only dared to talk that way in front of Daisy, but never in front of her husband, Edward. Otherwise, the man would figure out a way to punish him on behalf of his beloved wife. "Fine then! I''ll write it. After all, I''m just a subordinate," Daisy murmured. She pretended to act as if Kevin had wronged her, though she knew the man was just teasing her. So, she teased him back. Kevin broke intoughter. "I was only kidding. Are you angry with me?" he asked, his eyes smiling mischievously. If there were soldiers nearby, they would have been startled by Kevin''sugh knowing he always had a poker face. "Yes, I''m angry. You know I''m a woman, and women easily take offense," she retorted. Daisy pretended to be annoyed, but her curled lips gave her away. "Don''t worry," Kevin assured her. "I''ll ask Lee to write the proposal, so you don''t have to worry about it. But it is a good suggestion," he said. Kevin shook his head in resignation. It suddenly dawned on him that women were so fickle, and he was only beginning to realize th p Leena prepare the ingredients. Daisy wondered whether Kevin deliberately brought her here to help Leena with the cooking. "Daisy, you''re a soldier, and it''s your duty to help me." Leena''s eyes twinkled as she gave Daisy a sly smile. "Oh, yeah? Well, Kevin''s a soldier, too. And he''s my superior. So, he''s more obliged to help you," she argued. Their earlier banter about Daisy being Kevin''s inferior came to her mind, and that she was obliged to obey him. "Uhmmm¡­" Kevin thought he needed to escape. "I''m going downstairs to get the rest of the things in the car." He needed an excuse to leave before he got caught up in the banter between the two women. Leena crammed so many things in her car that Kevin was bbergasted. There were ingredients and shopping bags everywhere that the driver''s seat was the only empty space. His face twitched at the mess before him. He would need to make several trips to get all of them upstairs, so Kevin decided to call for reinforcement. He called his guard, Lee, and Daisy''s guard, Mark. Anyway, Daisy was with him, so it was only right for Mark to help her. Chapter 1445 Back To Base (Part Three) "Major General Gu, did Leena buy all these? Was she out of her mind?" Lee asked in disbelief. His reaction wasn''t very different from Kevin''s when he saw the things in the car. Lee arrived with Mark as soon as he received his superior''s call. "Oh, why don''t you ask herter? She''s upstairs," he said coldly, throwing his assistant an annoyed look. ''How dare Lee say Nana was out of her mind! What a disrespectful boy! It must be Mark who''s a bad influence on him!'' Kevin thought as he shed a meaningful look at Mark. Daisy''s guard trembled in fear, unaware of what happened. "Major General Gu, I didn''t say anything!" Mark said in defense. He was a good soldier, but when Kevin looked at him that way, Mark felt his heart race. "You cunning boy! No wonder there''s nothing Senior Colonel Ouyang can do to you!" With that, Kevinughed heartily. An annoyed Daisy shed in his mind. Edward was the person who helped Daisy change from being aloof to a more mellow person, while Mark was the one who made her lose control. Mark had pissed her off many times in the past. "Did I say something wrong?" Lee asked in confusion. He didn''t know what they were talking about. "No, you didn''t. Let''s hurry up and get these things upstairs," Kevin urged. "There are still a lot of things for you to do," he added with a frown. He blew out a breath in frustration. Kevin was resigned to the fact that intelligence wasn''t one of Lee''s strong suits. "Sir, why did Leena buy so many things? What is she going to do? Cook a hearty meal?" It was Mark, the curious, who threw him the many questions. As Daisy''s guard, he knew Leena well and was aware that Daisy and Kevin were always courteous to her. "Not onl t as easy as it looked. Daisy patted her arm infort. "Don''t worry because I know they''ll love the clothes. And these are all famous brands. Knowing how expensive they are, I don''t think they''ll pass up wearing designer clothes." She did frown at the thought. Daisy had lived in the army base for a couple of years and knew the women there well. "Are you sure? Or are you only trying to put my mind at ease? I''ve tried my best to select some popr low-priced clothes. So, I think they can afford these," Leena exined. Looking at Daisy''s expression gave her doubts. She did consider the prices. "Leena, do you think officers here earn a high sry? As far as I know, this dress costs half of an officer''s monthly sry." Daisy had picked up one clothing item and inspected the price tag. She pinched Leena''s pert little nose and thought she was such an adorable girl. It waspletely understandable that Leena''s taste was on the high-end side. After all, the woman was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. A dress worth several thousands of dors would easily fall under Leena''s category of popr low-priced clothes. Chapter 1446 Do You Envy Us (Part One) "Umm... I really don''t know about that." Leena bit her pink lip awkwardly. She had never asked Kevin about his sry, nor did she know how much money he had. As a matter of fact, she didn''t care if Kevin was rich or poor, because she was never short of money. "Silly girl, you must have never asked Kevin about this, right?" A smile cracked Daisy''s lips as she asked. And she realized at that moment that she didn''t know how much Edward was making a month either. ''He probably doesn''t know it himself, '' thought Daisy. Just like Leena, Daisy didn''t care how much money her husband made, because she was an independent woman herself. "I don''t need to know. I''m not a gold digger, you know," said Leena, pressed her lips into a tight line. As a financially independent woman of the new era, Leena focused on improving her own values, rather than her husband''s financial situation. Moreover, she did not want to interfere with his work. After all, when it came to money, rtionships became delicate, even between couples. As a child who grew up in a rich family, Leena had seen too many couples split up because of money. When it was time to go to work, Kevin and Daisy went back to the office, and Mark had been assigned to go somewhere. Only Lee was left behind. "Leena, are you going to fry ribs?" Lee asked, surprised that a richdy like her could cook. He closely watched Leena''s skillful movements. "Yes. I''m going to make Pepper Salt Spareribs, but I haven''t cooked in a long time. I don''t really remember how it''s done. I hope ites out well," Leenaughed nervously and ced the spareribs into the heated oil pan slowly. She was wearing a pair of disposable gloves to protect her skin from any possible oil sshes. "It''s going to be better than my cooking anyway," Lee said modestly, without hiding his shorings. His cooking skills were highly questionable. "By the way, who used to cook for Kevin when he was at the army base?" Leena asked curiously, because she didn''t think he would go to the army base''s cafeteria every single day. "Well, Senior Colonel Ouyang used to cook for us when she and Justin were at the base. She was an exceptional cook. The Major General was mostly busy, but he still asionally cooked for us. I cooked sometimes too. But when we were all busy, we would go to the cafeteria." An embarrassed smile appeared on Lee''s face. He didn''t want to tell Leena that Kevin went to the canteen because he s, risking everything, including their lives, to achieve their ambitions. They were also the umbre of themon people. They served the people of their country and protected their lives and homes. Sometimes, they quarreled with each other like kids, but when they put on their military uniforms, they were united under a single g. "Daisy, why don''t you go and have a drink with them?" Leena sat next to Daisy and asked her curiously. ''Aren''t those men herrades-in-arms? Why is she avoiding them?'' Leena thought. "I''m a cheap drunk. And moreover, if I join them, they won''t be asfortable as they are now." Although she was always told that there was no difference between men and women in the military, it was obviously not true. Like in this case, the men were allughing and joking around together. They probably cracked some dirty jokes or said something inappropriate. Had Daisy been there, they would have to exercise control and be more restrained as she was a woman and they would have to behave with dignity in front of her. Leena smiled. "You''re right. We should just let them enjoy." She looked at theirughing faces and said, "They all look so brave, as if there is no difficulty that they can''t ovee. It''s so wonderful." Her eyes immediately fell on Kevin''s handsome face. "For now, they might think that; but they will encounter difficulties too and will feel regret and grief. At some point, they might get confused about the meaning of life too. It''s all just a part of being a soldier." Daisy smiled bitterly. She knew that because she had gone through all those difficulties as a soldier herself. Chapter 1447 Do You Envy Us (Part Two) "Maybe," Leena said, lost in thought. In her eyes, Kevin had always been an omnipotent man, and he could solve all kinds of troubles in the world. "Girl, when you get to know more about them, you will understand what I mean. To tell you the truth, when they take off their uniforms, they are as fragile as ordinary people, just like you." Everyone in the room had experienced failures and setbacks, but they were all survivors. They had fought their way through to be winners. Their greatest enemy was not someone on the other side of the battlefield, but themselves. "Senior Colonel Ouyang, may I take a picture with you?" a woman asked nervously as she approached Daisy. Her husband had told her that Daisy was called the ''Devil Drillmaster'' at the army base. So, she was obviously a little scared to approach her. However, when she saw Daisy, she was so attracted by her that she couldn''t help but ask for a picture with her. If Daisy allowed, she could show off her photo to others. "Of course," Daisy could tell that she was nervous, so she readily agreed to her request. "Really? That''s great! Thank you. Leena, could you take a picture of us?" The woman handed her phone to Leena, and sat cheerfully besides Daisy. Leena''s mind drew a nk when she was suddenly handed the phone. She wasn''t listening to the conversation between Daisy and the woman, so she didn''t understand what the woman wanted. But when she saw her sitting next to Daisy and posing, she figured that the woman wanted her to take a picture. Although she had never used that particr brand of cell phone, she turned it on and soon found the camera application. "Are you ready? I''m going to take the picture." Leena looked at them through the screen and thought, ''Daisy is so beautiful,pared to other women. She looks like a queen and the woman next to her looks like a servant girl... Oh my God! How could I think that? I''m such an idiot, '' Leena felt guilty about being mean to the poor woman. "Leena, take some more beautiful pictures for us," the woman made a victory gesture and leaned her head towards Daisy. "Rx. Even if it doesn''t turn out well, you can still retouch the photo." Daisy opened her mouth to say something, but decided not to. She thought that she was beautiful and her pictures didn''t need to be retouched at all. At the woman''s request, Leena took a few more pho ''t help smiling and thought that it was nice of her to admit her mistakes. "Hum. I just can''t hold my liquor. That''s all. I don''t forget myself in my cup!" Daisy red at him, and then raised her foot to kick him. Edward quickly dodged as if he knew that she would make that move. "Are you trying to flirt with each other in the middle of the night?" Leena looked at her sideways and asked jokingly. "What? Do you envy us?" Edward pinched her face gently. If it hadn''t been for Leena, Edward wouldn''t have let Daisy go out with anyone. "Of course not! I don''t envy you," Leena raised her delicate chin and looked at Edward with contempt. "Admit it. I promise not to make fun of you." Edward nced at Kevin, who was standing next to him. Instead of saying anything to him, however, he continued to y jokes on Leena. ''I don''t know why she keeps saying strange things to metely. It''s really worrying, '' thought Edward. "I''m not going to admit anything. You two can stay here. I''m leaving now. It''s so cold out here! Only idiots like you would want to y in this freezing temperature," Leena said, as she hugged her coat tightly. "Are you cold? Get back in the car. We''ll leave now," Edward said as he hastened her to get in the car for fear that she might catch a cold. "Okay, you lead the way. We will follow you," Leena said, as she pushed Kevin into the car. "Kevin, do you have time to drink with me some other day?" Edward asked, out of the blue. It surprised all of them because, with the exception of Duke, Edward was the one who hated Kevin the most. Chapter 1448 Improve Your Culture (Part One) "Okay!" Kevin gave him a t response, without even turning his head. He was a little drunk so his usual awe-inspiring and righteous look wasced with a tinge of devilish hue. Everyone got on their own cars and left. This time Daisy got in Edward''s car. "Why did you suddenly invite Kevin for a drink?" Daisy gazed at him, her eyes full of confusion. "What? Are you worried that I might do something to hurt him?" Edward said with a yful smile. His delicate and handsome face still looked young and fascinating. He was the obvious proof of people who had defied the passing of time. "Huh! I don''t worry about him! I am more worried about you. If you two get into an actual fist fight, you are surely not a match for him." It was not that Daisy had no confidence in Edward. But as someone from the army, she had experienced Kevin''s real strength herself, and it really intimidated her. "My dear wife, you underestimate me. Sometimes, when dealing with a master hand, one does not have to battle against his strength. The key is to outwit him." This was what Edward was like. He never had any scruples about showing his skills in maniption. FX International Group would not be where it was if he did not know how the world worked. "You are indeed an unscrupulous businessman, always thinking of how to set others up every single time." Daisy narrowed her eyes and nced at him, but she felt sweet in heart. This man, one of the most powerful men in the city,pletely belonged to her, although sometimes he pissed her off. The good thing was that he no longer had any affairs with other women. She was d that they had gotten past that horrible period of their lives. She had never dared to imagine that he would be hers for life. Because in her eyes, Edward had always been the noble and god-like man and was beyond her reach. "You don''t know, that nowadays, if you don''t set others up first, then they would be the ones to do And especially Kevin. I really don''t know what to say now. Do you think if you love someone, it is justifiable for you to lock her up, and keep her close to you for the rest of your lives? Don''t you think you should give her enough freedom to find herself and create her own happiness outside of the rtionship?" Daisy had said this to him many times, but he never took it seriously. "Why should I let her go? She is happy with us and we all care about her. She doesn''t need anything else." Edward snapped. He felt annoyed because Daisy always stood up for Kevin. "But she needs more than what you could offer to her. Yes, you''re right, that she is loved and cared by all of you. But have you ever thought that she may need someone who really understands her? You may all say that you all understand her well. But that is a pile of bull crap and you know it. What she really needs is a soulmate. A man that she loves and loves her back. That is something that you can never be able to give her," Daisy argued strongly on these grounds. She always thought that they were overprotective of their princess Leena. Sometimes, suchvish affection might cause stress to her rather than do her any good. Fortunately she did not grow up to be a spoiled and rotten brat who would terrorize the society. Chapter 1449 Improve Your Culture (Part Two) "Senior Colonel Ouyang, if I didn''t know well enough, I would believe that you are picking a fight with me now. Am I right?" Edward said coldly. Daisy should not forget that Kevin used to be Edward''s rival in love. Now, if she kept favoring and defending Kevin all the time, it would only awaken Edward''s already forgotten insecurities. How could he remain cool now? "I''m not quarreling with you, I am only trying to get through to you with reason." Daisy frowned. She knew that she made him angry again. But she really didn''t want to listen to him every time they had different opinions. She was firm on her stand this time and her sullen face made the atmosphere more tense. "But you just made me feel that way, and you are very aggressive now." Edward stepped on the gas pedal of the car and sped up as anger rose in him. The car went so fast that Daisy felt gravity pin her to her seat. Meanwhile, Edward''s hands which held the steering wheel tightened their grip. Obviously he was enraged. "I don''t think I am the one who''s being aggressive. Moreover, don''t you think the word ''aggressive'' is bit too much?" Although Daisy already felt the anger that was about to burst in him, she continued to challenge him. She was sure that no matter how vexed he was, he would not pour out his fury on her. She found that the biggest change in him after she came back to him was that he had learned to control his temper, especially with her. No matter how mad he got, he would choose to suppress it and dare not act on it or do anything that would hurt her. Daisy had prepared for the worst - him pouncing on her and pouring out all his frustrations on her in bed. "I found that you liked badgering me more recently," Edward said through gritted teeth. Like Daisy had thought, he was indeed pissed off, but he could only hide it in his heart and do nothing to her. It seemed that she got to know him more thoroughly, and that was why she felt reassured and emboldened t lized that Daisy learned how to read what was on his mind and how to y with him. It seemed that every couple had their own way of getting along with each other. But it all came down to the basics of love. If love was not present in a¡¤ marriage, then it was surely a pathetic one, doomed to fall apart in no time. Michelle was suffering from this kind of marriage now. Michelle had never experienced what it felt like to wait till she got married with Luke. Everything happened so fast that it almost seemed like a shotgun marriage. No falling in love, no courtship, no wedding ceremony. She just woke up one day and she was already Mrs. Luo. Now, she had to get used to always waiting in boredom and loneliness with each passing day in a cold and lifeless marriage. "Luke, can I talk to you?" Michelle got up early today and stopped Luke who was getting ready to leave for work. "What is it?" Luke asked as he fumbled with his tie, not even taking a look at Michelle. "Well, I want to study painting." Michelle bit her lips. She really wanted to help him with his tie. It was normal for a wife to help her husband with it, but she didn''t dare to do this. His warning still rang in her ears and she quickly pushed this idea out of her mind. It was only a delusion and kind of out of reach for her. Chapter 1450 Improve Your Culture (Part Three) "You? You want to study painting?" Luke somewhat felt that he misheard her. It sounded quite ridiculous and didn''t match her personality. Who would believe that a girl born in a gangster family would be interested in high culture such as art? "Yes. I liked to draw when I was very young, butter I gave it up. So I want to take this opportunity to pick up where I left off, if it is still there...I mean the skill. And Patricia''s mother is a famous painter, so I want to learn from her." Michelle was a little hurt by Luke''s tone. She had already lost a lot of things that defined her original character after she got married with him. She had be less confident, being the target of his disdainful look all the time. It made her feel that she was good for nothing in his eyes. "Whatever! It''s your own business. You can decide for yourself when ites to those matters. This is my credit card, buy whatever you want and don''t ask for money from your parents," Luke said as he took out a gold card from his wallet and handed it over to her. "Oh! I don''t need it ¡¤ I have money for the sses." Michelle refused immediately. If she took the card, it would make him think that she married him for the sake of money. "What? Do you have any doubts about what I am saying? Or do you want to embarrass me and make everyone think that my wife still has to live with the support of her parents?" Luke was a little displeased, the veins on his hands which held the card bulging. He was trying his best not to get irritated and ruin his morning. "I didn''t ask for money from my family." Michelle bit her lips, feeling deeply wronged. But she still took the credit card anyway. She didn''t dare to test his patience. Plus she had promised herself that she was going to be an obedient wife, no matter how rabid her husband talked to her. If everyone came to this world for r , she could still find some other way to have fun and enjoy herself. Michelle didn''t linger too long in her pain and sorrow. When?life?pushed her over, she stood?up?and pushed back even?harder ?That was what Michelle was like, and she wouldn''t allow herself to be trampled over by it. Besides studying painting, she also joined a crash course to learn cooking. She would not waste too much time on remorse and be productive instead. "Mrs. Luo, are you going out now? It''s still early," Seeing Michelle walk downstairs, Maria asked in confusion. She rarely saw Michelle get up so early. "Yes! I will go to the hospital to visit a friend. You don''t need to prepare lunch for me. I might be back quitete." Wearing her hair in a bob and with casual clothes in neutral style, Michelle looked very cool and pretty. "Okay, I got it, Mrs. Luo." Looking at Michelle walk out of the house and disappear, Maria couldn''t help but sigh from within. Mr. Luo was a cold man by nature and it would not be easy for any one to warm his heart. But she hoped that with the passing of time, he could finally feel and appreciate Mrs. Luo''s love for him. Otherwise, they would have a miserable marriage and resent each other throughout the rest of their lives. Chapter 1451 Starting School (Part One) Patricia was practicing how to walk alone in her room when Michelle arrived at the hospital. Finally, she could now walk slowly again! Her dness was evident on her face whenever she managed to make a tiny step. She might only be able to walk for some minutes at most now, however, she was sure that she could do better soon. She was lucky enough to survive the car crash. She just couldn''t ask for too much, could she? "Why are you here so early today?" asked Patricia as soon as she saw Michelle walked in. She stopped in her track and slowly made her way to sit on the bed. She was heaving when she grabbed her cup from the bedside table and gulped down a lot of water in one go. That practice really made her thirsty! "You made it sound like all I do is to sleep." Though Michelle indeed slept the whole day every day, she still felt a bit embarrassed that her friend had pointed it out as soon as she saw her. So what if she waszy? She was just naturally like that. "Don''t you? By the way, why are you here empty-handed? Have some manners, will you?" Patriciained in fake annoyance. Leena would always bring some food to her whenever she came. However, Michelle was different. She didn''t even bother to bring her anything at all! She always came empty-handed. Thus, Patricia found it really amusing. "Why wouldn''t Ie here empty-handed? What do you need? As far as I can remember, you wereining about getting fatter thest time I was here. You said that Leena brought you too much food every time she came. Thus, I don''t bring you anything. Don''t you think I''m clever? This way you won''t have a chance toin about me." Michelle shrugged. She didn''t feel a l had her friends whom she could count on. "Don''t give up on him so quickly. Just give it time. I am sure that he wille around," said Patricia with a sympathetic smile. She didn''t know how tofort Michelle. She was aware that her words were meaningless, however, it was the best that she could say. Her situation wasn''t ideal either. She was still healing from her injuries and she was anxious about her rtionship with Tom. "I sincerely hope you are right. Did your mother tell you when I should be at school?" Michelle forced a happy smile on her face. She was not the type who was willing to show her sadness before others, even though they were her good friends. She was used to dealing with all kinds of things on her own because she was the independent type. Besides, she didn''t want to burden anyone with her own sadness. Nobody deserved to be an emotional shock absorber. "Whenever you are ready. Oh! Wait a minute, she gave me a rmendation letter. It''s for you," Patricia said while opening the drawer beside her bed. She took out a letter and gave it to Michelle. Her mother was really considerate. Chapter 1452 Starting School (Part Two) "Oh! That''s excellent! Please tell your mother that I appreciate this a lot. She is so nice to me. And please tell her that I want to treat her to a nice dinner as a thank you gift." Michelle took the letter from Patricia''s hand. She had an excited grin on her face. She didn''t expect that she could go back to school after all these years. Moreover, she was going to study her passion, drawing! Suddenly she forgot about what had happened with her husband earlier. She finally had something to look forward to. "Don''t mention it. We are really good friends, aren''t we? Friends help each other. No need to be so damn polite and distant. However, if you really want to thank her, just treat me to a nice dinner once I get out of the hospital. Well, I am her daughter after all. You treat her or me to dinner, it''s the same!" Patricia said with a happy smile. She loved seeing her friend this excited and happy. She knew that it was what Michelle really wanted. Besides, after staying in the boring hospital bed for so long, she missed the delicious food outside the hospital. "You are aware that you didn''t do anything, right? Your mother was the one pulling strings for Michelle. Howe you can be so shameless and ask her for dinner?" It was then that Leena''s voice butted in. She walked into the room with arge container in her hands. She was amused. Her friends were talking so loud, she could hear their voices from the hallway. "Leena! You are finally here! Do you know that I would be dead by starvation if you dyed yourself for even a minute? I survived a serious car ident but end up dead because I don''t have anything to eat. How ridiculous wo Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. these two beside her. Though sheined a lot, she was indeed very grateful for having them in her life. They loved her and cared about her unconditionally. Thus, she intended to do the same for them. "Of course we are your friends. In fact, we are your true friends who speak the truth to you. If it were anyone else, we surely wouldn''t have given a damn about her." Leena raised her chin up and looked at Patricia with excessive pride. Her skin was really wless. Her skin still looked fair and dewy even under the dry and harsh winter weather, hence, making others jealous. "Don''t mind her, Leena. She must have gotten insane during her stay in the hospital. That''s why she keeps saying those crazy words." Only when she was bantering with her friends like this could Michelle return to her carefree and lively self. She was like this before she got married. However, ever since she got married, she had be dull and sad. It was unfortunate that she couldn''t stay with her friends all day. Thus, it was rare for her to forget about the unhappiness in her life and be happy with her friends. . Chapter 1453 Starting School (Part Three) Leena had a veryplicated feeling when she stepped into Tom''s office. She was anxious because she didn''t know what medicine Tom was going to give her this time. Moreover, she was also a bit expectant. What if the previous medicine he gave her worked? She honestly didn''t have a clue if the medicine Tom was about to give her would work this time. Regardless of those things, she was still willing to try. She didn''t want to have any regret. She knew that Kevin wanted a child and she didn''t want to leave him just because she was incapable of giving him what he wanted. God knew that she would do anything to give him a child. She had all these thoughts inside her head when she pushed the door open. However, she was stuck on her feet as soon as she saw what was going inside Tom''s office. Shame suddenly flooded her as she didn''t expect to see a number of doctors inside the ce together with Tom. It was easy to tell that they were all discussing something important based on how the doctors'' faces looked. Instantly, a beautiful blush appeared on Leena''s small face when all the serious doctors turned to her in unison upon hearing the door open. She felt extremely embarrassed now. "I am so sorry! It seems that I have interrupted you," said Leena quickly. However, it was toote to step back now. If she turned around and walked out, it would seem too weird, right? Thus, she ended up putting an embarrassed smile on her face as she apologized to them. "All right, let''s wrap up today. You can all go back to work," said Tom to all the doctors in his office upon seeing Leena. He didn''t even show any sign of surprise. It seemed that he had expected for her toe and find him. After all, he knew how badly Leena wanted to make herself healthy and strong enough to b Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ou mean by that?" Tom had a confused look on his face because he didn''t understand what Leena was saying. Future wife? Did she mean Patricia? She was good in the hospital room, wasn''t she? Why did she need Leena to take care of her? "I knew you would say this. Don''t you know that her personal nurse is in a few days off because of an emergency? Patricia doesn''t have anyone who can take care of her right now. That''s why I am here today." Leena didn''t know what to say to Tom anymore. Why didn''t he know that Patricia''s nurse was not here? How could he not know about it? Last time she checked, he was still Patricia''s boyfriend. He really should know. "I have no idea. Since when? Why didn''t she tell me about it?" Tom''s frown deepened even more. Last night, a dangerous infection happened to a patient and made the said patient''s breath stop for a few seconds. He had brought the patient back to life but he was still in a dangerous condition right now. That was why he had a few good doctors in his office to discuss what they should do next. It was the reason that he didn''t have time to visit Patricia today. Thus, he had no idea that she was struggling without a personal nurse. Chapter 1454 Starting School (Part Four) "Why would I know? Aren''t you the one who should be asking her directly? I guess you two really needmunication. All right. It''s your business. I don''t want to talk about it anymore." Leena felt amused about Tom''s situation right now. This was getting ridiculous. She didn''t know what to think of the couple. Patricia didn''t tell Tom because she didn''t want to burden him with her problems. However, Tom didn''t try to make the effort to know what was happening around Patricia because of it. That was why they ended up in this situation. Leena seriously thought that they shouldmunicate more. Patricia shouldn''t bottle everything up inside her and Tom should know that his girlfriend needed his attention. "I really don''t know how to thank you, Leena. Not only do you have to worry about your own things but you also have to worry about Patricia and me," Tom teased his sister in a gentle voice. He might be joking but in fact, he was really grateful for having a caring and kind sister like Leena. Even though he didn''t say anything about what Leena just said, he realized what he had done wrong. He really didn''t pay Patricia much attention. One thing for sure though was that he would change that from this point on. "Yeah yeah. Of course! So, how are you going to repay me for it?" Leena raised her chin up and looked at her brother in an arrogant way. "Of course there will be a reward for you. I have already written a new prescription for you. Here it is! Take it as a reward from me. You are wee," responded Tom in a serious tone as he tried to keep a straigh is what friends do, right?" Leena chuckled, feeling a bit amused that Tom was thanking her in such a formal way. To be honest, she had been just messing with him. Did he take it seriously? "I know what you mean. But I still want to thank you, my dear little sister." Tom rarely got this emotional. However, seeing Leena get more and more mature recently made him really proud of her. Nevertheless, he couldn''t help but feel a bit sad about it too. If he could, he really wanted Leena to remain innocent and carefree. She shouldn''t worry too much in her life. "I should thank you too, Tom. Thank you for caring about me and loving me all these years. I really can''t imagine my life without you." Leena''s beautiful eyes reddened after hearing his words. She couldn''t help but get a little emotional too upon seeing Tom like this. Her heart throbbed painfully whenever she thought about not being able to see the ones she loved for a long time. However, at the same time, she kept telling herself that it was all right, as it would be okay in the end. Chapter 1455 Starting School (Part Five) Meanwhile, Michelle went to the painting school and sessfully enrolled in. There was one thing that worried her though. That was her marriage. That was why she had asked the principal not to mention that she was already married. She wanted to hide it from her future ssmates because it was disturbing. The person who was sitting beside Michelle was a chubby girl. She had a friendly smile on her round face. It seemed that she was happy to see a new ssmate like Michelle. Then she put out her hand as if she wanted to shake hands with Michelle. "Hello! My name is Hilda Shen. Nice to meet you!" The girl introduced herself in an excited tone. This quickly made Michelle calm down a bit. To everyone''s surprise, Michelle was indeed very nervous about starting school. Having a friendly deskmate definitely helped a lot. "Hello, my name is Michelle Mi. Nice to meet you too." A beautiful and friendly smile appeared on Michelle''s face. She quickly reached out her hand to shake hands with the friendly girl. "Let me tell you, all the people in our ss are indeed very nice, except that girl. You should not anger her if you want to have an easy life here. She is from a very rich family and she is considered the prettiest girl here. Thus, be careful and don''t go against her. You will surely have a hell of a life if you make her unhappy," said Hilda as she leaned towards Michelle. She was talking in a small voice as if she was telling a secret. "All right. I see. Thank you for telling me this." Michelle nodded seriously, but in fact, she didn''t pay it much mind. Normally, she was the one frightening others and not the other way around. She was not afraid of the girl at all. "Besides, let me tell you! The food here is very delicious," added Hilda. She was a very vivaciou about. What do you think? Isn''t she pretty? She also has a hot body. She really is perfect. No wonder all the boys love her." Michelle didn''t know what to think anymore. She was shocked that Hilda would say such things about the girl who bluntly insulted her. She didn''t know if Hilda was too innocent or if there was something wrong with her brain. Why was she like that? How could she say such nice things about the girl who insulted her? Michelle had no idea. "Well, in my opinion, she is just so-so. She is not that pretty." Maybe Michelle had seen too many pretty girls in her life. After all, her friends were all prettier than the girl. Anyone who was not blind could see that she had too many stic surgeries. Moreover, Michelle was not very fond of this kind of beauty. That was why she was not impressed by her looks. "Um. Really? A lot of guys in our school are in love with her. They all say that she is a goddess and treat her like one." Hilda tilted her head and looked at Michelle in disbelief. Did she just hear Michelle right? If Michelle considered the most beautiful girl in this school ''just so-so'', then she surely couldn''t imagine a beautiful girl in Michelle''s standard. Chapter 1456 Her Leaving (Part One) Michelle smiled, but secretly sneered internally. Although she was only a young, vibrant woman in her early twenties, she had matured a lot for her age ever since she got married. She had learned to be calm in her mind when tough situations arose. Like a wintersweet blossom in the harsh winter, she remained soft yet tough in the cold. She didn''t want to cause any troubles for anyone, and was not pleased when other people found fault with her. She clearly knew that she wasn''t that innocent girl anymore. She was a wife now, and that was her new identity. In other words, she behaved as if it was not just her own business anymore, but rather intertwined with Luke''s. Leena''s head was spinning with the amount of tasks she had done and had to do. She definitely needed a break but she was extremely busy these days. There were tons of things she needed to prepare and required her attention. Although she couldn''t exactly take care of each and every single one of them, she at least had to finish the things she had promised. When nighttime fell, Leena was resting tiredly with her head on Kevin''sp and asked, "Kevin, do you like the kids?" "Yes." Kevin carelessly replied in a monotonous voice, not looking down at her from the news report he was watching on the TV. It slipped him why she had asked such a strange question out of the blue. "How many kids do you want to have?" Leena pressed her lips into a thin line and asked again. "Girl, are you pregnant?!" Suddenly, Kevin turned to her and asked surprisingly, shock written all over his face. This did not escape Leena''s gaze and she couldn''t help but feel bad for herself. "Ahh... No. I''m just asking." Seeing Kevin reacting like that, Leena couldn''t bear to tell him the truth. It would greatly disappoint him. She had to swallow the bitter pill all by herself, but of course someday he would eventually know about it. One couldn''t hide a hat there were many dried tear stains on the paper. Some of the words were even blurred out because of the tears. It was obvious that she was heartbroken so much that she could not stop crying, the tears swirling the ink in the wake. "I asked you once to be more patient and give me more time. I thought God always blessed me. But this time, he is not standing with me. I know that it''s time for me to leave." As he continued the letter, it was like Leena''s every thought as she wrote it came to his mind. When Leena wrote this letter, every word was like a knife piercing its sharp de through her heart. She hurt so much. "Tom told me that it was difficult for me to get pregnant. I''m sure you can never imagine how helpless I was when I first knew this fact. How I wished I could put myself in your arms and ask for yourfort. Even a small hug could be enough for me. But I knew I couldn''t. So I locked myself up and asked everyone to hide this fact from you. I don''t know whether you will love me like always when you know that I''m not a perfect woman." Leena sniffed as she bit her trembling lip. God knew how she was unwilling to leave him and how she wanted to be selfish this time. But she dared not bet, because she was afraid of the moment when Kevin knew it. Chapter 1457 Her Leaving (Part Two) "You said that you would love the kids as long as I was their mother. But I didn''t have the courage to look into your passionate eyes. I know I can''t have the baby that you want, so I have to go away." By that time, Leena had stopped writing. She put down her pen and burst into tears on the table, the liquid gushing out like water from a bursting dam. She was alone that time so she was free to cry all her feelings out and sobbed loudly to let out her sorrows. The letter continued, "I thought I would have a cute baby with you as long as I did what Tom told me to do, so I kept taking those disgusting medicines to adjust my body. Even when you saw me taking those medicines by ident sometimes, I still smiled at you and told you that I was fine as if nothing happened. I always looked into your face when you fell into sleep. I firstly knew how it felt to suffer from insomnia. For a thousand times, I wanted to reach out to touch your handsome face. But I didn''t, because you might be disturbed in your peaceful sleep and wake up. There was nothing I could do but look into your face so that I would not forget it through the dim light. You are going to be the most memorable and precious one in my future lonely life." Tears were sshed on the paper and blurred the words. It was the darkest time in Leena''s life. Her broken heart would never be healed. "I know that you will not leave me even though I cannot have a baby. But there is still very little chance for the other possibility, which is the one I can''t bear. I dare not imagine how important and precious I am to you. So I choose to leave you. I can''t just be a willful woman. I love you with my whole heart and I don''t want to be a selfish one. Maybe you will say that I am a coward and that I escape you with such an excuse, yet I insist on my own thought. I will probably regret someday my decision to leave you. But as long as you can live a happy life with a good wife and lovely children, I ca e indeed liked kids, but kids were not necessary in life because in his heart, Leena was the most important person to him. He quickly got in his car and started the engine. He drove to the airport at full speed, not caring about any traffic vitions. He was aware that she might have already left, but he still wanted to go there to see if she was at the airport. He would not let any chances go. They just confirmed that both of them loved each other, and their happy life just began. He would never allow her to leave. They were not supposed to end like this. Kevin always paid attention to his clothes and behaviors as a soldier. However, at this crucial moment, he had no spare time to focus on them anymore. His necktie was loosened up a bit because he ran in a hurry. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up as he ran in haphazard motions back and forth in the airport to search for Leena. He ran to every woman who looked like Leena from behind to check if it was her. Most of them forgave his rude behavior because of his handsome look and the uniform, but still some thought he was a weirdo and thought him to be a psycho. There was no military insignia on his shirt to show his identity. No wonder he was considered to be a psycho ying pretend and running around frantically across the ce. Chapter 1458 Her Leaving (Part Three) After his unsessful attempts in finding her, he decided to go to Leng House. It was quitete when Kevin finally got there. When Duke greeted him at the door, he was shocked to see Kevin''s messy appearance and his clothes in disarray. "What happened to you? Were you robbed? But that doesn''t make sense! You''re a soldier. No one would rob you unless they don''t want to live!" Duke teased him coldly, eyebrows wrinkling in slight confusion. "Do you know where Nana is?" Kevin didn''t mind the teasing at all, but he couldn''t mask the frustration on his face. He didn''t find her even after several hours of searching at the airport with the people looking at him like he had gone mad. He felt like he was about to copse. "What do you mean? Did something happen to Leena?" Duke then stopped teasing him when Kevin said that. He immediately asked when Kevin mentioned Leena, nervousness evident in his voice. "No. But she left." Kevin sadly shut his eyes. Before he opened them, a heavy fistnded squarely on his face. However, he did not feel surprised at all, it was as if he was expecting it. "Kevin, you bastard! She left? What do you mean by she left? Tell me what happened!?" Duke punched him again. He would lose control in anything bad that concerned his sister. "I said she left! Didn''t you hear me?" It was the first time Kevin shouted at Duke. He yelled at him not because Duke hit him, but because that he had no way to ease the pain in his heart--so he shouted at him, expecting Duke would beat him to no end. That way, he might feel better. It was a bitter attempt at catharsis but he really couldn''t bear the pain of Leena leaving. "Where did she go? Tell me!" Duke shouted back at him. He red at the inconsble man in front of him with rage filled eyes, the hate radiating from every nerve in his body. He did not punch him this time. "I would note here if I know where she is," Kevin replied curtly. At this moment, he was so weak and done. He felt extremely helpless because he was unable to find any trace of her and then that''s when she''ll leave in secret," Belinda said thoughtfully. Leena was smart. Belinda knew her. She clearly knew that Kevin and Daisy had easy ess to these information, so Kevin would easily know exactly where she was as long as he knew which country she went to--so she did not just take a flight and went into hiding instead. "I''m not sure. It''s why I came here to see if you have any clue where she might go," Kevin said, rubbing his fingers on his temple. Kevin did not fully trust them. They might hide Leena''s location from him. After all, they helped Leena to keep the secret that she was having difficulty in conceiving the baby. It was possible that they helped her leave, too. "Kevin, are you suspicious about us, that we helped her to leave? If it were about other things, of course we would probably help her. But helping her go away? No way. We have no idea about it at all. I just felt that she was acting quite strange recently. She said some thankful words from time to time, but I did not take her seriously. I thought she was just too emotional at that time." Belinda said as a frown was written across her features. She reached out and touched her belly tofort her baby out of maternal instinct. She felt the little one inside of her moving around a lot, as if he could feel her nervousness, or even know that his auntie ran away. Chapter 1459 Leenas Whereabouts (Part One) "Sorry! I didn''t mean it that way. I hope you understand. I am really anxious right now," Kevin apologized to Belinda. Thinking about it for a while, he took out his phone and dialed Hawkeye''s number. He decided to use his position in the military to search for Leena. "Hello, Major General Gu, what can I do to help you?" was Hawkeye''s greeting to Kevin. As a soldier in the Special Forces, he was always ready. "Hawkeye, I need you to carry out a city-wide search for my wife, Leena Leng," Kevin demanded. "Do everything you can and keep me updated at all times." He knew he would get in trouble for using military resources for personal matters, but he was willing to ept the punishment they would put on him. After all, Leena was his beloved wife and he would spare no efforts to find her. "Yes, I guarantee you that the mission will be carried out to the best of our abilities. Please send me a picture of Mrs. Gu." Hawkeye was ready to ept the order without any questions or hesitation. "I''ll send it to youter. Just remember, no civilian citizens are to be harassed in this mission," Kevin urged. He became the cool and smart Major General again. "Copy that, Major General Gu. I''ll arrange the search now." Hawkeye hung up. Curious as he was, he dared not to ask Kevin further more. Duke cast a cold nce at Kevin before he turned to Belinda and said,"I''ll call Edward. He has more resources and a wider connection. I believe he will y a part in searching for Leena." "Alright," Belinda answered with a frown. Then she turned to Kevin and said,"Kevin, you haven''t eaten yet, have you? I will tell Giselle to prepare a meal for you." "Thank you. But no need for that. I don''t feel like eating. Please let me know when you have some news. I''ll take my leave now. I don''t feelfortable staying still and not looking for my wife." Kevin didn''t even have time to ly, leaving no clues and not telling a single soul. She was a really good student, who had fully mastered the skills she learned from Kevin to avoid detection. She not only took away her stuff, but also Kevin''s heart. Extremely reluctant, Edward had no choice but to seek help from his father after days of searching in vain. "You want something?" Jonathan asked. He was still so handsome and looked younger than his age, almost as if he was just Edward''s older brother instead of his father. "Father, I didn''t want to bother you but I need your help to find someone," Edward confided earnestly. They were both handsome, but in their own unique ways. "Are you talking about Leena? Let me tell you what I think. Leena needs time to cool down and rethink things. In my opinion, we shouldn''t pressure her and make things worse by doing this massive search as if she were a criminal. Give her the space and time." It was not that Jonathan didn''t want to help. He just thought that Leena had been mentally and emotionally exhausted and needed to take a break. It was good for her to take this opportunity to travel, rx herself and think carefully about her rtionship with Kevin. Jonathan was confident that she woulde back after she came around to it. Chapter 1460 Leenas Whereabouts （Part Two) "But we are very worried about her. What if something happens to her?" Edward insisted. He had never had Leena out of his sight before. He was okay with leaving her alone and not seeing her in the flesh, but he must at least know where she was and that she was safe. "No, I''m not for you guys looking for her. After all, she is a grown up woman and knows what she is doing. For God''s sakes, she has lived in Paris alone and you did not bat an eysh! You can''t always treat her as a little girl. Moreover, she has done a great deal to make sure that you couldn''t find her. So why do you have to go against her will? You all have to take a hint. She does not want to be found yet," Jonathan pointed out, gazing at his son. He had always treated Leena as his own daughter. Although he was also worried about her, he had decided to respect her personal decision. "Your words make perfect sense, but I still worry about her. What if something bad happens to her? What if someone hurts her?" Edward asked with a frown. Jonathan had him almost 100% convinced, except for the question of her safety. It was hard for him to ignore that part. He had regarded Leena more as his daughter instead of his sworn sister, and he couldn''t bear losing her. "How about this? I can send my men to look for her. But I will only tell you that she''s good. If and when I do find her, I won''t tell you where she is. I want her to enjoy a rxing journey. I prefer her peace of mind over yours," Jonathan offered. Apparently he knew something, but he just didn''t want to tell Edward. "Yes, thank you father. As long as I know she''s safe and sound, I, needed not only affection from her family, but also love from her husband. In that area, there was no substitute for the young Major General. By now, many people had known about Leena suddenly going away and were naturally worried about her. Tom especially med himself for not having noticed the early clues and signs that she was about to give up and disappear. He had sensed something had been wrong with her, but he didn''t pay enough attention to it. He thought it was just some petty domestic quarrels with her husband. Now, Tom couldn''t forgive himself for failing to prevent it. "Have you found Leena?" Patricia asked, leaning against the window to support herself. She had just finished practicing walking, and she was really tired. "Not yet. But Edward said she''s safe and sound, and asked us not to worry about her." Remorse filled his voice. He shouldn''t have listened to Leena. If he had told Kevin the truth thest time he came to visit him, then maybe Kevin would have detected her unusual behavior and nipped it in the bud. Leena wouldn''t have gone missing now. Chapter 1461 Leenas Whereabouts (Part Three) "Where did she go? She is such a silly girl. Why didn''t she tell me about it from the very beginning? And you, Tom! Why didn''t you tell me about her health condition? I could haveforted her! Poor Leena, she must be miserable now," Patricia med Tom, casting him a reproachful expression. But she could understand why he chose to do what he did. "Tell you? Pfft! The only person needing sce at that time was you!" Tom blurted out. He didn''t mean to me Patricia, but just cracked a joke. "Sorry! I forgot about that." Patricia knew how Tom cared about Leena, so she didn''t mind his outburst at all. "Don''t worry. It was all my fault. By the way, how was your therapy today?" Tom walked towards Patricia and held her in his arms. His beloved sworn sister had gone missing, and he didn''t want his girlfriend to disappear into thin air either. It would drive him mad. "Tom, are you okay?" Patricia asked worriedly. "Shhh! Don''t talk. Don''t move. Just stay here in my arms." Tom rested his head beside her neck. Smelling her light fragrance, he felt much better. Patricia went rigid, not knowing whether she should hold his waist or not. Tom had always been aloof and never showed his vulnerability in front of her before. "Since Mr. Mu said that Leena''s safe, we can rest assured now. So don''t worry." After struggling to have afortable position for a long time, Patricia finally decided to hug him back. "Um, I know it. I just feel a little tired and want to have a rest." Tom let go of Patricia. Her soft and warm body made his heart pump faster and feel hot, so he had to release her to cool himself down. "Oh, yeah. I understand. We all have our weak moments." Patricia smiled, but deep inside she wondered whether he was feeling ufortable with her in his arms. "Why don''t we take a walk in the garden?" Tom suggested, in an attempt to rebound from his unusual b sionate and sweet love between them. "I know. Come on, Tom! Don''t you trust your own doctors in your hospital?" Belinda said with augh. She really thought Tom acted like her mother who was always worried about her. "Belinda, don''t mind him. In front of his patients, he really talks a lot, as if trying to impress them all the time! You''ll grow used to it." Patricia giggled. She thought she was the only one that had to listen to his babble, but it seemed that Belinda was another victim. "Haha. To be honest, I''ll never get used to it. So please do me a favor and get him away from me. I really need to leave now. See you guys." Belinda left immediately after saying that. She didn''t dare walk too fast though, for she was afraid that she might slip and fall. She just waddled away to the waiting car. She could still hear Tom nagging behind her. "Walk slowly! Look out for that trash bin on the right! Hold on to that railing!" "Come on, Tom! You shush! Otherwise Belinda will speed up," Patricia said. She found that Belinda was also a straightforward woman, and they shared the same character. "I was just worried about her. Am I wrong?" Tomined. He felt that he had aged a lot recently, as there were so many things he had to worry about. Chapter 1462 Michelle Got Sick (Part One) "No," she paused for a moment. "You''re right," she continued, her mouth feeling a bit tight. Patricia rubbed her nose and frowned. She thought that Tom was wrong, but she wouldn''t point it out. He had the looks of a gentle man, but she knew his true nature of being sternly cold and unmovable. It would be foolish to provoke him, and she wouldn''t dare to do so. The man''s eyes were cold as he looked at her. He knew perfectly well that she wouldn''t dare to disobey him, buttely, he was picking up something strange from her behavior. Sometimes, it was as if she had already recovered her memory. He noticed how cautious she would act around him, and how she would hesitate before responding to him. She was no longer as unscrupulous after losing her memory, and he could tell that she was reluctant to ept him as her boyfriend. Kevin''s chest felt as cold as the terrible winter upon him. There was a time he always braved the cold with a smile on his face and skipped in his step, but at that moment, the cold wind had him chill to the bone. Three days had passed since Leena left, and Kevin was no longer too racked with anxiety. He had somehow resigned to the fact that she was gone. After failing to find her, all he could do was waiting for her in S City. The day she came back to him, the first thing she would see was the fire burning in his eyes. His life didn''t change drastically after she left. He knew she was safe, so he didn''t let his mind be upied with unproductive dismal thoughts. Instead, he shaved off his beard, and restored the image of a handsome, young, clean-cut general. He knew all too well how Leena didn''t appreciate his sloppiness, so he decided to keep himself neat, and his house tidy, while she was away. "Are you alright, Kevin?" Daisy''s words cut through his newfound image. It was mere camouge, and she could tell. She knew that he was going to paralyze himself in training again. "Of course. Why, don''t I look good?" He yfully raised his brow, his thin, finely structured face looking handsome. "You look pale. Do you really want to die by exercising every day until you drop?" Daisy''s face was twisted into frustration. He sighed. "Don''t worry. I just lead the soldiers'' training us among the other students. It was a shame that her beloved Harley-Davidson motorcycle was locked away in the garage at home. "Light rain?" Hilda looked at her incredulously. "You''re soaking wet, Michelle." Hilda''s thick lips were almost pouting in disagreement. Michelle chuckled. "Hilda, I''m fine. It''s just a little water. It''s not a big deal. You don''t have to make such a fuss. Look, you''re calling everyone''s attention now." She grabbed Hilda''s hand in reassurance. She appreciated the concern for her, but she felt a little helpless. All she wanted was to blend in, and in turn stay unbothered. "Err¡­" Hilda looked a little guilty. "Sorry. How about going back to the dorm to get changed? Your clothes are wet, and you might get sick." Hilda was a cute friend, Michelle thought. The girl stuck out her tongue yfully. "I''m a healthy girl. I don''t get sick easily." The night proved her wrong, however, because Michelle felt unexpectedly ill. When Luke came backte, he was surprised to see that Michelle wasn''t waiting for him in the living room like she usually would. He was curious, but didn''t worry too much about it. She might have just gotten tired and went ahead to bed. No one would actually want to wait for a poker-faced man, he thought. When he walked past the master bedroom, he paused a moment before rushing away. He had made up his mind to stop getting mixed up with Michelle, and he was determined to stay away. Love was unattainable for him, he believed. Chapter 1463 Michelle Got Sick (Part Two) Meanwhile, Michelley in bed rather dazed. She enjoyed a hot bath and soothed herself with some ginger decoction for warmth, but she caught a cold anyway. Her door was unlocked so she could hear when Luke arrived. Her heart went a mile a minute when she heard his footsteps stop in front of her door, and felt his presence close. To her great disappointment, though, the footsteps continued at a much faster pace as he walked away without giving her a visit. Maybe it was the illness that made her feel so vulnerable. She had already told herself repeatedly that the man was cold and unfeeling, but somehow her body still couldn''t ept it. She couldn''t control the tears running down her face. She chose Luke as her husband, but all she could do was staying silent. If she married any other man, she could probably have him at her beck and call. But Luke--Luke didn''t love her, she believed. Michelle knew it was helpless, but she couldn''t persuade her heart to understand and ept it. To her, he was home--a harbor where her drifting heart could dock securely. Late in the night, Michelle''s temperature went up into a high fever. Her whole body was burning, and she felt weak and hazy as the drowsiness took over. She didn''t seem to be fully there, and the sensations smothered her. She carelessly reached out to turn on the bedsidemp so she could get up and look for something to take that could help. Her stubbornness kept her from going to Luke for assistance, but she was too weak. When she tried to sit up, she fell back down, and she hit her head on the bedside a little too hard. "It''s reallyte. Why are you still up?" The voice surprised her, but in aforting manner. Luke appeared quietly at the door and switched on the light. He was on his way downstairs for water when he heard her rustling about. He walked in on instinct, thinking that something might be wrong with her, only to find her rubbing her head and grimacing in pain. "Sorry. Did I disturb you?" Michelle looked unusually ruddy, her voice hoarse. Her voice and pale skin concerned the man. "Are you alright? You sound strange." He frowned. He thought it would be best to leave her alone to rest, but before he knew it, he was walking towards her. "Yeah, I''m good. Maybe it''s because I went Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. t, it would seem she thought much too highly of herself. Luke had said he would take care of her, and she took those words and made them heavy in her heart. ''Foolish, '' she thought. "Would you like some congee?" Maria interrupted her thoughts. "Mr. Luo asked me to cook some before he left. He said you might want something hot after you wake up." Maria''s tone was concerned, but Michelle looked at her, puzzled. "What did you say? Luke was herest night?" Maria''s words sparked some hope in Michelle. She looked at her with her eyes ame. "Yes, he looked tired, like he didn''t get a wink of sleep." Maria was pleased to see the strain easing between the two. She wanted to see their rtionship grow well. Maybe they would even have a baby soon, she thought. The night was promising. "Did he say where he was going?" Michelle felt something skipping happily inside her. He was true to his word, it would seem. He stayed by her sidest night, so that must have meant progress, right? He was beginning to ept her as his wife, she thought eagerly. "I''m afraid not. But at this hour, he''s usually off to work with Mr. Mu." Maria found the question odd. How could she know about Luke''s whereabouts? "Okay." Michelle smiled. "I see. Thank you, Maria. You can go about your day. I''ll go downstairs and eat the congee in a bit." She had no appetite, but it was Luke who had Maria cook congee for her. She put her hands on her cheeks when she felt herself smiling. To show she was grateful, she had to go try some. Chapter 1464 Discharged From The Hospital (Part One) During the time that Leena left, everyone seemed to gradually forget her. But in fact, all the people she was close with still knew in their hearts that their love for her never stopped, hoping that one day she woulde to her senses and return. The sun cast its bright light through the room, filtered by the blinds and bathing the room in a soft yellow glow. Patricia sat on the hospital sickbed. Today was the day she would be released from the hospital. She had almost recovered and was allowed to leave the facility that she had stayed in for a few months. Although she still felt a little reluctant to leave, what she truly wanted was the wider skies from the outside. She didn''t want to be confined in only a small world. "Although your feet can walk smoothly, they still haven''t returned to their best state. So after you go back home, you should take careful steps when you go back to your usual routines. Remember to not run or participate in strenuous activities. As long as you do some proper rehabilitation exercises, your feet can return to their original state of health," Tom said, holding a stic blue clipboard as he perused her feet. He said it as best as he could from a doctor''s point of view. The reason he reiterated everything carefully was because he knew that Patricia was an active and lively girl, so he was afraid that she''d do something reckless like a wild horse without reins. It was crucial that she took extra care unless she wanted to stay in the hospital again. "Well, I see. You''ve told me these things three times already." Patricia''s fingers stroked her forehead. And she wondered if every other doctor would be so wordy to their patients, just like him. "That''s because it''s the most important thing for you right now. I have to say you''ll need more time as well in case you don''t take serious care of it." Tom didn''t think there was anything wrong with what he said. On the contrary, he spoke these words with sheer confidence as a knowledgeable and well meaning doctor. "Alright, just let me go now! I promise that I will remember everything you sa ed in front of him as if she was just like a scolded child. It was true that she asionally caused troubles carelessly, but she never dared provoke him as he could be indifferent to her. Yes, they were in love now¡ªbut she couldn''t feel the kind of empathy between lovers. Tom was an extremely gifted doctor, and many people constantly ttered him. There were also many beautiful and charming women always showing their admiration and vying for his attention. To top that, he was also very handsome in appearance--but most importantly, he had a clean personaI life. He was a good man and he had no love affairs. It could be said that he was a rare golden bachelor. Patricia followed Tom to his car with careful steps. It was her first time to ride in it and she noticed that there was none of that annoyingly strong scent of perfume, and no strands of long hair on the seat that coulde from women who rode in the car. Patricia felt that sitting in the car of such a man was refreshing and pleasant. "Tom, may I ask you umm...a rather personal question?" Patricia sat on the shotgun seat and tilted her head to ask him. She was just a little bit curious to ask him more about his life. "Since it''s a personal question, don''t even ask," Tom answered in a brusque voice. He just started the car and drove away. He didn''t want to try imagining the type of question she wanted to ask him. Chapter 1465 Discharged From The Hospital (Part Two) "But I really want to know," Patricia asked carefully. The kind of love that was always too meticulously maintained could never withstand any wind and rain. Patricia clearly knew this. But whenever she was in front of him, she could never feel free and rxed. She only wanted to know more about him. "If you want to ask me if I''ve been in this car with any other woman, I could only tell you one word: yes." Tom replied in a clipped voice. Although he had not been in love before, it didn''t mean that he did not understand what women thought secretly when they saw him. So it wasn''t so difficult to guess what Patricia was itching to ask. "Err... I see!" Patricia said. She couldn''t help but feel the disappointment tugging at her heart. She originally thought that Tom didn''t involve himself in such affairs like the rumors said. It turned out that he did bring back girls in his home. Thinking of that made her even more depressed. Tom just smiled as his eyes just focused on the road. He didn''t tell her that the "woman" was only Leena. If she really believed him, she would trust his words no matter what he said. If she did not, she really wouldn''t trust him no matter how hard he would exin to her. There was only so much one could do to convince a stubborn person, after all. The skies were clear and the grounds were filled with the pleasant chatter of students and some faculty alike. Michelle just entered the school when she saw Erin and her cliquish group of friends bullying Hilda. She could choose to just ignore Hilda if she didn''t get well along with her as she always believed in staying out of trouble. Since Hilda was nice to her, she decided to walk towards them. "Let her go." Michelle''s cold voice held a trace of disdain. She just couldn''t understand why these people couldn''tprehend that they were in college. Why did this feel like she was still in a gang? "You actually want to stand up for her?" Erin challenged her as she blew one expertly manicured fingernail in azy,nguid voice. "I''ll say it again: let her espect. She had no idea what they even did with their parents'' money. Although she herself wasn''t an angel before, she wouldn''t stoop so low as to bully innocent people. "Bitch, what did you say? Who do you think are we?" Erin said angrily. As she said this, she raised her hand to p Michelle. However, Michelle was able to dodge that by grabbing her wrist. "If you want to beat me, I suggest that you should weigh up your power first. And bitch... I ask you the same question. You rely on your own advantages to bully others. Don''t you feel shameful?" Michelle said coldly. She yanked Erin''s wrist forcefully. She was born in the underworld to a family who were not well-to-do. It was true that she would always get into fights. But she had never been pped by others. So to be honest, it was impossible for Erin to p her. "Don''t be so confident. We''re still here. Have you forgotten us?" The other girls said. When they saw Michelle was threatening Erin, they hurriedly aimed at her andpletely forgot Hilda. "Hmmph! You''re just a disorganized, pathetic excuse of a mob. And you will copse at the first blow. I''ll tell you now that I won''t be responsible for the muttion--so if you don''t want to suffer for it, I suggest you all leave right now." Michelle said as her whole body fumed with iciness. It made people feel even colder than the winter. Chapter 1466 Discharged From The Hospital (Part Three) Everyone looked at her stance. They began to fear for themselves. After all, they just liked to form cliques. They had no idea what it was like in the underworld. They felt afraid under Michelle''s cold, icy re. "A bunch of crap," Erin said as she gritted her teeth. She left the ce angrily. Michelle pinched her wrist before she dropped it and that was painful. So she didn''t try to put up a fight with her anymore. "Hmmph!" This time, I will just let you two go. But you won''t be so lucky next time," said Erin. After that, she led her people away as they sweared and cussed in the hallways. Although she didn''t want to let them go just yet, she didn''t dare to fight Michelle. To put it bluntly, they were those pitiful kinds of people who only bullied the weak and feared the strong. Michelle sneered as they left, and nced coldly at their receding figures. She would never be afraid of other people''s attempts to provoke her. Even if they gathered together to fight her, she wouldn''t fear and back down. "Hilda, are you all right?" Michelle looked towards Hilda and asked. She reached out her hand and helped her stand up. She brushed off the dirt on her clothes. "I''m okay, thank you. It was just that you offended them so publicly today, they might wonder how to get revenge on us now." Hilda brushed off the remaining dirt on her clothes. She was already ustomed to being bullied by Erin and her clique. She knew that the pain from their beating would onlyst for a few days. So it was nothing serious. However, she just wasn''t sure what would happen now after the fiasco as she noticed Erin''s look towards them was far from pleasant. They all said that the most poisonous thing in the world was woman''s heart. Moreover, a beautiful woman like Erin was even more insidious. "It''s okay. If they dare to bully you again in the future, you could just tell me. We are in the school but not in the underworld. They could not act arbitrarily," Michelle said calmly. It looked a little bit deste in the deep winter of the campus. The ce where they stood w Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. he used to have. Because of that, she grew mature in her struggles. However, she grew more and more lonely too. Her eyes were no longer filled with enthusiasm, and became insipid like tepid water. Anyone would find her strange in the way she acted. Even Luke, who was indifferent to her also noticed her changing. "You have something on your mind." On that one particr day, when Michelle sat quietly on the swing in the garden, Luke suddenly appeared beside her with doubt etched across his face. "Do you care?" Michelle asked him. It was true that she loved him. But she believed that if she continued to live like this, she would lose all her enthusiasm in life. "Could I not care about you? Mom has asked me about why you behaved so strangely nowadays." Luke just stared at her. If it wasn''t for the fact that he had just been scolded by his mother, he would not even care about her. "I know that you don''t care about me. It turns out that you got scolded by your mom, so you will care to ask me once. In fact, you could just ignore me. After all, I am just your nominal wife. In your heart, even a stranger might be more important than me!" Michelle tightly bit her bottom lip that it turned quite red. She looked up at the sky and tried to hold back her tears. She could not cry, especially now that she was in front of him. She must hold back her tears no matter what. Chapter 1467 A Class Activity (Part One) "I thought we had already reached a consensus from the very beginning. Yes, I married you, but I don''t love you. I don''t want to repeat it again and again. You are really annoying me, you know? I don''t know how else to spell it out for you!" Luke said with a frown. Michelle''s words really made him irritated and downright angry. He had gotten tired of telling her the same thing over and over again. But she wouldn''t relent. She had tried countless times to soften him, even though she also failed countless times. "I''m sorry. It''s because I love you. But now I am starting to regret it. I don''t know how much longer I am able to bear your indifference. It just hurts too much!" Michelle yelled hysterically, her hands holding tightly on the chains of the swing. "Thest thing I want is love. You are not supposed to attach any extravagant hopes and dreams to it," Luke said coldly. He couldn''t bear to hurt her like this, but he didn''t want to go against his will either. He couldn''t find it in his heart to love her for real. "Haha! I know that you don''t love me. Fine! I deserve it! Luke, you have wasted my love for you. Don''t worry, I won''t pester you anymore. And this time it''s for real," Michelle said with a bitter smile. She jumped off the swing and walked past him, poker-faced. She walked very fast, as she was unable to hold back her tears and didn''t want Luke to see her weakness. Watching her receding figure, Luke felt a little guilty. Michelle had always been a simple and outgoing woman. Since when did she be defiant and cold? He was about to admit that something was wrong with him, but he couldn''t figure out what it was. Michelle enter Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. re Michelle was. "Mrs. Mu, could you please exin to me why you are staring without blinking at another man?" Edward''s voice came from behind Daisy''s back. Jealousy filled his voice. He approached her and yed with her hair. "I don''t think it''s necessary for me to exin anything. It is regarded as a courtesy to watch people leave. Don''t you know that?" Daisy snapped and cast a reproachful nce at Edward. "Then why haven''t I seen you watch me leave? Not even once? Senior Colonel Ouyang, could you exin it please?" Apparently, Edward was trying to make a fuss about it. "There are no eyes in the back of your head. How are you supposed to know that I haven''t watched you leave? And, here we go again. Are you asking for trouble right now? Because I''m busy." In no mood to argue with her husband, the CEO, Daisy turned to go back to the house. She knew him well, and he would dwell on the matter for hours if she didn''t leave. "Hey, woman! Do you mean you always watch me leave with your loving, longing, affectionate eyes?" Edward followed and asked her with a proud smile, looking smug. Chapter 1468 A Class Activity (Part Two) "Daddy, will you please stop making a fool of yourself?" Justin asked as he leaned against themp standard in the garden and rolled his eyes at his father. He just couldn''t bear his father pretending to be silly at all. "You brat! Wanna be beaten up? Why do you say that I am making a fool of myself?" Edward stopped and cast a warning nce at Justin. The father and son were so alike in character. "What do you think of it? It makes me embarrassed to have a father like you. I thought you were a cool dad, but... Such an old man acting like a spoiled and insecure little child. I mean I am a child and I never act like that! I think I''m gonna throw up." Justin pretended that he was going to vomit before he shook his head and walked towards the house. Edward, however, stood there dumbfounded. He watched Justin''s receding figure, not knowing how to react. His own son had just mocked him and knocked his confidence. After a short while, he came to his senses as his face twitched. He thought in disbelief, ''Did my own son just mock and insult me? How dare he? I''m his father! I must teach him a hard lesson! Something he won''t forget for a long time.'' He immediately walked towards the house in an attempt to stop Justin. He must re-establish his authority as his father. "Justin Mu, stay where you are!" Edward roared. However, it was only the handful of servants in the house who were frightened by his voice. As for Justin, he had already sneaked out of the house. He was such a clever boy and would by no means hang around after provoking his father like that. The next morning, Michelle left the house early. The bus was scheduled to depart at 7 AM, so she didn''t say goodby Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hout turning, Michelle knew Erin must be giving her a murderous look, but she didn''t care. If Erin dared to confront her or challenge her, Michelle decided to teach her a lesson to vent her own frustrations. This wasn''t a good time to mess with Michelle. Looking back and forth between the luggage and the two women, Erin could only watch helplessly as the driver closed the luggagepartment before getting on the bus. When passing by the two, she cast a fierce look at them. Hilda cowered in fear and grabbed Michelle''s arm for support. Michelle, however, remained expressionless as if she didn''t see Erin. It was the weekend, and Luke got upter than usual. When he walked past the main bedroom, he found the door was open. He frowned as he felt something was wrong. Remembering Michelle cryingst night, he was a little worried. He rushed towards the bedroom and the first thing he did when he entered the room was to open the closet. He heaved a long sigh of relief seeing Michelle''s clothes still hanging there. It seemed that he did care about her, but he just didn''t notice it or he was unwilling to admit it. Chapter 1469 A Class Activity (Part Three) "Mr. Luo, good morning. Your breakfast is ready if you want to eat now." Passing by with a basket ofundry, Maria greeted Luke the moment she saw him. "Morning! Where''s Michelle? I haven''t seen her," Luke asked with a frown. His voice was as cold as ice. Obviously, he didn''t remember what Michelle had told him a couple of days ago. "Oh, Mrs. Luo has a ss activity today. She''s going on a 2-day sketching activity with the entire ss somewhere, like a field trip. I think, she told you before. Don''t you remember?" Maria looked at Luke in confusion. ''Did Mrs. Luo lie to me? Why did Mr. Luo not know about it?'' she thought. "Ah, now I remember. Sorry, I just forgot it." Michelle did mention it before, but he had been thinking about something else then and hadn''t paid attention to what she had said. He actually didn''t listen to her much, on purpose. Luke ate breakfast alone in silence. He had grown ustomed to having a woman around and nagging him. He shook the weird feeling off and decided to focus on his work. He didn''t need love, and he would not allow any woman to affect him. Michelle''s ssmates were in high spirits and chatted all the way. Michelle, however, stared dejectedly out the window while listening to Hilda''s light snore and thinking about Luke. ''Has he gotten up now? Did he miss me when he found out that I''m not home?'' Then she shook her head and smiled bitterly. ''Nah. He would by no means miss me. What a humble and delusional woman I am! Last night, I told myself that I should just love me and not love him anymore. But I''ve begun to miss him again. Ohh well, I have got no pride!'' Their destination was a remote mountain area and although it was cold in winter, this ce did not seem to be affected by the changes in the weather and even the seasons. There were gr Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. wimsuits here, but the prices are kind of high." Hilda shrugged her shoulders. She really wanted to give the hot spring a try, but the expensive swimsuit was killing her. "Oh, don''t worry. I''ll buy you one as a gift," Michelle said casually. She didn''t mind buying it for her friend. "Really? But you''re not very rich as well." Hilda was a little embarrassed to ept Michelle''s kind offer. She knew Michelle went to school by bus every day, and thought she was as modest as herself. "Oh, don''t think about that. I can afford to buy you a swimsuit." Michelle patted Hilda''s shoulder tofort her. All of a sudden, her phone rang. She was so ecstatic that she immediately checked who it was. However, her joy disappeared quickly. It was not Luke. "Hi Mom! Yes, We''ve already checked in," Michelle said. It was Cynthia, who also knew about Michelle''s ss activity and was calling to make sure she was alright. Cynthia was good to her two daughters-inw, always showing her concern for them. "All right. And how was your trip?" Cynthia asked. Daisy was sitting next to her, and got close to the phone to hear Michelle''s voice. Daisy also cared about Michelle a lot and was very supportive of her. Chapter 1470 Girls Fight (Part One) "It was alright, Mom. Thank you for your concern," Michelle answered politely. Michelle saw Cynthia as a graceful and elegantdy, from a world very different from hers. "Come on, Michelle. You don''t have to be so formal with me. Have fun and be safe," Cynthia urged. She had never looked down on Michelle because of her humble background. She strongly believed that Edward and Luke didn''t need to marry women from rich backgrounds, but they needed women who were strong enough to stand by their side at all times. "Don''t worry, Mom. I will," said Michelle obediently. Though Jonathan and Cynthia always treated Luke as their own son, it still wouldn''t change the fact that Luke was an adopted son. He treated the members of the Mu family with utmost respect. And as Luke''s wife, Michelle also made sure to be the same. "You must be tired. Get some rest. Bye!" said Cynthia. She felt that Michelle was being too polite to her. Michelle talked to her as if she were talking to her boss, and not her mother-inw. Cynthia decided that she needed to have a long talk with Michelle when she returned. "Okay, Mom. Bye!" Michelle hung up and heaved a long sigh of relief. "Michelle, why were you being so polite to your mom?" Hilda asked, confused. She didn''t understand why Michelle was being so formal to her mother. "Oh, my mom is a distant, austere person. Never mind. Let''s go buy our swimsuits," Michelle said, as she took out her wallet and walked out of the room with Hilda. Erin was at the hot spring too, but Michelle decided to ignore her and have fun in the hot waters. "Michelle, are you really going to buy me one too? It''s rather expensive he were always trying to flirt with Erin, except Bradley He. "Really? Are you kidding me? Haven''t you noticed all the girls whoe to our ssroom during breaks? Theye to our ss to get close to Bradley. He, however, is too aloof to be interested in anyone." Hilda''s expression amused Michelle. "So, you have a thing for him as well?" Michelle asked smiling. "I do. But there''s no way that he will fall in love with a girl like me," Hilda said, dejected. She had no self-confidence because of her figure and her humble family background. "Don''t say that. Who knows, he might just fall for you some day," Michelle said reassuringly. She didn''t say that just for the sake of it; she really meant it. Hilda was such a sweet girl, anyone would be lucky to have her. Hilda shook her head slightly and smiled. She knew that Michelle was just being kind to her. Michelle had no interest in the so-called school hunk, for she gave all her attention to Luke. Luke, on the other hand, showed no interest in her at all. He had said that he didn''t need her love, which had made her really downhearted. Chapter 1471 Girls Fight (Part Two) The hot spring was not on the mountain like Hilda had said. Instead, it was in a valley and was surrounded by green trees and beautiful flowers, like a retreat away from the hustle of the outside world. The air was fresh, unlike that in the cities. It was serene. The men''s pool and the women''s pool were separated by thick wooden nks. The girls and boys couldn''t see each other, but their voices could be heard clearly over the wooden division. Michelle and Hilda took their time to change into their swimsuits. When they arrived at the pool, Erin rolled her eyes and snorted at them, "What country bumpkins!" Erin was wearing a bikini, which entuated her sexy body. Several girls were swimming around Erin and fawning over her. Michelle and Hilda entered into the pool and stayed away from Erin. But Hilda still felt ufortable in Erin''s presence. "Erin, you have such an exquisite, well-shaped body unlike someone here who is dressed like an olddy," the girl, who was next to Erin, sneered. She had always disliked Michelle. ording to her, Michelle was just a broke girl from a poor background and should also fawn over Erin like she did. "Exactly. Look at her t chest," echoed another girl, who cast a scornful nce at Michelle and Hilda. Hilda bit her lower lip and turned to look at Michelle to see her reaction. But Michelle didn''t seem to be bothered at all. She had shut her eyes as if nothing had happened. She let the warm spring water rx her body. Satisfied with the insults, Erin raised her head and looked at Michelle. She had thought that Michelle would be ashamed of herself, but she was wrong. She gave absolutely no response to their taunting. Erin was annoyed. "Hey, fatso! Get out of here. . What are you guys doing?" Hilda gulped nervously and stood in front of Michelle. Although she was trembling in fear, she still stood her ground without running away. "If you don''t want to get beaten up, get out of here." One of the girls cast a warning nce at Hilda and pushed her into the water. Michelle watched as Hilda struggled to stand up. She frowned. She knew how these cat fights yed out. They weren''t really skilled fighters. All they did were push and pull whoever was weaker than them. They would gang up and pull each other''s hair, probably end up tearing their swimsuits and wing at each other''s face with their long polished nails. Lucky for her, her hair was short and she was wearing a simple swimsuit. "So you want to gang up on me, huh?" Michelle mocked. Then she looked at Erin and smirked, "Are you too weak to fight me alone?" Erin''s nose red in anger. "You shameless bitch! You are so dead!" Michelle showed no fear as several of the girls came at her at once. And this irritated Erin. She couldn''t understand why Michelle was not affected by her words or her punches. She wanted Michelle to fawn over her like the others. Chapter 1472 Girls Fight (Part Three) Three more girls joined the fight and Michelle said yfully, "Why don''t all of you just attack together, so that I can knock you all out quickly and go back to enjoying the hot spring peacefully?" Michelle wasn''t afraid of them, but she knew that she must take them seriously. When a girl reached out to grab Michelle''s hair, she dodged and released Erin. She had to focus on the fight. "Michelle, let me help you. You bitches, go to hell!" Hilda dashed towards the girls. Frightened as she was, she still wanted to help her friend. Michelle was the first one in the ssroom who was kind to her, and it would be ungrateful if she didn''t help her when she was in trouble. "Fatty! Do you wanna get beaten up so badly?" The girls'' fight left the pool in a chaos. And the girls who were not involved immediately left the scene. Michelle frowned at the sight of Hilda being pushed around by the other girls. Now, she had to deal with the girls and protect Hilda at the same time. She was getting tired of all this stupidity. Michelle knew how to fight, but it was hard for her to use her skills in such a chaotic situation. A girl''s bra was ripped off in themotion and another one''s pants were pulled off. Everyone had gone crazy in the pool. It was the craziest fight Michelle had ever encountered. She honestly felt that it was easier for her to fight men, as they never used such mean tricks. With them, it was purely strength and skills. "What is going on here?" a man''s voice suddenly came from the poolside. Some girls immediately covered their breasts and sank into the water. Michelle raised her head and saw Bradley He standing beside the pool. There was a scorn on his face. "Well, you came at the righ Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. nothingpared to the wounds she had received when she had been engaged in street fights. "Sorry, Michelle. It was all my fault," Hilda sniffed and tears formed at the corners of her eyes. "It had nothing to do with you. They just hate me. Anyway, forget about it. Let''s go take a stroll around this ce." Michelle had changed into a sports suit and was nning to go mountain climbing. The scenery was rather beautiful and she didn''t want to miss out on the view from the top of the mountains. "Sure! Wait a minute. I''ll go and get changed." Hilda couldn''t refrain from smiling through her tears, and went to the dressing room to get changed. She was indeed an innocent girl. Michelle took a look at her phone and forced a bitter smile. There was still no message or call from Luke. She shouldn''t have hoped for it, but she just couldn''t help it. Michelle was having such a wonderful time in this beautiful ce. She didn''t want anything to get her into a low mood. The only drawback was that she had to deal with Erin all the time. She didn''t waste a single opportunity to provoke Michelle, which was really starting to annoy her. Chapter 1473 He Knew The Truth (Part One) Luke did not feel different the first day Michelle left. But soon, he started to feel restless. He was not used to not having her around. He became annoyed and agitated, as if something was missing. "What are you thinking about, Luke?" Edward frowned at him. He had called out Luke''s name several times, but thetter had not made any response. He seemed to be lost in his thoughts, and that had never happened before. Was he in love? "Sorry, Mr. Mu. I didn''t hear you speak to me," Luke told Edward truthfully after pausing for a moment. "What is it? Has Michelle note back yet?" Edward asked in a careless tone, feigning indifference. However, his guileful eyes were clear with intention. "Not yet. She''ll probablye back soon," Luke replied in an unnatural tone. He avoided eye contact with Edward unknowingly. Still, he felt like he had no way of hiding himself under Edward''s stare. "Probably? Haven''t you called her yet?" Edward asked again, frowning. He put down the pen in his hand, still gazing at Luke. "No," Luke said honestly. To be more precise, he did not even have Michelle''s number. She had called him in the past, but he never saved her number because he did not think it was necessary. He never felt any need to call her before. "No way! She has been gone for three or four days now, but you have not even called her. What about her? Has she called you?" Edward felt utterly helpless about this situation. Sure, Luke and Michelle weren''t a couple and weren''t in love, but they could at least get along. They were living under the same roof, for heaven''s sake! Why did they want to keep Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. een lying to his face all this time. Tom''s heart thundered. He could not feel any worse right now. "You think I''m lying? Tom, I kept it from you that I got back my memories, but you can''t deny that I love you with my whole heart!" Patricia had gone deathly pale. Tom seemed to think that she was a cunning woman who just wanted to trap him with her wiles. "Hah! Love? You fall in love with a man so easily, huh? Your love is cheap, Patricia." Tom was bristling with rage. He intended to hurt Patricia as much as he could, the consequences be damned. "Yes. I fell in love with you that easily. I love you so much that I lost my dignity. You''re right, Tom. My love is cheap," Patricia said. She smiled bitterly as tears fell down her face. It was said that during a fight, a coupleshed out at each other with the most hurtful insults. That was indeed the case here; Patricia felt it now. "So you admit it. You yed me for a fool. You did it on purpose because I hurt you before, am I right?" A malicious smile cracked on Tom''s face. It could make anyone tremble in fear. Chapter 1474 He Knew The Truth (Part Two) "If that''s what you think, I can''t change your point of view no matter what I say. The only thing I did wrong was that I didn''t tell you about my recovery in time. As for everything else, I don''t regret it. Believe me when I say that I love you with all my heart," Patricia said, fixing her eyes on him. To tell the truth, his usation of her had once again thrown her into an endless abyss. She felt heartbroken, just like when he had hurt herst time. "You don''t regret it! Good, good for you! I need time to think. I think both of us need to take a break." Tom turned around and left as soon as he finished speaking. Patricia ran after him immediately. In the hurry to get to him, she tripped and fell, letting out a cry. Her foot still hadn''t healed. At the sound, Tom slowed down, feeling like his heart was breaking. Soon, he resumed his steps and left without turning around to check on Patricia. "Tom, you bastard! Just let me exin!" Sitting on the ground as she looked at Tom''s receding figure, Patricia howled inconsbly. Tom did note back. Just likest time, he had disappeared mercilessly and left her in the dark. She had imagined that he might be angry when he came to know her secret, but she never thought he would be so enraged. She was helpless and at a loss. Patricia had no idea how to fix this. Tom drove his car at full speed. This was his first time driving so fast. Usually, he followed the rules. But today, he did not know how to vent out his anger. Driving at full speed helped him shed some of it. He made a call to Rain. "Where are you?" he asked rudely. "Come out and have a drink with me." "Shoot! Are you ordering me, Tom? Do you know who I am? I''m an elite!" Rain said arrogantly, as if he was the busiest man in the wo ted Tom''s behavior. He looked a little upset tonight. "Cheers," Tom raised his ss and saidzily. "If I''m correct, you''re in an awful mood because something happened between you and Patricia," Rain said curiously. He would never let go of any chance to gossip about his friend. "How''d you know that?" Tom cast him a sidelong look and drained all the wine in his ss. "Of course I know! You are a man! There are only two reasons for a man to drink up. One is his career, and the other is his love. As far as I know, you''re doing quite well at work. So love is the only option left." Rain did not drink like Tom. He only took cozy sips, which looked to be quite elegant. "Wow, you are a talented analyst. Yes, you are right. Cheers, to the two frustrated men!" Tom drained his wine again, as if he would not stop until he was totally intoxicated. The phone on his table kept ringing, but he did not spare a look at it. "Sure, cheers!" Rain did not pester him about Patricia. They were close friends, but Tom had his own private issues. Patricia kept calling Tom over and over again. She pulled at her short hair in worry. That man refused to pick up his phone. Chapter 1475 He Knew The Truth (Part Three) She felt helpless. Leena was nowhere to be found and Michelle had note back yet. There was no one she could turn to. She had to stay at home, agitated and nervous. No matter how much Tom insulted her, she would never be able to stop loving him. He said that both of them needed a break; that they needed time to calm down. What about after that? Would he break up with her? It made her so nervous. She had made a lot of efforts to make him ept her. Now, she did not want him to break up with her because of this one mistake! "Are you gonna leave it like that? Don''t you want to pick it up?" Rain cocked his head. He did not want to bother himself about the ringing phone, but the phone just kept chirping and it agitated him. He was kind of jealous as no one called him like this all the time. "It doesn''t matter. Just leave it be," Tom said casually. He did not want to hear that woman''s voice right now. However, Tom could not help but wonder how she was doing. That was why Tom did not turn off his phone and left it ringing. This way, he could at least be sure that she was safe. Truth be told, he felt a bit ashamed. Tom shook his head, telling himself to keep it together. Still, his heart could not help caring about her. Despite the alcohol, that woman''s smile, her lovely face and her voice kept shing through his head over and over again. He seemed to have been poisoned. The name of that poison was love and Patricia was the one who fed him the venom. "You bastard, you are unting that you have a woman who cares about you, aren''t you?" Rain said in a seemingly angry tone. He swirled the liquid in his ss as a wicked smirk spread on his face. "You are thinking too much! Just keep drinking." Tom rolled his eyes at Rain. He was not so jobless that he''d bother to t to press him. "I''m okay. Goodbye." Rain dashed away quietly. He cut quite an unruly figure. Patricia watched him going away. She did not tear her gaze from him until he disappeared into the distance, before looking down at Tom. She sighed slightly and walked over to the bed. His face was red. Did it hurt him so much that she did not tell him the truth? She put her cold and shivering fingers on his handsome face and traced his features. It was the first time she was seeing him looking so quiet and harmless. He looked like an innocent child when he was asleep. This man did not look like the one who had hurt her with the worst words he could find. Her eyes zeroed in on his lips. After some hesitation, Patricia lowered her head and kissed him. She had nned to leave a gentle kiss and stop, but somehow, she couldn''t help but linger. She kissed him deeply, enjoying the taste of him. When she finally decided to move away, the man who was supposed to be in a deep sleep suddenly opened his eyes. He took one look at her and in a drunken stupor grabbed the back of her hair and pressed her down toward him. He kissed her with enthusiasm, the passion between them scorching hot. Chapter 1476 Her First Time (Part One) Patricia''s eyes widened as she wasn''t expecting things to turn out this way. She couldn''t resist his advances; she didn''t want to. Tom was on top of her and her hands were wrapped around her waist. She quietly let him touch her body. If this was what he wanted, she was willing to give him her first time. She had already given him her heart and her love, and she didn''t mind giving him her body too. Under the heavy influence of alcohol, Tom showed no mercy. He had rough sex with Patricia that night, even though it was only her first time. After that, he immediately fell asleep. Patricia''s body was killing her, but tears of joy flooded her eyes. She loved him, so she was happy that he needed her. She sniffed and thought to herself, ''I have always expected that my first time would be romantic and dreamy, but this was nothing like that. It was just a drunken night. But, I don''t regret it. I''m willing to give Tom my everything.'' Shey next to Tom and listened to the constant rhythm of his breathing. Too excited to sleep, she stared at his face affectionately. It was a first for her when she had humbled herself to pursue this man, and it was her first time that she had loved someone in such a humble manner. She wished that this moment wouldst forever. Eventually, Patricia fell asleep in Tom''s arms. The next morning, when Tom opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was her face. And then he realized that they were both naked. Rubbing his aching brow, he tried to remember what had happenedst night and epted the truth peacefully. He got off the bed and went straight into the bathroom. He turned on the shower and let the cold . He didn''t understand what she was afraid of. There was no one else in the house, but them. Like other young men, Tom preferred to live alone. He needed a quiet environment to study, so he was the only one staying in the vi. As for the house work, his mother always sent servants to clean the house when Tom was at work. "Um... I..." Patricia tried to form a proper sentence, but couldn''t find the right words. "Have breakfast first. We''ll talkter," Tom interrupted and began to eat his Western style breakfast. Patricia quickly looked at her te and began eating. She stole nces at Tom from time to time and wondered what he was going to tell her. ''Is he going to say that what happenedst night was just a mistake?'' she thought anxiously. Tom noticed her nces, but ignored them. He didn''t know what he was supposed to do with her, and while he ate, he kept thinking about what he was going to say or how he should take responsibility. Breakfast was over quickly in a weird and dull atmosphere. Patricia nervously sat on the couch in the living room, waiting for Tom''s decision. Chapter 1477 Her First Time (Part Two) "I will take responsibility for what happenedst night," Tom said, as he ced his coffee mug slowly on the table after taking a sip. "What?" Patricia was leftpletely confused. She didn''t understand what Tom meant. "I said, I''ll take responsibility," Tom repeated. He let his eyes settle upon her face. He knew that it had been her first time, and he decided to man up and do the right thing. "But that''s not what I want," Patricia said, biting her lower lip. She wanted to marry Tom because she loved him dearly. But if he decided to marry her just because he had had sex with her and wanted to take responsibility, she''d rather part ways with him. She wanted his love, not just his hand in marriage. "Did you just turn down my offer?" Tom narrowed his eyes, which made her hair stand on end. "No, that''s not what I meant. I just don''t want a marriage without love." Patricia raised her head and looked at him right in the eye. She had changed a lot after she had fallen in love with him, and she had once believed that she would be happy as long as Tom was with her. But after having witnessed Michelle''s marriage, she realized that she couldn''t live like that. She wanted him and his heart wholly. "I have no idea what you mean. I am willing to marry you. Of course, you can turn me down. But I''m warning you, you have only one chance. If you refuse me now, then I will leave once and for all." Like Edward, Tom was too proud to ept the fact that he was turned down by a woman. "I... I need some time to think about it." Patricia lowered her eyes and looked at her interlocked hands on herp. She thought to h had kept provoking her throughout, and she just wouldn''t stop till Michelle was ready to surrender to her. "Hey, woman!" Michelle heard Erin''s voice from behind her and she quietly rolled her eyes. "What on earth is your rtionship with Bradley? Why does he always stand up for you?" Erin yelled at Michelle again. "Why don''t you go and ask him? I''m not in the mood to answer your stupid questions," Michelle answered coldly. She cast a scornful nce at Erin before turning back to the canvas on which she was drawing. The drawing had taken her a couple of days, and she was nning to use it as the project for this ss activity. "You must have seduced him. I should have known. Poor women like you dream of marrying into rich families. That''s why you seduced Bradley. Look at yourself in the mirror! Do you really think that a rich and handsome man like Bradley would ever fall in love with a bimbo like you? Don''t you dare think that you can marry into his family just because you''re pretty. You don''t even deserve him!" Erin taunted her. She was rude and arrogant, as usual. Chapter 1478 Her First Time (Part Three) Michelle was really annoyed by what Erin had said. As far as she was concerned, Bradley was just an immature boy, nothingparable to her husband. When Erin said that she was trying to marry into a rich family, she rolled her eyes and thought, ''Yes, my father is a gang leader, but that doesn''t mean we''re poor. In fact, we''re actually rich. Moreover, I''ve already married into a rich family. My husband, my brother-inw and my father-inw are all rich.'' Michelle had almost reached her limits with this girl. She turned around to re at her and said, "You have a thing for him and believe that he''s the best man in the world, but I don''t think so. If that''s the only thing you want to talk to me about, rest assured, I have no interest in him." "Huh? You think I would just take your word for it? If you haven''t seduced him, then why did he tell our teacher that he wanted to be in the same team with you tomorrow?" asked Erin, not believing a word of what Michelle had said. It vexed her to think about Bradley''s cold attitude towards her. Just moments ago, Erin had invited him to group with her, but he had told her that he didn''t want a dumb teammate like her. People around them hadughed out loud at her. She had felt so humiliated. So she had decided to settle ounts with Michelle instead. "I don''t care if you believe me or not. That''s none of my concern. And I think you are overestimating me. Like you said, I''m just a poor woman. I don''t think he''s interested in me," Michelle mocked her. But at the same time, she thought to herself, "What the fuck is Bradley thinking? Doesn''t he know that Erin nd asked angrily when the teacher had left, "Michelle, I thought we had a deal. I told you to go to Bradley and turn him down. Why didn''t you do it?" Michelle grunted like an angry beast, "I went to look for himst night, but couldn''t find him anywhere. He was probably hiding on purpose. He is such an ass!" Last night, she had gone to look for him after finishing her drawing. But she had searched all over the holiday vige in vain. He had been definitely hiding from her on purpose. She knew it! "Really? You think I''m an ass?" Bradley asked casually, cing his hands in his pockets. They both turned around to look at him. Erin gasped and Michelle just raised her eyebrows at him. "Bradley, let me be your teammate, okay?" Erin tugged at his sleeve and pleaded with a hopeful expression. "No," Bradley answered shortly and shook off her hand. Michelle smirked coldly. If looks could kill, Bradley would have been dead a thousand times over. Now because of him, Michelle would have to deal with all his admirers. This was turning out to be a major trouble. Chapter 1479 Yes I Do (Part One) "Why?" Erin continued to pester him. She would not give up until she got what she wanted. "You''d better stop asking. I don''t want to embarrass you and break your heart," Bradley said as he raised his eyebrows. Although he was saying this to Erin, his eyes were fixed on Michelle. It was the first time for him to have been turned down by a woman and it was not eptable. He needed to know the reason why Michelle didn''t want to be in the same group as him. "Is it because of that bitch, Michelle?" Erin turned her head to Michelle and shot daggers at her. She thought that Michelle was held to be the most culpable. "Erin, watch your mouth. Don''t push me to resort to violence!" Growing up with gangsters, dirty words were nothing new to her. But what she hated the most was when some people spat ''bitch'' whenever they were displeased. It was insulting. "Huh! Who do you think you are? Don''t you know whom you are talking to, here? Just admit it, you are a bitch!" Biting her lips, Erin wanted to show Michelle who she really was. She was about to throw a tantrum. But Bradley was in front of her and she didn''t want him to see her ungraceful side. She had no choice but to suppress the anger in her and act graciously. He watched all this silently, with a yful smile. Actually, the more he knew about Michelle, the more he became interested in this neer. "Are you happy with what''s happening now?" Michelle was annoyed. She really wanted to rip that smile off his face. The mischievous and yful look on his face disgusted her. "If I say yes, what are you going to do? Are you going to beat me up?" Bradley stopped smiling. He already knew the answer from her eyes which glowed with fire. "Beat you up? I''m not that bold. I don''t want to be the target of all the hate from the girls." Michelle turned around and walked away, not caring whether Bradley followed her or not. "I have a feeling that you hate me." Bradley quickened his pace to catch up with her. Erin was pissed off, seeing that Bradley and Michellepletely ignored her. "I neither hate you nor like you. You''re just a normal citizen to me." Michelle frow on when finally conquered. And Michelle''s cold attitude towards him only ignited his eagerness to win her heart. The tripsted for a week. Every day, Michelle missed Luke and anticipated that he would send her messages or call her. She was hoping that he would miss her too. But there was nothing. Not one ring nor one message came, not even a single emoji. When Michelle finally arrived home, she felt that the past seven days had passed like a dream. Everything was so familiar back home, the familiar vor, the familiar furniture, but one thing was missing - the familiar man she missed most who at the same time was also the man she feared to see most. Tired as she was after the trip, she still went to Edward''s house to say hello to Luke''s parents first. It surprised her that she also met Daisy there. Then she realized that it was Sunday today. Where was Luke then? Had he alreadye here today? Michelle wondered. "Michelle, you''re back! How was your trip? Did you have fun?" Daisy looked at her with a gentle smile. She was quick to notice the disappointment in Michelle''s eyes. "Yes. It was good. The scenery was very beautiful! It was just breathtaking and I will remember that ce for a long time. It would be nice to go back, next time with the family." Michelle smiled to cover her embarrassment. She felt more helpless than happy during this trip. Erin, with her wicked attitude really exasperated her. Chapter 1480 Yes I Do (Part Two) "How about your drawing and painting skills? Have them improved? Are you able to keep pace with your ssmates?" As Michelle just joined the course in the middle, unless she was really gifted in this area, she had to study twice as hard as the others. "There are still gaps and a lot of things to learn. But I am trying my best to catch up." In front of Daisy, Michelle was still the girl that she had seen the first time they met. Her humble and graceful manner made Daisy feel veryfortable. "Come on! One day you may be a famous painter and that will bring honor to our family." Daisy patted on her shoulder and gave her some encouragement. Then her attention shifted to the man who walked in. Her eyes softened at the sight of him. "Oh please! Daisy, don''t make fun of me. I''m far from being a painter, let alone famous painter." Michelle also noticed Edward who just came in, but she couldn''t see Luke anywhere. She was having a conversation intently with Daisy but inside her head were echoes of her own voice looking for him and questioning why he wasn''t around. "If you put enough effort and even sacrifice for it, you will get close to your goal. We both know that it is notpletely impossible for you to achieve that, isn''t it?" Edward saidzily. He embraced Daisy into his arms and stole a passionate kiss on her lips. He did it so casually, not caring about Michelle''s presence. It would have been a ruckus if Justin was also here. "What are you doing? Michelle could see what you''re doing!!" Daisy said as she pushed him away. She stared at him with her face blushed all over. She acted like she didn''t like it but she felt otherwise. "Oh Please! It''s as if I am not even here! You may continue, I''m okay with it." Michelleughed a little. It was true that she envied them, but she also knew that Luke would never be so amorous to her like Edward was to his wife. "They already took you as if you are invisible even if you didn''t say it. So Aunt Michelle, you now know how bad I feel, being left out of this game that they like to y by themselves! Poor me!" Justin walked into the house, his innocent face looking upset. "Justin, what did you say? Poor you? What made you think that there is a poor you?" Edward stared at h ce made him feel mildly weird and ufortable. But he didn''t take it to heart. He shook his head and walked into the house. Michelle touched her nose. It still hurt. But she had never expected that he would be gentle to her. She shook her head helplessly and then followed him into the house. After a warm bath, she began to organize her sketches. But it was strange that she couldn''t find thendscape painting she intended to hand in to the teacher the next day. She became very anxious. She looked for it all over the house but couldn''t find it anywhere. There could be no way that it could go missing! She remembered clearly that she had put it in the picture book and it was impossible not to have brought it back. She sat on the bed and began to think what could have gone wrong, trying to retrace when she saw itst. Why couldn''t she find it? Oh shit! It was that damn Erin! Then the memory of seeing Erin in her room the other day shed in her mind, and Michelle went ballistic. She had put up with her and let her go over and over again, but she didn''t expect that the bratty bitch would go further and cross the line. She felt strange that time, when Erin unexpectedly appeared in the room she shared with Hilda during the trip that day. She had no business being there because she did not get along with neither Michelle nor Hilda. Now she realized what she had been up to. ''Huh! Just wait till Monday when I see you in school. You are really gonna get it, you slut!'' Michelle thought. Chapter 1481 Yes I Do (Part Three) She had worked so hard on her homework and now it was gone. She was extremely furious. She had to hand in the homework on Monday. Now she had no choice but to draw a new picture. Even if she tried to remember all the details in her former painting, it wouldn''t be the same as the original which was done by looking right at the scenery in person. She was in a fret because she couldn''t have a good sleep tonight even though she was exhausted. But she really didn''t want to move now. She only wanted to lie in bed and close her eyes. Michelle pulled at her hair in despair. If Erin was right in front of her now, she would definitely punch her in the face and shave her bald. Then she would see how Erin could show off with her swollen face every day. She was doing her best not to show her true gangster colors but if a bitch like Erin would push her to the edge, she would dly give her a taste of her fist. "What are you doing? Are you hurting yourself now?" Luke crossed his arms and leaned against the door, smiling yfully as he watched her tear at her hairs and scream inwardly in frustration. "Oh! Well, what are you doing here?" Michelle hurriedly smoothed her hair which was in a mess. She felt very embarrassed of being caught acting like she was possessed by the devil. "Well, I just heard some strange noisesing from your room, so I came here to check if anything is wrong." Luke snorted and then turned around. He was about to leave. "Luke, can you spare several minutes for me?" Michelle asked abruptly. She suddenly found a new subject that she wanted to paint for her homework. Forget the mountain scenery. "What?" Luke stopped and said shortly, not willing to waste any words. "Can you be my model?" Michelle pleaded while biting her nails. "Pfft. What makes you think that I''d agree." Luke snorted and refused her without hesitation. "Why not?" Michelle didn''t want to give up. She had only one day left and she was desperate. "You wil . She didn''t know why. He should have at least used ssier examples. "Okay, I say yes. Yes! I do!" Patricia said firmly, as if fearing that she would regret the next second. She spoke with curt finality and told herself that there was no going back. This was it! "Yes? Yes! Great! There must be a wedding ceremony! You agree with this, right?" Tom looked at her. It was his mother''s wish to have a wedding ceremony for her son, and he would finally be able to fulfill it. "Yes of course, but can we wait until Leenaes back?" She couldn''t imagine her wedding without Leena by her side. Leena was her BBF and her absence would be a big regret in her life. She would be happy in this marriage and surely she wanted Leena''s blessings. In fact, she wanted Leena to be her maid of honor. "I agree. She is my sister and I also want her to be there on the biggest day of our life." Tom used ''our'' instead of "my" in his words. It clearly showed that from the moment Patricia said yes, he bound her to him and would never let her go. A marriage was settled without a matchmaker''s help or their parents'' permission. What would await them? What would their married life be like? Were they going to be happy in this marriage or not? It would all depend on how hard they were willing to work for it, to fight for it. Chapter 1482 I Miss You But You Dont Know (Part One) "Why did you steal my painting?" asked a woman''s voice. It was Michelle. She found Erin in the restroom. Erin wanted to escape, but Michelle stopped her. After looking at her scathingly, Michelle put the "Cleaning, Do Not Disturb" sign at the door, to avoid having someone interrupt them. "What are you talking about? Who stole your painting?" asked Erin innocently, taking a step back in fear. She never knew this side of Michelle. She had heard rumors, but it was her first time to see it with her own eyes. "What? Just admit it, you are a bitch!" Michelle teased, using the very same words Erin had used on her in the past. She wasn''t a weak woman, and she wasn''t about to let anyone bully her as they wished. Michelle decided to take control and fight back. "I don''t know what you''re talking about," snapped Erin, but couldn''t meet Michelle''s eyes. Determined, she continued to deny the usation. There was no way she''d admit the truth. Michelle was right: she had something to do with the missing painting. "Really? You really don''t know?" mocked Michelle. "You never got along well with Hilda. But all of a sudden, you appeared in our room. And just when I came back from outside, you seemed to be shaken by something. Are you still sure you don''t know what I''m talking about? And, oh!" eximed Michelle, adding as an afterthought, "Don''t tell me you felt sorry for Hilda, and that''s why you went to our room." Michelle pped her hand against the door to stop Erin from opening it. She wasn''t going to let the woman get away before admitting the truth. "What are you saying?" said Erin, her eye contact faltering. "I just - I just went to warn her about something." Michelle was getting closer to the truth, and it worried Erin. She didn''t know what else to say, but she had to make a good excuse to divert Michelle''s attention. "Did you? Hilda was so nice. She must''ve made you a cup of coffee. If I''m not mistaken, was that when you took could not fight against her face to face. So she promised what Michelle wanted to hear. However, whether she would keep the promise? It was another story. "If you''re nning to have your revenge in the future, you''d better give it up. I''m a nobody, and I don''t care about being alive or not. If you do something again to me, I''m not sure what kind of crazy things I''ll do as a payback. Trust me, you wouldn''t want to know. Am I clear enough?" Michelle shook her head. She was born and raised in a faction after all. If there was something she learned in a troubling environment, it was to stand up for herself. If needed, she knew how to be intimidating as well. And she was doing it extremely well towards Erin. "I..." Erin swallowed hard once again. She could not help but shudder at the sight of Michelle''s insidious eyes. "Of course, if you do as you promised, I''ll be nice to you. So... if I were you, I''d think about it carefully," Michelle said, and yed with her curled hair. She twirled Erin''s hair yfully, as if she was a man flirting with her, and it almost looked evil and terrible. "Okay. Can I leave now?" Now all Erin wanted was to escape from this ce, from Michelle, as soon as she could. As for her other ns, she would think about them another time when she was safe. Chapter 1483 I Miss You But You Dont Know (Part Two) "Yes, please," Michelle pped her hands and took a step back. If she were still the old Michelle from the past, Erin would have already been hit by Michelle and would not have any opportunity to find fault with her. Erin staggered away in haste. Before she walked out of the ce, Michelle said from behind, "That guy, Bradley. It''s your business if you like him. But please, don''t consider me to be your rival. He''s not my type." Obviously, Michelle was sneering. She had been busy handling Luke, and she didn''t want to have to deal with other troubles on top of that. Erin turned around to nce at her. Then, quickly, she walked away. Michelle was absolutely a crazy woman. And everyone would do well to steer clear of a crazy woman. Michelle smiled coolly. Oh, God! Since when did she be so kind? She was nice enough to let her get away unharmed. This would never have happened with the old Michelle. Perhaps, the evil Michelle was in the process of bing a kind Michelle. Patricia felt like she was in a dream as she examined the red marriage certificate in her hand. Everything seemed to be unreal. She wasn''t sure about how she felt. Happy? Worried? She was about to find it as soon as Tom and she lived together. Her parents were ecstatic when she told them she was marrying Tom. They were beyond satisfied to have him as their son-inw so that they wanted to send her to Tom''s home in a heartbeat. In their opinion, Tom was an excellent man. She, on the other hand, had some reservations about him. Whether she liked it or not, she was tossed into Tom''s house by her parents. And although she had been there before, she didn''t get to take a close look at it then. When she stepped into the house, however, she felt like she was dreaming again. "It''s a new house. Of course, if you don''t like the decoration, feel free to change theyout of the room as you like," Tom said with a gentle voice, his hands in his pockets. Although he was hurt by her when she lied to him, he couldn''t bear to see h anyone, leaving no clue where she went. Was she really going to give up on her marriage after everything? But, if she was considering it, shouldn''t she at least listen to what Kevin had to say? Meanwhile, Leena, who was on the other side of the world, couldn''t help but sneeze a bit. She ced her pen brush down, and sniffed unknowingly. A family photo of Kevin and her could be seen in front of her. She had badgered him constantly to take this picture, not knowing that someday she would leave him, and have only the photo to remember his handsome face. Her fingers rested on his eyebrows. She could not help but rub to ease the wrinkles on his forehead unconsciously. Thoughts ran through her mind as she stared at the picture. How was he? Was he eating well? Did he miss her? No, no! She shouldn''t ask him to miss her. After all, it was she who decided to leave. Now that she chose to let him go, she shouldn''t expect him to wait for her. She didn''t want to give any more false hopes. That was why she kept herself from all the news surrounding her family and him. She knew her sudden disappearance must''ve upset many of her friends and family. But at the time, she felt it was the only choice she had. She just couldn''t behave well and be honest with Kevin, especially during the times when he talked passionately about having kids. Chapter 1484 I Miss You But You Dont Know (Part Three) Leena nced at her watch. It was time for her to take her medicine. Although she had left Kevin, she still insisted on taking the medicine to treat her body. She was unintentionally making an effort, like she was still harboring some hope in her heart. The medicine was bitter, and more disgusting, than thest one she took. Yet she controlled her urge to vomit, and forced herself to take it all in. Paris was a city she couldn''t be more familiar with. Choosing to hide here didn''t make her feel lonely. In fact, it helped as she had several things to keep her mind busy. And being busy kept her from bingzy. The only inconvenience was that she had to be under a disguise at all times to avoid being recognized. Aware of the likelihood that her family and friends hired some private detectives, she had to be very careful to avoid exposing herself. Although Edward''s father sent some people to protect her, it couldn''t hurt to take extra precaution. Looking at the thick, ck concoction, Leena bit her lower lip in deep thought. Finally, she mustered all the courage she had and drained all of it in a single gulp. The bitterness lingered in her tongue, just like the bitterness she had in her heart. It seemed like the taste wouldn''te off her tongue. Kevin''s stomach dropped all of a sudden, as if he felt Leena''s experience and it made him worry. It had already been a month. He had assumed that Leena wouldn''t be able to handle the pain of being apart from him. But no. After waiting for her toe back this whole time, nothing changed. He seemed to have gravely overestimated his importance in her heart for she was still nowhere to be found. He tore up the divorce settlement in anger. The letter she left for him was stored in the locker of his desk. It recorded both her love and cruelty towards him. Every time he missed her, he would take it out and read it again. He would stare at it longingly, as if he could see her writi t by the family! "Bye!" said Kevin, neither admitting nor denying. He merely gave out a simple response, got into his car, and then drove away. He didn''t want to waste much of his time on her at all, not for another second. ''Damn it!'' she thought, stomping her foot. Louisa walked out of the army base swiftly, hoping that her presence wasn''t reported to his father. Otherwise, there would be terrible consequences waiting for her at home. Kevin had gotten used to days with warm dinner waiting for him at home. But now, with Leena gone, there was nothing but darkness weing him. Although it had been a month now, he still couldn''t ept the reality. He always imagined that Leena woulde out from somewhere in the house, look at him with a bright smile, and then leave a gentle kiss on his face. He would be extremely d if that happened. "Most of the time, I miss you, but you don''t know it," he said quietly to himself, swallowing back what seemed to be lodged in his throat. Wherever he looked, he would see Leena. The cute her, the wronged her, or the lovely her. He missed all different versions of her. But whenever he reached out to touch her face, to hold her in his arms, she would disappear into the thin air. His heart hurt so much as if it was going to break at any time. Chapter 1485 Be Honest With Each Other (Part One) "Are we going to sleep in the same room?" Patricia asked nervously as she bit her finger. She was sitting on the bed and God knew how fast her heart was beating just by gazing at the man before her. "So what? We''re married. What''s wrong if we sleep in the same room?" said Tom as he unbuttoned his shirt one by one. It seemed that he didn''t even care that Patricia was there at all. He was too casual as if stripping before her was the most natural thing to do. "Oh! Okay! Are you going to change?" Patricia looked away. There was this mixture of awkwardness and warmth that was crawling her skin. Yes, she might be a straightforward person but that didn''t mean that she was shameless enough to watch this handsome man undress before her. Thus, she said, "Let me walk out of here for a while. I''ll go back into the room once you''re done." Those timid words made Tom frown for a second. He never thought of a person as bold as her to be this shy. "Seriously, Patricia? Is that even necessary? Haven''t you seen me naked already?" "Nonsense. I''ve never seen you naked, okay?" countered Patricia as her face blushed at once. She felt her neck went stiff as she dared not to look at Tom. "You mean you want to see it again?" Smiling wickedly, Tom suddenly stepped closer to her and bent over to examine her beautiful face. He was obviously enjoying this. He couldn''t even exin why her bashfulness was turning him on. "Uh... No, I''m fine. I''ll go downstairs and get some water." Patricia swallowed and then hurried out of the room as if a monster was chasing after her. Nevertheless, her steps automatically halted at the moment when she stepped out of the door. ''Wait! Haven''t I been imagining him to do such long ago? Tom is now showing me his naked body for free! Why would I refuse? I''m such a fool, '' she thought. Meanwhile, Tom smiled quietly and didn''t mind that she just walked away. He then went into the bathroom. He was aware that it could take time for people to get used to something. Thus, he decided to give her time to adapt to him. Frankly, regardless of how much he loved that woman, he needed time to get used to her too. Suddenly living with someone was such a new phase to him as well anyway. Long minutes had passed but Patricia still hadn''te back to their room. She said she would just drink water. Tom found it weird but then ignored it. Instead, he went straight into the study room. He simply didn''t have time to spend with her since he got a lot of difficult cases to study. Moreover, Tom was afraid that his friends might y a trick on him once they found out that he go irs before deciding to go back to their room. A long sigh escaped her chest upon seeing that Tom wasn''t in the room. She trudged towards their bed in relief and started to rx. Although she was not familiar with the ce, the smell of Tom in bed gave her a certain peace of mind. Who could have thought that they would marry? Nheless, she was positive that things would be alright. She didn''t know how many difficulties would be ahead of them but she knew that they would be able to solve them as long as they loved each other. Unlike other men''s bedrooms, Tom''s room was exuding simple luxury. Every inch of it was highlighting his personal taste and fashion sense. However, Patricia thought that his room was dominated by cold tones with no warmth. The warmth of a particr ce was the most important thing that women cared about. Tom''s ce was simplycking it. Thus, it made Patricia a little ufortable. There were a lot of things going through Patricia''s head as shey wide awake. She was getting jitters with the thought that she and Tom were going to sleep in the same bed. The feelings he stirred in her were still lingering all over her body. She didn''t know if they would have the same passion tonight but she hoped that they would. She missed how his lips made trails against her skin. How he kissed every inch of her and how he imed every part of her body. Patricia''s face instantly turned red upon realizing her train of thoughts. Thus, she looked even lovelier. She was still stuck on the bed when Tom came in. His eyesnded on the stunning woman on his bed. Her white skin and long legs immediately had his heart skipping a beat. However, he soon recovered and approached her with fakeposure. Chapter 1486 Be Honest With Each Other (Part Two) "What took you so long to get up here? What were you doing downstairs?" asked Tom with a yful smile. He then walked towards their bed and sat next to Patricia. "Uh... When did youe in?" Patricia sat up straight and thought, ''Damn it! Does he know what I was imagining about? Shoot!'' "When? Just in time to see how you were clutching my pillow and smelling it." Tom joked out as he leaned against the headboard casually. He looked very seductive when he crossed his long legs and turned to his wife. Then he added,"Ah? Are you seriously that crazy about me? That''s how you look like while you''re sniffing my pillow." "No, I am not. I just sniffed your pillow to check if there''s any sweat on it. Didn''t they say that men''s pillows are the most smelly in addition to the socks?" Patricia fancied out the message she had heard when she was a student. "It could be true for other men but then I''m a doctor. Do you think I''m that messy? For a man like me, I would never let my pillow to stink." Tom felt a surge offort while talking with Patricia. It seemed that marriage didn''t really bother him at all. Actually, he felt great. ''I guess it is nice to have someone around and talk about trivial things every day. This is perhaps how simple and sweet life should be, '' he thought. "For your information, I don''t have any clue about doctor''s hygiene. I must do that sniff-test to make sure that your sweat smell won''t wake me up just in case I cross over your pillow." After hearing his exnation, Patricia did not know what to say, so she began to quibble. "You''re being unreasonable. Come over,"manded Tom. He was looking at her as if he was a king who was waiting for Patricia to answer back. "What are you doing?" Patricia unconsciously tugged at the cor of her nightgown as if she wanted to protect herself. "Tell me. What should a newly married couple do in the same bed?" Although Tom did not intend to do so, he couldn''t help but tease the beauty who was lying next to him. "Er... But... I''m hungry..." Patricia immediately regretted what she said as soon as it came out of her mouth. She thought, ''How could I say that under such circumstances? Oh my God! He is sure to misunderstand me. How could I be so stupid?'' "Girl, you''re so passionate. Are you sure you''re hungry? Well, okay. I don''t really mind if you want to taste me that much," said Tom viciously. He was just like any other men. He might look like a gentleman outside, but he got his need omantic rtionships, being married was not only about love. It was also about protection, responsibility and encouragement. "Then why did you leave me the other day?" Patricia pouted with red eyes. "I''ll make it up to you now, okay?" Tom moved closer to her until his lips was next to hers. He could feel her clean warm breath against his lips and it was turning him on uncontrobly. "Can I say no?" Patricia swallowed. Such a provocative gesture woke up the woman inside her and made her whole body soft. "What do you think?" Tom said and kissed her. His kiss was so delicate and fascinating. Tom was all excited at the taste of her sweetness. This was their wedding night and they didn''t need a lot of things as long as they loved each other. Patricia closed her eyes. It turned out that such a moment was not as awkward as she thought. Although this was not the first time between them, there was a big difference between a ''drunk Tom'' and a ''sober Tom''. Thus, it was natural for Patricia to be nervous. Patricia did not think that Tom was a great flirt. His emotional words made her swallow her pride. She gave up all her inhibitions before him. She was willing to share the wonderful love and be one with him. She wanted to be the enchanting woman under his body over and over again. The night waste but their love was just beginning. Scent of lust was suddenly upying the four corners of the room as the two burned in heat. There was no word to exin the peace they shared as their bodies became one. If they wanted to be with each other forever, they had to work harder. This night belonged to them. No one could get involved. Chapter 1487 Mingling With The Elites (Part One) When Patricia woke up the next morning, there was no sign of Tom anywhere. In her mind, the crazy night seemed unreal, but her aching body was telling her it had not been a dream and they had gratifying sex on this soft bed. She got up and walked downstairs. The morning sun came through the ss windows. Patricia was in a happy mood because Tom didn''t get angry even after she deceived him. "What am I going to do today? It''s so boring to be staying home alone," she mumbled to herself. They still hadn''t seen Leena, and Michelle had to go to school. So, Patricia was really bored. "Mrs. Qin, what do you want for breakfast?" Zanna, the housekeeper, asked when she saw Patricia. The housekeeper was sent by Tom''s mother to take care of her son. Zanna was good at reading people''s minds, and Tom''s mother trusted her very much. "Don''t bother, Zanna. I''ll eat whatever is avable." Patricia gave her an awkward smile for waking upte. With a secret smile, she thought, ''This is all Tom''s fault. If not for him, I wouldn''t have gotten up sote.'' "All right then. I''ll serve you the same breakfast Mr. Qin had this morning." Zanna was in her forties. She looked pleasant and amiable, and not the kind who would make trouble. "All right. Thank you, Zanna." She smiled at the housekeeper. Perhaps it was because she came from a family of equal social rank, so she didn''t feel ufortable living in such an enormous vi. Neither did she feel awkward having a servant attend to her needs. After breakfast, she drove to a market selling home decorations. Patricia wasn''t very fond of their bedroom design and wanted to buy fashionable items to enhance the space. Tom had told her she could rece everything in the house as she wanted. Patricia decided not to redecorate the entire room, but only to add colorful ornaments. She was in the middle of bargaining for a porcin vase when she got the call from Tom''s mother, Pam. Her mother-inw requested to see her, so Patriciaid down the vase and turned to leave. But the storekeeper suddenly stopped her as she decided to ept the price Patricia wanted. Unfortunately, the customer had changed her mind because of more important things that needed her attention. Pam, a well-educated woman, had graduated from a distinguished university in S City. She was beautiful and came from a wealthy family. It was love at first sight for Tom''s father, but he had courted her for a long time before they became a pair. "Patricia! Over here!" Pam called out. Patricia arrived shortly at the restaurant and searched for Tom'' Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ward smile. In the eyes of the nouveau rich, painting was considered a refined art form, and only the well-educated knew how to appreciate and enjoy it. She herself knew nothing about the arts, so she was forced to change her opinion of Patricia after Pam''s revtion. The young woman only smiled but said nothing. She didn''t understand why her mother-inw told them the truth, because it embarrassed her to be somewhat bragging about her family. "I guess Mrs. Qin means the kind of store selling cheap paintings. That''s why Patricia was embarrassed to disclose this." The woman with a diamond ring blew on her fingers before casting a mocking nce at Patricia. Slightly angered by the remark, Patricia said nothing. She was unsure whether these women were Pam''s friends or not, so she refrained from speaking harshly. "I don''t know when Rarity Gallery started selling cheap paintings," Pam spoke up, as she sipped lemonade. Although everyone in the table was rich woman who wore fashionable clothes and expensive jewelry, Pam was more graceful and elegant than any of herpanions. "What? Rarity Gallery? The one run by Concordia Pei, the well-known painter? So, Patricia is Concordia Pei''s daughter?" one woman eximed. Almost everyone in the city knew who Concordia Pei was. "Ah, no wonder you look so educated and sensible, Patricia. Your parents are both well-known schrs. I heard your father is a professor in C University and is a famous calligrapher. His works are priceless, right?" Then came a series of questions that had Patricia confused and unable to withstand the interrogation. She wasn''t expecting her family''s exposure so quickly, and all she could give them was an awkward smile. Chapter 1488 Mingling With The Elites (Part Two) "Uhhh, I appreciate that people love my father''s works," Patricia acknowledged. It felt ufortable to speak about her family''s aplishments. She was thinking that she looked like a fool, and was still wondering why Pam exposed her family background. Patricia didn''t know what to do or what to say. She finally cast a pleading look at her mother-inw to ask for help. "Patricia, you are so modest!" Theplete turn-around in attitude was so abrupt and caught Patricia off-guard. Her situation now made Patricia realize that what she had learned in school over the years never prepared her to cope in these kinds of circumstances. Not only did she feel too young, but also naive to be dealing with them. She was still in shock long after lunch was over. After Pam and Patricia bid thedies goodbye, Tom''s mother smiled at her daughter-inw. "You aren''t ustomed to all this yet, are you?" she asked. Pam knew Patricia was thinking about what just happened because she had been in a simr situation when she had been the girl''s age. But after so many years, Pam had gotten used to the pretentious ways of the elite. "No, I''m not," Patricia admitted sheepishly. "I feel like a hypocrite!" she told her mother-inw. The young woman was overwhelmed by her experience and didn''t want to lie to Pam. "You''ll get used to it, don''t worry. To remain among the upper-ss, you have to keep a high profile in front of them. I believe you want to support Tom, and be a good wife, right? So, you must learn all this," Pam exined patiently. While she barely knew Patricia, Pam decided to ept her as a daughter-inw as long as Tom loved her. And being the future hostess of the Qin family, Patricia still had a lot to learn. Pam vowed to do her best in training Patricia to be a qualified hostess. Being in this strata of society required doing certain things even those they were not willing to do. Eyes wide, Patricia cried in disbelief, "What?? You mean I still have to dine with them in the future?" Being surrounded by such kind of women made her lose her appetite. And after being grilled by them, she felt dejected. "Unfortunately, that''s unavoidable. But cheer up! Why don''t we go shopping? I''d like to buy some clothes for you," Pam offered. She grabbed her daughter-inw''s hand and dragged her to the car. Most people had the impression that wives of rich men lived an easy life, but they had no idea that these women also had troubles of their own. Blowing out a breath, Patricia beamed and said, "All right. Thank you, Mom! Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ded like she had no strength left to talk. She finally understood why men disliked going shopping with women. It could indeed be exhausting! She was a woman but couldn''t bear it herself. Patricia wondered why Pam didn''t feel tired at all. ''Did she give herself a shot in the arm?'' she thought to herself. ''That''s probably the reason! After all, Tomes from a family of doctors. Maybe Pam has analeptic at home.'' "Did you go climbing a mountain? Or did you swim a whole ten kilometers?" he asked, as he loosened his necktie. Tom looked at his wife worriedly. For someone always so full of energy, this was the first time he had seen her this way. "Mom and I went shopping." Patricia sat up and began massaging her aching muscles. She had just recuperated from the ident and felt ufortable after having walked for a long time during their shopping spree. "I told you not to walk for so long because you''ve just recovered. Do your legs hurt? Let me check." He couldn''t help but be anxious. Taking off his coat, Tom sat next to Patricia andid her legs on top of his to examine them. "They hurt a little. I didn''t want to go shopping, but your mother said she was changing my style of dressing. When you go upstairs to our room, don''t be shocked by the number of shopping bags you''ll see," she warned her husband. Even though Patricia was exhausted, her face flushed crimson as she felt somewhat shy while Tom held her legs. "Mom asked you out? She didn''t tell me," Tom said, slightly annoyed. He hadn''t informed his mother that Patricia had just recovered from a car ident. Tom decided to call Pamter and tell her about this. He only wanted to prevent something simr happening in the future. Chapter 1489 Playing Hard To Get (Part One) "Why?" asked Patricia in confusion. "What would you have done if she told you?" Tom didn''t answer while Patricia continued. "Would you have joined us for shopping? Is that it?" Her brows creased into a beautiful frown. She didn''t understand why Tom was serious about it. After all, it was the first time she saw him act in such a way. A consistent frown on his face made him appear more intimidating than usual. "Did you really think I''d want to join you? That''s ridiculous," huffed Tom, looking at her weirdly. Patricia merely shrugged. "You silly girl. Why didn''t you tell mom that your leg was hurting? She would have understood," scolded Tom as he massaged her leg with a gentle hand. He didn''t like the idea of her leg hurting. "I just couldn''t tell her at the time. Do you have any idea how excited she was?" asked Patricia, ncing at him. "She really enjoyed shopping with me. I just didn''t have the heart to let her down, that''s all. I was trying to get on her good side." She sighed in delight. "If I could just make her like me, I guess we won''t have a difficult daughter-and-mother-inw rtionship in the future," Patricia reasoned with Tom, who had been silent this entire time. She recounted all the times her leg hurt, and why she felt it was best to keep it to herself. While she knew deep in her heart that Tom''s mother wasn''t unreasonable like other mothers-inw, she still couldn''t help it. Even though her mother-inw would have understood, she just didn''t want to cause any friction between them. It was better to be cautious. "You make it sound like my mom''s unreasonable. Can you stop worrying? She is very kind and considerate. She is easy to get along with. She would never give you a hard time." Tom was really c . It wasn''t a big deal, so she might as welle out with the truth. "Ha ha," chuckled Tom, rxing upon hearing her exnation. "I think I know what you mean. Were they mom''s so-called friends? They''re not her real friends, to be honest. Somehow, she just has to socialize with them." Tom exined to Patricia and felt amused by her reaction. Though he didn''t like the olddies himself, he knew how to ignore them. Patricia, on the other hand, was easily fazed by such type of people. "You know about this?" Patricia asked in surprise. "To be honest, I''m really impressed by your mother. I just can''t understand how a nice and kind person like her can be friends with those pretentious and obnoxious women." Patricia was amazed by her mother-inw''s tenacity around such a difficult group of women. She could stand being friends with them despite their nosiness and, in her books, that was truly impressive. If it were Patricia who had to socialize with them, she would have given up a long time ago and run away as soon as possible. She wasn''t the kind of woman who could easily deal with people she didn''t like, and quite frankly, she was fine by that. Chapter 1490 Playing Hard To Get (Part Two) "Well, she has to. There are all kinds of people you won''t find yourself liking in this world. But sometimes, you''ll still have to socialize with them. It is what it is. I know it''s not ideal at all," he said, noticing the look on her face. "But to be frank, we can''t really do much about it. It''s simply out of our control." The corners of Tom''s lips lifted up in a bitter and helpless smile. In his opinion, Patricia was still too young and had a long way to go before she could understand the way things worked in the real world. It was understandable though, as she had been sheltered by her family her entire life. It was why she lost her appetite when she had lunch with some less desirable people. Much to Tom''s surprise, Patricia could be really naive sometimes. "I know. I really understand what you mean. I just can''t help but feel that living that way could be tiring. Maybe I just need some time to adjust to it." Patricia concluded, silently letting out a sigh. Whenever she thought about the likelihood of having to socialize with those people in the future, whether she liked it or not, she felt sad. Honestly, it wasn''t the kind of life she pictured for herself. "What? Are you afraid? It''s not like there''s anything you can do about it right now." Tom didn''t mean it, even after saying those words. He was only trying to scare her a little. In fact, if she really didn''t want to spend time with any of those pretentious people, she wouldn''t have to do that and he would never force his wife either. After all, he wasn''t the kind of man who needed his wife to suffer in these types of situation. More so since he, too, did not l nwardly, she decided to ept her fate. She couldn''t get away from it anyway, so she might as well embrace and prepare for it. Patricia made up her mind: she would learn to socialize with people, even those whom she didn''t like. It was a chilly morning in S City. Michelle, who had short hair and dressed in gender-neutral clothes, walked towards the bus stop. Everyone who noticed her would presume she was a lively and vivacious youngdy when in reality, she was really just runningte for school. "Get in the car," said a demanding voice. A sleek ck car stopped by her side. The window rolled down, showing Luke''s emotionless handsome face. Michelle looked at him with uncertainty. "Don''t you have to go to thepany with Edward?" She asked in a perplexed tone. She thought Luke already left with Edward. Instead of leaving, however, he came to find her. "Someone else is following him. Hurry up! Aren''t you about to bete?" Luke asked, his eyebrows knitted into a serious frown. It was clear that he was an impatient man, and wanted to be back on the road immediately. Chapter 1491 Playing Hard To Get (Part Three) Michelle sighed in defeat. "Okay." She quickly got in the car. She nced in Luke''s direction while fastening her seat belt. It was strange having Luke willingly drive her to school. A surreal feeling indeed. She couldn''t help but wonder why he was doing this. Usually, Luke couldn''t care less about what she was up to as long as she didn''t return to her family. Now, even as he was obviously reluctant, he still came and made her get into his car. "I just don''t get it. You have a car yourself. Why don''t you just drive to school?" Luke asked, confused. Why Michelle didn''t want to use the car, he couldn''t understand. It would have been a more convenient option for her. "I''d rather not draw attention to myself by driving a car," she said, shrugging. "So it''s better to go by public transportation. Besides, it''s kind of liberating getting there by bus." Michelle withdrew her gaze from him. Maybe she had mastered controlling her feelings, she wasn''t sure, but she just didn''t feel excited being in the same car as Luke. It felt like a long time ago since she first met him. His cold and cruel attitude made her lose the feelings she had for him. Though her heart remained somewhat bitter, she was no longer easily influenced by him. It wasn''t the same as before anymore. "In fact," continued Luke in an indifferent tone, "You can ask our driver to send you to school. I rarely use him anyway." He watched the road the entire time he spoke. Not a single nce was spared at her, and his face remained as cold and emotionless. It wasn''t like he was talking to his wife at all. If someone saw them, they would think they wereplete strangers. For a while, Luke wore an unreadable expression. "I guess I''d better not bother him. Commuting is out us or our rtionship, just tell me. No need to be all secretive about it," Luke turned the steering wheel, and stopped the car by the corner that she told him. He should be happy about this, shouldn''t he? He got what he wanted. Luke had demanded her to keep some distance from him, and now that she did, he felt ufortable. Almost like he wanted to take back his word. He didn''t appreciate being kept a secret. He realized that it made him feel like she was ashamed of him. Despite knowing that it wasn''t the real reason, he couldn''t help but have his thoughts wander around, only to be unhappy once he came across some negative thoughts. "Ha! Luke, you know what? You''re being ridiculous right now. You were the one who told me that I''d better not have any unrealistic feelings towards you. And now that I''m finally over you, you''re bummed out about it?! It''s like whatever I do, you always find something wrong about it." Michelle chuckled bitterly. Luke always set the rules for her. And she, being the obedient wife, always did whatever he wanted her to do. What more could he ask of her? She really couldn''t understand the man sitting beside her at all. Chapter 1492 Playing Hard To Get (Part Four) "No, you''re right. I''m the one being unreasonable. Now get off my car." Despite being irked, Luke was clueless why he felt that way. Yes, it was he who told Michelle not to bother him. But he didn''t expect her toply with his request without a fight, and it annoyed him so much more than he expected. Recently, Michelle treated him like aplete stranger even though they lived together. Instead of treating him like her husband, she just nodded at him impassively whenever they crossed paths in the house. She gave him the cold shoulder several times, and Luke, who was always chased by girls, was not used to this silence treatment. Michelle bit her lower lip, not uttering a single word. Her eyes reddened upon hearing Luke''s words, hating the fact that she could still be influenced by him so easily. She shook the thought off her mind. It wasn''t the best time to be overwhelmed by negativity. She raised her chin up and opened the door. She got off the car without saying goodbye. With quick, long steps, she hurried towards the school, as far away from him as she could. Luke, on the other hand, didn''t start the car as soon as she left. His gaze remained locked on Michelle''s back, following her until she disappeared in a corner. He was lost in his own thoughts. When did Michelle start acting this way? Back then, she was always eager to get his attention? What changed? She must''ve been losing interest in him. This thought should have made him happy, but didn''t. Why was he so bothered by it? Luke just couldn''t figure out all the answers to these questions. "Hi! Good morning, Michelle!" As soon as she walked past the school gate, Bradley greeted her in a lively tone. It seemed that he was happy to see her. Like every rich and spoiled kid in school, he was rious. "Who said that?" Michelle grimaced. Giggling andughing? What the hell? She was definitely sure that she didn''t even smile at the guy! Who the hell would say that? "They''re all talking about it. It''s wild! Maybe someone saw you two together. You have to realize that Bradley never smiled at any girl. But lo and behold, he smiled at you! Do you know what that means? Maybe he''s interested in you!" Hilda was overexcited about some rumor. She''d love for it to be true. It would make her happy. "What the hell are you talking about?! That''s ludicrous! Do you really think a popr guy like Bradley would fall for a tomboy? I don''t think so. There are plenty of beautiful girls in school that would get his attention. Not me." Michelle burst inughter. It was never going to happen. And besides, she didn''t give a damn about what Bradley was thinking. Amused, Michelle looked around and took a deep breath. No wonder her ssmates were acting strangely. Now she knew the reason. "Well, it''s hard to tell. You never know. Some rich guys have rather weird tastes these days. You could be his type," Hilda whispered mysteriously, as if she knew a lot about rich men. Chapter 1493 Playing Hard To Get (Part Five) "Hey! What do you mean by that? That didn''t sound like apliment at all. Are you saying I''m some strange girl that caught his attention? Because I''m weird?" Michelle said in annoyance. She had a casual frown on her face. Bradley was bad news. She had to keep her distance from him. A few words with him earned her several res. She could only imagine what would happen if she hung around him. "Michelle! Do you remember your promisest time? What now? Exin yourself!" Erin, who suddenly appeared in front of them, said in an angry tone. She was ring at Michelle, radiating all the hatred a person could possibly muster. "Yes, I remember," said Michelle unblinkingly, "I promised I''d never fall in love with him. That doesn''t mean I wouldn''t even talk to the guy." Michelle already had a feeling that Erin woulde and find her to confirm if the rumors were true. And just as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Erin appeared before her eyes. It was like the very thought alone summoned the devil. "You really have an answer for everything, don''t you?" asked Erin, giving him her infamous scathing look. "But you can''t fool me. I can see the look on your face when he''s around. And you can''t justify what you''ve done." In fact, Erin was a bit afraid of Michelle. That was why she had avoided arguing with her alone. Now that there were so many students around them, Erin found the courage to confront her. Michelle wouldn''t dare to do anything in front of everyone after all. "You''re being unreasonable, Erin. What did I do?" she asked, "I just said a few words to the guy, that''s all. You can''t force me to be impolite to a friendly ssmate. Not when he talked to me first. Can you?" Erin didn''t answer. "How about this? If you''re really unhappy by what happened, why don''t you go back and speak to Bradley yourself? Just tell him you don''t want to see him talking to me. Quite simple hes anyway. For God''s sake, she came to school by bus! "She''s not good enough for me? Are you saying that you''re good enough for me then?" sneered Bradley, "Because I think not. In my opinion, natural beauty like Michelle is way better than you''ll ever be, with all that stic surgery you did on your face." Bradley grew aware of his harsh words. He nced at Erin''s angry face, and then turned his gaze on Michelle, who was standing with an awkward look. Michelle cleared her throat. "If you two want to argue about this, will you go somece else to talk? I''m not interested in this conversation at all. Please don''t drag me into this mess." Michelle gently rubbed her forehead. The issue was making her head hurt. After pulling that stunt with Erin, what could she do now? Her reckless outburst had only worsened things for her when Bradley overheard it too. Then there were the rest of the people who heard everything. Damn. How could she let herself get into such a messy situation? For Heaven''s sake, she wasn''t interested in this arrogant guy! Why couldn''t people see that? Besides, she was already married. It was understandable that none of her ssmates knew. But even if she wasn''t married, one thing was for sure. Bradley was definitely not her type. Chapter 1494 Michelles Changes (Part One) Erin stamped her foot, and stormed out. "I don''t care whether you were just joking or not. I like you a lot and I''m going to court you until I sweep you off your feet," Bradley bent and whispered in Michelle''s ear. The onlookers gasped on seeing his quick and sly move. They hated Michelle more. Michelle had goosebumps all over, as she felt really ufortable. ''I''m a married woman, but Bradley just said that he will court me. At least this is a man who actually likes me. Oh my god! Am I daydreaming? What should I do?'' she asked herself. "Of course, you can court all you want. This is a free country. But I can guarantee that the result will be a big NO," Michelle said coldly. She was here to learn painting, not to get into a rtionship. She was already in one. "It''s up to you. I''m just telling you my ns." Bradley gave her a teasing smile before leaving. Obviously, he had a lot of confidence in himself. "Wow! He''s so cool! Michelle, what did he just say to you?" Hilda asked with curiosity. Bradley had said it in such a low voice that only Michelle heard it. "Nothing. The nerve, this guy!" Bradley was the school hunk, and was popr all throughout. It was said that many girls had a thing for him and would dly drop their pants in front of him. If Michelle really went out with Bradley, she would garner the hate of every girl and be theirmon enemy. She didn''t want any of it. Hilda was shocked on hearing Michelle''s words. She thought, ''s! Only Michelle treats the recognized school hunk as a lunatic. Other girls including me would easily drool at the sight of him, but Michelle, in contrast, always stays away from him.'' When Michelle and Hilda entered the school canteen at lunch time, they were stopped by Bradley. "Michelle,e with me. I''ve already ordered food for you," he said. "What for? I can order lunch by myself! Plus, I''m not ustomed to ring at them, green with envy. "Do you really hate me like this?" Bradley asked as his face twitched. It was his first time to be disliked by a girl. "I believe that you already know how it feels to be pestered, because there are many girls pestering you every day, right? I was really annoyed when you said you love me and you want to court me. I think you have had the same experience." Michelle didn''t want to hurt his feeling, but she had to. She would by no means ept another man in her life. She was Luke''s wife and she loved him. Bradley''s behavior made her realize how much trouble she had brought to Luke. She now felt really sorry for him. "First of all, I''d like to apologize for the mean wordsing from the girls. Please believe me, I won''t let anyone hurt you from now on," Bradley reassured her in a serious voice. But unfortunately, he just didn''t understand that whatever he did, Michelle would never love him. And again, Michelle was irritated by his non-stop pestering. "Bradley He, how many times do I have to repeat to you that I have no interest in you. This conservation is over. I am leaving and don''t follow me!" Michelle left as fast as she could. She didn''t know how to deal with this situation effectively. She must find another way. Chapter 1495 Michelles Changes (Part Two) "Bradley, why do you have to humble yourself in front of a woman like that? She can''t even hold a candle to me! Why do your eyes only see her?" Erin asked, showing up from nowhere. She red at Michelle''s receding figure with burning eyes. If eyes could kill, Michelle would have been murdered thousands of times. "You won''t understand me. That''s because you haven''t met someone who makes you want to be humble, someone that you are willing to do everything for." Bradley was also a little confused by himself now. At the very beginning, he had just wanted to teach Michelle a lesson. He had been insulted as she hadn''t fawned on him like the others girls. But now, he had developed a special feeling for her, and he hadn''t had this kind of feeling before. He hated it but he couldn''t do anything about it. Could he? "Oh my god! Are you saying that the great and handsome Bradley, Greek god of this school, who could have any girl he wants, has fallen in love with that rat, Michelle?" Erin asked sarcastically. She looked confident on the outside, but deep inside, she prayed that Bradley would deny it, and that he just wanted to make fun of Michelle, instead of falling for her. "It''s none of your concern! By the way, I must remind you not to make trouble for Michelle from now on. Otherwise, I won''t let it pass. You know how I punish those who disobey me, and you won''t be willing to give it a try." Bradley cast a warning nce at Erin and shed an evil smile before leaving. Erin stood frozen and startled. ''Did he just admit that he has a thing for that slut? Then what about me? I''ve been going after him for almost half a year! Why is a poor woman like Michelle able to attract his attention? No matter how hard I''ve tried, he just ignores me. Damn that woman! I wish she had nevere to this school!'' she thought. Ever since Bradley made his statement in pu s so not you." Luke was a little moved, thinking whether she had done all of this because of him. She went to learn painting to be more educated and refined, and also learned cooking to make him delicious food. "Well, I have a new role as your wife now. So I need to change. I used to be a gang member. Now I want to improve myself in various aspects," Michelle said with a bitter smile. She wanted to develop herself, to be a woman good enough to deserve Luke. Even if he still did not love her, at least she had tried her best. And she would keep trying until she no longer had the strength to try. "Uh... Sorry... I didn''t mean it that way," Luke apologized with a frown. He remembered what harsh words he had said to her, but he hadn''t meant it that way. He had just been talking in frustration. "I know you didn''t mean to hurt me, but what you said was all probably true. I know my identity as a gang member has dishonored you. But I am trying hard to improve myself. And I feel really sorry for having pestered you in the past. Now I realize how annoying I was at that time." Michelle made a sincere apology to Luke, which moved thetter. The sincerity showed on her face made him notice that something was different about her this time. . Chapter 1496 Michelles Changes (Part Three) "I never thought that your identity dishonored me. If my behavior or words made you think like that, my apologies. Well, the food is getting cold. Let''s just eat." Luke was telling the truth. He didn''t love her, but that had nothing to do with her identity. "May I ask you a question? It''s rather intimate, deeply personal." Luke seemed to be in a good mood, and Michelle thought that he might answer the question this time. "Sure. As long as I can answer it, I don''t mind," Luke said coldly, but his face softened somehow. "I heard that there used to be a girl that you loved deeply. Is she the reason that you don''t love me?" Michelle asked after hesitating for a long time. She had pondered on that for many days, and now she finally had the courage to ask Luke. "What?! What girl? I don''t know what you are talking about." Luke dropped his chopsticks and stared at Michelle right in the eye, looking puzzled. "Uh... I heard you were deeply hurt by that girl." Michelle stared back at Luke, confused. ''Luke doesn''t seem to be lying. Did Edward lie to me?'' she wondered. "Well, what you are talking about is pure nonsense! Who told you that?" Luke''s face twitched and he wondered who had dared to cook up a story like that. "Edward. He told mest time in B Country." Michelle lowered her head in embarrassment. She finally realized that she had been fooled by Edward. "Damn it! Don''t listen to him. He was just making fun of you." Luke rubbed his temples in frustration. It had never urred to him that Edward would say something like that about him. But Luke could do nothing about it. Edward was his boss, so there was no way he could get even. "Sorry! Now I feel kind of stupid to have believed it." It dawned on Michelle how gullible she was and she felt sad. No wonder Patricia always called her "silly woman." It turned out that she was indeed silly, believing everything she heard from anyone. "Mr. Mu is a sly and maniptive fellow. Not all his words are to as listening to their conversation. It was Bradley who had asked Hilda to call Michelle and invite her out. If Michelle found out that she had lied to her because of a man, she might never forgive her. "Where are you? I''m going there now." Hilda had never asked Michelle out on weekends. Out of friendship, Michelle agreed to her invitation despite her preference to stay home with Luke. "Oh, I''m still in the school. I was afraid you wouldn''t say yes, so I haven''t left yet. You know, it would be so boring to go shopping alone." Hilda made an excuse. She really felt guilty for having lied to her best friend. "Okay. You may set out now. Let''s meet in the Central za, okay? Call me when you get there." Michelle put the painting away and was about to go to the garden to tell Luke. But when she turned around, Luke was at the doorway. "Hey, so are you going out?" Luke asked casually. Michelle had no idea when he had entered the room. "Michelle, who''s the man talking to you? He has a nice voice. Is he your brother?" Hilda asked as she heard Luke''s voice. Her words made Bradley frown, but because he was standing behind Hilda, she failed to notice it. "Uh... I''ll tell you about itter. Bye!" Michelle hung up the phone in a hurry. She stared at Luke and wondered when he had left the garden toe over. Chapter 1497 Lukes Changes (Part One) "A friend from my ss. She wants me to go shopping with her," Michelle said, sliding her phone into her pocket. Luke was behaving very strangely today. He had never been bothered about her daily life. But he was showing some interest today. It was totally weird because she was usually invisible to him. "Okay," Luke replied, indifferently. He had been lit up and had nned to take her out for a walk or something. But his passion was put off by her words. Now that she was about to head out for shopping, he couldn''t ask her to go for a walk anymore. "I''m leaving. I''ll be back soon." Michelle knew that he wouldn''t care, but she still said that to keep him informed. She didn''t mind anyway. She loved him, and she wanted to share everything with him, even though he did not care about her. "Fine," Luke snorted and then went upstairs, leaving her alone. Michelle bit her lower lip lightly. She had thought that there might have been a little improvement in their rtionship. But, it turned out that it was nothing but an illusion. He was as cold as he always was to her. Standing by the window on the second floor, Luke watched Michelle walking out of the house at a brick pace. Luckily, the transportation service near the house was quite convenient. So even though she did not drive, she could still take a bus or a taxi. Luke did not tear his gaze away from her receding figure until she had disappeared around the corner. When she was finally gone, a wave of loneliness swept through him. He had never had this happen to him before. He felt bored in her absence, and was upset like he had lost something important. He looked at the empty front gate, and quickly turned around and walked away from the window. "Why is HE here?!" Michelle exploded when she saw Bradley standing beside Hilda. She felt as if she was being treated like a fool. And the one who had nned all this was her good friend, or so she had thought. Her heart tightened in pain and anger. "Sorry, Michelle," Hilda said, looking guilty as hell. "He asked me to do this. I really didn''t e phone before. But I didn''t think he would be so handsome." She ogled at Luke obsessively. He looked so mature and calm. A boy like Bradley could never give out such an aura. "Uh... He..." Michelle was at a loss. There was no way that she could exin this situation to either Hilda or Luke right now. Luke felt awkward and angry. Since when had he be her brother instead of her husband? Bradley stared at the man for a while and after hearing Hilda, he came forward and said, "You are Michelle''s brother. Nice to meet you. I''m Bradley He, Michelle''s ssmate." He extended his hand out for a friendly shake. Luke stared at his hand and then looked at him coldly, without responding. Bradley had to withdraw his hand awkwardly. He was infuriated. He had never been treated this way by anyone. First Michelle, and now her brother. He gritted his teeth, but didn''t say anything. "Is that how you''ve introduced me to your ssmates?" Luke asked through clenched teeth. Although he was wearing sunsses, Michelle could still feel his fierce look on her. "It''s not what you think. I''ll exin it when we get back, okay?" At that moment, a thought suddenly struck her. Luke was home when she had left. Then why was he here? Did he follow her secretly? Michelle felt her anger rising when she thought of that possibility. She thought that he did it because he didn''t trust her. Chapter 1498 Lukes Changes (Part Two) "Not what I think? And how do you know what I''m thinking?" Luke took off his sses and red at Michelle. He would not have grown so angry if he hadn''t heard what Hilda had said. To make things worse, Hilda interfered again, "Please don''t be angry, Michelle''s brother. It''s my fault. I''ve called her out for shopping. Don''t get angry at her. I''m the one to be med." Hilda was flustered. She hadn''t expected that her n would cause such a terrible trouble. She regretted it now. She should never have lied to Michelle. And now, the situation had be a total mess. Michelle was pissed off at Bradley, and her brother was angry at her. Luke gritted his teeth at Hilda''s words again. Michelle quickly said, "You have nothing to do with this, Hilda. Why don''t you go back now?" Michelle blinked her eyes at her, hoping she would understand. Honestly, she was so tired of all the farce. "But..." Hilda was worried about her. She was hesitant to leave. "Just go." Michelle shook her hand, signaling her to leave quickly. Hilda''s reactions were so slow. She hadn''t even felt that something was not right from the way they were talking and still thought that Luke was her brother. And Bradley... He was arguably one of the brightest students their school had ever had. He should have been smarter than her! But he was just tagging along with Hilda and making the situation worse. "And you. Go back, please." She did not want him to stay there and cause more trouble for her. She raised her brow and gave him a knowing look. "I..." Bradley looked at Michelle and then at Luke. He then looked at her again. He had a feeling that they were not siblings. They looked more like a couple! And if that were the case, there was no way he would leave! He had said earlier that he would like topete with that man! He would be a coward if he ran away now. Michelle red at Bradley as he stood rooted to the spot. She said angrily, "Fine, you can stay here. We''re leaving." Michelle reached out to take Luke''s hand. But he avoided going back with us?" Although Edward was talking to Michelle, his eyes were fixed on Bradley. He was a young, handsome man. "Not yet. I''ll go back by myselfter." Luke had not asked her to go with him and she felt a bit frustrated. "Okay, how about this? Luke, you stay here and apany Michelle for a while. I''ll go back by myself," Edward said. When he said he''d go back by himself, he didn''t mean that he''d go back alone. He had several of his men protecting him. He wanted to leave Luke behind because he had sensed something off about the situation. If he had to guess, he would say that Michelle hade out to see this young man and Luke hade across them here. Edward felt strange while he was picking up the present for Daisy. Luke hade here with him, but he was suddenly nowhere to be seen. And it turned out that he hade here to ''greet'' them. Michelle didn''t want this awkward conversation to go on any longer, so she said, "That''s all right, I guess I''m done here anyway. I''ll go back with you." She wondered how she was going to exin about Bradley to Luke. She did not have the emotion to go shopping after all of the chaos. She just wanted to go back home. "Good. Then, let''s go!" Edward ignored Bradleypletely. He was an arrogant man and wouldn''t easily talk to unfamiliar people, let alone a boy like Bradley. Chapter 1499 Lukes Changes (Part Three) "You..." Bradley stammered, "Aren''t you the President of FX International Group?" Bradley had been staring at Edward ever since he had shown up. He was from a rich family. It was normal for him to know Edward''s face. "Do I know you?" Edward frowned. He looked at Bradley carefully now. But he couldn''t remember his face. "Oh, no, sir. But I know you. I have seen your pictures in the financial newspapers. My father also mentioned about you a lot, and has always asked me to learn from your example." Bradley''s face lit up like Christmas. He had even forgotten all about Luke and Michelle. "Thanks! Please give your father my regards. Bye!" Edward disliked it when others ttered him in order to get close to him. He dismissed Bradley fast so that he wouldn''t have any chance to talk to him further. "You''re noting?" Luke asked, looking at Michelle, who hadn''t moved from her spot. "I''ming!" Michelle threw a nce at Bradley and then ran to catch up with them. Bradley was totally confused now. He had always thought that Michelle was born in an ordinary family. But from what he just witnessed, he figured that there was more to her than she was letting on. This was not Michelle''s first time riding in Luke''s car. She felt uneasy as she stole a nce at the cold, handsome face beside her. "Are you still angry at me?" she asked, aplex feeling emerging from her heart. She did not know what it was. She was hoping that he would be angry, yet she was afraid he might be. Contradictory emotions swirled inside her. "We''ll talk about it when we get home," said Luke. He was focused on following Edward''s car tightly. He wouldn''t forget his duty. It was a peaceful world and seldom did idents happen, yet it paid to be alert at all times because hell could break loose in the blink of an eye. Luke was not a man who left anything to chance. Michelle understood that it was not the proper time to discuss the problems between them. She stopped talking, leaned against the back seat, a r rail and looked down at her climbing the stairs. He was wondering why she hadn''t shown up yet, and then found hering up the stairs as if she was half dead from the effort. "Woah! Why are you there? You scared me!" Michelle patted her chest slightly, pretending to slow down her heartbeat from the scare. "Well, if I weren''t here, I wouldn''t have known that you were trying so hard to buy time." Arms crossed over his chest, Luke teased her. He found her quite cute from that angle. "I wasn''t buying time! It''s these stairs. They are steep." Michelle had to admit to herself that that was themest excuse she had ever used in her life. But that was the best one she coulde up with at the moment. "Why don''t you me your short legs?" Luke teased again. That was the stupidest excuse she could have given. At least, she should havee up with something smart enough to convince him. ''Steep stairs'' was the best she coulde up with? Needless to say, he wasn''t impressed. But he was definitely amused. "Ha ha! That''s right. My short legs are also the reason." It was true that she did not have long, pretty legs like Leena or Daisy. They were both tall and had beautiful legs. But hers were pretty fine,pared to other women''s. Anyway, she hade to terms with it long back. She had no one to me, but her genes. Chapter 1500 An Involuntary Kiss (Part One) "You seem to always find an excuse to save you ass," Luke said, his eyes full of mischief. He found the woman in front of him quite amusing, though he managed not to show it. "I am simply telling the truth. I do not lie," Michelle replied, slowly stressing each word, for she was not only telling the truth, but was also talking about a virtue that she had always been proud of. "Really? You mean, never? Then how do you exin what I saw just now?" Luke scoffed. They stood face to face on the stairs, one looking down and questioning condescendingly, the other looking up in defense and trying to challenge and argue. "Well, that wasn''t my fault! Hilda asked me to go shopping with her, but I didn''t know that that jerk Bradley woulde, too! I did not invite him toe along," Michelle said, her fingers kept scratching the handrails a bit nervously. She didn''t feel guilty at all, it was just that Luke''s high and imposing manners tended to create stress in every conversation that they had. It also seemed like Luke was already convinced with his belief and wouldn''t think otherwise. "No, not that. I don''t give a shit about that guy at all. I mean why didn''t you tell the people in your school that you are already married?" Luke looked her in the eyes. He just couldn''t forget how Michelle''s ssmates had mistaken him for her brother. It was truly awkward and embarrassing. He somehow felt a pinch of disappointment. He might not admit it but it hurt a little. "Because I don''t want to stand out and attract everyone''s attention. Besides, I need some privacy. I don''t think it is necessary to announce my private life to everyone in school," Michelle said seriously. What she feared the most was people around found out about her marriage, and started treating her differently. They were already giving her a hard time for Bradley giving her the special treatment. This would be more ammunition ul. Really, it hurts, Luke," Michelle said faintly. She continued up the stairs, going past Luke without waiting for his answer. Feeling frustrated, she cast him a intive nce when passing by him, and went into the bedroom without looking back. Luke was speechless. He was clenching his fists, not out of anger, but with remorse. ''Damn it! I have hurt her again," He thought regretfully. He had vowed to himself that he would care more about how he treated her, but what he had just said and done was simply counterproductive. ''What an idiot!'' he thought to himself. Not knowing what Luke was thinking, Michelle mmed the door and sat on the bed. ''He would do this every time!'' Whenever she thought his attitude towards her might be changing for the better, he would prove her wrong by dealing her a blow. Did she deserve it, because she was not good enough for him? It must be, because whatever she did seemed wrong in his eyes. But what did she do wrong, though? If she ever made a mistake, it could only be that she had fallen in love with him. Life is hard, she knew it. She could drink life''s gall, but she just couldn''t stand it that she loved him with all her heart but got no more than a casual nce in return. Most of the time, they were angry nces. Chapter 1501 An Involuntary Kiss (Part Two) She didn''t know whether it was typical for a couple to be at each other''s throats like this, but she just couldn''t take it well. Feeling overwhelmed, she would be quite fragile at such times. She could do nothing but let the tears run down her cheek quietly. On the other side of the door, Luke was standing in front of it, biting his lip. He wanted to knock on the door, but lowered his hand in the end. He didn''t know how to open the closed door just like he did not know how to open his own heart. Love might?note through the rigorous trials of?quarrels. They had always had a hard time strengthening their bond, but today''s conflict had made their rtionship reach its new low. Once Michelle arrived at the college on Monday, Hilda came to her with an apologetic look on her face. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and swallowed hard. It could be seen in her eyes that she had a lot to say. "Are you still mad at me, Michelle?" She finally asked. "No, I''m not. Really. Don''t get me wrong," Michelle said ndly. Her expression was a bit cold today, apparently she still was not in a good mood. Hilda thought that she was still upset with her, thus giving her the cold shoulder. But in fact, Michelle was distracted by her troubles with Luke. She just couldn''t understand why they would fall out so often, and deadlock seemed inevitable. To make things worse, neither of them would concede once they bickered. So she didn''t know what to do now. "Okay, then what''s wrong with you? You look a bit exhausted. Didn''t you get a good night''s sleep?" Hilda asked with concern. "No, I didn''t." Michelle said simply. Obviously, she didn''t want to talk about this. Hilda bit her lip. She wasn''t stupid, so surely she could sense the coldness in Michell ichelle," Bradley said. He drove his sports car very slowly alongside Michelle, with his handsome face sticking out of the window. Without a doubt, he had drawn a lot of attention, and people around all craned their necks to listen in on their conversation. "There''s no need. I''ll take the bus. It''s much more convenient," Michelle refused, quickening her pace and walking towards the school gate. All she wanted now was to get rid of him, making him go away. She was married after all and wanted nothing to do with other men. "Hey, I know what''s on your mind. But don''t be afraid, I don''t bite! I won''t force you to do anything that you''re notfortable with," Bradley just would not give up. In fact, he had tried all his best to approach her the whole day, but every single time, she would cleverly avoid him. This might be hisst chance today, so he must try and seize it. "Did you ever think you could? Don''t be silly. Stop talking me into it, I won''t buy it. You are just wasting your time!" Michelle smirked. If they were not in a school, and he wasn''t a student, she would have definitely beaten him up, rather than let him make such a fuss in front of her. Chapter 1502 An Involuntary Kiss (Part Three) "Listen. If I''m not mistaken, your so-called boyfriend doesn''t love you, is that true?" His words touched Michelle''s sore spot and further destroyed her dignity like a crumbling empty snail shell. She was stunned, but quickly came to herself again. "What makes you think that?" She said after taking a deep breath. From Michelle''s point of view, he was telling the truth. But she was unwilling to show her pain or sorrow, so she asked the question calmly, wanting to know his opinion from an observer''s opinion. "I saw the way he looked at you, and I didn''t see love in his eyes. Of course, it''s only my personal opinion, it might be one-sided and even radical, but I trust my intuition," Bradley said confidently. In order to win her heart, he thought it a must to put his rival down with words first. "Yeah, you are right," Michelle said with a casual air. "It''s only your personal view. Unfortunately, you are wrong. We are very much in love, you can be sure of that." Michelle smiled contemptuously. But however confident and satisfied she seemed to be, her heart was bleeding. She feigned happiness, but her heart was suffering, choking inside. "Fine. Here is a very simple question: If he really cares about you, howe I never see him pick you up after school?" Bradley pressed on, raising his eyebrows. He was sure that he could creep in under her defenses bit by bit. "Michelle, over here." Just then, Luke''s voice came from not too far away. The moment he saw Michelle appear at the gate, he got out of the car to greet her. However, he never expected that the over-sized boy he met days ago was again with her. Michelle was right, Bradley was the one pestering her. The look of delight faded from Luke''s face, and he put o aring that she would get too emotional and jump out of the car even while it was still moving. "Tell me, Luke, is this supposed to be funny? You always say and do things to hurt my feelings," Michelle blurted. "Why? So what do you think of me? A wife only in name who is just your toy, am I right? You would tease me whenever you want and toss me aside like a piece of trash when you don''t need me. No, I''m less than a toy. You might look at a doll once in a while, but what about me? You won''t even bother to look at me!" Michelle suddenly broke into tears. She was so frustrated that she fell apart and wept in the car, and it was the first time that she acted this way in front of Luke. She had been repressing her emotions all this time, and she couldn''t bear it anymore. So she gave way to a flood of tears without caring whether she was making a scene. "I..." This was also the first time that Luke had to deal with a crying woman, and he was at a loss. Should hefort her? Should he do nothing until she calmed down? He quickly pulled off the road, but didn''t unlock the doors of the car. He just looked straight ahead as Michelle wept and sobbed. Chapter 1503 An Involuntary Kiss (Part Four) "You know, I thought I''d be okay with it. I didn''t care whether you loved me or not, I just wanted to be with you, so I could love you with all my heart. I thought it would be enough, as long as I could keep you with me," Michelle continued. "But how wrong I was! Over time, I found it hard to give without getting anything in return. I have be tired and frustrated when my love for you did not get the reciprocation it deserved. So I tried to please you, hoping that I could get through to your heart. But it was yet another daydream, Luke. No matter how hard I tried, whatever I did, you just wouldn''t appreciate me or what I do! I feel degraded begging for your love. But I beg you again, Luke, could you please care a bit more for me? I am not asking for much, just stop looking at me with coldness in your eyes. Be a bit more gentle with me, and I''ll be happy with it." Michelle cried her heart out, almost hysterically. And this time, she did not hold back despite what Luke might think. "I''m so sorry," Luke muttered. He never knew what was in her heart before, and he was shocked to learn just how she actually felt, especially after all those things that he had said and done to her. He knew that he was deliberately making her give up on him and leave him. He had been refusing her, turning her down, and insulting her in the most cruel way possible. He knew that it would upset her and discourage her, but he never thought that he got so bad that it would break her heart. She seemed all careless and easy-going that he never thought that there was a fragile and sensitive girl behind that strong facade. Now he felt like the world''s biggest asshole for failing to see all that. "Is that all? You''re sorry? You know what, Luke? I don''t need an apology. Like I said earlier, all I want is for you to care for me a bit more. Acknowledge me. Look me in the eye like a normal person, maybe see me as your wife. Is that so hard to do?" Through her tears she looked at him, looking all soft and delicate. Luke looked at her without a word. Then, Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. r smile belie it. "I''ve got nothing to say if you want to look down upon yourself. All I want to say is, the kiss just now was a subconscious and spontaneous reaction. I did it with no agenda, I was simply following my heart," Luke said calmly. Even though he was giving an exnation, he remained a cool guy, and no one could see any shame on his face. "Really? Are you serious? " Michelle asked delightedly, her hope being restored. She turned to look at his handsome profile, this time with rekindled fire and with confident expectation. It was hard to believe what she heard but she heard it clearly. "Yes. But of course, you can choose not to believe me. After all, for the most part, I have been nothing but the source of all your pain," Luke answered. It was now his turn to feel disappointed. He had never expected that his first love confession was questioned. How tragic! "So I can trust you now? Is this all real?" This came as a real surprise, and Michelle just couldn''t believe it. "Don''t you question me again, or I will tell you that it''s all but in your dreams." Luke turned to re at her. What was wrong with her? Were his words not convincing enough? Well, he had been a dick to her ever since they met. This was a whole new Luke. Who knew that there was a caring and sensitive side to his otherwise cold personality? Certainly not him. Chapter 1504 The Fight (Part One) Michelle was shocked. Did Luke like her? She didn''t understand what was going on in his head. And she couldn''t ask him either. Luke drove the car faster in his anger and disappointment. He regretted telling Michelle that. He shouldn''t have. When they reached home, he parked the car in the garage. When he was about to get off, Michelle said, "Luke, forget what just happened. You don''t have to force yourself to make any change in our life. If it''s forcibly done, it won''tst. I won''t beg for your love. Just be yourself and don''t take myint to heart. We''re good now, right?" "Yeah, as you wish," Luke said through clenched teeth and mmed the car door. He had finally managed to make up his mind, and now, Michelle was asking him to give up instead. Luke walked away from the car, without bothering to wait for her. She looked at his straight back and thought, ''This is for the best''. Michelle didn''t want to force Luke to do something that he didn''t want. She loved him, so she was willing to give up her dignity and cater to him. She would have left long ago if she didn''t love him so much. The rtionship between the two didn''t change after their first kiss. However, Luke''s eyes often wandered and settled down on her sadly. He thought that he wouldn''t feel the pain if his feelings were burned to ashes, but he had underestimated their power to corrode the body and the mind. They had eroded his brain and his thought processes, leaving him with no ce to hide. "Michelle, I heard that a cool sports car came by to pick you up the other day," Hilda said, nonchntly. After what had happenedst time, Hilda didn''t want to intrude Michelle''s privacy, but there was a gossip going around the campus. It was a rumor that Michelle was a home wrecker, and her reputation had been greatly damaged. It was worse than before. " Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. about you!" Erin yelled, exasperated. She didn''t realize she had fallen into Michelle''s trap. "Ha-ha!" Hildaughed out loud in an instinct, but then immediately ceased herughter when Erin angrily stared at her. "You know yourself so well. Good for you," Michelle said, not even bothering to hide her smug smile. "You freaking bitch! How dare you make fun of me? Haven''t you learned your lesson yet? This time I will tear your insolent mouth apart!" She was irrevocably depressed when Bradley had warned her to keep her distance from Michelle. She felt like she had lost him to her. She had been waiting for an opportunity to get back at her and finally, today she was going to vent all her anger on her. And to make things easier for her, Bradley wasn''t at school. So she could do whatever she wanted and nobody would stop her. "I think it''s better to drop the idea. Although this is a remote area, we will still be punished if we fight here," Michelle said,zily leaning against the tree trunk. It looked like her peaceful afternoon wasing to an end. "Humph!" Erin scoffed, "You are the only one who is going to be punished today." Erin ran to Michelle and grabbed a lock of her hair, and herckeys followed her. Chapter 1505 The Fight (Part Two) "Oh yes," Michelle said through clenched teeth, "I forgot that your father is a member of the school board." She was forced to stand up. It was widely acknowledged that they lived in a daddy-is-the-key society. And Erin knew how to use her daddy''s name to get whatever she wanted. Michelle sighed and slowly got up to face Erin''s wrath. She thought, ''Is Erin some kind of gangster? Why is she so hellbent on violence?'' Erin never missed an opportunity to pick a fight with her. If nothing else, her persistence deserved some appreciation. "Stop! Just calm down! Why do you want to fight again?" Hilda screamed, trying to get across to the girls. She was trembling already. "You stay out of this," Erin yelled at Hilda, "We didn''t fight it outst time. Today, we have to decide the winner. Only one of us can survive in this campus!" Ever since Michelle''s arrival, Erin had had nothing but misfortune. What was worse, Michelle had even threatened her in the bathroom. She had long wanted to avenge herself, but Bradley had warned her not to. Today she had to take advantage of his absence to find her footing. "You''re being over-confident again," Michelle warned, as she reached out and easily seized Erin''s hands. A delicate girl like Erin could never beat her. "Count us in," a girl shouted from behind Erin. Her loyalckeys started forming a circle around Michelle, ready to attack her at Erin''s signal. ''Do they really think that they can win with superior numbers? How naive.'' Michelle exhaled and responded with a sneer. ''Fine. They want a fight? I will give them the fight of their lifetime, '' Michelle thought. Michelle wasn''t one to shrink back from a scuffle. Hilda watched in horror as the girls surrounded them. "Michelle, let''s run! We can''t defeat them! We''re outnumbered!" Hilda was almost in tears. As Erin''sckeys drew closer and closer, she could hear her heart pound in her Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. lenge for her. "Erin, she must have used some trick. She''s a witch. How did she run away so easily?" One of the girls stammered and stared at Michelle furiously. She was hit so hard that she had a lump on her head. "Shut up! She''s not a witch! Don''t talk rubbish. She did some trick. That''s all." Erin rolled her eyes at the girl. "Michelle, are you okay?" Hilda came running to her side. "My god! Your face is swollen!" Hilda screamed and reached to touch her face. "I''m all right. Don''te near me till this is over," Michelle said, as she grimaced. She had gotten careless and got punched while she waspletely unprepared. Erin looked at the girls, who were all hesitating to approach Michelle now. "Why are you all just standing like stones? Don''t you want to pay off the old scores?" Erin snapped at them, without worrying that their fight might attract other students. This area was far away from the study building, so generally no one came here. Even if some students passed by, they would just walk away from the things that didn''t concern them. They were wise and knew that they had to y safe when Erin was involved, or else they would be expelled from the school. Money talked in this society, and everyone had to yield to those who had it. Chapter 1506 The Fight (Part Three) The girls were still shocked by Michelle''s move, but as soon as Erin gave the order, they rushed forward to encircle Michelle again. Michelle fought with precise movements. There was no wasted energy on her part, while the other girls huffed and puffed around her. She dashed around elegantly, quickly dodging their strikes and taking them down one by one. Michelle didn''t seriously injure the girls, but definitely taught them a lesson. Wherever Michelle went, the girls cried out in pain. But Michelle was also hit a few times because she was outnumbered. She didn''t exert full force as she was afraid that she would seriously injure them. "You know kung fu." Erin held her hurt arm and looked at Michelle in disbelief. She finally understood why Michelle was so arrogant. She was an expert in martial arts. It was no wonder that she hadn''t taken their provocations seriously at all. "You didn''t expect that, huh? Lucky for me, I know kung fu. I can''t imagine what would have happened to me if I didn''t." Michelle wiped the blood oozing from the lower corner of her mouth, wondering which bitch had tried to tear her mouth apart. "Michelle, here''s a facial tissue. You''re bleeding," Hilda said. She was nervous as hell when the fight broke loose, but she was relieved after she saw Michelle punch the air out of everyone, although she was outnumbered. However, the scar on Michelle''s face made her nervous again. "So, do you want to continue?" Michelle took the tissue from Hilda and wiped the blood off. "I''m not that stupid. You are obviously stronger than us, I admit that. We are like eggs hurled against a stone. But don''t count your chickens before they are hatched. This wa a trace of displeasure on his lips. "I¡­" Michelle wondered how to answer. She remembered that he had once told her that he didn''t want her to make trouble like a delinquent girl. "Forget it! You don''t have to tell me about it." Luke loosened his grip and went upstairs. When he turned around, he felt heartbroken. Michelle looked at her husband and stood there nkly. After Luke had kissed her, they seemed to be getting more and more alienated from each other. Was it because of what she had said? Had her words dampened his enthusiasm? She wondered what she had done wrong to receive this cold treatment from him. Before long, Luke hurried down with a folder in his hand. "Are you leaving?" Michelle asked, disappointed. "Yeah. You can have dinner without me," Luke said and left without another word. "Okay..." Michelle''s voice was a whisper, but Luke didn''t seem to care about her answer anyway. After getting into the car, Luke banged on the steering wheel in frustration and hit the horn identally. The sharp noise from outside made Michelle shiver and she felt that more trouble was on the way. Chapter 1507 Sleeping In The Same Bed (Part One) The bar was a ce for people to vent their emotions in every city. Luke wouldn''t go out and drink with his co-workers. So this was the first time that he drank with them. "Mr. Luo, you seem kinda down." People in the security department rarely hung out together, so everyone was in good spirits, except Luke. He sat drinking alone on the other end. They all knew he was a cold fish, but he never behaved like this before. "I''m fine. Just have fun, guys," Luke said, pouring himself another ss of wine. ''She seduced me first, and then she just ran away. What the hell? I''m no saint. A man can only take so much, '' Luke thought. The thought of the bruises on her face made him even more depressed, so he looked up and finished his ss. ''She''s an excellent scrapper. She grew up that way, and learned how to street fight. So if it wasn''t a garden-variety thug, then who did that to her?'' Luke thought quietly. If you never fell in love with someone, you wouldn''t know about the heartache. So in a situation like this, you''d be in some kind of never-ending emotional tug-of-war. The game would go on so tortuously long that there could be no winner. Michelle paced back and forth in the living room. She thought Luke had gone out with Edward, but Maria just came back from his house, telling her the CEO had not gone out today. ''So who did Luke go out with? Why didn''t he answer my calls? He''s never been thiste getting home before. This is too much!'' she thought worriedly. Michelle reached out to touch her red and swollen cheeks, and thought, ''I wouldn''t have gotten into it with Erin if I''d known he''d get so pissed. It felt good to vent, but now I''ve made things worse.'' She was such an impulsive person that she made a mess of her rtionships and life. To be honest, she was very insecure about her rtionship with Luke now. If they kept ignoring each other like this, their marriage would definitelye to an end. Michelle had always been decisive in everything else. However, she was very indecisive about her rtionship with Luke. A dazzling light derailed her train of thought. She looked up and ran out happily. ''It''s his car!'' Michelle thought, ''But where is he? Wouldn''t he be driving?'' "I am sorry, Mrs. Luo. Mr. Luo got stered, so I drove him home." Michelle knew this guy. She knew that Luke thought highly of this man, and that he would send t ently whispered his name. After making sure that he was sound asleep, she was so tired that she sat straight down on the floor. Staring at the motionless figure on the bed, she held her chin in her hands and thought, ''I wish I could look at you like this all my life.'' Looking at Luke''s soft lips, Michelle wanted to kiss him badly. However, she dared not do so and could only imagine what it was like to kiss him. ''This man is my husband. No one will believe this is the first time we have slept in the same bed. But... It''s true.'' Michelle thought sadly. Luke woke up in the middle of the night. When he opened his eyes, he still felt dizzy. He felt very thirsty and was ready to get up for a drink. He swung his legs off the bed, and almost hit something ¡ª or rather, someone. He saw Michelle sitting on the ground. Luke looked around and found that he was sleeping in Michelle''s room. Surprised, but not angry, he got out of bed and walked carefully around her. Looking at the sleeping Michelle, he hesitated, then gently gathered her in his arms, lifted her into bed, and covered her with a quilt. After carefully finishing all this, Luke crept downstairs to pour himself a ss of ice water and then went upstairs for a hot bath. As he prepared to return to his room, he stood between his and Michelle''s, feeling very hesitant. Finally, he found the courage to return to Michelle''s room. He stood in the room looking at her quietly for a few minutes, and then went quietly to bed. Though they slept in the same bed, they clung to opposite sides with a gaping empty space between them. Chapter 1508 Sleeping In The Same Bed (Part Two) Meanwhile, Luke''s head and body were still heavy with drink, so his movements were still less precise. Even after he bathed, he still felt a little dizzy. Although it was the first time they had shared a bed, Luke felt no stress and fell asleep quickly. Luke always had a soft body in his arms when he slept that night. Michelle felt quite toasty and snug tonight, as if there was a warm current surrounding her. The current kept drawing her closer. It was not until she waspletely surrounded by it that she smiled and curled up surrendering to itsfortable embrace. The next day, they were woken up by the shrill tones of the rm clock. When they both opened their eyes at the same time, they found themselves cuddled up together. Both of them were quite embarrassed and confused. "Uh... You were drunkst night. I got you this far, but you''re a big lug." Michelle reached over and turned off the rm. She exined nervously that she didn''t notice anything different about Luke''s clothes. "I know." Luke didn''t stir from the bed because her feet were on his privates, but she didn''t seem to know that. He wasn''t about to tell her, either. "Bedtime wasn''t really in the n forst night, but I don''t know when I got up." Michelle bit her lip and exined, thinking, ''When did I go to bed? Why can''t I remember? Think, girl! Why am I in his arms? He must think I did this on purpose.'' "I know," Luke said, a blush spreading across his face. "What do you know?" Michelle looked at him nkly and thought, ''Does that mean he won''t make fun of me?'' "I brought you to bed," Luke said, thinking, ''When is she gonna figure out she is putting her feet on my junk?'''' "So you got upst night? Why didn''t I know?" Michelle was a little excited as she said this, so she wriggled her body. And that was when she figured out where her feet were. She was touching Luke''s naughty bits, and he was hard. She was so embarrassed that she didn''t know whether to move her feet or to act as if she didn''t know. In any case, all she wanted right now was to disappear. "Could you take your feet off me?" Luke bore his difort like a Spartan, and whispered to remind her. If she continued to do so, he didn''t know what would happen. After all, he was a red-blooded normal guy. "Uh... Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. "Uh... You know? Is it that obvious?" Michelle stuck out her tongue in embarrassment. "What do you think? One cheek is way swollen. Only a blind person wouldn''t know," said Daisy, thinking, ''This couldn''t be Luke? That''s not like him.'' "Do Dad and Mom know?" Michelle sighed, hoping her parents-inw wouldn''t go off on Luke, ming him. "I think they noticed. They''re pretty sharp, but that''s not the point. How on earth did you get that bruise on your face?" Daisy stared closely at her without giving her a chance to lie. "God, this is embarrassing. Okay, here is the thing ¡ª I got in a fight at school." Michelle smiled awkwardly. Daisy was such aforting presence, so Michelle didn''t have to worry about anything around her. She really enjoyed the way she got along with Daisy. "You can''t do that anymore. You''re married, remember?" Daisy was relieved to know that Luke had not hit her. However, she frowned again, worrying about Michelle''s behavior. She was not afraid that anyone would hurt the girl. She was afraid that Michelle would hurt other people, and they might use thew to get back at her. "Chill. It wasn''t my fault. They''re just a bunch of bullies, and I beat them anyway. If I hadn''t fought back, they would bully me. Besides, they''re girls too, and I pulled my punches." Michelle understood what Daisy was worried about and that was why she mentioned it. Although Daisy and Michelle weren''t in touch very often, Michelle knew that although she looked ice cold, Daisy really had a warm heart. Chapter 1509 In A Foreign Country (Part One) "That''s good. You know, you are not the same girl you once were. You have developed a different identity now. So, you should start thinking twice before you act. You should consider if you should do something, or not." Daisy had been just like Michelle, when she was her age. She was a wild one too, and she had struggled a lot to get the things she wanted. Besides, just like Michelle, she had gotten married at a very young age, and didn''t gain the love she had so badly wanted from her husband. They were so alike. But at the same time, they were also very different. Daisy had, in the end, finally received the love she had always wanted. Now, she had a loving husband, a great son, and a blooming career. All her hard work had paid off; she was now happy with her life. Michelle, on the other hand, was still struggling with her marriage, and her future career. She really hoped that Michelle would, like her, seed in the end, and get the love she craved from her husband Luke. She knew that Luke was not a bad guy, and Michelle was also a good girl. They were just struggling with unresolved feelings and misunderstandings. She had a feeling that they could eventually solve the problems between them, and be happy together. "Yeah, now I know. Thank you, Daisy. I wouldn''t have known what to do without your guidance." Michelle was being honest. She was truly grateful for Daisy''s friendship. She was d that Daisy was willing to teach her how to achieve her goals. To be honest, she had already be aware of what Daisy was trying to tell her. If not for this insight, she would have already made things worse. She had beco Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ow what to do anymore. Do you think that I can get over him one day? Or will I be like this for the rest of my life?" Michelle stared at Daisy with a distant look on her face, her eyes confused. The more she told herself that she should get over Luke, and get on with her life without him, the more she kept thinking about this cold and cruel man who wasn''t willing to love her. It seemed that she was a prisoner to her love for a man who would never give her a chance. She didn''t stand a chance in this marriage. "That''s normal. You are in love with him. It''s bound to hurt sometimes. You just need to be patient and wait. I am sure that you will get what you want one day." Daisy gently pulled Michelle into her arms,forting her with a hug. Her heart ached for Michelle, she knew how painful it could be, trapped in an unrequited love. After all, she had been through the same thing. But she had not been as lucky as Michelle at the time. She didn''t have anyone who could tell her the same things she was telling Michelle now. Nobody was there tofort her and offer her advice. Chapter 1510 In A Foreign Country (Part Two) "Mommy, Aunt Michelle, what are you two doing? Are you two..." Justin studied his mother and Michelle, a thoughtful look on his face. It seemed that he had something more he wanted to say, but he hesitated, unsure of how to say it. "What? Huh? What are you trying to say?" Daisy raised her eyebrows at her son, waiting for him to continue his words. If he rudely said what he was thinking, then he would be punished for sure. She was his mother, after all. So, how could she not know what his little brain was thinking right now? "Umm. Nothing, nothing. You two continue. I didn''t see anything. Really. You can just ignore me." Justin''s face had fallen, and he looked at his mother with sad eyes. His mother only knew how to threaten him. He was just stating what he had seen, that was all. He wished she didn''t have to be like this. "But you have already interrupted us. So,e on. What do you want?" Daisy rolled her eyes at the look on her son''s face. He was bing more and more brazen, just like Edward. She didn''t know what the two were doing and talking about when they were alone without her. All in all, her son was no longer the tame and docile child he had been. "Daddy asked me to tell you that, maybe Uncle Luke wouldn''t get jealous when he sees you two, but daddy would surely get jealous seeing you hug so tightly." Justin snickered at his own words. His father really was the jealous type. Well, he had just said what his daddy told him to. His mother wouldn''t get mad and punish him for that, would she? "Ha ha! It seems that Edward is getting jealous." Michelle was bemused at hearing Justin''s words. At the same time, she was also envious. She really wanted a loving rtionship like that which Daisy and Edward shared. They were faithful to each other. And most importantly, they loved each other deeply. Michelle hoped to one day have the chance to know the workings of a happy marriage. "Don''t mind him. Th catch you out." After berating Justin, Luke''s gaze traveled to Michelle''s face. She looked better, but her face was still a bit swollen. Luke was confused about his feelings for Michelle. He just knew that he worried about her, but he was still annoyed that she kept her distance from him. "I wasn''t saying bad things about you! I just wanted to tell Aunt Michelle some interesting stories about you, so she could know more about you. Well, now that you are here, you can tell her yourself. I won''t bother you two any further. Bye!" With these words Justin scampered away. In his little mind, adults were annoying sometimes. They all had each other forpany, but nobody was here to y with him. "Did you finish work?" Michelle raised her chin and nced at him, a faint smile ying on her face. But as soon as she remembered what Daisy had just discussed with her, the smile on her face quickly disappeared. She put on an emotionless facade, trying to again keep her distance from Luke. "Yeah. We can go back now." Luke had, at first, wanted to take her small hand and lead her back, but as soon as he saw the indifferent look fixed on her face, he changed his mind. He was not sure if his touch would be weed. He didn''t want to embarrass himself, and so, he didn''t even try. Chapter 1511 In A Foreign Country (Part Three) "Okay, let''s go." With these words Michelle started leaving. She didn''t look at his face, thus she didn''t notice theplicated emotions warring there. "Um. About that thing you saidst time. Do you still mean it?" Luke hesitantly asked Michelle in a small voice, after a few seconds of pondering in stride next to her. "What thing?" Michelle''s face remained emotionless. Luke had no visual clues as to what she was thinking right now, and it bothered him. Luke helplessly furrowed his eyebrows. It was a taste of his own medicine. Now, after being treated coldly by Michelle, he finally realized how she must have felt all this time, while being constantly rejected by him. He had hurt her badly. Thinking of this, his heart began throbbing in his chest. Was there any chance that he could fix this? He had no idea. In fact, he still had very mixed feelings about Michelle. He had been so sure that he could never love her, but finally seeing the pain he had caused her made his icy heart thaw. And now, he wasn''t so sure about his previous decisions. "Nothing. Just forget it." Michelle''s indifference was like cold water being poured over him. Only now, did he realize that sometimes, being treated coldly hurt even more than being the object of anger. He didn''t know what to say to Michelle anymore. It felt like they were slowly drifting apart. The way back home was filled with an ufortable silence. Both of them were in deep, but different thoughts. The atmosphere was a bit awkward. They had beplete strangers, not a couple. Luke wanted to change it, but he just didn''t know how. "Are you still sleeping here tonight?" Michelle asked with a surprised look. She really couldn''t understand his recent actions. She had originally hoped that maybe elf-respect. Then there was silence. The two of them stared at each other, not saying a word. Neither of them was willing to look away. It seemed that they were both trying to prate the empty look on each other''s face, and see what the other was thinking. Michelle was wondering what Luke really wanted. He had possessed all of her once, but he didn''t cherish what he had. All Michelle wanted now was to avoid more heartbreak. Across the room, Luke was also wondering what Michelle wanted. He wanted so badly to know if he could ever hold a special ce in her heart again. Unfortunately, they were not the only ones who were hurting. On the other side of the globe, Leena was also suffering, having left her family and friends behind. Surprisingly, it had already been a full month. She hadn''t expected that she could make it this far when she first left the country. But time flew by swiftly, and she kept busy. She was constantly drawing and working, trying so hard to avoid thinking about Kevin and the rest of the people she missed. But now, she had finished all her work. Unupied by work, all the thoughts about Kevin suddenly rushed back. She missed him so badly. Chapter 1512 In A Foreign Country (Part Four) She picked up a photo of him. Seeing his beautiful smile in the photo, she couldn''t help but drop a light kiss on his face. She hadn''t made contact with him for a month, and she didn''t know if he was doing well or not. Was he still the same? Was he still worried about her? Or had he already given up on her and moved on? She had no idea, because she refused to know anything about what happened back in the S City. Only now had she begun realizing how cruel she could be, punishing herself and the ones that she loved so deeply. She had left those who cared for her; her husband, her faithful friends and her brothers. She was still taking her medicine everyday. Even when she was extremely busy with her work, she had never forgotten to take her medicine for even one day. She was being really harsh on herself. Else, she wouldn''t have chosen this way to torture herself. She knew that her actions must have hurt the ones who loved her. But she saw no other choice. She just had to leave that city. The sun was beaming, and the weather was very pleasant. The Leena of a year ago would surely have enjoyed walking along the river Seine under such agreeable conditions, drinking in the fresh air that belonged only to this beautiful city which she loved. The city was still delightful, and the people here hadn''t changed. However, she was not the same. She couldn''t enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding her, because her mind was constantly fixated on a certain man. She missed Kevin constantly. She thought about him often, especially when she was not keeping herself busy. He was constantly in he here earlier. "Kevin, here!" ire shouted, waving her hand to catch Kevin''s attention. During the time while Leena was away, she had been helping her brother search for Leena, and keeping this a secret from their parents. But now, it seemed that they could no longer hide the troubling news from their parents anymore. They were already getting suspicious, and lying to them made her very anxious. She really hoped that they could find Leena as soon as possible. "ire, you look different. You''re all grown up now." Kevin was a lot thinner than he was thest time ire saw him. Maybe he just missed Leena too much. In missing her he couldn''t sleep or eat well without the one he loved beside him. "Of course I had to grow up. I''m more mature now. I can''t let you down, can I? Come on! Let''s go. Gerard is outside, he''s waiting for us." ire linked with his arm, walking arm in arm to the airport exit. She had missed her brother very much and was happy to see him, even though the situation was not ideal. She knew that he was here to look for Leena. Chapter 1513 In A Foreign Country (Part Five) "You and Gerard, huh? Are you guys serious about it?" When Kevin first heard that she was together with Gerard, he was a bit hesitant. He wasn''t sure whether he should be d about it or not. After all, he knew clearly who was really in Gerard''s heart. Being a protective brother, he was concerned that his little sister would get hurt. "Yes, we are serious. We are doing really well together right now." ire had a sweet smile on her face. Clearly she was happy with her life at the moment. She knew what Kevin was worried about. But Gerard had promised her that he was definitely over Leena and she chose to believe him. She knew that Gerard was a really good guy, and he would never hurt her intentionally. Though she understood that Leena was a great woman who deserved to be loved by someone like Gerard, she knew that she was also good enough for him. She was confident that she would make Gerard fall in love with her one day. Standing in the same house that Leena had lived in, Kevin felt her everywhere. It seemed that he could glimpse Leena in every corner of this house. But when he looked closely, she vanished in the blink of an eye. He was slowly losing his mind. Leena had told him that she liked taking a walk along the river Seine under the warm sunlight. She always enjoyed the beautiful scenery, and it freed her mind from everything that was bothering her. There, she could let herself go for once. That was also why he had spent a whole day strolling along the river Seine, hoping to God that he would meet her here. But, much to his disappointment, he had not seen her by the time the sun set. He had also heard that the Eiffel Tower was a ce that lovers frequented, so he went there to try his luck too. But he had no luck. There were a lot of couples there, making Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. He knew that she wouldn''t leave him for good. He trusted their deep love. They had been through so much, and he was sure that Leena wouldn''t give up on their love so easily. It was just that he was impatient. He wanted so badly to see Leena''s face. As long as he kept waiting for her, she would surely return one day. "Of course I won''t give up on him. It''s time for you to get on the ne. Take care, Kevin." ire couldn''t help but be emotional. She could tell how exhausted her brother was right now. His eyes were red. She knew that he was worried sick about his wife, in fact, they all were. When did he be like this? She felt sorry for her brother. ''Leena, where the hell are you? Kevin is about to lose his mind. Pleasee back.'' she silently prayed. "I know. You take care of yourself too." Kevin hugged his sister tightly onest time, and then he looked around them with disappointed eyes. He still hadn''t found Leena, yet. This city was where Leena had lived. Though he had to leave right now, he would surelye back again one day. He would not rest until he knew where Leena was and brought her home. He couldn''t live without her, and he had to make sure she knew it. Chapter 1514 Classmate Gathering (Part One) "How was your trip to Paris?" Leaning on the railings of the corridor outside her office, Daisy looked at Kevin with a yful smile. She wondered since when the iron soldier had be so infatuated with a girl. Love was indeed a magical thing, deep, mysterious and unfathomable. "I knew this would happen even before I went there. I just wanted to have a try. I was prepared for this so it was not that disappointing." Kevin smiled helplessly. He knew that she would make fun of him. She had told him before he set out that as long as Jonathan was involved, he would never let anyone find her. So it would only be a waste of time for him to go to Paris. But he insisted. Even though the chances of him finding her was next to zero, he still wanted to take a walk on the ce she once set foot in. "Don''t worry! My father-inw wouldn''t really keep her away forever. Since he said that she was safe, then everything is okay with her. You don''t have to feel uneasy with regards to her safety." Daisy also missed her. She always felt something was missing without Leena being around her. And sometimes she also felt empty. "I know. Yeah, I''m not that worried anymore. I just miss her a little." Was it really a little? Kevin smiled with mncholy. In all honesty, he was missing her wholeheartedly. Shepleted him and each day that he did not get to spend with her was just torture and agony. "Missing someone is like tasting a ss of bitter wine, just enjoy! In fact, it is also quite amon knowledge, and you have to devote yourself to mastering it." They had been apart for only one month. What could be more torturing than the six years that she had spent w er talk with him first. I don''t want you to quarrel with each other just because of my issues. That would be really bad." While being apart from Leena, Kevin had learnt a lot of things. He thought that any trouble between a couple would not be a problem to him because he knew what to do and could easily handle it. The biggest issue he had now was that he didn''t even have the one who would cause trouble for him. Now that she had gone, he could do nothing but wallow in regret. "Don''t worry about me! You''d better think how to cover it up when your parents start asking about her. I will go to the training ground now." Daisy snapped and stared at him. She felt bad that he worried too much. s! It was indeed a big headache for Kevin. It wouldn''t be a problem for his father because in that household, he cared for Leena the least. But what was he supposed to say to his mother? Leena used to often call her. Now a month had passed, but there was not even a message from her. It wouldn''t be a surprise if his mother started wondering why. He needed to take some time to talk to his mother about this matter. Chapter 1515 Classmate Gathering (Part Two) In the beginning, Michelle was reluctant to join the ssmate gathering. But she finally nodded in agreement as Hilda kept pestering her to go. In the whole ss, no one wanted to be friends with Hilda, but she really wanted to join the party. So she had no choice but to persuade Michelle to go with her. At the party, Bradley especially went over to Michelle and sat beside her, which attracted the attention of many people around them, mostly feeling jealous and angry. Erin was especially mad. Michelle could feel her sinister eyes boring into her, and that made her very annoyed. "Later, put this into the drink of that bitch, Michelle. But make sure that no one sees you." Erin handed a small bottle to a girl beside her stealthily, her menacing eyes glinting with sinister pleasure. "Huh? What is this? Will it kill her?" The girl asked in fear. It was true that she also hated Michelle, because she had Bradley spellbound. But she dared not involve herself in a murder plot. "It''s nothing serious. It is a kind of medicine that can make her have delusions which will spin her out of control. It''s not fatal. You''re actually gonna enjoy it! I will find a way to make her move away from her drinkter, and you can do it at that time. Remember not to let anyone see you," Erin exined her n to the girl calmly, thinking of how to make Michelle temporarily leave her seat so they could get the chance to carry out the n. "Don''t lie to me." The girl was so cowardly that her hand trembled while holding the bottle. She had never done this before. "What are you afraid of? I''m here and I will bear all the c o save Michelle from the awkward situation. "You? Forget it. You know what? I don''t have to go right now." Erin looked at Hilda with contempt. She''d rather give up the n than go to the toilet with this fat loser. Michelle sneered. She knew why Erin didn''t want Hilda to go with her. Erin simply felt ashamed to be seen and associated with someone like her. But it was impossible for Michelle to go with her. First of all, they were not friends. They actually had skirmishes almost every day. And most importantly, she hated having others boss her around, especially someone like Erin. There was still a bit of gangster in her. She should be the one bossing people around. "Hurry up! We will be going to the karaoke after dinner." Feeling embarrassed, Erin ground her teeth and hurriedly changed the topic. It seemed that it was not a good time to carry out her n and she would have to wait for another chance, if that ever came along. "Huh? Wait, are you going with them to the karaoke, Hilda?" Michelle frowned. She had no interest in entertainment ces like karaokes. Chapter 1516 Classmate Gathering (Part Three) ."Yes, of course! I seldom have the chance to go out and have fun. C''mon, go with me, please! I know you don''t like it much, bute with us, just for tonight! Please, please, please!" Hilda knew Michelle didn''t like boisterous events, so she begged and pleaded relentlessly. "C''mon Michelle, Join us! Give it a chance. Maybe you''ll like it this time," Bradley also tried to persuade her. A ray of hope glinted in his eyes, and everyone could see how much he was looking forward to hanging out with Michelle. "Michelle, go with us, please!" Hilda kept begging, gently shaking her cuffs and pulling on her sleeves. "Okay, okay, I''ll go with you, just to keep youpany." Michelle finallypromised. She couldn''t bear Hilda''s pitiful eyes. Deep down, she was really softhearted. She could bicker with Erin and fight off Bradley all day, but she would easily yield when people like Hilda looked at her expectantly with big puppy eyes. There were not many people in her ss, so a big private room could amodate them. Michelle sat and leaned back in one of the sofaszily, regretting why she agreed toe. She wondered why Hilda insisted her going with her. There was nothing fun nor interesting here. She could only sit and watch others get drunk and scream into the microphone with horrible voices and make fun of themselves. She just didn''t fit in. For all she knew, they all came so that they could say they hung out with Bradley. "Michelle, let''s sing a song together!" Bradley asked loudly into her ears. It was too noisy around. "Sorry! I can''t sing." Michelle moved her face away from him and didn''t even blink her eyes when she told the lie. In fact, s ssmates, but why hadn''t shee back yet?" She hadn''t even given him a call yet or a simple message. How hard could it be to inform a spouse of one''s whereabouts? It seemed that she really didn''t take him seriously and looked at him as dispensable. And that was probably why she turned a blind eye to the recent changes in him. He also knew that it was nobody''s fault but his own. He had no one else to me. But wasn''t this woman too casual with love? How could she have a change of heart so quickly? Was love really such a fleeting thing in her eyes? Luke thought, feeling ufortable by the minute. Time ticked by. When the phone rang, he immediately answered it without even taking a look at who was calling. "Luke,e to pick me up at Star KTV right now. Right now! I may have been drugged by someone. Please, hurry!" Michelle was breathing hard as she supported herself with her hands against the wash basin. Her head felt so heavy that she had no choice but to droop down. Her forehead was sweating heavily and everything looked blurry. She regretted being too careless, falling into someone''s trap. Chapter 1517 Classmate Gathering (Part Four) "Stay there, don''t move. I''ll be there right away. Don''t hang up." Luke immediately grabbed the car keys and rushed out, without even putting on his coat. "Okay, I''ll stay on the line." Michelle turned the tap on and continuously sshed cold water on her face. As soon as she found something was amiss, she immediately walked out of the box and came to this washroom. She didn''t tell Hilda and chose to call Luke first. One could see that Luke was always her first priority in her heart and in everything she did. "Didn''t you go out to attend a gathering with your ssmates? How would you get drugged?" Luke put on his Bluetooth earpiece and started the engine. The car ran just like an arrow that left its bow. Fortunately by that time, there were fewer cars on the street so he was able to go very fast. "I don''t know. Maybe someone put the drug in my drink while I was away." Michelle replied faintly. If she was right, it was Erin who added something into her drink when she went to the toilet just a few minutes earlier. As she didn''t have any way to prove it now, she couldn''t make any clear usations. "How do you feel now? Do you feel hot in your body or weak in your limbs?" Luke was a man with a lot of experiences in a lot of things. He knew how dangerous society could get and how sinister people could be. He wondered who drugged Michelle. It might be a jealous ssmate or imcable foe. If it was her ssmate, that would be too horrible. They were still a group of students, and it was almost unthinkable that a young stud Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. social media. She believed that tomorrow Michelle''s sexy photos and videos would circte, not only in the whole campus, but the whole world. Luke didn''t say anything. His eyes narrowed into slits. If he was right, Michelle''s drugged drink had something to do with the woman speaking to her. "Erin, don''t walk on air. Do you think that I will yield so easily? You are too naive!" Michelle said while sshing a handful of cold water on her face without hesitation. The cooling sensation immediately made her feel better. "It doesn''t matter. We have plenty of time. As long as you are here, we can wait until you are ready to strip and dance around naked." Erin was also a woman, she knew how it would feel if she were in Michelle''s shoes now. But she seemed to have lost her mind. It was all because Michelle despised her and had an ambiguous rtionship with Bradley. Otherwise, how could Erin possibly have resorted to such extreme means to deal with her? This was what insecurity, jealousy and envy could do to a person. Chapter 1518 One Step Closer (Part One) "You''re viting thew. You know that?" Michelle said, gritting her teeth and managing to fight against the warm stream running inside her. Her face was wet but no one could tell the thing rolling on her face was sweat or water. Her clothes were torn, exposing her bra, making her look even more wild and enchanting. All the girls standing around her whipped out their cellphones and began snapping pics. "Don''t you know? Everything is decided by the rich, and you''re just a poor girl. You think that you could enter their world, just by being a mistress to one of them? Every inch of you screams poverty. I can''t believe that you are able to sacrifice your body to have a rich life, but I have to admit at least you''re working hard at something." Every word came out of Erin''s mouth was harsh and sarcastic. It seemed like that she would do anything to crush Michelle under her feet for letting her anger out. "What makes you think I''m poor? Or a mistress?" Michelle said. She would have pped Erin except that she felt like she was being eaten by ants. The drug was having its intended effect. ''Bitch! I shouldn''t have let you gost time, otherwise we wouldn''t be doing this now, '' Michelle thought. "Don''t BS me. You were picked up by a guy in an expensive car. So if you aren''t his mistress, do you really think you could be his girlfriend? Just look at yourself. You think a girl like you could nab a man like that?" Erin said, winking at the other girls to bring some boy there. "She has more of a chance than you," Luke said breathlessly. His tone was cold enough to freeze the air around them. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" Erin asked angrily, looking in the direction of the doorway. The two girls who were supposed to be lookouts hung their heads in shame. "I''m Mr. Right. You know, the guy with the car? I''m Michelle''s husband," Luke said. For the first time, he volunteered that information. He sounded bold and decisive. "What? Husband? Are you kidding? How? When?" Erin was bold, with so many people to back her up. Still, she was frightened by this man before her, like he was some devil spawned from Hell. "She doesn''t have anything to prove, and neither do I. The only thing that I know is I''m about to knock that crown off your head, princess," Luke said, walking over to Michelle and folding her into his arms. Fortunately, he grabbed the coat out of his car. That was perfect for him to wrap it Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ness." Luke sniffed. ''You''re just a kid. Who do you think you are? Don''t get in my way, '' he thought to himself. "Michelle! What happened to her?" Hilda asked in amazement. Before rushing out, Michelle just told her that she went to the washroom. She didn''t think this could happen in thirty minutes. "Sorry. I need to get her back home," Luke said. He knew Hilda because he''d met her before. Knowing she was Michelle''s friend, he talked to her politely. "Wait. Looks like she''s high as a kite. Wouldn''t a hospital be better?" Bradley said, gritting his teeth. He really didn''t want to see Michelle taken away by Luke like this. Moreover, he didn''t want to see her loved by someone else. "This is between me and my wife. Don''t worry. Tell Erin she''ll be punished. She has my word on that," Luke said. He figured he''d have a leg up if he let people know they were married. He was right. "What? Your wife? So you and Michelle are --" Bradley asked. He was too devastated to finish his question or step back. "Yeah. Got a problem with that?" Luke asked. He was jealous of this young boy who had the guts to love and hate. Luke couldn''t do that. "No," Bradley replied, stepping aside. He knew he had no chance with Michelle, especially since she was married. Michelle had no interest in anything but Luke. She let her guard down and totally counted on him to take care of her since Luke got there. While she was nestling closely with Luke, her hands were moving constantly over him. Luke sneered and then hurried away with his hands holding Michelle. If he stayed there too long, she would have his shirt off. Chapter 1519 One Step Closer (Part Two) "Don''t worry, we''ll be home in no time," Luke said softly, turning to fasten Michelle''s seat belt. He started the engine and drove away from that ce. This might be his most tender act yet. About whether he had caused a stir or what it might lead to, Luke didn''t consider at all. His thoughts were consumed by getting Michelle home as fast as possible. Bradley stood there, still stunned. He didn''te back to reality until Erin and the other girls came out of the washroom. "Erin, this has you written all over it," Bradley said, smiling coldly. At first, he did look down upon Luke as he thought Luke was just a bodyguard and he couldn''tpete with him. Then his father told him that Luke wasn''t just a bodyguard but also Edward''s father''s adopted son. In other words, there was no way he couldpete with that. "So what? I just taught her a lesson." Erin replied, biting her lip. Although she felt restless inside, she didn''t care about it too much. "Anyway, I just want to let you know that you''re barking up the wrong tree. Remember what Luke said? I wouldn''t wanna be you, right now!" Bradley mocked with a smile. He had a feeling that Luke''s revenge would not be simple or swift. "Trying to scare me?" Erin asked. ''He was pretty big, though. And he looked thoroughly pissed. But surely he wouldn''t go that far...'' she thought. "Humph! Just wait and see! You can ask your father about FX International Group. I''m sure he can fill you in." Bradley nced at her with sympathetic eyes and left quickly. He med himself for what had happened just now. He was too careless to let things get this out of hand. He was the ss president, and it was his responsibility. "Ah! FX International Group, the leading business in S city! What should we do, Erin? The CEO doesn''t know the meaning of forgive and forget!" one girl said. All of these girls lived here, how could they not know about FX International Group? They were frightened. Edward had a reputation for ruthlessness. "So what? I''ve met the president of FX International Group and I know what he looks like. I''m sure that man isn''t the president. So you don''t need to worry," Erin said, though fear still gnawed at her. ''It can''t be true! If it''s true, my dad will skin me alive, '' she thought. "Maybe he''s connected with FX. I don''t think Bradley would have just tos se that would either hurt him, or could be used against him. Michelle woke up, and her body was sore. Looking at the other side of the bed when she opened her eyes, she found nobody there, which made her feel lost. She thought back on their night of passion and blushed. Then she screamed loudly and blundered into the washroom after ncing at the clock on the table. ''Not again! I''ll bete, '' she thought. But she looked in the mirror. She was ratchet. ''Screw it! I''ll stay home today. I can''t show up like this. Everyone would talk, '' she thought. ''And that''s thest thing I need.'' Thinking about the things Erin had done to her, Michelle squinted her eyes and took on a sinister cast. ''You bitch. You won''t get away with this, '' she thought. In this case, she would like to make fun of Erin so that she could understand the feeling of being drugged. Anyway, she always had somebody who would like to do something for her. Wasn''t it right? But Luke was already on it. "Mr. Mu, how long would it take to devastate Tosca Corporation?" Luke asked seriously in front of Edward. "Tosca Corporation? That upstartpany? What? Someone there pissed you off?" Edward asked out of curiosity, because he had never known Luke to ask him for anything like this. "You could say that," Luke replied in a matter-of-fact tone. He was totally serious now. "All right! Give me some time and you''ll have your answer. By the way, what happened? This has to be good," Edward said with a teasing smile. He really wanted to know what drove Luke to this point. Chapter 1520 A Crush On Her (Part One) "Do I have to tell you the reason?" Luke asked with a frown. He was too proud to admit that he was enraged because someone tried to hurt Michelle. "Of course. I need to know the reason. Otherwise, I can''t just overthrow apany out of nowhere." Edward leaned back andced his fingers together smugly. He then shot Luke a teasing re. He was really interested in what the CEO of Tosca Corporation had done to offend Luke. He had known Luke for many years, but this was the first time Edward heard his friend ask him to overthrow apany. "Uh... Here''s the thing. Last night, Michelle was poisoned by her ssmate." Luke bowed his gaze and scratched the back of his head. It was obvious how embarrassed he was. "What? Are you kidding me? Are the students now that unruly? Oh, let me guess. You detoxified Michellest night, didn''t you? How did the third base feel like?" A cunning smile cracked on Edward''s lips. He could easily guess what kind of poison Michelle''s ssmate had used on her based on Luke''s embarrassment. Moreover, he also could tell that Luke had a thing for Michelle now. "What''s worse, the girl who poisoned Michelle doesn''t regret what she has done at all. I must teach her a good lesson. Otherwise, she might hurt others in the future." Luke furrowed his brows as he felt that Edward had be more and more interested in asking about others'' secrets. Edward wasn''t like this before. "Okay, I''ll do as you say. Can you tell me why she poisoned Michelle? Is it out of jealousy or something else?" Edward asked. He also realized that he really liked gossiping about others recently. It wasn''t a bad hobby at all. Was he really this bored with his own life? "Why don''t you ask the girl out to have a cup of coffee? I believe she will be d to share it with you." Luke''s face twitched. The situation had been really urgentst night. Thus, he never got the chance to know the whole thing. "Hey, are you suggesting me ask a girl out? I''ll tell Daisy about it and you''ll be screwed." Edward cracked a joke with Luke. "I believe that I''m not the one who will be screwed. If you don''t need me for anything else, I''ll take my leave." Luke gave him a sly smile. He was happy to see Daisy give Edward a lesson. "You brat!" Edward cursed through gritted teeth. Since when did Luke dare to make fun of him? "I''ve learned that from you, my dear master," replied Luke with a grin. "Get out!" demanded Edward in frustration. For some reason, he really missed the honest and upright Luke he used to know. Turning around, Luke curled his lips in satis lle frowned. She didn''t even notice any changes with Luke these days, thus, she really couldn''t tell if he did something. Furthermore, he wasn''t even talking about the ident anymore. Had he really used the power of FX International Group to overthrow Erin''s father''spany? Michelle wondered if she should ask Luke about it. "I will go ask him about it! Let me tell you this, you cannot overthrow my father''spany. Not even a chance! Let''s wait and see!" Themotion between them had collected attention from their other ssmates. They were now staring at them. Erin didn''t want them to know that her father''spany had a problem. So she decided to let Michelle go for now. Nevertheless, her withdrawal from this argument didn''t mean that she admitted her defeat. "The nerves of her!" Michelle snorted while looking at Erin''s receding figure. She wondered whether Erin would really go to Luke. If Erin really did it, she would be definitely screwed as Luke was by no means a gentleman. "Michelle, your husband looks like a big shot. I heard him say that he would teach Erin a lesson that night. Was it possible that he did something to her father''spany?" Hilda asked. She was dying to know Michelle''s husband''s real identity. "I have no clue. But I think he''s a man of his word." Michelle knew that Luke would not easily change his mind once he decided to do something. She was kind of convinced now that Luke had done something to Erin''s father''spany for her. Hilda''s eyes widened in shock. She was wondering if Michelle''s husband was a rich second generation. However, she seldom had the chance to learn about the upper ss circle. Thus, she immediately shook her head to dismiss the thought. Chapter 1521 A Crush On Her (Part Two) Michelle had been distraught the rest of the day, not only because her ssmates had been looking at her with fearful expressions the whole time, but also because of Bradley. The man looked so sad and dejected and Michelle couldn''t help but feel as if she had cheated on him. However, it was a really good thing that Bradley wasn''t pestering her anymore. He just threw sad nces at her every now and then. It was annoying. Thus, she left the ss as fast as she could when the ss was over. It was Michelle who arrived at their home first. It was a few minutes more when Luke entered their house too. This was her chance. She immediately walked up to him and asked, "Luke, did you ask Edward to deal with Erin''s father''spany?" It was evident how their rtionship got better since they had sex. "Yes, I did. She always acts like she is different from others, right? Well, I decided to have her father''spany go broke. I want to see how she would act once she is no longer rich," said Luke with a cruel smile. In reality, Luke detested women like Erin. He just couldn''t stand girls who thought of themselves as world leaders whom everyone should obey. Jessica was the same type of woman as Erin and it was needless to say how he used to hate her very much. "But a lot of people will lose their jobs if thepany goes broke, right?" Michelle asked anxiously. It seemed that their marriage had changed her a lot. She had be more kind-hearted. She hadn''t cared about others at all in the past. However, she couldn''t help but feel worried about those innocent people who might get involved in the fight between Luke and Erin''s father now. "You don''t need to worry about that. Mr. Mu has his own arrangements. By the way, did the girl give you trouble today?" Luke asked. Luke felt the sudden urge to pinch her cute face but then tried his best to hold back. He was too shy to do those intimate things, especially to her. "No, she didn''t. Come on! I used to be a gang member. How could she give me trouble?" Michelle lied because she thought that Luke''s revenge was cruel enough. She had no ns of making the argument worse. Yes, Erin had poisoned her but Luke had saved her in time and nothing serious had happened. Michelle decided to let Erin go this time. It would be really hard for Erin to ept the huge drop in her social rank. Michelle shook her head and thought to herself, ''I already forgave Erin. I hope she won''t be stupid enough to d. She felt really happy at this moment. "Thank you." Luke kissed her on the lips. Actually he had fallen in love with her a long time ago. It was just that it took him a long while to realize it. Michelle shut her eyes and just enjoyed Luke''s embrace. She asked herself silently, ''Would I fall in love with Luke if I had known at the very beginning that I would suffer from his coldness for a long time? I''m afraid the answer is yes.'' The lovers held each other tightly in silence. Edward had just used three days to deal with Tosca Corporation, which would go broke soon. As a result, Erin came to Michelle again. "Tell me, what should I do to ask for your forgiveness. Please let us go." This time, Erin was not that arrogant as before. "If you had apologized to me at the very beginning, I would have interceded for you. However, it''s toote now. I don''t think I''m able to help you," Michelle said coldly. She knew it would cost a lot of energy and money to overthrow apany. She couldn''t just go to Luke and ask him to stop. "How about I kneel down? I was too blind to see who you really are. I''m really sorry. Please spare me this time." Erin bit her lower lip, her face was as pale as death. She had suffered a lot during the past three days. All her families began to me her for the stupid thing she had done. "I''m not the one dealing with your father''spany, so I can do nothing about it." Michelle was at a loss and didn''t really know how to react. She would just refuse her request without hesitation if Erin came to her arrogantly. However, Erin looked so pitiful and Michelle just didn''t know what to do. Chapter 1522 Sensible Side Of Michelle (Part One) "Can you at least tell me who I need to see? I only want to save my father''spany. Please, I beg you. I treated you wrong all this time, and I am sorry for it. Please forgive me, and help me." The girl standing in front of Michelle was no longer proud and arrogant. Now, Erin was only a girl who badly wanted to save her father''s firm. She had to apologize to Michelle, knowing she was probably the only person who could help her. As long as Michelle forgave her, she would be fine. Erin was aware of the consequences of her father''spany going bankrupt. Everyone surrounding her andplimenting her was only after her money and status. Yes, she could live afortable and happy life now, all because her father made a lot of money. That was how an arrogant and mean girl like her became so popr. If her father became broke, then she would lose everything, and this was thest thing Erin wanted to happen. "Why didn''t you think about the consequences before doing something bad?" Michelle goaded Erin. Yes, Erin had no one else to turn to, and that was why she was willing to throw away her dignity and pride to ask Michelle for help. Michelle knew what would happen if thepany of Erin''s father went bankrupt. But she felt no sympathy for the girl who had done something so unforgivable against her. But she did feel sorry for thepany''s employees because they had no idea they were going to lose their jobs. "I am truly sorry!" Erin cried out. "I know what I did was extremely wrong! I will never do anything like that again, I promise. But please, please help me. I don''t know what else to do now. Can''t you show some ad learned her lesson and started to change for the better. But clearly, she was wrong. Erin was still the selfish and mean girl that she was before. She just hid it better now because she needed Michelle''s help. It seemed impossible for someone to change personalities overnight. After finishing her ss, Michelle immediately went to her father-inw''s house because Luke had asked her to do so. She happily agreed because the alternative was to stay home alone, which bored her. At least when she was at Edward''s house, Michelle would be talking to someone. "Mom, are you home alone?" she asked Cynthia as soon as she arrived. The house was unusually quiet, which was rare. Michelle looked around and saw her mother-inw was indeed alone. "Yes, I''m the only one here. Your father-inw went to pick up Justin. Maybe they''re still somewhere outside ying. They should be back by now. I don''t know why they''re thiste," Cynthia replied with a smile. The woman was simply elegant that each time Michelle saw her, she was always blown away by her mother-inw''s quiet beauty. Chapter 1523 Sensible Side Of Michelle (Part Two) "Perhaps it''s because of the traffic," Michelle offered. "It is rush hour. Traffic was so bad on my way back home so they must have gotten caught in it," she added. She returned Cynthia''s smile because it was impossible not to be infected by her pleasant manner. "Whatever. I don''t care where they go as long as theye back in one piece. By the way, look at you. It seems to me that you look more radiant and happier than thest time I saw you. Let me guess, does it have anything to do with Lukie?" Her eyes twinkled teasingly. As soon as Michelle entered the house, she found her daughter-inw looking happier than usual. She was aware of how much Michelle had suffered in the past few days. So it was good to see her this way. The joyful and radiant look suited her well. "Uhmmm¡­ Oh, they''re back! Dad and Justin are here," she announced. A blush had colored Michelle''s face at her mother-inw''s teasing. She was too shy to answer. Honestly, Michelle had no idea what to say. Fortunately, Jonathan and Justin arrived, saving her from having to answer Cynthia''s query. So, Michelle quickly changed the subject to divert attention away from her. "You keep dodging my question, sneaky girl," Cynthia pretended to scold her but stopped asking anyway. She could tell the young woman was embarrassed, prompting her to drop the subject. As long as she was happy, Cynthia didn''t mind what was going on between her and Luke. Laughing nervously, Michelle said, "The food smells delicious. I''m going to the kitchen to check out what Mrs. Wu is cooking." She walked off to escape further interrogation. Michelle was really in a good mood recently because of the way things were betw Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. look on her face when she heard what Justin called Jonathan. It was strange that she didn''t think it was possible that the man was married, and that he was much older than her. "That''s good to know," Cynthia said. "So, as soon as your grandpa saw that it was a beautiful woman, he kept looking at her?" she prodded the boy. Of course, Cynthia knew Jonathan well. And he was not the type of man who would be unfaithful to his wife, even in thoughts. That was why she didn''t take Justin''s words too seriously. She only asked to go along with little Justin. Cynthia knew the kind of boy her grandson was, and she was willing to go along with his teasing. "Yes, that''s right. That woman stood in front of our car, blocking our way, and refused to budge. She even demanded grandpa to buy her a new car. That''s just ridiculous! So, grandpa red at her with his cold and frightening eyes until she felt uneasy and decided to finally leave. That''s what happened." Justin was very excited as he rted their experience as if it was some make-believe tale. He told Cynthia every small detail of what happened on their way home. Chapter 1524 Sensible Side Of Michelle (Part Three) "So, you mean that you crashed into her car and didn''t even offer to pay for what you had done? That¡­ that doesn''t sound like something you would do," Cynthia said looking at her husband. The little boy''s words intrigued her. She raised an eyebrow at her husband to ask. Cynthia wanted to know what exactly happened. Jonathan was never one to be short of money. So, why didn''t he offer to pay that woman for the problem that he caused? "No! We paid her! Grandpa wrote her a 50, 000-dor check to have her car repaired. But that woman was greedy. She wanted more. Of course, we wouldn''t agree. That''s why grandpa red at her to make her leave," Justin continued his narrative. Her grandson was more excited than usual. Maybe it was because it was his first time to experience something like this ande across a woman who wanted to rip money off his intimidating grandfather. How ridiculous! Such a situation seldom happened, so Justin was thrilled to be part of something fascinating. "Oh, I see. I think she saw how very generous your grandpa was. That''s why she wanted him to pay her more. After all, if a slight scratch can get her 50, 000 dors, she would be a fool not to try to rip him off," Cynthia nodded in understanding. She finally understood what exactly happened, and now everything made sense. Cynthia knew her husband didn''t care much about the money he had, so he might have been willing to give her more to repair the car. But if, as Justin described, the woman was greedy, she would have annoyed him enough to make him treat her that way. She couldn''t help but think, ''Some women nowadays are re Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. them apart. "We don''t need to wait for Daddy and Uncle Luke?" Justin asked. He raised his head to look at his grandmother while following her to the dining room. The boy didn''t expect his father and uncle to miss having dinner with them. "No, we don''t have to wait for them. Your daddy is having dinner with a client. And Uncle Luke will be joining him," she exined. Holding Justin''s hand, Cynthia led him into the dining room. It felt like she was back in the days when her son was as old as Justin. Unfortunately, holding Edward''s hand when he was very young rarely happened. She didn''t have a good rtionship with her son as he was growing up, which was why they had always been distant as if they weren''t mother-and-son. But that was all behind them now, because everything was all right. Cynthia had made up with her son, and their rtionship now was much better. She couldn''t be happier with her life. A loving husband, an intelligent and sessful son, a sweet daughter-inw, and a beautiful grandson, all these made her feel like the happiest woman on earth. Chapter 1525 Sensible Side Of Michelle (Part Four) After dinner, Michelle didn''t stay long. She bid them all goodbye and left for home. When she got home, Luke still wasn''t there, so she had some alone time to think. Erin''s pleas were still in her mind and she didn''t know what to feel. Michelle didn''t want to help her, not only because she couldn''t forgive what she''d done to her, but also because she knew Erin wouldn''t change. But at the same time, she didn''t have the heart to make other people suffer because of Erin''s mistake. She considered talking to Luke about what happened today. And if he agreed with her, he could at least make them suffer less. "What are you thinking about now?" Fatigue was all over his face, but he saw his wife''s look. Luke hadn''t been resting well the past few days, and it was catching up with him now. She looked up at his voice. "Oh, nothing. You''re back." His question startled Michelle, and she got up from the bed and walked to stand in front of Luke. "Yes, I am," he said tiredly. His tone was not as icy as before. Luke did promise Michelle that he would try to make this rtionship with her work. He would let his guard down around her, and at least be nice to her. "You look tired," she pointed out. She looked at his face and stroked a cheek. Michelle couldn''t help but worry about Luke as she realized how much she truly cared about her husband. "Yeah, I''m a little bit tired. I''m going to take a shower first," Luke said while removing his coat. He wasn''t a clean freak like Edward, but he wasn''tzy when it came to personal hygiene. Besides, maybe a nice shower would make him less tired and loosen him up. "Ho her. But Michelle wasn''t sure if what they were doing was right. Admittedly, it was simply a feud between two ssmates. There was no need to make such a big deal out of it. "She never thought of the consequences when she decided to drug you, did she? Erin did this to herself. She made a mistake, so she should pay for it. It''s that simple. Besides, have you ever thought about what might have happened if I hadn''te for you in time? Do you have any idea what would have happened to you if I wasn''t there? That woman is so vicious. I think it serves her right. She''s getting a dose of her own medicine. She''s an adult, and she should always think twice before she decides to harm others," Luke pointed out. He''d always been on the dark side of society and had witnessed enough disgusting things to be aware of how dangerous the world could be. That was why Luke felt no guilt when he decided to take revenge on Michelle''s behalf. And judging from her family background, he thought Michelle knew this, too. Maybe, the peaceful and happy life now made her forget all about this. Chapter 1526 Sensible Side Of Michelle (Part Five) "Can you at least make her suffer less then? After all, we are still ssmates. Though I know she hates me and has done something unforgivable, I really don''t want to see her father''spany go bankrupt. She''ll lose everything and so many innocent people will suffer because of this," Michelle said. She thought about all this in just a few seconds. Michelle was aware this was not something Luke could easily decide on his own. But considering his rtionship with Edward, if he was willing to talk to his brother about it, thetter would surely agree. "Well, I can only promise to try my best. Honestly, this doesn''t seem like something that you''d say to me. It''s not like you at all. And it was a surprise to me that you''re willing to go easy on Erin," Luke pointed out. His wife''s change of heart was a definite surprise. And he wasn''t sure if it was a good change or a bad one. All he knew was that he felt happy to see a more sensible side of Michelle. It felt like unearthing a hidden facet of her that no one had ever seen, so it made him feel closer to his wife. There seemed to be a lot more things he didn''t know about Michelle, and Luke was looking forward to discovering them. The next day, before Luke had a chance to speak to Edward about what Michelle said to him, they ran into Erin. She had been waiting for them outside thepany building. As soon as she saw the two men walking in, she immediately ran to them, her face looking very anxious. "Mr. Mu, please, please don''t let ourpany go bankrupt. I beg you. Please. I know what I did was wrong, and I will never do anything like that ever again," Erin pleaded. She kneeled before Edward and Luke to block their way. Erin raised her head and looked at them with a Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. in thought. "If you don''t get up and leave now, you will lose this only chance to save your father''spany, too," Edward threatened Erin. While he wasn''t sure what Luke was nning, Edward trusted him unconditionally. Given what he said, Edward decided not to contradict him while Erin was still there. He knew Luke must have his reasons for having a change of heart. As long as they were eptable reasons, Edward would consider it. "All right. I will do anything you ask me to do, as long as you don''t allow my father''spany to go bankrupt," Erin said as she stood up. Using the back of her hand to wipe her tears away, Erin didn''t seem like the arrogant pretty girl she was in school. She had never once thought that she would one day meet the CEO of the famous FX International Group. Secretly, Erin was impressed by Edward''s handsome looks. He was even more good-looking in person, and photos on the Inte did him little justice. But she didn''t dare say what she was thinking. Now was not the time to drool over some handsome, rich guy. Erin didn''t forget that she was there to plead her case, to save her father''spany from going bankrupt. Chapter 1527 Sensible Side Of Michelle (Part Six) "From now on, behave yourself," Luke said brusquely while looking at her onest time. Turning around, he walked into thepany premises with Edward without looking back. Luke sincerely hoped he would never have to see or meet Erin ever again. He knew the kind of girl she was and didn''t like her one bit. The moment they stepped into the elevator, Edward turned around to look at Luke, with a knowing smirk on his face. He looked intrigued as he stared at hispanion as if there was something interesting on his face. Out of the blue, Luke felt ufortable, once he sensed the intensity of Edward''s gaze. "Why are you looking at me that way?" Luke asked while touching his face self-consciously. Was there something on his face? Why was Edward looking at him in such a strange way? It was unnerving! "I am thinking," he started, and paused. "Has Michellepletely melted you? I''ve noticed that recently, all you talk about is her. Your life seems to be revolving around your wife now. Don''t you notice this about yourself?" Edward knew he was right. He''d known Luke for years but had never seen him acting this way. It was as if being with Michelle changed him, making him softer than usual. But, he was also d about this change. They made a cute couple. Edward, though, was curious about how Michelle had tamed the cold and stoic Luke. "Are you really enjoying making fun of me? Why are you being so damn curious?" Luke demanded while rolling his eyes in exasperation. There was nothing new about Edward being nosy like he was now. While Luke had a vague idea what Edward hinted at, he didn''t want to humor him with an answer. He was annoyed because he had never been nos Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. sibility. For now, it was best that Erin avoided her, and this should make both their lives easier. They only had to consider each other asplete strangers to co-exist peacefully. The fact of the matter was, it was Hilda that benefited the most from this mess. She was once the least popr girl in school because of her figure. But since she was friends with Michelle, people had started talking to her, even sucking up to her, to try and get in touch with Michelle with her as a conduit. Everyone was aware that Michelle had a powerful husband who worked in the famous FX International Group, who was protective of her. They all wanted a piece of Michelle. And approaching Hilda first was a good idea. It seemed as though Michelle''s life had be peaceful once more. But she still felt something missing at the back of her mind, and this would sometimes dampen her spirit. Her life was perfect now -- a promising rtionship, good friends, and a ce where she could learn to draw. She couldn''t ask for more. Yet there was still an emptiness in her heart, probably because not everything was perfect all the time. Chapter 1528 Spring Festival (Part One) When Shannon hadn''t heard from Leena for a long time, she grew anxious and couldn''t stay still. For this reason, she found herselfing to S City for a visit. Entering her son''s apartment, she sought for her daughter-inw but to no avail. The woman was simply nowhere to be seen. However, Shannon''s presence under his roof surprised Kevin. He hadn''t found the right time to tell her about Leena''s disappearance yet, and didn''t think that he would have to do it some time soon. In fact, he never expected Shannon toe without prior notice. Taken aback, he rushed towards her. "Mom, what brings you here?" he asked. "You should have called me first." Taking her bags immediately from her shoulder, he carried them to the living room. Luckily, it was the weekend and he was at home. "Can''t I visit my son when I feel like it?" Shannon asked angrily. She had asked about Leena''s situation on the phone several times. But Kevin, who was great at deflecting, only told her that Leena had gone to Paris. That was it. "I didn''t mean it that way, Mom," he said, as she sat on the sofa. "Tea or water?" She was one of the few people who wasn''t a fan of coffee. Shannon gave him a brief, surprised look before looking away. "Iced water!" Rolling her eyes, she expected Leena to appear out of nowhere. Despite knowing she wasn''t around, she couldn''t help but hope to be surprised. "That doesn''t sound like a good idea," said Kevin, frowning. "I''ll pour you a ss of warm water." It was freezing cold outside, and Kevin wasn''t sure if Shannon was only trying to spite him. "Where''s Leena?" she asked, just before he could leave to fetch the drink. "Has she note back yet?" she persisted stubbornly. Her eyes roamed across her son''s face, never missing a single expression. His hesitance spoke a thousand words she didn''t want to hear. "Uh," he said, "I''ll talk about it with youter. Let me make you something to eat first." With his mothering over by surprise, Kevin was unprepared and couldn''t think of the best way to tell her the truth. Worrying her mother was thest thing he wa . This was exactly what he feared to happen. "Fine!" snapped Shannon. "Just tell me why Leena suddenly left. I won''t... I won''t make any more presumptions until you''re done." Calming down, she realized that her emotions got the better of her. She took deep breaths, and pursed her lips tightly in anticipation of Kevin''s exnation. "Leena... It''s extremely difficult for her to get pregnant," Kevin said, feeling his chest tighten as soon as he mentioned it. If only he''d known about the status of Leena''s health from the beginning, he would have refrained from expressing his affection for having children to her. He might have even insisted that he didn''t want kids at all. Because of him, Leena probably believed that it was better she left since she couldn''t give what he was dying to have. As her husband, Kevin hadn''t even noticed that she wasn''t herself. He just couldn''t forgive himself for it. What an uncaring and ipetent husband he was! "So?" pressed Shannon. She just couldn''t understand why Leena would leave because of it. Unless... She looked at Kevin and asked, "Did you express any regrets because of it?" As Shannon really admired Leena, she couldn''t help but side with her as soon as Kevin finished talking. Her son was at a loss for words. He didn''t know whether tough or cry, thinking, ''I''m your son! Yet you act like Leena is your daughter, and I''m just an outsider.'' Chapter 1529 Spring Festival (Part Two) Scowling, he said, "Mom, do you really think I''d me her for this?" Staring at Shannon in the eye, he wondered since when his mother had started to look down on him. It was like she didn''t know his own son well enough. Emotionally exhausted, Shannon took a sip of her warm water. "It''s unfortunate news, all right," she remarked. She put the ss of water down. "I just don''t understand why she didn''t tell us first." As he didn''t have the answer, Kevin could only shrug. "It''s a sad thing, yes. I also love kids, but even if she can''t get pregnant this instant, maybe it''s still possible as soon as her health gets better." She shook her head. "Even if that doesn''t happen," Shannon added, "we''ll be okay with that. As long as you two are happy together, your father and I won''t intervene." Although Shannon was saddened by the news, she had a liberal mind. Leena''s problem with having kids might be a bitter pill to swallow, but she was quick to ept it. All she wanted for the meantime was to have Leenae back home. "You mean," said Kevin slowly, "you won''t dislike her even if she can''t have a baby, right?" Eyes wide open, he thought it would be more difficult than this to get his mother''s eptance. Apparently, he was mistaken, and happily so. "Come on, Kevin!" eximed Shannon. "Do you think I''m that unreasonable?" Surprised, she stared at her son and felt bad. "She must''ve been in pain if she thought that way too. Rather than me Leena, what we should do when we see her is tofort her. Oh, what a poor girl!" While Shannon wanted to have grandchildren as soon as possible, she simply valued Leena much more. "Mom," started Kevin, unable to express his gratitude. "Thank you. She mighte back, I believe, if she finds out about how we feel about it." Standing up, Kevin leaned over to hug his mother affectionately. Too often, stories of mothers disliking their daughters-inw could be recounted. Once they found out that the women were incapable of giving them grandchildren, many would force their sons to Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. t some thought. It was possible. "I guess you''re right," sighed Kevin. "Well, just go ahead and take them. Don''t forget this, too." He put Lee''s flight ticket on the table. "Enjoy your holiday at home." Wearing a bitter smile, he thought to himself, ''Nana, you can be so kind to people around. I just don''t understand how you can be so cruel to me. Do you even know how much you broke my heart when you left?'' "I will, Major General Gu. Will Leenae back soon?" asked Lee with a hopeful expression. Aware of Leena''s departure, Lee could only hope for her safe return. He could tell her disappearance was taking a toll on Kevin. "She will," answered Kevin optimistically. But deep inside, he wasn''t so sure. Leena hadn''t given him any signs yet. That didn''t matter though. Determined to find Leena, Kevin was dead set on showing her his love and sincerity. It was the saddest and most depressing Spring Festival that Kevin ever had. While others were dining with their families, he only had Leena''s photo to keep himpany. He missed her dearly. "Major General Gu," greeted Mark. "Senior Colonel Ouyang asked me to give you these dumplings. Happy New Year!" As Mark had been on leavest Spring Festival, he decided to stay in the army base this year. He felt it was fair to give other soldiers the chance to go home to reunite with their families. Chapter 1530 Spring Festival (Part Three) "Thank you, Mark," Kevin said a bit indifferently. After taking the food from Mark, he continued, "Happy New Year to you too! Have you eaten yet?" The man smiled and nodded. Earlier today, Mrs. Xu had asked Kevin to have dinner with her family this evening. But as he was on duty, he couldn''t leave his post without permission, and had to kindly reject her offer. "I''ve already eaten. That''s all yours." Just as he was about to leave, Mark turned to add, "They''re going to get cold so you should eat them as soon as you can." Although the dumplings were in a thermal container, the weather was very cold this time of the year. Kevin appreciated the simple reminder. "All right." During this time, the canteen at the army base often served dumplings. Before he got married, Kevin used to have them in the canteen with the other soldiers. This year, however, he wasn''t in the mood as it reminded him of his reality. But he wasn''t the only one suffering. While he missed Leena terribly, thetter also experienced an intense longing for her husband. She had been to different countries these days, enjoying differentndscapes and eating at local restaurants. It was easy to keep herself distracted in the day. During the dead of night, however, she was harassed with thoughts of her husband all at once. As it was the Spring Festival, she made dumplings for herself even when she didn''t have the appetite. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she tried to eat some of her cooking. If she were by his side at this moment, they were probably feeding each other dumplings. Soon, the journey would be over. And when that happened, what would she do then? When would she stop missing him? The idea of never seeing Kevin again tortured her. Taking out her cell phone, she looked at Kevin''s photo. Whenever she moved to a new city, she would preupy herself with activities as many as she could. Otherwise, Kevin''s face would cross her mind, and that made it difficult for her to stop herself from buying a ticket to go back to him. As it was currently daytime where she was, that meant it was night back in the city where Kevin was. Curious, she wondered what Kevin was doing right now. Was he having dinner with his family or the soldiers at the moment? Or was he alone like she was? Or, did he already fall in love wi in the future!'' "He deserves it!" snapped Duke. "He''s such an idiot for taking all the duties during the Spring Festival!" With his sister gone because of that man, he couldn''t stand hearing his wife put in a good word for him. Duke resented it very much. "Baby," cooed Belinda at her belly, "look how naive your daddy is!" Duke looked at her. "You mustn''t be as naughty as he is, okay?" she continued in a serious manner. The father of the unborn child merely gawked at his beautiful wife. "Are you sure you want to speak ill of me to my child?" asked Duke through gritted teeth. Because of her pregnancy, he felt like he was a bachelor all over again, and this frustrated him. "So now you''re ashamed of yourself?" challenged Belinda. Her husband scowled. "Look!" She made him look at her. "Why did Kevin take all of the work he could get?" she asked, but Duke wasn''t listening anymore. "Because Leena left, and he''s sad and dejected." Then Belinda rested a loving hand on Duke''s cheek. "Instead of mocking him, we should beforting him. That''s all I''m saying." If she had been in Kevin''s shoes, she''d already have gone mental. Thus, Belinda somehow understood what the man was going through. If anyone came home to nothing but a divorce agreement, it was understandable for him to break into pieces. It had been more than two months since Leena''s disappearance, and instead of a meltdown, Kevin chose to drown himself in his work. The man, refusing to copse, was being more resilient and stronger than anyone could in his situation. Chapter 1531 The Meaning Of Family (Part One) "Are you saying that I am a terrible brother?" An evil smile cracked on Duke''s lips. He raised his eyebrows and gave Belinda a teasing re. "Ah? I don''t know what are you talking about. I never said that," replied Belinda as she tried to remain casual. She leaned her back against the headboard of their bed and hoped to rx. She wanted to stay cool but Duke''s dangerous eyes still managed to send chills down her spine. ''I know that he won''t do anything to me right now. So why am I still shaking? This is so strange. Could it be his aura? Is it why I can''t ignore him?'' she thought. "Stop arguing with me. You''ll know you are wrong after you give birth to our baby." Duke stared at Belinda''s stomach with a serious expression. A few seconds after, he lifted his hand to touch her tummy lightly. He thought, ''Who said that women are the only ones who suffer from pregnancy? I''m suffering, too.'' "Are you threatening me?" Belinda frowned at him and then looked down at her tummy too. "Baby, did you hear that? Your father doesn''t love us." She pretended to be very sad. However, she was really happy deep down inside her. She was even smiling secretly while talking to her child. In reaction, Duke twitched his mouth while thinking, ''Does this woman really think that I can''t do anything to her right now? Is that why she provoked me shamelessly?'' "Do you really think that I would not do anything to you right now? Huh?" Without any ado, Duke suddenly rolled over quickly and leveraged himself above Belinda. He tactically pinned her against the bed. He pressed his upper body against hers sensually while being careful not to give any pressure on her tummy. In a snap, he dove for her lips in an erotic kiss that was explosive enough to blow her mind. "What are you doing?" Be Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ave a seat. What do you want to drink? I''ll have a servant prepare it for you." Honestly, Lloyd was more enthusiastic about Kevin than his own son. He was just proud of being Kevin''s father-inw. "No need. I have brought you guys some tea." It was when Duke came in without knocking on the door. The reluctance on his face was too evident as he walked. He actually got no n of serving the two drinks. However, Belinda asked him to do it and warned that she would do it herself if he wouldn''t. He just didn''t want her to do anything that could tire her while she was pregnant. Thus, he ended up agreeing to whatever her request was. "Aren''t you going to thepany today?" asked Lloyd in a surprised tone when he saw Duke. "Yes, I was. However, I dropped the idea since Kevin came here. Otherwise, he would say I was mean to him." Duke put the tea on the table. In reaction, Kevin immediately helped his brother-inw arrange the space for it. He knew that Duke was provoking him but he just smiled and didn''t show any reaction about it. He felt that Duke''s remark was a sign of approval for him. He knew that Duke wasn''t the type of person to talk with people he didn''t care about. Chapter 1532 The Meaning Of Family (Part Two) "Why do you talk like that, child? Go ahead. Leave us alone." Lloyd frowned. He knew that Duke had always been a cold man. Nevertheless, he got no clue on when had his son turned this childish. ''Is Duke still angry about Kevin and Leena''s secret marriage? Oh, Lord! That''s so unbelievable!'' the old man thought secretly as he tried not to facepalm before their guest. "Do you think I am not a busy person? Since you say so, I will leave you alone." Frankly, Duke had been waiting for Lloyd to shoo him away. He was now running twopanies and he had to review a whole lot of documents every day. He wondered if the two men before him had any idea of how tiring it was. "Go ahead. Don''t disturb us," said Lloyd as he waved his hand impatiently. He might not be saying anything, but at that moment, it was easy to tell how much he liked his son-inw than his own son. Hearing his father''s words made Duke roll his eyes and think, ''I brought them tea but they didn''t show any gratitude for it. And now what? They are asking me to leave? That''s so unfair to me!'' "Kevin, I''m sorry. You must be very sad these days. I guess we spoiled Leena a bit too much and that''s why she is so impulsive." Lloyd said apologetically. Actually, he had always liked Kevin and he couldn''t help but feel guilty about Leena''s sudden leave. He thought he had not taught her well, thus, she did that. "It''s not your fault, Dad. In fact, Leena is a very sensible girl. It''s my fault that I didn''t take good care of her. Thus, she lost faith in our marriage." Kevin''s answer went out in an instant as he was surprised at what Lloyd said. For some reason, the old man''s tone made him anxious. "Stop making excuses for her. I know what kind of person she is. She d found his Miss Right, and it was Leena. "Kevin, I don''t know what dad said to you but I hope you don''t give up on Leena. She''s a good girl and she deserves a good man like you." Belinda walked toward Kevin as soon as she saw him walk out of the study. She might be guilty of annoying Leena a lot in the past, nevertheless, she still wanted her to be happy. "Belinda, don''t worry. You know how much I love her. I won''t give up easily." said Kevin as he forced a smile. He couldn''t imagine himself falling for some other woman. "That would be great. Go upstairs and take a break. Leena''s room is still as before. I''ll call you at lunch." Smiling back sadly, Belinda gave up the idea of chatting with him more and decided to offer him some rest. He looked so exhausted, a little older even. It was easy to see he had lost a lot of weight without Leena around. "Okay. I''ll go upstairs first." Kevin knew he really needed a good rest, thus, he didn''t turn down Belinda''s advice. "All right. See youter." Belinda sighed and nodded her head politely to him as she thought, ''What have you done, Leena? How could you have the heart to hurt such a good man?'' Chapter 1533 The Meaning Of Family (Part Three) Walking into Leena''s room again felt like walking into a time machine for Kevin. Everything there was the same as he remembered. It could have been a perfect nostalgia if only Leena was around. His heart broke a bit more when his eyesnded on the huge picture she had inside her room. It was a floor to ceiling picture of Leena smiling brightly. His feet moved by their own towards it as he couldn''t help but want to touch it. She was so beautiful and innocent on that photo and God knew how it was making him miss her more. ''Nana, when are youing back? Did you forget your way home? Did you forget about me? There are a lot of people who love you in S City, you know?'' He ran his fingertips on the photo to gently touch Leena''s lips. He had always been a strong man but then he wasn''t able to control himself from crying at that moment. He was empty! He was nothing but a hollow space without her and it hurt more than any other pain that he had encountered in the battlefield. There was still a faint smell of her perfume that was left on her soft bed. Standing inside the room where Leena had lived for many years gave Kevin the feeling that she was still next to him. With her scent surrounding him, Kevin soon felt at ease and fell asleep. He was too worn out that his body couldn''t take the abuse anymore. He couldn''t sleep the past few days, and he even couldn''t eat. Belinda was about to wake him up for lunch when Duke suddenly stopped her. Duke might not be on the good side with Kevin but then he knew that his brother-inw badly needed to rest. "I am sorry that I''ve slept too long." Kevin felt a bit ashamed the moment he stepped into the living room and found everyone waiting for him. He just had a shower, thus, part of his hair was still wet. He didn''t expect himself to sleep that long at all. "It''s okay. You are too tired. We were about to wake you up for lunch earlier. However, you were sleeping like a baby, so we didn''t do that." Lloydughed as soon as he saw Kevin''s reddened face. "Dinner will be ready in a hough that his guess was right. Duke was already on the verge as well, thus, he asked Kevin to drink with him. His love for Leena was no less than Kevin''s after all. "That''s fine. Remember, you owe me this." Duke raised his ss and gently clinked it against his. In fact, there was no eternal hatred between the two. Although he was reluctant to ept the fact that his little sister was married, he knew that Kevin was a man worthy of Leena''s love. His sister might be away for now but he believed that Kevin and Leena would eventually get back together. "I know what I took from you. I will cherish it." Kevin knew that what Duke wanted most was hismitment to Leena, thus, he told him that. He never meant to give up on Leena. "You have to remember what you said. Don''t let me down. I''ve always been worried about Leena. To be honest, I didn''t want her to marry you at first! However, after observing you these days, I think you are the only one who can make her happy. You mustn''t hurt her. Although she is gone now, I believe in her love for you. You must be patient until shees back. I believe that after this, she will be maturer and more suitable to be a soldier''s wife." This was the first time Duke had spoken so much to Kevin. It might be all about Leena, but then, it also showed how Duke was slowly getting rid of his bias against Kevin. Chapter 1534 The Earthquake Relief (Part One) "I know. Even if you didn''t actually say that, I''ll stick to it," Kevin said. Different from his father, Duke hade straight to the point. By nature he was arrogant and unruly. That night, the two men had drunk a lot. They finally had something inmon ¨C their love for Leena. The rtions between them had be more harmonious. Days passed, and after the New Year holidays, Lee returned to work. However, Leena was still nowhere to be found. "Major General, you should eat something now." Lee''s eyes were clouded with worry: Kevin was wasting away, daily getting thinner. "Okay. Put the food over there. I''ll eatter." Kevin answered absently, not raising his head, focused as he was on the topographic map on his desk. "It doesn''t take long to eat! If you continue starving yourself, you will end up with stomach trouble," Lee grumbled. Kevin had been eating irregrly since Leena left. His health would soon suffer. "Lee, you''re being just as garrulous as Mark!" Kevin had raised his head, and was now teasing Lee. "Do you think that I like seeing you like this? You don''t take care of yourself, and now I have to remind you to do so all the time." Lee was ufortable under Kevin''s steady gaze. He was worried about Kevin''s health, but more importantly, he had to take good care of Kevin for Leena''s sake to show his gratitude. Leena had gifted his family with many things, and he estimated that these must be worth no less than 100, 000. "Fine. I''ll eat right now. There, are you satisfied?" Kevin had no choice but to reach for the meal which Lee had brought for him from the canteen. "Major General, Lieutenant Colonel Han said that you would be inmand of the seven-day survival challenge. But then you will miss the officer assessment in the capital city, right?" Lee was trying to confirm what he had heard. He often heard rumors through the grapevine, and from his good friend Mark. "Yeah. Senior Colonel Ouyang will be attending the assessment," Kevin responded, his expression stolid. He didn''t consider this a serious matter. "But you will lose the chance at promotion!" Lee said anxiously. Although Kevin already held the ra le we both don''t care about getting promoted. It''s interesting!" Kevin''s words amused Daisy, and she couldn''t helpughing. Her cool face softened. "Maybe it''s because we''re old. We''re no longer as frivolous as when we were younger." Kevin sighed. He knew full well that age had nothing to do with it, but rather it was his mood. "Fine. Since you have made up your mind, I won''t force you. But our army base must be presented at the assessment. I''ll have to go as representative, if you won''t go." Daisy felt resigned. She didn''t want to attend the assessment, but since Kevin had decided to refuse, she had to step up. She sighed at the thought of her arrogant husband. He would be angry with her again, likely for several days this time. "I''m sorry that you have to go on my behalf." Kevin grinned by way of thanks. "It''s all right. It''s good to be assessed more often, and it''s not really hard work anyway," Daisy said with an indifferent shrug. Anyway, one of them had to attend the assessment. She was considerate and would rece Kevin. Everything seemed to be doomed. The next day, after Daisy headed for the capital city, Kevin received new mission orders. It was not the special training for field survival, but rather a relief mission after an earthquake struck a coastal city far away from S City. Although the epicenter was not deep, the resulting tsunami had brought massive losses and injuries to the earthquake-stricken city. Chapter 1535 The Earthquake Relief (Part Two) After receiving the order, Kevin had no time to prepare before leaving for the rescue mission with the soldiers. Disembarking from the military aircraft, he saw that the disaster was more tragic than he could have imagined. There were copsed houses and other evidence of the tsunami''s devastation everywhere. Many victims were shocked and cried silently. This natural disaster irked him. Without taking the time to calm down, he threw himself into the intense rescue efforts. In the aftermath of the tsunami, the cement of copsed houses had solidified with the debris, whichplicated rescue work. Moreover, they had to guard against the constant aftershocks. Bad weather often presented a major obstacle to rescue efforts. Though he was a major general, Kevin wasn''t amander who hid behind the soldiers and did nothing. Instead, he worked with his men, removing big stones with shovels, and even at times with his bare hands. "Major General, you will get injured if you continue in this way. Let me do it!" Lee pleaded with Kevin, worried. They were all wearing raincoats, but these didn''t really work. In addition, the temperature in early spring was still very low, so their numb fingers weren''t dexterous or quick in action. "Never mind that. Our first priority is to rescue the people. Don''t worry about me." Kevin took off his raincoat to facilitate more flexibility in his work. The soldiers quickly followed his example. Aftershocks threatened every earthquake-stricken area from time to time, and it held true here. What was worse,pared with other earthquake-stricken areas, there was an additional risk here - tsunami. The rescue operations couldn''t be carried out on the streets where flooding had not receded, because they simply couldn''t reach those areas to find out whether there were people still buried in the ruins. It had been a day since their arrival. The aftershocks urred asionally, and they hadn''t made much obvious progress. They had just escaped another aftershock, and adrenalin was running high. "Protect yourselves during the rescue work. You must be very careful." Kevin was soaked to the skin. The wind picked up, and he could feel the chill in the air on his damp body. All the soldiers looked like drowned mice. "Yes, Major General!" The soldiers answered loudly, despite their exhaustion. Kevin took a deep breath. His handsome face was streaked with mud and rain, and his grimy eyes showed deep sadness. Many of the people they rescued had weak vital signs and perished before they could be taken to safety. This was devastating for the soldiers, b t had not been injured, she could have climbed out using the rope. But she couldn''t move now, so this wasn''t an option. "Okay. I see. I''ll get everything ready right away!" Lee didn''t dare to dy, and rushed to find what was necessary. Fortunately, it was an easy task, because many of the things he needed were at the ambnce station. The waiting felt long, and the old granny was scared. Kevin spoke to her encouragingly while studying the debris around them. "Major General, I''ve got everything ready. Now, I am going to push the board down carefully." Lee said as he began pushing down the board he had just made, but it was difficult for the board to make the descent. Kevin didn''t wait idle; instead, he returned to the ce with the big stone, that he had previously passed, and eased the board down. "Grandma, I''ll lift you onto the board and secure you with a rope. Then they can pull you out," Kevin exined to the old granny. He was afraid that she wouldn''t understand and be panicked. "Okay. That sounds like a good n." The old granny had been buried for a long time, but she seemed to be mentally equipped, and had coped well with everything that had happened. She didn''t object to Kevin''s arrangements. Kevin carefully lifted the old granny onto the board, and then tied her to it with the rope he had brought down with him. He was careful to tie her in such a way that she could grasp the rope for support. "Okay, you can pull up!" Kevinmanded the soldiers on the ground above over his radio. As the old granny was slowly pulled free, Kevin prepared to climb up. However, as he started his ascent, the ground suddenly began shaking violently. An aftershock at the critical moment of his escape! Chapter 1536 The Critical Moment (Part One) "Major General Gu!" The soldiers weren''t expecting the aftershock to hit so quickly. As soon as the aftershock stopped, they called out for their Major General. "Help him! Hurry up!" Lee yelled, his face pale as death, as he picked up a shovel and began to excavate the ruins. He hoped that Kevin was able to find a safe ce to protect himself from the rubble. "Hurry up, guys! And be careful not to hurt him!" the toon Leader demanded and joined in with the other soldiers to find Kevin. At that moment, Leena was drinking lemonade in a cafe. As she was about to take the ss, it slipped from her hand and smashed on the floor. As she looked at the shattered pieces on the floor, her heart fluttered with an ominous anxiety. ''Why is this happening? Why do I have this horrible feeling?'' she asked herself. She bent over to pick up the broken ss, but she cut her finger on a sharp fragment and blood oozed out. "Ow!" she gasped and looked at her bleeding finger. She panicked and wondered, ''Is everything okay in S City? Why am I seeing so many bad omens today?'' The secret guard sent by Jonathan quickly appeared before Leena when he heard the sound of ss breaking. "Oh my god, are you okay? You''re bleeding! Let me wrap your finger up," he said, furrowing his brows when he saw that she was hurt. "Adonis, could you call your master and ask him if everything is all right in S City?" It was the first time that Leena had made a request to him after she had left S City. She grew more and more restless. She just had to make sure that there was nothing wrong. "Sure, I''ll call him. But only after I finish bandaging your finger. And please remember, do not pick up the fragments again. Just ask the waitress or use a broom if you wish to clean it yourself," he said in a soft voice. Adonis was his code name in the organization, and he had already forgotten his real name. "Okay." Anxious as she was, she had to listen to Adonis. She knew that he was Jonathan''s right hand man and was capable of taking care of everything. No matter which country she went, he was able to learn about their local culture and give her advice. While Adonis talked to Jonathan on the phone, Leena waited anxiously. "Master said that nothing out of ordinary has happened in S City. An earthquake urred in a domestic coastal city, but S City was not affected," Adonis said in a reassuring voice. Adonis knew that Jonathan wouldn''t lie to him. And even if there was a big ident in S City, Jonathan would call him immediat ms across his chest and leaning against the wall. It waste at night, and he was in a horrible mood because of Kevin''s ident. "I think we should inform Leena about this. She maye back after hearing the news," Belinda said, looking at Edward, because only he could do this. "Okay. I''m calling dad now. But I''m not sure if she wille back," he said. Edward also believed that Leena woulde back after learning about Kevin''s ident. Kevin was at death''s door. There was no way that she would ignore such a situation. He knew that she would probablye running. Leena was sitting in a cafe in an old town in El Salvador, listening to folk music. She really loved ces like these, as she felt at ease there. She saw Adonis walking up to her in a hurry. He looked anxious. "Master just called. Uh... Something has happened," he said, hesitating. Leena felt a chill run through her spine. "What happened?" Leena stood abruptly and knocked a vase over. Water spilled from the vase and wet her pants. But she didn''t care. "Major General Gu was trapped in the debris during the aftershocks of the earthquake which had urred earlier. He had been engaged in rescue and relief work there. He has been seriously injured and is undergoing an operation as we speak," Adonis said and he watched Leena''s expression closely. "Operation? No, this can''t be true!" Leena was gripped by panic. It looked like her gut feeling was right all along. She started trembling and was about to fall. Adonis quickly held her shoulders and supported her. He tried to calm her down. "If you want to go back, I can arrange it. You can fly back immediately," he said in a firm voice. Chapter 1537 The Critical Moment (Part Two) "I need to go back, Adonis. I want to see him right now. I can''t just pretend that I don''t care about him." Leena grabbed Adonis'' clothes in terror. She loved him, and she decided to not run away from the reality. She had to go back to him right away. He was in critical condition, and she must be by his side at a time like this. "Understood. We''ll head back." Adonis was single, and had never been in love. But he could tell that Leena loved her husband to death and wanted to get back to him. The red letters, ''In Operation'', shed brightly even after ten hours. Kevin''s surgery was taking longer than expected. But no one left the hospital. They patiently waited for his news outside the operating room. By the time Leena showed up in the hospital, the operation had been going on for eighteen hours. When they saw Leena''s staggering figure, they held their breaths and widened their eyes. They couldn''t believe that she was here. "Duke, where''s Kevin? How is he?" Leena stumbled towards Duke. But she was in no mood for a meet and greet. "So now you are worried about him?" Duke taunted. On the inside, he was happy to see his little sister, but it vexed him that she had left them for a man. Even though this wasn''t the time or ce to show his anger, he still couldn''t control his emotions. "Sorry Duke, I..." Leena bit her lower lip, not knowing how to exin. She was still worried about Kevin. "If it weren''t for Kevin''s ident right now, you wouldn''t have ever bothered meeting us, would you?" Edward asked in a cold voice. They used to dote on her, but she had left them without saying a word, which broke their hearts. "I''m so sorry..." Instead of answering Edward''s question, she apologized to him. She had foreseen their reactions on her way to the hospital. She could do nothing but take the me silently. "Leena, you''re finally back," Shannon said and held Leena in her arms. She heaved a long sigh of relief and hoped that Kevin would wake up to see his wife. "Mom, it was all my fault. I shouldn''t have left," Leena said, tears streaming down her cheeks as she hugged Shannon back tightly. "It''s okay. Now that you''re back, Kevin would be thrilled and he''ll wake up soon." Shannon stroked Leena''s back. She hade to S City as soon as she had heard the news of Kevin''s ident. Kevin''s father had something urgent to do in the army, so he couldn''te along with Shannon. "Leena, . They were all tired. They hadn''t had any rest, nor had they eaten for the past twenty hours. They wanted to stay by Kevin''s side for Leena''s sake. Although she was now here, none of them wanted to leave. They wanted to be with her. After another two long hours, the red light above the door finally went out. Everyone''s heart began to race, as they waited for Tom toe out. Leena grabbed Duke''s coat tightly. Her face was so pale that she looked like she was about to pass out. "Leena, rx. Kevin will be fine. You have to trust Tom," Dukeforted her as he stroked her back to calm her down. "Hmm. I do trust Tom. I''m not worried." Leena tried to sh a smile, but failed. She was unable to calm herself down. She was not the only one who was nervous. The operation had taken so long and no one wasing out of the room. They couldn''t be at ease until they heard from Tom. The men were just better at hiding their emotions than Leena. After a long while, the door was pushed open from the inside. The person who came out first wasn''t Tom, but a nurse. And she was in a hurry. "Lady, how was the operation?" Leena asked anxiously. "Excuse me, please don''t stand in my way. Dr. Qin has passed out, and I need to fetch the injection for him." Saying that, the nurse left in a hurry. Her words froze the blood in their veins. ''Why did Tom pass out? How was the operation? Did he pass out because the operation has failed?'' they thought. Everyone''s heart bounced to their throat. They stared at Leena, wanting to console her, but didn''t know what to say as they watched her terror stricken face. Chapter 1538 The Operation Was Very Successful (Part One) "What did she mean?" Rain asked, looking at everyone with confused eyes. He didn''t understand what the nurse meant. The situation was tense and worrisome, and Rain was no longer his usual carefree self. "Why are you asking me? How would I know?" Edward rolled his eyes at him in annoyance. If he had any idea what was happening right now, he would not be so anxious. Rain''s question only made him feel more stressed. "Everyone, calm down, okay? Everything will be all right." Shannon was naturally more mature than all of them because she was older. Though she was worried sick about her son, she had to be strong for all of them. She needed them to calm down. That was why she said these words tofort them. But who was she kidding? Saying those words, she was also in fact trying tofort herself. "Will it, Mom? Is he really going to be okay?" Leena asked in a shaky voice. She could not even breathe right now. Her heart was beating so fast in her chest that she could hear the blood pulsing in her head. She didn''t know how to feel except that she was feeling numb. To say that she was worried sick about Kevin and Tom was an understatement, especially when she didn''t know what was going on. "Yeah, of course, it will. I guess Tom is just a bit exhausted. You know, the surgery has been going on for hours now." Duke answered, then dropped a gentle kiss on her forehead. He knew clearly what Leena needed the most right now. All she needed was reassurance, and he was more than willing to give his little sister that. He knew that he should be strong for her during this extremely hard time. Just then, the same nurse who had just left hurriedly came back. They all knew that this could be an emergency, so none of them stopped her this time. Leena couldn''t tell what she was feeling right now. Her head was in a mess. Her thoughts kept alternating between Kevin and Tom. They were both equal . That''s why it took me so long to finish the operation." This was definitely the most tiring operation that Tom had ever performed. He was being extremely careful because he knew how important Kevin was to Leena. That was why he fainted the moment he got out of the operation room earlier. He was just too tired, and he could finally rx his strained nerves. "Really? You are not lying to me? Oh my God, thank you so much Tom! Thank you! When can I see him then?" Leena hugged Tom as her face broke into a huge smile though there were still tears on her big beautiful eyes. She knew that Kevin wouldn''t have the heart to leave her. He loved her too much to do such a cruel thing to her. "Tomorrow morning is the earliest time you can see him. He has to be in ICU under close observation for now. All we can do is hope for the best that noplications arise during this time." Tom pinched the ce between his eyebrows, feeling tired as hell. This operation had taken him almost 24 hours to finish. Fortunately, the result and outlook were positive. He sessfully saved Kevin''s life and his efforts had not gone to waste at all. He was happy that Kevin was okay for now. He knew Leena would be devastated if anything bad happened to the man whopleted her life. Chapter 1539 The Operation Was Very Successful (Part Two) "Damn you Tom! Thank God Kevin is okay! Why did you say sorry to us the second you got out? You scared the shit out of all of us!" If Tom hadn''t fainted just now, Rain would have surely knocked Tom out himself. His mis-worded and untimely apology made everyone''s hearts jump out of their mouths. For a second there they all thought that Kevin had died on the operating table. Fortunately, it was just a misunderstanding. "Ummn, well... I thought you were worried about me? That''s why I apologized for making you wait so long. Wait a minute, so none of you were worried about me at all?" Tom was a bit confused. After a long and tiring operation, his mind was a bit slow. Who told them the operation was not sessful? Why would they think that? "Why would we be worried about you? You were not the one whose life hung on the bnce. You are totally fine! We are worried sick about Kevin! ''I am sorry'' are the words a doctor tells a family when he couldn''t do anything to save the patient''s life. So when you said those words, you gave us all a heart attack, thinking that we lost Kevin!" Edward couldn''t help but shout at Tom. Though he was grateful that Tom was again the life-saver, he indeed gave them all a scare. Whether he did that on purpose as a practical joke or not, he should never do that again, especially to other families in the future. "All right, all right. You really know how to make me feel special," Tom said sarcastically while moving to sit on the closest chair. He was too exhausted right now to move. The operation was hard, and it tired the crap out of him. He felt that he could sleep for days. All he wanted right now was a clean and warm bed to rest. He couldn''t even raise a finger now. "Well, Thank you! Thank you very much, Doctor Qin! You are literally a life-saver!" Shannon said to Tom in a sincer tired after staying in the hospital for too long. He never liked being in this ce. All he wanted was to go home right now, have a good bath and rx. His mind had be at ease knowing that Kevin was going to be okay. Moreover, Leena had finallye back, and he was happy about it. "Leena, you should go home and have some rest as well. I know that you have had a long flight. Maybe take a hot bath like what everyone is talking about. I will be staying here and watch over Kevin," Duke suggested. He knew his sister. She must be exhausted right now aftering here straight from the airport. If she didn''t rest now, she might fall ill, especially because her defenses were down and now exposed to other illnesses at the hospital. Duke certainly didn''t want that to happen. "No I can''t do that. I am staying here and I will wait for Kevin to wake up. I want to be the first person he sees when he wakes up. How about this? You take my mother-inw home so she can have a good rest. I will call you as soon as Kevin wakes up." Leena nced at Shannon, who had a tired look on her face. She was worried about her mother-inw. She deserved to rx and have some sleep after thinking about her son for so long. Chapter 1540 The Operation Was Very Successful (Part Three) "I can do that, but are you going to be okay here on your own?" Duke asked, a bit hesitantly. Leena was right. They should drive Shannon home first. Now that Kevin would not be able to look after his mother, they should at least do it for him. "You know what guys? I will also stay here with Leena. Somebody needs to look after her. We''ll see you all tomorrow. Hopefully there will be more good news then," Rain cut in. Now that they all knew that Kevin would be okay, he was back to his carefree self. He could surely stay here with Leena and keep herpany. He didn''t have anything else to do anyway. Besides, even though Leena said that she wasn''t tired, Rain was sure that she''d pass out from the fatigue sooner orter. "That''s cool. Okay fine, we are going then. Mrs. Gu,e with us please. You can stay at our house tonight. Kevin will be okay under Tom''s supervision," Duke turned to Shannon and said to her with a smile. He had to admit that he wasn''t fond of Kevin at first, but he didn''t have anything against his mother. She was a polite and elegant woman, and Duke had a good impression of her. "Okay, thank you so much. Leena, my child, I am going with Duke now. Take care of yourself, okay? I will be back hereter." Shannon reached out her hand to fix Leena''s messy hair for her. She felt that Leena had matured a lot while she was away. They hadn''t seen each other for months and to be honest, Shannon missed her daughter-inw a lot. "Of course, Mom. Duke, take good care of her for me, okay?" Leena smiled sheepishly because of Shannon''s affectionate gesture. She didn''t expect that her mother-inw would still be this understanding and kind towards her, after what she had put them through during He knew that his Major General would make it! "Have you finished the things you had to do?" Leena asked in a concerned tone, looking at the bags in his hands. It looked like he had rushed to the hospital while still in the middle of a task. "Yes, I have. All things werepleted on time. Besides, themander instructed me to stay here at the hospital to look after Major General. That''s why I have brought some clothes with me just in case I need to change here." Lee scratched his head sheepishly. He didn''t mind staying at the hospital at all. All he wanted was for his Major General to be back and be his old self again. He had always been by his side, so he was aware of how sad Kevin was while Leena was gone. Now that she was back, he sincerely hoped that Kevin would return to normal. The strong, confident and reliable leader that he had grown ustomed to. "Lee, has Kevin said anything about me while I was away? How has he been?" Leena asked in a hesitant tone. She bit her lower lip, badly wanting to know how her husband handled her disappearance. Had he been taking good care of himself? Did he miss her as much as she did him? Chapter 1541 The Operation Was Very Successful (Part Four) "Leena, I have to tell you the truth. Major General hasn''t been eating well and barely had any sleep when you left. He has been working so hard to get the pain off his mind. He used his job to numb himself. Besides, he has lost so much weight that this is the thinnest he has ever been. I am not sure if you have already seen him. So when you do, please don''t be too shocked." Lee was not exaggerating at all. Kevin had lost a lot of weight as he lost his appetite and didn''t sleep well, having been used to having Leena by his side. He was constantly worried about Leena''s well-being and spared no efforts to find her. Only the blind would not notice that it had taken a huge toll on him. "Really? Why was he so silly? He should have taken good care of himself! If he didn''t want to do it for himself, he should have at least done it for me." Leena immediately burst into tears after hearing Lee''s words. She was heartbroken by what she had just heard. She didn''t expect that her sudden leaving would hurt Kevin that much. She knew it would stress him out a bit but she never thought that it would be this bad. If she had known that this would happen, she would never have left at all. Now she had only herself to me. "Major General said that as long as he waited for you, you would definitelye back. And he was right. You are back now. I believed the Major General when he said it. Hepletely trusted and believed in you." Lee had never been in love. That was why he couldn''t understand how love would affect Kevin so much. Love was indeed a very strange thing that could cheer one person up andpletely destroy another at the same time. Now he knew that he had to be cautious when it came to love. "I am really sorry, Lee! I didn'' he is in aa." Tom was being honest and didn''t want to hide anything from Leena. After all, he could never hide something as important as her husband''s chances of survival and recovery. And Leena must know about this already. "Yeah. I know that." Leena tried her best to smile, but to Tom, it was just a grimace. She was still worried that Kevin would not wake up soon. "Don''t worry. He will be okay," Tomforted her. He didn''t want to see his sister so sad and worried. He would try his best to help Kevin recover from his injuries. He would never let anything happen to him, even if it was just for Leena''s sake. Just as Tom predicted, Kevin had a feverter. Maybe it was because he had been caught in the rain for a period of time and his immune system was weak. That was the most probable reason why his temperature would not go down. Tom tried everything he could think of to make his fever go away. But nothing really worked. But still, to his relief, Kevin''s condition didn''t get worse, and his situation was way past the danger zone. That was something that they all wanted to see. He just hoped that Kevin could get through all of this. Chapter 1542 The Operation Was Very Successful (Part Five) "Leena, here you go. Eat something first. Don''t worry so much. You already know that Tom is a very good doctor. He can surely take good care of Kevin for you. Right now you should look after yourself." Rain trusted Tom with his life. He believed that he would definitely be able to help Kevin recover. He was a great doctor after all. If there was only one person who could save Kevin, then it would be Tom. "But my stomach really can not handle anything right now." Leena''s eyebrows knitted into a tight frown. She really didn''t have any appetite now. They had been in the hospital room for so long, and she was dying to know Kevin''s condition. She wanted to know if he was getting better or not. "Do you want Kevin to see you like this when he wakes up? If you do, then suit yourself and not eat anything." Tom raised one of his eyebrows and looked at Leena in a way that would pressure her a little. He knew that he was trying to make Leena feel guilty so she would eat, but he was just being honest. She would not stay healthy if she kept missing her meals, considering that she already had a very weak body. "Fine. You are right. I will try to eat something," Leena finally agreed, though she really didn''t have the appetite. But Rain was right. She had to be healthy and strong for Kevin. Now was not the time to fall ill. So she''d better have some food. "That''s good. Come on, you can start with some soup." Rain had gone to the Kate Hotel. The food they served there was delicious and thanks to the nice packaging, the food was k tiful smile appeared on her face all of a sudden. "Have I ever told you that I really love you. I love you so much. Even when I was away, I never stopped thinking about you. You were constantly in my mind. I have been to so many ces during the past few months. I have been to some beautiful small towns, and also heard of many beautiful love stories. They all reminded me of you. I thought that I would slowly forget about you as time went by, but I was awfully wrong. I love you too much to be able to do that. The more I told myself to let you go, the more I missed you. Are you happy to hear my words? I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I love you so much, Kevin." Leena''s lips curled into a bitter smile. She looked at her badly injured husband with pained eyes. She couldn''t bear seeing him like this, so thin and so fragile, lying unconscious on the hospital bed. If she could, she would take all the pain away from him. She would rather be the one who was lying there, instead of the one she deeply loved. Chapter 1543 I Cant Lose You (Part One) "Kevin, you can''t just leave me like this. Wake up! Please! I can''t lose you. Please wake up." Kevin was lying right there in the hospital bed in front of her, but she felt he was a million miles away. It was the first time she ever felt this way. She just looked at him, but he gave no response, not even a smile. Nothing in the world could be more painful than this. "Why are you doing this? Is it because I left you? I came back. Do you hear me? Oh God, please wake up!" Leena''s tears fell on his hands. At that moment she realized that when she left, it hurt him as well as herself. "I''ll never leave you this time. I won''t leave you again, even if you drive me away with a stick. Maybe I can''t have kids, but that''s okay. It''s really okay. I don''t want anything. I only want to be with you." She decided that after the ident, she was going to go after what she wanted. As for Kevin''s family, she would work really hard to earn their understanding. "I''m sorry Leena. We need to fix his intubation. I need to boot you out." Tom entered the room again. Kevin was still under observation, so Leena couldn''t stay in the ward for too long. "OK." Leena nodded and let go of Kevin''s hand. She knew it was about Kevin''s life, so she had to listen to Tom. As she left the room, she couldn''t help looking back at Kevin in his bed. "It''s all right. Just go back home and get some rest. I promise when you wake up, Kevin will be out of danger." Tom wiped away her tears. She had been here a long time, and Tom was afraid she might get exhausted. "No. Tom, don''t ask me to go home. I want to be with him." Leena shook her head, not wanting to leave the man she loved. Even leaving him for a second, she felt that her heart was broken into tiny pieces. "Don''t do that. We don''t need you sick too," Tom insisted. In Tom''s opinion, Leena stressed herself out too much. If she was ill right now, he might not Patricia fully understood her friend''s mood. If she were Leena, she would do the same. The next time when they saw Kevin, a lot of the equipment had been removed from the room. He was off life support, and the cadre professional doctors who had been with him left. The room was quiet except for the machine that monitored his blood oxygen and his vitals, and Lee was alone with Kevin. Seeing Leena and Patricia, Lee quickly stood up. "Leena, sleep well?" Lee stayed up allst night. As a solider, he was used to going days and nights without sleep during field exercises, so this was nothing for him. Meditation kept him sane and energized. "Yeah I did. How is he? Did he ever wake up?" Leena touched Kevin''s cheek carefully, feeling he was much thinner than before. "No. Dr. Qin said there was no head trauma, so he shoulde around any time now." Lee asked a few more questions because he was worried about Kevin. "Good, good. You have the key to our house, right? Lee, go back to our ce, take a shower, and get some sleep. He needs someone to take care of him. We''ll do it in shifts. We can''t all be here at the same time, or we''ll all be screwed." After her nap, Leena was thinking much more clearly and she was now able to organize things properly. Chapter 1544 I Cant Lose You (Part Two) "Yeah. You''re right. I have the key, so I''ll head out. Be right back." Lee thought she was right and did not oppose her proposal. "No Lee, you''ve done too much already. I''ll hold things down here,e back tomorrow." Leena turned him down in a hurry, because she wanted to spend more time alone with Kevin. She had a lot of things that she hadn''t had the chance to say to Kevin. "Why?" Puzzled, Lee frowned at her. "Stop asking. Do what Leena says. She''s not gonna hurt Kevin. Don''t you worry." Patricia knew what Leena was thinking, so she pulled Lee out. Leena blushed watching Patricia do this, knowing she must have read her mind. Patricia took Lee out of the room. Her recklessness made Lee, who had never touched a girl before, extremely embarrassed. "You big dummy! Leena wants to be alone with Kevin for a while. Don''t you understand?" Patricia didn''t know why Lee was acting so strangely, so she scolded him sarcastically as soon as she let go. "I''m sorry. I didn''t know." Lee scratched his head in embarrassment. He really didn''t get it until now. He realized how foolish he had been. "You''re all good. Now swerve!" Patricia suddenly had a feeling about Lee. He seemed like a great guy, a cut above most of the people she had met so far. "Then I''ll go now. Good-bye, Mrs. Qin." Patricia was no stranger to Lee. As for the people and things rted to Kevin, he would find a chance to know them in advance. "Bye!" Patricia waved to him and watched him leave. Although she did not know Lee well, she was polite to him. "What are you looking at?" Tom, in his white coat, had just finished a meeting and wanted toe and see Kevin. "Oh! Are you off work?" Patricia was so pleased to see Tom that she put her arms around him and did not care who could see them. "No. It''s a while before my shift ends. Where''s Leena? She awake?" Tom didn''t push her away. Though he was not used to it, he forced himself to adapt. He knew they were husband and wife, so that kind of intimacy was normal to them. "Yeah. She''s awake. In Kevin''s room. You going in?" Patricia smiled brightly. Although Tom was absent-minded most of the time, he had changed a lot. She was happ Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. . Because he loved her heart, he could never find her ugly. "Don''t tter yourself too much. I am still very much my own woman," Belinda said smugly. Her stomach was muchrger than before, but the rest of it had not changed much. She was now a beautiful pregnant woman. Leena never spoke and just ate in silence. Now that the topic had finally shifted from her to Belinda, she didn''t want to catch any more ck. Belinda, however, did not intend to let things go that easily. "You''ve only been away a few months. How did you get so thin? Are you trying to lose weight?"ined Belinda. Compared to Leena''s slim figure, Belinda looked fat, which depressed her. "You kidding me? I haven''t lost any weight!" Leena almost choked. She put down her fork and tried to recover. "Leave her alone. She''s just jealous of your figure." As Belinda''s husband, Duke certainly knew what she was thinking. She was jealous of Leena. If Belinda hadn''t said a word, no one would have noticed anything, because Leena was the same size as she always was. "Ganging up on me now?" Belinda was frustrated by Duke''s constant taunts. This was how pregnant women were. "Belinda, do you want a reason toin?" Duke said yfully, a hint of danger in his eyes. Belinda, overwhelmed by Duke''s words, thought, ''Damn it. I made him angry again.'' For his part, Belinda had a lot of leeway, but he wouldn''t allow her to be too independent. That was his bottom line. Chapter 1545 The Quickening (Part One) "Hey! Get a room, willya?" Leena cracked a joke to try to calm things down. She knew Duke liked wrangling with Belinda, but some words were hurtful. "Just eat, and mind your own business," Belinda said, giving Leena a grateful wink. Leena winked back, meaning "no problem." Duke noticed the secret interaction between the two women, but didn''t say anything. At least they got along with each other. That made him happy, because they were the two most important women in his life. "Did Tom say when the dude would wake up?" Duke asked with a frown, staring at Kevin who was still in aa. "Don''t call him dude. He has a name!" Leena pouted. "Chill, alright? I call everyone dude." Duke was a little ufortable when he heard Leena defend Kevin. He had always done his best for her, and he thought he would always be her "go to" person. But now, it seemed that he was wrong. "Come on! If Kevin calls you dude, will you get angry?" Belinda snapped. She just couldn''t understand why Duke always had to make trouble. When Kevin had been in the operating room, Duke had been scared to death. Now that Kevin was out of danger, Duke changed back to Mr. Cold. "Do you always have to argue with me?" Duke rolled his eyes at Belinda. Other wives would always stand by their husbands'' side, but it seemed like Belinda was always finding fault. "I always believe in justice," Belinda said with a proud expression. Duke''s anger meant nothing to her. "Oh really? Then I''m Justice Leng from now on." Even though he was really frustrated by Belinda''s attitude, he could do nothing but re at her. He really wished the baby could pop out right now, and then he could spend the whole night teaching her a lesson. Leena sighed, rubbing her temples. ''Can''t they just get along with each other like normal couples? They love each other so much, but they always argue. They''re so weird!'' Leena thought to herself. After bidding goodbye to Leena, Duke and Belinda walked to their car in ain. On the one hand, she was looking forward to meeting her baby. On the other hand, she was really scared of the pain. And would she be able to tell the difference between contractions and bad food? She was both physically and mentally under pressure. "Don''t worry, Belinda. You won''t hurt your baby by sleeping on your belly. Believe me, you won''t want to. Really, if you sleep on your left side it''s better for the kid. And rx. It''s important to be happier." Daisy hadn''t thought about all these when Justin had been growing in her belly. She had been a single mother at that time, and she could only depend on herself. She had been so busy to support herself every day that she had had no time to think too much. "I know you''re right, but I just can''t help thinking about all of it." Belinda stroked her belly softly. Maybe the baby got bored because they had stayed here too long, so it began to give Belinda some hard kicks. "I think you need a way to kill time, to stop you from overthinking everything. It''ste. You should go head home. I need to check on Kevin." Daisy rolled her eyes at Belinda. After Belinda had gotten pregnant, Duke stepped in and essentially took over herpany. As a result, Belinda had nothing to do. If she had been still busy like before, she wouldn''t have had the time to worry. Chapter 1546 The Quickening (Part Two) "Sure. We need to get together for tea soon." Belinda decided to learn more aboutbor from Daisy. She was really scared of it. When did it start? What should she do? How much did it hurt? "Okay. Have a safe drive." Daisy turned to Duke and urged him to drive slowly, as there was a pregnant woman in his car. She was always thinking of others, but paid less attention to herself. "Got it. Bye, Belinda." Duke nodded as he got in and left. Daisy watched the car leave the car park. Then she turned and walked to the elevator. She was stunned to see Leena sitting at Kevin''s bedside. Nobody had told her Leena was back. "Leena?" Daisy said hesitantly when she saw the woman clean Kevin''s lips with a Q-tip. "Daisy!" Leena didn''t know why, but the moment she saw Daisy, she felt hurt and threw herself into her arms. "You''re finally back. We missed you so much." Daisy patted Leena''s back tofort her. She knew how sad Leena felt, so she was not willing to me her for anything. "I missed all of you, every day." Leena sniffed. Somehow she felt like Daisy was like her mother, and that was why she was unable to hold back her tears when she saw her. "Since you missed us so much, you should havee back earlier. We were so worried about you." Daisy released her and took out a tissue to wipe her tears. "I''m so sorry. I won''t leave you guys again." Leena turned tears into smiles. She had her time alone, and realized that she couldn''t live without her friends and family. "All right. How''s Kevin? When will he wake up?" Daisy asked with a frown when she looked at Kevin''s unconscious form. She had gotten wind of Kevin''s injury on the third day of her assignment to the capital city. She came back home as soon as she finished her test. "I don''t know. Tom didn''t say. But he did say Kevin was going to be okay." Leena cast a worried nce at Kevin. She had spoken to him almost constantly since she got to him, but he hadn''t moved so much as a finger. "Rx. Since Tom said Kevin''s fine, he''ll recover soon. So don''t worry. Maybe now that you''re back, he''ll start taking better care of himself." Daisy sighed with profound resignation. Love is so painful, and her friends had all suffered because of it. Daisy turned Kevin down when he had confessed to her. But Kevin hadn''t acted like this. This meant that Kevin''s fe He looked away slowly as he was still very weak and unable to move his head as quickly as usual. When he saw the familiar figure at his bedside, his eyes widened and his heart stopped. The medical device even made an rming beep at this moment. Was it Leena? Did she reallye back? It must be a dream! It must be illusion, because he missed her so much. At the thought of it, Kevin forced a bitter smile and closed his eyes again to calm himself down. But her unique aroma lingered in his nostrils. And his hand was held by another pair of hands, soft and warm. The feeling was so familiar, as she had held his hand countless times in the past. Kevin moved his body in an attempt to attract her attention, but his whole body was aching and he had to stop doing that. He then tried to call out her name. "Nana," he croaked. His voice was low and husky, as he had been unconscious for a long time. Leena had fallen into deep slumber and didn''t hear Kevin''s voice. However, she held his hand even more tightly, as something told her he was awake. Kevin was filled with joy, as Leena came back to him. He didn''t dare to interrupt this peaceful moment, but tried to turn his head to stare at his beloved wife. As she slept, her face was covered by her long hair. He was unable to see the face that he had missed for such a long time. But as long as she was by his side, he was already satisfied. Feeling her warm hands, Kevin couldn''t help but thank God in his heart that Leena came back to him again. He came back to life, and couldn''t be happier. Chapter 1547 Stick To Kevin (Part One) It was as if time had been put temporarily on hold. The bedroom was in a sea of silence. The sheets rustled as a body adjusted its position. On one side of the bed, the man slept peacefully. Kevin''s injury was quite grave so he couldn''t hold out for too long, and soon he got tired and fell asleep. When Leena woke up and her groggy eyes adjusted to the darkness, she didn''t see any changes in Kevin as he still slept soundly on the bed. She still thought he was unconscious. She nced at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was still early before the break of dawn, but she was fully awake now. She remembered what Tom suggested to her--she took a cotton swab from the nightstand drawer and used it to moisturize his lips. Shortly after that, Leena felt quite bored as she had nothing else to do. She turned back to Kevin again and traced the contours of his face with her fingers as a mischievous smile cracked on her lips and her eyes glinted with mirth. Her fingers danced across his skin as she imagined her love transforming into a kind of magical power that she passed on to him through the tips of her fingers. She really hoped that she could wake her sleeping prince up this way. "You are having so much fun in it." A hoarse voice broke the stillness of the dawn and startled Leena. Her fingers abruptly stopped in their movement and she looked at him incredulously. However, his eyes were still firmly shut and nothing seemed different from what he was usually like when he slept--heavy snoring and living in his own dreamnd. It made Leena doubt whether she was just delusional or that she was in a dream w continuing his words. She would feel too ashamed if he wanted to put all the bad things that happened between them on himself. "Okay, I''ll stop. Come closer to me. I want to take a good look at my girl." Kevin hungrily devoured Leena''s beautiful face with his hungry eyes. There were still splotches of tears on her cheeks, but that only made her look all the more fascinating to him. Those tears were just like dew drops on a rose''s petals on a fine sunny morning. "Do I look awful now?" Leena wiped her tears with her arm in embarrassment, in a way just like a child did. "Not at all. You are much thinner than before." Kevin frowned as his heart twisted in realization of this. She was already too thin to begin with and now, she was so skinny to the point that a gentle gust of wind would blow her away. "Huh! Look at yourself! You are the one who really has be so thin that I could hardly feel your flesh when I touch you," Leena said with an innocent expression painted on her face. She didn''t mean anything else as she saw that his face really looked so skinny. Chapter 1548 Stick To Kevin (Part Two) "Oh! It turns out that you have already touched me all over!" Kevinughed wildly, intentionally teasing her. "Ah! No, I didn''t mean that!" Leena said as she bashfully lowered her head in embarrassment to avoid meeting his yful eyes. "I was joking. Don''t take it seriously, my silly girl." Kevin had considerably livened up, but he still didn''t dare to move. He still felt painfully sore all over his body. "Do you feel anything wrong with your body? Are you alright? I''ll ask Tom to check on you," Leena asked nervously when she saw his mouth twitch in pain. "I''m okay, only feeling a little pain on the spot I got injured. Don''t bother Tom." Kevin knew it was normal to feel pain after the surgery, so he didn''t think it was necessary to send for Tom. "I''m sorry." Leena felt guilty again. If only he knew how much she hoped that she could bear the pain for him instead! "I said it had nothing to do with you. Don''t take it to heart." He remembered when the aftershock urred, he really thought that he would just be buried under the debris and lose his life there. However, Leena''s sweet smile shed through his mind and somehow, he was able to subconsciously dodge the falling debris and hide under the concrete b. That prevented him from suffering any further harm caused by the aftershock. "I won''t feel relieved until you recover." Leena said as a lump formed in her throat. She found it rather easy for her to shed tears tonight. "It sounded like you are threatening me." Kevinughed, but soon he let out a strangled cry because the act er until death did them apart. "Honey, thank you! Thank you for your tolerance and also your unflinching courage. Moreover, thank you for still loving me despite my imperfections," Leena said as her voice was racked with sobs. To her, what Kevin just said was probably the most beautiful whisper of love the world had ever heard. "My silly girl, when did you suddenly get so emotional?" Kevin said affectionately. He seldom heard her call him honey, so that made him very pleased. "I''m so lucky to have you around," Leena said with her voice carrying all the tenderness she could hold. She gently nted the softest of kisses on his lips to avoid hurting him. The unexpected kiss caught Kevin off guard. He looked at her with his eyes wide open in surprise, even forgetting how to react. When he came back to his senses, Leena had already finished the kisses and was looking back at him. "Tell me, where have you been when you were away?" Kevin said curiously. He really wanted to know what she had been up to when he was not around. Chapter 1549 Stick To Kevin (Part Three) "Well in the first month, I stayed in Paris to work on the garments for the fashion show. The next month I just went around and traveled across Europe. I thought if I did, I could forget you this way--but only to find out that I just couldn''t do it. During the day time, I could handle it because I had kept myself busy with work or other things to keep me from thinking of you. But when nighttime came and I was alone, with everything so quiet around me, I just couldn''t help but miss you. I missed you so much and it was just like the high tide washed and flooded over me that I couldn''t even breathe," Leena said as a smile of self-mockery found its way to her lips. She loved him and she had no reason to hide it from him, especially now. "No wonder I didn''t find you in Paris. It seemed that I was toote because you already left," Kevin said as he briefly recalled that time. If he had known this, he would''ve gone to Paris a few days earlier. That way he might havee across Leena in Paris and saved both themselves from the torment of love-sickness. "Have you been to Paris looking for me?" Leena asked,pletely surprised. She knew that he was always very busy with his work, and that came with his obligations as a soldier. He even had to work on the weekends and seldom had any free time. How could he possibly fit in his schedule flying to Paris to look for her? "Yes!" Kevin said. "Because I didn''t have much time, I only stayed there for two days," he added. In order to take time from his busy schedule, he had worked overnight for several days to finish the work beforehand. Unfortunat '' feelings into ount. He was also their son and he still had to take care of them. He was really a jerk to have thought about giving up in that moment. "It''s your work. It''s not something you can choose and we can understand. We never med you." There were a lot of soldiers in the family, so she knew that it was very clear that they could not choose their fate. People''s interests always went first above their lives. "Is everything okay with dad?" Kevin asked worriedly. His father had unstable blood pressure. He hoped that his blood pressure would not surge when he got the news of his injury. "You know how strong he is. Don''t worry. He''s always fine. And you, you should be good to Leena this time. If you let her go again, I will not forgive you." Shannon stared at him with a warning look. She sided with Leena every time, because she liked her. "Mom, rest assured. If I miss her again, I know you won''t forgive me, and I will not forgive myself either," Kevin said to his mother, but his eyes were fixed on Leena who was talking to Tom at the door. Chapter 1550 Stick To Kevin (Part Four) "I will go back to the Capital City soon. You take care of yourself. I feel relieved that Leena is with you now. Your father needs me and I can''t stay here too long," Shannon said. Just like any other old couples who had been with each other for far too long, they constantlyined about each other. However, it was known that their quirks were hardly about to change, so they were already used to each other''s habits and were able to live around them. Because of this, now it would feel strange and ufortable when they left each other for too long. "I know. I will bring Leena home to visit you after I recover." Before, Kevin was not the type of man who often felt homesick while he was on duty. ''Ambitious men aim far, '' as the saying went. Because of that mindset, he focused a lot more on his work and ignored his family--but it wasn''t until he got married and had his own family that he realized how difficult it was to manage everything well in a family. "Okay, but all those things should wait until you recover," Shannon said and then cast a few nces at Leena. She thought she needed to talk to her before she left. "Kevin, I will do a physical check on you," said Tom. Although Kevin woke upter than he had expected, all his vital organs seemed to function well. "Thanks!" Kevin said politely and sincerely. "We are family, don''t be too polite," Tom snapped chidingly at him as he looked over his body. Then, he began to check on his wounds to see whether they became inmed. "Leena, I want to take a walk in the garden, join me?" Shannon''s voice cut through Leena''s thoughts, and she looked at her with pleading eyes. She d Apartment. It was the first time that she went home after she came back. The first thing she did was to take a good bath. All the things in the house just remained the same as they were before she left. She felt familiar with everything. Yes, it was home. When she opened the wardrobe to get some clothes, her eyes almost stung with hot tears at the sight of the tags which she hung on the clothes with reminders she left for Kevin. She felt it was like a dream thinking of the several months when she was away. When she woke from the dream, she was still in the home, as if she had never left. Everything was so familiar as things remained just the same as they were. The credit cards and the car keys she put in the drawer were still there, untouched. However, the Divorce Agreement was nowhere to be seen. She assumed that Kevin must have torn it into pieces. She knew him too well. Since she had decided toe back, she would not leave again no matter what happened. From now on, she pledged her life to protect this family and stick to the man who loved her dearly, till death did them apart. Chapter 1551 Do You Even Know What You Did (Part One) Kevin was quite strong because of his impable fitness regimen. With Tom''s excellent medical expertise, he recovered quickly. He was up and about only a weekter. "Major General, the soldiers are wondering if they cane and visit you. You know, they are very worried about you." Lee traveled between the army base and the hospital every day to deliver documents to Kevin. The major general still had work to do, even though he was confined to his bed. However, his work was easier than usual. "I''m very grateful for their kindness, but tell them not to bother. Inform them that I''m okay. They should focus on their training right now. I''ll fully recover soon. I just need some time to recuperate." Kevin refused the soldiers'' offer. They had good intentions, but Kevin was unwilling to keep them worrying. "Okay. I''ll tell them that. Would you like to read this document now?" Lee said, presenting the document bag in his hand. He didn''t know what the document was about as the bag was sealed. Obviously, it was an important and confidential one. A guard such as him was not allowed to read it. "Yes. Give it to me. Have the soldiers who went to the coastal city for earthquake reliefe back yet?" Kevin was ashamed even as he voiced the question. He had been injured at a critical moment and could not give a hand in the earthquake-stricken area. However, the news that a major general was buried underground had caused quite a sensation. Everyone in the city was shocked. "They will be back in a few days. The rescue hase to an end. As for the rest, the government will be responsible," Lee said respectfully. He did not want Kevin to burn the candle at both ends in concern. "The local people must have suffered much from this earthquake. There is a bank card in my desk drawer. Donate all the money on it to them." What came from the people should be used to help the people. Kevin decided to donate his sry of recent years to the injured civilians. "Major General, there is no need for that. Leena has already contributed quite arge sum of money to the cause," Lee said with a frown. As Kevin''s bodyguard, he knew what card Kevin was talking about. "What? Leena has made a donation? Of how much?" Kevin could hardly believe his ears. He didn''t imagine that Leena would bother herself with the livelihood of these people. "More than ten million. I went with her for the donation." For Lee, who came from the countryside, ten million was ast Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ious to all. Everyone knew she was a good cook. "Hehe. You know it''s my virtue." Was she being cheeky? Not at all. It was not wrong to admit one''s strong points. Kevin watched the interaction between Leena and Tom affectionately but didn''t join in. He knew his wife quite well, so he didn''t need to express his personal opinions. Half a month passed before Kevin recovered and left the hospital. He had not yet regained his full strength but it didn''t hinder his work. However, he still couldn''t undertake strenuous exercise. He had promised his mother to take Leena to the capital city, so the day after he was discharged from the hospital, he boarded a flight with his wife. The trip was too long and arduous for him, so they chose not to travel by car, unlike before. Shannon was very pleased to see the two of them back. Nathan was as pensive as ever, but as soon as he saw Leena, his face grew visibly softer. Still, it was obvious from what he said next that he was furious. "Do you even know what you did?" Nathan''s words were directed to Leena. His tone sounded more usatory than angry or worried. "Dad, sorry for worrying you." Leena looked down toward the floor. She was the one to run away from home in the first ce, so it was only right that Nathan med her. He was her father-inw. It was his right as an elder. "Don''t run away from home again. Be a better wife. Look how thin Kevin is!" Nathan didn''t actually mean what he said. He had been anxious to death when Leena had run away, but now that she was here, he couldn''t help buty the me on her. In truth, he just didn''t know how to express his concern. Chapter 1552 Do You Even Know What You Did (Part Two) "I know. It''s my fault. I won''t do it again." Leena admitted to her mistake modestly. She didn''t want to argue, for that would only worsen things. "Don''t ever leave without telling us! We already have enough children to carry on the family line! Don''t you ever worry yourself about that." Nathan threw her a chilly look before storming to his study. "Look at him! He is just worried about you. He didn''t mean to make it sound like a threat. Leave him be, Leena. He just doesn''t know how to express his emotions." Shannon tried to ease the situation. She was surprised that Nathan had finally straightened out and changed his thoughts regarding Leena. What had made himpromise? "I know he cares about me, Mom." It was fine that her father-inw was upset. Leena was just relieved that he didn''t make a fuss over her infertility. "Good. Don''t take what he said seriously." Shannon patted Leena on the shoulder,forting her. "I''ll go and have a talk with him." Just like Leena, Kevin didn''t expect his father to be so liberal this time. As his son, Kevin thought he should talk to him. "Okay. Be nice. Don''t piss him off." Shannon looked at Kevin with admiration in her eyes. She had never needed to worry about her son and hoped that she never would have to either, in the future. Leena bit her lip, feeling ufortable. She knew she shouldn''t have been so headstrong and run away from home. She had troubled so many people. "Dad, are you all right?" Kevin asked Nathan with a hesitant look in his eyes. He stood respectfully at the end of his father''s desk. "As you can see, I''m very well." Nathan red at his son. It was Kevin who wasn''t all right. Why was his son asking him this question? He just left the hospital and hadn''t even fully recovered yet. "Thank you, Dad. Thank you for epting Leena." Kevin knew it was hard for his father to make such a decision. He could understand what Nathan was going through. "Yes, well. We are family. Besides, you''re not my only child. ire will have babies, won''t she?" Truthfully, Nathan was disappointed, but he could do nothing about it. He had just resigned himself to the unpleasant fact of Leena''s infertility. He wanted Kevin and Leena to be happy together. Infertility shouldn''t be an obstacle in their marriage. "Again, I want to thank you for understanding this." For the first Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. forehead was bathed in sweat. One could not tell if it was because of pain or nervousness. "Okay. Tell me if you feel any pain. I''ll drive you there." Leena took a deep breath. Everyone was at work except for her. She could not call anyone to help her out. Leena was in a state of panic, but she had to calm down to prevent any idents. That would do them no good. "Okay. Let''s go," Belinda said. Her mouth twisted all of a sudden as she felt a burst of pain in her lower abdomen. Leena drove cautiously. She paid attention to the traffic on the road and to Belinda simultaneously. In the process, Leena felt like her muscles had gone stiff. "Belinda, call Tom and ask him to meet us at the gate of the hospital," Leena said to Belinda. She was driving so she dared not make the call herself. "Oh, right! I almost forgot to do that. I''ll call him up." Belinda felt relieved when the pain in her stomach ebbed away. She exhaled slowly and took out her phone. "What about Duke? Should we call him too?" Leena proposed. When a woman gave birth to a child, she felt at ease in her husband''spany. Leena was sure that Belinda would feel better with Duke there. "He should be on the ne. He saidst night that he would fly back today. He might arrive in an hour or so," Belinda said. She dialed Tom''s number and told him that her baby wasing. "Good. I was afraid he wouldn''t make it." Leena was reassured to hear that Duke woulde back soon. She sighed and ckened against the car seat. She wouldn''t know what to do if Duke didn''t arrive in time. Chapter 1553 Belindas Delivery (Part One) After receiving an urgent call from Belinda, Tom raced to the entrance of the hospital with some nurses right behind him. Restless, he waited in anticipation of Belinda''s arrival. The thought of the woman giving birth on the way bothered him, but he was quickly reassured by Leena''s approaching car. "Tom!" Leena greeted as she got out of the car. A sense of relief washed over Leena when she saw him. His appearance alone made all the difference during this stressful time. "Leena," Tom greeted,forting her. She appeared to be just as tense as him. "Is Belinda okay?" he asked while opening the door. Taking her hand in his, Tom carefully helped the pregnant woman get out of the car, saying, "Be careful now, Belinda." "Thank you, Tom," acknowledged Belinda. Too weak to stand by herself at the moment, she appreciated all the help she could get. It was the first time she was experiencingbor pains, and she didn''t know it would be this draining. "How are you feeling?" Tom asked promptly. "How often are thebor contractions?" While amodating her needs, he simultaneously signaled one of the nurses to bring the wheelchair over. It took her a few seconds to answer, "About once every ten minutes." Just as soon as she replied, however, another contraction took over her, making her tightly grab Tom''s sleeve to curb the pain. "Rx," Tom said calmly, "Follow my instructions and take a deep breath." With his assistance, she managed to sit on the wheelchair, still hissing in pain. "Will you be the one to deliver Belinda''s baby, Tom?" asked Leena cautiously. She followed after them, fiddling with her fingers nervously. "No," he said, "we do have a highly skilled obstetrician here. so there''s no need for anyone to worry." After Belinda''s phone call, th Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hat?" Leena grumbled, pouting a bit. "Do you think I''m such an ass?" Before her sister-inw could reply, Leena''s cell phone rang in her pocket. She took it out, and rejoiced upon seeing the caller ID. "It''s Duke," she announced to Belinda. "I guess he finally arrived!" Ever since Belinda and she were on the way to the hospital, she had been sending her brother messages to let him know of the situation. It was in hopes that he could hurry over as soon as he got off the ne and get the chance to witness his newborn child''s first cry. "Leena," came Duke''s urgent voice from the other end of the line. "How''s Belinda? Did she have the baby yet?" Leena couldn''t help but smile at the worried tone of the father-to-be. ''He''s going to make a great father, '' she thought. "She''s fine, Duke. The baby hasn''te out yet, but she''s been having contractions for a while now. You have toe here as fast as you can." With one hand holding the phone, the other was still under Belinda''s possession. If she was going to be honest, she wanted Duke toe as soon as possible so her hand could be rescued. Leena didn''t want to admit it, but she was starting to lose sensation in her hand. Chapter 1554 Belindas Delivery (Part Two) "I''ll be there in 20 minutes. Please take care of her while I''m on the way," Duke requested. "Thanks, Leena!" ncing at the road, Duke allowed himself to rx. It was, fortunately, not rush hour. So he didn''t have to worry about being caught in a traffic jam. He would never forgive himself if he missed Belinda having the baby. "You don''t need to be so formal about it," said Leena kindly. She nced at the clock. "Take your time and have a safe drive." As much as Leena wanted Duke to get there, thest thing she wanted to happen was for her brother to have a car ident. There was no contest; his safety mattered more than the doom of her hand in a pregnant woman''s care. "Don''t worry about me. I''ll be fine," assured Duke. "Is Belinda beside you right now?" Rubbing his brow briefly, he asked, "Can she talk to me?" All he could think about was how much his wife must be suffering at the moment, and he wished that he could be there beside her. ''If only teleportation was possible, '' he thought grimly. "Belinda, Duke wants to talk to you." The frown on Belinda''s face disappeared as Leena put the phone against her ear. "Duke? Duke!" eximed Belinda happily. "You''re back!" It was all she could say to express her tion. Enjoying the good news, however, didn''tst long as another round of painful contraction took over her body. In response, she squeezed Leena''s unfortunate hand while clenching her teeth. "Honey, wait for me. You''re doing amazing," he said, hearing her whimper on the phone. "I''ll be right beside you very soon." Her sharp breaths increased Duke''s anxieties, making him step on the elerator a bit harder. It was either the sound of his eleration or his rattled voice, but somehow his wife''s instinct was spot on. "Drive slowly, Duke," said Belinda weakly. "I''m okay." Albeit, that wasn''t ''s face was too pale for her own good. "She needs to go to the delivery room now," the assistant instructed. Together, they helped the pregnant patient move towards the delivery room. If anyone saw them, it was almostical to be surrounded by so many people as they walked. "May Ie in with her?" asked Duke with a hopeful expression. He hoped to be in the room with his wife, to hold her hand in support, as she gave birth to their child. There was no way he''d back down, now that he was there. "Let him in," Tom said, sympathizing with the soon-to-be father. With eyes that glimmered in delight upon Tom''s approval, Duke patted him on the shoulder appreciatively before returning to his wife''s side. At that moment, the pregnant woman let go of Leena''s hand to be enveloped in her husband''s strong arms. Exhausted, Duke entered the delivery room with Belinda. Right after the delivery, however, the new father swore that he would never allow his wife to get pregnant again. In his opinion, it was beyond terrifying! He couldn''t bear to go through that again. And although Belinda didn''t scold him or beat him like other women inbor would, she grabbed his hand so tightly that her nails pierced into his skin. Chapter 1555 Belindas Delivery (Part Three) Caressing her dampened hair, Duke felt his heart break. Belinda''s mind grew numb for she had been in too much pain. The only thing she could do was follow the doctor''s every advice like she were on autopilot mode. After a while, she didn''t even have the strength to cry. When she was about to bite her lower lip, Duke noticed it and very swiftly, reached out to cover her mouth. Reacting unintentionally, she ended up biting his hand with no restraints. "Arghh!" His face twitched in pain, but he didn''t withdraw his hand out of fear so that she wouldn''t bite her lip instead. Despite the sting of her teeth sinking into his skin, he was too busy feeling fortunate to have acted fast enough to care. Every single thing they had to endure was worth it when they heard their baby''s first piercing cry. Duke, who was too tired to stand, decided to sit on the floor. "Congrattions! It''s a healthy baby boy!" the obstetrician said gleefully. He then passed the baby to the nurses who began to clean the baby''s body. At the same time, they checked his general health such as height, weight, and everything else. "Honey, I love you," Duke said, kissing his wife on the lips. If he hadn''t seen it with his own two eyes, he wouldn''t have believed how painful it was to give birth to a child. Now that he knew better, he swore to always treat Belinda with great care, and to never betray her. After all, the woman just gave birth to a son. The least he could do was to ensure herfort and happiness. "I love you too," replied Belinda, exhausted yet smiling. Extremely worn-out, she had just experienced the greatest moment f Belinda''s emergency, Tom postponed much of his schedule to make sure he was around in case he was needed. As her delivery took ce without anyplication, Tom decided it was time for him to go back to his work. After his shift was done, Kevin went straight to the hospital. When Leena called to tell him that she didn''t have the time to cook, their options were narrowed down to eating outside or going to the Leng family''s house. So he offered a brief congrattions to the newest parents, and then left the hospital with his wife. As Duke was prompt to hire a professional midwife to tend to the needs of Belinda and the baby, Leena didn''t have a hard time conceding to hunger. "Ouch!" yelped Leena when Kevin grabbed her hand. "Ohh, it hurts!" She applied pressure on the bruised hand, groaning helplessly. Kevin frowned and asked, "What''s wrong? Here, let me check." Waiting for her to show her hand, he held it lightly and saw the uneven bruises on her pale skin, more so on one side than the other. The man took a deep breath. "What happened? Did you get it treated?" Chapter 1556 Belindas Delivery (Part Four) "Uhh... It''s nothing. Belinda happened to grab my hand while she was inbor pain. I''ll recover soon enough," Leena reassured. Granted, her reactions in the past might have been exaggerated to a point where she wanted to die. But since she knew that she had been helpful when her sister-inw was inbor pain, the bruises on her hand became more of a medal of honor that reminded her what she did that day. "Did she endure so much?" Kevin asked, while blowing her hand softly. Although it didn''t really do much to alleviate the pain, she was moved by his disy of affection. "I don''t know," said Leena, putting on a rueful smile. "But she looked like she was in great pain." She thought to herself, ''Maybe it''s the kind of pain I''ll never get to feel.'' "Nana," Kevin said, noticing the change in her facial expression. "What do you want to eat? I''ll buy you dinner." As he noticed that the topic was beginning to be too much for her, he decided it was time to talk about something else. Leena wore a teasing smile, asking, "Are you sure you have the money?" Lee had told her that Kevin HAD donated his wages to the people who were affected by the natural disaster. On top of that, he had also given her his ATM card when she returned to him. She could only guess that he didn''t have much money on him right now. "Rest assured. I can afford us some street food," Kevin said with a confident smile. "As long as we don''t go to some fancy restaurant, we''re good." He wasn''t embarrassed at all to admit it. With Leena, he could always be himself. "Never mind that," said Leena, shaking her he hed to see all the meat, Kevin wasn''t sure whether tough or cry. ''Does she think I''m a big eater or something?'' he thought in amusement. "But I''d like you to gain weight," he said casually. "Then you''ll be soft to touch." His voice sounded as though he was only talking about the weather, so nonchnt, rather than overtly flirting with her. "Oh really? I''ll buy a sow for you," grinned Leena. "It will be softer to touch, I''m sure." Rolling her eyes at Kevin, she noticed that he was getting more and more cunning. He was starting to y mind games with her. "I have no interest in sows. Only in you." He then winked at her, which absolutely startled the woman. Kevin had always been an upright man towards Leena, but at that moment, she realized that he had changed. "Come on!" Leena said, avoiding his gaze. "Don''t act like that." She didn''t dare to look back at him, knowing his eyes were filled with desire at the moment. As they were in a public space, she didn''t want to enable his behavior. Especially not when it contrasted his military uniform. Chapter 1557 A Celebration For Spencer (Part One) As the?days?passed, Kevin gradually but steadily recovered. Meanwhile, Duke''s son had reached his first month after being born. They named him Spencer, a name given by his grandfather Lloyd. The boy had impressively taken after his parents, and was both cute and handsome. In addition to the advantages of his fine gics and physical features, he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, so it wasn''t hard to presume that he would grow up in wealth and privilege. Considering that the child was still new in the world and not strong enough, the Leng family decided to put off the celebration till he reached a hundred days, so that he could stay indoors to be protected from the alternating warmth and coldness at this time of the year. It was not a good time for a baby to stay out for too long. Leena adored her nephew very much. She would go and see the boy whenever she was free, so it had be a ritual for Kevin to go to Duke''s home to find his wife there after work. Naturally, they would have dinner there before going home every time. Leena joked about this matter by saying that they had no choice but to bum meals off them, since Kevin had donated all his money to the earthquake-hit area. Sometime before the celebration, Leena, Patricia and Michelle all went shopping together. This had be something that they seldom had the chance to do, now that they had their separate and private lives. As punctual people, Leena and Patricia arrived on time, but Michelle waste as always. She exined that it was because she was rushing to finish a painting. "Hey! What''s the matter with you, Michelle? Didn''t we set the date early yesterday? Why didn''t you finish your paintingst night?" Patricia ask Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e sense. Now that she had be Tom''s wife, she should look like one. The wife of the hospital chief must be someone who looked in tune with him and his status. She had promised herself that she would always change herself for the better, for the sake of her marriage, and for the sake of Tom. "Well, I can do it now, if you want! I have already finished all the work needed for the fashion week. So I am free and I''m all yours. Let me know what kind of evening dresses you want. But then again, why? Do you want to change your fashion style?" Leena asked. Knowing that Patricia preferred casual clothes, she was a bit surprised that she would show interest in evening dresses. "Yes, I do. After all, I''m the wife of a highly esteemed doctor now and I need to improve my public image. Besides, I''m helping my mother manage the gallery, so surely I need to look demure and sophisticated at the same time, in case I''m not in tune to its surroundings," Patricia exined with a sigh. She actually wouldn''t change a bit if she had the choice. However, everything has its price. Besides, she should give it a chance. Maybe she''d like it after all. Chapter 1558 A Celebration For Spencer (Part Two) Michelle burst intoughter "So you actually pay attention to your appearance now? What a surprise! From racer girl to the doctor''s wife!" Michelleughed her head off. She had never known Patricia to be an elegantdy all these times, and now she just expressed that she wanted to be one? She''d bet that she Patricia wasn''t so elegant in the bedroom. That was just hrious. "Stopughing," Patricia said with a frown. "Even someone like you began to pay attention to self image, for your man! I will be left in the dust by you two sooner orter if I don''t do this." Patricia meant what she said. This was something she would never do if she had not met Tom. Now she felt that she could make any change for the man she loved. She wouldn''t think that she was making apromise because it was going to be worth it. "I have only dressed a bit more formally. It''s not a big deal!" Michelle replied, with a giggle. Michelle, too, felt that she could be all that Luke wanted. She had been used to dressing like a bad girl for years, but now she was willing to do away with that because Luke didn''t like it. After falling in love, one would be surprised to find that it was quite easy to let go of the small trivial things. So as long as you pluck up your courage and start to make a difference, everything would most definitely get better. "Speaking of which, why don''t you also go and learn some cooking skills with Michelle?" Leena said to Patricia. She suddenly remembered that Tom had asked her to help Patricia improve her cooking, so she seized the chance and brought up the topic "Why? Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. It rained a lot in the spring, and as the rain fell, the weather gradually got warmer and everything in the surroundings came back to life. The trees, bushes and other nts started growing new buds and small colorful blossoms started to pop out everywhere. During this period, the fashion week wasunched and it was a great sess. Everything went well, except that Leena still hadn''t gotten pregnant. She was still taking that bitter medicine secretly, and she had been more careful not to worry Kevin. Leena was so much in love that she wished that time would stop at certain moments of happiness. But how time had flown. One day, out of the blue, she ran into Dorothy again. The moment Leena saw her, she noticed that she had changed a lot. The pure and innocent girl in her, seemed to have all but gone, showing a more maturedy. It seemed to Leena that she had a lot of stories to tell. "Mrs. Gu! It''s nice to see you again," Dorothy greeted. You could actually see a sophisticated woman in her now. She wasn''t expecting to run into Leena, either. Chapter 1559 A Celebration For Spencer (Part Three) "Nice to see you again, Miss Lu, although I heard that you have also gotten married, is that right?" It had been told inside a few circles that Dorothy had married someone, but Leena didn''t take it to heart when hearing about it. After all, there were always rumors flying around in the entertainment industry and you shouldn''t believe any of the hype. "Yes, I have," Dorothy had always wanted to marry into wealth, but once her dream came true, she found that life was not as good as she had imagined, not to mention that her husband was much older than her. "Well, congrattions! I''m happy for you!" Leena said. Not knowing the truth about her situation, she congratted her heartily. "Thank you. But it''s really nothing to celebrate. I have simply jumped from the frying pan and into the fire," Dorothy replied, allowing herself a bitter smile. "You know, we all tend to envy others for their happiness, but chances are that others might be envious of our life, too. We just don''t know it. We may all think that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, but one man''s meat might be another man''s poison. I bet you''re leading a much better life than a lot of others! Why not try to soften your attitude towards it? Enjoy what you have, and I''m sure that you will find yourself a happy person," Leena said tofort her, seeing the sadness in her eyes. She was not good at making ttering remarks to please others, but she did have the wisdom to help others see things in a positive way. "You have married Kevin, your dream guy, who''s both an excellent man and a thoughtful husband, it''s only natural that you''re so optimistic about life. But what my life looks "Oh, I''m so sorry. Don''t cry, my baby Spencer. You needn''t?worry. I''m scolding your cousin Justin, not you," Leena hurried to pacify the child, patting him gently. ''Now who did I piss off? Look what you''ve done, Justin!'' She thought helplessly. "You really think he can understand you and stop crying, silly girl?" Just then, Rain''s voice came from behind her. Seeing Leena in a panic about pacifying the baby and keeping him from crying, he showed no intention to help at all. Instead, he took pleasure in it, and teased her. Clearly, he wanted to make fun of her, too. "What''s your advice then? Or you want to have a try?" asked Leena grumpily. ''Don''t you see I''m like a cat on hot bricks? Shouldn''t you at least give me a hand?'' Leena thought exasperatedly. "I won''t be of much help since I''m not his mother. I would give him back to Belinda if I were you. If I''m not mistaken, he is now hungry," Rain replied with a wicked smile, his hands in his pockets, looking quite rxed. "Bravo, Rain! How did you know that?" Leena looked at him in surprise. ''Don''t tell me you have had a child!'' She thought secretly. Chapter 1560 A Celebration For Spencer (Part Four) "You''d better put aside that silly and vulgar idea," was Rain''s reply, with a sneer. He could tell from the twinkle in her eyes that she was making wild guesses. It was just typical of her to do that. "Humph! Don''t?make?it?sound?like?you know what was on my mind!" Leena retorted with a grimace. The fact that Rain had seen right through her, annoyed her again. Because she did imagine him as a seasoned pro in child care just now, although it didn''t really suit his image at all. "What''s the matter with Spencer? Why are you crying so hard, baby?" Belinda asked worriedly, hastening to them upon hearing her son''s loud and continuous cry. "Maybe my voice was too loud and it scared him, or maybe he feels hungry. I''m so sorry," Leena said in a low voice, feeling very embarrassed. "I''ll take care of him. Kevin has just arrived, why not go to him?" Belinda said, taking her beloved baby from Leena carefully. She became a bit more plump after giving birth, but it had only added to her radiant charm. She was attractive and maternal in a way that only a married woman could be. "Oh, he got off early today," Leena said without taking her eyes off Spencer. Seeing him settle himself in the arms of his mother, Leena couldn''t help but pinch his rosy cheeks gently. ''You ungrateful little rascal, '' she thought to herself. ''I''ve been so nice to you, yet you would always cry in my arms. You know, you really embarrass me by turning tears into smiles once your mother''s here.'' "Yeah, he arrived with Daisy," Belinda answered, kissing the baby on his chubby cheeks most lovingly. "I''ll go and find him then. See you, little snob!" Leena said. She pretended to be angry at her cute nephew and gave him a funny re before leaving happily. "What a silly girl. How could she take a child so seriously?" Belinda said, shaki her heart racing. "A lot of people, especially friends havee today, huh?" Kevin looked around and found the ce almost packed with people from the upper ss. All were wealthy and respectable in society. "Yes. Most of them are Duke''s business partners. I''m sure he has struck a deal or two tonight. You owe them a lot, you know, as they have kept him upied. He has been attending to the guests for nearly an hour, and I''m sure that he has no time for you." Leena said. This scene was very rare in Duke''s home, for he was not much of a party person, and seldom held banquets. So this was also a rare opportunity for those snobbish social climbers and other bigwigs to suck up to Duke. "Pleasee here, Kevin." No sooner had Leena finished speaking than she and Kevin both heard Duke''s deep voice. "Hello there! Okay,ing," Kevin replied at once. Before leaving, he narrowed his eyes and directed a meaningful look at Leena. ''Didn''t you say that your brother WON''T notice me? How do you exin this now?'' Leena read it in his eyes. "You''re out of luck, babe. Sorry about that," she shrugged and said, wondering why Duke called him over. After all, Kevin never liked dealing with business people. Chapter 1561 How Time Flies (Part One) "Duke, I''m here." With his army uniform on, Kevin looked intimidating yet handsome, aggressive yet calm, looking special yet not sticking out like a sore thumb among the guests. "Okay, good. I need your help. Go over to those gentlemen by the table and have a few sses with them. I already drank too much. I don''t think I can take another drop," Duke said while pressing on his temple. He really overdid it today. "Okay, let me handle this." As a Major General, he was good at socializing. It was a piece of cake for him to deal with all kinds of people. "Hey wait. No, you can''t drink too much!" Leena blurted out. He just had a lucky escape from death several months ago. He might have notpletely recovered yet. He still had to watch his alcohol intake. "Don''t worry. I know my limits." He gave her a reassuring smile. He knew that she was worried about his health, so he would not really take the risk and get into drinking games and challenges with other guys tonight. "Can you do it? If not, I will get Rain to take your ce. Where is Rain? That jerk, he''s gone in the blink of an eye." Duke reeked of alcohol and his face waspletely flushed. While he tried his best to stand straight, his intoxication was showing in the way he walked. He really drank a lot tonight. "I''ll go to find him and bring him back," Leena said with a sly smile. For the sake of her husband, she had no choice but to sacrifice Rain who was surely now hiding somewhere. But better him than Kevin. "It''s okay, Nana. I can do it. Like I said, if I feel that I''m close to my limit, I will stop, okay?" Kevin stopped her. It was rare for Duke to ask him for a favor. He didn''t want to disappoint him, especially now that he needed him the most. That man waspletely tanked! "Okay! Then I''ll go and look for Sis Daisy." Leenapromised at his insistence. She didn''t want to be the wet nket. In fact, as soon as Daisy reached their mansion, she was dragged to a secret ce by Edward. Pas f you were in my shoes, would you still be in the mood to continue? You did it on purpose, right? Did you follow us here? How much of our conversation did you hear?" Edward said, grinding his teeth. Then he leaned closer to Daisy and whispered in her ear, "Don''t think that you have already gotten away with it. We can discuss this the whole night. As to the way how I discuss it, I think you don''t need me to remind you. You know that." Daisy gazed at him incredibly. Oh, no! Come again? They had crazy animal sex the whole nightst night, and she still felt sore all over her body and especially down there. Leena craned her neck, trying to listen in and trying to figure out what they were talking about. But she didn''t hear anything. Sheined to herself, ''Edward is too mean! He would not lose a piece of flesh even if I hear what he says.'' "Tell me, what did you hear?" Edward repeated with an ambiguous yet threatening tone as he turned around and leaned closer to Leena. This caught Leena off guard. "What did I hear? Hmm. Did you say anything?" Edward''s intimate gesture almost took Leena''s breath away and made her heart stop beating. If he was not her brother whom she had always respected since she was young, she would definitely be captivated by him. Yes, Edward''s attractiveness was of a different level. Chapter 1562 How Time Flies (Part Two) "You are very smart, you slick girl!" Edward''s mood lightened up. He nted a gentle kiss on Daisy''s forehead and left with a roar ofughter. "Sis Daisy, what happened to Edward? Was he beaten by something?" It sent a shiver down her spine at the thought of his actions towards her moments ago. No wonder so many women had gone crazy about him and thrown themselves at him. He had the natural charisma that had all kinds of women spellbound. Even she, herself, was almost entranced by him just now. "Don''t mind him. He was flooded and infested by dirty thoughts in his brain tonight." Daisy felt a little embarrassed, being caught fooling around with her husband. "Daisy, is it the nature of men to be so shameless?" Thinking of how Kevin behaved towards her recently, Leena''s face darkened. "Probably. But it depends. Sometimes, it''s normal for men to have dirty thoughts on their wives. But if he also acts like that to other women, then that would be something else. We call those men, assholes, jerks or pigs!" No one can be a real saint in this temporal world. Daisy could understand Edward''s moments of uncontroble desire towards her every now and then. They were a couple and they were supposed to be bound into one. "Okay, I see. Daisy, I found that you have a thorough understanding of almost everything. I really admire you and you deserve my respect." Leena raised her head and looked up to Daisy who was a little higher than her, with admiring nces, "Don''t worship me like that. The one you imagine in your head may only live in fantasies and the stuff of legends." Daisy couldn''t help butugh as soon as she finished her words. It was not her style to use the online buzzword in her remark. "Ha!" Leena alsoughed. Daisy''s joke lightened up the mood and Leena felt less depressed. "Well, Leena, how is everything with you? Are you still drinking the herbal medicine?" Daisy asked with concern while helping her brush away the petals which had fallen on her dress. "Yes I am. Tom is still giving them to me. But don''t tell t on me!" Leena raised her eyebrows. When did she bully him? She just had verbal arguments with him. "What? Are you afraid of him?" Daisy looked at her, amused. No wonder there were endless squabbles whenever they found themselves in the same room or the same ce. It turned out that they had one thing inmon, that both of them hadn''t really grown up yet. It seemed that no matter how mature Leena acted in public, she was still a little girl inside. Her true innocent nature was just hidden and restrained by the bonds of marriage. "Are you joking? It''s impossible. Would Kevin really eat me up for this? It''s so absurd." Leena said casually. She would never worry that Kevin would believe Justin and do something to her. "Then what else are you worried about?" Let''s go! I miss the baby already! I want to look at him all the time!" Daisy shook her head helplessly. The girlish manner that Leena asionally behaved made Daisy want to love her and care about her as if she were her little sister. Time went by. Good news about being pregnant came one after another from Leena''s friends. But for herself, there were no signs of any conception. Although Tom proposed to check on her many times, she turned him down politely. She didn''t want to pin too much hope on it. She just did what she could - secretly following the prescription that Tom ordered for her. Chapter 1563 How Time Flies (Part Three) Every time she saw how much Kevin adored Belinda''s baby, she would weep in the corner and keep all the tears to herself. It turned out that he couldn''t really act like he didn''t mind at all. She could see his eyes light up when he was with kids. "Kevin, how about we adopt a child?" Leena suddenly proposed one day. "Why? Aren''t we good with our life now?" Kevin wasn''t very excited about the idea. He didn''t want to hurt her. This would cause much more stress to her and possibly drive a wedge into their marriage. "Yes, we are. But I just think that you may want to have a child." The truth of the matter was, if they really adopted a child, she was not sure if she would handle it well. "Don''t think too much. You don''t know how tiring it is to raise a child. Aren''t you going to prepare the winter fashion show soon? Why not put more efforts on that?" Kevin embraced her and squeezed her into his arms. His brows furrowed. Did he do something wrong that had unwittingly hurt her? He wondered. "Okay. I will listen to you." Cuddling up against him, Leena beamed. But deep inside, she felt cold as if there was a snow storm in her heart. "I will go abroad next month and I will stay there for about eight weeks. Will it be okay for you to be here at home alone?" In fact, besides training, there would bepetitions which would be as fierce as ever. They had to cross the rain forest and ovee life-and-death challenges. The one who held on until thest moment would be dered the winner. "Huh? Is it a military task? Isn''t it dangerous?" Leena backed a few steps. She was worried whether his body could cope with it. "A little dangerous. But don''t worry, I will be very careful." As a soldier, it was his obligation to follow the orders. He couldn''t have any other choices. But since he loved his job, he would stick to it until the very end. " ast. And it is so true!" Leena gave her a bright smile and tried to get rid of all the unhappy thoughts. Even though she was not pregnant now, she believed that one day her wish woulde true. "That''s great. I am happy that you think that way. But, don''t push yourself too hard." Patricia patted her shoulder, feeling very sorry for her. Tom came back soon. The assigned doctor to the emergency case was not sure of his diagnosis, so he conferred with Tom so he could have a look. "Leena, it has been a long time since you came herest." Tom said while putting down the medical records on the desk. He was quite surprised to see her. "Oh, no. Tom! This is the hospital. Why would you expect to see me here frequently?" Leena switched naturally from a mature woman to a lovely and sweet girl, as if she had a dual personality. "Good point! Besides, who makes the rule that people can onlye here when they are sick? Right? Well, Since you came, you must have something to ask." Tom recognized what she came for as soon as she finished talking. "That''s why I always told other people that you are a smart guy. You are really a genus." Leena smiled embarrassedly. As expected, Tom saw through her. So she was not surprised at all. Chapter 1564 Visiting The Army Base (Part One) "Just tell me. Don''t keep me guessing," Tom said, smiling. He shook his head helplessly at his little sister, feeling amused. He was dressed in his all-white uniform, looking handsome and gentle as ever. His smile was enticing, making everyone around him return it. "Well..." Leena hesitated, "Kevin is going for a field training next month. I heard that this training is especially hard. I''m not sure if he can handle it, considering he has just recovered from his injuries. I am a little worried. I want to hear your thoughts about it." Leena gently bit down on her lower lip. Her worried eyes were fixed on Tom. She wanted to know exactly what he thought about letting Kevin go for the training. She didn''t want Kevin to injure himself again. She was there for his professional advice. "Since when have you started being so formal with me?" Tom sighed, "Ask him toe here for a check-up. I will run some tests on him and see if he has recoveredpletely. But I don''t think there will be any issues. It has already been more than half a year since Kevin''s ident. Considering his current health condition, there shouldn''t be any problems. I''m sure he can handle a little hard training. But I''ll run some tests anyway to make sure. Better safe than sorry." He smiled reassuringly. "Okay, I will ask him to drop by whenever he is free. Kevin has been very busytely. He hardly has any time to eat and sleep. It would be hard for him to squeeze in some decent time for a check-up," Leena frowned. "Let hime when he has some spare time. Just give me a call before hees, okay?" he said, as he nced at Patricia''s belly. He had been prepared to be a ve for h ely take them for a couple. Patricia had to admit, she was a bit jealous. "What were you thinking about? You seemed really focused on your thoughts," Leena teased her as they walked down the hospital corridor together. But Patricia was going through someplicated emotions regarding the rtionship between Leena and Tom. She knew that they cared deeply for each other and that mutual feeling waspletely tonic, but she still couldn''t shake off her doubts. What if there was a glimmer of a chance that they might be holding some subtle feelings for each other? "I''m afraid that you will bothugh at me if I tell you." Tom gently held her hand as they walked and the small gesture warmed her heart. "Why is that? Patricia, were you thinking about some other handsome guy?" Leena teased her again, winking at Patricia with a meaningful smile. Leena knew that Patricia had always been fond of pretty boys. But she was just pulling her leg. Leena knew how much Patricia loved Tom. But she was very curious as to what she was thinking about, especially after Patricia had said that they mightugh at her. Chapter 1565 Visiting The Army Base (Part Two) "Of course not! What are you talking about?" Patricia scowled at her best friend. She stole a nce at Tom, wondering whether he looked jealous or angry. He wasn''t. "Oh really? If I remember right, you were the one who was always chasing after handsome boys all day," said Leena, mercilessly throwing her best friend under the bus. Leena knew that Patricia was hiding something. She was trying to get her to tell the truth. But she wasn''t really lying about how Patricia always fell for handsome boys. That was the reason why she had fallen in love with Tom at first sight. "Leena! Are you my best friend or not? Why are you telling this in front of Tom? It is so humiliating!" Patricia shouted, her beautiful face turning red. She felt embarrassed. She gently pped Leena''s back, hoping she would shut up. "Tom, help! She is trying to hurt me!" Leenaughed and hid herself behind Tom''s back. She grabbed his arm, knowing that he would protect her from her friend''s yful attacks. "All right, all right. You two, calm down." He couldn''t help but let out a silent sigh at their childish y. They had gonepletely off-topic. He had to step in and take the rein on the conversation once again. "Patricia, tell us, what you were thinking about. You seemed awfully serious at the time. Is something bothering you?" Tom asked, furrowing his eyebrows. He was still waiting for Patricia''s answer. He was very curious to know why she was distracted. "Um? What was I thinking?" Patricia looked bewildered by Tom''s sudden question. She was too engrossed in the conversation with Leena that she hadpletely forgotten what they were initially talking about. She looked so confused. Leena, hid behind Tom, trying her best not non-tonic way. No offense, Tom," Leena said. They were just too familiar to ever be lovers. They considered each other family, but they just didn''t see each other like that. "That''s it? It''s that simple?" Patricia looked between the two of them in shock. She was surprised by their simple answer. She had thought that maybe there was some serious and more detailed reason. "What else were you expecting to hear?" Tom asked, abruptly stopping in his tracks. Suddenly, he wondered why she would think to ask such a thing. Was there something wrong with the rtionship he had with his sister? Where was thising from? Well, at least Patricia was right. It was indeed a silly question. "I mean, I just thought that there might be some other reason. You two always behave like a couple. You are intimate, you know. That''s all," said Patricia, biting down a bit harshly on her lower lip. She didn''t know how to exin it without making herself sound unreasonable. Was she wrong? Was there something wrong with her? She knew that she shouldn''t have asked that! Maybe she was just thinking too much into it. It was kind of ridiculous anyway. Chapter 1566 Visiting The Army Base (Part Three) "Patricia, it''s not just Tom. In fact, I act the same way around all my brothers. They are all the same to me, really. I have only ever considered them as my brothers," Leena said, furrowing her brows. She had a feeling that something was slowly changing, and she also wondered if she was behaving inappropriately around her brothers. Should she start keeping her distance from them, now that they were all married? Maybe that was the reason why Patricia had that ridiculous question. To be honest, if Patricia had known any better, she would have found that Leena was much closer to Edward and Rain than to Tom. But it was understandable, because Patricia was Tom''s wife and she had probably only noticed her interactions with him. "Leena, I was just curious. I didn''t mean it in a bad way," Patricia said in a hurried tone. She didn''t want Leena to misunderstand her. She had only asked out of curiosity, not to cause trouble or to warn her. "Of course. I know you were just curious," Leena said with an understanding smile. It looked like she really didn''t mind Patricia''s doubts. But she was secretly thinking back if she was really behaving inappropriately around her brothers. After all, they were all married and now belonged to other women. They were not just her brothers anymore. Maybe she was just so used to the way she had been interacting with them that she hadn''t realized that it might cause their wives to feel uneasy and suspicious. So maybe this should change from now on. She shouldn''t be too close to them anymore. Tom had a bad feeling when he saw the bitter smile on Leena''s face. He knew that Leena''s smile was just a farce to cover up what she was really thinking. He looked for her husband''s reply. It was the first time that she was insisting something from him. She knew exactly why she was feeling sad after her lunch with Tom and Patricia, and she needed her husband''sfort more than ever. Kevin raised his eyebrows in surprise when he heard Leena being so persistent. He had a feeling that she was not quite herself. Kevin was now really sensitive when it came to things that involved his little wife. "All right. I will have Lee go and get you when you arrive here," Kevin said softly. "Okay! Go back to work now. I don''t want to disturb you anymore." Leena finally smiled. She really wanted to go to him, and she looked forward to picking him up in the evening. Kevin hung up, and was immersed in thought. ''Didn''t she say that she was going to visit Tom at the hospital today? Why did she want toe here and pick me up? Besides, she sounded so weird, as if something was weighing on her mind.'' He wondered if Tom had said something that might have worried her. He was curious and a bit worried. He disliked seeing Leena unhappy, and that was why he had agreed to let here to the base. Chapter 1567 Visiting The Army Base (Part Four) "Major General, can we end this punishment now?" Lee asked a bit hesitantly, pulling him out of his thoughts. The soldiers were being punished and had been half-standing in the field for more than two hours now. They had also missed lunch time. Lee thought that maybe this was enough. "Yes. That''s enough. Let them go eat lunch," said Kevin. He nced at the time on his watch and nodded in agreement. This kind of punishment was a necessary evil. If he didn''t punish them for messing up, they might never learn. That was not something he wanted to see from his subordinates. "Understood, Major General," Lee saluted and immediately ran to the training field to relieve them from the hell they had been in. He had a feeling that the Major General might go easy on them. It must have had something to do with the phone call he had just answered. But that was just his guess. Looking at Lee''s retreating back, the corners of Kevin''s lips lifted into a smirk. Then, he turned around and walked to his office. He still had some paperwork to finish. "Looks like I am no longer the Devil Drillmaster anymore. You are the real Devil here," a voice said from behind him as he walked into the building. He stopped and turned to look at the owner of the voice. Daisy was quickly walking towards him. It looked like she was in a hurry. "I learned it all from you," Kevin immediately countered. He rubbed his nose a bit sheepishly. He was always worried about his soldiers. And this time, he had lost his cool and decided to punish them harshly for their mistake. He wanted them to remember the pain and not repeat their errors. It was for their own good. "Hey, don''t drag me into this. You make it sound like I really am a cruel drillmaster," Daisy protested. She was s inform Kevin that his wife was waiting outside. So Leena didn''t have to wait for too long. A few minutester, Lee appeared at the gate and ran towards Leena''s car. "Leena, you are early. The Major General told me that you would not be here until at least 5 o''clock." Although it was already autumn and the weather was chilly, Lee still had a thinyer of sweat on his forehead because he had run all the way to the gate. "I didn''t think I''d be here this early either. Is Kevin still busy?" asked Leena. She couldn''t tell Lee that she had intentionally arrived an hour earlier. She didn''t want Lee to tell that to Kevin and worry him unnecessarily. "Yes, he is still working. He is in the middle of something important right now and is not in his office at the moment. How about letting me give you a tour around the army base? I don''t think you have visited before, have you?" asked Lee. He didn''t know what else to do with Leena because Kevin hadn''t given him any particr instruction. It was a good idea to apany Leena in visiting the army base. After all, she seldom had a chance to visit the base, and she was a curious one. Lee assumed that she might enjoy it. Chapter 1568 Visiting The Army Base (Part Five) "Really? Can we do that? I am really interested!" Leena eximed. She had only been in the base once when she hade with Daisy. She was happy that she got the chance to look more closely at the ce where her husband worked. "Of course, it''s just a visit. It''s no big deal. We can totally do it." Lee looked at her in confusion and thought, ''Why is she so excited all of a sudden? Doesn''t she know that she can visit the army base as the wife of the Major General?'' "Great. But what about my car?" Leena asked, looking at her car. She couldn''t leave it outside the army base. "We can park it in the parking lot of the army base. Let me. You are not familiar with the ce," Lee said as he opened the car door, and got into it before Leena could even reply. Ever since Major General got married to Leena, Lee had been lucky enough to drive some expensive cars which he had never even seen before. He was pretty much used to it now. Leena quickly got in the car too. She didn''t know if it was the right thing to do by showing up at the army base, but she couldn''t care less. After the lunch with Tom and Patricia, she had been feeling extremely low. She didn''t me Patricia at all, because she had a point. She knew that her best friend had no intention to hurt her whatsover. But still, it had hit her hard when she had realized that she couldn''t be close to her brothers anymore, because she didn''t want to cause any disputes between the couples. She wanted to see Kevin badly and beforted by him. As they drove into the army base, Leena heard the loud and strong calls of the soldiers. And it made her feel warm. She felt closer to Kevin, and she was happy to know more about his work life. They parked the car and started walking around the base. Wa Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. pproaching stealthily behind them. "Yeah! That''s a good question. Tell us your love story, please! We are curious." They all seemed super intrigued by the second soldier''s question. They wanted to know some juicy stories about the Major General. Leena was a bit startled by their curiosity. Besides, that was a question Leena didn''t know how to answer. She couldn''t tell them that she had a one-night-stand with the Major General, could she? That didn''t seem like a proper answer. So Leena kept her mouth shut and just smiled at them, pretending like she didn''t hear the question. "Why don''t you let me tell you our love story, huh?" Kevin asked in a cold voice, driving the whole canteen silent. The soldiers froze for a moment and then immediately straightened their backs and looked at him with serious eyes. The smiles on their faces had been wiped clean. "Major General, we have finished our meal. So, we''ll leave you and Mrs. Gu to enjoy your dinner now," a petty officer said immediately. He wanted to get the soldiers out of there as soon as possible. They would never dare to gossip about the Major General when he was right in front of them. That would be suicide. Chapter 1569 Feeling Depressed (Part One) Leena looked nkly at the soldiers who just fled. Then she turned to Kevin and wondered, ''Why did they all run away? Is Kevin really that terrifying?'' "Major General, would you like to choose your own dishes or shall I help you with it?" However, unlike the other soldiers, Lee remained calm upon seeing Kevin. Even his voice didn''t show any trace of fear at all when he approached. "Help me choose," said Kevin as he sat next to Leena. Feeling her staring at him made him look back at her too. He thought, ''I didn''t expect her to get along that well with the soldiers.'' "Is there anything on my face?" Leena unwittingly touched the corner of her mouth. She felt her cheeks burned under Kevin''s gaze. Thus, she silently thought, ''Do I have rice on my face or something?'' "No. You look great." The gentle smile that cracked Kevin''s lips surprised all the soldiers who were still eating around them. Kevin had always been very strict with their training, thus, they were shocked to see him so gentle. He was like a different man when he was with Leena. The difference between how he treated the woman and them was just so evident that they could taste it in their food. "They all seem to be afraid of you." Nevertheless, Leena seemed to be unaffected by all the attention when she looked at Kevin and sweetly smiled. The more she stayed in this ce, the more she admired Kevin. "And you? Why aren''t you afraid of me?" joked Kevin while raising his eyebrows. He couldn''t help but wonder about what happened to Leena today. "Who told you that I''m not afraid of you? I''m always worried that you''ll be angry," whispered Leena innocently. Little did Kevin know about the great pressure she was feeling whenever he was mad at her. It seemed that her fear of him unconsciously sprang from his career. He always looked so majestic, dignified, and intim Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hed the corner of his mouth and thought, ''Ah! You all deserve it. Why did you guys stay here just to spy on the Major General anyway? You guys are already done with your dinner! Good luck to you all. May you guys survive the ten kilometers run in fullbat gear you''ll do tonight. Tsk! You guys are so screwed.'' "Umh... Kevin, do you still have a mission tonight?" Leena looked at Kevin''s serious face doubtfully as she didn''t get what he meant. "What the Major General said is a punishment to the soldiers, Leena." It was Lee who answered her query. However, the poor soldier instantly received a warning re from Kevin right after he exined. It was as if Kevin was telling him that he should have not said that. "Why? They didn''t do anything wrong. Why would you punish them?" asked Leena in an even more confused tone. Her eyebrows were even knotting as she stared at the man. ''I just had a good time with them. I don''t want them to be punished, '' she thought. "Did you guys hear that? You all should thank my wife. I won''t punish you today." Kevin let out a defeated sigh and then looked at Leena. This was how much he adored his wife. Regardless of how hard he was as a person, one word from Leena could make him melt. Chapter 1570 Feeling Depressed (Part Two) "Yes. Thank you, Mrs. Gu," said the soldiers in unison. Their voices went too loud that it echoed through the whole dining hall. Hearing their neat answers, Leena scratched her head in embarrassment and blushed. "You guys can leave now." Kevin nced at them and the soldiers all left as fast as they could. Frankly, they were afraid that Kevin might change his mind and push for the punishment. They all moved so fast that for a moment the hall was filled with the sounds of running footsteps. Leena had been smiling the whole time until she went out of the army base. Shepletely forgot about her displeasure before visiting the ce. On the other hand, Kevin was watching her through it all. He had been wanting to ask her why she was so happy. Her sweet smile was stered on her face until they both reached the Grand Apartment. Nevertheless, he chose to put his questions on hold as he was afraid that doing so might change her mood. "Why are you so happy today?" asked Kevin when he was finally parking the car. He''d bottled up his question for so long that his curiosity was already eating him at this point. "Ha-ha. Nothing. I just never thought of the soldiers to be that interesting." Leena giggled as she remembered the scenes inside the army base. She thought that the experience she had today was nice. It was only now that she had the chance to observe the soldiers. She never thought of them to be that enthusiastic, strong and brave. "Since you like them, I can take you there to see them more often." Kevin put his army coat over Leena''s shoulders. Autumn nights were cold and he didn''t want her to catch a cold. "Really? Promise that to me then! You should swear to me that you are not lying!" Leena stopped and looked at him with questionin ling thoughts about Tom''s request. He said nothing about it though and just continued to kiss her savagely hot while hugging her against him. This was the first time that they had longed this much for each other''s bodies. The passion was just intense and intoxicating. They were burning with lust and their wild kisses were simply unbelievable. For a while, it felt like everything else just melted on the background with nothing else left, but them alone. The next day, Kevin left the house early. Leena missed tying his necktie for him again. She was too tired fromst night and just couldn''t move a muscle, thus, she never got the chance to fix Kevin for work. Kevin''s physical examination showed that his body had basically recovered. Therefore, he was given the opportunity to go out on a mission. He was already one step out of the door when Leena suddenly tugged on his sleeves tightly and shot him with her sad eyes. "I think you should go back to your brother''s house when I''m not at home, Nana. It''s a lot better since they can take care of you. Besides, Spencer is there too. You like him, right?" Kevin tried to sound casual amidst the worry that he had for Leena. Chapter 1571 Feeling Depressed (Part Three) "Don''t worry about me. I''ll take care of myself," responded Leena as she patted the military uniform he was wearing with her palm. "Okay, if you said so. I''ll call you sometime. Wait for me." As soon as he finished speaking, Kevin grabbed Leena''s face and gave her a deep kiss. It was passionate but it didn''tst long enough. He immediately withdrew himself and then left as fast as he could just before he even changed his mind. Leena was left at the door as she watched him leave. He had not gone far yet but she was already missing him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she followed his figure. He would be away for two months on this mission. Two months wasn''t long but it seemed like it was for Leena. Therefore, she nned to use the two months to deal with her own work and keep herself busy. One day, Leena went to Edward''s house but none of them were home. Thus, she drove to visit Michelle''s house instead, which wasn''t that far from the Mu''s residence. "Leena, why are you here?" Michelle was so happy to see Leena. She had asked for a leave from school due to her pregnancy. She decided to stay home alone, which was actually boring. "I was supposed to see Edward and Daisy but I heard that they were on vacation." Leena took a sip of the water that the maid handed her and thought, ''It''s very rare that Daisy has time to go on vacation.'' "Yes. They went to the surrounding city for two days. I think they''ll be back tomorrow night." Michelle answered and smiled. It was obvious how she had matured a lot since her pregnancy. She had turned gentler and nicer, just like how expecting mothers were. "I see. I was just wondering why Daisy had the time to hang out." Leena thought that Daisy should be busier nowadays since Kevin wasn''t around. "Kevin''s been inherited from Yakira. "Yes. Let me buy you a dinner to wee you home." Leena patted her chest with pride. She looked more like a tomboy than a richdy. "Lucky me." Brian said and didn''t even turn her offer down. "Let''s go. I''ll ask the cook to make something special for you." In fact, the two of them were not so familiar with each other. However, they feltfortable after exchanging some few words. It seemed that they were both very extroverted people. "That would be great." Brian followed her in. It was the first time that he had been at the Fragrance, thus, he couldn''t help looking around. He was pleased with the wonderful decorations of the ce. They had a delicious dinner. Brian shared some interesting stories to her about overseas. They both studied abroad, thus, they got along very well. However, good times were always so short. After saying goodbye to Brian, Leena began to feel lonely and bored again. Leena missed Kevin like crazy as soon as she stepped into their home. She wondered how good it would be if she had a child to apany her whenever Kevin was away. God knew how tired and lonely she was and how much she yearned to have a baby. Chapter 1572 A Pleasant Surprise (Part One) Kevin had been practicing overseas for ten hours a day. The sessions were so grueling that he sometimes wondered if he was not at a training base but in a living hell. He had promised Leena he would call her daily, but he hadn''t had the time to do so even once. He had been here for a month already. His body was sore and ached all day long. Kevin had no time to spare to Leena or his family. At the training base, Kevin was not a Major General. He was an ordinary soldier ¡ª just like the others. He had no privileges or a sense of superiority. Everyone was equal here. His feet were worn and his arms had cuts and bruises all over ¡ª it was not unusual among the soldiers here. They not only needed to trainnd battle skills, but also to improve on air and navalbat. The practice made them stronger and more able soldiers. Hispanions included some western soldiers. Kevin was as tall as they were but less muscr. That didn''t mean that he was too weak to fight them or that hegged behind. Kevin was highly skilled in unarmed and hand-to-handbat. He proved to be a good match for them. Once, they were practicing high altitude jumps. One of the soldiers was new to the training and frightened. He was about to jump. On an impulse, he grabbed Kevin, who was standing behind him. They took the fall together. Anyone else would find it a jarring experience and be rattled, but Kevin was an exception. He opened his parachute in ordance with the steps, the very picture of calm vignce. Both of themnded safely. Since then, Kevin had developed quite a reputation among the soldiers. The incident counted among his many achievements. Many admired him for his courage andposure. Kevin always had eyes on him and would take the lead in every project. The soldiers addressed Kevin as "The Soldier King" in reverence. His intense training during the time Leena had left him certainly had an impact on his performance. They jumped through burning mes, crept forward in muddy waters and climbed high mountains. This not only strengthened their bodies ¡ª it increased their agility, discipline and more importantly, made them more fearless. People admired soldiers for they looked so handsome in military uniforms, but little did they know how dangerous their training sessions were. Sweat and blood had turned them into excellent assets. Being in the military was not just about surface heroism. The ordinary people who had not enlisted in the army would n xamination." Tom stood up and made his way to the examination room. His voice was remote and emotionless, and his face had turned dark. Leena''s heart broke when she saw Tom''s reaction. ''Am I wrong? Patricia seems to have an objection to the way Tom and I behave with each other. What should I do? I don''t want to lose either of them!'' she thought, perplexed. "Aren''t youing with me?" Tom asked Leena, his tone cold. He noticed that she didn''t follow him. In the past, she would have immediately looped her arm through his. But now, she kept a certain distance from him. It confused him and made him ufortable. "Uh..." Leena caught up to Tom. She was worried about him. He had never spoken to her in such a cold manner before. It looked like she had really hurt him. Once the examination was over, Leena looked at Tom uneasily and waited for his final judgment. Deep down, she expected to hear about her misfortune once again. What could have changed in such a short time? "Are you feeling nervous?" Tom softened his voice at her sad expression. He might be disappointed with her decision of distancing herself, but she was still his sworn sister. "A little." Leena smiled weakly. She was indeed a bundle of nerves. It felt like she was almost suffocating. "Don''t worry. You have faced worse situations before, haven''t you?" Unconsciously, Tom reached out in an attempt to hold her. But as soon as he remembered her resolution to keep him at arm''s length, he withdrew and stepped back. "I know I have. But I just can''t help it." Leena clutched at her dress, wringing it nervously. Each second that passed by felt like a year to her. Chapter 1573 A Pleasant Surprise (Part Two) Tom opened his mouth to try and console her but eventually decided against it. There was a clear wedge between them. No matter how hard they tried now, they couldn''t just go back to the way they used to be around each other. After a long while, the nurse finally came in with the results. She put them on the desk in front of Tom. Before picking up the documents, Tom gulped and cast a nce in Leena''s direction. He found that she was shaking, her face as pale as death itself. "Would you like a ss of water first?" As Tom spoke, he poured out a ss of warm water for her. Hesitantly, he put his hands on her shoulders tofort her. Slowly, he went behind his desk and picked up the report. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. His gaze turned to Leena in disbelief, who was still avoiding looking at him. Tom bubbled with excitement. He was eager to share the great news with her but stood stock still. He feared that the nurse had brought him the wrong documents, so he double checked the patient''s name on it. "Leena, have you been feeling differenttely?" Tom asked. He was too afraid to speak out the truth. He felt like he was in a dream and could be roused to the bitter reality any moment. "Feeling different? How?" Leena shot him a questioning look. She didn''t understand what Tom was trying to imply. Why would she feel any different? "Have you felt ufortable recently?" Tom continued as he perused the results in his hands. Finally, he heaved a long sigh of relief once he reached the end of the report. "No. But I wake upte in the mornings. Maybe I don''t sleep so well these days." Leena gave Tom an embarrassed smile. She really missed Kevin. Sometimes, it was hard to fall asleep at night without him. "Come over here," Tom ordered her quickly. "What? Why?" Leena walked up to him in confusion. "I just want to hug you." Before she could say anything, Tom pulled her into his arms and rested his head on her shoulder tenderly. "Tom, is this because the results are so bad that you just want tofort me?" Leena asked. Her heart felt like it was shattering. She had prepared herself for the worst this morning, but if Tom actually said the result out loud, she might not be able to ept her bad luck. "No, you silly girl! Congrattions!" Ever since Tom came to know that Leena was infertile, he hadn''tughed in such a carefree manner. Now, he felt buoyant and happy. Today''s results were a miracle. He couldn''t help bu Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ited now than when Patricia was pregnant. "Sure." Leena was over the moon. Until now, she had never felt that life could be so beautiful. Silently, she thanked God for this much-awaited gift. Leena still felt like she was in a dream when she left the hospital. She walked back to her car carefully. The obstetrician had told her all the precautions she needed to take. She needed to fullyply with them. This baby was hard-won. Leena would do everything she could to protect it. Following those instructions was a small price to pay. The person she wanted to share this news with the most was not here. How she wished she could throw herself into his arms and kiss him! He had promised her that he would call her, but he hadn''t even left her a message. It puzzled her. She wondered if he was still training, or if thepetition had already begun. Leena imagined how excited Kevin would be when he learned that he was going to be a father. Picturing it, Leena felt like she could burst with happiness. She smiled widely to herself. She stroked her belly as softly as she could, as if afraid she would scare the baby away. It was still just a fertilized egg. She had nothing to worry about. "My baby, thank you," she spoke to the baby. "Thank you for choosing me to be your mother. Thank you for bringing us this happiness. In future, I promise to love you and protect you with my life, so you grow up healthy and sound. I can''t give you all the wealth in the world, nor can I promise you''d be the most fortunate person alive, but I will shower you with the purest love of a mother. I''ll try my best to keep you happy, my child." Chapter 1574 The Most Precious Person (Part One) Everyone was delighted to hear that Leena was pregnant. The gang blessed her and her baby sincerely, and Belinda stopped by, her precious newborn baby in tow. "Oh, Spencer. A... Let me hold him." Leena reached out so Belinda could ce Spencer in her arms. Belinda and her baby were radiant in the sun, the rays shining through the leaves to create a checkerboard of shadows on everyone there. "Probably not a good idea. You''re pregnant right now, and we don''t want you to strain yourself!" It was a Herculean effort for Leena to get pregnant with all those physical examinations and medicines. Belinda wouldn''t allow Leena to do something risky, even a little. "Hey, easy, dear. I''m pregnant, not dead. Hand him over, please." Leena''s beautiful face turned red thanks to Belinda''s teasing. "Don''t think so. Your baby is a gift from God. Can''t be too careful." Belinda headed into the house with Spencer in her arms. Ever since Spencer was born, he was all Belinda focused on. Duke was very unhappy with it, iming that Belinda did not care for him as his wife. Men were obviously childish in love. Spencer was still a baby, and his son, to boot. How could he be jealous of him?! "Yeah, well, I can take care of myself. Don''t worry. Where''s Duke? Didn''t see him. He wasn''t supposed to leave you two alone!" Leenabed her long hair with her fingers, trying to tidy it up. She was too excited to fall asleepst night, and it was the wee hours before she finally did. Early birds were beginning to chirp when she finally closed her eyes. She hadn''t been up for long when Belinda and Spencer arrived. She hadn''t even had time to get herself ready for the day. "He''s in the office now. He only has weekends off. He''s not supposed to stay home. Actually he''s worried about you, so he sent me by to check on you." Belinda ced Spencer on the soft sofa. That little boy even rolled over so he could sit up. He was a quiet child, so obedient and cute. "Worried about me? Why? I''m all good! Right, Spencer?" Leena bent over and left a soft kiss on Spencer''s plump face. "Kevin will be back soon, right? He''s been gone for like a month." If she were Leena, she''d never be able to get used to that. Why marry if your husband wouldn''t be around? Being a soldier''s wife was not an easy job for most women. "Don''t think so. We''ll have a long wait ahead of us. He said the assignment was for two months." Leena raised her eyes to look at Belinda. "He'' e, with a round, pink face. He even looked like a girl sometimes. "Duke said he''d send Giselle over to take care of you. I thought you should know." More news from Belinda, and this time Leena was speechless. She didn''t even know how to respond to this news. "No, Belinda. If Gisellees here, what about you? You need her help!" Leena gave Belinda a confused look. True, there were lots of servants in Leng house. But Giselle was the best. She was the one who made out the chore lists for the other servants. It would be chaos if she wasn''t there. What was more, Spencer was still a newborn. He needed to be looked after carefully. Would Duke be okay leaving him with just anyone? "Don''t worry about that. My mother''sing to help with Spencer. I''m going back to work soon. Duke is so tired of dealing with twopanies. It''s time for me to go back." Belinda felt sorry for Duke. He was her husband. When she saw him almost exhausted managing the twopanies, her heart ached. So, after careful consideration, Belinda decided to return to work. She would not handle everything like before. Instead, she would work as an assistant to reduce Duke''s workload. Duke would be the acting CEO who gave orders, and she would be the consultant. "Back to work? So soon? If that''s the case, you need Giselle even more! Tell you what: keep Giselle. We''ll manage everything here. What''s more, I''m not too big. I can take care of myself right now." Leena insisted that Giselle stay at Leng House. She could hire a professional nanny to help her when she couldn''t handle herself. She could afford it, anyway. Money was never a problem for her. Chapter 1575 The Most Precious Person (Part Two) "But, you just got pregnant. That wasn''t easy. You need Giselle more than we do." If Leena had gotten pregnant soon after the marriage just like Michelle and Patricia, Belinda would not feel so nervous for her. "Don''t worry, Belinda. I''ll be fine. And besides, the baby was fate, not an ident." Every baby was a gift from God. If this gift didn''t belong to her, she would not force it and would ept that. She had the patience to wait for her gift. Belinda stayed at Grand Apartment and didn''t leave untilte afternoon. Spencer was fussy and crying, so Belinda had to leave in a hurry. Leena was alone again, but everything was peaceful. Eventually, Leena stepped into the building of FX International Group. Anna congratted her the moment she saw her, and Leena''s face turned red from shyness. She thanked Anna and fled into the president''s office. "What''s the hurry? A ghost chasing you? Don''t run like that. It''s not good for the baby." Seeing Leena rush into the office, Edward frowned and scolded her in a serious tone. "Thanks, I never would have known that," Leena said sarcastically. She stuck her tongue out naughtily. Her fight or flight instincts kicked in when Anna congratted her, so she ran. "Ah. A difference of opinion. How do I get you to be more careful? Something to drink? Milk?" Finger on the inte, Edward waited for her reply. "No, thanks. I''m not thirsty now." Leena took off her coat and sat down on the sofa. Winter was on the way, and it was getting colder these days. "Daisy will be here soon. Let''s go out for a bite." Edward talked with her while focusing on his work. A file needed hisments and approval urgently, so he was working on it, his brow fixed and intent. Leena was used to it. She grabbed a magazine beside her and began to go through it to kill time. "Isn''t she on base now?" Leena asked, after being quiet for a while. "She sometimes gets business here to deal with. So we decided to have lunch together." Edward took a look at her and then lowered his eyes and focused on the documents again. "Oh! Got it. I''ll grab Rain." Leena recalled that Rain was in a blue mood earlier when he drank with her. She decided to go check on him. "He''s not here. He went out to see a client. Just sit tight for a bit. I''ll be done soon." This was really an urgent set of files, so he had to deal with them as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would have given her his full attention. "Oh. I see." Then, Leena stopped talking with him in order not to disturb him. She began er. He stared at thatdy who wasughing loudly, teeth gritted. She''d grown up so much. "Yeah, of course, it''s okay. It''s just, you are too funny." Leena tried hard to stopughing. Hearing Edward''s n made her think of Duke, who was also pondering buying a gift for her unborn baby. The two men deserved each other. "Hey, what are you talking about? What''s so funny? I could hear youughing all the way down the hall." Daisy suddenly appeared in the doorway, still decked out in her olive-green military uniform. "Oh hey, Daisy. Ask Edward! You mayugh, too." Leena stayed close to Edward. It was a normal picture for Daisy. She''d already got used to the way they got along and she did not think it was anything inappropriate. "Hey. I didn''t expect you so soon. Finish up early?" Edward would never show any embarrassment in front of his wife. So he changed the subject. "Yeah, it went faster than we thought. Hi Leena, been here long?" Daisy walked to the desk. She picked up Edward''s ss and drank some water. She had been busy at work the whole morning and now she felt a bit thirsty. "I just got here. I nned to have a nice meal with Edward. But he said you''re going out for lunch," Leena said in a seemingly annoyed tone, as if she was the drama queen. "Oh, really? I know when I''m not wanted," Daisy said and pretended to leave. "She''s joking, honey. Rx." Edward stood up and walked to Daisy with deep and tender eyes. He found the fire left Daisy''s eyes, and she became more easy-going now. She didn''t used to joke in the old days -- in fact, she had nothing to joke about. But now, here she was, making fun of Leena. That was not like the old Daisy. Chapter 1576 The Ke Family (Part One) "What should I do with my time then? How about taking me out to dinner with you?" Daisy teased, smiling broadly. She had developed beyond the aloof military officer and could now rx with the people she cared about. "No. Leena and I are going out on a date." Edward raised his head, acting proud and offended. "Daisy, I''d rather go out on a date with you. Let''s go and leave him behind." Leena winked at Daisy and hugged her dear friend. She pulled a face at Edward and stuck out her tongue. "Yeah, sure, why not?" Daisy pinched Leena''s chubby cheek softly, and cast a challenging nce at Edward. "Never mind! Women are way too fickle to ever understand. Alright, my two beloved princesses, where would you like to eat? It''s my treat," Edward said feigning a hurt expression as he raised his wallet. "Leena, where would you like to go for dinner? You''re pregnant, so you decide." Daisy asked Leena to select a restaurant. When Daisy had received the news of Leena''s pregnancy, she had breathed a long sigh of relief. She immediately called Leena up to rte her joy and her own experiences with pregnancy. "Uh... Anywhere is fine with me. You don''t have to specially cater for me." Leena thought, ''They are all overreacting, and they are even more nervous than me.'' "Let''s go to the Westin. I''ll ask them to prepare some delicious soup for Leena," Edward suggested seeing the two women''s indecisiveness. "Sure. Leena, let''s go there." Daisy held Leena''s hand and they walked slowly towards the elevator. She was a caring maternal figure. The three entered the elevator, joking and chatting at ease. When the elevator stopped at the first floor, an unexpected figure was waiting for them outside ¡ª Rain. He was leaning against a pir in the lobby, hands resting in his pockets. His face still bore the ever present cynical scowl. "Rain, what are you doing here?" Leena asked in surprise, walking up to Rain. "I was waiting for you." Rain reached out and embraced Leena with genuine warmth. He had also heard the news and was extremely happy for her. "How did you know we were going out?" Edward asked with a frown. This time, he was not as sharp witted as normal. "I saw Mark in the lobby, and the elevator was going down. No one could d tell from Rain''s reaction that he knew this old man somehow. Otherwise, Rain wouldn''t have acted this way. "I know that you still hate me, even after all these years." Sanford Ke''s frail body trembled like a candle me flickering in the wind. "I don''t even know you. Why would I hate you?" Rain asked coldly. His face was twisted in a cold rage and he looked very frightening at this moment. "Rain," Leena called out to him, worried now. "Mr. Ke, why don''t you join us in our private lounge?" Edward suggested. The lobby was too public to talk. "Sure!" Sanford Ke answered, happy for the opportunity to speak privately. "I don''t think that''s necessary," Rain interrupted angrily. He really had nothing to say to the old man. "Rain. Come now, this is not the ce for this conversation." Edward patted Rain''s shoulder in appeasement. He knew Rain hated his father, but he also believed Rain needed to talk with him. Rain pursed his lips and rushed to their private room, still holding Leena''s hand and dragging her away. Daisy momentarily stared at the old man in confusion. He and Rain shared some resemnce; then she realized that the old man must be Rain''s biological father. She sighed with resignation. "Let''s go, Mr. Ke," Edward said to the old man. Yes, Sanford Ke had mistreated Rain when he was young. But now he was old, and possibly did not have many more years to live. Edward was afraid Rain would feel regret for not talking with his father now if the old man died. Chapter 1577 The Ke Family (Part Two) "Thank you, Mr. Mu, for taking care of Rain for so many years," Sanford Ke said. He deeply regretted abandoning Rain all those years ago, and he was not surprised that Rain treated him with disdain. "Rain is my best friend. It is fitting that I look out for him," Edward answered, indifferent to the expression of gratitude. Sanford Ke could tell from his words that Edward med him. As a friend, Edward had taken better care of Rain than his own father, who abandoned him, ever had. Edward was a cunning fox; he subtly scolded Rain''s father with the carefully chosen insult. Leena staggered into the private lounge, pulled along by Rain, his hand still locked onto hers. She sensed that Rain''s strange behavior had something to do with the old man. She didn''t know who the old man was, but she chose not to ask Rain about him. "Don''t ask me anything," Rain dered, releasing her numb fingers. He poured a ss of water and finished it in one big gulp. "Sure." Leena rubbed her throbbing fingers. She saw Rain''s bad mood and decided to rather keep quiet. Edward and Sanford Ke entered the room, followed by Daisy and Mark. Wisely, Mark said nothing and quietly chose a seat. "Have a seat, please." Edward offered Sanford Ke a seat. "Thank you, Mr. Mu." Sanford Ke studied Rain intensely, but thetter ignored him. "When did you return home, Mr. Ke? I thought you were still abroad," Edward asked casually. No matter how much Edward disliked the Ke family, he had paid attention to them because of Rain. "I returned not long ago. As for the reason, well, I guess you already know it. After all, you''re a businessman also." Sanford Ke sighed sorrowfully. He felt ashamed of the state of his family affairs. "Yes, I''ve heard rumors about your family''s dealings, but I don''t know the exact details," Edward answered. The Ke family was still a rich and powerful family in S City, despite their recent decline. Lately, Sanford Ke''s sons and grandsons were scrambling for their inheritance of the family properties. This had be a hot topic, with much public spection. "s! I have two unfilial sons. They wait anxiously for my death, so they can carve up mypany." His sons were both senior members of thepany; their greed would divide thepany holdings, and bankruptcy would not be far off. "Hmm! How''s it possible? You are still counting on them to support you," Rain snorted. He had never epted being abandoned by his father. He had often been called "bastard" and "son of a bitch" when he was a kid. And that might be part of the reason why he became such a cynic growing up. "Rain, I sincerely invite you toe back home and take over the running ou just want to use him to save yourpany?" After having listened to their conversation, Daisy had formed a rough idea about the story and didn''t agree at all with Sanford Ke''s request. The family members of the Ke family were squabbling amongst each other for family properties. Sanford Ke wanted Rain, who had never even been admitted as a member of the family, to get involved in their fight. Daisy couldn''t understand how Sanford Ke could be so cruel to Rain. He had never treated Rain as his son, but now wanted to use him as a tool to save hispany. Daisy felt she should speak up for Rain. She pushed back her chair to do just that. "And you are?" Seeing her stand to speak, Sanford Ke asked in confusion. He really didn''t know who she was, as he had been abroad for two years, and had just returned because of the family crisis. "She is my wife. She is a straightforward person. Please don''t mind it if she says something unpleasant," Edward said in a calm voice. He continued being polite to Sanford Ke, simply because thetter was his friend''s father. If it weren''t for that, he would have asked his men to throw the old man out. "No, I don''t mind. Mrs. Mu, I''ve heard what a remarkable woman you are! To reach the rank of senior colonel at such a young age." Sanford Ke had been focused on Rain and only now did he begin to notice the others. He then looked at the girl who Rain had grabbed by the hand. Sanford Ke remembered suddenly that the girl was Duke Leng''s younger sister. ''Is Rain and the girl in a rtionship now? Does this mean that the Leng family will also help Rain?'' Sanford Ke mused joyfully. "You are ttering me, needlessly," Daisy answered coldly. She disliked Sanford Ke, and she wouldn''t be polite to him like her husband. She was above false ttery. Chapter 1578 The Bastard (Part One) Rain looked pale as a ghost. He was still frozen by the old man''s words and sorrow hung heavily in his heart. He couldn''t move from his ce even after the old man had left his side. "Rain, are you all right?" Leena reached out and gently touched his arm. There was concern in her beautiful eyes and she held his arm tofort him. Rain seemed to have much lingering in his mind. He looked so gloomy and shocked that she was really worried about his well-being. Rain quickly forced a smile and said, "Don''t worry about me. I''m fine." He realized that his reaction to the news had caused concerns. He felt embarrassed and tried to change the subject. "How''s your hand? Let me take a look," he said and took her hand. In his trance, he had grabbed her hand quite forcefully. Leena flinched and said, "Hey, don''t worry about me." She pulled her hand away gently. Thest thing she wanted was for him to worry about her bruised hand right now. "Trust me, it doesn''t matter," she said with a small smile. "Shit! It''s bruised. I am so sorry, Leena. I didn''t mean to hurt you. I had no control over myself," Rain said, when he saw her bruised hand. He rubbed his forehead in distress. He wasn''t himself at the time. He was in a state of shock and had no idea what he was doing. He had squeezed her hand to control his anger and grief, but her delicate hand was bruised because of his irrational behavior. "Rain, there''s nothing to apologize for. I can''t even fathom what you are going through right now and I want you to know that we are here for you. Always." Leena leaned in closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck in a heartwarming hug. She had been sitting by his side and listening to every word that the old man had said. The truth had shaken her, but she made peace with it. She had known that Rain''s true family was somewhere in the world. However, it never urred to her that the truth would be this painful. The old man''s words made her question the meaning of family bond. After hearing the whole story, she thought that Rain was better off without his so-called family. She, along with his other friends, would be his real family; their rtionship with Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. in her delicate condition. Leena sighed. She knew what he was thinking. "I''m not ill, you know. I''m just pregnant. I can manage on my own," she gave him a reassuring look and continued, "I can drive back myself. And I don''t want to keep you away from your work any longer." She looked at him sternly. She wasn''t their little princess in distress anymore. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. Edward wasn''t convinced. He asked with a raised eyebrow, "Are you sure that you can manage on your own? Shall I send Luke to apany you home? I assume he is free now. I can give him a call." Edward''s gaze shifted to her pouted belly and his lipspressed into a thin line. Leena shook her head violently. "Absolutely not! Luke is thest person I want to trouble right now. He must have gone with Michelle for her pregnancy check. They hardly get any time to spend together. I know how precious it is to finally be able to hang out with the person you love. So leave him alone, okay? We should not bother them now." Leena said, with her hands on her hips. Her warning was sweet and needless to say, Edward was amused. Leena rolled her eyes at him. She didn''t understand why all of her friends treated her like a spoiled brat who needed constant attention. She was honestly tired of their overreaction towards her pregnancy. She was actually wondering what more ridiculous things they woulde up with once her belly started to grow. Chapter 1579 The Bastard (Part Two) Edward saw the confident look on her face. He didn''t want to dishearten her, so he gave up and said, "Alright then, you take care of yourself on your way back. Drive carefully and please remember to call me once you are home." Leena gave him a wide smile. His caring words warmed her heart and she felt blessed to have friends like him in her life. Edward looked at her kind smile and wondered if Kevin was properly attending to her needs as much as he should. Patting her softly on the shoulder, Edward sighed silently. He just couldn''t help worrying about her safety. "Rx. I will call you as soon as I reach home. Stop nagging me," said Leena, giggling and shaking her head at his over-protectiveness. Edward waved and smiled awkwardly as she quickly walked away from him. ''Come on! I wasn''t trying to nag you, '' thought Edward. However, he didn''t say anything to her. He watched her walk swiftly to her car, as if she was trying to escape from him. Edwardughed at his little sister''s enthusiasm. It was about time he took off too. He was indeed worried about Rain, but there was still work to be done. Meanwhile, Luke and Michelle were taking a slow walk down an empty street near the hospital. Luke had learned that short walks were suited for pregnantdies. Leena had guessed it right - Luke was truly enjoying the time with his beautiful pregnant woman. Although it was nothing extravagant, Luke still cherished this precious moment with Michelle. "Luke, are you sure that you are not needed at thepany right now?" Michelle gazed warmly at her husband. "Don''t worry about it. I arranged other guards for Mr. Mu ording to his demands before I took my leave toe and see you," Luke said, giving her a reassuring look. Ever since he had admitted his love for her, he had be gentler. Although he was still a man of few words, he had all the patience in the world for his beloved wife and was willing to talk to her as much as possible. Michelle felt the same way towards him too. She was obsessed with this man. She had never thought that one day she would actually live her dream life with a beloved and devoted husband and their soon-to-be-born child. Sometimes, Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. s the only thing she ever wanted. "No. It is far from being even. I owe you way too much. I will spend the rest of my life loving you without any reserve. And I will never let you feel lonely again. You deserve the world and I will strive everyday to give it to you." Michelle''s heart was beating too fast. For a moment, she thought she was in heaven. Her eyes brimmed with tears of happiness. Her heart was full now. Luke''s stern yet gentle face attracted all her attention that she couldn''t look away from him for one second. Lost in her wildest thoughts, she almost forgot how to breathe. She was grateful that she never gave up on him. Her pursuit to gain his love and her confidence were unwavering. Of course, there were times along the way when she had thought of giving up. However, she wiped away her tears and loved him more everyday. At the end of the thorny road, she found her roses and he finally recognized her love and now they were expecting a child together. Her life was blissful. Love was in the air. She could feel it. He hadpletely given her his heart just as she had wanted. She couldn''t possibly think of a life without him anymore. She smiled and shook away her tears. "Luke, I am craving for strawberries. Could you get me some?" Her eyes were still wet as she softly asked him. "Right now?" Luke asked her, raising one of his brows. It wasn''t strawberry season yet. Where on earth could he source the sweet berries for her? Chapter 1580 The Bastard (Part Three) "Yeah! You will find some for me, won''t you?" Her voice wasced with honey and her look was so innocent. "Of course. Anything you want. Let''s go and buy some together," Luke said, grinning. Her innocent look melted his heart like an ice cream in hot summer. He was ready to turn the world upside down for her. And today he had plenty of time to spoil her. Today, he belonged to no one but her. His earnest look filled her heart with the sweetest joy. Without any morous words, he easily took her breath away. Michelle remembered a saying- ''Happiness is a choice. There will always be stress in life, but it''s your choice whether you let it affect you or not.'' With Luke by her side, she knew that she was blessed with incredible happiness every single second of her life. Rain drove all the way to the beach. He desperately needed to breathe in some cool sea air to calm down. The ocean breeze gently brushed against his face. For just a moment, he felt refreshed. His heart was hurt badly and it ached so much to even think about the past. As he walked along the shore barefooted, Rain could feel the roughness of the sand under his feet. The waves sshed against the small rocks, wet his trousers and washed away his footprints as he walked. The water was cold, but he couldn''t care less. His mind was upied with something even colder. His life was a ridiculous farce! He felt like he was living in a TV drama. He wondered if anything surrounding him was ever real. Rain curled up his lips and grinned bitterly. What a joke! The ancient Ke family, the unspoken and honorable family that represented power and privilege. But, in his eyes, they were nothing. He despised them and everything they represented. His hands rolled into tight fists as he thought about his mother. Back then, his mother must have suffered greatly in the Ke family. She was seen as a despicable mistress and was never treated with respect. Tears formed in his eyes as he thought about his humble mother being humiliated by others. His mother had no choice. She was tricked into the ill-fated rtionship. She had n end. Eventually, Leena came to her senses. She pressed her lips into a tight line, forcing herself to calm down. Slowly, she moved towards the sofa and sat down. Panicking wouldn''t solve the issue at hand. She had to remain calm for Rain''s sake. As she stared at her phone, she quickly thought of other possible ways to contact Rain. She started to text their other friends. They all came back with positive replies. As she talked to more people, she gradually epted that Rain would be alright. She chose to believe Edward''s words- Rain wanted to be alone at the moment. He needed space and time to deal with his problems. As his friends, the best thing they could offer him right now, was to give him time to heal. Leena agreed with Edward. She put away the mad thoughts in her little head and chose to step away from the phone and wait. Leena''s calls were pointless at this point because Rain had left his phone in his car. He didn''t even hear the phone ringing. He was sitting on a big rock by the shore, staring aimlessly into the distance. The sea breeze gently tossed his hair back as he raised his head to look at the horizon. He looked like a motionless statue from afar. To Rain, the word ''Bastard'' was a disgrace. He absolutely hated it. He would rather have been an orphan like Luke than a bastard. ''Bastard...What a disgusting identity, '' thought Rain. He felt sick to the stomach. Chapter 1581 The Bastard (Part Four) He sat idly on the rock for a very long time, as if he was part of a painting which blended perfectly with the blue sky and the indigo ocean in the back. Big wavesshed onto the shore, one after another. White foams sshed onto his shirt, some of them wet his mouth. He licked the foam; the bitterness of the sea made him smirk. His heart was more bitter than the ocean. His life was a show he put up for people around him. He was a funny, cool gentleman in front of others. But as soon as the lights went out, he had to return to his little dark corner. There, he had to clean up his unseen wounds and amend his own broken heart all by himself. He was like an artist- performing and faking emotions. He knew how to distract people with his uniqueughter. He never revealed his real self to anyone. The people around him thought of him as a funny, positive and generally happy person. But they couldn''t be more wrong. He was torn, beaten, and wounded by his harsh life. He had to live with his mask on. His life was merely a show for others. The sunset over the horizon was simply breathtaking, but Rain was not paying any attention to it. Nothing seemed beautiful or wholesome to him anymore. Waves nosily hit the rocks underneath his feet one after another and then faded away. asionally, a seagull would fly across the sky, hovering above the ocean not far from where he sat. Rain watched the view in front of him, his mind galloping wildly. Time seemed frozen at some point. He couldn''t control his emotions any longer. His past haunted him like a vengeful ghost. So many scenes shed in front of his eyes, messing up his mind. No matter how desperately he tried, he couldn''t break the shackles of his nightmares. They were everywhere. There was no escape. Rain buried his face into his palms and moaned in agony. Depression soon overwhelmed him. He was the one who had chosen to ce all his burdens on his own shoulders. Now, he had to face the consequence with his remaining courage. When the sun finally disappeared into the sea, Rain dragged himself back to the car. He closed his tired eyes and took a few minutes'' nap. He picked up the phone by his side and was sur ell hit him. Rain sniggered. She was right. He did smell unpleasant. But it wasn''t that horrible. Inside the bathroom, Leena bent over the toilet and puked everything out. With trembling legs, she came back to Rain''s side and gave him a weak smile. With a baby growing inside her, she couldn''t stand any strong smell. Rain, with his trip to the ocean, caused her to have that crazy pregnancy reaction. "You poor little thing, are you all right? Do I really smell like rotten fish to you?" Rain patted her softly on the shoulder, trying to help her feel better. Then he went to the kitchen and fetched a ss of water for her to wash away the smell in her mouth. As they sat down on the sofa, he looked at her and said, "I do smell like seaweed, I suppose. But boy, you are over-reacting!" Leena rinsed her mouth and pulled herself together. Then she said weakly, "I am not over-reacting! I''m pregnant, you know. I''m sensitive to scent, especially unpleasant ones like this. Even the slightest odor makes me vomit." "Oh! I almost forgot that you are pregnant. Now I understand. For a moment, I thought that I was so stinky that the mere sight of me sent you straight into the bathroom!" His casual joke made herugh. She gave him a friendly nudge and giggled. Rain had the magical power to cheer others up. Despite the fact that he was a broken man inside, he never showed his vulnerability to others. He armed himself with the most gorgeous smile. Chapter 1582 His Mind Changed (Part One) "Were you on the beach?" Leena asked, daintily wiping her mouth with a napkin. ''No wonder he didn''t answer my calls. He needed time away in a pure environment to heal himself. I just hope that it worked.'' She thought. "Um! I realized just how dirty the atmosphere in the downtown area has be, so I needed the ocean breeze and some freedom, to clear my mind." Rain said, smiling dazzlingly. The smile appeared strange on his normally mncholy features, and it revealed how handsome and elegant his face could be. Clearly, he had inherited his attractive attributes from his mother, not his father. "Dig in! Eat! I have prepared all this yummy food, they''re all your favorite dishes." Leena encouraged. She had been greatly concerned about him and had spent the whole afternoon preparing his favorite foods to make him feel at home with thefort of wholesome dishes to enjoy. "Girl, why are you suddenly so nice to me?" Rain was moved by Leena''s efforts, but he asked the question off handedly, trying to hide how affected he felt. Over the years, he had often spoiled her, because of her beauty and kindness; he had nursed a secret desire to see their rtionship reach fruition. "Why do you think?" Leena asked, batting her eyshes seductively. Then she vanished in to the kitchen, wrapped in an air of innocence. "You want my body, right?" Rain called after her with a teasing smile and raised eyebrow. It seemed that he had finally banished his bad mood. It was pleasant to tease and joke with Leena. "Sure, Rain, you''re pretty handsome. But, sorry, no! I like a man full of vigor. You''re just not my type." Leena saidughing at their game of tease. She settled at the table next to him, an elegant blush spreading on her beautifully rounded face. "How am I not your type? Look at this perfectly triangr figure. Don''t underestimate me." Rain argued seriously, lifting up his shirt to show off his lean, muscr frame. He was a perfect example of "Being skinny with clothes on and muscr without them." "Puff! Rain, I was talking about the spirit, not the body!" Leenaughed so hard that she spewed some soup out into the hastily raised napkin. "Wow. Girl, you obviously take me for a pig, right? Look at all this food! Are you serious? You''re jealous of my sexy figure, and now you are trying to fatten me up like a pig, right?" Honestly though, Rain was deeply touched by Lee you have the might and power of the FX International Group at your back." Edward said with an evil smile. Daisy was right; Edward was a devious businessman. "In this way I would take KD Group back to it''s former glory indirectly, won''t I?" Rain sat up as insight dawned, looking at Edward. ''What a holy-shit idea from him? He must have known that I''ve been looking forward to seeing KD Group''s downfall. It would be very kind and merciful of me not to take advantage of the situation and give them a further hit. Why did he think I would turn the tide in their favor?'' He thought. "Have you thought this through? You could manipte the situation and establish your own dominance in KD Group, then everybody there would be at your beck and call." Edward said, revealing his ultimate goal. He wanted the people, who all used to look down upon Rain, to rely on him for their living. This was not an easy strategy, but in the long run a much more satisfying way to get back at them. "Let me think about it." Rain said, his mental gears grinding at Edward''s idea. If this seeded he would finally win respect for his mother! He hesitantly considered theplicated dynamics of the Ke family''swork. "Let me know your answer, once you''ve made up your mind. We''re not short of investment opportunities, but KD group is ripe for the taking, why not do it? Besides, the Ke family owes you, doesn''t it? I know you don''t give a shit about them, but there''s no reason for you not to profit from the people who mistreated you." This was Edward. He would find a way to take advantage of someone who owed him. Chapter 1583 His Mind Changed (Part Two) "Got it. I''ll sleep on it." Rain said, deep in thought. He had thought that the more isted he could be from that family, the better he would feel. But Edward''s idea made him uncertain what to do next. ording to Edward, he should consider taking their money by manipting the situation, why should he decline it if they offered the opportunity to him? Edward observed Rain thoughtfully. He hadn''t asked Rain to defend his position before, because it wasn''t good timing then. But, now everything was ready. He just hoped Rain could fight for himself, not for the sake of the family property, but for his standing with the Ke family. In the following days, Rain continued pondering his options. He had previously made lots of assumptions, but they were being overturned now. He hadn''t wanted tomunicate with anyone in the Ke family. His hesitation was ended by an incident which finally made up his mind. Rain was always making public appearances as the Vice President of FX International Group. This wine party was no exception. Unexpectedly, he was confronted by one of the Ke family members, the eldest son of the Ke family, who had voiced the biggest disapproval of Rain. "Since when are they inviting anyone to a high-end wine party?" Cyrus Ke said with a sarcastic smile. He regarded Rain proudly, his eyes full of contempt. "I couldn''t agree with you more. Why, I can hear dog''s barking in this very ce?" Rain fought back lightly. He hadn''t sought trouble, but Cyrus hadunched the first assault. ''You wanna do it the hard way, right?'' He thought. "Who''s the dog?" Cyrus ground his teeth, staring hard at Rain. If his father hadn''t asked this rogue to take over thepany, he would not have bothered himself to pick a fight with Rain. "The one who barked at my question." Rain replied, behaving like a punk as usual. He was calmly making fun of the eldest son of the Ke family. "Humph! Do not deceive yourself into believing that you coulde back to our home, just because my dad suddenly thinks highly of you. Let me tell you straight, it''s impossible. Don''t forget that my mom is still there!" Cyrus said with a sinister smile. As long as his mom was in the Ke family, the bastard would never have any chance at setting foot into that house. "Let me rify something: In your n, but he had no release for his anger when Rain left him so proudly. All he could do was clench his teeth and ball his fists. He wanted to p the smile off of Rain''s handsome face. His father had been attracted to Rain''s mother because of the same enchanting features. Then she gave birth to the bastard Rain, who now fought over the fortune with him. He had been squabbling with everyst one in his family already. Now, there was another unexpected contender. With enemies inside and outside, how could Cyrus not feel exasperated? Compared to Cyrus, Rain felt more cheerful. He had just won the first round of the game. The sense of achievement was more fulfilling than securing a lucrative tender. Cyrus now paid attention to him, which meant he possessed something that scared Cyrus. So, Cyrus tried to scare him off with intimidation. He had previously felt insulted and cursed by them, because of his inferiorityplex. But today, he would not let history repeat. ''So, Cyrus, get ready, because I have a huge surprise for you! I promise, you will not like it.'' Rain thought. The Ke family, with a long history, was one of the noblest families in S City. It was Cyrus''s father who had taken KD Group to the top and turned it into a business empire. But thepany had sadly begun to back slide over the past two or three years, because Cyrus''s father stepped down. Even so, thepany wouldn''t be closed down that easily, since it possessed a firm foundation. But it was just no longer as steady as before, when in it''s full glory. Chapter 1584 The King Of S City (Part One) Polished leather dress shoesnded on the concrete ground in front of a tall, imposing ss building. It was not as grand as FX International Group, but it was still as famous in S City. The handsomely dressed man walked to the entrance and stepped inside. The opulent crystals of the chandelier glittered when the sunlight hit them as they cast beautiful patterned shadows on the glossy granite tiles of the floor. The man, Rain, didn''t expect to enter KD Group so easily, yet less than a week after the wine party, here he was. The conference room was littered with thepany''s key people in a heated discussion about something. Although everyone knew that Rain would be the CEO of KD Group, Sanford''s family still came to thepany to change his mind and persuade him from letting Rain be the acting president of KD Group. "Daddy, why? Why do you want that little bastard to be CEO of KD Group?" Vance Ke said. He was Sanford''s second son. He looked rather arrogant with his hands folded across his chest as he huffed in annoyance. "Watch your tongue. He is not a bastard. He is your brother." Sanford red at him as he thought, ''If you guys were as capable as Rain, then I wouldn''t have to do this.'' "My brother? He is not my brother!" Vance sneered and his nostrils red in irritation. "Vance is right. There''s no way Rain will be my brother." An elegantly dresseddy in a red wrap dress beside Vance echoed his sentiments with contempt. She was Tiana, Vance''s sister. An older, yet just as sharp voice added fuel to the fire. "I''m still alive. If that little bastard wants to get into the KD Group, he''ll step over my dead body." After all these years, Sheena was still shrewd as ever. Although time had left its mark on her face, her character and attitude were still as fiery. "Nonsense! I''m not asking for your opinion. I''m telling you that if you have a problem with it, you can leave the house or thepany." Sanford red at them. They allpsed into silence as he looked somanding that his presence made the atmosphere in the room tense. "Dad, we''re not against him entering ourpany. We just think it''s too risky for you to let a vice president of anotherpany run our own." A calm but confident voice echoed throughout the room. It was Hannah, Cyrus'' wife. As a smart and capable businesswoman, she held a high position at KD Group. "I agree with Hannah. Dad, everything is fine in ourpany. Why are you maki He thought, ''Do you think you''re still that same richdy?'' He knew that ever since her eldest brother took over their family business, he had never given her any help or assistance. After being exposed by this little revtion from Sanford, Sheena suddenly nched. He was right. Before KD Group encountered any difficulties, her brother was generous to her. However since that misfortune, he had turned his back on her. Meanwhile, downstairs at the building''s lobby, Rain had entered KD Group''s premises. As soon as he stepped inside, a middle-aged man walked towards him. "Mr. Xia, nice to meet you. I am Lawrence, the legal adviser of your Dad. I''ve been working for him for many years. He told me to wait here for you," Lawrence greeted him. When Lawrence saw Rain, his eyes went a little red and he suddenly remembered Rain''s mother. They looked so much alike. "Nice to meet you, too. Lawrence. Just call me Rain, if you don''t mind. By the way, he is not my father," Rain said back. Rain wore a piercing dark navy blue suit for this day. From the suit''s design, to its craftsmanship and intricate details, it was not difficult to see that his suit was tailored by a famous designer. It was actually a suit from LN FASHION, a stylish and dapperbel especially chosen for him by Leena. "No, no, no. I can''t call you like that. You''re the new CEO of KD Group after all," said Lawrence in slight trepidation. It was rumored that Rain was an ipetent fellow, but when Lawrence saw him, he found him to be quite charming and impressive in the way he carried himself, which was totally different from what the reports imed. Chapter 1585 The King Of S City (Part Two) "I will take that as a yes," Rain said with a smile. He knew what he was going to face without a moment''s thought. Lawrence frowned, but he didn''t say anything. He just led him to the elevator. ''Rain looks smarter and more capable than his two brothers, '' Lawrence thought to himself in silence. The short trip was quiet. Lawrence bowed to him respectfully and left when they reached the designated floor. Rain walked to the doors of the conference room and when he entered, everyone''s heads turned to look at him with resentful gazes. He felt a shiver run down his spine. "Hello, everyone. You didn''t expect us to meet so soon, did you?" Rain addressed everyone happily. He smirked mischievously and at the back of his mind he thought, ''Just wait, you bastards. I will treat you "well."'' "No one wants to see you, you little bastard. You don''t deserve to sit here!" Sheena sneered at Rain and red at him. She was furious because when she looked at Rain, she remembered how her husband betrayed her. "Mrs. Ke, you just called me a bastard in front of Mr. Ke. Aren''t you afraid he''ll get mad?" Rain said ironically as he scanned the people present in the room. He knew all of them except two women. "Don''t try to ruin my rtionship with Sanford. Even if you can get into KD Group, you can''t go back to our house. As long as I''m alive, you can''t get what you want." Sheena hissed at him like he was an annoying little shrew. A cunning woman like her would still be pissed off at Rain. "Don''t worry, I never wanted anything to do with your family. Your house is too dirty for a noble man like me." He had only agreed to help Sanford run thepany, but he had no intentions of returning to their home at all. "Since you despise us so much, then why did youe to KD Group? If I were you, I won''t ask for trouble," Vance said haughtily. He thought he was handsome, but when he stood in front of Rain it was as if he was overshadowed by his brother''s presence. "You should ask Mr. Ke that question. You should ask him why he wants me to run yourpany. Is it because you are all too ipetent to do the job?" When it came to arguments, no one faced off with Rain except Edward. That man was a sophist after all. "Don''t be so arrogant. Do you really think you can save KD Group?" Cyrus said as he scowled at Rain and thought, ''Damn it! Didn''t he say he wasn''ting to KD Group? Why is o take a picture with him, she could show off in front of her ssmates. "Wait for me!" Tiana hollered. If Leena had called him, he would have stopped walking to wait for her at once; but it was Tiana who did, so he hastened his pace to get in the car. Tiana honestly did not expect Rain to do that to her, so there was nothing she could do but watch him drive away. She felt annoyed at this but she didn''t give up the idea of taking a picture with him. Rain nced at the receding figure of Tiana through the rear view mirror. He smiled coldly and thought, ''Tiana, though you didn''t actually hurt me, you are still Sheena''s daughter. You deserved that.'' The car soon turned to a buildingplex and stopped at the parking space. Rain got out of the car to go inside and made a beeline for the executive lounge. Being back at FX International Group made Rain feel rxed. The silence and people at KD Group smothered him. "So, how''s it going?" A man in a charcoal gray suit sauntered to him. For the first time, Edward offered him a drink and sat down beside him. "Everything is fine," Rain said confidently. He knew that this was only the beginning, and he had a lot of things on his te to face next. "That''s great! You''re so awesome! Let''s toast to your victory!" Edward said approvingly as he raised his ss of cogniac and made a celebratory toast to him. What they really wanted was not Sanford''s property or assets, it was the feeling of superiority that woulde from defeating them. They wanted all those who ever looked down at him to know that he was the king of S City. Chapter 1586 Kevins Return (Part One) "Thank you!" eximed Rain in exasperation. "In my opinion, the situation in KD Group has be ratherplicated!" It was a rare sight to see the man so frustrated. The chaos in KD Group must have really agitated him. "Well, what else do you think?" questioned Edward. Rain threw him an expectant look. Rolling his eyes, Edward exined, "KD Group is a family business. If you want to have it under control in a short period of time, you''ll need to take down nepotism in the office first." As Edward rubbed his chin thoughtfully, Rain snorted at the proposal. "In that case, I guess they''ll just tear me up," said Rain sarcastically. The Ke family''s attitude didn''t go undetected by him. So he could only imagine what trap and challengesy in wait at the KD Group. If there was anything to be learned from his past encounters with them, it was that working there would usher in a regr dose of distress and pressure. What fun! "Well, are you going to cower in fear just because of a challenge?" Smirking, Edward turned his head sideways and nced at Rain. "You can''t pull back an arrow once it''s shot," Rain scoffed, "Do you think I''d quickly get knocked down?" Before entering the KD Group, he was smart enough to make a detailed investigation on the Ke family''s existing personnel. A man with a n, Rain was more than well-equipped to deal with them. "Good," Edward said, "You''ve really got some guts there with you." Grabbing his drink on the table, Edward clinked sses with Rain. A big n seemed to be in order. And all they needed to do now was patiently wait for the perfect time to set it in motion. The Ke family was about to taste the kiss of betrayal. And they wouldn''t know what would hit them. "Of course, I''m Rain the Invincible," said Rain smugly. Hearing apliment from Edward himself, Rain couldn''t help but feel a bitcent. "Just because I praised you, though, doesn''t mean you should be overconfident with yourself. You shouldn''t underestimate the Ke family!" Then he sniffed and shook his head. t angry because of private interests. The decision just seemed unjustifiable, and she needed people to aplish her delegation. Under those circumstances, anyone would be just as enraged. So Hannah''s reaction was definitely normal. "The reason why your person lost his position was that, instead of trying to focus on his work, he was too busy provoking me," responded Rain calmly. "As the president of KD Group, should I have no punishment to him as a warning to anyone who wishes to follow his footsteps?" ying with his signature pen at the tip of his fingers, he gave the woman enough time to let his words sink in. It was a habit that grew more difficult to change. "Okay, Rain Xia," said Hannah, finally. She red at him. "Let''s see how long you can keep up with this charade of yours." A part of her believed that she was at fault for forgetting to remind her people to follow the rules during this transitional period. And as a result of her negligence, their careless mouths dragged them directly before the muzzle of the gun, bing the first to be dismissed. "Why don''t we just wait and see then!" Rain said unblinkingly. As she was only a woman who came from a slightly rich family, Rain was impervious to her threats. Did she really think that she could run around and demand things just because she was married to a member of the Ke family? Chapter 1587 Kevins Return (Part Two) "Hmp!" Hannah stomped her foot and left his office. On her way out, she met Eugenia who seemed to be on the way to meet with Rain as well. "Hey!" greeted Eugenia in surprise. She nced at Rain''s office door before turning to her. "What''s the matter, Hannah? Did you know someone who got fired?" Secretly, the two women had beenpeting to one-up the other. And after butting heads too often, both of them had agreed that it was best to keep their distance as much as they could. "Eugenia, shouldn''t you be more anxious than me?" Hannah asked politely. "With the things you''ve done, I''m not surprised you''re here." Never underestimate a woman''s envy, for even if it were over a trivial matter, they could hold a grudge for a very long time. "We shouldn''t be at each other''s throats right now, you know," said Hannah, walking away slowly and facing her. "We have amon enemy, and it''s that little bastard in there," She nodded towards Rain''s office. When she had joined the Ke family, she didn''t know the existence of the man. Only recently did she hear about him, and she wasn''t impressed. "You provoked me first. Why is it my fault now?" asked Eugenia casually. Somewhat headstrong, she wasn''t used to admitting defeat. It was a w that developed due toing from a rich family. And she had always found it convenient against her enemies. "Okay, okay. It''s my fault then," Hannah said, "I''m sorry. Is that enough?" Considering themon interests they shared, Hannah had to let go of her pride to appease Eugenia. At any rate, there was plenty of other opportunities for them topete in the future. Today''s mishap required a truce. "Well..." Eugenia trailed, "It''s not like I''m entirely meless. Why don''t we just forget it? I''ve got something else to do." Since Hannah threw in the towel first this time around, she concluded it was best not toe too aggressively, and didn''t push the conversation further. Watching her enter the President''s room, Hannah''s eyes turned dark as she dropped the pretense. Did she really think she was s ng his military uniform, Lee noted that Kevin got a tan. It was likely due to the tropical conditions in the foreign country. "Well, she''s okay! Although," said Lee, thinking carefully. "There was that one time the other day when she vomited so much because of the foul-smelling fish odor." He recalled the time when she was cooking fish. Like a true soldier, Lee followed Kevin''s instructions without question. Every weekend, he would drop by to see Leena and apany her. "What, she vomited?" asked Kevin, starting to worry immediately. "Has she seen a doctor yet?" Keen to find out if his wife was okay, he wished he could see Leena already. And after finding out about her ailment, he couldn''t wait for another minute anymore. "She said it was just the fishy odor that got to her," exined Lee. As Lee was oblivious to Leena''s current sensitive condition, he thought it was just a simple stomach ache. "I didn''t know she hated the smell of seafood," Kevin muttered, as they walked out of the airport. A gust of cold wind blew past them. Sighing, he reveled as the cold wind hit his face. "Ah, I didn''t know either," shrugged Lee. Given the fact that Kevin, the husband, didn''t seem to know about it, it was ridiculous to expect Lee to possibly know. "Did you tell her of my return?" Getting in the car, he turned to look at Lee with an expectant look. Chapter 1588 Kevins Return (Part Three) "Not at all!" answered Lee, proudly. "You said you wanted to surprise her, so I made a mental note not to open my mouth about it." Lee would''ve been pretty foolish to disobey Kevin''s instructions. "That''s good to know," said a satisfied Kevin, "let''s go then." Resting his hands into his pockets, he clutched the gift he brought for Leena. During hisst training, he asked a friend to help him buy a gift. It was not, however, for Leena. Although he had hurt her plenty of times, he had hoped that the small gesture would be enough for her to forgive him. When he arrived at the Grand Apartment, the entire house was dead silent. Apparently, Leena wasn''t at home yet. So it seemed that it was not a proper time for his wish to give her a surprise. Even when he was away for a while, nothing much had changed in the house. Everything seemed familiar, and in some cases, he would catch a whiff of Leena''s perfume hanging in the air. After looking around some more, he decided to take a quick bath first while she wasn''t home. After his bath, Leena should be back by then. Meanwhile, at the supermarket, Leena was ambling around aimlessly. She didn''t know why, but ever since she became pregnant, her appetite had improved so much. She grew an appreciation for eating all kinds of snacks, and wasn''t sure if it would induce an uncontroble weight gain. In front of her was a young couple. The woman''s belly stuck out and Leena could tell almost immediately that she was expecting too. She was pouting, angry like she was having an argument with her husband. The closer she got, the more convinced she was by her theory. But then, the husband was quick topromise. Smiling, the man consoled his wife. After a few more hushed exchanges, she stopped being angry. A small smile crept up on her face. Seeing such a scene made Leena admire them. Her hand instinctively rested on her abdomen. ''Oh baby, your daddy broke his words. He said he''d be back within two months. But it''s been two days overdue, and he still hasn''te home, '' Leena thought to herself. Leena heard from around that as a pregnant woman, she had to eat more fruits and vegetables. With that in mind, she dropped by the fruits section and started grabbing everything she liked. In Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. such a kiss the entire time he was away, she didn''t hesitate to give him what he wanted. "Wait a minute, Kevin," said Leena, realizing something. "Not now." Stopping Kevin''s hand just as he was reaching out to lift her shirt, Leena tried to catch her breath. The doctor said that she had to be careful during the first three months of her pregnancy. Thus, she decided she couldn''t risk it for a moment of joy. "Why?" he asked. "Oh! Is it because you have your period?" Kevin wasn''t exactly familiar with periods. Although he heard other girls mention it in the past, he so rarely cared about it. Ever since he married Leena, however, he took it upon himself to understand and pay more attention to it. "That''s not the reason," said Leena, shaking her head. "I''ll tell youter!" As soon as her hormones calmed down, she began to panic. Leena didn''t know how to announce such a big surprise. Staring into his beautiful eyes, she wondered how she could open this to him. "Why wait for a moment?" questioned Kevin restlessly. "Can''t you just say it now?" And for that two months when he was away, he didn''t get to have sex with her. Despite the interruption, his enthusiasm didn''t waver. He rubbed her earlobe lovingly, teasing her. "No, it''s just that..." Leena''s breath hitched at his gesture. Her body was burning with excitement. Closing her eyes, she leaned close against his body. She wanted it just as much as he did. But despite her desire, herpelling reason told her that she couldn''t. Chapter 1589 Youre Going To Be A Father (Part One) "Just what, huh?" Kevin was busy with his lips roaming her neck. "What do you want to tell me?" he moaned. He looked at her with lust-filled eyes as he kept kissing her, and coaxed Leena to return his ministrations. They hadn''t seen each other for more than two months, and Kevin missed his wife like hell. He couldn''t wait any longer and wanted her right here, right now. She was trying not to be distracted with what he was doing. "I, ahhh..." Pausing for a few seconds, Leena then stood on tiptoe and leaned towards Kevin. She brought her mouth next to Kevin''s ear and whispered, "You''re going to be a father soon." Then she stepped back and blinked her eyes in expectation, waiting to see Kevin''s reaction. He didn''t disappoint her. Kevin pulled back and stood frozen with his mouth agape. "Whaa... What, Nana? What did you just say? Please say it again!" he asked her hoarsely. After recovering from the initial shock, Kevin tried to contain his excitement. Did he hear Leena correctly? But it couldn''t be real! It was impossible for his wife to bear children. So, he couldn''t believe the good news he heard. Slowly, Leena repeated, "You are going to be a father soon." His stunned look amused Leena. She understood the reaction because it was how she felt once she heard the good news herself. Like Kevin, she was in disbelief. Leena never thought it was possible, but here she was now, pregnant! A baby was growing inside her. "Tell me it''s real! You''re not kidding?" he asked excitedly. The man couldn''t be happier. Leena getting pregnant was something Kevin never expected. He still couldn''t believe he was finally going to be a father! And it was so precious because it would be his and Leena''s first child. "No, I am not kidding, Kevin. We are going to be parents soon. It''s really happening!" Leena reiterated, excitement evident in her tone. She shared Kevin''s happiness and excitement. After her confirmation, Kevin wrapped his arms tightly around her, then lifted her and spun her around. Her husband felt like he was Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. she hung her head low. "So, how is the baby? Is it healthy? Did Tom say anything?" Kevin asked, his brows furrowed. Like many soon-to-be fathers, the first thing he was worried about was the baby''s health. It was a normal reaction for first-time fathers, and Leena appreciated his concern. She sighed in contentment. "Yes, the baby is healthy. The doctor told me everything was fine. I only need to go to the hospital for a check-up every few weeks, for now. Also, I need to eat food high in protein. That is all I need to worry about right now," Leena exined. Gently biting her lower lip, the young woman couldn''t contain her smile. Whenever she thought of going to the hospital for check-ups like Patricia, she couldn''t help but feel happy and excited. All her hard work had paid off. She had expected that being pregnant with Kevin''s child would make them happy, but she had no idea it would be this joyous for her. "That''s good to know," he said, blowing out a breath. Then he put his lips on Leena''s and gave her a resounding kiss. Kevin was less worried now that he knew their baby was all right. He was so happy that it made him nearly dizzy. "By the way, why didn''t you let me pick you up?" Leena asked. She puckered her lips and looked at her husband with using eyes. She wanted to pick him up herself so she could see him earlier. Chapter 1590 Youre Going To Be A Father (Part Two) He shrugged apologetically. "I wanted to surprise you, but didn''t expect I would end up being surprised," Kevin exined. "I prepared a gift for you. Close your eyes first, and no peeking." Checking that she couldn''t see anything, Kevin took out a box that had been inside his pocket the entire time. He opened the box, took the ne out, and put it around Leena''s neck. "What is it?" Leena asked curiously. But she kept her eyes closed as Kevin told her. Leena still had no idea what her husband got her. Still, her heart melted at the thought that Kevin would buy a gift immediately after his two-month training stint. "You can open your eyes now," Kevin said softly. He examined the ne he had put on Leena, and took a deep breath as he admired the way it made her look utterly beautiful. The ne entuated her gorgeous neck. Her face nearly glowed with the silver chain, which made her skin lighter. Perhaps, it was pure happiness that made Kevin think he had never seen Leena look this lovely. He was hoping his wife would appreciate the gift. "Is it a ne?" Leena asked as she opened her eyes. She had felt Kevin''s hands around her neck and made the right guess. It pleased her that he thought of her during his training and presented her with such a wonderful surprise. Leena bet it was a gorgeous piece of jewelry. "It''s actually a ring. But I put it on a silver ne so you won''t ever lose it," Kevin said. His thoughtfulness touched Leena. It was a promise Kevin made to his wife before that he would pick rings for them himself, and he remembered to do it. "But why are there two rings?" Leena asked as she inspected the ne. She felt two rings on the silver chain, and this confused her. Did Kevin give her two rings? But why? "You know that I''m a soldier, correct? So, I''m not allowed to wear a ring when I am at the army base or on a mission. That''s why I decided to let you keep my ring, too. This way, you can look at it whenever you think of me. Think of it like I''m beside you all the time. Do you like it?" Kevin said. Ther Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. extra careful now because of the baby she was carrying. Kevin didn''t want anything to happen to the baby or Leena. He knew this child was priceless, a gift from God. And they were both grateful to have the chance to be parents, so Kevin vowed he would take good care of his wife and child. "Okay, I promise," Leena told her husband. She knew Kevin was both happy and worried about her condition, so she agreed with everything he said to make him worry less about her. Leena knew she had to be careful, and she too was aware of how blessed they were to have a baby on the way. She would not let anything screw this up. Besides, she was also aware that Kevin rarely had free time, and he would not be able to apany her every time she went shopping. "Good, that''s settled. I''m going down to get the things now. I''ll be back in a bit," Kevin said. He was out the door instantly. Meanwhile, Leena immediately walked to the bathroom inside their bedroom. She wanted to have a close look at the gift Kevin gave her just now through the mirror. She had never been the type of woman who cared a lot about gifts because she was a practical person. But Leena didn''t mind receiving a significant gift from her loving husband. And just like every girl who received a gift from her beloved, she was delighted. Leena wanted to inspect the rings that signified their deep love for each other. Chapter 1591 Youre Going To Be A Father (Part Three) When their parents learned that Leena was pregnant, they were all ecstatic. Shannon was so happy that she shed a few tears of joy. They all looked forward to bing grandparents. In her happiness, Shannon went to the temple to thank Buddha for granting her wish of a precious grandchild. Now, all they wanted was for Leena and the baby to be healthy. On the other hand, Nathan was all smiles after hearing the good news. He was not one to easily show his emotions, regardless if he was happy or sad. But he called Leena to say a few words to her, mainly telling the mother-to-be to take good care of herself, but in his usual stern and strict way. It seemed that he did not dislike his daughter-inw after all. "What did dad say to you?" Kevin inquired. He saw Leena hang up the phone after speaking to his father. He was curious because it was surprising for Nathan to call Leena. As far as he knew, his father never called Leena, not even once. Usually, it was their mother who called. "He told me to eat more and eat healthy now that I''m pregnant. He also told me to be careful and take care of myself and the baby. He said I should not act childish and go away when I want to, because I am no longer alone," Leena recounted Nathan''s words. Biting her lip, Leena thought about her conversation with Kevin''s father. As he spoke, Leena didn''t feel like it was a scolding. He might have sounded stern as if admonishing Leena for a wrong she had done, but the girl felt her father-inw''s concern for her and the baby. Leena decided it was Nathan''s way of showing that he cared for her. "His tone isn''t nice, is it? But that''s just how he is. He talks that way even with me, so don''t mind him," Kevinforted his wife. He was worried that Leena would be upset if she felt his father was berating her, so Kevin immediately sought to assure her. He didn''t want to see his wife be depressed over something that was due to misinterpretation. It was Leena''s turn to assure Kevin. "I''m fine, don''t worry. I''m not upset. Besides, I think that he cares more about me now than he did before. He used to be so indifferent to me in the past. But now, he even called me himself. That''s a huge step forward, don''t you think so? So I am not going to be upset with his manner of speaking." She had put on a pretty smile. The doctor told her it Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. s when she behaved like a child. He liked this cute Leena, whom he found adorable. "Of course, all men are like this," Leena mumbled to herself. Her brows remained furrowed. When she first heard Patricia and Michelleining to her about their husbands'' overprotectiveness, Leena thought they were only exaggerating. Now, she understood they were telling the truth. Men were all like this. They would force you to eat something they thought was good for the baby in the name of caring about the child''s health. "What do you mean by that?" Kevin stopped in his tracks when he heard her words. He turned around and looked at Leena with curious eyes. He wanted to know why his wife said this. "You care so much about the baby''s well-being that you forget your own wife''s feelings," she pouted. Leena knew she was acting childish, but couldn''t help it. She was not jealous of the baby. But she did feel it was unfair when her husband thought of the baby first. "Nana, you''re wrong. Let me tell you why. If a man doesn''t love the woman who''s carrying his child, he''ll never embrace the baby in her womb. He won''t care about them. You know I love you, that''s why I also love our baby," Kevin exined. He was aware there were men who only cared for the child, not their wife. But Kevin wasn''t like that. He was a husband first. The only way for him to be a good father was to be a good husband. Yes, he cared about the baby''s well-being very much, but it didn''t mean he cared less about Leena. The truth was, he cared about the baby''s mother very much. Chapter 1592 Youre Going To Be A Father (Part Four) Frustrated with herself, Leena admitted, "I''m just being childish. Don''t think too much into it. I''m fine." Honestly, she had no doubt that Kevin loved her, but she didn''t know why she blurted out what she said without a second thought. Even Leena could not exin what made her say things that would upset her husband. But she couldn''t help herself then. Her hormones were probably on overdrive because she was pregnant. "No, I understand. All right, stay here. I''ll be right back," Kevin said kindly. He remembered Tom saying that pregnant women were likely to have mood swings quite often. So no matter what unreasonable things Leena said to him, he should not take them seriously. Kevin now knew she was not able to control herself during certain instances. Smiling sheepishly, Leena nodded at her husband. She was grateful that Kevin was very understanding. If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that he would make a good father in the future. Leena, for now, was only being dramatic. Since Kevin did very well during his two-month training, he was given a week off from work. The break allowed him to stay home and rest. More importantly, it gave him a chance to take good care of Leena. He did everything to make his wife''s life more convenient and happier, and she didn''t even have to lift a finger. If she wanted a certain kind of food, Kevin would either make it or buy it for her. He didn''t allow his wife to do any housework, and he treated Leena like a queen at home. Kevin had never been this careful and considerate before. "Why do I feel like you have more scars now than before? Did you get hurt again?" Leena asked worriedly one day. He had removed his shirt in front of her and Leena saw fresh scars all over his body. Her heart broke thinking that Kevin got badly hurt during training. "I ran into some wild animals in the rain forest and got scratched trying to escape them," he answered. What Kevin said was only partly true. He didn''t dare tell his wife how ferocious those wild animals were because he did not want to scare Leena and make her worry. "What? Wild animals? How did you run into them? I thought there weren''t any wild animals where you were training," she said looking terrified. The whole time her husband was away, ing will ever happen to me. I will always be by your side, and our baby''s, like the rings you''re wearing around your neck. I promise I will never leave you." He pulled her into his arms and gently held her. Kevin regretted ever telling her things about his training. At that moment, he decided it was better to avoid such subjects in the future. Her voice muffled, Leena said, "Kevin, if... If something bad should ever happen to you, please don''t let them tell me. I can''t take it, and I mean that. Just let me think that you''re at some ce that''s far, far away, and that you''re not really gone." Suddenly, she felt like crying. Leena was having difficulty in controlling her feelings now. For the first time, she had been bothered by Kevin''s upation. Right this moment, Leena wished her husband was not a soldier. She realized it was a very selfish thought knowing how much Kevin loved what he did. But she didn''t want him to get hurt. "Silly girl. That day will nevere, I promise. My work can be dangerous sometimes, I admit. But I will definitely take care of myself for you and our baby. Besides, we''re in a peaceful age. It''s not like I''m going to war," Kevin assured her. He was aware that idents happened every day, but Kevin was confident he would be able to take care of himself and stay out of danger. He didn''t want Leena to worry about him, especially because anxiety was not good for the baby''s well-being. He vowed to protect himself and his family, so Leena had nothing to worry about. Chapter 1593 Youre Just Edward Mus Dog (Part One) Rain''s return to the Ke family did nothing to ease the fight within the KD Group. He became themon enemy of the members of the Ke family, and all eyes were hot on him. "Why did you cancel my bonus for this quarter?" Cyrus asked with a raised voice as he stormed into the CEO''s office. "You''re using your position to get back at me for a personal grudge?" "The money you have filled your own pocket with is much more than that bonus you''re demanding." Rain answered him indifferently, unaffected by the outburst. He continued burying himself in the documents as if Cyrus weren''t even in the office. "What did you just say? I stole money from thepany? Don''t be so quick to use me of anything you don''t have proof of," he scoffed angrily. "Ridiculous!" With his hands on his hips, he looked down at Rain expectantly. He was positive that Rain was acting solely on a grudge, and had no real proof. The CEO raised a brow without looking at the other man. "Do you want to see it with your own two eyes, then?" The Ke family thought too much of their cleverness for their own good. They did their business sure that they wouldn''t possibly leave any evidence behind, but Rain dug up some dirt quite easily. They had done some significant damage to thepany. "You''re bluffing," Cyrus used as his eyes narrowed. "If you do have proof, show me!" He was in a sour mood because he and his wife had a fight that morning. Rain''s attitude was only provoking him, and he let himself vent out all his anger on the bastard. "So you won''t believe me until you see irrefutable evidence, I see?" Rain asked as he slowly stood up with both hands on the table, giving a menacing aura. "I thought I''d let you save face, but it doesn''t look like you''re learning a lesson." He finally lifted his gaze, cold and straight into Cyrus'' eyes. "You want evidence? I''ll give it to you." He grabbed a thick stack of documents and threw it haphazardly on the desk with a loud thump. "Here you are. Take a close look." He wanted to see how Cyrus would react when he saw the result of his crimes. "Rain Xia, are you kidding me? This has nothing to do with me." Cyrus shuffled through the papers in a rattled state. Luckily, he had been smart enough to never sign the documents himself. "Whates next, hmm? You''ll tell me you don''t know this person who signed the documents? He was a ssmate of yours, wasn''t he?" Rain''s demeanor was calm, but his tone was almost sneering as he leaned back on his chair and waited for Cyrus'' response. "What? Is it illegal now to hire an old ssmate? Does that make me a criminal?" Cyrus'' teeth were g te to my office again if you''re going to bother me about these trivial matters. I''m too busy for that." Rain dismissed him coldly. Cyrus pursed his lips and clenched his jaw, restraining himself. "I''m warning you. Do not provoke me again, or I''ll expose your identity as a bastard," Cyrus threatened with a point of his finger. He thought that if the people in thepany knew about Rain''s true background, he wouldn''t have anyone on his side. He would be too busy controlling the public opinion to even care about the business. If that was the case, he would never be able to make the necessary changes within three months, Cyrus schemed in his head. "Do you really think you can simply threaten me like that? I was wondering if your wife knows that you''re having an affair with the young model?" Rain threatened back. He was not afraid of the other''s threats in the least. Before he took over KD Group, he made sure to prepare for everything, and anything. He had all the dirt on thepany''s seniors. "You had me investigated? You bastard!" Cyrus had an image to uphold. If his wife knew that he had an affair, that image would crumble to dust. "I didn''t need to investigate you. Your opponent told me easily enough. If you don''t want your own affairs exposed, you''d better stay away from me, and quit trying to provoke me." It was Luke who had investigated them and given Rain the little tip. He was a capable man, and one of the few that Rain trusted. Cyrus groaned, "Okay, you got me! This doesn''t mean you can stay in thepany for long. Just you wait and see." He was in no mood to demand for his bonus anymore. He stormed out of the office and banged the door behind him. He had to find a real way to get Rain out of thepany. Chapter 1594 Youre Just Edward Mus Dog (Part Two) "Arrogant bastard!" Rain could hear the petty man''s yelling from inside his office, and scoffed. He adjusted his chair and continued studying the current status of KD Group. The more he learned about thepany, the more he wanted to give up. To save the group was far moreplicated than he had expected. Time flew by in a blink, and the Spring Festival wasing up soon. Patricia''s due date was in a mere couple of days. She had been on tenterhookstely, and didn''t dare visit anyone for fear that she would go intobor at any moment. "Tom, I just want to have a painlessbor, okay?" Patricia sat on the couch, and looked at Tom with a hopeful gaze. "The painlessbor doesn''t actually mean you won''t feel any pain. It just significantly reduces the pain. Although it won''t affect the baby, the anesthetic will possibly affect the mother. I still suggest that you go through with naturalbor. Don''t worry, Patricia. I''ll be right here the whole time." Tom held her hand and stroked it gently in constion. "I''m so scared," she admitted to him with a pitiful look. ''You''re not the one giving birth. Easy for you to say that, '' she thought to herself as she looked at Tom. "Rx, you have me. I''m a doctor, you can feel safe with me. After all, you want to meet our baby as soon as possible, don''t you? You''re strong, and you have to deliver the baby sessfully." Tom''s words didn''t do much to ease Patricia''s anxiousness as her due date was approaching. Although Tom had consoled her everyday, she was still under immense pressure. "Can I trust you?" Patricia asked carefully and grabbed his hands as tightly as if she were just about to give birth. Tom sighed, "I''m your husband, and the father of our baby. Why can''t you trust me?" He frowned at her. He loved her with his whole heart, he thought. Why couldn''t she rx with him around? "I''m sorry. I know you get angry," she apologized at once after realizing her question hurt him. "I didn''t get angry. I just don''t want you to test me with these kinds of questions in the future. I''m your husband, and if you can''t trust me, then who else can you trust?" Tom was rather hurt by it still, and he couldn''t believe his wife couldn''t trust him. He could imagine how miserable it would be to live in a family full of doubts, and he wasn''t sure he wanted to start that kind of life. "I didn''t mean it like that. Please don''t get irritated." Patricia got affectionate. She pleaded in a rather charming manner, with her arms snaked around hi as shocked by what Leena said, and cursed herself for not calling him earlier. "Oh, nonsense. You know how much I love to have fun with you guys. Do you want to speak to Kevin? He''s pretty free right now." Leena then realized that they were already on the road. She wanted to give Kevin the phone, afraid that Daisy might have some important things to tell him. "No, it''s alright. See you at the baseter. Tell Kevin to have a safe drive," Daisy said instead. Kevin had been on duty during the previous Spring Festival, so Daisy felt obliged to go to the army base this year. "Sure. See you, Daisy." Leena shed a wide grin at the thought of seeing Daisy soon. They hadn''t seen each other in quite a while. "Daisy is going to the base as well?" Kevin asked her with a frown, his eyes on the road. He nned to let Daisy spend more time with her family, and didn''t expect her to be joining the others that day. "Yeah, she wanted to ask us to stay home. She didn''t think we would already be heading off." Leena stared at his face with affection. His fine profile was addicting to her, and she couldn''t get enough. "That''s fine. The more the merrier." The soldiers wouldn''t expect Kevin and Daisy to celebrate the festival with them. ''It would be a good night, '' he thought. Daisy put her phone away and stared at the man in front of her. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked. He would always act a little oddly from time to time. No matter how much time they spent together, though, she couldn''t get used to it. His eyes were too piercing, too sharp, as if she werepletely bare and unguarded, as if she had no hold on her secrets from him at all. Chapter 1595 Female Soldier (Part One) "Leena is going with Kevin to the army base? Then I''m also going," Edward said, running a wisp of her hair between his fingers and smelling it. "Do you really want to go with me?" Daisy beat his hand off with a reproachful nce. "Yep! Why, can''t I?" Edward rubbed his aching hand. ''Ungrateful woman! Why did she have to strike me so hard? It is so cruel of her to treat me, her husband, like this, '' he thought to himself. "Okay, why not? You cane with me." Daisy agreed after a momentary hesitation. "Daddy, Mommy, where are you going? Can I alsoe with you?" Justin suddenly appeared from out of nowhere. "You little brat! Were you eavesdropping, huh?" Edward pinched his son''s chubby face with profound sufferance. It was not always easy having a clever child like Justin. "Don''t you even think of leaving home without me," Justin cajoled, looking back and forth between his parents. "Have you prepared a talent show? If you have, then you maye with us," Daisy said. She was, at times, fed up of having to deal with the cunning father and son duo. "What? A talent show? What about daddy? Has he prepared something as well?" Justin grumbled, pouting his lips. He hadn''t prepared a talent to show off. "Well, why don''t you ask him yourself?" Daisy said, turning away, so Edward would not see her smile. She didn''t want him to realize that she was poking fun at him, or she''d never hear the end of it. "Daddy!" Justin stared at his father wide eyed in anticipation, trying to win Edward''s heart with his innocent gaze. But he forgot that Edward was never a soft-hearted man. "Don''t look at me like that. If you want toe with us, ask your mommy." Edward was changing his clothes. He would never stoop to giving a performance in public, unless it was apany speech. "Mommy, take me with you, please!" Justin pleaded. He knew his mother would never refuse him. "Let''s make a deal first. When you see Aunt Leena, you must not do anything to provoke her. She''s pregnant now." The rtionship between Leena and Justin was a constant headache. They just couldn''t see eye to eye. "No problem. I promise, I will stay far away from her," Justin immediately promised. He was eager to go to the army base with his parents, and no matter what conditions Daisy imposed, Justin would agree to them all. "Really? You are not just saying that?" She had to cement an agreement with Justin in advance, as she didn''t want to spend the ni of his formative years in the army base, and knew most of the soldiers. After bidding goodbye to Daisy, he ran towards some of the soldiers whom he knew. "Son, don''t run about. What if they think you''re a spy and arrest you?" Edward teased Justin, but Daisy red at him with burning eyes. She felt Edward was ying the fool today. "It''s you who might get arrested instead. Mr. Mu, are you here to cause trouble?" Daisy asked coldly. She really began doubting his intention foring here. "Don''t concern yourself about me. I''m not your responsibility," Edward answered coldly. "As long as you''re in this army base, you are my responsibility, and I should discipline you if you step out of line." Daisy looked around, searching for Kevin and Leena. It was difficult to find them in the mass of simrly dressed soldiers. "Why don''t you go discipline Kevin and Leena? They are also here, after all," Edward retorted. "Seriously? Kevin is my superior. He would be the one to discipline me. Edward, what is wrong with you tonight?" Daisy gnashed. She finally saw Kevin and Leena. Grabbing Edward by his wrist, she hauled him towards them. Edward stifled some dry coughs in his fist to conceal hisughter. He was afraid that Daisy would realize that he was baiting her, and in rage drop him to the floor right here. The mere thought of the humiliation that would cause, made him tremble. "Daisy, there you are. Edward, what are you doing here?" Leena greeted them happily, clearly surprised to see him there. "You''re here. So, why can''t I be here?" Edward was feeling at odds with Daisy, and now vented his anger on Leena. Chapter 1596 Female Soldier (Part Two) "What is wrong with him?" Leena whispered in Daisy''s ear. She was momentarily concerned by Edward''s uncharacteristic snappiness. "Just ignore him. I think it''s that time of the month," Daisy quipped with Leena, while they joined Leena and Kevin. The soldiers were enjoying the show and they spoke in muted tones. Kevin looked around, searching for Justin. "Where''s Justin? Didn''t you bring him tonight?" Kevin changed the subject, noticing Daisy and Edward''s disgruntlement. "We brought him with us, but he''s off ying with his friends," Daisy said with resignation. Her son was so naughty and tried her patience. Luckily, this was an army base; she was not as concerned that he would stir up trouble here. "Daisy, are you going to partake in the talent show? Did you prepare a speech or something?" Leena asked intrigued, as she had seen such an evening party on TV before, and leaders would usually take this opportunity to make a speech. Kevin had presented a fine speech earlier. Leena wondered whether Daisy would follow suit. "A speech? I know nothing but army jokes." Daisy was not one for talent shows. In such events, she was happy to participate as part of the audience, instead of performing. She suffered from stage fright and she would rather go into battle, than present a talent in front of an audience. "Ah, but you have clearly underestimated yourself." Edward''s reprise was cold. ''What a mean man! Can he still be angry because I teased him about participating in the talent show?'' Daisy brooded. "Look at Justin! He''s on the stage!" Leena cried, pointing out the boy on the stage. He looked quite adorable in the mini-sized camouge uniform. "Damn it! What is he doing up there? Oh my god, now all the soldiers know I''m here." Daisy covered her face in embarrassment. Unlike his mother, Justin was always so enthusiastic about performing for an audience. "Are you afraid Justin will make you lose face?" Edward asked excitedly, curious now as to what talent Justin would present to them. "The following act will be a solo titled: Female Soldier. And the singer is our own little soldier, Justin Mu." Even before the host had finished his announcement, apuse cracked out like spring thunder. Many soldiers knew Justin. "Good evening, everyone! I''m Justin Mu and I dedicate this song to my mother, as a token of my affection and grat ntaining her anger anymore. This was the army base, not FX International Group; and here, she was the boss! "Who do you think is acting like a spoiled child?" Edward demanded coldly, narrowing his eyes like a cat about to pounce. "Daisy, let''s hurry up. Otherwise we''ll bete with our rounds." Kevin steered Daisy forward by the wrist, tired of their bickering now. He was, however, not concerned about leaving his wife in thepany of such an angry man, because he knew Edward doted on Leena and she would calm him down. "Edward, what happened to you tonight? You were behaving so childishly this evening." Leena pursed her lips and stopped Edward from following Daisy with a small raised hand. "So, you are on her side?" Edward retorted, though he made no move to shake off her hand. She was pregnant, and he feared hurting her in any way. Helplessly, he watched Daisy''s receding figure. "I was simply asking. Truthfully, I am concerned about you. Even if Daisy did something wrong, you really shouldn''t stir up trouble here. The army base is her domain. You could rather have a talk with herter, when you''re back home." The weather in the army base was more chilled than in the city, perhaps because it was a suburban area. When the wind blew, Leena couldn''t help but shiver. "When we''re back home, a talk will not suffice to calm me down," Edward said with a cunning smile as he took off his coat and without hesitation ced it around her shoulders. He had already decided that he would give Daisy a lesson, so she could remember who was the boss in the family. Chapter 1597 Difference (Part One) "So what are you gonna do to her?" Leena asked with an interested smile. It was easy to tell how curious she was with what Edward was about to say. "It''s not like that! Don''t forget that you are a pregnant woman now. Remember that whatever you say and whatever you do will affect your baby," reprimanded Edward before flicking her forehead. "Hmp! Don''t act like you''re innocent." Leena pouted her pretty lips while rubbing her hurt forehead. She wondered, ''Why was Edward born this evil?'' "Girl, I never said I was a good person. I''m not even connecting the word innocent to me at all," Edward said in a serious tone. To be honest, he had already experienced a lot of bad things since he started with their business. Except for killing people, the list of evil things he had done was already endless. "Is it possible for you and Daisy to be enemies one day?" asked Leena as she straightened her back. She wasn''t stupid and she knew what it took to run apany as vast as the FX International Group. "I''d like to do whatever I wanted before. However, I''ve changed since Daisy and I got together. I''m very cautious about everything I''m doing now. I don''t want to put her in any trouble nor ruin her reputation." A bitter smile cracked Edward''s lips upon remembering how he used to live his life. It was only after he fell in love with Daisy that he decided to be stricter to himself as not to damage her. "Then why did you behave like that in front of Daisy earlier?" Sensing how the atmosphere around them turned tense, Leena shifted the subject to what she really ought to know. "What? Girl, did you just set me up? You seem to be getting smarter nowadays. What you saw back there was just the spark between her and me. You didn''t expect that, did you? Haha! Keep learning, youngdy." Edward chuckled before taking her hand. He guided her to stand up from her bench. A few seconds Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. r, if the woman is our friend or family member, I don''t think my wife would be so narrow-minded." Daisy''s sensibility was one thing that Edward admired the most with his wife. She was a woman of good behavior and judgment. She had her own ideas and knew how to stand her ground. She wasn''t the type who was easily influenced by the crowd. Moreover, she didn''t like wasting time on unimportant things. "No wonder that she''s never been angry with me for being close to you." Leena smiled as she thought of how different Daisy was with Patricia. She couldn''t me her best friend though. After all, there had been a lot of men whomitted affairs with their wives'' best friends. It was probable that Patricia was seeing her as an imaginary enemy. ''Why did she misunderstand Tom and me? Is it because pregnancy is pressuring her? Or is it because she is not confident enough? Everyone in S City knows about my rtionship with Tom. Doesn''t she know? I regard both of them as my family. How on earth did our rtionship turn out like this?'' she silently thought. "Why did you ask? Did Patricia say something to you?" Edward frowned while thinking, ''There must be something wrong with her and Patricia. She wouldn''t be this hesitant if things are going smoothly.'' Chapter 1598 Difference (Part Two) "No. It''s just that I felt that Patricia didn''t want me to be too close to Tom." Leena bowed her head as soon as she finished speaking. Although she was so used to being close to Tom, she was willing to change herself for their happiness. "Really? Does Tom know that?" Puzzled, Edward''s eyebrows furrowed. Everybody in the upper-ss circle of S City knew that they treated Leena as their little sister. How could Patricia even think of Leena that way? "Yes. However, Tom said that Patricia is Patricia, and I am me. His feelings towards us are different. Nevertheless, I always felt that I shouldn''t be bothering him anymore so I deliberately distanced myself from him. It makes me feel bad though because I knew that I hurt Tom with what I did. I can sense it whenever he looks at me." Finally, Leena was able to tell the whole story as to why she was confused. "How about this? Go talk to Patricia first and exin yourself to her. Not every woman is as rational as Daisy. Moreover, not every woman is as generous as Belinda too. It is just natural for Patricia to behave as she does." Frankly, Edward got no clue about how to fix issues between women. Every woman had their own personality and ideas. Thus, it was really hard for him to map a resolution for this case. "I have ns of doing that but I can''t find the right time to talk to her about it." A cold wind blew and made a mess of her hair. However, even the cold breeze wasn''t enough to take away the bitterness in her heart. "Trust me. You can do it." Disputes should be resolved no matter what and Edward could only wish for the two to have a good talk. It would be nice if the two could understand each other. He let out a soft smile after a while, then asked, "Are you cold?" "I am not cold. I wear a lot of clothes." Kevin was frantic earlier about her Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. It''s time to go home. Leena and I are going to stay here." Kevin rushed to smooth things as soon as he noticed Leena and Justin quarreling again. He still had some work to do tonight, thus he decided to stay in the army base with his wife. "Yes, you are going to save more time that way. But what about Leenaing back with us? It''s colder here than downtown." Daisy knew that Leena was afraid of cold weathers. She was actually getting worried about Leena not being able to adapt to the temperature here. "Don''t worry. I brought her very thick clothes, so it''s okay," said Kevin assuringly. He had readied everything that Leena might need as he really nned to stay in the army base. "All right! Just take good care of Leena, okay?" Daisy didn''t say more after hearing Kevin''s idea. Leena would always need someone to take care of her now since she was pregnant. It was actually the reason why Daisy felt a little worried that Leena would stay in the army base. "Okay. Be careful, guys." Kevin took Leena''s little hand while bidding goodbye to the Mu family. However, his smile instantly faded as soon as he felt how cold her hand was. ''Why is her hand so cold? Isn''t she dressed thick enough?'' he thought. Chapter 1599 Difference (Part Three) "You know how good I am at driving, Kevin," retorted Daisy. Then she looked at Leena and gave thedy a motherly smile. "Leena, we''ll go. Take good care of yourself." "OK, I will. Thank you, Daisy." Leena had not nned to stay in army base tonight since Kevin had never mentioned it to her. Thus, she got a little confused earlier upon hearing what Kevin said. Nheless, she trusted Kevinpletely, so she just smiled through it all and never said a word. They were still bidding their casual goodbyes when Edward suddenly walked up to Leena and gave her a brotherly hug without any ado. She was still in shock when he whispered, "Just follow your heart. Don''t think too much about it." After that, Edward let her go and left that ce together with his family without even looking back. All of them were left puzzled about what Edward did. They got no clue about what he said to Leena at all. Thus, Daisy was extremely curious while driving away from the army base. "What did you just whisper to Leena?" She finally managed to ask. "You want to know?" replied Edward as a mysterious smile appeared on his face. It looked as if he was trying to tease her. "You don''t have to tell me. I don''t want to know anyway," said Daisy proudly as she turned her eyes to the road ahead. "Woman, can''t you just be patient?" Edward was utterly surprised when he suddenly turned to Daisy. He never expected her to give up that soon. ''Can''t she just give me a damn?'' thought Edward. "Why? I don''t have to know." On the other hand, Daisy was not a gossip girl. She just asked because she thought that what Edward did was a little strange. "You have to know." Edward was ying with his temper again. He hated being ignored and what his wife was doing wasn''t how he liked it. "What? I said I didn''t want to know. Why are you forcing me to know? It''s so typical of you!" Frustratedly, Daisy shook her head. There were really some days when she couldn''t figure out E t. "Nonsense! Don''t say that word again. That''s bad luck! Put your clothes on. I don''t want you to catch a cold," snapped Kevin. His face was suddenly serious and Leena couldn''t help but feel intimidated with him. "Okay... Fine. I''ll wear it. Just go to work. I will take good care of myself." Forcing a smile, Leena looked up at Kevin and thought, ''Does this guy really think that I''m that vulnerable?'' A few minutes more and Kevin was already reviewing the documents on his desk very carefully. These papers were so important that he couldn''t allow himself to make mistakes. On the other hand, Leena decided to read the newspapers he handed her. However, she got bored with it after a while, thus, she stopped. She then rested her back against the sofa and just watched Kevin until she felt sleepy. She carefullyy down on the sofa and after a few minutes, she fell asleep. Kevin burst outughing as soon as he saw Leena sleeping. ''I know that your reading won''tst long, '' he thought. He walked over to his wife and tucked her with his army coat gently. He bent down to her afterwards and gently pressed his lips against hers. After making sure that she wasfortable, Kevin walked back to his desk while thinking, ''I have to hurry up and get my work done. I badly need to take her home early.'' Chapter 1600 The C-Section (Part One) The sound of the opened door and ck of heeled shoes in the foyer let the people in the house know that someone had just arrived. It was Daisy, followed by Edward and Justin. As soon as Daisy and Edward stepped into their room, she dropped her bag on the table and that made Edward look at her instantly. "Spit it out! What did you want to ask just now?" Daisy asked as she scrunched up her face in seriousness, her hands on her waist. She had a feeling that there was a secret between her husband and Leena. Edward raised his eyebrows in mild surprise and said, "Okay, one question first. Will you mind if I''m asionally affectionate towards Leena? For example, will you mind me hugging her or other close types of contact like that?" Edward asked because he wanted to know what Daisy thought about this, but he subconsciously believed that she wouldn''t be so narrow-minded and shallow about these types of things. Daisy raised her eyebrows and replied, "Why do you ask that? Well since you brought it up, I''d like to share my thoughts with you-- but first, tell me, will youpletely ignore me when youvishly dote on Leena?" Daisy finished. She had always thought of herself as a very generous and broad-minded person. She never bothered herself with trifling matters and was quite confident in things that were significant to her. "No." Edward answered without a slight hesitation in his deep voice. "Since you said no, why should I be bothered? I know what Leena is like. She is such a smart and lovely girl. I''m fond of her. Why should I be jealous because you also adore her?" Daisy answered thoughtfully, the hands on her waist dropped and her body visibly rxed. She had been really upset inside seeing Edward and Leena hug each other when she first saw her, but she didn''t know back then that Leena was like an endearing sister to Edward. When she got to know this, she felt rather ashamed of how narrow-minded she had acted. "Really? Do you really think so?" Edward looked at her with a happy smile that graced his lips. He knew that the woman he had chosen would not be that shallow. He was right in his previous belief. "And now it''s your turn to tell me why did you suddenly ask such a question. el was suddenly reced by this vixen. "Oh? I didn''t know that. But I''m willing to listen what crime I havemitted." Edward''s eyes narrowed into slits as he gazed at her. She was still green at teasing a man as she awkwardly gripped his tie with a trembling hand. However, he was quite eager to see what she would do next. "Huh, you silly man. Do you really want to know? Beg me." Daisy stood on her tiptoes and caressed his senses with her sultry voice. Her luscious lips grazed the shell of his ear and lightly touched his earlobe. She subtly tried to arouse his sensual desires. She was definitely more open nowpared to what she was like a year ago. "Dear, you are amazing. It seems that you have learned a lot of these skills. You are stirring up the fire in me, but have you thought how could you get away once I lose my control?" Edward''s brows shot up in mild excitement as he was more curious to see what she had to show next. His lustful eyes bore into her own, as if trying to light the passionate fire in them. "I have never thought of getting away." Daisy said as her hands fumbled around his body, her fingers tracing the contours of his abdomen beneath the dress shirt he wore. An innocent smile found its way to her face. She grabbed his attention even more. "Oh. So does it mean that you have given in to me?" The more Daisy tried to seduce him, the more Edward became vignt. He felt that this act might be a honey trap and he should be cautious. Chapter 1601 The C-Section (Part Two) "What else could I do? I''m now like a piece of meat on the chopping board. How could I not sumb?" Daisy said with a slight edge in her voice. Howe he wasn''t enamored by her and her seduction attempts? This hateful man! "Dear, truthfully, you have shown me a good y--but it is a pity I am not like any other stupid men. I''m Edward and I won''t be tricked." Edward''s voice cut into her thoughts. Although, he did have to admit that at a certain point, he almost lost his mind at her amorous advances but he tried his best to suppress his sexual desire. However, since she liked to y the game, he would join her and let her know what a real game felt like, and who would truly win it. "Oh? Really? How about this?" Edward didn''t have the time to reply as her lips were pressed upon his and her tongue tried to gain entry into his mouth. She didn''t believe that he would still resist the temptation now. Soon he would throw himself at her feet, as what she expected. However, a cunning look crossed Edward''s eyes as he shut them and enjoyed the kiss, but he didn''t quite give in yet. It seemed that Senior Colonel Ouyang had gone all out to make him yield, but she had forgotten one thing. Once a man''s sexual desire was awakened, there was no way she could fully stop it. Daisy was less shrewdpared to Edward when it came to the art of lovemaking. She could be a goodmander on the battle field, but when it came to sex, she could never take the reins. She eventually became themb to the ughter on bed as Edward gained the upper hand. Daisy had thought to use the honey-trap to make him lose his senses, and then she would take that chance to give what he deserved. However, it seemed that it never came to her that he had a firmmand of making hot, amorous sex, and he got what he wanted. His palms were now t on the wall and his arms caged her as he took control of their lustful kiss. In the end, she lost the bait along with the fish as they tumbled together in a passion-filled evening. The only sound that could be heard in the room was the beeping of the health monitors and other medical equipment. Patricia slept peacefully on medication. She had nned to go into a naturalbor, but the B ultrasonic diagnosis showed that the umbilical cord was wrapp erself and be exhausted, so he kindly asked her to go back home and take a much-needed rest. However, she insisted, "I want to wait until Patricia wakes up. I already told Kevin about this and he would pick me up after work." Leena was not a spoiled princess. She didn''t feel tired at all. It was nothing for her to take care of something like this. "Okay. You stay here and I''lle back soon." He had just excused himself for temporarily leaving his other patients and came there to check up on his wife. Although there was another doctor avable to handle the other patients, he still wanted to go back and finish his rounds. He was a good doctor and would always take responsibility for his work and his patients. "Okay. Go then! I''ll take care of her." Leena said as she smoothed out Patricia''s messy short hair, her eyes full of concern. She suddenly thought that all women were great on the day they gave birth to their children. She didn''t know what it would be like when her turn came. She even hated going to the hospital the most because she was weak in bearing any sort of pain. Patricia woke up half an hourter, and Tom still hadn''t been back. He was probably dyed by some very urgent cases. "Patricia, how do you feel now? Are you alright?" Leena asked anxiously as soon as she saw Patricia open her eyes. "Leena, it''s you! Where is Tom?" Patricia asked with a slight frown on her pale face. She got a little disappointed when the first person she saw as soon as she woke up was not her husband. Chapter 1602 The C-Section (Part Three) "Oh, He said that he woulde back soon and he asked me to take care of you for the moment. Don''t worry. He would be here soon." Leena sat beside her and beamed, delight written across her face. "Where is the baby?" Patricia still couldn''t move because she had undergone the C-section. Unlike other moms who went through naturalbor, she couldn''t hold her baby freely and kiss him all over or even feed him immediately after her baby was born. "Tom said the baby is now receiving the blue light treatment. He would be sent back to you 24 hourster. Don''t worry," Leena exined in a gentle voice and tried to reassure her that everything was fine. "Blue light? What''s that?" Since her husband Tom was a doctor, she cared little about medical things because even if the sky fell, Tom was there to solve everything for her. "It is said that blue light is a kind of therapy to cure Neonatal Jaundice. But I don''t know much about it." Leena only heard the doctor mention this kind of condition when she went to do the prenatal check before. Although Tom also mentioned it just a while ago, he didn''t really exin what it was. It was beyond Leena''s knowledge to exin such medical terms to Patricia. "Okay. As long as Tom didn''t say anything bad, then the baby is okay. Leena, thank you!" Patricia said in a faint voice. Leena was dumbfounded to hear her friend suddenly say thanks to her. "Patricia, why did you say thanks to me? We are friends!" She said a little anxiously. She was a little disappointed to see Patricia be so polite to her. "I just want to apologize for what happened before. You seems to have misunderstood me." Patricia finally spoke and mustered up the courage to show her regret. She didn''t want their friendship to be broken. "Patricia, it''s a happy day today. Let''s just celebrate the arrival of the new baby. Anything else doesn''t really matter," Leena said in an attempt to hurriedly shift the topic. She didn''t want any unpleasant thing to spoil her good mood today. "No, Leena. I must clear this up with you today. In fact, I don''t really mind your rtionship with Tom. I was only being a little jealous. It is not like what you are thinking, that I don''t like you two to be close." She recently had a hard time because she felt that Leena was lukewarm towards her. They had been friends for years and she really didn''t want them to split up because be back until the day after tomorrow, and I won''t be rest assured if anyone else handled the work. Besides, Patricia likes my soup best." Although it was a tiring work to get up early every day and buy all the ingredients to make the soup, Leena somewhat felt that it was worth it, because in this way, she could see the adorable little baby every day. "But didn''t you just hate going to the farmer''s market before?" Kevin still remembered that Leena couldn''t stand the bad smell from the poultry in the farmer''s market. "But only the chickens from the farmer''s market are the freshest, and the soup made by the fresh chicken would be the most delicious." Leena said as she got up and walked towards him. She stood on her tiptoes to help him fix his tie. Leena finally had the chance to do that for Kevin thanks to Patricia, for he usually had already left for work when Leena just woke up. "How about this? I will go to the market to buy the chicken for you now. I''m very worried about your health and safety. You know, you are now pregnant with our baby," Kevin said as he briefly checked his watch. He only had to drive fasterter on his way to work to avoid beingte. "Nope. I don''t have any problem in walking and moving around. I can still buy the grocery now. You''d better go directly to the army base. I can do it myself," She said gently as she patted the knot of his tie and smiled at him. She knew he was worried about her and it was really sweet and nice of him, but she was the mother of the baby inside her. She would certainly be very cautious with everything she was doing. Chapter 1603 The Babys Name (Part One) The sunlight cast a soft glow on the pure white snow, making the icy little kes glitter like white crystals on a bright day. It was a cold but fine winter morning. Inside the Grand Apartment, Leena was helping Kevin prepare to go to work. "Okay. It''s freezing outside and don''t get a cold. Drive slowly. Be safe," Kevin said as he double-checked everything. He was good to go. But before he left, he just could not be more careful about his wife. How Kevin wished that he could take Leena with him whenever and wherever he could ever since he knew about her pregnancy. He was very anxious and wanted to be around her all the time. "I''ll be fine, Kevin. Don''t worry too much about me. Go now. Or you''ll bete," She said as she gently smiled at him. Leena had never imagined that Kevin, a strict and serious soldier, would be the emotional and loquacious man that he was now, especially when Leena also had to go out herself. "Call or message me when you get back, okay?" Kevin said as he gave her a peck on the cheek. He could not just feel easy when Leena went out alone in her delicate condition. "If you continue to be so talkative, you''re really gonna bete for work," Leena chided him like he was a naughty boy. Leena prodded him out of the door, urging him to go. Otherwise, they would take long again and Kevin might never even get out of their apartment. Kevin couldn''t do anything else but lower his head in defeat at his wife''s gentle pushing. He gently kissed her soft lips before he said goodbye and went out to work. Leena watched his car going until it disappeared into the distance. After that, she took a quick shower and got ready. She chose a simple andfortable outfit and since she didn''t like being in the farmers'' market due to the pungent smell in some areas, she brought a mask to help with that. Sometimes she still felt like she wanted to vomit, especially with her pregnancy. Leena took her car to the market. The scenery ou she decided to learn as much as she could in order not to burden Kevin. "Oh, Leena. That''s so sweet of you. Thank you so much. I am Patricia''s mother-inw and I''m supposed to do these but here you are, doing it for me." Tom''s mother said gratefully. Tom''s mother had never anticipated that Patricia would give birth when she was out of the country. When she heard the news, she had already arrived at her destination, unable to fly back again. Because of this, she decided to note back first until she finished her work. "Auntie, I would feel shy if you insist on thanking me all the time," Leena said as her face turned beet root-red. She was indeed very shy, and she blushed easily all the time. "Ok, I''ll stop it now. It''s quitete. Go home and take a good rest. Hand the rest of those over. Look at you, you are still so skinny. You need to eat more to keep healthy, okay? Your baby needs you, too," Tom''s mother said. Leena already had slim figure to begin with. Then, she vomited a lot during pregnancy, which made her look even thinner than she was. "Yes, Auntie, thank you. I''ll be sure to eat more. I''ll leave now, please tell Patricia when she''s back. Goodbye!" Patricia went to see her baby being bathed by the nurse before they left the hospital. Only Leena and Pam were in the ward. Chapter 1604 The Babys Name (Part Two) "Yes, you be careful. Don''t drive fast. Let me know when you are home," she saidstly. Pam then helped Leena with her coat and walked her out of the hall. After saying their goodbyes, she remained by the door until Leena''s car disappeared in the distance. She admired Duke a lot whenever she looked at Leena. Leena was so well-educated when it came to these things, thanks to Duke. After their mother was gone, he must have devoted himself a lot! Patricia''s little baby grew quite fast. A few dayster, Eden had already added a few centimeters to his height. He was so cute and everyone loved to y with him. Meanwhile, Michelle pondered over her own baby as she watched over Eden with Luke. Tom and Patricia already went out of the ward. The little one had finished bathing and was now ying with them. "Hey, Luke. Will our baby be as cute and handsome as Eden?" asked Michelle. She stroked herrge belly. At this rate, her baby was probably about toe out. She had the penguin-like gait of most pregnant women due to herrger size. "Of course he will. He has me as his father," Luke said in a carefree voice. Luke was by no means being arrogant when he said that. He might not be as sexy as Edward and Rain, yet he was handsome and cool. In other women''s eyes, he was also hot. "Haha! I didn''t know you were such a narcissist." Michelle rolled her eyes at him while ying with Eden. She waved his chubby little arms this way and that, and the baby giggled cutely. "What? Don''t you think so? Or do you think your husband is not that good enough?" Luke said. Luke was usually taciturn and silent, but things were different whenever he was with Michelle. "I didn''t say anything. Don''t try to use me," she said steadily. Michelle stepped backwards while holding little Eden''s soft hand. Every time Luke talked to her in such tone, she felt as if she was shrouded in danger. "Where did they go? They''ve been out for a while. They''d better not get out of the hospital with their baby still here," Luke said tly. Luke was terribly too logical and serious in his way of thinkin Patricia said. Patricia did not have a naturalbor but a cesarean one since her body condition did not allow that. However, she hoped that Michelle could have a normal childbirth. "Let''s go, Michelle," Luke said from the other side as he looked at his watch. It was now time for lunch. He couldn''t be any more careful when it came to taking care of his pregnant wife. "Patricia, we''re gonna go now. I''ll pay you a visit some other day," Michelle said. She knew that Luke didn''t like to be around people that much, so she was sensitive enough to also bade for them to leave. "Okay, take care. Bye!" Patricia said as she watched the two take their leave. She was allowed to leave the hospital this day. She had to stay for more than a week for observation since she had undergone a cesarean birth. If it was a naturalbor, she would''ve gone home in two to three days. The hospital had good facilities and it was nice to stay there, but she felt that it was better at home. She wanted her baby to get used to their house earlier. KD group was flourishing greatly and they were doing great in the market. Rain had seeded in his ns for thepany after three months. He reaped far more profit than the required quota. Everyone who nned to bring him down and watch drama unfold were rendered mute because of his sess. However, it couldn''t be helped that there were still some troubles. Chapter 1605 The Babys Name (Part Three) "Tiana, I am warning you thest time; if you dare take my pictures in secret and put them on social media, I promise that I''ll get your naked pictures and post them to the public!" Rain roared with gritted teeth and tightly clenched the phone in his hand, as if he refused to let go until the device got broken. He tapped his foot impatiently on the floor. What a damn woman! He had warned her before, but she did not stop her ridiculous behavior. He usually was not active on social media, but still he paid attention to it. That was why he found out what Tiana did. "Don''t get mad, my elder brother. You are handsome and beautiful. You don''t need to worry about looking ugly. Didn''t you see thements? Tons of women said that they wanted to marry you." Tiana did not think she did something wrong at all. The photos she posted on her social media made more people follow her ount. The more followers, the higher her chances to enter the entertainment industry. Although she had chosen business administration as her major in college, she did not learn much because she put all her efforts and attention to be a star. "Shut up! And, I''m not beautiful!" Rain red fiercely at her with aggravation written all over his face. If she wasn''t a woman, he would''ve punched her with full strength. "Fine! I won''t say that," Tiana muttered in defeat. "Delete all my photos you''ve posted, NOW. Otherwise, I''m gonna block your ount. You know I can do that," Rain said indignantly. Well, well. Tons of women wanted to marry him? What a hrious joke! They were all beneath his attention. "Please don''t. I got lots of followers thanks to your pictures. I would lose them if I deleted them." Tiana refused his request without thinking twice. Everyone in her family except her father told her to stay away from Rain, but she just couldn''t help herself keeping approaching the man. "Well. Do you want to lose your fans, or do you want me to have your ount deleted? Choose one." This photo posting made him look like some sort of Inte celebrity thanks to her. Come on! He was the vice president of FX International Group, for heaven''s sake. He should never bepared or connected to Inte celebrities. ped her heavily sooner to keep her from protecting his enemy. "You... You beat me!" Tiana looked at Vance in equal parts of disbelief and astonishment. She could not believe what he had done to her just now. Although they usually did not get along quite well, he had neverid his hands on her. Now what just happened was a different story. He pped her in the face just because they had disagreements. What a cold-blooded brother he was! It was just uneptable. "I did that to keep you awake! Please realize the fact and don''t be fooled by him. Do you really think that he would consider you as his sister when you address him as ''brother?'' Don''t be so naive, okay? You may just end up in tears." The people milling about and minding their business in the office couldn''t help but nce at them in curiosity. However, they didn''t show it too obviously in fear of getting fired. "I don''t need your care. That''s none of your business! Just get out of my way!" Tiana rushed out and went away angrily. She finally realized that everything changed ever since her brothers got married. Everyone was busy in getting their greedy hands in thepany. They would never return to that time when all of them got along well. Vance frowned too as he stood there in deep thought. He just could not figure out why his sister wanted to get close to a bastard. Was he that charming that even his sister decided to support him? It was unbelievable. Face decided everything nowadays. Chapter 1606 Michelles Delivery (Part One) Rain would still often wonder about the what ifs that had not left his mind since the day that Annie had left him. The most prevalent question that would not stop crossing his mind was what would have happened if he had drunk more responsibly ¡ª what would have happened if he had not gotten so drunk? Would he still have Annie right where she should be, which was right beside him? His mind unceasingly dwelt on these wonders day and night and he would tire but the next morning he woke up, the questions would still be there. But, as the saying went, Rain would often repeat to himself that there was no use crying over spilled milk. Although he wanted so much to change what had happened, there was nothing that he could do. The circumstances that took ce were surprising, but Annie''s departure was something that Rain knew had always been destined to happen, if not nned. Annie''s departure had long been established. Rain could only assume that Annie had everything nned out; that she had been merely looking for a loop hole she could deliberately use as an exit when she got the opportunity to. Otherwise, she would still be here. No matter how hard Rain looked, he achieved and found nothing. His searches were in vain. That was why he had been keeping himself distracted and upied by taking over the KD Group. Nheless, shes of Annie''s face would keep revisiting him. All their friends including Edward, Duke, Tom, and Leena had a happy life in love with their partners. The fact that he was the only one without a significant other made Rain feel rejected. The constant istion he always felt always made him feel empty; much so that this evening, he decided he would go to Sexy World. He went there by himself, which made it twice as sadder than it already was. As what one would expect, there was a woman wearing a sexy attire, sitting right next to him. This woman was doing her best to get the attention of Rain, seducin . I thought I''d have to consume the same kind of soup everyday," eximed Michelle. "I would go crazy!" Michelle made a funny face and stuck her tongue out. Although she was a little pale, her spirit was high. She was happy after all. "Luke called. Give him a ring when you finish that soup, okay?" Cynthia teased the little boy with her eyes filled with affection and love. Belinda and Patricia gave to boys not a little long ago, too. Leena would also give birth soon. Their offspring would, in a couple of years, be ymates. However, Cynthia couldn''t help but feel troubled at the thought of Rain. She was certain that while they were celebrating life, he was mourning every bit of it. "Of course," said Michelle, "Did he say when he''ll be back? I need him here," Michelle asked in eagerness. Like most wives, she also wanted Luke to be with her in significant moments such as this one. Although shepletely understood why he had to be away, she couldn''t help but miss her husband, especially now that she had given birth to their son. "In two or three days, he said. I feel sorry for you, Michelle," said Cynthia with remorse and guilt in her words. Edward''spany had an emergency and he had to go overseas to deal with it. As Edward''s right hand, Luke had to be present. . Chapter 1607 Michelles Delivery (Part Two) "I''m alright. I understand the situation." As much as Michelle was a gang member, she was also a considerate wife. "Every man should be there for his wife when she''s giving birth!" eximed Cynthia. Nobody anticipated that Michelle would go inbor while Luke was away. "Well, he wouldn''t be able to help me even if he were here. It''s not like he''s the one who''s going to give birth," Michelle said jokingly. "And besides, I still had to be isted, right?" Michelle said all these things with a reassuring smile. The chicken soup she had dreaded earlier on was actually very delicious. It was just the thought of having to consume strictly just soup for a month that heavily burdened Michelle. She wondered if she would gain more weight in theing month. "You are such a considerate wife! Most women would have held a grudge," said Cynthia. She was grateful that both her sons, Edward and Luke, were lucky enough to marry wives who weren''t selfish and demanding. "Mom, I know if I threw a fit it would only get between me and Luke," Michelle exined, "It would only break us. I love him, and I''m not willing to lose him over something so petty." She knew Luke loved her and she knew it was a matter of work that Luke had to leave the country. She had no intention of brewing a storm over something so simple. "It''s really so kind of you to say that. Oh, baby, you have such a great mother!" Cynthia then nted a kiss on the cheek of her grandson. "Hey! What a beautiful and warm family we have," eximed Daisy who came rushing from behind Cynthia. She had just gotten off work and made her way to the hospital immediately as she clocked out. "You''re finally here, Daisy. Still haven''t gone home huh?" Daisy came without Justin, so Cynthia knew Daisy hade directly from work. If Daisy had gone home first, she would have Justin tag along. Justin was also eager to see his little cousin. "No, I haven''t. I came here as soon as I could." Daisy walked up to Michelle and gave her the warmest con ''s still not your duty to protect her. Your Uncle Kevin is a soldier and he is in charge of protecting his child," Daisy said, trying so hard to hold back herughter. She could not help but make fun of her son. "But Uncle Kevin will surely be busy, so the baby girl will be under my care." Justin shed a big grin as he began to imagine the things he would do to protect his Uncle Kevin''s baby girl in his ce. "Fine," Daisy gave up. "But I don''t think your dream wille true," she added with a shrug. "Don''t you and your Aunt Leena have problems getting along? Do you think she''ll ever ask you to protect her daughter?" Michelle joined Daisy in teasing the boy. "Dang it! I almost forgot. Aunt Michelle, will Aunt Leena forgive me if I be nicer to her from now on?" Justin asked hoping to get the answer he wanted to get. "Why don''t you give it a try? It just might work." Michelle burst intoughter this time. Justin was such an adorable and charming boy that he seemed to be convinced that Leena was for sure going to have a daughter. "Okay, let''s stop teasing the child. Why don''t you have another baby?" suggested Cynthia while stroking Justin''s head affectionately. "What? You must be kidding me, mom. Michelle just gave birth! Give her a break. At least a year or two." Daisy stared at Cynthia in disbelief. Chapter 1608 Michelles Delivery (Part Three) "Well, it doesn''t have to be just Michelle. This could be for you, too, right?" Cynthia turned to Daisy and smiled. She really hoped that her daughter-inw would consider having another baby with Edward. "It''s not that easy," Daisy stammered. The truth was that Edward had already gone through the male sterilization procedure; through this, they would never have another offspring again. "Why not? Justin looks like he really wants a younger sister. Isn''t that right, Justin?" In the eyes of the elders, it would be better to have both a daughter and a son than to just have a son. Cynthia in particr was no exception to this stigma. She thought Daisy and Edward were still young that they could still have another child. "Uh... Mom, it''s really not in my ns at the moment," Daisy exined to Cynthia with an awkward smile etched on her face. They had not told Edward''s parents about the sterilization, so she didn''t know how else to break it to her mother-inw. "It''s just a suggestion. No pressure," Cynthia said with a pitiful frown. She prided herself with being the considerate mother-inw who used no force towards her daughters-inw. "Mommy, please have another baby. That way I wouldn''t have to befriend Aunt Leena, the devil herself." Justin held Daisy''s arm to plead. "You brat! Are you speaking ill of me?" Leena''s voice came from outside the room. Justin turned his head in shock and fear, seeing Kevin helping Leena into the room. "No, I am not. You misheard me!" Justin immediately denied. ''Justin, you have to hold back your anger for the sake of a baby girl. Do not anger the vessel! Otherwise, your n will fail, '' Justin thought to himself. "Huh? Are you saying I''m deaf?" Leena gazed at Justin as if Justin were gazing at the abyss. ''This kid really never stops talking behind my back, '' Leena thought. "Come on, Nana! Don''t get angry! You''re carrying a child." Kevin consoled his wife and rubbed his temples as a notion of resignation. Why did the odds lead to crossing paths with Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ny, but he had no intention of taking it for himself. "You know you have to be careful, right? Edward has arranged several body guards to protect you, but you still have to know how to protect yourself," said Leena. The Ke family was a big n, but Rain had never regarded them as his family. Leena felt bad for Rain and she didn''t want him to fall under the harm of the Ke family. "Don''t worry, I know how to protect myself. Hey, eat more." Rain added more food onto Leena''s bowl. He was very cold to others, but he had a soft spot for Leena. "Rain! It''s really you. What a coincidence! Who is this woman? Is she your girlfriend?" Tiana walked up to them. She was wearing fashionable designer clothes and essories, grabbing the attention of everyone. However, as a designer herself, Leena did not appeal to her style. She just put on all the elements together without thinking of the coordination, which made her look like a mess. "We''re having dinner. We don''t need you here," Rain told off thedy coldly. He would get headaches here and there because of that woman. He had asked her to delete his photos not long ago and he hadn''t seen her for a while until now. He did not expect toe across her and he had hoped not to see her ever again as she was really irritating. Rain couldn''t help but frown at the coincidence he was faced with. Chapter 1609 It Was No Accident (Part One) "I haven''t eaten anything either, and I''m wondering if thisdy would mind if I join you." Tiana knew that Rain disliked her. So, she asked Leena who was seated beside Rain, hoping she would agree to have her join them for a meal. Leena hesitated and nced at Rain. "Well..." She didn''t even know the woman, so she was wary about inviting her casually to sit down with them. Angrily, Rain blurted out, "Tiana Ke, do not try to annoy me!" He had turned sullen when Tiana tried to insinuate herself. He was adamant that she should stay away because he didn''t want to lose his appetite. "I didn''t do anything, Rain. I only want to join you for a meal. Is that such a hardship that you have to be annoyed?" Tiana said. The more Rain refused to be with her, the more curious about Leena she became. She wondered why this woman was sharing a meal with Rain. "Rain, since it is Miss Ke, perhaps she could just join us," Leena suggested. After hearing Rain mentioned Tiana''s name, Leena surmised the woman who wanted to join their meal was a member of the Ke family. She thought of Rain and decided it would be better to invite her to eat. Otherwise, Rain could get into trouble. As soon as Tiana heard Leena, she couldn''t help but look at the woman from head to toe. Blowing out a breath, Rain grumbled, "Since Leena has agreed, you might as well sit down! But you''d better not be saying anything horrible on this table." He warned Tiana. The man was worried that Tiana would say something to embarrass Leena, thus the warning. "Thank you for agreeing to let me join you, ma''am," Tiana said. As soon as Rain gave in to Leena, Tiana immediately sat down and shared a meal with the two happily. "You''re wee. We only started eating. If there is something you would prefer to eat, go ahead and order," Leena encouraged her. It slightly annoyed her when Tiana addressed her as ''ma''am'' when she didn''t seem older than her. But she opted not to correct her anymore. "Is this ma''am your wife, Rain?" Tiana asked curiously. Her Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. KD Group was to avenge his loss. He had no desire to be caught in family bonds. And he made sure to focus on that. Bitterly, Tiana dered, "Vance was right. No matter how I try to please you, you will never regard me as a sister. Initially, I thought he was merely trying to sow dissent between us. Now I realize that what he said was true." Had there been noparison, there would have been no harm done. But how could Rain give her a hard blow after she saw how well he treated another girl whom he considered a sister? "It''s good that you''ve finally epted the reality of the situation. I hope you will no longer bother me in the KD Group," Rain said bluntly. The reason he was able to say that was becausepared to other members of the Ke family, Tiana wasn''t so bad. Her response was bitterughter. "Why not? KD Group is not yours! As a member of the Ke family, I have ess to thepany," Tiana remarked. Her eyes had turned red, and tears threatened to fall. Tiana now realized one truth. The greater one''s expectation was, the more desperate they became when this was not met in the end. "Of course you have the right to go to the KD Group offices. But your rights don''t include free ess to the President''s Office," Rain dered. When he said that, his tone was so cold. It would have frozen Satan in his descent to hell. Chapter 1610 It Was No Accident (Part Two) "And in case I actually did that, then what?" Tiana challenged. All she wanted was a little family affection from him. But why was it so difficult for him to give that to her? ring at Tiana, Rain said, "If you want to do that, you can always give it a try to see what would happen." The corner of Rain''s lips curved into a twisted smile. He couldn''t understand why Tiana insisted on provoking him with ridiculous demands. But he would make up his mind that she was not worth his time or attention. Sensing the rising tension between her twopanions, Leena quickly intervened. "Miss Ke, I think it is better for us to start eating before the food gets cold," she said with a nervous smile. Noting the curious looks thrown their way by other customers in the restaurant, Leena thought it best to settle the animosity between Rain and Tiana or at least calm them down. "Do you think I still have an appetite after all this?" Tiana cried out. She was annoyed that all Leena could think about was food. But then, it wasn''t Leena who was reprimanded in public. Rudely, Rain said, "If you don''t want to eat, you''re free to go. Leave us in peace to enjoy our meal." Rain hated seeing Leena being taken advantage of. So he said his piece without hesitation. In the family, no one had the heart to say hurtful things to Leena, so how could an outsider like Tiana do such a thing? Angrily, Tiana dered, "Well, I''m leaving! Do you honestly think I want to have a meal with you?" She stood up quickly, oblivious to the stares of everyone. Before finally exiting, she gave Leena a thoughtful look. A shudder ran down Leena''s spine from the cold scrutiny. "Rain, she seems to like you a lot. Why are you doing this to her? Why being so cruel?" Leena pointed out. She was still trying to figure out why Rain was so disgusted with Tiana. While she might be part of the Ke family, Leena didn''t think every one of them was so bad. "If I don''t do this to her now, I will only be waiting for the day when she will brutally hurt me back," Rain exined. There was no member of the Ke family that he could trust or believe. That said, he wanted no ties with any one of them. "I simply don''t understand it," Leena sighed. That woman on up after Leena had gotten off him. He ignored his own pain and struggled to wrap his arms around Leena while helping her walk towards the car. Before moving, he turned around to see who pushed Leena down the stairs. He was furious when he saw her and wanted to p the person hard. But now he knew it wasn''t the right time. What was critical was to get Leena to the hospital as soon as possible. Tiana was stunned. She had been so mad with Rain for being kind to Leena and only intended to give her a slight push. How was she to know the woman''s knees were unstable from the cold? Then she overheard Rain ask about the baby, so Tiana discovered that Leena was pregnant. She thought that mean act would have been revenge enough. Rain would not make it easy for her. Had she known the woman was pregnant, Tiana would never have touched her. So that was why her dress was unfashionable and like those worn by pregnant women. She was indeed heavy with child. "Tom, hurry! Meet us at the emergency department. Leena had an ident, and I''m bringing her to the hospital now," Rain said in his call to Tom. He honked his horn like crazy, driving to the Renxin Hospital at the fastest speed allowable. "What''s the matter? Is it serious? Is there any bleeding?" Tom fired a series of questions over the phone. From the moment he heard that Leena had an ident, Tom immediately stood up and hurried to the entrance of the emergency department. He left whatever work he was doing unfinished. Chapter 1611 It Was No Accident (Part Three) "No, but sheined of pain in her lower abdomen. So, you''d better get ready. We''ll be there in ten minutes," Rain said while concentrating on his driving. It had never been a moment in Rain''s life when he felt so scared. He knew well how difficult it was for Leena to have conceived the baby. And he was also aware of what that child meant to Leena. "All right. Be safe on the road!" Tom said. He hung up the phone and ordered the nurse to notify the Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology to be ready for treating an emergency case. "Leena? Are you all right? Do you still feel pain in your stomach?" Rain asked worriedly. Although it was spring and the weather was cool, Rain sweated buckets because of the fear gripping his heart. "It''s not as painful as before. Don''t worry, the baby will be okay," Leena said softly to assure Rain. The words were meant tofort both Rain and herself. When she felt her dress, Leena was thankful there was no sign of bleeding. So she hoped her condition wasn''t too serious. Thanks to Rain jumping ahead of her, she didn''t hit the ground directly. Or that would have definitely been more serious. "It has to be okay, or I will cut myself over it!" Rain said. ''Damn it, Tiana Ke!'' He cursed her in his head. Rain vowed to make her pay for what she did to Leena. "Rain, please don''t say things like that. You frighten me," Leena pleaded. Leena was already panicking because of her condition, but Rain''s words made her feel even worse. "Okay, I will refrain from saying such things. Just sit tight, and we''ll be arriving at the hospital soon," he told Leena. He stepped on the elerator and maneuvered the car expertly. The only thing Rain focused on right now was to get to the hospital safely in record time. Thest time Tom stood outside the hospital was to wait for Kevin. Now, he was waiting for Leena. He was beginning to think this couple was quite troublesome. Then he saw Rain''s car screeching towards the hospital. So he ran to meet it. Opening the passenger door, he quickly examined Leena and urgently asked questions. "How do you feel now, Leena? Do you still feel pain?" He carefully helped her out, and then picked her up lightly to prevent more stre n''t need you to check up on me. I want to go see Leena first," Rain insisted. He was still thinking about what happened. And deep inside he could still feel the panic. Trying to shake off the fear he felt earlier, Rain wanted to see for himself that Leena was all right. Tom blocked his efforts. "Leena said that you should have your body checked up first. Then you can go and see her. So, stop arguing and just do it!" Rain was obviously reluctant to undergo examination. Tom wondered how nervous the guy was about his injuries. If Rain wasn''t enthusiastic to be examined by Tom, neither was Tom looking forward to examining him. But Leena had made the request so he was going to do it, even if he wasn''t going to get paid for doing it. "That wrench!" Rain gritted his teeth in annoyance. Since it was Leena who asked that he should be seen to by a doctor, Rain had no choice but toply. It would be easier to follow Tom and let him examine his injuries. "Fortunately, you protected Leena well enough and broke her fall. Otherwise, the baby would truly be in danger," Tom reported. He still was curious why Leena fell down from the stairs but he said nothing. What was important was that Rain was there to protect Leena in such a dangerous situation. "Stop talking about it, okay? I still feel panic just thinking about it," Rain said morosely. He rubbed his chest anxiously. If something serious had happened to the baby, Rain didn''t know how he could face Kevin after. Chapter 1612 Running Into Louisa (Part One) "You better keep a few points in mind when you are with a pregnant woman. Don''t stand too close to the stairs. Don''t go into crowds. Keep track of your surroundings at all times so that you keep potential dangers at bay. Got it?" Tom felt it would be good to give Rain the low-down about pregnancy. After all, Rain would eventually get married and have a child of his own. "By all means! But I won''t dare to take her out before the babyes out. That''s just too risky." Rain got the fright of his life today. He never wanted to experience something like that ever again. ''No way, '' he thought sardonically as his eyes rolled upward in pain. "Well, in that case, don''t expect your future wife to go out when she gets pregnant." ''Rain is just overreacting, '' Tom thought. A pregnant woman didn''t have to be confined to her house. As a matter of fact, going on walks outside was beneficial for her health. "Oh, for sure! Ouch! That hurts! Are you actually trying to heal me? Or are you just making it worse? Stop rubbing so much of that alcohol on me!" Rainined, screaming out in pain. It hurt like a bitch when Tom applied the rubbing alcohol on his wound. He only got scraped a bit. The wound was not even that serious. A little alcohol on a cotton swab was enough. To Rain, it felt like Tom had emptied the entire bottle of alcohol on his cut. Maybe Tom was exacting some sort of twisted revenge on him. "Of course I am healing you! You don''t want the wound to be infected, do you? Don''t scream like a little girl now. I am the doctor here. I get to decide how to treat your wound," Tom reassured him, but he would never tell Rain that he was being a bit rough on purpose. Leena was still worried about Rain, when she herself had been in a precarious situation. Tom was somewhat jealous. "Fine. I don''t want to fight with a quack anymore. Just finish it quickly. I need to check on Leena; see how she''s doing." Rain rolled his eyes at Tom impertinently. How he wished he could throw the contents of that bottle into Tom''s mouth! Rain would see how he woul bdued about Leena''s wealthy brothers now. He was no longer so concerned about his self-respect. "Okay then. I want peeled prawns. I am craving them suddenly." It was good that she had a rich brother. She could order whatever she wanted to eat for free. "You glutton. Wait here. I''ll get you the food soon." Kevin bent his head and left a gentle kiss on her lips before leaving the ward. Leena sighed in relief as she watched Kevin leave, having managed to escape his tirade. Thank God she didn''t have to endure his endless chattering anymore! "Hey, Kevin. Didn''t you juste? You''re leaving so soon?" Not long after Kevin walked out of Leena''s room, he met Tom. "Leena wants something from Kate Hotel. I''m going to get her some food." A pregnant wife was of utmost priority. As Leena''s husband, he would do whatever was in his power to satisfy her. "Great. Bring me some too! It''s been a long time since I enjoyed Kate''s foodst time!" Tom drooled at the mention of Kate Hotel. He loved the food there. Unfortunately, he seldom got to go there after marriage. Because of Patricia, he didn''t get a lot of chances to eat outside. "Are you not going home today? Patricia is probably waiting for you for dinner!" Kevin looked at him, squinting his eyes. He heard that Tom had turned over a new leaf after getting married. He was the obedient husband to his wife. Chapter 1613 Running Into Louisa (Part Two) "I have a patient who has a severe condition. It''s not very optimistic. I have to be here all night and keep a close eye on him. He should be ready for surgery at any moment." Tom was exhausted. He had been working for hours and the patient''s condition was very serious. "Oh, all right. What would you like me to get you then?" Kevin rarely had food with Tom, so he was unaware of thetter''s preferences. "Anything would be fine. I''ll have what Leena has ordered." Tom was not a picky eater. He was fully aware as a doctor that a bnced diet and nutrition was important to keep the body strong and healthy. "Okay. I''ll bring the food to your officeter." Edward was going to foot some bills tonight, seeing the amount of food they were going to order. "Oh, no. You can just call me and I''ll join you. It''s a bit lonely to have dinner all alone!" The more people, the merrier it was for Tom. Kevin and the staff of the catering division knew each other well. They quickly packed up the food he ordered and saw him off. The girls stared at him with pining eyes, marveling at how handsome and brave he was. They dared not get close to him. They knew they couldn''t be someone special to him, as that position already belonged to his wife. Leena was a sessful and charming woman who had an excellent family background. Kevin only had eyes for her. They were a match made in heaven. As Kevin walked out of Kate Hotel, his eyes met an approaching Louisa. S City was not that huge. It was normal to run into acquaintances. Louisa was behind a man, who had his hand on her arm. Kevin wondered who the man beside her was. Wasn''t he too old to be her boyfriend? The man pulled Louisa into the hotel. Louisa made no response when her eyes slid to Kevin, as if he was a stranger. Her gaze was vacant and devoid of any emotion. It was unusual behavior on her part; she always greeted him when she saw him. Kevin could not help but frown. He had no interest in saying hello to her, but something felt f Mr. Yi within seconds. This kind of crime came under his purview. "Sir, no! You misunderstood me. I wasn''t involved in any human trafficking. I just wanted a girlfriend, that''s all. It was that simple." Human trafficking was a serious usation. He might end up in prison for several years! He was not stupid to admit to this crime. "You don''t look like you can''t find a girlfriend for yourself. Don''t try to fool me anymore." Kevin''s grip tightened. The man''s wrist turned purple as he yelped in pain. "I didn''t fool you. Yes, you''re right. I can find myself a girlfriend if I want, but those women are far too ordinary and money-minded. But this woman? It''s not easy to find a girlfriend like her. She is beautiful and well-bred," the man spluttered, gasping. He would not have taken this risk if he did not want an excellent girlfriend for himself. Beautiful? Kevin nced at Louisa quickly. She was indeed beautiful. But well-bred? She had a poor temperament, which had nearly cost him her wife''s life. Most women Kevin knew were well-bred, but not Louisa. She definitely did not fall under that category. "Just tell me. What have you drugged her with?" Louisa might be sluggish, but she seemed to have an idea of the situation she was in. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have hid behind Kevin. She could sense she was in danger. Chapter 1614 Running Into Louisa (Part Three) "I didn''t do anything. She was like this when another man handed her over to me. The guy said she would recover within a few hours." He had nned to take advantage of her while she was unable to resist him, so he decided to take her to the hotel. Unfortunately, they came across this damned soldier. What misfortune he had! Not only had he lost his money, but he would also be facing serious charges now. As a soldier, Kevin often had to take on important tasks. He was aware of the drugs that circted in the underworld. They were prevalent in crimes against women. Because ofck of self-protection and vignce, women and girls often ended up as victims of human trafficking. Mr. Yi rushed over soon after Kevin''s call. He could not afford to slight a high-ranking official like Kevin. "Major General Gu, isn''t this the Commander''s daughter?" Mr. Yi said in astonishment upon recognizing Louisa. What had happened to her? How did she fall into the clutches of a bad guy? "Yes, it''s her. We''d better keep this a secret. Don''t leak this out to anyone. You know what to do." Kevin passed over the man to Mr. Yi. What happened next was not in Kevin''s hand. Mr. Yi should be capable enough to see Louisa to safety. "I''ll take care of it. Shall we inform Commander Ye?" Mr. Yi asked, a bit hesitant. Something awful happened to a Commander''s daughter under his jurisdiction. It was a serious matter. "You tell me." Kevin cast him a cold look. Who would pick up Louisa and get her home if he didn''t inform her father? Was Mr. Yi getting old? Maybe it was time for a capable young man to take over his position. Thew must be taken more seriously. They couldn''t risk the citizens'' lives. "Yes, yes. I got it." Mr. Yi felt Kevin''s icy gaze pr fice for Kevin''s call. He finally decided toe over and see for himself if Kevin was back. However, Tom didn''t expect to see such a scene. "No, it''s not like that. Let me exin." Kevin reached out to pull Louisa off him. However, Louisa only clung harder. She just would not let go of him. "I believe what I see. You have two choices: either you kick this woman out, or both of you get the hell out of here!" Tom grew furious. Leena had an ident earlier and was now in the hospital so that she and the baby were steady. How could Kevin bring another woman here, right to Leena''s face? "I choose neither. Nana, other people won''t believe me, but what about you? Don''t you trust me?" Kevin looked at Leena in disappointment. He thought she knew him well, but it seemed he had been over-confident. She chose to believe someone else when facing with such a minor misunderstanding. How fragile their love was! Like a house of cards, it coulde tumbling down with one strike. "Kevin, it''s you who''s in the wrong, not Leena. Don''t ask her to believe in you when you''re lying," Tom said in Leena''s defense, even before she could open her mouth in response. Chapter 1615 The Father Of The Victim (Part One) "Kevin, I believe you. I was just kidding. Well, you threatened to limit my personal freedom first. So, we''re even now." She knew Kevin better than anyone else and he could stand being misunderstood by everyone, except Leena. The reason was simple. They loved each other, and their trust should be unconditional. Leena would believe Kevin''s words, no matter what anyone said. Tom''s eyes widened at her words. "Leena, how can you still believe him? You saw everything. He is obviously lying!" Tom couldn''t understand why Leena still believed him. She had seen everything with her own eyes, for God''s sake! Leena was just too kind and too trusting sometimes. That was also the reason why she was always the one who got hurt in the end. "Tom, it''s all right. I really do believe him. The truth is that it''s Louisa who isn''t letting go of him, and not the other way around. I know that Kevin would never do this to me. Besides, if he really wanted to cheat on me, he wouldn''t have chosen such a silly and evident way to do it." "Leena, you believe me! Thank God. You almost gave me a heart attack. How mean are you?" Kevin finally heaved a long sigh now that he knew Leena hadn''t misunderstood the situation. As a couple, they had been through too much to easily break the trust between them. They had been through situations that had endangered their lives, after all. Nobody could ever break them apart anymore. The bond they had forged was special and precious. "Wow, you two! Quit it already. Why am I suddenly the bad guy here?" Tom rolled his eyes at the couple. Their love was sickening, and it was mean of Leena to trick him into believing her. "Forget about that. Tom, what is wrong with Louisa? She doesn''t look too good. Have a look at her, will yo is so erratic and her reactions are sluggish." As he exined the situation to Kevin, Tom took out his phone and texted the duty nurse, asking her to draw some blood from Louisa, who still looked terrified. "You are right. Sorry, I didn''t mean to rush you. Besides, it really looks like she has lost the ability to talk. Is it because of the drug?" Kevin asked. He wanted to get as much information as possible so that he could pass it on to the authorities who were on the case. But for now, they were not going to get any useful information from Louisa. "I would say so. But I can only be sure after we know what drugs were used. It could also be due to the shock following the events that have happened to her. Either way, we are not dealing with local criminals. They clearly know how to deal with this sort of stuff. If I have to guess, I would say this was done by a very organized human trafficking group," Tom said, ncing at Louisa. She was quite a beauty. No wonder the traffickers had chosen her as their victim. And besides, from what he had heard from Leena and Kevin, she didn''t seem like a sharp one. She was probably easily fooled into being drugged. Chapter 1616 The Father Of The Victim (Part Two) "Will she be all right, Tom?" Leena asked, a bit worried. This was just so Leena. She was such a kind girl. Though Louisa kept hurting her and wanted to take her husband away from her, Leena still couldn''t help but worry about her. She never wished ill-fortune on anyone, even people who hurt her. "Let''s hope so. We''ll have to wait for the result of the blood sample. There''s nothing much we can do right now. I will order a transfusion as soon as we get the results," Tom said. He looked at Leena''s saddened expression and added in a cheerful tone, "Man, I am starved. Let''s eat first." Only at that moment did he remember what he was actually there for. He quickly opened the containers Kevin had brought earlier and started eating without waiting for them. "Seriously? At least help me out first! She is grabbing me so tight!" Kevin red at Tom annoyingly, as he tried to pull away from Louisa''s grip. Tom sighed. "Just take off your coat," he said, shaking his head at Kevin. "Oh... Right. Why didn''t I think of that?" Kevin quickly shrugged off his coat. He didn''t want anything to do with Louisa and he didn''t want to be close to her if he could help it. When he finally got out of her grab, he let out a big sigh. "Because you are stupid. Come on, Leena. Let''s eat. Don''t mind Kevin," Tom joked. He had thought at first that Kevin was very smart. But after seeing him act silly so many times, he was not so sure anymore. Kevin was toozy to argue with Tom. He was tired from all this drama. When he got out of Louisa''s tight grip, he immediately walked away from her. He didn''t want her to clutch onto his shirt next. Then he had to end up stripping, one piece of cloth after another. Louisa tightly grabbed onto Kevin''s coat after he had taken it off. Her gaze was still unfocused and she still looked out of it. But her eyes followed Kevin wherever he went, even though she was notpletely lucid. Maybe it was because she st hotel to save his daughter, while he couldn''t. "We were indeed lucky this time. I have already handed over the suspect to Mr. Yi. I believe we will know more about the case soon," said Kevin. The one that themander should have really thanked was, in fact, Leena. He had only gone to the Kate Hotel because Leena wanted to eat the food there. "I will personally look into the case. We will definitely take down this trafficking group once and for all, before more people get hurt," themander pledged. There was anger and grief in his voice. He really hadn''t expected that something like this would happen to his daughter one day. He vowed to take down the whole group, not only for his daughter, but also for the people he had pledged to always protect. "Of course. I will ask my soldiers to look into it too," Kevin said. It was clear that themander was furious that his daughter was drugged and kidnapped. If he couldn''t even protect his own daughter as amander, how could he protect the people? Meanwhile, themander''s wife held her daughter tightly in her arms, even as Louisa struggled to get out of her embrace. She patted Louisa''s head and murmured soft words to her, trying tofort her daughter. She was heartbroken after seeing her daughter in such a condition. Chapter 1617 The Father Of The Victim (Part Three) Leena looked at them. Louisa was such a lucky girl. She had parents who loved her deeply no matter what she did. But Louisa took it for granted. Leena looked at Louisa and her mother with envious eyes. She had never gotten an embrace like this from her own mother. The nurse came in with Louisa''s report soon after and handed it over to Tom. He frowned as he read her blood sample report. The drug that the criminals had put in Louisa''s food or drinks had already been banned and should have been destroyed a long time ago. He wondered how they had managed to get their hands on it. "What? Is it bad?" Seeing the look on Tom''s face, Kevin asked in a worried tone. "Yeah, kind of. I have to perform a full-body check up on her ande up with an appropriate treatment immediately," Tom said, going through the report once again. This drug was very dangerous and if Louisa was left without treatment any longer, there would be some seriousplications. "Then what are you waiting for, Tom? Hurry up!" said Leena, who was more anxious than anyone else. Though she didn''t like Louisa, she still wanted her to get better, especially after seeing her mother''s tear-filled eyes. "I know, I know. Stop rushing me! You take care of yourself." Tom red at his little sister in fake annoyance. Only Leena could be this kind to someone who bore nothing but ill will for her. Themander''s wife raised her head and looked at Leena. ''Is this the woman who Kevin is in love with? My daughter lost Kevin to her?'' she thought to herself, ''She is beautiful and sweet, but looks fragile. Is she really a suitable woman for a strong and powerful man like Major General Gu?'' Feeling the woman''s gaze on her, Leena looked straight into her eyes. She sent a sweet smile her way. No matter what Louisa had done to her, her mother had nothing to do with all that. She was just a mother who was in pain right now. Themander''s wife could not help but return th yance. Daisy was always spouting bad things about her own husband in front of their friends. "You are lucky that you are my husband. Or I wouldn''t have even bothered to say anything about you." Daisy didn''t even blink as she said that. She was long used to Edward being dramatic. "Kevin, don''t you think we are being ignored again?" Leena said, amused at their bickering. "I don''t think they are here to visit me. They are here to put on a show for us." This always happened when Edward and Daisy were together. They bantered nonstop and teased each other relentlessly, but Leena knew that they also loved each other deeply. "Yeah, you''re right," Kevin said smirking, "Well, we can just enjoy the show as long as it''s free, right?" Leenaughed with him. "And who told you it''s free? If you want to watch more of this show, then you gotta pay," Edward scoffed, turning to Kevin. Well, he couldn''t say anything to his wife, but at least he could do something about these two. "Money? Is that all you think about? Doesn''t it get boring? You really are a sly businessman." She raised one of her eyebrows at her husband with an obstinate look. "Why don''t you keep your mouth shut if you don''t have anything good to say?" It looked like she was really in the mood to keep bantering with Edward. Chapter 1618 The Father Of The Victim (Part Four) "Of course, I do have good things to say to you. Would you like to know? Huh?" Edward winked at Daisy. His words and tone were so suggestive that Daisy''s face turned red immediately. "Ahem!" Daisy cleared her throat without replying to him. She was at a loss for words, shocked at Edward''s shamelessness. "Could you two stay here and look after Leena? I have to go and see themander. He is here too," Kevin interrupted, breaking the awkward silence. Themander was his superior and it was only proper for him to go and visit him to inquire about his daughter. Besides, he could tell that Daisy was feeling embarrassed at the moment, and he didn''t want to make her feel ufortable by being there. Daisy looked at Kevin in surprise. She asked, "What happened to themander? Why is he at the hospital?" She wasn''t informed that themander was ill. "He is all right. It''s Louisa who is in a bit of a trouble. It''s kind ofplicated. I''ll exinter." Kevin didn''t want to give them any details about the incident without getting further information. They would have to wait till Louisa was fully conscious and could tell them what had happened to her on her own. "I''ming with you," Daisy said, with a finality in her tone. Themander was Daisy''s superior too. Now that she was here at the hospital, she had to pay him a visit too. "Okay. Let''s go. Nana, we will be back soon." Kevin fixed the bed cover for her again, giving Leena a small smile. One could tell from the small gestures how deeply Kevin cared about Leena and their baby. "Okay," Leena said, worried about Louisa''s condition too. So she didn''t mind Kevin visiting her. She wanted to know what the hell had happened to her and if she would be okay soon. "Don''t worry about me. Edward is here." Kevin nced at Edward. If Leena hadn''t reminded him about Edward, he would havepletely forgotten that Edward was there in the room. He ignored his pr ere she was. "Okay. Anyway, this is not the right time to talk about that. It can wait till she wakes up. The most important thing right now is her well-being." Even if they managed to grab these criminals, there were many others just like them all over the world and they could never fully get rid of them. So, the only option was for the women to be careful and mindful of their surroundings. They would have to watch out for themselves and be aware of the people around them, in case things like this happened. "Doctor Qin is treating her right now. I believe she will recover soon. Then we will know exactly what the hell has happened." As amander and the father of the victim, he was angry and also shameful that his daughter got drugged and kidnapped under his very nose. It was like a p to his face. He had to take down the criminal group, no matter what, to get revenge for what they had done to his daughter and also to save his face. "I am going to give Mr. Yi a call and see how the case is proceeding," Kevin said, and left the room to call Mr. Yi. He stood in the long hospital corridor, with the phone to his ear. Under the pale light, his military uniform seemed even greener, making him look more handsome. He was really a charming man, even when his face was so serious. Chapter 1619 Sanford Ke (Part One) The ward''s doors swung open revealing Duke and Belinda''s tired faces. They arrived in a hurry and evident on their faces was that they ran more than they walked. They were thest to know about Leena''s ident. Behind them in the hallway was an agitated nurse berating the couple for walking in without registering. "Where the hell is Rain? Why the hell did he take you out when he was unable to protect you?" eximed Duke. Leena waved the nurse off, signaling that everything was fine. As long as the situation involved Leena, it was expected that Duke would be on top of it. He would get emotional and do whatever he could to protect his dear sister. "Stop it. Don''t me Rain. He also got hurt for me," Leena retorted, in a fruitless attempt to defend Rain. She believed that Rain would rather get hurt rather than just stand there and do nothing. Moreover, Leena just got frightened. She never got in any serious harm. "Why do you keep on defending him? He took you out so he had this obligation to protect you. That''s what a decent man should do, shield women and children from any harm, not put them in its way," said Duke, his eyes intense and expression furious. The air suddenly became heavy in the ward. The atmosphere only got worse when they arrived. Duke could be unreasonable sometimes. To his eyes, Leena was still his baby sister that he helped raise and carried around everywhere years ago who needed protection and care 24/7. "Don''t be ridiculous. You think Rain would have wanted this? I''m sure Rain must be beside himself for what Leena has been through." Although Belinda liked cracking jokes, she was reasonable and more level-headed. She didn''t lose control of herself like Duke whenever Leena was involved. "I guess you''re ming me," said Duke, turning to his wife, frowning. Like Edward, he ced a lot of importance on how his wife saw and treated him. He could get really upset if his wife had a bad opinion of him. "Of course not. Stop being silly." Belinda quickly replied. Duke obviously made a mistake. Even then, he refused to admit it. Who was he trying to impress? Leena sighed inwardly and felt awkward. An unc Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e. "You watch your mouth, woman. This is my family and I never want to hear anyone of you calling him bastard ever again. Otherwise, I promise you''ll regret your imprudence," shouted Sanford at his wife. Back then, he wouldn''t even have dared to raise his voice at his wife. But now things had changed. His family''s power wasrgely stronger than hers now. He wouldn''t allow her to insult his son whether he was a bastard or not. "Dad, please don''t be angry at mom. She was just telling the truth. Don''t you know what things have happened ever since Rain took over thepany?" asked Cyrus grimly, gritting his teeth. Cyrus hated Rain and barely held back on his words, as long as they smeared Rain''s reputation. Rain not only stopped him from getting his bonus, but also threatened to shut his illegal operations down. "Innovationes out of controversies. I know all of you have felt dissatisfied with him," Sanford turned to Cyrus and continued. "I know what you have done and what you''re thinking right now. I made the stupid mistake of turning a blind eye to your filthy business in the hopes of saving our family from the humiliation you will no doubt bring. But Rain wouldn''t be as lenient as I was. He has a sense of right and wrong. He dug deep and exposed your ugliness. Now you feel insulted and decide to take revenge." He knew he had to pay the price for his mistakes. Perhaps dealing with his family was his punishment. Chapter 1620 Sanford Ke (Part Two) "Do you really think he''s honest? He once told me he came back to this family to take his revenge," said Vance. Vance, over time, had been getting more and more irritated at Rain''s pride and ignorance. He was the real son of the family. Now Rain wanted to take that away from him. ''Well, he''ll take it over my dead body.'' Vance thought. "No matter what he said about his motivations foring back, he has brought new hopes for KD in a short span of time. Could any of you have pulled this off?" said Sanford angrily, scanning and meeting the eyes of his family coldly. He knew what these people in the room were thinking of. They all wanted to take thepany away from him. Be he would not let them seed no matter what the cost. "Dad, how about you persuading him to let me head the ounting department?" asked Hannah, who was standing beside the firece. As long as Rain controlled the capital, thepany was his, Hannah thought. "Wow sis, clever of you to propose such a thing, but not clever enough to be in charge of such an important department." Eugenia, who was slumped on one of the chairs, quipped and then burst into a chuckle. She also wanted this job, and so prevented Hannah from getting it. "So, what, you think you''re smart enough?" retorted Hannah, sneering at her sister-inw. She and Eugenia were sopetitive in everything. "I don''t think so, sis. You''re way better than me in all aspects. I would never argue that without justified reasons. But I just heard that KD just got a big project that involves the government. How about you letting me handle that, Dad?" said Eugenia in a sincere tone. She would be showering with money if this project was given to her. "Now I understand why they call you the most shewd woman in the family," Cyprus said, halfughing. "You really think big, huh? If you get to be in charge of this, you''ll be earning a lot." He looked at Eugenia with a critical eye. He was so desperate to expose her scheme before the whole family and embarrass her. "You''re wrong. I work only for the betterment of the family. I won''t line my pockets with public funds. Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. d mother. "I won''t divorce you. That would only bring shame for the both of us," replied Sanford solemnly. If he really wanted to leave her, he wouldn''t have waited a long time to do it. Even though he never loved her, she gave birth to his children, raised them and guided them from the start. He appreciated her efforts all those years to hold the family together and owed too much to her to divorce her. "What is wrong with you people? I thought you were here to help me." Tiana pushed her seat back noisily, its legs scraping against the wooden floor. She then stood up. "But you never once stopped bickering ever since you arrived at the house. So, will you help me or not?" Tiana said in a desperate voice, her eyes pleading and face flushed. The memory of how tenderly Rain treated Leena kept ying over and over in her mind. How she wanted such a loving and kind brother. Her family disappointed her so much. "You made a big mistake. Do you realize that now? You were always scurrying to win his favor. What did that get you in the end? I tried warning you back then of the possible consequences of your actions, but you refused to listen to me. Now you''ve fallen, and you want us to pick up the pieces. Don''t you think it''s a bitte for us to do anything useful?" proimed Vance. Recalling how badly Tiana treated him with her attitude, he couldn''t help butugh out loud at his sister''s misfortune. Chapter 1621 Sanford Ke (Part Three) "Enough, Vance. Don''t make her feel worse than she already is. Tiana, go on, tell us what happened. Why did he freeze your assets? What did you do for that to happen?" asked Eugenia in a serious tone. Eugenia was woman of breeding and knew when to get serious, especially in critical situations. She wouldn''t lose control of herself and put her family in even more danger. "I just touched the girl Rain had dinner with. How should I know she was pregnant." said Tiana in a low voice, her feet fidgeting slightly. She agonized over whether she knocked Leena down and caused her to miscarry. Was that why Rain was utterly furious? "What? She was pregnant? Are you sure?" asked Eugenia, visibly rmed. She then descended in deep thought, as if she had thought of something important. If the girl was pregnant, there was a big possibility she was married. Why did Rain and a pregnant woman have dinner together? "Yes, I am absolutely sure about that. She was pregnant. I remember her to be really sweet, lovely and young, even though she was pregnant." Tiana added. All this could have been avoided if only she paid more attention to her belly rather than her disarming beauty. "Well, is she Rain''s girlfriend?" asked Hannah after being quiet for some time. She never knew Rain was in a rtionship. "Nah, she isn''t. I guess she is probably Rain''s sister." Tiana said as the memory yed again in her mind. She winced when she felt jealous of the intimate rtionship between the two and jealousy spawned wicked ideas. "Is she Duke Leng''s sister?" Eugenia guessed. She was trying to cover all the possibilities. She knew that Duke''s sister was well-connected and loved by many powerful people. Some rumours even said that the all-powerful FX International Group was also behind her. "Ah! I don''t really care about her name or family. Can any of you lend me your credit card?" Tiana asked, clearly exasperated. With her bank ounts frozen, she couldn''t help but feel defenseless and ufortable. "Well, if nothing else is to be done, I have more work to do. I''ll be upstairs," Hannah said as she promptly got up and made for the door. She left so quickly that Tiana didn''t have a chance to say anything. To her sister-inw ms again?" Tiana shifted ufortably in her seat and felt anxious when her father started walking towards the study. "Your problems are not my concern any longer. You should work it out with Rain with a justified exnation and an apology." Sanford himself wouldn''t have stayed at home if he knew Tiana was there, prepared to harass him for money. Hearing the door close, she quickly turned to her mother. "Mom, everybody left. I have nobody else, except you," pleaded Tiana desperately. Mom was herst hope. All would be lost if her mother chose to just stand by and watch. "I want to help you my dear, but my hands are tied. Haven''t I told you that I invested too much into the stock market?" answered Sheena with a hint of sadness in her voice. The stock market was looking up and she was expectingrge returns when she invested. However, unexpected things happened all the time and her stocks plummeted. She almost lost all of her savings. "Wait, what? Does father know about that? You promised you would change!" Tiana said in disbelief. She just stared at her mother in shock. She never thought her mother would enter the stock market again after promising not to. "Shhhh. Keep your voice down," shushed Sheena. "Do you want the whole house to know that?" She red at her daughter, while slowly drifting into deep thoughts. She had always taken Rain lightly. But now he had drawn her attention, and she wouldn''t let him go that easily. She would utterly destroy him. Chapter 1622 First-month Celebration For Lukes Baby (Part One) It was alreadyte in the night when Louisa eventually became soberpletely. She imed that she was invited by a friend to a bar for a birthday party. After the party was over and everyone had left, she felt that she didn''t have enough fun so she stayed a bit longer and drank alone to drown out her misery. A man came over, trying to have a little chat with her. She wasn''t really in the mood but when she gave him a second look, she found that that man wasn''t all too bad. The longer she stared, the better he looked. Maybe it was the alcohol. She was already miserable anyway, so she did not refuse him. Meeting strangers and hooking up happened a lot in bars. After a few drinks and a bit more conversation, they had befortable with each other. Louisa gradually rxed and let her guard down. The stranger then took the opportunity to put the drug in her drink secretly and had her finish it all. She did not feel genuinely scared until she felt too dizzy and was unable to speak. It no longer felt like the typical alcohol buzz. For what happened next, she had no idea at all. Her mind went nk all the way. When she finally woke up in the hospital, she felt as though she had just woken from a dream. A bad one. Everything was so unreal. Aplex of emotions surged from within her when she found out that Kevin saved her. While she was very thankful, it was frustrating to think that in front of the very person she wanted to impress the most, she was always at her worst. No wonder he was never thrilled by her. No one wanted to waste time with a loser. "I heard you are pregnant. Congrattions," Louisa said in a tone that was less than enthusiastic, as she stood beside Leena''s bed. But she realized that she could not keep running after a happily married man for the rest of her life. She knew that she had to move on and this time there was no turning back. "Yeah. Thank you. Are you okay?" Leena had never expec ng back and forth with her? "Really? How can you be so sure about that? I remember that Spencer can y with him, too." The corners of Leena''s mouth could not help curving upwards whenever she thought of her little cute nephew waddling around. "Really? He can''t even walk well now! Don''t treat me like a fool! Come on!" In Justin''s mind, the short-legged cute baby Spencer was just like his auntie and did not always get along well with Justin. But as soon as he saw Justin, he would run to him and ask for hug. "Don''t overreact. Did he piss on you again?!" Leena gloated. Spencer liked Justin. He would cling to Justin as long as they were together. Several times, he couldn''t hold it in and pissed on Justin. Did Spencer think his cousin was a toilet bowl? It was always hrious. "Auntie Leena, is your baby a boy or a girl?" Justin changed the topic, trying to get more information. That was his strategy when facing a potential enemy. "You can make a guess." Leena could not help wondering what was wrong with Justin. He quickly changed topics, one after another. He must have his own purpose and agenda. She decided to be calm when dealing with him. "I won''t ask you if I could guess it." Justin cast a disdainful look at Leena, as if she was talking about something really stupid. Chapter 1623 First-month Celebration For Lukes Baby (Part Two) "Well, I don''t know, either. At least not yet." Not knowing the baby''s gender might not be a bad thing. Leena did not ask the doctor about it either. It was a blessing from God, whether it was going to be a boy or a girl. "What''s up, you guys? It looks like you are getting along quite well today." Michelle was not as slim as before. After she gave birth, she had be more calm and mature, as could be told from the gentle expression on her face. She had be a mother. For those who knew nothing about her past, it would be hard to believe she used to lead a wild and carefree life. "Auntie Michelle, something must be wrong with your eyes. Me and her? Getting along well? That''s not gonna happen. Ever." Justin wanted a female cousin. "Oh? Really? So this is all a mistake then?" Michelle exchanged a look with Leena. She joined Leena in making fun of Justin, to Leena''s delight. "Of course, it is. Me and her get along? We are just like the water and the fire which would never get along. Never, ever, ever. Auntie Michelle, you''d better keep close watch over your baby. Keep him away from someone with horrible intentions." Justin cast a sidelong look at Leena. Obviously, the someone he was referring to was Leena. "You little brat. What did you just say? What the hell? Horrible intentions? Don''t talk bad things like that about me again. I''m offering you a chance to take it back." Leena was sweet to most people. But things would always go differently when she was with Justin. If there was any possibility between them to stay in peace, Mars would collide with Earth. "Listen, Auntie Michelle. You heard it. She is saying rude words. There''s no way that she could say kind words to me. Oh, do you know that she has been doing prenatal education? I seriously doubt it, if the education would work. I''m so worried about my future cousin!" Justin said in a concerned tone as if he was helpless against his Auntie Leena. "You''d better worry about yourself!" Leena retorted back in a seemingly angry tone and moved t Spencer was more than one year-old now. But every time Belinda went out carrying Spencer, she had tons of things to prepare first. "That makes sense. By the way, where is Belinda? I haven''t see her either." Michelle agreed with Leena''s possible exnation. She decided not to worry about Patricia. "She is in the garden with Daisy. They seemed to have something important to talk about." That was probably why Spencer liked to cling to Justin. Their mothers always left them together. "When will Kevine back?" Michelle yed and teased Owen while chattering with Leena. She did not have to go out to deal with the guests because her parents-inw were the ones doing the entertaining. "Not today. He called mest night and said that it would be another two days before he got back." Leena had already gotten used to this kind of life, being the wife of a military man. She had to be strong enough to endure the days of being apart from him. "Is he away to attend a meeting?" Daisy mentioned something about it to Michelle so she knew a bit. "Yes. Nothing to worry about." Leena reached out and touched her belly gently. She did not feel likeining. Instead, she tried to make the most of the moment and feel happy while waiting for Kevin toe back home. A reunion was always especially precious after being apart for a long time. Chapter 1624 First-month Celebration For Lukes Baby (Part Three) "Well. Sometimes, I admire you a lot. You are very open-minded." In the past, Michelle did not know much about Leena. In her opinion, everyone liked Leena because of Duke. However, as time went by, Michelle gradually realized that it was too shallow for her to think like that. Leena deserved all the love that she got from her family and friends. She had her own personality and charm, which could not be measured or bought with money. "Oh, don''t. Maybe I am, but so are most people. It is very difficult to live life these days if you''re not open minded." Most of the time, Leena did not struggle for something that didn''t belong to her. She was optimistic that, what was meant for her woulde to her when the right time came. Leena had be another unique woman in Michelle''s eyes. Just like Daisy, Michelle found Leena to be another inspiring woman. She had something that she did not have. This party was held to celebrate Owen''s first month of life. All the guests were mostly rtives and close friends. Everything went smoothly and everyone had a great time. Kevin was the only one missing as he was on a business trip. Patricia arrived not longter. Somehow, Patricia felt that there was something wrong between her and Leena. They had not been as excited about each other as before. Their friendship seemed to begin to have a gap. "Leena, how''s everything going? Are you and your baby okay?" Patricia greeted Leena in an ordinary tone. However, in her mind, how she regretted saying those words to hurt Leena the other day. But there was no way to undo it. "Yes. I''m good. No vomiting anymore. Hey, baby Eden, did you miss me?" Leena liked kids except for Justin. Probably because he was just too old for her to like. Plus the child always found a way to piss her off! "Oh he missed you. But it is just exhausting to take care of him. He is just a handful!" Patricia did not realize how tiring it would be to raise a kid until she became a mother herself. "That makes sense. rap tasting concoction of yours." She would do whatever it took to make sure that she gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby. "Good. Come to my office when you do your pre-natal check up a few dayster. I need to give you a bit more advice." Leena was in her second trimester now. There were notices and advice that he needed to tell Leena. He just could not be more careful. "Yes! I got it." Something just felt wrong. No matter how open-minded Leena was, and no matter how hard she tried, she felt that she was unable to be so intimate with Tom like before. There was now this invisible wall between them that could not be torn down. She was not the only one having such a thought. At that same moment, Tom was equally frustrated about it. He felt that Leena had be more distant in front of him. But there was nothing he could do but let it be. It probably would not matter a lot, as long as she was fine. The summer came after the spring. The weather was getting hotter. Leena became more unwieldy as the baby grew bigger in her belly. Kevin''s worry increased as well. "Nana, don''t sit for too long when you are working on your drawing. You need to walk a bit to avoid cramps." In the past, Kevin seldom called home. But recently, he made a call to Leena from time to time. He was just too restless while he was away. Chapter 1625 An Old Married Couple (Part One) "Come on, Kevin. I can take care of myself. Aren''t you busy now?" Leena asked. She had been sitting there drawing before Kevin called. She stood up and stretched her legs. "Yeah, I am. But I''m worried about you." While speaking with Leena on the phone, Kevin let his eyes settle upon thetest weapon designs on the table in front of him. "Don''t worry. That''s what servants are here for. We have three of them." Leena believed that Kevin was overreacting. There were three servants in their house, and she believed there was nothing for Kevin to worry about. "I''d still be worried if we had 30. Have you had any milk?" After learning that drinking milk during pregnancy was good for both mom and child, he made sure Leena had a ss of milk every day. She was beginning to get sick of it. "Come on! I already had a ss. Stop nagging." Leena shook her head in resignation. She lowered her head but wasn''t able to see her toes, as her belly was swollen like a basketball. "Okay, okay. I gotta hang up now. I''m very busy and won''t be home tilte. Don''t wait for me to have dinner." Kevin couldn''t help but frown when he thought about his assignment ¡ª check on the Falcon''s training schedule. The training program seemed to get nowhere. "Got it! Take care of yourself. Bye!" After hanging up, Leena stared back at her designs on the desk. It seemed that theunch event of autumn clothing needed to be postponed. She couldn''t finish the designs on time. As for the winter clothing, she really had no time and decided to cancel it. At FX International Group "Hey, why are you here?" Edward asked with a frown, looking at Leo. "Here''s the thing. My birthday''s in a couple of days. I was wondering if you and Daisy could have dinner with us on that day?" Leo answered politely. He couldn''t help but show respect for Edward. "That''s not up to me. I''ll have to ask Daisy first," Edward said with a shrug. Although Daisy didn''t object to Edward and Justin contacting Leo, her attitude towards him hadn''t changed. There was no love lost there. "I know. Please tell her Brian will be back then. She''d like to see him, I think." Leo knew Daisy cared for her brother, Brian, and she woulde as long as Brian would b e car and looked at Daisy''s direction. Even the sunlight was obscured by his gleam. "Didn''t he call you to let you know?" Mark asked and stopped the car. It was not the first time that Edward came to pick Daisy up. "Uh... You''re dismissed. I''ll ride in his car." Daisy straightened her clothes before getting out. Edward stayed still and stared quietly at his wife. His eyes were full of affection. Daisy walked up to him, her face burning, red with shyness. His eyes were so zing hot that she couldn''t bear it. "You haven''t waited long, I hope?" she asked as she reached out to hold his waist. Her heart softened. "Um, about two hours," Edward checked his watch and answered indifferently. He stroked her back and urged, "Let''s go." His voice was gentle, and his eyes were soft. He was a man of grace and elegance. Edward opened the passenger seat door and closed it after he made sure she was all in. Even though she was a military officer, he believed that she still needed his care. "You seem to have something on your mind," Daisy said, as she put her bag in the back seat and smoothed her hair. "Leo came to see me today." Edward stole a nce at Daisy, interested in how she would respond. "Oh, okay," she said indifferently. "You don''t want to know why he dropped by?" Edward was surprised to see herck of interest. He hadn''t seen thating. "No, your business is... well, your business." Daisy turned her head and looked out the window. Chapter 1626 An Old Married Couple (Part Two) "It''s not business. His birthday is in two days. He wants us to have dinner with him." Edward wanted to know her answer. Given her coldness toward Leo in the first ce, he wasn''t expecting much. "Yeah, okay. You and Justin can go." Although she still hated Leo, she would not stop Justin and Edward from having dinner with the man. "He wants to see you. By the way, Brian will be there too," Edward said casually. He had done his best, and he could do nothing if Daisy still refused to go. "That was all he wanted? Nothing else?" Daisy snorted. ''Now he regrets what he did, huh? It''s already toote, '' she thought. "I got him an appointment with Tom. He wasn''t feeling good." It was not until now that Edward remembered that. "Ha-ha! That old faker!" Daisy taunted. Disdain was written all over her face. "Daisy, I think he was serious." Edward turned to look at Daisy, as if he didn''t know this woman. She was always thoughtful and considerate of others. Most times, even sympathetic. Why was she so mean to Leo? "Leave me alone! You don''t know anything about it! My mom and I went through hell because of him," Daisy snapped back. She was a little annoyed by Edward''s nagging. "What do you mean, I don''t know?" Edward asked coldly. He was a proud man, and he couldn''t bear to be used by his wife like that. "Sorry. I lost it there. Please don''t take it too hard." Daisy sincerely apologized. Leo wasn''t worth her starting an argument with Edward. "You think I can pretend nothing happened?" Edward tried his best to hold back his anger. He had waited two hours for Daisy, but hadn''t expected that they would start arguing over something stupid. "Fine! Mea culpa. I overreacted." Daisy was really frustrated now. She had thought she could pretend that Leo was not there and live her life without him. But the truth was he was still very much a part of her life and she just couldn''t move on. "You know, I don''t need your apology." Edward''s voice softened. No matter how angry he was, his anger would fade when he saw her frustration. "You know, this kind of crap''s getting old. Like us." ''We are so familiar. I know you like the back of my hand. I can get your point just with a look, '' she thought to herself. "What do you mean by that?" Edward cried. The car screeched to a halt with grinding brakes as Edward re were a lot of girls around. It was not my fault. I was born with a handsome face." Edward answered in a serious manner, as if he were a soldier answering the officer''s question. "You seem to be quite proud of yourself. When did this happen? Why didn''t you tell me?" Daisy sneered. ''You''re handsome? Why don''t you say you''re unfaithful?'' she snorted to herself. "Senior Colonel Ouyang, you were off on a training mission, under a radio silence order. We were unable to tell you," Justin answered in a loud voice. He had been living in the army base for years, and he knew the jargon, and how to answer the officer''s question. "And after that? Why didn''t you tell me when I got back?" Daisy asked. It was long ago, and she and Edward weren''t that close at that time. She was a little embarrassed as she began to think she was making a mountain out of a molehill. "Senior Colonel Ouyang, we thought it was no big deal, so we didn''t tell you." Edward answered the question in the way Justin did. He didn''t think it was necessary to tell Daisy. After all, he had countless admirers. If he had to tell Daisy about stupid little things like this, he''d be exhausted. "Well, Mr. Mu, what do you think is a big deal, then?" Daisy continued. She wouldn''t let Edward go unless he gave her a satisfactory answer. She was now treating Justin and Edward as her inferiors, and she should maintain her dominating aura. She liked it. Justin tried his best to hold back hisughter. His mother was now concentrating her fire on his father, which meant he was safe now. Chapter 1627 Trip To The Beach (Part One) "Really? Do I have to answer that question... now?" Edward stole a nce at Justin and hesitated. ''There''s a kid here. I don''t think it''s appropriate to discuss this right now, '' he thought to himself. "Yes, right now. I want to know," Daisy answered without even a second''s diffidence. "Well, Senior Colonel Ouyang, I think the most important thing is our sex life," Edward mumbled in a low tone, but his expression remained fixed, denying that he had just discussed something inappropriate. "Ha-ha!" Justin couldn''t helpughing out loud at Edward''s mumbled words, but he immediately hid his wide toothed grin behind hastily raised hands when he saw Daisy''s stern face. He wisely decided to keep quiet, otherwise his mother would surely punish him. "Mr. Mu, you are such an asshole! How can you even mention that in front of our child?" Daisy snapped, her face twitching in surprise. She had always known he was a willful man, but she hadn''t expected that he would broach their sex life with their son present. "You demanded an answer to your question!" Edward defended himself, looking rather innocent. "Really? So, you''ll do whatever I ask you to do? Then, why don''t you do 100 push-ups right now?" Daisy said through gritted teeth. She was feeling disarmed by her husband''s innocent defense. "Now?" Edward asked in disbelief. He was in full business attire, including leather shoes! "You don''t want to do it?" Daisy snorted. "Fine! Just 100 push-ups. That''s a piece of cake." Edward began to unbutton his coat. If his employees were here, they would never believe their eyes. Their aloof boss was amb, tamed by his wife. He shed his coat and briefcase into Daisy''s arms purposefully. Since she asked him to do the push-ups, she could carry his stuff. "Justin,e sit on your daddy''s back!" Daisy ordered just as Edward dropped down. "Great! I love that." Justin was excited at the free piggy-back ride. "Wait! Are you trying to murder your husband? You didn''t mention that earlier!" Edward was startled. Yes, 100 push-ups meant nothing to him. But if Justin sat on his back while he was doing push-ups, he believed he would be challenged, possibly beyond even his limits. "I just changed my mind. You did say that 100 push-ups is a piece of cake for you. So, I have to make it harder. Otherwise, you won''t learn your lesson," Daisy said with a cunning smile. ''He will be exhausted after that, and he will be unable to punish meter, '' she thought to herself. "Can I say no?" Frustration was written all over Edward''s face. He hadn''t expected his wife to be so cruel. "Hmm, what do you tunning that many women were already stopping to gawk at him. "Just go, already! Keep Justin safe." Daisy cast a withering nce at him before she looked around casually. She seemed to be enjoying the view, but actually she was observing their surroundings and the people in it. Edward was a big shot in S City, and had many enemies; danger could spring from any corner. "Will do! Try to rx a bit, honey. And watch out fordy-killers!" After saying that, Edward ran towards Justin who was ying in the sand. This was a family excursion, and they hadn''t brought a bodyguard with them, as they wanted to enjoy the trip without being checked on. Daisy''s eyes twinkled at Edward''s words. ''Lady-killers? There''s only ady-killer here, and that is you, my dear!'' she thought. Daisy reclined on a deck chair, shaded by a beach umbre while she gazed at her husband and son affectionately. The moment was filled with contentment, and she considered that she had told Edward their rtionship had be stale only the day before. How wrong she had been, for all she really wanted was to spend time with her husband and son, forever. At times, the ocean was a calm opportunity for refreshment of body and soul, but sometimes, it became fatal and restless, offering only danger. Daisy was pulled from her reverie when she saw Edward and Justin''s motorboat rushing through the waves. Anxious now, she leaned forward, fearing a mishap was eminent. Edward fortunately, was knowledgeable and cautious when their son was concerned. Daisy, caught up in the safety of her loved ones, did not notice that many men were staring at her instead of the bikini girls. She emanated a unique aura, a charm which people in her presence found hard to resist. Chapter 1628 Trip To The Beach (Part Two) However, no one dared walk up to her or strike up a conversation. She looked so aloof and distant that people hesitated, fearing they would be made a fool if they approached her unassable presence. Passersby contented themselves with stolen nces in her direction. Daisy, of course, waspletely aware of their covetous nces, but she paid no heed to their attentions. Her world revolved around her husband and son. She kept a mindful eye on Justin and Edward, who were joyously romping through the shallow waves with the motorboat. Justin hadn''t known that his father was a top-notch water sports enthusiast. Edward showed off by ying several water games with him on their boat. Justin considered that he had underestimated his father. "Daddy, you seem to know everything!" Justin praised his father excitedly, as they pulled to a stop in the shallows with the engine still purring behind them. "Yes, your father is an all-rounder. Do you think it''s easy for me to be the fantasy of all women? It takes knowledge and skill." The word "modest" was not in Edward''s dictionary. He epted Justin''spliment proudly, bantering sonorously due to his wife''s absence in the boat. "You mean you''ve practiced these sports before?" Justin asked again, as Edward had reached a whole new level of cool in his young mind, and he was ovee with admiration. "Come on! No one is made to know everything." In Edward''s eyes, Justin was enjoying a much happier childhood than he had. Justin was assured of his parents'' and grandparents'' love andpany, unlike Edward who had been doomed to a lonely youth, absent of familial love. As a youth, he had entertained himself with various kinds of sports to stave off boredom. As a result, he had gained many skills. While they were still chatting, a figure raced past them and dashed into the surf. "It''s mommy!" Justin yelled, his eyes wide with surprise. He didn''t understand why Daisy would suddenly run into the water. "Don''t worry, son. You stay here. I''ll go check on her." Edward was concerned that something was wrong, and he wanted to follow Daisy. But, torn between his son''s safety and the safety of his wife, he briefly hesitated. Despite how clever Justin was, he was still a child and needed minding. "Daddy, just go to help mommy. I promise I will stay right here." Justin pped a hand to his chest to assure Edward. He knew why Edward hesitated. "Some people are drowning!" "The water is too deep over there. I don''t dare to go in." "A woman is already swimming out, but I wonder if sh Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ybody in S City knew who they were. After realizing their identities, people began to fawn over them. Once the girl was taken away by the ambnce, Daisy and Edward immediately retreated to their car with Justin. "Honey, dry your hair first. Justin,e here to the passenger seat. Let mommy change her clothes." Edward handed Daisy a clean tower and opened the car door for her. "No need to change the clothes. I''ll take a shower once we get home." Daisy took the towel and began to dry her hair. "Okay. Wrap yourself with a dry towel. Otherwise, you might catch a cold." Edward handed another towel to Daisy before jumping in the driver''s seat. It was a hot summer day, but his swimsuit was still damp. He considered briefly that their wet clothes would spoil the leather seats and these might need to be recedter. "Justin, change your clothes." Daisy took out Justin''s clean clothes from a stic case. She was too shy to disrobe from her wet clothes in public and in front of Edward and Justin. But Justin was still a child, and she felt that it was fine for him to quickly change clothes. "Mommy, why did that girl go near the deep water? She doesn''t even know how to swim. Didn''t she know that it would be very dangerous?" Justin asked in confusion. He knew he was not a skilled swimmer, so he didn''t dare to go near deep water. Even a small kid like himself knew to avoid danger; so, why didn''t the girl realize her folly? "Maybe, she didn''t expect the hovercraft would be knocked over by the big waves," Daisy said shrugging. But on the inside, she thought, ''Perhaps, she was too busy having fun with her boyfriend, and didn''t notice that they had reached dangerous and deep waters.'' Chapter 1629 Leos Birthday (Part One) "What happened to you?" Cynthia asked when they returned home. "I thought you were going to the beach?" Taking in Daisy''s appearance, she grew inquisitive at once. "You look quite messed up," she continued to probe. Turning to her son, she looked at him expectantly for an exnation. The woman was freezing in wet clothes. "We had a bit of an ident, that''s all," said Edward, and then stealing a nce at Daisy who appeared ufortable under Cynthia''s scrutiny, he added, "We''ll just take a shower and get ourselves cleaned up. I''ll exinter." Worried about Daisy, he just wanted her to get out of those wet clothes straightaway as she was on her period. She was particrly more susceptible to getting sick during such time each month, and thus, he wanted to ensure she was okay before sitting down with Cynthia. "Don''t worry, Mom," Daisy said, putting on a faint smile. "I just really need to get changed right now." Surprised to have Edward wrap a towel around her, Daisy didn''t notice until then that since she was drenched all over, her clothes had be transparent. Thanking him quietly, she turned her attention to Cynthia again. "Okay," Cynthia conceded. "Go on then. Even though it''s still technically summer, you could still catch a cold." Whenever Daisy encountered problems, she always handled them with a calm and mature demeanor, and Cynthia just admired that about her. She was a woman who knew how to remain levelheaded, and generally did not like to trouble others with things she could deal with on her own. After they excused themselves politely, Cynthia gazed after their retreating back. Once they disappeared out of sight, she turned towards Justin, and began to ponder about things. "Why are you looking at me with such eyes, Grandma? Have I done something wrong?" the boy asked nervously. "You''re freaking me out a bit." The boy couldn''t help but feel guilty as she stared at him. Although he behaved well and didn''t get into any trouble, he somehow felt the opposite under her overcritical gaze. "Why don''t you tell me what you did?" It wasn''t Cynthia''s first thought, but after Justin''s strange response, she became suspicious. As Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ay. Her father was just there, and she couldn''t keep ignoring his existence forever. "It sounds like you really want me to go, huh?" Daisy asked, pouting. If there was anyone she didn''t like to be reminded about, it was Leo. Her heart ached immediately every time she thought of him. "No. I respect you," he said. "But I think I have to go since he sent the invitation to me. Hey, darling." He gently rested a finger under her chin and continued, "He''s always going to be your father. You have his blood. That''s never going to change." As much as Edward didn''t want to keep persuading her, he just didn''t want her to wake up one day with regrets. "Okay," Daisy agreed slowly. "Just give me some time. I''ll think about it." She reached out and hugged him by the waist. Closing her eyes, she rested her head against his arm to seek warmth. Every moment she had with Edward was a joy to behold. No matter what happened, she could talk to him. Smiling inwardly, Edward lowered his head to nt a soft kiss on her wet hair. He knew why she was struggling so much, and so he decided not to badger her further. He might as well give her the time she needed. Eventually, after giving it much thought, Daisy decided to go with Edward back to the house again. Everything had changed since thest time she was there. Daisy''s appearance came as a huge surprise to Leo. He was so touched by it, and so overjoyed that he couldn''t utter a single word. Chapter 1630 Leos Birthday (Part Two) "I''m just here for Brian," said Daisy curtly. Even as she saw his eyes welling up with tears, she was determined not to forgive him easily. There was no way she could forgive a man who hurt both her mother and her so much. "Sure, sure. He''s upstairs at the moment." It didn''t matter who Daisy came for. To Leo, as long as he could see her, everything else was minor details he could live with. Despite frowning upon his wife''s stubborn attitude, Edward did not try to say anything. He loved her no matter what, and if this was the only way she could cope for the meantime, he would be by her side to guide her until she was ready to take another step closer to letting old wounds heal. "Happy birthday, Grandpa!" greeted Justin. As a child, he didn''t know what was going on between the adults, and he didn''t want to get involved in it either. Thus, he treated people the same way they treated him, regardless of their rtionship with one another. "Justin. You look taller now. Come here, I have a gift for you!" Although Leo felt somewhat hurt by Daisy''s distance, his young grandson''s cheerful spirit uplifted him. "What''s that, Grandpa? Is it the telecontrolled aircraft that you promised mest time?" Justin ran toward him happily. It appeared like he was close to Leo, almost as though they frequently met up with each other. "Go and check it. You won''t be disappointed." Leo cherished the happy atmosphere with family around. Although Daisy didn''t attempt to offer any kindness towards him, her presence was more than enough. An inexplicable feeling arose within Daisy as she saw Justin getting along well with Leo while she walked away. Deep down, she couldn''t me her father so much as Justin was a sweet boy who could charm anyone around him. "Daisy, Edward," greeted Brian. "You''re here!" With casual clothes on, Brian looked much more mature than he did a year ago. They seemed to fit him as he looked rather dashing now. "Hey, Brian. You got more handsome." A bright smile appeared on Daisy''s face as she said it. She hugged Brian affectionately, but not for long, as she was pulled away by a jealous man. Edward stared at the m Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. rmy base. It never urred to him that perhaps, Daisy cared about these kinds of gifts. "No, I like them. Just like any other ordinary woman." Daisy lifted her chin in annoyance, looking at him with passive-aggressive eyes. Edward decided it was time to wave the white g. "Okay. I''ll get you lots of giftster then, if you like them so much." When she looked at him that way, he just couldn''t stand it. So he conceded almost immediately, and promised to give her gifts like she wanted. Anything, just as long as she didn''t need to receive it from Brian anymore, But the man in questionughed at him. "Are you buying her vegetables? Lots of gifts?" questioned Brian. "Don''t you know that less is more?" Having no mercy, Brian burst into fits ofughter as he teased Edward. "That''s none of your business," Edward said, gritting his teeth while ring at Brian again. "How typical of a rich man. I can understand it," said Brian mockingly. He took pleasure in seeing Edward''s pissed off expression. "Okay gentlemen," Daisy broke up their bantering. "Can''t you two try to maintain peace? You always fight when you meet." If not for her intervention, the men wouldn''t have stopped. They were a lot like Justin and Leena, who never got along well with each other. No matter how much they tried, they still wound up quarreling the moment they were in the same room. "He started it!" used Brian, feeling a bit wronged. Chapter 1631 Leos Birthday (Part Three) "If you didn''t tease me intentionally, I wouldn''t have retorted back. My time is too precious for that but you gave me no choice." During fights like these, Edward was as cunning as a fox. No wonder he could make managing a grandpany look so effortless. "Oh, never mind. I''m going downstairs now. Please, you guys enjoy bickering after I''m gone." With that, Daisy turned around, leaving them alone. Out of sight, out of mind. She decided not to waste any more of her time trying to get them to act civil around each other. It was a fancy dinner that consisted of various dishes which Justin and Daisy liked. Although he wasn''t sure if he''d make it, Leo did everything in his power to gain their favor. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have known their preferences. "I''d like to make a toast. It''s an amazing opportunity for us to be together, and I thank everyone foring. I wish for all of us, a healthy body, and happy life. Cheers!" Leo''s voice trembled as he spoke in front of a lot of people. It was the first time in a long while since so many people gathered together like today. Everyone, except Daisy, raised their sses. And although Leo noticed it, as much as he felt sad and awkward, he couldn''t help but think that he deserved it. It was his own fault. "Mommy," Justin implored with desperate eyes. He was feeling sorry for his grandfather. "I''m sorry! I''m just not feeling too well right now. Alcohol is just too much for me." By being there alone, Daisy had alreadypromised so much. But drinking? She just couldn''t make herself do it. "I''ll drink in her ce," offered Edward,ing to her rescue. "She went to the sea yesterday, and doesn''t feel too well." Aware of the greatpromise that Daisy did to appease his request, Edward understood why she''d rather not drink with Leo. "I suppose we can''t force you then, Daisy. Be careful," Leo said, forcing out an awkward smile. Secretly, Brian was upset too. He knew who was responsible for this. It was his mother, and knowing that it was her, he felt so much more ashamed. Despite the fact that dinner seemed peaceful on the outside, the depressing atmosphere made them feel suffocated. In the end, it wasn''t an enjoyable d , and an even bigger fear, that their husband would resent them because of it. Leena was no exception. And so, any chance she got, she would ask Kevin for validation to put those worries to rest. "Really? But I just feel like I''m so clumsy now." Frustrated, she also worried that her baby might not be getting enough nutrition. So even when she didn''t feel like it, she forced herself to eat a lot of nutrient-rich food. But upon looking at herselftely, she wondered whether she overdid it as her body grew thicker with each passing day. "You''re not clumsy, darling. That''s just your imagination. I mean, you have a baby in your belly, all right? It''s normal to feel off bnce sometimes," Kevin reasoned with the pregnant woman. "Come on then." He helped her up. "I''ll walk you to the toilet." Secretly worried that she might fall down again, he offered to walk her there just in case. ''Better to be safe than sorry, '' he thought. "Oh no!" said Leena, shaking her head. "You don''t have to. I''ll be fine by myself." Her face turned red immediately after he offered to bring her to the bathroom. Despite being married for a long time, she still wasn''t used to Kevin being openly intimate with her. "Okay. You be careful, okay?" Kevin said uneasily. In three months, a new baby was going to join them, and bring so much joy into their lives. For a man like Kevin, he couldn''t ask for more, as having a healthy baby with Leena had always been everything he dreamed of. Chapter 1632 Let Her Go (Part One) Leena was currently in Paris for work and it worried Kevin a lot. However, Leena enjoyed the trip because she hadn''t been abroad for months due to her pregnancy. It was only now that she finally enjoyed the journey alone. Another big news was that ire and Gerard were now a couple. They were so in love with each other that people who saw them might even mistake that they were each other''s first love. Many people said before that they would eventually give up because of something. They were all wrong. Their rtionship was stronger than anything and it was bound tost a lifetime. "Mignonne, you''re going to be a mother. I''m so happy for you." Looking at the woman he once loved deeply, Gerard felt relief washed over him upon realizing that he wasn''t obsessed with her anymore. "Thank you! I''m so happy for you and ire," said Leena calmly. It was obvious how she had be maturer. She was glowing with a mother-like elegance that she never had before. "I''m sorry. I have not kept my promise." A man in a bad mood was easy to move. ire had shown up on his saddest moment. He was guilty of taking ire as Leena''s substitute at first. He wasn''t able to control himself though from falling in love with her gradually. Now, he had forgotten the painful memories of the past and had be happy again. "I think this is the best for us." Leena smiled softly without showing any other emotion. "Yes, you''re right. I''m happy with her now." Gerard knew what she meant, thus, he gave her a gentle smile. "Please treat her well." Sister-inw or not, Leena thought that ire was a good girl even if she used to be headstrong. She couldn''t request for anything else but for ire to have the best. "I will. I want you to be happy, too." This was the first time Gerard sincerely wished her well since they broke up. "Thank you. I''m sure that we will all be happy," was Leena''s reply before turning to the door. She saw a familiar built approaching, thus, she waved her hand and said, "Look, herees ire." "You have changed so much. I almost didn''t recognize you." ire naturally sat next to Gerard and kissed him. The action was so sweet and intimate and yet Leena didn''t feel embarrassed witnessing it. Rather, she felt happy for the love between the two. "Really?" Leena asked anxiously. She had been very worried about getting fat due to her pregna appy annoyance. He is just doing it because he loves you so much." ire felt a little sad upon thinking of how Kevin might have looked while Leena was away. He might be depressed. "I know that. Nevertheless, he''s really annoying." Kevin was calling Leena every two hours. In her opinion, it seemed that Kevin was doing it not because he loved her but because he was worried about the baby in her belly. "Then tell him he is annoying!" joked ire with a lightugh. She never expected this time toe. A moment when she could just be happily talking with Leena. She used to hate her so much in the past. "I can''t do that, youngdy," Leena said nervously as she silently reprimanded herself, ''Gosh! Why did I even tell it before her? Stupid Leena! How on earth did I forget that they are siblings? Of course, she''ll take her brother''s side!'' "Haha! Don''t be so serious. I''m just kidding." Talking to Leena this way put ire in a good mood. Thus, she forgot about Louisa for a moment. Meanwhile, Gerard was just listening to them the whole time. He felt really nice to see these two women this happy. He was finally over Leena, therefore, he could now give his all to ire. Sometimes, giving up someone who didn''t love you back could be a good thing. As long as you knew how to handle the situation and choose wisely, then you could still be happy. Gerard had proven that. He had regained himself with the help of ire. Not all people who came to our life were bound to stay forever. Thus, you should be sensible to see the one who would stay beside you for a lifetime. Chapter 1633 Let Her Go (Part Two) Leena went home after the show. Though she was very busy during her business trip, she still made it a point to visit some ces as she wanted her baby to feel how it was being in the ce where she had lived. It was six o''clock in the morning when the ne she was in arrived at the S City International Airport. Kevin was already there too. He rushed to her as soon as he saw her pushing her suitcase in a trolley. His happiness was evident on his face when he approached and weed her with a sweet kiss. "Nana, how''s your trip? Are you tired?" He began to examine her carefully right after he let go of her lips. He then picked her suitcase up for her. "I''m not tired. Have you been waiting for a long time?" Leena wasn''t really tired about the journey but she still felt that the trip was a little more exhausting than usual. It could be because of her pregnancy, thus, she felt that way. "No. I''ve just arrived. I asked Lucy to make breakfast for you so you can have it when you get home. Let''s go!" Lucy was a professional housekeeper who was arranged by Edward to take care of Leena. She was a cautious person. "Yeah, I''m a bit hungry." The fact that Leena hadn''t been abroad for a while made her feel weird about foreign food. As a result, she wasn''t able to eat much while in Paris. "You greedy cat," said Kevin adoringly. He then led her out of the airport happily while carrying all her things with just one hand. "It''s not me. It''s the baby." Leena pouted like a spoiled child. She was even acting like a straightforward kid. She was already toofortable with Kevin''s presence, thus, she wasn''t hiding her feelings anymore. "Oh, yeah? When did our baby say that? Why don''t I know?" Kevin couldn''t helpughing as he thought, ''She has been using our baby as an excusetely.'' "It''s telepathy! Don''t you know? Every mother knows what their baby is thinking," replied Leena immediately. It was good that she was able to make up that reason fast! She didn''t even have an idea if what she said was true or not. "Really? Then I really don''t know that." Kevin put the luggage in the trunk and opened the door for her to sit in. "Do you want to know? Do you want me to tell you?" said Leena with pride of a peacock. It felt good to see Kevin believed what she said even if it was without any basis. She hadpletely forgotten about how long her journey had been to get home. "Okay, then tell me." Kevin pretended to be curious as he wondered how far could Leena cope up with what she was saying. "I''m not going to tell you for free," countered Leena upon sensing how Kevin was provoking her. In reality, she didn''t have much idea about what she was saying. She just said it to make fun of Kevin. "I''m Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. uddenly blurted the question out loud. From the way Leena grasped him, he knew how painful she was now. "I really can''t. It could have been less painful if it is cesarean, but I don''t rmend it." Normal childbirth was better than caesarean birth in every way, so as a brother and doctor, he didn''t want Leena to have a caesarean birth. "I don''t want a caesarean birth. I can hold on, really." Leena honestly wanted to see Kevin the most at that moment. However, he was a soldier who always had his own mission toplete. "Another contraction within five minutes and we''ll take her to the delivery room." As a doctor, Tom had been observing the intervals between her pains. "Girl, we can''t go in with you. We''ll be waiting for you outside the door. Don''t be afraid." Edward pulled his hand away from her. Leena''s abuse on his hand was so evident that it was covered with deep fingerprints. Even his blood fments were all showing out due to how hard Leena had grasped him. "Okay. I know. I won''t be afraid," Leena said emotionally. Although Kevin wasn''t with her, her brothers'' words made her feel warm and happy. "All right. We should go now. We all have to trust her." Tom carefully lifted her out of bed. He felt a little worried as he wouldn''t be the one to help her inside the delivery room. "How''s it going? Did she give birth?" Suddenly, a sound of anxiety came. Daisy appeared in front of everyone in a green uniform. "She is just going into the delivery room. What are you doing here?" Edward looked at her in surprise. "I was just downtown when Belinda called me, so I came over." She was so worried that her forehead was still covered with sweat even in autumn. Belinda was supposed toe to the hospital with Duke today, but Spencer had to stay with Belinda. Thus, she had to call Daisy. Chapter 1634 Call Him Richard (Part One) "Daisy..." Leena said weakly at the sight of the woman. Her nose twitched upon seeing Daisy''s uniform as it reminded her of Kevin, the one person she wanted to see the most. Although many came to apany her, she could still feel Kevin''s absence. Hence, the sheer color of Daisy''s clothes was enough to remind her about it. "Nothing to be afraid of, Leena,"forted Daisy. "I''ll be there with you." As someone who was once in that position herself, Daisy understood how Leena was feeling. Helpless, and flustered, like things were falling out of ce. But Leena was more fortunate to be surrounded by those who cared about her, and whether it was family or friends, they made sure to let her know she wasn''t alone during all of this. "Thank you..." Leena said with a relieved smile. Then her face twisted into a frown, and she appeared to hold back the pain as the contractions began again. "Please take great care of Leena, Daisy," said Duke gratefully. Since he had been worrying about Leena going into the delivery room alone, Daisy''s arrival was a great reassurance for him. With her around now, Leena might find it less ufortable and frightening to go intobor. While his sister didn''t like to show it, he knew her too well to ignore her current fears. After all, it was normal for women to have anxieties during pregnancybor, and Leena was no exception. "Rest assured. I will," said Daisy assertively. After she was done assuring the worried men, she entered the delivery room with Leena, holding her handfortingly. Every moment that passed rendered everyone''s anxiety to grow stronger and bigger, particrly now that Leena was at high risk, and they weren''t sure what to expect. While waiting for the oue, they paced restlessly in the corridor, back and forth. Once in a while, they would meet each other''s gaze without exchanging words. As they couldn''t do anything further to directly help at this point, they were left feeling restless in the waiting area. "Sing me a song, Daisy," Leena requested suddenly. "A song you often sing at the army base." The pain had be so unbearable that she sought for a distra the second, and after a few more minutes, she felt as though she lost control of her body and emotions at the same time. Her longing for Kevin, who had been away for half a month, continued to multiply as time went by. And as she grabbed onto Daisy''s hand tightly, the feelings reached the zenith in her moment of desperation. "I know, I know," Daisy replied, stroking her forehead. "He must be worried about you and the baby right now." If there was any way she could, she would have volunteered to carry out the mission to rece Kevin. That way, he could be the one by Leena''s side instead. But as that wasn''t the case, being present was the next best thing Daisy could do for the couple. "Push! That''s it! You can do it. It''s - it''sing!" Hearing the doctor cheer her on, Leena focused on her voice and did as she was told. "Ahhh!" Leena let out another cry of pain as she pushed. It was at that point when she experienced a kind of pain that she never thought it existed. Instinctively, she doubled the strength to squeeze Daisy''s hand, trying to reduce the pain that was almost suffocating her. It was as though she was trying to share the pain, and Daisy epted it. "That''s it, that''s it! Push! I can see it''sing!" Whenever Leena thought her soul was abandoning her, she could feel its return thanks to the doctor''s encouragement. It allowed her to somehow muster all the strength and courage that she had left. Chapter 1635 Call Him Richard (Part Two) "Did you hear her? The baby''s almost out. Just keep going, do your best not to pass out. You can make it, Leena!" Daisy kept talking to her, as if the pain from Leena''s grasp meant nothing. She knew all too well that in order to give a sessful birth, there was a lot of suffering in the process. All of this, after making it through, was going to be worth it. "Kevin!" Leena couldn''t help but scream as she pushed through the pain, and squeezed the baby out. An immediate silence ensued after her cry and the medical workers'' voice. Then, after what seemed to be a long time, a baby''s loud cry broke the silence. Everyone had a smile on their face at the sound. Truly, it was music to their ears. Seeing the baby in the doctor''s hands, Leena smiled weakly. But before she could manage to say anything, she had lost consciousness. "Leena? What''s the matter? Can you hear me?" asked Daisy, panicking as she noticed Leena''s grasp loosening. "Doctor, please," cried Daisy, as Leena started losing color again. "You have toe here and check her at once." Hurrying over to Leena''s side, the doctor checked her pupils. To Daisy''s surprise, the doctor gave her a smile and said, "Don''t worry," she said, letting out a relieved sigh. "She just fainted out of fatigue. I''m sure she''lle around after having some rest." "It''s a healthy baby boy," said the doctor gleefully while approaching Daisy. "Weighing nearly eight pounds. Congrattion!" Upon seeing the baby, Daisy couldn''t help but smile again. It was definitely no easy job to give birth to such an adorable chubby boy. Meanwhile, the men waiting outside were overjoyed. "Did you hear that?" asked Rain in excitement. "The baby''s born!" "We''re not deaf, Rain," Edward said exasperatedly, ring at Rain. "Just don''t make a fuss over it, will you?" Apparently, Rain was the most enthusiastic out of all the men. His scream earlier startled the others, and it nearly drove them mad. "I''m sorry," said Rain impishly. "I was too happy and I couldn''t help it." He then nced at his boss and lowered his head. Fearing that his boss hy hasn''t shee around yet?" It was the worried brother''s turn to jump to his feet like a cat on hot bricks. Tom replied in a hushed voice, "Calm down, man. She''ll wake up soon after regaining her strength. You probably shouldn''t make such a noise again as you might wake her up, you know." Surprised, he never knew that the cold and distant Duke could act like a nagging old woman. Time and again, Tom was forced to exin to him that Leena would be fine. But Duke, who had a hard time taking his word for it, kept asking the same question around. "Has Mrs. Gu woken up yet?" asked Lucy, who came with a lunch box. "I brought her some chicken soup." The woman appeared to be in her forties. She was rather well-mannered. She almost seemed like a city-born woman. "Not yet. You can just put it on the bedside table," Daisy replied, smiling. "She can eat it right after she gets upter." Chicken soup was universally known to be good for women who had just given birth. So naturally, Lucy felt that Leena had to eat as much as she needed. "I''ve got work to do at the army base," Daisy said, lifting her hand to check her watch. "Sorry, I''m going to have to run now." Edward, who was listening, happened to notice the scratches on her wrist. "What are those? Are you hurt?" He grabbed her quickly, and took a closer look at the wounds. Frowning, he found that there were many of them. Chapter 1636 Call Him Richard (Part Three) "Don''t worry about it. They''re just some small scratches. I bet they''ll heal quick enough. Wait..." Daisy paused, looking at Edward''s hand as well. "You''re hurt too! What happened?" she asked in surprise, forgetting about her own wounds. When Leena was holding onto her hand earlier, Daisy knew she would unintentionally end up scratching with her nails. These wounds, though, were nothingpared to the injuries that she would expect during missions. "Oh, all right. Now I get it! Was it all Leena''s doing? Seems like we''re both her enemies who deserve to be punished." Edward chuckled. It seemed like they were asking for it, in a strange way, since they simply adored Leena so much. "Just don''t take it to heart," she said, and then looked at Leena affectionately. "I don''t even want to call them wounds. I have to go now. Mark is waiting outside." The new mother was still very much tuckered out and still asleep. "All right," Edward said, looking at her. "Let me walk you to the car." Before Daisy could object, he took her other hand and headed for the door. Although he didn''t seem like the type, he disyed his love and affection brazenly for all to see. Without looking back, he simply ignored the amused people in the room who were jeering at them. "Bye, everyone! Please take care of Leena and the baby," Daisy said hastily. Being dragged by Edward, all she could do was waving good-bye over her shoulder while following him. "Bye, Daisy!" the others answered in unison. "Don''t worry, we''ll take good care of them!" "Thanks for everything, Daisy!" Duke shouted after them, just before they left the room. "I''m surprised that Edward didn''t get mad after knowing that Daisy has got hurt," Rain whispered in a low voice. "Seems that Leena really has a good influence on him." It was just odd, in his opinion, to see his overbearing boss justugh it off. Had it happened another time in the past, Edward would''ve definitely flipped out about it. "Didn''t you know?" Tom said, bursting into eena''s direction. He looked absolutely adorable with such innocent twinkle in his eyes. "He has such nice skin. Much smoother than mine," Leena eximed. She reached out to touch his cheek gently, fearing that she might caress him too hard. Looking at his face, her eyes welled up with tears. A wave of warmth rushed over her, leaving her almost speechless. "Of course! After all, he''s just a baby, while you''re a mother already. I''d be surprised if your skin''s better than his!" Rain teased. He, too, liked the chubby little guy very much. His praise for him was almost too generous for someone like Rain. "Our doctors did his checkup just now. Everything''s fine, except that he has mild jaundice. What you can do for now is to nurse him in the following days, and from there, we can observe whether it can clear itself. If not, I''ll treat him with blue light radiation," Tom said confidently. As he knew that mild jaundice in newborn babies wasmon, due to their livers not being fully developed, he didn''t worry too much. To be sure though, he nned to check the baby''s progress himself. "Is it serious?" Leena, on the other hand, was instantly filled to the brim with worry. Although she had witnessed Eden receive blue light treatment before, she still couldn''t stop herself from worrying when it happened to her own son. Chapter 1637 Call Him Richard (Part Four) "It will be fine, Leena," Tomforted. "Usually, it should clear up without treatment. With few exceptions, of course," Unless it was pathologic jaundice, it was expected for mild jaundice to go on its own. The odds that a newborn suffered from pathologic jaundice were rtively low, and Tom doubted that Leena''s son would be one of them. Determined not to let her son suffer, Leena tried to nurse him as best as she could over the next few days. Perhaps it was because she had only just begun with breastfeeding, she found it really hurt when the baby sucked. Nheless, she withstood the pain without a singleint. As soon as Shannon learned that Leena had gone intobor, she dropped everything she was doing and left for the S City right away. Not only that, Nathan had also gone with her. Obviously, they were just as excited to meet their grandson. As soon as they arrived, Shannon quickly thanked the new mother. "Thank you so much for all the sacrifices you''ve made, Leena. You were so brave without Kevin being there for you, even though he should have been. And we couldn''te to you at once since we live so far away. I''m so sorry for letting you face it alone. We all should''ve been here to look after you," She said sincerely. For her, Leena was precious, and often gave her heartaches, not only because she was a sensible girl and often thought of others before herself, but also because she was such a brave woman who faced difficulties head on. She looked so delicate, and yet at the same time, she was willing to shoulder so muc "That''s great, thank you so much!" Leena said, relieved. Richard sounded like such a nice name to her. ''Quite an elegant name, '' she thought. ''It must have taken Nathan a long time to finally pick the name.'' "You want to know something?" Shannon chimed, earning a look from Nathan. "He came up with this name on our way here. In fact," she added. "He had many alternatives in mind before, but they were mostly girl''s names, so we had to put them aside." Both Nathan and she thought that Leena had been expecting a baby girl, but as it turned out, it was a handsome, chubby boy. Astonished, Leena looked at Nathan upon hearing Shannon''s word. A part of her always thought that he preferred boys to girls. Now it just seemed that she was dead wrong about him. If he had really disliked girls, he wouldn''t have even bothered to choose a name for the baby, thinking it would be a girl. But more than that, it was already a blessing for Leena to be able to get pregnant. So whether the baby was a boy or a girl, they would happily ept it. Chapter 1638 Kevins Return (Part One) Leena gave birth to a baby boy, which was much to Justin''s disappointment as he had been hoping for a girl. He did not look forward to weing a baby boy cousin. So, it was with an unhappy face that he paid Leena and the baby a visit with his father to express his strong dissatisfaction. "Hey there! You look very upset. What has gotten you so annoyed?" Leena asked. It was frustrating to see Justin depressed. Leena refrained from teasing himtely. She wondered why the young boy looked miserable. "You lied to me! Where is the baby girl?" Justin blurted out. Another boy! He didn''t want a boy. He had long been wishing for a baby sister to love, not a naughty little boy! Leena couldn''t help butugh. "When did I promise you that? You can''t me me," Leena defended herself. She was at a loss for words after learning why Justin was unhappy. She recalled him asking about the baby''s gender before, but didn''t remember saying it would be a girl. Even she didn''t know until the baby was born what it was. "Humph!" Justin grumbled. "You''re still the bad guy," he used Leena. The boy felt down in the dumps. Hisst hope for a sister had vanished. Scowling, he crossed his arms in annoyance. But it dawned on him there was still another chance. His mother could have a baby girl! But Justin was embarrassed to bring the matter up with his mother. What a bummer! "Hey, don''t get mad at me! Look, Uncle Rain doesn''t have a baby yet," Leena pointed out. "You can count on him for a baby sister," she told Justin. Since Spencer didn''t ask for his mother the whole day, Belinda was able to visit Leena and congratte her for being a new mother. "Uncle Rain?" Justin scoffed. "Come on. He doesn''t even have a girlfriend yet! And my guess is when I turn 18, he would still be a lonely, single man," Justin groaned. "Now I miss Auntie Annie. I wonder how long he''s going to wait for her." The boy wasn''t going to count on Rain for a baby girl. With Annie gone so long, it might take a thousand years before the two would meet again. Belinda looked at Justin sharply. "Don''t ever mention her name to his face, is that clear? He may kill you," she warned. Annie''s name was taboo among them. Everyone avoided talki Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. p her son were forever etched in her memory. "But why is it that he was punished a lot by Dadter?" Leena inquired. She remembered Kevin telling her stories about his childhood when they first went to the capital city. As a young boy, Kevin said his father was very hard on him. And Leena wanted to know more about what happened for Nathan to treat his son that way. "Oh, yes! That''s right, and it''s a long story," Shannon said. "Boys always go through a naughty phase, and it is not totally a bad thing. Look at Kevin today. He''s a very aplished man, isn''t he? So, boys misbehaving when they were young doesn''t define the men they be." Nathan often punished Kevin when he was a teenager. His father was very strict, which led him to rebel. Eventually, Kevin was enlightened and understood what he had to do when he was older. "What you said is true. Now, I''m wondering when Kevin will be back. He''s unreachable by phone, so I am a bit worried," Leena said. Kevin''stest assignment was in a remote ce where phone signals were weak. Patting Leena on the arm, Shannon assured her, "Don''t worry so much. I''m sure he''ll be fine." The army''s destination for every mission was always top secret, as were details of their task. And the families of soldiers were never clearly told where they were going. Having been a soldier''s wife for several decades, Shannon had gotten used to this. Kevin''s wife, however, was new to this, so she had to assure her daughter-inw. Chapter 1639 Kevins Return (Part Two) Leena''s next question was a surprise. "Mom, can I ask you something? How do you like foreigners?" ire would be marrying a foreigner, so Leena wanted to find out her mom''s attitude about the matter. "Oh? And why the sudden interest in foreigners?" Shannon retorted. She was puzzled by the question. "Oh, nothing. I was just curious," Leena quickly replied. However, she refused to say why she asked the question. "Well, I do have my thoughts about them. In my opinion, they have their advantages. Foreigners are independent, but they also have weaknesses. Sometimes, I feel that they are not very serious when ites to rtionships. If I were dating a foreigner, I don''t think I''d feel safe. Of course, that''s just my personal view. Maybe, I''ve based my opinions on those television dramas. But, I''m not quite sure as to how genuine they are in reality." She didn''t know many foreigners, so Shannon''s views about them were also limited. Slightly disappointed by the response, Leena said, "I understand." But Shannon''s words did little tofort her. All she could think about was ire. ''Poor ire. She doesn''t know that she''ll be facing a big problem. It seems that Mom doesn''t like foreigners that much, '' Leena thought. "Is there something you''re not telling me? Why ask such a weird question?" Shannon probed. Pondering over the strange question, Shannon didn''t believe Leena asked her for no reason. Her instinct told her Leena was hiding something from her. "Honestly, Mom, it''s just chitchat. There''s nothing to tell," the new mother replied. She knew it was a weak excuse and that her reply was insincere. But Leena felt she needed to speak to ire soon to warn her about this possible obstacle. Stormy weather worsened conditions in the remote ce where Kevin and his team were assigned. That was whymunication signals were weak. Aside from this, he and his men had little ess to clean water and adequate food rations. He had been asked to join an international assignment to hunt and arrest a criminal group. The mission was dangerous because they were up against elite fighters, who were well-trained in detection and anti-detection operations. It was not an easy task to take all of them down at one time. Kevin and his team were able to trace the gang. But they wasted a lot of time doing so beca Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e real for him when he felt the baby''s warm breath brush his hand. It was not a dream. This was reality. Richard seemed to appreciate his father''s touch. He became more excited and pedaled in the air with pudgy legs to wee Kevin. The baby, already two weeks old, didn''t understand what was happening but felt a connection. "Hey there! Daddy''s here. Come here, boy," Kevin crooned softly. Carefully, he reached out, trying to hold the baby in his arms clumsily. It frightened, yet at the same time, excited him. The baby was so small and delicate. Kevin was afraid he might hurt him. Suddenly, he heard Leena. "Kevin? Is that you?" She had been roused by the baby''s giggling. Leena, still groggy from sleep, saw a man standing beside the crib and called out to confirm it was Kevin. He turned around and looked straight into her eyes. He walked toward her, closing the gap between them. Leena rushed into his tight embrace. Silence and human contact spoke volumes more than words could. "I''m sorry, darling, for making you suffer so much," Kevin whispered. "Thank you so much," he said, while raining kisses on Leena''s face and neck. He couldn''t believe he was finally home and his wife was in his arms. "Hey, stop that! You''re tickling me," she said breathlessly. "The beard," Leena said, while pushing at his face slightly. She shrank back because she found his beard too itchy. "Is it now?" Kevin teased her. "How about this?" he murmured as he continued to kiss her neck. Leena struggled. "No, Kevin. Stop it. Richard is staring at us." Chapter 1640 Kevins Return (Part Three) It slipped her mind that the baby couldn''t still see, and was unaware of what was happening. But Leena felt awkward being so intimate with her husband in front of the baby. Kevin stopped and held his wife at arm''s length, drinking in the sight of her, before it hit him. "Richard? The baby''s name is Richard?" he asked. Finally, he released Leena. Hearing his son''s name felt strange. "Yes, that''s right," she replied. Leena brushed back her sleep-mussed hair. "I forgot to tell you that he is Richard, our son. Dad gave him the name. It sounds perfect. How do you like it?" she spoke quickly. Whenever she talked about the baby, Leena was always delighted. "Not bad. But..." Kevin slightly frowned. He blew out a breath. The early bird indeed catches the worm. Obviously, in this case, the early bird was his father. Kevin had wanted to name his son. But Nathan beat him to it. Wait! Their son? A boy? Justin must be extremely depressed! The little boy had told Kevin how much he wanted a baby girl. So, he didn''t get his wish after all. "But what?" Leena prodded him. "I think it''s a good name." She pursed her lips, so they curved into a smile. The name was like a gift from their father. "Good? Not at all. I doubt it," Kevin remarked. He was busy inspecting his wife. Her figure was fuller after giving birth. And she looked charming and sexier. Oblivious to Kevin''s lustful looks, Leenaughed. "Don''t be unreasonable. It''s a good name. And all of us think it is, so, you''re outnumbered," she taunted. Sometimes, Kevin behaved like a child, like he wanted to pick a fight with another kid, and this was annoying. "A good name will leave a good impression. I want nothing but good health and happiness for our boy," Kevin said. He turned to look at the crib again and stared at the tiny human being lying there. His wish for his son was simple. Happiness and good healt child, instead of living a rich life, all because she was married to a soldier. If Leena didn''t marry him, she would probably be enjoying life traveling the world. And this stabbed at Kevin''s heart. "Kevin, can you please turn around?" Leena requested. She finished changing Richard''s diapers when she suddenly made the request. His brows furrowed, Kevin asked, "Why?" It was a strange request that he didn''t understand. "I need to feed the baby now," she said. Leena blushed. Although they had been married for quite some time, she still felt shy around him when it came to bearing her body. His face lit up mischievously beforeughing. "Darling, you''re still feeling shy around me? I''m your husband, not just anyone," he coaxed. They were a couple and had to be frank with each other, both in mind and body. "I know. But please, just turn around. I can''t get used to it," Leena answered meekly. Leena bit her lips anxiously. The thought of Kevin watching as she breastfed Richard made her heart pound. She couldn''t help but be embarrassed. Kevin gave in to her request. "All right. I''ll go and take a shower," he said. His wife needed time to ease the transition, so Kevin would give her the time and space she needed to befortable. Chapter 1641 The Reunion (Part One) Being a wife is one thing but, being a mother is another. Adjusting to a new lifestyle was incredibly difficult for Leena but, together with her husband Kevin, she could manage. Now, they were a family of three, having a new born son as an addition to the family. Leena, Kevin, and their son were in the bedroom, preparing themselves to end the day. She cradled their son as he ced a kiss on her cheek and a kiss on their son''s forehead. The infant smiled and chuckled. "Good evening," she beamed. "Good evening," he responded and then looked at their son. "Good evening to you, too." She faced her husband. "Go take a shower. I''ll prepare us some food." "That''d be great." He then took the towel on the bed and headed towards the bathroom. When Leena saw Kevin enter the bathroom, it was only then she pulled down the top of her blouse, and started to breastfeed their son. She sighed, her cheeks slightly pink. "No matter how long it has been, I still can''t get used to doing this in front of him." She looked at her son and then the bathroom door. Her gaze shifted often on those two. She could not help but feel as if, she had not been doing the whole ''mother'' thing correctly. Leena then carried her son out of the bedroom and headed over to the dining area. She ced her son at a cradle and smiled. "Wait here for a bit, okay? Mommy''s just going to cook something for daddy." As if the baby understood, he smiled sleepily in response. Leena then walked her way to the kitchen and started to whip up a basic meal. She set the table up and ced the dishes she cooked at the center of the table. She served herself some food on her te and then took her son from the cradle and cradled him. She sat herself down and started to eat. Amidst eating, Leena was often interrupted by her own baby being yful in her arms. The baby would kick his legs and often pulled on his mother''s clothes tightly, as if demanding for attention. She could not be angry at the baby. She looked at him with soft at him. It was this that Kevin wanted to avoid ¡ª that painful look that she had on her face. It hurt him as well. Kevin took a step forward and ced a kiss on her cheek. "No need. It''s just the gauze that got wet. I''ll have it reced tomorrow back in the army base." He then walked over to the crib, leaned over, and kissed his son''s cheek softly. Leena could sense that Kevin was extremely exhausted and figured that he might not want to eat anything now, so she wrapped her arms around his body and said, "Why don''t you head to bed? It''s gettingte, after all. It''s already 2AM." Kevin turned his body to face Leena. "Don''t we have to keep an eye on Richard?" She smiled as she saw how Kevin was worried for Richard. "No, we don''t have to. He doesn''t usually wake up until 6 in the morning." When Leena and Kevin looked at their son, Richard had a smile etched on his face. Kevin couldn''t help but wonder if he was having a pleasant dream. Kevin then decided to take the offer. "Looking at how Richard''s fast asleep made me want to sleep, too." "Sure. But, put some clothes on, okay? I don''t want you to catch a cold." Leena smiled. Kevin yfully rolled his eyes and just took her hand and led her to the bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed while she went inside the bathroom to take the clothes she had prepared for him. Chapter 1642 The Reunion (Part Two) The moment she stepped out, she already saw Kevin asleep on the bed. She sighed as she approached the bed and started to carefully dress Kevin up without disturbing his sleep. When Leena finished dressing Kevin up, her eyes fell on the scars Kevin had on his body. It hurt her to see him like this but, when she saw Kevin asleep blissfully, tears started to fall down her cheeks slowly. She stretched her hand and caressed his cheek. She always remembered how he said goodbye when he had to leave her for a month to attend to the army. She had missed him dearly as he could not be there during their child''s birth. She smiled silently and thought, ''Look at how much you''ve changed, Kevin. I''m really worried about you.'' People say that women should be strong and independent and live a happy life, even without a man by their side. But, Leena needed Kevin. Even if she had a son to apany her, she still wanted Kevin by her side. Leena then went to the dining area and cleared the table. After that, she went back to the bedroom, took Kevin''s hand and wrapped his arm around herself. She closed her eyes. ''At least, you''re here now. That''s all that matters.'' Morning then arrived, the sun illuminating thend, and the birds sang a song to whoever was up and awake. At the dining area, the table was set and filled with food to eat. The first one awake, Shannon hummed in satisfaction, "Looks good! Now, let me check up on Richard." Shannon climbed up the staircase and went to the bedroom where Leena and Richard would be. Before Shannon could even open the door, she saw the door open and there stood Kevin at the other side. Kevin''s eyes widened as he was surprised. "Mom? Why are you here?" Shannon was surprised as well. She was a light sleeper so there was supposed to be no way that she hadn''t woken up at Kevin''s arrival. "When did youe back?" she asked and looked at Kevin from top to bottom. "I didn''t know you already returned." "I just arrivedst night. It waste and I didn''t want to wake you up," Kevin responded. Shannon saw that Kevin was already in his military un Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. s mood lightened up immediately. "It felt like a dream. I''m also so grateful for Nana." Kevin always thought he''d never have a child but, it looked like the heavens heard his wish and he was blessed with a son. "Make sure you be nice to Leena, alright?" Daisy warned Kevin. "She deserves it. If you do anything to hurt her, I swear I''ll..." At the very start, Daisy had always seen Leena as a weak girl but, as time passed, she realized that Leena was strong and capable. Daisy could not help but admire her. "I will, I will." Kevin stifled a chuckle. "Don''t worry. Besides, I feel so lucky to have her in my life." "You can''t even imagine what happened when she gave birth to Richard!" Daisy eximed. "She kept on calling your name over and over again!" Daisy knew how Kevin felt when he couldn''t support Leena when she was giving birth as she was a soldier as well. But, Daisy knew it''d be unfair if she did not say anything to Kevin about it. Kevin looked at Daisy, his tone dropping as he asked, "Was she helpless then?" "Of course she was," Daisy responded. "Giving birth is a highlight in every woman''s life, you know? Even if her friends were there, she needed you the most. No one could ever rece you." Daisy was a mother herself and shepletely understood Leena''s sentiment. Kevin felt absolutely guilty. He then sighed, "Looks like I owe her a lot mentally and materially." Chapter 1643 The Reunion (Part Three) "Which is why you have to be nice to her no matter what happens!" Daisy eximed, as ifmanding Kevin. "Got it?!" What Kevin did next startled Daisy. He stopped in his tracks, stood firmly, saluted, and responded in a loud and firm voice, "Yes, Senior Colonel Ouyang!" Daisy put on a furious expression and pointed at Kevin sternly. "Don''t you dare make fun of me!" Daisy and Kevin looked at each other and then broke into a joyousugh. It had been a while since they hadughed and bantered around. It was a nostalgic feeling they dearly missed. Kevin and Leena held an extravagant party to celebrate Richard''s birth and to their surprise, Richard had received plenty of luxurious gifts. Edward gave Richard a vi and Duke granted Richard ten percent of shares of the Leng Group. Rain and Tom couldn''t lose to the two and sent Richard expensive gifts as well. Leenaughed with glee. "Richard, you''re such a rich boy!" She didn''t expect her sworn brothers to be so generous to her son. Justin scoffed, "Littlendlord." Richard was the apple of everyone''s eyes and they barely paid attention to Justin which made him displeased. Not to mention, Spencer kept pestering him. Justin finally made a break for it and ran away from him. Justin huffed in victory as he had ced a big amount of distance between him and Spencer. Leena''s eyes fell onto Justin and Spencer. Her brows arched. "Jus¡­ Jus¡­" Spencer staggered towards Justin with his arms wide open. He wanted to y with him. Then, Justin burst in anger, "I''m not Jus! It''s Justin! J-U-S-T-I-N! Stop bothering me and just go stick to your aunt!" Justin quickly ran off, not intending to y with Spencer at all. "Jus¡­" Spencer tried to run after Justin but his feet got tangled and he fell to the floor. Spencer then started to bawl. Leena was about to rush over but she already saw Justin rushing in to help Spencer stand. "Are you an idiot?" Justin asked. "How the heck did you fall?" Justin offered his hand and Spencer took it. Justin then helped Spencer to stand back up on his feet. Spencer sniffled and wiped his tears away with his sleeve. Justin let go of Spencer and took a step away ur seat, okay?" As Richard understood, he smiled as Leena ced him at the child safety seat and buckled its seatbelt. Once Richard was secure, Kevin and Leena did the same and eventually, they started to drive and head off to the venue. It was the 60th anniversary of the FX Internation group and a grand party was held wherein elite and famous businessmen from various countries around the globe were invited to attend the party. "Nana!" Kevin called out and smiled. "You look absolutely breathtaking!" Leena wore a long, white fitting dress which entuated her statuesque body. She did not look like how a typical mother looked after birth. She loved to take care of her body, after all, and had asional trips to the gym. Leena returned the smile as she tucked in a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Thank you." She then looked at Kevin from head to toe and hummed, "You''re not in a suit¡­" "Ah, I''m sorry. I just got back from the base and..." "It''s fine," Leena interrupted. "You don''t need a suit. That military uniform fits you best." Two years had passed and everything seemed to have changed. All except one thing, that Rain was still single. Rain stood by a French window, dejectionpletely written all over his face. "Rain." Snapping Rain out of his own trance was none other than a familiar voice. Rain turned to see Leena approaching him with two sses of champagne. "Ah, Leena¡­ Hey," Rain responded in monotone. Chapter 1644 The Reunion (Part Four) Leena knew that Rain was depressed and this made her worry. She knew she had to try to cheer him up at least a bit. She then handed him one of the sses she carried. He took this in hand and bowed his head slightly in thanks. No wonder tons of people came to like Leena. She was always so thoughtful and considerate. It just warmed everyone''s heart. Rain took a sip from his ss. "So¡­ Where''s Richard? I thought he was with you." "Aah, he''s ying with other kids and besides, Kevin''s with him so," Leena said with a shrug. "I can take a bit of a break." She took a sip from her ss and looked where Kevin and Richard were. She smiled at the bright and yful sight. Boys at Richard''s age be naughty and yful, and since Kevin wasn''t around most of the time, Leena had to entertain and tag along with Richard. She was easily exhausted every time this happened. Leena found it amusing when the other kids were so stiff around Richard. Maybe it was because his father, Kevin, was wearing his military uniform. As Leena continued to look at Kevin y with Richard and other children, Rain''s eyes were on her. Leena wore a white dress as well and Rain could not help butpare her to a fairy. "You look stunning in that dress, Leena," Rain said with a soft smile. "Really, you do." Leena turned to Rain, surprised at his statement. "Really?" She looked down at her own body and like all women, she sighed. She could never be satisfied with the figure she had. "I think I''ve gained so much weight though." "Don''t say that!" Rain eximed as he started to look at her from head to toe. Rain nodded firmly. "You look perfect." Leena just looked at Rain and pouted, not buying whatever he had just said to her as she yfully hit him on his shoulder. No matter how skinny women are, they just can''t be satisfied with what they are blessed with. Leena and Rain continued to talk to each other with champagne in their hands and talked about anything under the sun. They sharedughs and smiles, enjoying each other''spany. At a far corner of the room, there stood a woman that held a wine ss. Her eyes were fixed on Rain and Leena t ather be here and keep youpany." Fred Chen wasn''t the type of person to enjoy these kinds of morous parties as he hated social interactions. Annie nced at him and asked, "You sure?" Annie didn''t want Fred Chen to get distracted because of her. "Yeah. It''s no big deal," he responded. "I only know a few people here." As a musician, Fred Chen was rather mncholic and sentimental. "Ah! My ball!" A sharp voice interrupted their conversation. Annie then saw the ball rolling towards her. She raised her head and saw a young boy running towards her. "Richard, stop running! You might trip!" Annie knew who that voice belonged to. She could never forget how the voice of the man she loved sounded. Her body started to shake, and she could feel her eyes starting to swell. Their eyes finally met and, it was as if, time had stopped. Rain stood still. He could never forget how Annie looked like. He always made sure to remember her delicate features. There was never a day wherein Rain didn''t imagine that he''d meet Annie again but, he didn''t expect it to be something as unexpected as this. Annie''s lips start to tremble. She parted her mouth open but, no voice came out. No matter how much she wanted to say something to Rain, her voice faltered. It had been four years. With what Annie saw earlier, Rain might have already moved on, while she still harbored the same feelings of love for him that never died. Chapter 1645 Miss An And Mr. Xia (Part One) Rain felt that his world stopped the moment heid his eyes on her. Everything else on that party just seemed to melt on the background in an instant. He was suddenly deaf of the ssical music that was filling the ce as all he could hear was the loud sound of his heartbeats. "Ball. Ball." It was then that a little boy''s voice broke the silence that had upied him temporarily. It was Richard, Leena and Kevin''s little boy. The young boy was staring at Annie too just like Rain. His toy ball rolled towards the woman and coincidentally stopped between her feet. "Oh. I''m sorry! Here''s your ball." Annie looked away from Rain hurriedly and bent over to get the toy. She had believed that she would not lose herself again before him after so many years. However, it was easy to tell that things didn''t happen the way she expected. Just the mere glimpse of the man she loved was enough to make her lost again. On the other hand, Rain tore his gaze from her and turned to the man standing next to Annie. The man''s face was not bad. He even looked gentle and well educated. Fred Chen was also looking back at Rain too. This was the first time he had met Rain. He thought that Rain''s face was beautiful rather than handsome. His features were soft and yet eye-catching. ''Rumor has it that he is the vice president of FX International Group. Could that be true?'' he silently thought. "Hey, boy. Here you are." Annie felt more depressed upon seeing Richard as she thought that the little boy was Rain''s son. Nevertheless, she did not allow the sadness to show on her face as she remained smiling at the little boy. "Thanks, Miss An." Rain finally managed to say after a long while. His voice was distant and emotionless. He was feeling too many emotions inside him that he couldn''t exin. "My pleasure, Mr. Xia," Annie replied in an equally cold voice. She did not want him to look down upon her, thus, she decided to be distant from him. An eye for an eye as they said. However, she could not feel sadder deep inside. It broke her heart to see him again and find that he already had his own family. She even ding in the middle of the crowd alone. "Uncle Rain, guess what I saw!" It was only a few seconds after when Justin suddenly appeared next to him. He was nine years old now and was taller than his peers. It was all thanks to his parents'' excellent genes that he grew up as a very charming boy. Nevertheless, he was still obviously smarter than average and acted maturely. "Oh? Tell me about it. What did you see?" Rain shot him a depressed nce. He still couldn''t believe how Edward made an exact replica of him through Justin. Heck! He looked exactly like his father. "I saw Auntie Annie! However, there was a man with her," said Justin in a joking tone. He was actually silently observing when Annie and Rain met. Frankly, he was expecting something exploding to happen back then. He was imagining Rain jumping on Annie and hugging her excitedly. Nothing of his expectations happened though. Everything went too quiet between the two and it was not like his Uncle Rain at all! "Are you here tofort me or make fun of me?" It was weird for him to discuss such an adult topic with a child. Nevertheless, Rain had never treated Justin as a simple child. Justin was like a matured man trapped inside a child''s body. "Neither. What I''d like to say is that you should have approached her regardless if there was a man with him or not." Justin let out an evil smile which made him look like Edward more. Chapter 1646 Miss An And Mr. Xia (Part Two) "Hey, kid! Are you sure you are only nine years old? You sound like ny." Rain walked to the nearest bar stand and reached for a bottle of wine. His chest was still aching, thus, he bottomed up the bottle he grabbed in just one huge gulp. "I already told you. My brain was not designed to be understood by a mere normal like you, Uncle Rain," Justin teased and sighed. He was quite content about himself. "Justin." Another child''s voice was heard from behind them and made Justin frown. ''Oh my God! He''s here too!'' "Hello, Uncle Rain." It was Spencer who was looking super cute as he ran towards them. He was taller now than how he had been two years ago. The only thing that didn''t change with him was his brotherly obsession with Justin. "Hey, Spencer. Are you here for Justin?" Hearing the child made Rain forget about being depressed. He thought that it was better for him to divert his attention, thus, he started making fun of the kids. Everyone knew that Spencer liked staying around Justin so much. "Yes, Uncle Rain. I like to y with Justin." Children were living in a very simple world and Spencer was sure enjoying it. He was so innocent and uplicated when he immediately said his purpose. "Oh, God! I shall go and hide now," sighed Justin in desperation as he thought, ''How could Spencer be as innocent as this?'' Rain kept smiling while talking with them. Although he was here, his eyes were still searching for Annie unconsciously. She was still very beautiful after so many years. Moreover, she seemed to be stronger as she matured in grace. Probably he should take Justin''s advice. He should have told her how he was feeling regardless if there was a man next to her. He would definitely have done that if he still was the former Rain. It was just that he wasn''t the same man anymore. He was done with being young and reckless. He had also matured. He realized just then that loving a person didn''t mean that he had to be with her. What mattered most was that Annie was happy. Meanwhile, Daisy was extremely eye-catching tonight. She was wearing an elegant evening dress which was He could clearly remember how they used to embrace that night and how it felt to make love to her. However, nothing was left of that anymore. It was just like a dream. "Annie, are you hiding something from me?" asked Fred while they were driving away from the party. It was hard not to notice how strange Annie had be since they encountered the vice president of the FX International Group. "No. Why do you ask that?" Annie took a deep breath to calm herself down. She smiled to force herself to look okay as she didn''t want him to see that something was wrong with her. "Let me make a guess. Is FX International Group''s vice president their father?" Annie''s children resembled the man so much and Fred was not a fool to miss that fact. "I''d prefer not to discuss this topic for now." Annie frowned. Fred had been helping her with her kids for a long time and she was grateful for it. However, it didn''t mean that she was willing to give up her privacy. She disliked it when others tried to spy on her. Moreover, she wasn''t happy with how Fred interrupted her earlier. They were never a couple but his behavior and words were misleading. That was just not right. "Okay! I won''t force you. We''ll leave tomorrow anyway." Fred Chen smiled gently. Frankly, he wasn''t even looking at Rain as a rival in love. Annie and Rain simply should have not been apart for so many years if they truly loved each other. Chapter 1647 Miss An And Mr. Xia (Part Three) Their car drove to the hotel where they were staying and neither Annie nor Fred noticed the car that was following them discreetly. That car did not turn back and drive away until the man in the car confirmed their hotel. "Mr. Mu," called Luke as he quickly walked across the party towards Edward. "How was it? Did you locate their hotel?" Edward asked while sping his hands behind his back. The stance made him look both professional and smart. "Yes. It''s Kate Hotel. What a coincidence." Luke followed the two after they left the party as what Edward ordered. It turned out that Annie and Fred chose the most familiar hotel in the city. "That''s great. Where is Rain? Is he still upstairs?" Edward smiled guilefully as he thought, ''Screw it, Mrs. Chen. I will be helping Rain this time no matter what. Say goodbye to being a stranger because you will be family.'' "Yes," Luke answered in a low voice. He was clueless about Edward''s n. Nevertheless, he would never dare question this man''s decisions since he had proven him to be a wise man. "Bring him to Kate Hotel. To be specific, drag him to Annie''s room." Kate Hotel was one of Edward''s properties. It would be just a piece of cake to execute what was in his mind. "What? Are you sure? Isn''t it a bit inappropriate?" Luke did not understand Edward''s intention. "Just do it. I''ll take the responsibility," said Edward nonchntly. He was a decisive and powerful man. Thus, he would not allow any question towards his decision. "Yes. I''ll do it right away," said Luke with a nod. To be honest, he didn''t like Edward''s idea but he would not defy his order either. "Wait. Remember this. Be carefully and leave no trace." Edward did not believe that Fred Chen and Annie were truly husband and wife. Therefore, he was sure that the two would not share the same room. He easily sensed the coldness between the two just by hearing them talk. They were too distant to be a real couple. "Copy that," Luke promised and then left to carry out Edward''s order. It was truly a challenge. Edward must have trusted him a lot to leave this hard task to him. Edward Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. to fool us. You must have done something already, right?" Duke would never believe that Edward would let thing be without taking any action. "I won''t allow my friend to be teased, even though she is a female,"mented Edward. Annie must know that there was a high possibility to meet Rain when she decided to attend the party held by FX International Group. He found it odd that Annie decided toe in with another man. Had she even thought of Rain? He had been waiting for her for four years. How could she even show-off on his face? "Great! As expected! Would you mind telling us a bit?" Duke smirked while looking at Edward. Edward would always be the first to protect his family and friends. "Two words." A cunning smile cracked Edwards lips while looking at his friends. "What?" Tom and Duke asked in chorus. "A secret." Edward left immediately when he finished speaking, leaving the two looking at each other cluelessly. "What did he mean?" Duke said puzzledly with furrowed eyebrows. "A secret, he said." Tom was also ready to leave. Edward kept it a secret because he would not tell them. That was simple to understand. Thus, he thought, ''Since when did Duke be this mentally slow? Probably since Spencer was born. But then, people say that it is the mother who is mentally affected after giving birth. How is it even possible for Duke to be this blunt when it is supposed to be Belinda?!'' Chapter 1648 Misunderstandings (Part One) At Kate Hotel Just as Annie entered the bathroom and shut the door, her room door was opened from the outside and a few people sneaked in. They put someone on the bed and covered him with her quilt before leaving the room. The whole stealthy processsted no more than a minute. Outside the room, by the door, Luke shed a cunning smile, holding a camera in his hand. Not too long ago, he had convinced a bellman to put the camera in the room with the excuse of giving Annie a bottle of wine as a present from the hotel. That way he could know when she would enter the bathroom and take this opportunity to send Rain in. After they put Rain in the room, he took the camera out with him. The n seemed perfect. The first half was executed perfectly. Now all they needed to do was to wait for the rest to unfold. Meanwhile, Annie immersed herself in the warm water. She didn''t hear anything from outside the bathroom as the sound of flowing water drowned out any other noise. Besides, she was still dwelling on the encounter with Rain at the party earlier. Her heart felt like it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand when she remembered that Rain had called her Miss An in an indifferent way. She had always thought of Rain as a yboy without any ns of getting married. To her dismay, it turned out that he not only got married, but now had an adorable son. Before going to the party, she had hoped that Rain would still be single. She was going to test the waters and see if they could have a chance to get back together. She loved Rain and was willing to work out their differences and perhaps change his mind, so they could get married in the future. But with what she had seen this evening, her n almost made her look like a fool and she fel ream. Annie bit her lower lip and pondered for a while. Then she ced the ss on the nightstand and reached out to help him sit. However, when she touched his body, she withdrew her hands at once as if she had touched something with electrical current. ''Rain, what should I do? I can''t just leave you here alone, and I can''t sleep with you either. You are really causing a big problem for me here, '' she thought to herself. She went to the couch and sat there, thinking about their past and looking at him. She really regretted having left four years ago. But there was no time machine that would take her back to undo what she had done. She held her knees and stared at the man on the bed who was sound asleep. How she wished she could hug and kiss him. But she was a virtuous woman and would not sleep with someone else''s husband. She kept telling herself that he had a beautiful wife and a wonderful son. No matter how much she loved him, she couldn''t be the homewrecker. She shed a bitter smile and mocked herself. Her heart was aching as if someone were ripping it apart, the pain reaching the depths of her soul. She took out her phone and the screen lit up. Chapter 1649 Misunderstandings (Part Two) The screen showed a picture of a boy and a girl. They quite looked like each other, meaning that they could possibly be twins. Annie touched the screen and said in a light voice, "My babies, I''m really sorry. I can''t bring your daddy home to you." She stared at the picture on the phone until she fell asleep on the couch. When Rain woke up, he felt parched and the pounding pain in his head was killing him. He didn''t open his eyes, but rubbed his brow to alleviate the pain. After he felt better, he opened his eyes and got the shock of his life. He threw back the quilt and jumped off the bed. ''Where the hell am I? Did my friends just throw me in a hotel room instead of sending me home? What fucking fake friends I have! I''m gonna get those sons of bitches next time!'' he cursed in his mind. He looked around and his eyes widened when he saw a woman sleeping on the couch. He looked closer and easily recognized who it was. Annie! What was she doing here? And why were they in the same room? He fixed his eyes on her face and didn''t dare to move. He was afraid that this was just a dream, and Annie would disappear once he woke up. He wanted to stay in this moment a bit longer. She didn''t seem to be sleeping well as her brow was furrowed. The phone in her hand was about to drop. He walked to her quietly and caught the phone as it was about to fall to the carpeted floor. He knew it was not right to invade her privacy, but his curiosity was killing him. He turned on the phone and it felt like his heart was pierced when he saw the twins on the screen. ''She has a son and a daughter, and they look like two or three years old. It means that she got married and got pregnant after she left me. Ha-ha! I am such a fool!'' he mocked himself. ''But w Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. "You have a beautiful wife and an adorable son." Annie tried her best to sound natural, but her shaking voice betrayed her. "What? What are you talking about? I have a wife and a son?" Rain reacted in disbelief, his jaw ck. He was totally confused. After a while, he realized that Annie must have thought that Richard was his son. But who did she think his wife was? And why was she thinking like that? "Uh? Did I say something wrong?" Annie asked in reply, seeing the bewildered look on his face. "Never mind." Rain shook his head. He nned to exin it, but at the thought of Annie''s husband and children, he decided not. What was the use? They remained silent for a long time. Rain bid her goodbye as he couldn''t bear the silence anymore. Yes, he still loved her. But so what? She was married, and he could do nothing about it. Annie watched his receding figure. She wanted to stop him, but didn''t. If she stopped him, what would she tell him? She didn''t know. Rain didn''t leave the hotel. He had his own suite just a few floors up, so he headed straight to it. As soon as he got in, he threw himself onto the soft bed burying his face into the pillow. Chapter 1650 Misunderstandings (Part Three) There was nothing he could do to solve the problem now. He didn''t want to destroy her family, and decided to set her free. When Annie was still sound sleep, her phone rang. She cursed silently and reached out to answer it. "Hello." Her eyes were still puffy and her voice was husky. "Mommy, it''s me, Joyce. When will you be back? Huey and I missed you so much." A child''s voice came from the other end of the line, which made Annie sober up immediately. "Joyce baby, mommy missed you too. Have you been a good girl while I am away?" Annie asked in a soft voice. "Yes, I have. But Huey hasn''t. He forbade me from ying with him," Joyceined. Annie could imagine that Joyce was now pouting her lips. "Oh, really? And what is your brother doing now?" Annie asked. Her heart melted when she heard her own daughter''s voice. "He''s ying with his remote control car. He said that I''m a girl and he doesn''t y with girls," Joyce grumbled. "Ha! Really? Honey, put your brother on the phone, okay? Let mommy teach him a lesson." Annie knew her son must be next to her daughter and ying with his new favorite, a remote controlled car. The reason he didn''t make any sound was that he was too focused on his toy to say anything. "Huey, mommy wants to talk to you." The girl turned to her brother and reached out her hand to give him the phone. Huey put the remote control down and took the phone with resignation. "Hello, Mommy." His voice was sort of cool. "Huey, Joyce said you didn''t want to y with her. Is that true?" Annie asked in a soft voice. "She told you that? What a leaf blower." Huey cast a reproachful nce at his sister. He looked much more matu ened in the hallway. She was applying lotion to her face. After that, she stood and opened the door for Fred. "Are you ready? Our flight is in the afternoon. We still have time to have breakfast and stroll around the city. I heard there are many delicious things to try here, like snacks, street food and many others." Fred looked at the woman in front of him with eyes full of affection. He had a thing for her, but she was too insensitive to realize it. Besides, it showed on her face that her heart belonged to someone else. "Yeah, sure, why not?" Annie didn''t expect Fred to have the same idea as her, so she was thrilled when she found out that their minds worked the same. "Let''s go." Fred had doubted that Rain had just left Annie''s room. But on seeing her reaction, Fred knew he was wrong. Annie was not familiar with S City, nor was she aplete stranger. She had been here before. But the city had changed a lot during these past few years, and it looked different from how she remembered it. She believed that she would never forget this city, because the man she loved the most was from here and lived here. Chapter 1651 An Accident (Part One) When Rain got home, Edward, hearing about the news, immediately called him. "Don''t say anything yet ¨C I know what you want to say," said Rain once he had picked up the call. Rain knew that Edward was good-intentioned, but he also knew that whatever Edward thought was wrong; Rain would never be the one to wreck another man''s family. "Man, give it to me straight. Are you acting like some kind of coward in front of Annie again?" Edward wore a frown in his face. When he heard that Rain left the hotel alone, he was certain that Rain did not seedst night. "No, I''m not. I don''t want to make a fool out of myself, Edward. I don''t want to look like a creep," exined Rain who looked down. His grief came in waves, devouring him. "Hold on. What do you mean?" Edward did not think that Annie would ever have the guts to turn down Rain. She had loved Rain dearly in the past and it wouldn''t be like her to just change her mind all of a sudden. "Edward, she has children already. Do you think I would stand a chance?" asked Rain, trying not to me fate so that he could face the music. "Are you sure? You can''t just assume those children are hers," Edward debated. He was trying not to show that he was taken aback from what he just heard and was thinking if he was wrong about how steady Annie''s love for Rain was. As much as Edward wanted to agree with Rain, he was positive about what he saw: Annie and Fred, however, treated each other like guests. The two did not seem like a couple at all. "It''s obvious," Rain said. "They''re a couple and it''s normal for them to have children," he added with a bitter smile stered across his face. "A couple? You really think those two love each other? I don''t agree." Edward snorted, looking handsome and striking even in the midst of disgust. "I saw this with my own eyes, man. It''s an immutable fact," Rain sa rrangements right away." William hung up the phone and executed Rain''s instructions immediately. Rain closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself down. He then called Tom. "Hey, man. Are you calling to share your joy this early in the morning?" Tom smirked knowing that every minute ofst night was precious for Rain. "Cut the crap, Tom. Get your men ready for the casualties. I''ll be right there." Rain wanted to see the site for himself first but he thought twice about this and changed his mind. The lives of the staff were more important so he postponed his site visit. "Wait. What do you mean? Get ready for the casualties?" Tom thought that he was still tripping in his sleep. "An ident happened in the Western Hill project. Many people were hurt and I ordered to send them to your hospital." Rain did not trust other hospitals except Tom''s. He was aware that the casualties would be costly but to Rain a human life held greater value than anything else. "Really? It sounds really serious." Tom walked out of his office and made arrangements for the pressing task he had to do. "I have no idea what happened, but if it''s saving lives then it''s my top priority. I''ll see youter." Rain hung up and called Sanford. Chapter 1652 An Accident (Part Two) "Hey Rain," Sanford greeted Rain in a rather hoarse voice. It was the first time that Rain had initiated to call him this early in the morning. "I want to see Cyrus now! Otherwise there will be consequences and he should know what they are," Rain demanded. He did not sugarcoat his words anymore. "Huh? What''s the matter?" Sanford could tell that Rain was angry but he had no idea why. What did Cyrus do to get on his nerves? "Ask him yourself. Tell him if he doesn''t want to get arrested, he should see me right now!" Rain threw the phone aside. ''Damn it, '' he thought. ''Why did the ident have to take ce now out of all the times that it could?'' His ns to get Annie back were sabotaged by the circumstances and he could not do anything about it. Sanford hung up trembling. It was the first time he had encountered Rain''s anger. Fortunately for him, he did not have to see Rain throw a fit in person. Otherwise, Rain would have channeled all his rage to Sanford. Rain drove faster than he usually would; he drove recklessly until he arrived at the hospital where he found that the ambnces had note back. "Are you alright?" Tom asked, worried and concerned about the condition of his friend. However, Rain kept a straight face and Tom could not help but wonder if he was sessfulst night. "I''m fine. Do all that you can to aid the injured and don''t worry about quoting me the medical bills." As Rain had been treated meanly when he was little, he always told himself that all people should be treated equally regardless of their social statuses and social standing; he showed no prejudice and practiced equality as much as he could. Tomughed at the man. "Look how generous the cold hearted man actually is," Tom teased Rain for the first time. Rain was older than Tom so Tom was always tiptoeing around Rain out of respect. "Stop beating your gums. Are all the doctor u and I are good friends. So much that I apanied you to that celebration. I didn''te there with personal agendas. Please, don''t get me wrong." Fred, after all, could not find a femalepanion to take to S City so Annie was kind enough toe with him. If it were for any other reason, Annie would not havee back. The city held too many sad memories for her that she could not escape. But Fred suspected her of being ill-intentioned and that offended her. She did not like being misunderstood. As much as she could, Annie tried to maintain the purity of her integrity. "I know. Please, don''t be angry. I really didn''t mean anything offensive. It was just a casual question I mindlessly asked." Fred wiped the sweat off his head. Annie was different; she was of distinct personality and she did not like it whenever other people questioned her. "Forget it. Let''s just go." Annie immediately lost her appetite, so she got up and left, knowing real well that Fred would follow her. Annie still remembered how she sadly walked along the same streets alone. It had been more than four years, but she still remembered so vividly. Even if Fred was with her now, she still felt lonely and isted because the man who was with her was not the man she loved most. Chapter 1653 An Accident (Part Three) Fred fixated his attention on Annie. Although she kept denying it, he could tell that she met a terrible feeling within the city. Otherwise, she would not look so sad. Rain was too upied to attend to any of his personal endeavors. After he made sure that every wounded person had already been attended to in the hospital, he rushed down to the Western Hill. He came to collect the details before going to the police station to file a report. Cyrus was nowhere to be found. Not only was Sanford unsessful in finding Cyrus, he also had no clues since not even his wife knew his whereabouts. ording to Cyrus'' wife, he did not go homest night and he had turned off his phone so that no one could get in touch with him. That was why Rain had to handle the ident that Cyrus had caused alone. "Mr. Xia, I have a hunch that all this is a conspiracy," William spoke out his mind. He felt that it wasn''t a coincidence that Cyrus was nowhere to be found. He must have nned his escape. "I know, but what happened has already happened. Even if there''s a trap, I still have to go ahead without hesitation if I want to find out what''s on the other side." Rain was no longer a frivolous yboy. He became a responsible CEO who could keep hisposure and could stay level headed. "It''s monstrous!" William fumed. "He keeps making things look like your fault. This time, you even have to take the me for him!" William was disgusted and upset. Everything went smoothly back when they worked at the FX International Group. It was nothing like this. Edward might have been bossy then, but they got along just well with each other. "It''s okay. It''s not like I''m easy to defeat." Rain sneered. He knew he was nobody''s patsy. He was not as vulnerable as he was a decade ago. He learned his lesson. "But the police might arrest you," William added. "Mr. Yi knows what to do." Rain had absolute Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ht?" Tiana did not know about the ident so she rushed over to watch the press conference. "Get off my neck, Tiana. I''m busy." Rain impatiently broke away from the grip of her hand. This caused Tiana to fall down. He stopped for a moment, thinking maybe he should help her, but he decided that he had better things to do and hurriedly marched away from her. "Miss Ke, get up. Mr. Xia is in a bad mood. Please, don''t put anything more on his te." William helped Tiana up and quickly went back to serve his boss. Rain pushed the door to his office open and mmed it shut. He still had a lot of repressed anger to release when his phone rang. "Hello?" He answered weakly. "Annie will leave by ne at four o''clock," Edward said in a deep voice, taking a serious tone. "So?" Rain sprawled onto the couch, showing no interest. ''Let her go then, '' he thought. They had been separated for so long that Rain had no concrete proof of whether or not Annie still had feelings for him. Even if Fred wasn''t her husband and even if the children he saw weren''t hers, he no longer had anything to do with her. Annie didn''t ask him to stay the moment he leftst night. Rain thought he was being delusional and had given up on getting the love of his life to stay. Chapter 1654 Why Isnt Daddy Back Yet (Part One) "So? Shouldn''t you go to ask her to stay?" The living room was silent except for Edward''s pissed voice. He looked at the view from the floor to ceiling length windows, and not even the lovely skyline could calm his temper. His lips twitched in annoyance. He was irritated by Rain''s carefree manner as if things had nothing to do with him. He was holding the phone in vice-like grip as the other person hissed into the receiver, "You already said the flight will take off at four o''clock. But it''s now fifty past three. Do you expect me to fly there by rocket?" On the other end of the line, Rain reclinedzily on the cream-colored sofa. He watched the crystals of the chandelier sway a little bit with t eyes. This misfortune woulde to him sooner orter, and here he was. It would be useless for him to make any further efforts to try and change anything. Forced love did notst. "As long as you want, nothing is impossible for me." Edward visibly rxed a little and shed a sly smile. His hands loosened the grip on the phone. To dy a flight was a rather simple thing for a powerful man like Edward. "No need. Like I just said, I don''t want to cause her any trouble," Rain said with a hint of finality in his voice. He stopped watching the chandelier crystals and turned to look at the bare white wall instead. As time passed, his ardor for love gradually wore off. He had be more mature in handling his emotions now. "You can continue to be an airhead if you like. But don''te running to us if you regret this." Edward retorted and he didn''t bother to hide his irritation. Now he was truly annoyed. Hadn''t Rain always been a womanizer? He was rather known for that, even. When did he suddenly be so nonchnt and uninterested in love? Was he a saint now or was he on some sort of sabbatical? Edward wondered. "Do you think that is even possible? Someone who is so handsome and attractive like me will never regret." Rain snorted, his toneced with both arrogance and Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. anywhere, so¡­" Sanford said tentatively, as he tested the waters. He had always acted very cautiously in front of Rain as he felt that he would annoy him if he said something inappropriately. "Stop! I don''t have a brother like him. He is only your son and it has nothing to do with me." Rain''s defiant voice rang loudly in the room. What he hated the most was whenever Sanford connected him with his family. He refused to be a part of their revolting n. "How''s the matter now? Has it affected the stock?" Sanford decided to try switching the subject as he asked carefully. "Haha! I should have thought that this is what you really care about," Rain said as his lips smiled in self-mockery for the umpteenth time. Although he thought that he wouldn''t be affected by anything this family of his did, he couldn''t help but feel hurt by them at this time. "I¡­" The light in Sanford''s face dimmed, not knowing how to exin himself. "Since you are worried about it so much, I can tell you now. As long as I am here, thepany won''t fall." Rain faced him and his lips were formed into an unfathomable smile. Even so, the smile couldn''t hide the somber mood he was hiding deep inside. "That''s good, it''s really good!" Sanford breathed a sigh of relief. If that was really the case, the family would not fall into a decline. Chapter 1655 Why Isnt Daddy Back Yet (Part Two) "Huh," Rain snorted. He knew that his father didn''te here to show he cared about him. Under all those kind words of asking how he was were just thepany this, thepany that. However, he also didn''t care whatever reason Sanford came here for. He had always felt distant from his family as hepletely lost faith in these cold-hearted so-called family members. He only hoped that they would not disturb his life and his personal affairs. "Rain, do you have any issues with me?" Sanford suddenly asked in a thick voice. His eyes firmly rested on Rain''snky posture which sat in repose, his eyes closed as if he was not even there. "What do you think?" Rain''s eyes shot open and he looked sharply at him as he asked in an equally disdainful voice. "I know you are ming me for not having taken good care of you and your mother, and you think that''s the main reason that had caused your mother''s death," Sanford reflected. The past was the past, and it was gone forever. If only he could go back in time and make other choices, he would choose not to be that weak-willed. "You? Do you think you even deserve to mention her in my face?" Rain hissed. He had such a bad temper today, his emotions flitting through sadness, irritation, and anger. He had already been exhausted enough, and now his father''s visit only added fuel to the fire. Moreover, his father''s mention of his deceased mother hit the weakest spot in his heart. "I''m your father, so watch your mouth!" Sanford shot back. He felt rather offended by Rain''s harsh usation. "Father? Who said you are my father? I have never admitted it. From the moment my mom died, you already became a stranger to me. Your only contribution to me was your sperm." Rain was too emotional now as he couldn''t help but stand upright in retort, his eyes sending daggers to the man in front of him. "You¡­" The sound of a palm hitting the cheek was like a cracking of a bullwhip. Sanford looked at his hand that hung in air, not believing what he ju e Fred? Didn''t you go with him?" Joyce released herself from her mother''s embrace and backed a few steps, just to see if Fred was behind her mother. Since Fred was the only man she ever saw around her mom, Joyce hoped that the kind man could be her father. "Uncle Fred has gone back to his own home. Huh! You are actually missing your Uncle Fred, not your mommy, right?" Annie said in a pretend sad voice, with a matching forlorn look on her face. "Of course not. I missed mommy the most!" Joyce''s voice was as sweet as candy that it could bring instantfort or a pick-me-up to anyone who heard it. It was as if it could heal like some sort of magical medicine, and Annie''s heart melted at the sight of her. "Huh! She''s lying. She talked about Uncle Fred every day and spoke highly of him. Of course, she misses him. Everyone can see that." A boy''s voice interrupted Annie''s musings. Huey just walked out of the bathroom, wearing a set offy nnel pajamas and looking quite fresh after his shower. Unlike Joyce who excitedly rushed to her mommy as soon as she saw her, Huey remained calm when he saw his mother. He just slowly walked over to them and acted very cool. "No, I am not lying. Mommy, Huey is the one who''s lying. I wasn''t missing Uncle Fred." Joyce refuted in an almost crying tone as she was extremely anxious. Chapter 1656 Why Isnt Daddy Back Yet (Part Three) "Okay. I know. Huey is teasing you. It''s just a joke. Don''t take it to heart, okay?" Annie said to console her daughter when she saw that the little one became quite sad. "It''s not a joke," Huey said tly. Boys were boys, they always tended to make fun of their sisters at home. However, if anyone outside dared to bully their sisters, they would spare no effort to defend them. Such was the strange but precious phenomenon of sibling love. "Huey!" Annie snapped with a straight face. It was only when Annie showed anger that her son knew that he should be nice to his sister. "Okay. I know. Mommy always favors Joyce over me. Hmph!" As soon as he finished his words, Huey instantly turned around and rushed upstairs, the sound of his running feet hitting the hardwood quite heavily. He was indeed hurt by his mother''s scolding tone. "Mommy, is Huey crying?" Joyce asked with concern as droplets of tears started to pool and wet her longshes. "Don''t worry. He''s alright. He is a boy, and boys don''t easily cry." Despite saying so, Annie was still a little worried. After she had calmed Joyce down, she walked upstairs. Annie turned to his bedroom door and turned the knob gently. She poked her head inside and saw her son sitting on the windowsill, his eyes turned up to the sky as he watched the clouds quietly. Annie knew that when he acted like this, he really was very upset. "Huey, what are you looking at?" It seemed that living with a single mom made the poor boy get easily sentimental. "Mommy, do you remember? You said that Daddy wille back in winter. But it is the second winter since you said that. Why isn''t Daddy back yet?" During the day when he was at nursery school, his ssmates on gain not to think about him, and to get rid of him from her world. However, she couldn''t make it. As long as there was something connected to Rain, she couldn''t help but pay attention to and brood over it. When she reached her bathroom, Annie turned on the tap and filled the tub with warm water. She then added a packet of Epsom salt and a bath bomb to help her rx. When she deemed it enough, she removed her clothes and submerged her body into the water. The warmth of the bath made her feel relieved from all the troubling things that day as she enjoyed it in afortable silence. A whole lifetime was too much of a stretch, and she didn''t know how long she could hold on and how long she could hide all this from her children. It stressed her out so she just decided to go ahead with the flow and deal with whatever that would happen along the way. She had no other choice now anyway. The sky in S City was filled with thick, greyish cumulus clouds that made the atmosphere quite cold this year. It was probably due to the weather, or it simply varied from person to person. However for Rain, it had never been too cold for his liking. Chapter 1657 Why Isnt Daddy Back Yet (Part Four) The West Hill ident was a big blow to KD Group. In order to decrease the loss to the minimum, Rain busied himself more than ever with fixing the issue and driving thepany away from further damage. Only asionally when he sipped his coffee during a break or when he took a nap that Annie''s beautiful face would sh in his mind. She was wearing a blue evening gown and smiling at him. Slim fingers tappedzily on the sleek keyboard. "Uncle Rain, why did you have to ask me to design the software? Don''t you know I have much homework to do every day?" Justin saidzily as his eyes darted to his uncle. In order to make Justin a qualified sessor?for the FX International Group in the future, Edward had required him to learn a lot of things about thepany. That was to say, Justin had to learn the business of thepany as well in addition to juggling his schoolwork. "Do you think that I will believe a person who always hides in the corner to y the games would be a busy one?" Huh, Justin was a cunning boy, and he was a lot like his father. "I just want to rx myself a bit after getting too stressed with all the heavy homework. Do you really hope that I die from overwork?" Justin sighed as his fingers stroked and massaged his forehead. When he had finally found some free time to rx himself, he was unluckily caught by Rain. "Cut it out! Don''t pretend to be a poor boy. I know what you''re like. It won''t work for me," Rain said, as if to crudely expose his lie. "Uncle Rain, do you really want to treat me like this? Don''t forget that I''m still a kid." Justin continued to give Rain those puppy-dog eyes in an effort to try face behind his uncle''s back like an annoyed child. After Rain was gone, Justin had no choice but to pick up the file from the table and study it carefully. When Rain had stepped out of Justin''s ce, Anna was at the door waiting for him. "Mr. Xia, Mr. Mu asks you to go to his office," she said respectfully. "Anna, it seems that your married life with Aaron is very happy. You look good!" He was always frivolous and carefree in front of people he knew well, as if he never seriously cared about anything. When he faced people he hated or when it was about his work, it was a different story. "What? Are you envious or jealous? Then why not find a wife and start a happy marriage like us? Don''t be all talk and no action!" Aaron''s voice popped up as he came from the other side of the corridor and he walked over to them. He appeared on perfect timing to save his wife from embarrassment. "Aha! Someone got angry. Okay! I''ll stop bothering you. You two lovebirds just continue your business." Rainughed jovially and then pushed the heavy double doors open, and entered the president''s office. Chapter 1658 Persistent Eleanor (Part One) "How can you even beughing at this time? You''re amazing!" Edward said. He nced at Rain and studied him for awhile. It was indeed amazing how Rain appeared unconcerned. It had already been a month yet he had not taken action, except to remain calm. The only exnation Edward could think of was that Rain was growing more mature and patient over time. "What? Would you rather see me cry?" Rain insisted. The truth was, he did feel like crying. As if the problems faced by the KD Group were not stressful enough, here was Edward giving him more matters to sort out. Rain was sure to be busy in the next few days. "Yeah, you should," Edward encouraged, and added, "I heard that Vance has been secretly contacting all the shareholders." That said, Edward dumped a stack of documents on the desk, without having to give instruction that he look these over. Inhaling deeply, Rain concurred. "Yes, I also heard that. It''s just surprising he isn''t behaving as sneakily as I thought he would. I mean, look, even you found out about what he was doing." His lips curled into a sardonic smile. ''Ha! It appears they haven''t learned their lesson from Cyrus'' experience. Well, I don''t mind teaching them again, '' Rain thought to himself. "Be careful, Rain, and don''t let them fool you. It''s crucial not to let your guard down after what happened thest time," Edward warned. If not for the help of the FX International Group, Rain would not have the upper hand in the end and be able toe back. He really should remember to be more careful now. "I know," Rain agreed. "So I''ll be more careful this time. Now, I understand why they''re doing this. What they want is for me to quit the KD Group. That''s what this is all about," he added. His lips curled into an unfathomable smile, yet Rain''s face remained unreadable. He honestly didn''t give a damn about KD Group initially, because he had no intentions of kicking the people out so he could take over thepany. But since it became clear to Rain that they badly wanted him to leave, ce her," Rain said. He now looked impassive as he spoke. He didn''t want to talk to Eleanor Xiao if he could help it. Rain honestly didn''t like the woman at all. And his attitude irked Duke, who gritted his teeth in annoyance. He red at Rain for a moment before turning to look at Edward. He hoped the other man would say something about his request. He badly needed this favor. But Edward was quick to disassociate himself. "Don''t look at me. I''m not in charge of the entertainmentpany," he said. But he was telling the truth when he said that. Edward wasn''t in charge of the entertainmentpany. To make sure his wife would not have reason to be jealous, he stopped associating with women in showbiz. Thest thing he wanted was a misunderstanding because of women. "Aren''t you the CEO?" Duke demanded. "This is something you can clearly decide." Instantly, Duke''s pleading gaze turned into a re after hearing Edward''s words. How could both men reject his request when he rarely asked them for favors? Duke was in disbelief. "Well, you''re a CEO, too. So, you should understand. You can''t control what your employees want to do or not," Edward said calmly. He did roll his eyes at Duke''s outburst. He might be the CEO, but he was not in charge of every little detail. Duke himself should know this because they held simr positions. Chapter 1659 Persistent Eleanor (Part Two) "I know you can''t control your employees'' minds, but this is rted to work. As an employee, she has the responsibility to do things you ask her to do. And shooting amercial is part of her job. Besides, she''s also going to gain fame and money while doing it, so why shouldn''t she? Or are you telling me you can''t order your employees to take on work?" Duke looked at the two men before him. He was sure that Edward, with his strong personality, would never allow his workers to disobey him. He was simply too aloof to help him out. Of course, there were exceptions, and in this case, it was Rain, the self-centered guy. Rain was always free to do what he wanted, regardless of what anyone else thought of his ideas. Even Edward couldn''tpel him to do something he didn''t want. He allowed Rain to do whatever he wanted as long as hepleted his work. "You have a point. While Eleanor did sign a contract with us, it is still her choice to ept or reject a work offer. I can''t decide for her if she wants to ept yourmercial or not. I can''t control her that way," Edward exined. Frankly, Edward and Rain''s entertainmentpany was indeed very generous. They entered into contracts with actors and actresses to make money. But they also gave their artists a chance to shine and do what they truly enjoyed doing. No one was ever forced to do something they didn''t want to do. And they made it clear thepany and its officials did not control every aspect of their lives. "So, you mean there''s really nothing you can do about it?" Duke nearly whined. He was very frustrated and on the verge of giving up. The truth was, his staff had already gotten in touch with Eleanor, but it seemed negotiations didn''t fall through. She did not ept the offer. That was why Duke decided toe and ask the two men for a favor. "I didn''t say that. Well, how about you ask Rain for his help? He''s good at dealing with matters such as these. Besides, the woman s le. Any woman seeing his expression now would surely be charmed. After storming out of the FX International Group building, Rain got into his car and slumped in the seat. He felt miserable and suddenly lost his usual energy. He was extremely frustrated and didn''t know what to do. And it was only when Rain was alone that he let out his weakness. He fished out a piece of paper that had always been inside his pocket. Rain felt the paper burn his hand. Written on it was an address that he hadmitted to heart after looking at it a million times. He hadn''t the courage to look for the woman he badly wanted to see. In truth, he was afraid of getting hurt again. He feared that what he desired was all wishful thinking. And he was terrified that she might have already moved on. Rain was scared to admit his fragility and that he couldn''t afford to get hurt all over again. If she truly loved him, then she wouldn''t have left him years ago, with no intention of returning. If she still cared for Rain, she wouldn''t have been indifferent when they saw each other again. He reyed how calm and distant she looked as if they wereplete strangers, and it hurt him deeply. So, these instances and emotions confused him. He was no longer sure of what to think or feel, or if she still felt anything for him. Chapter 1660 Persistent Eleanor (Part Three) Finally sighing deeply, Rain started the car and drove away. But he didn''t return to the KD Group like he told Edward earlier in his office. Instead, he headed to the cemetery. He had a strong urge to visit his mother now. On his way to the cemetery, he bought a bunch of white chrysanthemums that his mother loved so much. When he arrived, Rain quickly got out of the car but walked up the steps slowly, with his head hanging low. When he reached her gravestone, he stopped and saw it was clean. Heid the white flowers on the ground, and slowly lowered himself to sit facing his mother''s grave. Rain sat very close to the gravestone and stared at the ck and white picture on it. Lifting his hand, he gently stroked the woman''s picture, as his eyes filled with regret and love. Rain truly missed his mother now and wished she was still by his side to guide andfort him. The woman in the photograph was beautiful. Her smile dazzled, and her eyes were kind and gentle. She looked like the type of woman who was warm-hearted and loving. It was probably what made her more stunning. Rain felt extremely blessed to have inherited her good looks, which was why women were often attracted to him. "Mom, I really don''t want you to see me like this, depressed and sad. But I can''t help how I feel. I''m sad and lonely, and I miss you terribly. And these feelings simply won''t go away. I wish you were here." Then Rain closed his eyes and leaned on the gravestone. Suddenly, he felt like he was in his mother''s loving arms. There was a real warm sensation that enveloped him. "You once told me that I should fight for the things and people I love. But mom, what if that person I want doesn''t want to be with me? Should I still fight for her? Or do I just give up? I don''t want to end up like you, Mom. I honestly don''t. I knew he lied to you. And in the process of hurting others, you also harmed yourself, didn''t you?" Rain sniffled. As he talked to h as reflected in his tone. "Really? That''s wonderful! I''m not saying no to your invitation. I''ll be there soon, okay?" Rain said. Before Kevin called, he was just wondering where to eat tonight. His call saved him from thinking. Leena was truly a kind and considerate little sister. "Get yourself a drink, because I''m not letting you have mine," Kevin told him. His tone was indifferent, to clearly show he wasn''t as happy as Rain. "All right, all right. I''ll get liquor for myself, you miser!" Rain said happily. He quickly hung up and raised his head to look around. Fortunately, he saw a liquor store nearby, so Rain didn''t have to drive elsewhere to get his preferred drink. He drove straight to the shop and parked in front of it. It was indeed his lucky day. Earlier, he decided to have some liquor to rx tonight. With Kevin''s call, Rain would havepany while drinking. The corners of Kevin''s lips curled into a yful smile. Rain was always picky about almost everything, especially hard drinks. So, no matter what he decided to bring would not be bad at all. The truth was, he would also be happy to see Rain and share a drink with him although he admittedly felt a little jealous of the man because his wife cared about him too much. It seemed they''d be having some fun tonight. Chapter 1661 Persistent Eleanor (Part Four) "Kevin, how did it go? Is Rain joining us for dinner?" Leena asked her husband. She was walking out of the kitchen, the apron still on her waist while holding a spat. "Of course. He immediately said yes as soon as he heard you were cooking. He''ll be here soon," Kevin reported. Any invitation which included a meal was always wee for Rain. He would never turn down Kevin''s invitation because honestly, he missed Leena''s cooking. Rain lived alone and was notfortable letting people he didn''t know well into his home. That was the reason why he never even hired a housemaid. He enjoyed living alone but seldom had a good home-cooked meal since he didn''t know how to cook. "By the way, where is Richard? Why isn''t he with you?" Her brows furrowed when she didn''t see her son around. She had asked Kevin to look after the boy while she cooked. "He''s being punished. I had him stand at military posture," Kevin said nonchntly. He said it as if it was no big deal for a small child to take on the stance that broke even adults. "What? Stand at military posture? Where is he?" Leena raised her tone. She immediately panicked upon hearing her husband''s words. The boy was only two years old, for God''s sake! Why was he given that kind of punishment? And what did he do to be punished that way? At times, Kevin was really something else. "He''s there by the door going to the garden," Kevin replied. He pointed his chin towards the direction of the garden. Leena immediately turned to look that way. She sighed deeply. "All right. Tell me, what did he do?" The boy was very precious to Leena, and at that age, she didn''t want to see him being harshly punished. But Leena also believed in teaching her son the right values. Thest thing she wanted was for the boy to grow up spoiled and then end up a brat. So, if he did something wrong, Richard had to be punished. And it was up to his father to decide how to discipline their child. "He destroyed my model tank," Kevin simply said. Kevin spent his free time, amounting to many months, finishing that model tank. He was very fond of it was a lot ofpetition because of Rain''s poprity, so she was taking every chance she had to flirt with him and get the man to like her. She wanted Rain, and was confident she would soon get him. "Anything is fine. I''m supposed to be somewhere, so goodbye," Rain quickly answered. Randomly, he grabbed a bottle of Tequ and turned to walk to the counter. He wanted to quickly pay for his purchase and leave the store as soon as possible. Rain wanted nothing to do with Eleanor. Women, who didn''t know how to read signs when they were not wanted and kept chasing after men, annoyed him. Like Edward, Rain could be cold and cruel in situations like this. He didn''t want to be involved in messy rtionships. As soon as he knew someone he disliked was interested in him, he would immediately cut her off and block any attempts of approaching him. Rain was not blind. He could see through what Eleanor was trying to do. "Hold on! Since we happened to meet here while we''re both shopping for liquor, are you going to be gentleman enough and pay for my purchases?" Eleanor asked sweetly. She smiled at Rain flirtatiously, while ncing meaningfully at his chest. He''d left some of the buttons of his shirt undone, and a small patch of smooth skin showed. Eleanor was doing her best to seduce Rain and was not being subtle about it. She had no idea that her actions only made Rain dislike her more. Chapter 1662 Persistent Eleanor (Part Five) He didn''t expect that toe so he let out a quick breath before saying, "Okay." Even if he disliked Eleanor, Rain as the gentleman, agreed to pay for thedy''s liquor purchases. Besides, he had the money. It was only a few bottles of hard liquor that wouldn''t cost very much. But his tone remained cold and emotionless because his ns did not include making friends with the woman flirting with him. There was only one woman who owned his heart, and no one else was wee there. "Thank you very much, Mr. Xia," Eleanor said with a smirk. She didn''t expect Rain to turn down her suggestion. Eleanor was aware of how rich he was, and that he didn''t care about money. But still, she was happy that he agreed. It meant that Rain didn''t dislike her, didn''t it? He was willing to pay for her bottles of liquor. With a wide smile, she put the bottles she was carrying on the counter next to the bottle of Tequ Rain got. He quickly nced at the bottles Eleanorid down on the counter, and his brows immediately furrowed. All were very expensive. It was not that hecked money, but Rain simply despised people who took advantage of him. Eleanor was either shameless or testing him for whatever reason. But Rain kept quiet. He wanted to finish the transaction and be on his way. The man took his credit card from his wallet and handed it to the cashier to pay for both their purchases. The woman who stood beside him, secretly watching his every move, was a bit surprised by Rain''s generosity. She was thinking he would back out of paying when he saw how pricey the bottles she had chosen were. But Rain said nothing. He paid and signed for everything, proving that money was no object to him, which impressed Eleanor. The bottles she picked were worth at least a million dors. "Should I pack them all tog promise if she wanted to be with Rain. "Sorry, but I''m not headed in your direction. So, I can''t give you a lift," Rain said briskly. It was ame excuse, the only one that quickly came to mind to avoid being with her. Rain hastily closed the car door, started the engine and drove off. As he left, he nced at Eleanor through the rear view mirror, with a sarcastic smirk on his face, and his eyes full of disdain. He couldn''t stand being around that woman anymore. As she stood watching Rain leave, Eleanor''s expression turned sullen. She didn''t expect Rain''s blunt refusal of her request for a ride. She blew out a breath in annoyance. "I will let you go this time, Rain. But you won''t get this lucky next time. I want you, and I will have you. I always get what I want anyway," she muttered confidently. She remained unfazed because, in her mind, she had the right to be self-assured. After all, she had an undeniably beautiful face,plemented by an amazingly hot body. Most importantly, Eleanor had youth on her side. She was in her prime as a woman. And what was not to like about her? Eleanor was sure she would get Rain in the end. She had yet to meet a man who didn''t fall for her charms. Chapter 1663 Return To S City (Part One) Rain drove directly over to Waterside, where Leena had been living. Their homes were now much closer. "Hey, you tightwad! There you go! Your wine." Rain tossed the gift bag straight into Kevin''s arms as soon as Kevin opened the door. Kevin''s request had been expensive, costing an exorbitant amount of money. ''If not for Kevin, I could have saved the money and bought Richard more toys, '' he reasoned. "What''s wrong with you? Did you run into shit again? Why are you so angry?" Kevin was confused by Rain''s childish behavior. Thoughical, something about his conduct smelt fishy. "Worse! I was being taped out!" Truthfully, money was not an issue, as the amount was mere pittance to Rain. However, he didn''t like to be fleeced or taken for a fool. "Uncle, uncle." Richard ran towards Rain as soon as he heard him arrive. Rain was delighted as always by the cute angelic child. "Hey, little man! You have grown so much taller already. Tell me, does your mommy feed you like a cute little piglet, ripening you for ughter?" Rain scooped Richard up and ced a great big sloppy kiss on the infant''s chubby cheek. "Don''t be so mean to me, Rain. From what I see, you are actually the pig, and not a cute one." Leena had heard Rain poking fun at her son and her. So the moment she stepped into the living room, she shot an annihting look at Rain. "No way! My dear sister, I see that you don''t love your brother anymore, especially now that you have a son to rece him in your heart. I feel so sad!" Rain instantly turned into a professional, if overly melodramatic, actor. Hand sped over his heart, he feigned extreme disappointment and suffered with a deeply furrowed brow. "Okay, it''s time for you to give it a rest now! Richard is going tough at you," Leenained sourly, while looking over him from head to toe. She was immediately rmed when she noticed his slightly red eyes. What happened to him? Had he cried beforeing here? "Richard, tell me, will youugh at your uncle?" Rain continued teasing Richard. Prec d everything. It was only natural for her to move on. Leena opened her mouth, trying to refute this, but silence swallowed her words eventually. Only someone who had been in such a heartbreaking rtionship could understand how it felt, and know that there were no words that could help. A regr board meeting was held on Monday. During the proceedings, Vance kept trying to persuade the board members to vote Rain out. Uncharacteristically, Rain did not grow angry at all. Instead, he merely sat silently; not even trying to defend himself, and leaving them to their heated discussion. As thepany''s director, he should be open to all opinions, but he almost seemed disinterested. "Are you done? If yes, then it''s time to get down to business now." Rain suddenly shook off the appearance of beingzy and indifferent. He sat upright and cast a cool nce at the gathering. "What business? We have been discussing the day''s business. Haven''t you noticed? Don''t try to mislead everyone." Vance red at Rain angrily. Rain''s calm demeanor made him rather unsettled. "Distribute the files to everyone, please. It''s now time to voice our opinions." Rain turned a deaf ear to the fuss Vance caused and signaled his secretary to hand out the files. In his eyes, Vance was nothing but a clown, trying to stir up his audience. He decided to ignore his antics. Chapter 1664 Return To S City (Part Two) "What the hell are you doing, Rain? Didn''t you hear all those voices against you? They preferred you to stay away from thispany!" Vance roared hysterically. His brother had already been dismissed to a subsidiarypany, leaving only him as Rain''spetition. He had been plotting how to get rid of Rain, and finally came up with an idea which would take advantage of the board in an attempt to dismiss Rain. But Rain did not fight back at the meeting at all. Instead, he treated Vance as invisible! How arrogant of Rain! "The file you have been given contains all the information about this project. I believe all of you are aware of therge profits the KD Group stands to generate from it. So, I''m awaiting a perfect proposal from you in a limited time," Rain ordered decisively, leaving Vance muted in anger. "Yes, sir. We''ll do everything in our power to create a perfect proposal," the leaders of the management team chorused immediately. They had always admired Rain for his extraordinary business talent. The board members nodded at each other in satisfaction after perusing the document. It was as if the ones who had earlier agreed with Vance, and spoken in favor of removing Rain, suddenly changed identity. A cold smile appeared on Rain''s face. A bunch of old foxes! But he would outfox them! They would easily sacrifice their principles, as long as there were profits luring them. Rain decided to deal with them by pretending cordiality temporarily. After thepany passed this critical period, he would no longer need to tolerate them anymore. As the meeting closed, the dust had settled. But Vance was still unwilling to submit to Rain''s leadership. He stormed into the CEO''s office immediately after the meeting. "Rain, it must be a phony project, right? The HT Group won''t award KD the case so easily." Many bigpanies were bidding on the project of the HT Group. Choosing the KD Group to be the executivepany was just too good to be true. After all, the KD Group had just experienced a very risky period not long ago. "That''s your opinion, and I won''t make anyments. For you though, it may have been a huge dif Group?" Annie nced the pretty woman over from head to toe, and then asked to confirm her identity. "Yes, I''m Janice. Nice to meet you." Janice offered her hand for a friendly handshake. Actually, she was not employed by the YS Group. She had worked for Duke as his special assistant. After Duke and Belinda''s marriage, the YS Group and the Leng Group had be one grandpany then. So, iming herself to work for the YS Group was not entirely correct, but in the scope of things, it was urate. "Nice to meet you, too." Annie epted her outstretched hand. "I look forward to working together." Janice was a natural at getting along with people due to her gracious approach. She had earned much praise as Duke''s right hand. "Same here!" Annie was a bit astonished to be working with such a young woman, and she wondered briefly if Janice was capable enough toplete their tasks. "Are these your kids?" Likewise, Janice was also amazed when she saw how young Annie was. She struggled briefly to reconcile the idea that Annie was both a jewelry designer, and a mother to such young neonates. "Yes. Huey, Joyce, say hello." Annie never relied on her family''s status, so she avoided using their money when she had left. She worked as a jewelry designer to support herself and her children. At first, it was quite a struggle, but she had the talent. So, she quickly earned a sessful reputation andrge profits. Chapter 1665 Return To S City (Part Three) "Nice to meet you, I am Huey." "Nice to meet you, I am Joyce." The two greeted Janice obediently. The girl was lovely and had an easy smile, while the boy yed it cool, and reserved. "Nice to meet you too. Wee to S City. Let''s get started! I''ll take you and mommy to the apartment now, okay?" Brand promotion of Doyce Jewelry was a project the YG Group recently set its hand to. Duke entrusted Janice to run this project, as she was highly capable and he had faith that she would handle it well. She seldom bothered Duke, unless she needed him to secure a celebrity to cut promo. His connections to the FX Group made this process easier, if he dealt with this side of the project. The two children, especially Joyce, kept asking various questions along the way as they left the airport terminal. Everything was so new to them. YS arranged top ss amodation for Annie within a secureplex with a clean and natural environment. Although it upied only about a hundred square meters'' space, it was exceptionally neat and offered enough space for their needs. "So, how do you like it? Is it okay?" It was a bit airless, with all the windows closed firmly, so, when they entered the apartment, Janice opened a window to let fresh air in. Despite the air being a bit chilly, it livened up the room and it soon felt better. "Yeah. It''s very nice. Thank you!" Annie was very satisfied with the residence. It was quiet and she knew that she would be able to rx here after a busy day''s work. "We have provided a car for you. It''s the one that I drove us in from the airport. Please feel free to use it as you like." Janice handed the key to Annie. Duke was always generous to his business partners. "Oh, that''s so kind of you. But actually I can just grab a taxi when I need to get somewhere." Annie had never anticipated that the YS Group would think so highly of her, t connection to Rain, so she had no idea why Annie had suddenly paled and be concerned. "Oh. No, thank you. You have been very helpful." Had Annie known about the rtionship between Duke and the YS Group, she would have reconsidered this business alliance carefully, instead of returning to S City and her past. "Great. I''m afraid I have to go now. Hey, Huey, Joyce, it was lovely meeting you. See you soon!" Janice was due to make a progress report to Duke before getting off from work. She needed to return to the office toplete it for presentation. "Bye-bye!" "Bye-bye!" The two kids chorused politely from where they had been ying with each other. "I''ll see you out," Annie followed Janice to the door and offered politely. "Oh, it''s okay. I know the way out. Actually, I live nearby, so, you are wee to call me - even if it''s not for work stuff," Janice declined with a smile. Annie was the guest, and it was not protocol for her to walk Janice out. "Okay, I''ll see you the day after tomorrow then." Annie waved her hand by way of farewell. Alone now, she surveyed the amodations. If everything went smoothly, this would be their home for at least two months. Hopefully, there would not be any unforeseen incidents. Chapter 1666 Having An Affair (Part One) Annie had to buy a lot of daily necessities since she just moved into the new apartment. She went to a nearby supermarket together with her children after taking a rest. In the supermarket, she ced Joyce in a shopping cart and urged Huey to grab her clothes and follow her. "Mommy, can we buy some candies?" Joyce stared at her mother with a hopeful expression. "No, honey. I don''t want you to have bad teeth." Annie turned her down without wavering even a second. Joyce loved eating candies and hated to brush her teeth. The little girl would even start crying whenever she asked her to brush. "Mommy, please! I promise I''ll brush my teeth," pleaded Joyce while pursing her lips. "Your promise is not credible. So, no!" Joyce had made the same promise more times than Annie could count. However, her little girl would go back on her word each time. Unlike his sister, Huey didn''t even have to ask for Annie''s consent. He just put the things he wanted into the shopping cart and was indifferent to his sister''s behavior. "Howe Huey can have what he wants?"ined Joyce. She felt wronged as her brother could take whatever he wanted and she couldn''t. She thought that Annie loved Huey more. "Because the things Huey takes are not food. They are school supplies," Annie exined in a soft voice. Huey was more mature than his twin sister. Every time Annie came to supermarkets with the twins, Huey would take books and toys that could help develop intelligence. Annie was happy to see that. "I want candies!" Joyce looked at her mother in the eye. She knew her mother would eventually give in. "No! You can''t eat candies!" asserted Annie. She thought she should not keep spoiling Joyce. "Waah! Mommy, you don''t love me, do you? I want candies!" It was then that Joyce started to cry. She could see it on her mother''s face that she would not give her what she wanted. "Idiot! You know nothing but eating and crying," Huey interrupted as he rolled his eyes at his sister. He couldn''t even figure out why Joyce was so naive. "I''m not an idiot! You are a bad brother! I''m not ying with you." Joyce cried even harder. "Okay, okay. Don''t cry, baby. You can have a lollipop, okay?" Annie couldn''t help but surrender to her daughter''s tears. She sighed with resignation and thought, ''It seems like being a strict mother isn''t an easy thing after all.'' k her hand in a gentle way. Since Annie pretended to not know him, he decided to adopt a businesslike manner. "I will, on behalf of Doyce Jewelry, work with you for the next two months. I''m hoping for us to have good cooperation." Annie was in a fitted business suit. She was very professional as if her father weren''t the CEO of C Financial Group. "We''ll try out best to cooperate with you. If you have any requests or inconvenience, please let us know and we will try to meet your requirements." Although Duke looked indifferent, he was considering how to help his buddy court Annie on the inside. "Why don''t we start discussing our contract now? As we said before, we will charge a 40 percentmission. If you have no objection, please sign the contract," Annie said. She was handling the situation expertly and it seemed that she had learned a lot in the past few years. She now had this air of a professional businesswoman. "Here, I must say that we, YS Group, will not be responsible for any financial and legal disputes caused by the quality of your products." Duke skimmed through the contract and put forward his requirement. He ran twopanies with great facility. "Of course, Mr. Leng. I''d like to renew my request as well. Our designers have their own design concepts and I hope you won''t enforce your will upon us." Annie didn''t likeymen making indiscreet remarks on her work. That statement from her made Duke furrow his brows and tap his fingers on the desk. As a businessman, he had to consider it carefully so as to make the best decision for thepany. Chapter 1667 Having An Affair (Part Two) On the other hand, Annie secretly bit her lower lip and wondered if she was going too far. They were designing the products in ordance with YS Group''s image after all and it was understandable for them to have their own thoughts. However, she really didn''t like to be bothered while she was working. "I agree. Janice, remember to add those two items to the contract." After a short consideration, Duke decided to agree with Annie. Since he had chosen herpany as a partner, he should trust her. Moreover, Annie was Rain''s beloved woman and he hoped that he would help Rain win her heart again. "Thank you, Mr. Leng." Annie was thrilled. She didn''t really expect Duke to say yes. "No problem. You''re Rain''s friend and I will do whatever I can to help you." Duke gave her a friendly smile. "Uh, Mr. Leng, could you please not tell him that I''m in S City?" Annie asked, embarrassed. She was worried that she couldn''t help but warn Rain about his wife''s affair thoughtlessly once she met him. "Can you tell me why?" Duke asked confusedly. He furrowed his eyebrows and remembered what Rain had told him before. ''Does she really forget Rain? That can''t be possible!'' he thought. "We both live a happy life now. So there''s no need to bring more trouble." Annie smiled bitterly as she didn''t think that she was able to get back together with Rain again. "I think you mean you live a happy life now." Disdain was suddenly written all over Duke''s face. He thought that Annie had a happy family now and didn''t want Rain to disturb them. "Mr. Leng, I don''t get your point," Annie said with a frown. ''Is Rain not living a happy life? He has a beautiful wife and an adorable son. Oh, maybe Mr. Leng knows that Rain''s wife has an affair," she thought to herself. "You''ll get my point as long as you still care about him," Duke said in defense of his best buddy. His goal was to help Rain win her heart back. He really didn''t want Rain to live in sorrow. "Mr. Leng, the contract is ready." Janice entered the office at that moment, which helped Annie escape the embarrassment. Otherwise, Annie didn''t know how to respond. "The next thing is to find the suitable model for our products. I''ve already found one. However, I think it''s still necessary to listen to your opinion." Duke looked at Janice and asked her to give Annie the model''s information. "Sure." Ann Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. want me to tell you her number?" Duke asked with a teasing smile. He decided to not give Rain the number so easily. "Give me the number!" Rain picked up his pen to write it down. "I can give you the number. However, what do you n to offer in exchange?" Duke shed a cunning smile. ''Dude, you always oppose me. This time, I won''t let you have Annie''s number so easily, '' he thought. "You brat! Two bottles of Hennessy! Are you satisfied?" Rain thundered through gritted teeth. If Duke were right in front of him, he would punch him on the face. "Ouch! My ears! Are you trying to murder me?" Dukeined. Luckily, he had already moved his phone away from his ear. "I''m in no mood to talk nonsense with you. Give me the number, now!" Rain threatened. He still had a lot of work to do and he didn''t want to argue with Duke anymore. "I''ll text you the number when I''m in a good mood." After saying that, Duke immediately hung up. He didn''t want to face an angry Rain. "Damn it!" Rain banged his phone on his desk. He knew Duke was getting even with him for the model thing. ''Mr. Cold is as cunning as Edward!'' he thought to himself. Rain was in no mood to deal with the documents anymore. Thus, he stood and walked to the French window as he thought of Annie. Although Duke told him that there was no man around Annie, she had two children. Who was the children''s father? Did they get married? Or had they already divorced each other? A myriad of thoughts flooded Rain. He needed to figure it out and think about what he should say when he saw her next time. Chapter 1668 So Close To The Truth (Part One) Duke meant to annoy Rain by texting him back two hourster. Thetter seethed in anger, thinking about how he should exchange the high-end wine he was about to give Duke with a low-grade one. Rain stared at the phone number on his screen and pressed back to the home screen, feeling like he wasn''t brave enough to ring it up. His enthusiasm was gone. After hesitating for a while, he gritted his teeth together and took a deep breath. He decided to let go of his anxiety and do what he really wanted. No matter what response he got, he needed to do this. Rain looked at the phone number again and dialed it. The ringing was endless and he was disappointed to hear no one answer it. He was just about to hang up when a feminine voice spoke at the other end of the line. "Hello, this is Annie speaking. Who is this?" At the familiar voice, Rain was suddenly at a loss for words. What would be appropriate for him to say? "It''s me. I was told you are in S City now." His voice was low and hesitant as he answered her, trying to suppress his eagerness. "Rain?" Annie was flustered. It seemed that Duke told Rain everything. "Yes. Do you have a minute? I hope we can have a drink." Rain''s desk was covered in tons of files. He had a lot of work to do, but the files could wait. First, he wanted to give their rtionship another chance. "Right now?" Annie didn''t hesitate in turning Duke''s offer down, but when it came to Rain, she couldn''t help letting her feelings get to her head. She was always pulled to him. "Would that be okay?" Rain''s voice was cautious, as if he was afraid she would say no. "Yes. Where will we meet?" Annie smiled sadly. It turned out she still had feelings for him. She hadn''t forgotten him at all. "I''ll pick you up. Tell me your address." Rain exhaled deeply upon hearing her answer. She had agreed to meet him! He grinned in relief. "That''s fine. I have a car. Just tell me where we will meet." The news of his marriage had cut Annie to the quick. Her heart still stung. "I''ll text you." They were in uncertain waters and talked warily, as if one wrong word had the power to offend the other person. "Okay, see youter." Annie hung up soon, feeling like her heart was about toe out of her chest. Rain put the phone down and sent her an address, fro Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. obably aren''t used to it," Rain said when Annie frowned after taking a sip of the coffee. "No, it is kind of good. I like trying something new." Annie didn''t think Rain could bear to drink something so bitter. She was afraid to take a second sip. Rain seemed to know her mind and asked the waiter to serve her something else instead. "How long do you n to stay?" Rain asked her as he drank his coffee, his eyes guarded. "It depends, but I am here for months." The two of them talked casually over the coffee, neither of them mentioning the pressing issue between them. "Would you like to tell me why you left four years ago?" Rain finally asked, pinning her with his gaze. He tried to remain calm. Deep inside his heart, he was dying to know the answer to the question that had been dogging him all these years. He would not leave here before he got her exnation. Annie stole a nce at him in panic. Her heart plummeted to her stomach when she heard him refer to their history. "I..." Why did she leave? Was it because she knew he didn''t love her? Or was it because she was afraid to get hurt again? "You want me to say the reason out loud for you? It''s because you loved another man, so you left me after you were done with me." Rain''s chest tightened as he recalled the red stain on the sheets. "Another man? What are you talking about?" Annie frowned. She had been reluctant to talk because she had been worried he would ask her about the kids. Rain knew Annie had two kids, but he didn''t know they were his kids. Chapter 1669 So Close To The Truth (Part Two) "Fine. It''s your own private matter. Sorry for intruding. Maybe I asked for too much." Rain fidgeted, his lips turning into a wry smile. From her frown, he could tell the question had annoyed her. "No. I want you to be clear. Who was this other man?" Annie would never admit to doing something that didn''t happen. Rain obviously held a misunderstanding. "Annie, oh no, Mrs... I don''t know...You have kids, don''t you?" He recalled the photo of the two adorable children on her phone. Rain wished they were his kids, instead of some unknown bastard''s. "You... How did you know that?" Annie turned white. She should have guessed this would happen. Janice was Duke''s right hand; she would have told his boss everything. "It''s easy to know. You must love the man a lot, so you had his kids." A wretched look dominated his expression, revealing his prolonged suffering. He felt as though his heart was sinking. "Yes, I love him very much." Annie gazed at him profoundly. Rain, having lowered his head, missed the deep feeling in her gaze. Her answer almost tore his heart apart. It was time for him to move on. Finally, he had her answer. She truly fell in love with someone else. "I should have known." Rain picked up his cup of bitter coffee and swallowed it neat. It tasted like water to him, ovee as he was by disappointment and sorrow. His chest felt heavy. "What should you have known?" Annie frowned, wondering if he knew the man was him. She was in love with Rain, but he was already a married man. She couldn''t tell him the kids were his and ruin his family in the process. Besides, he didn''t love her. Why would he care? "Nothing. Is he nice to you?" Rain smiled sardonically. There was nothing he could do now but wish her happiness. "He..." Annie bit her lower lip. Her heart felt like it was being stabbed. "No, he is not," she finished. "What?" Rain didn''t expect her answer to be in the negative. His head snapped up to her in confusion. "Rain, can''t we just move on? I don''t want to talk about it anymore." Annie was unwilling to linger on the issue. The man they were talking about was right in front of her. How could she criticize him when he was around? The only thing she could do was cover up her feelings for him. "That''s why you came here all alone, with your kids?" Rain cast his eyes down, miserable. He wished he were that man. He would have never left her in the lurch. "Yes Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e, I will introduce her to you. You''re both girls. Since you are in S City, you can ask her for advice anytime." Rain would be the first one to step up when Annie was in need, but after all, he was a man. If Annie had girl problems, he could scarcely help. "Okay. I am looking forward to meeting her." The real reason Annie wanted to meet Leena was because she was a mother too. They could share experiences of raising kids with each other. Even though Leena''s kid was younger than hers, there were always new things Leena could tell her. "I thought you already knew her since she came to the party too. Maybe you didn''t notice her." Rain frowned. He remembered Leena talking to him all night. Annie couldn''t have missed Leena if she noticed him. "No. It seems I didn''t see her." Annie had panicked when she saw Rain with his wife, so she hadn''t paid attention to anyone else. She still felt the sharp pain in her heart at the image of herughing with him. The misunderstanding between them could easily be solved as long as both of them were on the same page, but neither of them wanted to press the issue. They kept a lid on their feelings in fear and deviated when they got close to the truth, again and again. After meeting Rain, Annie went to a shopping mall instead of going home. She didn''t carry a lot of clothes with her as she had two children to take care of, so she wanted to buy a few things for them. She had realized something when she was with Rain, earlier. She couldn''t help but want to get close to him, even though he was a married man now. It was awful. How could she be so shameless? Chapter 1670 Family (Part One) After leaving the cafe, Rain didn''t return to FX International Group. Instead, he chose to cruise straight to KD Group, because William had given him a call saying that Hannah had called many of her supporters together in order to coerce Rain to reinstate Cyrus back in the head office. "Mr. Xia, thank God you''ve arrived. Their foolish acts are ruining thepany to the extent that the day-to-day affairs of thepany are in peril," William received Rain and alerted him in a hurry. His arrival had been anxiously awaited by William for a while now. Situation had been spiraling out of control and the situation demanded a man who could take charge in order to ameliorate this disaster. "When did they initiate? Why wasn''t I informed about this sooner?" Rain asked in an enraged tone while striding himself into thepany, with the heavy smell of gunpowder still persistent on his face. He cursed them in his heart for not letting this body to gain a pinch of meaningful rest. "At the outset, we were under the impression that we had the situation under control. Butter, all of us came to the conclusion that it has spiraled beyond our hands. We decided unanimously to maintain restraint considering your family rtions with them and leave the decision to your wisdom," William exined while rushing to keep pace with Rain. However, the heavy footsteps of Rain echoing across the corridor ceased abruptly as soon as he heard what William had just said. Turning around and keeping a cold stare on William, he whispered slowly, as though he was dropping the words one by one, "They are not my family. I don''t want to hear anyone saying that ever again." After uttering that, he walked straight into the elevator, without caring to pause for at least a moment. William struggled awfully to catch up with Rain. He knew that Rain wasn''t so fond of the Ke Family, but he hadn''t expected that he loathed them to this extent. As soon as he arrived at the top floor, Rain heard a pang of hubbub. It seemed to him that he had justnded at the epicentre of terrible scene in the making. Rain twisted his eyebrows into a clean furrow. The apparently short limits of his temper were being p He still hadn''t epted that such a legitimate son as him could not beat a bastard. "Vance is right. The CEO of KD Group goes so far as to look down upon thepany under his own management. He insults and rebukes us. Working underneath him will only render disasters to thispany." "Right! So we require the dismissal and recement of the CEO. I''d consider transferring Cyrus back from the branch office as a good option." "Otherwise, it''d also be wonderful to let Vance take up the position." Hearing their discussion, Rain stood still with a faint smile on his face. Like a flock of sheep without a shepherd, they had earned the guts to provoke him. It appeared that they had saved enough money and it was time for them to go back home and live on their own fat. "Do you really want me to quit even at the cost of an imminent copse of the KD Group?" Rain didn''t give a damn about the position of KD Group''s CEO, because even if he resigned from KD Group, he was still the Deputy CEO of FX International Group. But KD Group was the institution wherein he had left so many footprints altogether. He didn''t really feel like the writing on the wall had appeared asking him to quit. "Stop exaggerating the situation beyond our wildest imagination to freak us out. You seem to think that the entire operation of KD Group relies on you solely," Vance smiled, without giving a definite answer. He didn''t believe Rain was indispensable for KD Group. Chapter 1671 Family (Part Two) "William, fetch me the current financial statements of KD Group. Hand over a copy to each of them. Let them decide whether their CEO is exaggerating the situation just to keep his position," Rain ordered. To put it mildly, their survival depended entirely on his existence in thepany; to put it harshly, they were nothing but a bunch of dogs fed by him. The difference between them and dogs was they remained disloyal to their master. "Yes, sir!" William strode away. As far as he knew, Rain had invested a big chunk of his personal wealth in KD Group. In other words, forty percent of thepany''s shares had one rightful owner''s name beside it- Rain. "Alright. Expose the financial documents to us. Who cares?! I just hope you won''t end upmenting this decision," Eugenia said in a sarcastic tone. As a senior executive of KD Group, she was aware of everything that happened in thepany, so her retort sounded slightly uncalled-for. "Eugenia, you needn''t to care about his emotions anymore. Do you think a man such as him would have a sense of shame? Don''t forget who he is and who we are," Vance said with a strong sense of superiority. Inside his head, Rain had already been defeated. But was he? "I''d have forgotten about it if you hadn''t reminded me of it," Eugenia held her head high in pride soon after being reminded by her husband. "You''re undoubtedly beyond my understanding. But I''ve one advice for you. Don''t be over aggressive. If you try to do more good in this lifetime, then perhaps God will permit you to be born as a human being in your next life instead of a beast again," Rain was exceptionally capable of using very cruel words to get his way under Edward''s influence, who he knew was more cruel than him. Therefore, it definitely wouldn''t be a cakewalk for them to beat Rain in a verbal debate. "Rain, don''t push me beyond my natural limit," Vance began cursing Rain, brawling in absolute fury. Noticing that Rain and Vance were fighting with each other, Hannah felt a little relieved. Internally, she started plotting her next move. "Sir, the financial statements are here," William said after he came back with Rain. "Go ahead and circte the statements with them. They have to see the situation with the by the Ke Family, not your esteemed master of humble origin," Vance said. Since William had long been an unpleasant sight to his eyes, he was now getting even with him. "I''m sorry to inform you that I am being paid by the FX International Group instead of KD Group. Thus what you say would mean nothing to me. We consider them as nothing but nonsense," William said irreverently. Previously he had been polite to Vance in consideration of his identity as the second son of the Ke Family, but now he found that it wasn''t a sufficient reason anymore. A person who didn''t bother to respect himself wasn''t worthy of anybody else''s respect. "That''s impossible and undeniably outrageous. How could FX International Group pay a KD Group employee?" Vance didn''t believe a word of what William had just blurted out. He thought William had said that in order to mislead them. "That depends entirely on the people currently upying the important chairs. Whenever our Mr. Xia is in need of anything, our CEO Mu makes sure that he takes care of it. That is to say, as long as Mr. Xia has an intention to control KD Group, he will get it done without the slightest of worry," William said before he took the financial statement copies back. He wasn''t going to reveal that just as they had assumed a moment ago, KD Group had in fact received several big cases, each of them having a good margin of profit. The fact that none of those projects had made its way to the revenue report of thepany was undeniable. Chapter 1672 Family (Part Three) Hearing what William had said, several members of the Ke Family stood startled and recused themselves into absolute silence. FX International Group was indeed a shark in the ocean and it was clear that it wasn''t to be messed with. All that was left to be done for them was to stare in cold, shameful and pitiful silence when the documents were being taken back. Yet again, another attempt to ambush Rain had ended in a disgraceful defeat for the Ke family. As soon as he returned to the familiar atmosphere of his office, Rain threw off many documents that were lying on the table to the ground. His burning fury shone brighter than the afternoon sun. His past and his beginnings were a soft spot in his heart. Those were easy targets for anyone who wanted to infuriate him. He exploded on the inside whenever that topic was brought to discussion, even though he always managed to maintain his normal demeanor. Previously he had been frustrated by Annie, but the new set of troubles beingunched by the Ke family were hardly anticipated. If it had not been for many of the nned projects, he wouldn''t have left them unharmed to wander around in thepany. "Rat-rat," William knocked the door gently before he pushed the door open and walked into the room. Witnessing the sight of the mayhem Rain had created in a few minutes, he felt frustrated but chose to let it go. He took the initiative by himself and began picking them up one by one. He wasn''t going to disturb Rain and be a subject to his burning me of fury. "William, rush to the YS Group and ask for their Recent Events Schedule," Rain ordered. Since Annie had turned up for work this time, being its partner, YS Group would certainly possess first-hand valuable and confidential information about her. "Yes, sir," William replied. Many questions popped up in William''s over-curious head but he knew that now wasn''t a good time for the questions to be asked. Previously, Rain just had to ask via phone in order to be aware of the affairs of the YS Group. But this time around, he chos Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. if both of you find reasons why you were wrong rather than right," Annie said in one swift delivery before she stood up and headed upstairs. Her eyes had gone red with sadness. She always yearned for a pir of support whenever incidents such as these happened. It had gotten more and more difficulttely for her to shoulder all the responsibilities of the family. Looking at their mother''s highly emotional state, both of the kids regretted having gotten their beloved mother there. After all, they both loved their mother very much. "Huey, I will not ruin your things again. You''ve my word. Can you forgive me?" Joyce asked. Girls had a delicate and flexible mind even during early childhood, or so it seemed for now. "I''m sorry! It was partly my fault too. You wouldn''t have had to ruin my things if it wasn''t for my perpetual ignorance towards you," Huey suddenly felt the urgent need for him to gain some broad mindedness. His mother had told him sometime ago in a tender tone that as the little man of the family, he was entitled to protect his mother and his sister and take genuine care of them. "I forgive you. Can I get a hug?," Joyce pleaded yfully. The elder brother and the younger sister hugged each other happily, with which the conflict ridden atmosphere seemed to vanish into thin air. With a smile, they became model siblings, yet again. Chapter 1673 A Shocking News (Part One) Annie was a perfectionist. She was very picky about details. Anyone who knew her was well aware of her dedication when it came to her work. "Nice to meet you, Miss Xiao. I''m Annie An, the jewelry designer." She extended her hand friendly for a handshake. She examined Eleanor, noting that she was more beautiful in person than in the photograph she saw. "Nice to meet you too. Hope we''ll get along well, Miss An." Eleanor reached out and touched Annie''s hand slightly, almost as if she was disgusted at the thought of touching Annie. Annie dismissed Eleanor''s arrogant attitude. She knew that Eleanor had received invitations from many other brands. Although it was wrong, it made sense that she would think so highly of herself. The fact that they would only be working together for a short amount of time gave Annie a peace of mind. Annie just smiled, keeping her cool until she could finish her job. "I''d like to introduce you the jewelry -- the emotions and meaning behind every piece." Annie took out a sketch book and flipped through the pages. She moved in closer to Eleanor so she could have a better look. "Umm... Is it really that necessary?" Eleanor was still fairly young, and yet she acted like a mean olddy. She had only been recently involved in the fashion world, which might have contributed to her sass and bad temper. "No, no. I didn''t mean that. I just wanted to exin them to you, you know, so that they woulde alive as they were intended, and that you''d see how impressive they really are." Annie''s forehead furrowed a bit. She had never anticipated that Eleanor would be so uncooperative. She imagined that if Eleanor would be like this all throughout, finishing this job would be next to impossible! "Wait a minute. If I remember correctly, didn''t you choose me because the theme fits me? You don''t have to worry about me. Just do your job, and I''ll do mine," Eleanor said, pursing her lips and raising an eyebrow at Annie. "I''m sorry, Miss Xiao. But I do hopemunicating with you won''t be a problem. If I may say, YS Group chose you to model f Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. She had already turned and walked towards her office. Annie walked quickly to keep up with Belinda''s pace. A lot of questions were running through her mind. "Isn''t he married?" Annie asked, mustering up all her courage. "Oh? Who told you that?" Belinda turned around to look at her, puzzled. "So... he''s not?" Annie was uncertain at Belinda''s response. "Of course not! That''s the most ridiculous thing I''ve ever heard. He even hasn''t had a girlfriend for god knows how long!" Belinda chortled. Although Rain liked to make fun of her, Belinda knew he had changed a lot over the years, so did the others. "Then who was that woman I saw he was with? That must have been at least his lover or something." They were already only a few feet away from Belinda''s office. Annie had stopped in her tracks,pletely in shock. She tried to process what she knew, what she saw, and what she had just recently learned about Rain. Belinda sighed, "No, you must have been wrong. Apart from Leena, there is no other girl in that man''s life." Belinda pushed the door open and walked in. She held the door and waved her arm, urging Annie toe in. "No. It''s impossible. That''s impossible." Annie walked into the room robotically, her thoughts whizzing through the air. If what Belinda had just said turned out to be true, then that would mean she had been misunderstanding him this entire time. Chapter 1674 A Shocking News (Part Two) "Go and sit anywhere you like. Do you want something to drink?" Belinda asked nicely, not noticing Annie''s strange change. "A ss of cold water would do." Her head was still spinning from all this new information about Rain. She slumped back on the plush leather couch, and put her hand to her head. "What? Cold water? Are you sure? It''s freezing cold today!" Belinda looked at Annie, her eyebrows knitting. "Oh, sorry. I..." Annie could no longer muster up any other words. She was deeply unsettled at what Belinda had just told her. It was only then that she had realized how much hurt she must have caused Rain. The wooziness in her head had gone; it was reced by a terrible heaviness in her chest. Annie closed her eyes, covering her eyes with her hand. "I''ll get you some warm water. Okay?" Belinda noticed that Annie seemed to be aghast. She looked at Annie with a bit of worry, but thought it best not to pry. She went over to the mini bar in her office, grabbed a small ss, and filled it with water. She walked over to Annie and gave her the drink. "Thanks." Annie took the ss and downed its contents. When she had finished, she breathed in deeply, trying to calm herself down. Belinda had sat down across from her. She tucked one leg in front of the other. "I heard that you got married, right? And have kids." Belinda started. She felt sorry for Rain for missing someone he loved. But she also understood that love was mutual and now that Annie was married to another man, she couldn''t just force Annie to divorce and marry Rain. "I..." Annie contemted whether or not she should tell Belinda the truth. She bit her lower lip and diverted her gaze from Belinda. Belinda saw Annie was getting ufortable. "Never mind. It''s okay if you don''t want to talk about it. By the way, are you free for lunch? Let''s have lunch together. It''s on me. I''ve missed you so much!" Belinda said hurriedly. "Thank you for your invitation, but perhaps some other time," Annie politely declined. She knew Belinda was kind enough to invite her to lunch. But she got another emergency to deal Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. r was really cold that day. Maybe some hot coffee would help her lessen the throbbing pain in her head. She closed her eyes, and rubbed her fingers at her temples. She was at a loss now. Annie had thought that she and Rain would never have to interact ever again. But now, things were different. Just then, her phone rang. Annie let it ring for a while, not intending to answer the call. But the phone just continued to ring. With a sigh, she reached for her phone. She read the caller ID -- it was Fred. With a sigh and a click, she answered the call. "Hey, Fred. What''s the matter?" Annie had stayed at S city for a while now. It slipped her mind that she didn''t even call Fred ever since. "Annie, is everything okay there? You said you would call me as soon as you arrived." Fred was totally engrossed with his music career that even he thought to call Annie only now. "Yeah. Everything''s good. I just got here and have lots of things to prepare. I''m also trying to adjust to my work and the people here. Sorry I didn''t call you sooner," Annie sighed. She was grateful that she had a friend like Fred around. He had helped her and the kids so many times. "It''s alright. I was busy these past few days too. I''ll go to S City when I finish work here. See you there soon," Fred said. Although he didn''t let it show, he was a bit on edge with the thought that Rain was in the same city as Annie. Chapter 1675 A Shocking News (Part Three) "Oh, no. We''re good here. Just go focus on your work," Annie quickly reassured. "No, Annie. It''s not that. I have work there, you see." Fred took a job as a judge of some rookie singingpetition in S city. He would have declined the offer in a heartbeat, if only Annie wasn''t in the same city as well. "Oh. Really? Are you extending your business to S City, too?" Annie, although maintaining her tone, frowned deeply. Somehow, she felt that Fred''sing here would only bring trouble. He had misled everyone at the party into thinking that she was his wife. Things would just get moreplicated if he came here. "No, it''s just some kind ofmercial work. I don''t have other ns apart from that. But I am also thinking about apanying you for a while until you''ve finished your work there," Fred replied. He felt very possessive of Annie; he couldn''t handle the thought of having some other man swoop in and take her away from him. "No, really. It''s okay. If you think you need to look after me and the kids, you really don''t. I can''t ask that much from you. Besides, we''re doing great over here." Annie tried to fake some enthusiasm, anything that would make Fred change his mind. "What? Don''t you want to see me?" Fred said quietly. There was a hint of hurt in his voice. He had spent three years chasing after Annie, hoping that one day she would feel the same way he did. Thest thing he wanted was to lose his chance with her. "Oh, no. It''s not that. I''m just a bit tired recently," It was true, though. With her new job, new surroundings, and new information she had just learned, it felt as if her life was running along the fast track. "You should get some rest then. Look, I won''t disturb you anymore. Just don''t be too harsh on yourself. You have kids to look after," h e Luke would throw Eden a cold stare, he would instantly go quiet. Tom joked about it, teasing that he''d like to leave Eden with Luke. "I know what you mean. I get scared of that guy, too," Michelle replied, pursing her lips. Every time she did something wrong, Luke would cast her a chilling look. She would do his bidding in a sh. Before, she walked around doing as she pleased without any fear. Now, things werepletely different because of Luke. "No way! Luke is nice! He is not terrible at all." Leena looked at them with puzzled and hurt eyes. She could admit that Luke was cool and definitely not the friendliest guy around. But he would never hurt a fly! "That''s from your point of view." Patricia and Michelle rolled their eyes at Leena. Before they stepped into this inner circle, they had never known how those men doted on Leena. When they did, they finally saw it with their own eyes. Leena was totally the princess. Those men would grant whatever was requested by her. Michelle and Patricia would be lying if they said that they were not jealous of Leena. But they also knew for a fact that Leena was unique and irreceable. Everything and everyone had the destiny to fulfill. Chapter 1676 Clarified Misunderstandings (Part One) "Wow, you two are really on the same page! But why the need to speak so loudly...I am so scared..." Leena scratched her ear gloomily, wondering why they were so excited. "Because what you just said was a shattering blow to our pride." Patricia said with an expressive look telling Leena that she deserved it. What Leena didn''t know was that nobody ever did dare to show her any negative facial expressions since she was publicly recognized as the little princess. "Well, I didn''t mean to! I was just telling the truth." Leena really didn''t understand their situation. Because Luke had always been nice to her, she automatically thought that Luke was very easy to get along with! And when they said they were afraid of him, his cold eyes and his sharp tongue, she had no idea what they were talking about. Luke was never mean to her. "The ''truth'' you just told was actually torture for us," said Michelle, who this time agreed with Patricia and began to reproach Leena, as Luke''s cold eyes often intimidated her and made her unable to say anything. "Then fine, I will just shut my mouth from now on. Is that okay for the two of you?" Leena said, pursing her lips. Although she said that, her mind was racing wildly. "Nope, that''s not enough for us. Unless you treat us to something delicious... and expensive, we will not consider letting it go." Patricia thought of eating something delicious again. The three girls were around the same age, and anyone watching, who didn''t know them would surely think that they were just young and immature millenials, instead of grown up women with children. "You glutton! But fine, no problem. I will treat you," said Leena, then she turned around abruptly to scan the surrounding area. She felt that there was someone hiding somewhere close and watching her. Annie, who was standing not far away and looking at Leena, was startled by Leena''s actions. It was so unexpected that when she tried to avoid seeing her eye to eye, it was toote. Leena had already seen her. She could only pretend to look at the items on the counter. "Annie..." After recognizing Annie, Leena muttered, and walked quickly towards he e friends, so she was genuinely d to introduce herself. "Hi there! And I''m Michelle, Luke''s wife." Michelle had changed a lot since she got married. Especially after she became a mother, she was more mature and charming now, and her image as a gangster girl had been long gone. These were all part of the strong influence of Luke''s cold face, that a slightest twitch of his eyebrow would have Michelle doubt herself, as if there was something wrong that she had done. "How are you! I''m Annie. It''s very nice to meet you." ''I have only been away for a few years and I have no idea that so many people have already gotten married.'' Annie thought. "Annie, there''s a coffee shop upstairs. How about we go there and continue to hang out and talk there?" It was such a rare chance for them to meet like this. Also, Leena wanted to know a few more things from her. Annie checked the time on her watch, felt a little indecisive, but still she agreed to Leena''s suggestion, "Okay!" In a lot of ways, the four women were so different from each other, but when they walked together, there was no sense of discord. Instead, they all looked very harmonious, as if they had been friends since they were little girls. After they each ordered their favorite coffee, the topic was jump started by Leena. "So Annie, did youe to S City alone? How long will you stay here?" Leena stirred the coffee gently and looked at her with a smile. Chapter 1677 Clarified Misunderstandings (Part Two) "I came here with my kids, and I''ll be here for about two to three months. Rain mentioned the other day that he wanted to introduce you to me. I didn''t expect that we would meet like this without his help." Since her having her own children was no longer a secret, it was not necessary for her to hide it. "Really? Rain has told you that? " It seemed that everyone had seen Annie and known that she was in town, except for her. "Yes he did! He had nothing but good words and praise for you." Rain was right about Leena. She was one of the easiest people to get along with. "Pfft! Please stop! I still have a lot of shorings." Leena was a little embarrassed. It was supposed to be a good thing to be praised, but when the praise was conveyed by others, she felt a little weird. "Don''t be too humble. We''re used to following behind your shadow anyway." Patricia stared at Leena with a bit of exasperation, because whenever Tom got angry at her, he alwaysined and told her to be more like Leena and learn more from her. So over repeated arguments, she had the suspicion that it was Leena, not herself, that Tom was in love with. "Yes! Luke always said that to me as well and asked me to learn more from Leena." Michelle felt helpless and just threw her hands in the air and rolled her eyes. It was not that she didn''t want to but it was really not an easy thing to do. Following Leena''s footsteps to the Top? Impossible! Leena was simply the darling of the gods. In any way, she could show and had always shown her talents, so highly that it made others feel inadequate and ashamed about themselves. "It seems that your excellence is really worth it." Thinking of her previous misunderstanding about her, Annie felt a moment of shame. Since Leena was not Rain''s wife, then the man she saw a few days ago should be Leena''s husband! She didn''t know what his job was but she felt that he looked quite handsome and upright. "Oh, c''mon you guys! Don''t even talk about me anymore. Annie has just arrived at S City, and we should know more about her. " Leena''s pretty face reddened as she unexpectedly was put in the hot seat. She never thought that she would be the one to be put on the Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. any party, and most importantly, she hadn''t had a chance to taste the delicious dishes made by Leena in a long time. "Oh, really? I never knew that." Annie was surprised again. As the princess of the Leng Family, no one would expect Leena to be so good at cooking, which was really a big surprise for Annie. Although she could also cook, she was forced by her living environment to learn to cook after leaving home. "Don''t listen to her. She was exaggerating. My cooking skills are not really worth mentioning. It would make the actual experts cringe when they hear it," Leena said with modest smile on her face. She was really looking forward to seeing Annie''s kids. "Leena, are you making us look and sound awful on purpose? If your cooking skills are not worth mentioning, then, how about ours?" Michelle said, pretending to be a little upset. Although she enrolled in a cooking ss, she always thought she had only scratched the surface, learning only the basic cooking skills. Her son always disliked and even avoided eating the food she made. The four women had a nice conversation as time slipped by without them noticing. So when the time to bid farewell came, they all felt a little reluctant to say goodbye. But as they were all mothers with children, they had to go home to their families. "Huey, Mommy wants to ask you a question, okay?" Annie began to test his son that night, as there was something that she could no longer keep inside. Chapter 1678 Clarified Misunderstandings (Part Three) "What question? As long as Mommy wants to know, I will answer it honestly," Huey put down the toy in his hand and replied seriously, his eyes looking right into her mother''s. "If your daddy is in S City, would you like to see him?" Annie observed his reaction secretly, wondering if the subject would seem a little heavy for him. After all, he was just a child. "What about you, Mommy? Would you like to see him, too? " The little boy tilted his head, and wondered, ''So, it turns out that the ce far away from home that mommy told me is here. So, she has been lying to me? I could not see daddy, not because he is too far away and couldn''te back, but because he doesn''t want to see me at all. Hmmm, just as I have guessed.'' "I..." Annie was a little hesitant. ''Can I tell him? As a matter of fact, I really want to be with Rain, even in my dreams.'' She thought secretly. "If Mommy doesn''t want to see him, then I also don''t want to see him. Anyway, he doesn''t want us." Huey mumbled in resignation. Annie''s hesitation led to his misunderstanding. So it was but natural for a child to think and react that way, now thinking that his own father was hiding from them. "No honey, it''s not like that at all. Your daddy would love to see you and your sister so much; but he doesn''t even know about you two yet." Annie said and bit her lips. Although Huey was only four years old, his understanding was a lot higher than most children his age. "So what you just said is not if, but Daddy is actually in S City, isn''t he?" said Huey, looking at his mommy with great expectation. Thinking that they were so close to his daddy now, he couldn''t help but get excited. "Yes, that''s right. So I''d like to ask your opinion. Would you like to see him?" Looking at him very earnestly she was curious to know what his real feelings about it were. "Mommy, didn''t you just say that Daddy didn''t know about us yet? Don''t you first have to tell him about us and ask him if he''d want to see us? " Huey was analyzing the situation like a small adult. This had be a very serious problem, so Annie suddenly fell int Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. "Judging from the tone of the casting agent I talked to, that was what they were thinking about you." Her agent spoke haltingly, a little worried that he''d be the target of her grumpy temper. "He-he! Pure...I guess she got the part because she has already offered her body to someone, most likely the casting director. Everybody knows that it happens a lot in these circles." Eleanor said angrily and clenched her fists. ''No, I couldn''t sit still and do nothing. I need to figure out a way to get that part. That part belongs to me and nobody else! In any case, I can''t miss this chance to be a super star.'' Her mind was racing as her nostrils red. The corners of her agent''s lips twitched violently. He wondered, ''Serving such an actress is really¡­I am going to be killed by her big venomous mouth some day. Is she really not clear what ce they are in now? How should she dare to talk a lot of nonsense here? Does it mean that she doesn''t want to be engaged in this business anymore? As they say, do not bite the hand that feeds you.'' A simr thing had also happened before. She offended, Vice President Xia just because of an advertisement. Fortunately, he had a broader mind and did not cause her trouble, even if he could do it easily with just a snap of his fingers. Otherwise, Eleanor would no longer be where she was at the moment, probably working at some filthy red light entertainment ce. Chapter 1679 A Ferocious Quarrel (Part One) Before the partymenced, Belinda unwittingly saw Rain. As someone who rarely came to YS Group, it came as a surprise to see him there, and she found it a rare opportunity to make fun of him. "Hey Rain," taunted Belinda, "Did the sun start to rise from the west? To what do we owe the pleasure of having you here?" As she took a jab at the unsuspecting man, Belinda feigned surprise as he drew closer. Then, as if to support her inquiry, she peered through the window mockingly, checking if the sun did choose to rise from the other side that day. Rain did not expect that Belinda would really believe that the sun was rising from the west and even try to figure out. He just said ironically, "Now, do you find out where is the sun rising from?" He gave her a long and daring look, his scorn visible from a mile away, and the scent of irony basically oozing from his suit. "What nonsense. Have you seen what time it is? The sun''s in the middle of the sky," Belinda said, matter-of-factly. "How would you see whether the sun rose from the west or east at this hour?" Throwing a dirty look at him, Belinda snorted derisively at his simplicity. "Good for you to know that," said Rain indifferently, "So why were you pretending to see the sun then? You silly girl." Aware of the woman trying to y him, Rain couldn''t figure out whether to stoop to her level. It was apparent that Belinda was only intending to tease him. ''What a terrible woman, '' he thought to himself. "I just want to. What''s it to you?" retorted Belinda, not skipping a beat. Personally, she was angry at Rain for the way he would act and speak to her. His tone was rude, and he often acted inconsiderate, yet treated Daisy with such reverence. The huge difference made Belinda ufortable. "Where''s Annie?" After a short and ridiculous quarrel, Rain decided to ask what he really wanted to know. "I wouldn''t know," said Belinda, "It''s not like she''s my employee." As his attitude persisted to vex her, she didn''t want to give him the satisfaction by answering him quickly. She intended to drag this for as long as she could. "That''s enough joking," said Rain seriously, "Just tell me. I''m very b of suffering." As Belinda wasn''t involved in the predicament, she found it easier to provide frisky pieces of advice without taking the consequences into ount. "Do you think life''s like a romantic drama? Get your head out of the clouds, Belinda Chick!" Rain sulked and turned around. He didn''t have any more time for such a nonsensical conversation. On the other hand, maybe she was right. Finding Annie by himself might''ve been a faster way to make it. "Hey!" called out Belinda in surprise. "Don''t you want to know where Annie is anymore?" Although Belinda didn''t tell him what he wanted to hear at once, she didn''t intend to never tell him at all. All she wanted was to y a joke on him first. But she never expected that he''d give up in the middle of their bantering to find Annie himself. "No!" Rain said decidedly. Then without a nce, he got ready to leave again. "Hey! What''s with the bad temper? Now that I want to tell you where she is, you''re not going to listen?" Marching briskly, Belinda tried to catch up to him. "Hey," Rain said abruptly, turning around to face her. "Does your husband know that you pursue another man behind his back?" A mischievous glint in his eyes appeared, partnered with a yful smirk. Confused, Belinda took a moment to digest the sudden attack which made no sense. "What do you think?" asked Belinda. Since Rain was ready to start another row, there wasn''t a reason for Belinda to back down. Chapter 1680 A Ferocious Quarrel (Part Two) "I think you don''t love him anymore. You''ve shifted your love to me," he said hastily. ''All right!'' thought Rain triumphantly. It had been a while since Rainst yed mind games with Belinda. Now he was interested in ying it all over again, particrly now that someone else had joined them in the room. As Belinda was about to refute him, a cold voice spoke to them, "Am I invisible to the two of you?" Both were taken aback from hearing the allegation. Shifting their gaze from each other, they looked at the culprit who spoke to them. As soon as Belinda recognized the person, a big smile unfolded on her face, her bantering with Rain all but forgotten. She spoke, her voice all sweet and flirtatious. "Haha, honey. Why didn''t you tell me that you were here?" Under her radiant smile, a weird and unpleasant feeling settled in her stomach. It seemed that she was trapped by Rain, that awfuldy boy. He must have seen her husband approaching them, and tricked her into saying those words. Ignoring the exaggerated smile on his wife''s face, Duke replied cold heartedly, "If I didn''t show up here, I think you might''ve gone with another man," And as he spoke, his gaze shifted between Belinda and Rain. His cold facial expression made his wife forget everything, and wait in anticipation of Duke''s next words. "Hey, hey, Mr. Cold. You saw it yourself. It was your wife chasing after me rather than the other way around. Don''t you go beating me to a pulp, okay?" Rain said with an innocent face. Secretly, he relished the possibility of seeing the couple have a fight. If that happened, it would be a rather fun and interesting form of entertainment. "Just shut up!" "You shut up!" Simultaneously, the couple berated Rain to stop talking. Both stared at him like they were only seeing red, which signaled Rain that it was time to get out of their face. "Woops," he said feigning remorse. "If you guys want me to shut up, I will dly take my leave. Maybe then, when I''m gone, you guys can carry on with your lovers'' quarrel." Although he hadn''t forgotten about his priorities, Belinda Chick being reprimanded by her cold and jealous husband amused him to no end, and thus, as soon as he stirred another round of trouble for her, he made a quick run for it. Another reason why he dashed away fr e grabbing everything and rearranging them. "Of course not," she said, flustered. "Are you here for Belinda?" She stole a nce at him sideways, curious of his facial expressions as her words began to register. "Can''t Ie here for you?" After the bantering with Belinda, Rain did feel enlightened on some matters, and decided not to suppress his emotions. Therefore, more concealed meaningsy hidden under his words in an attempt to dere more of his love than in the past. "For me?" Annie repeated, inplete disbelief of what she heard. Confused by his words, her hands that were scrambling on the floor for everything stopped in mid-air. Lifting her head up, she looked at Rain directly. "Yes," said he, "For you. I heard you were looking for a kindergarten. I found one for you." After picking everything up, Rain stood up and didn''t return the things back to her. Instead, he stared at her while carrying them for her. "That''s so nice. I can''t just ept your kindness. And..." What Annie was dodging to share with him was that Belinda had already introduced her to a nice kindergarten. But as she didn''t want to let him down, Annie decided not to tell him instead. "I assure you that you''re going to like it! It''s quite close to where you live. It''d be very convenient for you!" Essentially, it was Belinda who let him know that Annie was in search of a kindergarten. As he wanted to be certain with his rmendation, he went to the kindergarten in person and checked its facilities, environment, and faculty. Chapter 1681 A Ferocious Quarrel (Part Three) "Really?" she asked, intrigued. Upon hearing his rmendation''s convenience, Annie felt frisky enough to ask for confirmation. If the kindergarten was indeed close to her house, even if she didn''t have the time to send her children herself, the babysitter could do this for her. "That''s true," Rain affirmed, "Let me take you there sometime to check it out." Rain had no idea why he was too eager to help. After all, the children weren''t his flesh and blood. So why was he ying such an active part in Annie''s personal affairs? His inner thoughts, however, couldn''t help but be interested in anything that concerned her. Due to such a dangerous undertaking, he thought he must be going mad. "Sure. But before we go, I need to put these things in the office." Taking her things from his arms, she walked to her office quickly to drop the documents and prepare her purse. What she didn''t notice was Rain''s unceasing gaze after her as she went into her office. Seeing her pace in glee, Rain felt like his soul seemed to be captivated by her grace. When she was ready, they made their way to the parking lot where Rain''s car was parked. It was a bright-colored and eye-catching ride, standing out amidst other cars like a big frog in a small pond. Just as Annie was about to head to her car, Rain held her back. Shocked at his own actions, he began talking before he was even aware of what he wanted to say. "Let''s just go together in my car!" he suggested. "After the visit, I can just drive you back here." Annie hesitated, "Won''t that be such a bother to you though?" As he was an important figure who - ording to Belinda, was in charge of twopanies, Annie didn''t want to take much of his time. Having so much on his te, the man must be exhausted from his work and thus, she felt obliged not to demand more than the generosity that he was already showing her. For Rain, though, it was anything but not the trouble to be able to spend more time with her. So, he replied in an affable manner, "It doesn''t matter. It shouldn''t take much time." Opening the door for her, Rain waited for her to ept his proposition. Si "Why did you think that Leena was my wife?" he persisted, "Don''t tell me that was the silly reason why you left me in the past?" With eyes fixed solely at Annie, he had the inkling that his guess might be true. "I..." she said, her voice trailing into silence. She felt obliged to meet his gaze. The hot and sharp eye contact made it more difficult to admit the real reason why she left him many years ago. This simple reason, however, sounded so stupid and meaningless now. She wanted tough so badly at the irony of their fate. Even when Annie couldn''tplete her sentence, Rain already understood her words the next moment. Thus, he wanted to break the frozen atmosphere and said unwaveringly, "Well, I already know what you meant. Is it safe to assume then that you left me just because I let you down rather than the fact that you didn''t love me?" A gush of sorrow overwhelmed him as he asked her. If that were true, both of them were simply the biggest idiots in the world. How could they be apart from each other for so many years just because of a silly misunderstanding? Finally, Annie opened her mouth and said, a sad smile on her face, "Rain, does this still matter now?" She bit her lips and lowered her head. No matter what reason, it seemed that they could never reverse the past. What happened back then was an unchangeable fact. It was simply impossible to undo several things that already took ce. Chapter 1682 A Ferocious Quarrel (Part Four) After hearing her words, Rain drew a heavy sigh. "That''s true. You''re right," he said, sounding a bit defeated. "I almost forgot that you''re married now and have your own children." Despite epting the harsh reality, he still found it difficult to forgive himself, and punched the steering wheel as hard as he could. "But you''ve never considered to ept me, right?" Annie asked softly, ignoring the way heshed out. At the age of 16, she fell in love with him. It never changed for the longest time. But how did he choose to respond to her love? Escape. In order to evade her, he even left the UK, a country he loved so much, and came back to S City. It was he who gave up on her love first. From the very beginning, it was his choice. The choice of leaving her. "You''re not me." Rain yelled, "How can you read my mind and know what I''m thinking?" Her usation made him feel extremely insulted and pathetic at the same time. "You''re right," she was quick to agree. "I''m not you." She looked at him with such intense eyes, continuing, "So I always believed that if I kept insisting my love for you, that one day, you would be moved by my persistence. But finally, I discovered that you could be moved by anyone in the world except me. What an ironic reality!" Since the situation reached this point, Annie gave up suppressing her emotions and revealed her real feelings to him, pouring out all her sorrow, pain and grievance on Rain, the man she had loved for so many years. She resented him for thinking that he was the only one who suffered in this rtionship. When in reality, it was she who bore the most pain in this rtionship all those years. Rainughed so hard as if it were the only way to release the pain that he felt. "Annie, what are you talking about? If you really cared about me," he dared to say, "How would it be possible for you to marry another man so quickly and bear his kids in such a short period?!" With such overflowing emotions, Rain decided to let it all out, and didn''t even notic d if she didn''t drive on the way there, it was going to be extremely inconvenient. "You still act the way you used to. Often losing your mind and forgetful. Let''s go pick up your car first." Shaking his head slightly, Rain smiled at her inattention. Although a sort of fondness remained in his heart, his voice seemed as cold as his stare. And it was these things that caught Annie''s attention. "If you''re in such a hurry, I could just take a taxi," she muttered, as she truly did not want Rain to be angry again. As she found that he was more susceptible to tantrums today, it would be better, for both of them, that she didn''t get into a situation where it was usible to have another fight with him. "Just rx. I still have enough time to send you back," he said, quickening his pace. Annie waspelled to follow him. She knew he was still angry and sighed inwardly. What a temperamental man he was! After driving her back to the YS Group, he rushed towards KD Group. Had it been the meeting of FX International Group, he wouldn''t have had to be in such a haste. For KD Group, however, it was crucial that he attended the meeting as so many people wanted to oust him from his position in the Group. Pulling himself together, he willed himself to be cautious. He took a deep breath, and then entered the front doors of the building. Chapter 1683 The Truth (Part One) Morning light lit the living room, bathing the interiors with a soft warm glow. The house was quiet and calm. Annie stood by the door and scanned her phone. Leena had called and offered to pick her up. Although she wasn''t familiar with S City, she politely declined Leena''s offer. She didn''t want to bother her and besides, she could always use the vehicle GPS navigation. Soft footsteps were heard from the stairs. Annie turned around and saw Huey, who was dressed in his casual clothes. He rubbed his eyes sleepily and asked curiously, "Mommy, is the auntie who invited us your friend?" He hadn''t seen his mother hang out with her friends before. "Uh, sort of." Annie shrugged. She really didn''t know it either. ''Is Leena my friend? We just knew each other the day before yesterday, '' she thought to herself. "Mommy, will daddy be there too?" Huey asked hopefully and broke Anna from her thoughts. His eyes glittered with hope at the prospect of finally seeing his father. "Maybe." Annie shrugged again. Truthfully, she wasn''t even sure if Rain would be there. The thought made her feel ufortable and uneasy, and her stomach churned because if he was there, how was she supposed to tell or exin to him about the children? "Will he ept Joyce and me?" Huey asked again, anxiety evident all over his little groggy face. "I don''t know either." This time, Annie shook her head with a frown. She honestly had no idea what Rain thought about. Perhaps he had changed a lot during the past four years. Two little feet excitedly ran down the stairs and stopped in front of the two. "Mommy, look! Am I pretty?" Joyce had gone out of her room and went down. She twirled around and shed a big grin at Annie as she showed her the princess dress and white fur cloak she wore. "Wow! Are you a little princess, Joyce? You look gorgeous!" Joyce was just like a little version of Annie. Annie couldn''t help but remem . Rain heaved a sigh andy back on hisfortable bed again. After several minutes, he sprang up and rushed to the en suite bathroom. After a nice hot shower, he wrapped the towel around his waist and went to his walk-in closet to get dressed. He decided to look great for Annie and scanned his expansive clothing and shoe collection. It took him about a dozen minutes just to select his clothes. He finally picked what he wanted. He then pulled on the pair of dark pants and a casual looking dress shirt as he thought about Annie and her children. It made him quite nervous. Even though he knew she was married and had two children with another man, he just couldn''t move on and forget about her. He shook off his thoughts and got out of the apartment as soon as he finished prepping himself up. He went to his car and drove to Leena''s house. After a few minutes of driving quietly, he spotted his destination and turned to the curb in front of Leena''s house. When he pulled over, he saw Annie''s car approaching. Annie had really set out earlier than Rain, but because she wasn''t familiar with S City, she got a bit lost and arrived a littleter than him. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest when she saw Rain, and she almost crashed with another luxury car. Chapter 1684 The Truth (Part Two) "Mommy, what''s wrong? Can we go down?" Huey asked in confusion, his brows furrowing. He and Joyce were sitting at the back, so they didn''t see Rain. "Oh, let''s get out." Annie''s head rang as her biggest secret that she managed to hide all these years was about to be exposed. Rain also got out of the car and trotted his way over to them. But when his eyesnded on the two children, he halted. Were they Annie''s children? Rain held his breath as his eyes darted back and forth between Huey and Joyce. His heart raced and beat wildly in his chest. Somehow, the boy looked very familiar to him. "Did you just arrive?" Annie asked as she walked over to him. She stood in front of the kids to stop him from ogling at them. What would Rain do after he found out the truth? "Yep. Your kids look adorable," Rain said as his eyes looked away. Deep inside, he pondered on who the boy looked like. "Huey, you look like this uncle!" A little girl''s voice piped up from behind Annie''s back. Annie''s face immediately nched. She dodged Rain''s questioning eyes and scolded her daughter, "Don''t talk nonsense!" Rain''s eyes widened in shock. He pulled Annie aside and stared at the boy carefully. He finally realized that why the boy looked so familiar. He was a mini version of himself. Rain turned to look pointedly at Annie. "Can you exin?" His eyes roamed across Annie''s face, never missing a single expression. Her every move was now under his scrutiny. "I..." Annie clenched her fists tightly into a ball, her nails digging into her palms. She wondered how she should exin everything. Four years ago, they had one passion-filled, romantic night and two monthster, she found out she was pregnant. She panicked at the beginning and even considered abortion -- after all, it was very hard for a woman to raise her child alone. However, she eventually decided to keep the babies. If she couldn''t be with Rain, it was not a bad idea to have his children. "An Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. is softest. The little boy and he shared the same attitude -- they were both stubborn and adamantly refused to ept defeat. "No! You bullied mommy. I won''t tell you my name." Huey didn''t know what was going on between the adults, but he could tell that his mother was having a hard time. "I didn''t bully your mommy. There were just some misunderstandings between us," Rain said mildly. He had mocked Edward before because thetter hadn''t known he had a son until Daisy brought Justin to him. Now, he was in the same position. He suddenly had a son and a daughter! How amazing it was! "Really?" Huey didn''t believe what Rain said at all. He looked at Annie, waiting for her response. "Your daddy is right. He didn''t bully me." Annie heaved a long sigh of relief as the secret she had kept for four years was finally out and she didn''t have to keep things in secret any longer. She didn''t know what Rain would do next, but at least she didn''t have to hide from him anymore. "Fine! I forgive you. But I have to warn you, do not bully my mommy. Otherwise, I''m not talking to you," Huey said again with a pout. "I''ll settle things with youter," Rain turned to Annie and hissed in a hushed voice in her ear. ''How could she marry that damn Fred and let my children call him daddy?'' he cursed in his mind. Chapter 1685 The Truth (Part Three) Annie looked back at Rain. ''I thought everything was clear now. Why is he still angry?'' she wondered. "Come on! Let''s get in," Rain said cheerily as he reached out his open palms after a few moments, and grabbed each of the twins'' hands. The three of them walked into the house, leaving Annie behind. The other people had already arrived earlier than them, and were waiting and rxing in the courtyard with Leena''s refreshments. When the sliding door opened and they saw Raine in hand in hand with two children in tow, their eyes widened in disbelief, and jaws cked. "Oh my god! Rain, whose children are they?" Tom asked in a shocked voice as he looked back and forth between Rain and Huey, who closely resembled each other. The boy must be Rain''s son! "Am I daydreaming? Rain, are they..." Belinda murmured in an equally surprised tone. When Annie slid the door open and came to join them, they finally understood the situation. "No, you''re not daydreaming, as you can see," Rain said proudly. He previously thought that he was the only one who had no partner and children among his friends, but he was so wrong. His children were even older than Leena''s, Tom''s and Duke''s. "Good for you! You have twins!" Edward piped up from the lounge chair where he sat. He just came back from an overseas tripst night. Edward got up and gave his brother a yful punch on the chest. He was genuinely happy for him. "Yes, I have twins! Are you guys jealous of me?" Rain felt extremely ttered at their reactions andpliments. He was the only one among his friends who had both a son and a daughter. "Annie,e here." Daisy waved her hand from beside Edward. She cared about Annie very much. Daisy herself had raised Justin alone for several years, so she knew how Annie felt and how hard it was for her to raise the twins alone, without Rain''spany. "Hi Daisy," Annie said shyly as she walked up to her. Aside from Leena, she was only familiar with Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. dly. She felt very embarrassed right now as she used to think that Leena was Rain''s wife. "Joyce, this is Aunt Leena," Rain held his daughter out a bit and told her in a soft voice. He pinched her chubby face affectionately. His heart immediately melted at the sight of his angel. "Hello Aunt Leena, I''m Joyce An." The little girl''s voice was so gentle that everyone present couldn''t help but sh a big smile at her adorable nature. "Hello Joyce, nice to meet you. Wow, you look so adorable. I wish I could have a lovely daughter like you." Leena smiled as she stroked her soft cheek lovingly. She knew it would be very difficult for her to have another baby because of her previousplications. Having Richard was already like a miracle! "It seems that Kevin need to work harder," Patricia teased with a mischievous smile from where she stood, a drink in hand. Eden had been pestering her all this time, so she was unable to y with the cute girl. Joyce was the only girl among the children and as a result, she had won the affection of all the adults and boys present. The adults all wanted to have a cute daughter like Joyce, while the boys wanted to y with her despite Rain''s long face. He was going to have so much trouble with his daughter already being a heart breaker at such a young age. Chapter 1686 Unopened Hearts (Part One) "I''m sorry, work hard on what?" Kevin then walked in the scene with his son, Richard, in his arms. Whenever he wore his military uniform, there just seemed to be a strong and robust aura surrounding him. "Work hard to have a sister for Richard." Everyone in the room started to break out inughter. They had always been so fond of teasing Kevin ever since they had epted him into the group. "Oh?" Kevin raised a brow. "Is that what you want, Nana?" Kevin''s ardent eyes then fell on his wife, Leena. A cheeky smile was etched on his face as the corners of his lips curved upward. He then made his way to Leena, ced an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He turned his gaze to Leena and wore an impish smile. "As long as you want it, I would most definitely work hard." Leena then took Kevin''s hand off of her waist and averted her gaze away from Kevin. Her cheek stained red as she responded, "Kevin! Don''t tease me! There are kids here!" Leena was embarrassed whenever they would banter regarding these kinds of things. She tried to look around, just desperately trying to avoid Kevin''s gaze and eventually, her eyes fell on something much more important than everyone teasing her. "Rain," Leena started, her eyes wide. "He¡­" Leena finally lifted her head up and looked at Rain. She had a surprised look on her face, "He looks just like you!" "Ah, yeah," Rain stifled a chuckle. "He''s my son, Huey." Rain didn''t realize that he had ced all his attention on his daughter and somewhat had forgotten that he had a son until Leena had mentioned it. "Oh my God!" Leena gasped, "So Joyce is your daughter?!" Leena was astounded at the new information. She then started to fan herself, "I¡­ I need a drink." Leena then approached Edward, took the ss from his hand, and started to gulp down the drink Edward had. "Ah!" Edward stretched his hand. "T-That''s---!" But it was toote. Edward saw that Leena had started to drink from the ss. He then proceeded to cover his eyes to avoid the iing tragedy. Then, Edward heard what he had expected from Leena. He then uncovered his eyes and saw Leena''s revolted expression. Leena spat out the drink from her lips and screamed,pletely appalled by the drink she just swallowed. "What the hell is this drink, right and they wouldn''t ever go against her word. But, if ever someone else were to tell them to do something, they would not even budge. The men shot each other looks, asking themselves one question, ''Since when did we be the babysitters?'' They were central figures in S City who had great impacts on S City''s economy or politics. But in front of their wives, they were nothing but husbands and fathers who were supposed to bring their kids up and take care of families. They couldn''t refuse. Annie was petrified that the man she saw the other day at the supermarket was a high-ranking military officer, and his ranking seemed to be higher than Daisy''s. Annie couldn''t help but lower her head in embarrassment due to her own misunderstanding. Annie sighed heavily to herself, ''Oh God. Just let me disappear¡­'' Daisy nned on helping Leena prepare the lunch at an earlier time but, was inevitably dyed by Rain''s arrival. Then, a pleasant smell started to waft around the area which made Daisy lift her head up. She could also hear the sound of pans that nged together. "Hey, Leena." Daisy called out as she peeped from the doorway of the kitchen. "You done preparing lunch? I could help you out." "Hey Daisy! Yeah, I''m actually almost done!" Leena replied. "So, just go around and have a good chat with everyone here! And don''t worry, I can handle things here on my own, okay?" Leena had be a more mature woman. Leena found it easier to get along with people as well. It was a big, mental change. Chapter 1687 Unopened Hearts (Part Two) Annie looked Leena earnestly and put on a small smile. She offered, "Why don''t you let me help you? I did say I wanted to learn some things from you, after all." Despite Annie having seen Patricia and Michelle, there was still this lingering feeling inside her heart that she just couldn''t enter their world. Leena looked at Annie for a moment then responded, "Alright. Come with me." Leena then turned the stove off and took the pan with the dish she had just cooked with her to the dining area. Annie followed, "I''ve already finished cooking the dishes so¡­ maybe you could help me out in setting the table. Or, if that''s too simple for you then, I can free up some time to teach you." "Ah, no! Not at all!" Annie replied with a smile. "I''m usually free when I finish my work these days so, I''m just really looking for something to keep myself preupied. And I appreciate your kind suggestion. After I finish my work these days, let''s have some time so I can learn a lot from you. Thank you so much." Annie then started to make her way to the dining room but, something caught her attention. It was the view of all men in the area, ying andughing along with the kids. One child, Joyce, who was a girl, was also well protected. It was such a heart-warming view to see. And it made Annie''s heart ache. ''I wonder how long happiness such as these wouldst¡­'' Annie thought to herself as she gazed at the view longingly. Annie bit her lip. ''When Rain told me he was going to talk to meter, his expression seemed so serious¡­" Breaking Annie away from her trail of thoughts was none other than Leena''s sweet voice. "Isn''t it beautiful, Annie?" Annie turned to see Leena who was looking at the same view. Leena had a soft and delicate expression on her face. Annie knew that Leena felt blessed for what she had. Annie then looked back at the view in front of them. "Hey... Thanks Leena¡­ For inviting me." If Leena hadn''t invited Annie over, her secret would still be in the shadows, and Rain would never have a chance to even know that he had children. Living with a heavy secret was never easy. Leena smiled at Annie. "You''re wee. And hey, don''t act so distant with me. Also, correct me if I''m wrong but, you''re not married, right?" There''s a saying that goes that women would always be more question. Thest thing Annie would like to see was having Rain marry her just because of the children but not because of love. She would rather give up a marriage devoid of love. Rain then looked at Annie in the eyes. "So, in your opinion, I''m a shallow human being?" Rain huffed, averting his gaze away from her as he wore a bitter smile. "I see how it is." "It was my problem," Annie responded, her voice full of conviction. Thest thing Annie wanted to hear was Rain ming himself. "I just wasn''t confident about myself." Rather, Annie was uncertain about him and their rtionship. "You wanna know something?" Rain looked at her with a sarcastic smile, though his eyes were full of deep sorrow. "You''re an expert at knowing how to piss me off." "I--" Annie''s eyes widened at Rain''s statement. She couldn''t say anything thus, she just lowered her head and avoided his piercing gaze. It hurt Rain to see Annie like this. He had to resist the urge to hold her in his arms and tell her he was sorry. But, Rain knew he wasn''t the same Rain Annie had been with before. He was no longer a man who would easily be swayed with his emotions. Rain would not move until he had confirmed that one thing he wanted from Annie. That was if, she had continued loving him. Annie then took the courage to raise her head and meet Rain''s gaze head on but only to find herself looking back down, unable to do so. Annie held her hands together tightly. "So, tell me." Rain said, his voice barren of emotion. "What''s your n, hmm?" Chapter 1688 Unopened Hearts (Part Three) Annie was puzzled and asked, "n?" She rattled her head at what Rain might''ve meant but, it drew a nk. "W-what do you mean?" Annie asked eventually. "Don''t y stupid with me," Rain demanded, his voice growing stronger by the moment. "Now that I know that I have children, there''s no way I''d allow any other man to be called their father but me!" Rain''s mind waspletely somewhere else from the start. Things were getting confusing, even for Annie. How could Annie tell Huey that Rain was his father if she had let the children call another man Dad? Annie blinked, "Y-You''re not making any sense¡­" Even Leena could recognize that problem but, unfortunately for Rain, he couldn''t. Rain''s mind was consumed by his own thoughts that he couldn''t think straight. "I didn''t get anything wrong," Rain responded, he seemed to be clenching his teeth in anger. "Didn''t you marry another man with my children?." Rain took the ss of water from the table and gulped it down in one go, as if to die the fire that was burning inside of him. Then, Annie responded with a question, "Who told you I was married?" Annie felt upset with Rain''s allegations towards her. It was just like how an old saying went, "If you are out to condemn someone, you can always trump a charge." That sayingpletely summarized what was happening between Rain and Annie. "What?" Rain''s eyes widened. Rain couldn''t believe what he heard. He felt like his ears were ying tricks on him. Rain shot up from his seat. "Could you say it again?" Rain heard Annie the first time and he just wanted to hear Annie say it, that one line that would end all his suffering. "I never said that I was married!" Annie eximed, she sighed afterwards. Rain always had his habit of always considering that whatever he thought was right and carelessly med her for everything but, in reality, she was in the white. Rain''s face immediately lit up at Annie''s response. He just couldn''t believe it. "You''re telling the truth, right?" The colorless world Rain lived in then started to take on vivid colors. Rain hated being in such a monochromatic ce. The atmosphere became lighter. His body then began to move on its own as he moved towards Annie. Now he was lost whether he should embrace her tightly or not. "Why would I lie to you?" Annie smiled t get a fairy tale like proposal or a heartfelt confession. She would always understand Rain and forgive him. But, thest thing Annie wanted Rain to do was to marry her just for the children. "You don''t know me at all," Rain said in frustration, his tone dyed in sorrow. "You wouldn''t have said such things to me otherwise." The two had been apart for four years. Rain loved Annie and that was an undeniable fact and so did Annie. But, they never had the chance to open their hearts to each other. This was why they always had tough conversations. Both of them acted as if they had closed off their hearts to one another, acting indifferent despite their hearts screaming otherwise. Silence dawned upon Rain and Annie, as if everything was still. Then, Annie broke the silence with a simple statement. "You''re right." Annie then averted her gaze. "You''re more like a stranger to me the more I talk to you." She took a deep breath and looked up. " I''ve been wondering for thest few days, whether you are still the same Rain I have loved." Rain''s statement immediately made Annie''s heart sink. Annie couldn''t help but look back to the time when they just started to get to know one another. Rain kept on running away while Annie kept on chasing him. Annie loved Rain dearly. But now, Annie grew tired. She looked at Rain with agony inside her heart, ''Looks like I was wrong to hope things have changed¡­'' Time might have changed their surroundings and the people around them but, some people still remained idle, unchanged. Chapter 1689 Rivals In Love (Part One) Blowing out a breath, Rain blurted, "Okay, you''re right! I''m no longer the same person I was before. I''m almost a stranger to myself. I no longer have any interest in other women except for the one who stole my heart, and she doesn''t even care about me!" Rain shouted out his resentment. It broke his heart to hear Annie doubting his love for her. She had no idea how he continued to pine for her, and only her. She stared at Rain with astonished eyes, and her heart started to pound violently. Amid jumbled emotions, she thought, ''Is he serious about what he''s saying? Is the woman he''s referring to really me?'' "It''s unbelievable, right?" Rain scoffed. "But as I said, you managed to steal my heart, and I''mying bare my feelings for you," he said bitterly. Any proud man would be upset to give in to the woman in a rtionship. But Rain had no other choice but to open himself up to her. After all, he was already in too deep with this woman, and it was nearly impossible for him to pull away from her. "Are you saying that you''ve fallen in love with me, Rain?" Annie gasped. It was pleasure she felt once she realized his feelings for her. Happily, Annie thought, ''It seems that all my efforts through the years have finally paid off!'' His admission was such a surprise that Annie wondered if it was all a dream. Pouting, Rain grumbled, "I must say you''re quite an insensitive woman. Did you really think that every woman who falls in love with me will be allowed to live in my home?" He thought he had already expressed his feelings for her through his actions, but it seemed he had overestimated her perceptiveness. "I didn''t know," Annie said helplessly. She looked stunned, never thinking that his actions meant he was in love with her. When Rain brought her home with him four years ago, Annie thought he was merely doing it as a favor to her parents. It never urred to her that it was an expression of his love for her. "Er... I think I need a little time to absorb all this," a confused Annie remarked. The man''s sudden confession overwhelmed the woman. But with her answer so vague Rain at once fell silent, fear gripping his heart. What did she mean, he wondered. With her thoughts in a mess, Annie casually said, "Be careful on your way home." While Rain had eally funny?" Kevin shot back. He tried to keep a straight face because while he was annoyed by Leena''sughter, he was also amused. Kevin was ttered by the intimate way she called him, so he decided not to punish his wife for interrupting his passionate urge. "I''m so sorry," she said in between giggles. "I just couldn''t helpughing," Leena said apologetically. Her lips curled into a smile. Seeing the disappointed look on her husband''s face, she wound her arms around his neck, pulled his face down towards her and pressed her lips onto his. A seductive glint came into Kevin''s eyes as he started kissing Leena back. Gradually, it was he who was dominating the kiss that became heated. The next morning, Annie was shocked to see Fred at her door. She didn''t expect him to fly to S City and suddenly appear on her doorstep, but there he was. "Fred! How did you know where we live?" she asked. Annie stepped aside to let him enter. "Did I surprise you?" he replied with a smile. It wasn''t difficult to learn where Annie lived because all it took was a phone call to Joyce. The girl was quite fond of Fred and would willingly answer anything he asked without reservation. "Well... It''s more shock than surprise, actually," Annie murmured. She checked to see if Fred had heard her. What caught her off-guard was not that Fred found them, but that he found them rather quickly. "Uncle Fred!" Joyce squealed upon seeing the man. "I''ve been dying to see you," an excited Joyce ran up and jumped on Fred. Chapter 1690 Rivals In Love (Part Two) "Hey there, my little princess! Now that''s what I call a really warm wee," Fred remarked happily. He gathered the little girl in his arms and hugged her tightly. Fred was very fond of Joyce. He had taken an overnight flight to S City after hearing from the girl that she had seen her daddy. "Hello, Uncle Fred." Compared to his excitable twin sister, Huey was more reserved in greeting Fred. The boy only gave the man a slight smile to wee him, unlike Joyce, who quickly jumped into Fred''s arms. "Hey, Huey! I brought you your favorite model toy. Do you want to see it?" Fred announced. He settled Joyce on the floor and dug into his bag for Huey''s gift. The boy was usually indifferent when Fred was around, and the man didn''t know how to connect with him. "Really? Let me have a look!" Huey demanded. He beamed with pleasure as soon as Fred mentioned about his favorite toy. "Fred, you know you don''t have to get them gifts. You embarrass me when you do that," Annieined. She felt awkward to see Fred spending money on her children, for Annie''s sake. "Oh,e on, Annie. We''re friends, aren''t we? So there''s nothing to be embarrassed about. Besides, it''s just a little something. Nothing expensive, so don''t mind it." Pretending to be exasperated, Fred knitted his brows. He hated it when Annie would stand on ceremony with him. "But really, you don''t have to bother bringing them presents. And it''s not the first time you''ve done that," she argued. The young mother didn''t want to spoil her children, so she usually didn''t buy them stuff. "Well, forget it," Fred said dismissively. "Uh, don''t you think this house is too small for you?" He was looking around and noted that the ce was not only small, but its general appearance was unsatisfactory. Annie quickly retorted, "Not at all. I like it, and the ce is just suitable for the three of us." There was a smile of satisfaction as she answered Fred. While the house wasn''t veryrge, it waspletely equipped. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his shirt. "Uncle Fred, aren''t you forgetting something?" an ness. Huey snorted in envy. "Hrmph! What an apple polisher!" he snapped. The boy pursed his lips in discontent. Despite hisints, Huey was envious of his sister. His daddy had never held him in his arms, and he was longing for a warm hug as well. "Hey Huey! Come over here so I can give you a hug, too," his father invited. He put Joyce down and opened his arms for his son toe to. Rain had noticed the glint of envy in the boy''s eyes. There was a hint of shyness in Huey''s face, but he eventually walked up to Rain. Once enveloped in his father''s arms, an innocent grin reced the usually stern expression on the boy''s face. A faint bitter smile crossed Fred''s face. He had always been around for Annie''s family for years, but Rain quickly managed to captivate the children in just one day, something he was never able to do. He looked downcast now. Meanwhile, Annie, who stood between the two men, was faced with an embarrassing dilemma. She never imagined Rain and Fred would appear in her house at the same time. "Mr. Xia! What a strange coincidence to meet you here," Fred said in greeting. He wanted to be the first to greet Rain so he could initiate their conversation. "Well, I wouldn''t call it a coincidence since I aming back to my home," Rain said aggressively. He had no intention of making any concessions with a perceived rival standing before him. Chapter 1691 Rivals In Love (Part Three) "Your home?" Fred raised an eyebrow to underscore his words. Irked by Rain''s arrogance, he taunted, "Mr. Xia, you seem to have consumed too much liquorst night, but you should have recovered from your drunkenness by now. As I recall, this is Annie''s home, where she and her children live. I don''t remember it being your luxury mansion." He had no idea why Rain and Annie separated in the past, but Fred believed it was Rain''s fault that resulted in Annie bringing up the twins by herself. But regardless of the reason, Fred believed that a man should never allow his wife to raise their children alone. "Well obviously, Mr. Chen has an interest in my affairs. Otherwise, how did you know I was drunkst night? Or could it be possible that you had someone spying on me?" Rain sneered at him. He stered a mocking smile on his face while thinking to himself, ''Is he trying to take my woman from me?'' "Mr. Xia, you''re overthinking things. When would I ever have the time to do what you''re using me of?" Fred attempted to be flippant. Inside, he was gritting his teeth, trying very hard to suppress his anger. "So be it. I only wonder why you appear in my home at such an early hour," Rain challenged. He cast a nce at Annie, who was looking pale while watching their confrontation. He tried remembering what Annie said about Fred. ''She told mest night that there was nothing between her and this man. I can''t wait to hear her exnation about this situation, '' Rain thought. "I''m a good friend of Annie, and it''s quite normal for me to visit her. Mr. Xia, I also want to ask you what do youe here for?" Fred shot back. Although Rain''s face remained impassive, Fred could sense a dangerous aura emanating from the man, which was difficult to ignore. With one brow arched, Rain replied, "That''s easy. I''m here to pick them up and bring them to our real house." In his head were happy thoughts. ''You won''t have any opportunity to approach my woman and our kids once they live with me, '' Rain said in his mind. "Really, Daddy? Is that true? We''ll really be living together from now on?" Joyce asked eagerly. As Rain nodded, she let out a joyful shriek. "Hooray!" Joyce''s high-pitched brother''s lead. "Joyce wants to stay with mommy!" she shouted. She echoed her brother''s words and squirmed to get out of Rain''s embrace. "This is what you want, Annie, right?" Rain gave a bitterugh. "It seems that in your eyes, I really am a bad father," he said sadly. He was so naive to believe that one night would be enough for Annie to figure things out regarding their lives, but that was not to be so. Annie knew she had to be tough and remain strong in front of her children. "Both of you, be good, all right? Go live with Daddy for a few weeks. Mommy has a lot of things to take care of, and I won''t have time to take care of you," Annie lied. She scrambled her thoughts to convince them to go with Rain. Annie had no idea the kids would be so unwilling to leave her, and she felt sorry when she looked at Rain. "No! We don''t want to be away from mommy!" Joyce burst out crying. The first thing that came to her mind was that her mother didn''t love her anymore, and that was why she was giving them to their daddy, to stay. It was partly guilt, partly annoyance that had Annie raising her tone with Joyce. "Be quiet, Joyce. I don''t want to be angry with you," she told the sobbing little girl. But the girl continued bawling. "Mommy doesn''t love Joyce anymore!" she cried out miserably. "Please give me another chance. I promise to be obedient from now on," she sobbed. Annie raising her voice didn''t pacify Joyce, so she tried another tactic. Chapter 1692 All Hope Is Gone (Part One) "If this is what you want, then you have won. I give up." Rain was so crushed that he had to close his eyes for a moment. He was really hoping that they would move into his house, but not in this way. Seeing his daughter cry struck the softest depths of his heart, making it too painful for him to continue. "Rain, do you think that I am such a cold-hearted and calcting woman that would use my own children against you?" ''I never expected that they would behave like this. Judging from their earlier response, I have thought that they would love to live with you, '' Annie wondered. "The truth is right in front of us. If you don''t want to live with me then tell me straight. Don''t use the children as a tool for your rejection, "Rain said, enraged. To use one''s own children against the other parent, struck a chord with Rain. It reminded him of his own family when he was growing up. His mother used to be denigrated for using him as a weapon against his father. This made him extremely sensitive when he saw that Annie was doing the same with their children. "You can believe what you want. But I didn''t do that!" Annie burst out. She felt wrongly used by him. Her eyes were red with tears. "It doesn''t matter to me anymore. Since you have rejected me so strongly, then I wish you well, good-bye!" Rain looked at his children longingly. He then turned and left with a heavy heart as he couldn''t bear to see them crying because of him. Annie''s heart was full of bitterness. Once again Rain turned his back on her and walked away hurt and lonely. She knew that probably this time he wouldn''t be back again, which meant that she had extinguished a good chance of them getting back together. "Mommy, doesn''t daddy love us anymore?" Huey asked, looking at her with a sad face. ''If he loved us, he wouldn''t have left us, '' he thought. "No, he will always love you two. He left because he''s angry at mommy, not at you two." Annie felt nervous. Even she questioned what was going through Rain''s mind. "Mommy, you don''t love daddy. Is that why you don''t want to move to daddy''s house with us?" Joyce asked in a little voice. Her eyes were full o a chance to talk to her. "Sounds good," Annie said, thinking for a moment and then agreed her offer. "Annie, you are very good at keeping a secret. You never told us that Rain was the father of your children, why keep that from us?" Belinda gave her a stern look pretending to be angry with her, but inside she admired her courage. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to hide it from you all. I just didn''t know how to tell you." ''If I had told them that Rain was the father of my children, they would probably all think that I had an ulterior motive, '' she thought. "Well, I guess you are right. Anyway, have you two talked about when you are going to have the wedding?" Belinda asked directly, curious and worried about them. "Well no, not yet," Annie said, frowning. ''Why do they all just assume that we are going to get married, '' she thought sadly. "Well, you should both make the time to have the wedding. After all, your children are growing up very fast. It''s not good for you both to wait for too long. Besides, Rain has been waiting for you for a very long time." Belinda couldn''t understand the brotherhood that Rain had with his mates. But she could tell how much Rain was in love with Annie that she could see with her own eyes. "Was he really waiting for me?" Annie asked a little surprised. She did wonder if Rain might look for her after she disappeared, but now to hear it with her own ears from someone else... Chapter 1693 All Hope Is Gone (Part Two) "What do you think? When you wake up and find that the one you love is not there, how do you think you will feel? So, Annie, don''t make him wait too long for you. In thesest few years, he has been through so much, not to mention the KD business. All of his friends have married and have children of their own, while he is still single and so lonely. Maybe you feel like you are having a hard time, but there are two beautiful children with you and what about him? He has no close family members around him except for his friends." After getting to know men like Rain, you would find that they were not as perfect as they might look. They all had their weaknesses which they preferred not to show on the surface for all to see. "Belinda, do you really think that I am the one he is waiting for?" It was reasonable for Annie to question if Rain was truly waiting for her, especially after the way he had treated her. "Are you kidding me? Annie, please don''t ever let Rain hear those words from you. Otherwise, he would be deeply hurt," Belinda said, looking at her in disbelief. She thought that the misunderstandings between them were cleared up. But now, it seemed there were still some misunderstandings between them. "I don''t know. I just don''t feel like he really needs me," Annie said tly. In her mind, the only reason why Rain would propose to her was only for the sake of the children. Not because he was in love with her. "Annie, what does your heart say? Don''t just look at things on the surface, but feel them with your heart. I heard that you were in love with him for many years. You had even been courting him for years, so you are supposed to know him better than any of us. In regards to the question, if he needs you or not, we can''t give you the right answer. You should look into your own heart for the answer," Belinda said sincerely. After hearing how Annie felt, she began to worry about Rain''s future. Annie thought for a moment in silence, thinking about everything that Belinda had just told her. Her children had taken up so much of her time and filled her with so much love, that she didn''t feel that she needed Rain so Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. if you have the goods to act like that. Did you really think that YS chose you because of your poprity? Of course not! It''s just that you happened to have a lot inmon with the range of essories that we''re about tounch, '' Belinda thought, irritated. "Who are you trying to bluff? I just don''t believe that you can do that." Eleanor started to feel uneasy after finding out all of the information that Belinda had just told her. In their circle, there were a lot of famous people with their own influence. Belinda, might just be one of them. "If you don''t believe me, you can continue with your bad working attitude and find out what I am capable of doing. Or, if you don''t want to find out, then I suggest you cooperate and don''t let something like this happen ever again!" Belinda said tly. She didn''t return kindness for arrogance. Eleanor pursed her lips, disgruntled. In the back of her mind, she worried that Belinda really could ruin her career so she dared not provoke her any further. She turned her eyes on Annie, giving her a hateful look. She med her for causing all of thismotion and embarrassing her in front of so many people. Annie was grateful to Belinda, who showed up in time. She saved her a lot of trouble now and with any future dealings with Eleanor. Although Belinda was speaking on behalf of thepany to keep Eleanor under control, it was also an indirect way of helping Annie out. Chapter 1694 All Hope Is Gone (Part Three) At a restaurant, Annie sat, pushing the food around on her te absentmindedly. She had agreed to go out to a restaurant with Fred and her two children for the first time. With a heavy heart, Annie was trying to enjoy the meal but anyone could see by the look on her face that her mind was in another ce. She was thinking about Rain, who seemed to have disappearedpletely out of her life. Ever since thest argument, not a single phone call did she get from him. She was hurt that he didn''t evene to see the children. It was as if he hadpletely forgotten about them. She had his cell phone number on her phone, but she didn''t have the courage to dial it. She didn''t know how to tell him the real reason why she didn''t move in with him. ''How can I tell him how I truly feel? I don''t want him to feel like he has to ept me unwillingly into his home just for the sake of the children? I don''t want to be there if I am not wanted. I want to tell him that I miss him so much, but I don''t know how to start, '' she sighed, thinking sadly. "Annie, what''s the matter? Don''t you like the meal?" asked Fred a little worried. Fred knew that Annie and the kids didn''t move in to live with Rain and he was both happy and relieved about that. It meant that he still had a chance to date Annie. But now seeing her so unhappy, he couldn''t help but worry about her. "Oh, no. The meal is fine. It''s just that I haven''t had much of an appetitetely," she said, squeezing out a small smile. "Are you exhausted from your work? You really shouldn''t work so hard. After all, it''s not like it''s some big important corporation," he said, frowning, concerned. "It''s okay, you don''t need to worry. How about you? How is everything going? I''ve seen y Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ry frown as she stared at Tiana. Annie''s face went pale and suddenly she felt nauseous. ''Rain left angrily in his car a few days ago, not even allowing me to exin anything to him. He hasn''t even bothered to call me nore to see the children. Now I know why that is! He has already found another interest, '' she thought, crushed. After seeing Rain with another woman, Annie found it very hard to believe anything that Belinda had told her about the feelings that Rain had for her. Fred looked at her very concerned. It was obvious that she still had deep feelings for Rain. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have reacted in that way. "Rain, do you know that family over there? Why are they staring at us like that?" Tiana asked, feeling very self-conscious. "Yes," Rain answered tly. He gave the impression that he didn''t want to say anything more about it. ''Indeed, they are just like a family. It exins why she refused to move into my house with the kids, '' he thought bitterly. "Why don''t we go and say hello to them then?" Tiana suggested. Tiana smiled kindly at the two children. However, she felt a lot of anger and resentment sent to her from them. Chapter 1695 A Fuss (Part One) "There''s no need to say hello to them. Why don''t we order our food?" Rain said in a low voice as he tried his best to not look at Annie and the twins. He was dying to go there and hug his kids, but he didn''t want to make them cry again. "Rain, don''t you think the man looks familiar? He looks like Fred Chen, the Prince of Music. He is really popr these days." Tiana took a close look at the man and thought that he must be the artist. "Hey! Focus on the menu. Are you here for food or man?" Rain cast a disdainful nce at Tiana. ''Oh really? My sister is a fan of my rival in love? God, are you kidding me? Why can''t Tiana be as considerate as Leena?'' he thought to himself. More importantly, he was afraid that Tiana would realize how much Huey looked like him. He didn''t want the Ke family members to know about his children''s existence. "Oh sorry. Rain, the steak here is nice. Why don''t you give it a try?" Tiana turned her gaze to her brother. She had begged him to go out with her many times and he had finally agreed. She didn''t want to irritate Rain. "Sure, why not?" Rain said and turned to stare out the window. He looked sad and dejected which gave him a unique sense of beauty that passersby couldn''t help but notice him. It was very difficult for him to let Annie and the twins go. However, as long as this was what she wanted, he would respect her decision. Regardless of how much it felt like a knife was cutting his chest, he was willing to let them go as long as she was happy. Annie and Fred were talking and joking with the kids together, and they looked like a happy family. No wonder that she had been hiding from him all these years. It seemed that Rain was the only one who had been suffering. Even the twins loved Fred and chose him instead of Rain. Rain forced a bitter smile and mocked himself, ''I''m such a loser! I thought she loved me and wanted no one but me. It turned out that I was an idiot to believe so.'' "Rain, why haven''t you dated any girl all these years? Are you too picky to date one?" Tiana asked with curiosity. Since he had taken over KD Group, Tiana had never seen her brother date a girl. Rain was a rich and handsome man. It was a piece of cake for him to find a girlfriend. "I''m not interested," Rain answered shortly. He hadn''t moved on from A t Rain would change his mind at any minute. Annie''s face turned pale when she saw this. ''So, Eleanor is one of Rain''s women. No wonder she was so arrogant. But if the two are both his women, how can they be so at peace with each other?'' Annie thought to herself. "Annie, how''s your work?" Fred asked as he tried to draw back Annie''s attention. Thedy was nkly staring at Rain''s table and the scene there got Fred confused. ''Rain did see Annie but why didn''t hee to her? I thought Annie and the twins were moving to his house but then they didn''t. What happened between them?'' "Oh, not bad," Annie answered. If Eleanor had been more cooperative, the work would have been much easier. "Is there a possibility that you can finish your work and return ahead of time?" Fred asked again. The sooner Annie left the country, the more possible she would be with him. "I don''t think so. Why?" As Eleanor was not cooperating, Annie''s schedule might be postponed. Actually, she also wanted to leave the country as soon as possible since she was feeling more depressed with the thought that Rain was just in the same city. "Nothing. It''s just an idle question." Fred stole a nce at Rain. He had searched for his information online but only knew that he was the VP of FX International Group and the CEO of KD Group. A few minutes after and theypsed into silence again. The atmosphere was bing weirder and weirder every passing second. On the other hand, Eleanor and Tiana were chatting happily with each other. Chapter 1696 A Fuss (Part Two) "So, you are Mr. Xia''s sister?" Eleanor asked in surprise. She thought that Tiana was Rain''s girlfriend. It turned out that she was wrong. She was thrilled. Being close to Tiana would be as good as being close to Rain. She didn''t even care that Tiana and Rain had differentst names. "Yes, I am," Tiana replied while peeking sideways at Rain. He had never admitted that they were siblings to anyone. "Just eat. I don''t like people who talk too much." In Rain''s eyes, Tiana was too naive to realize Eleanor''s intention. Thus, he urged his sister to stop talking even before Eleanor could inquire more. "Oh." Seeing Rain''s long face, Tiana shut her mouth and gave Eleanor an awkward smile. She didn''t dare to offend him as he was by no means a kindhearted man. All the Ke family members knew it clearly. "Mr. Xia, I heard the casting of the new TV series is in progress. May I rmend myself for the female leading role?" Actually, Eleanor had already known that the female leading role had been set. She was just pretending not to know about it as she hoped for him to give her a chance. "It''s the director''s affair and not my concern." Rain had no interest in intervening in casting. He knew that the director was more capable of it and he didn''t want to abuse his power to satisfy someone. "But I think you have a say in it." Eleanor looked at him with a hopeful expression while waiting for his reply. "Yes, I do have a say but why should I do that? If you want to take part in the TV drama, then why don''t you go to the director? Am I clear now?" Rain snapped with a frown. He hadpletely lost his appetite. "I''m really sorry, Mr. Xia. I was being impolite." Eleanor felt very embarrassed at Rain''s reaction and her face flushed with shame. She lowered her head and ate her food quietly. Tiana had thought that there was something between Rain and Eleanor. However, she realized that he didn''t have a thing for her at all now and it was just Eleanor who kept pestering him. "Enjoy your food. I''ll take my leave first." Rain stood suddenly and was about to leave. He really didn''t want to stay in the restaurant anymore. "What? But you barely ate something," Tiana said with a frown. She finally managed to have the chance to dine with her brother but this was all ruined. She felt frustrated. "I''m not hungry. By the way, I''ll pay the bill." Aft ect you''re already married. Are they your kids? They look adorable." Eleanor eyed Fred from head to toe. She had to admit that he was a handsome man. Nevertheless, he was still no match for Rain. She snorted in her mind and looked back at Annie. "It''s not working hours, so please excuse us." Annie didn''t want to argue with this woman before her children, so she just gently avoided her and was about to leave. "Come on. Don''t be so aloof. Are you not going to introduce your husband and children to us?" Eleanor taunted. She had been fully focused on the leading role of the new TV series recently, and hadn''t paid attention to thetest news. As a result, she didn''t recognize Fred and thought the man was just a nobody. "Miss Xiao, please get out of the way," Annie said with a frown. If it weren''t for Eleanor getting in her way, she would have just left without even talking to her. "Oh my God! Eleanor, you see, the boy looks like my brother so much!" Tiana cried in disbelief. After taking a close look at the little boy, she realized that he was a mini-sized Rain. Her eyes widened as she wondered who this woman was and why she was with another man. Annie was shocked by Tiana''s words. ''Brother? Oh my God! Did I just misunderstand Rain again? I thought she was his woman. Oh, what a fool I was!'' she thought. Eleanor turned to look at Huey on hearing Tiana''s surprise. Just as Tiana said, the boy closely resembled Rain. She had a bad feeling that this woman must have something to do with Rain. Suddenly, her eyes were burning with rage as she stared at Annie. Chapter 1697 Anyone But Her (Part One) "Miss, there''s a saying that barkers are not biters. If you''re done talking nonsense, can you please get out of our way?" Fred said sternly. Eleanor stood there, dumbfounded. Fred eyed Eleanor with resentment when he saw that Annie was starting to get ufortable. "Mommy..." Joyce called out as she tugged on Annie, clinging to her closer out of fear. "Let''s go, Joyce," Annie said softly, patting her lightly on the head. She took her daughter''s hand and walked past Eleanor while she was still distracted. As Annie brushed past her shoulder, Eleanor finally came to her senses. "Wait! So, does this child have anything to do with Rain?" she said, calling grumpily after Annie. "Sorry, but I have nothing to say about that," Annie answered, not even bothering to look back. Eleanor took a step to follow Annie, but was stopped by Fred who already had his hand firmly on her shoulder. He shook his head, implying that she should just leave them alone. He then turned and caught up with Annie. "Damn it!" Eleanor said through clenched teeth. She frowned as she looked at them walking farther away -- her suspicions grew along with Annie''s denial and evasion. "Miss Xiao, I''ll... get along now. Excuse me," Tiana said. She, too, was in shock. There was a strong, undeniable resemnce between Annie''s son and Rain. Her thoughts raced as she tried to take everything in. She needed to calm down and think about the exnation, one that was reasonable enough to exin the rtionship between them. "Alright..." Eleanor mumbled. Tiana went on her way. When she was out of sight, Eleanor slumped down on the seat. It was a real blow to the chest for her -- like she had already lost the game before it even started. She could barely deny it to herself anymore; just moments before, she had thought Fr Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. self, I''ll get a few pretty young girls toe and take care of me without any guilt," Edward teased while drawing the coat closer around him. He then wrapped his arms around Daisy''s waist and pulled her close to him. But his eyes were fixed meaningfully on Daisy''s rosy lips, which were pursed out of displeasure and jealousy. "Only a few? Are you sure that''s enough for you? I bet your insatiable appetite won''t be satisfied unless you get dozens of them!" Daisy sneered, squinting her eyes at Edward. ''So you think I''m not pretty now, eh? Am I getting too old for you now?'' she thought to herself. "Looks like our Senior Colonel quite approves of my capacity in...that regard?" Edward whispered in her ear, a mischievous smile forming on his lips. He pretended not to notice Daisy''s slightly bitter tone. He had found it quite amusing to tease her with this sort of stuff. "I''m sorry, but I am never one of those perverts, so I don''t know anything about capacities and the like. Go and ask people of your kind!" she snapped. ''What a sleazy man!'' Daisy thought in disbelief. ''How can you say things like that so freely?'' Although she was getting really a bit annoyed, she still couldn''t help blushing. Chapter 1698 Anyone But Her (Part Two) "How could you! You ARE of my kind! How could you call yourself a pervert?" Edward feigned seriousness and said. Then, before Daisy knew it, his mouth pressed lightly on the edge of Daisy''s ear, sending uncontroble vibrations up and down her spine. After that, he pulled away from her, and looked at his wife with a devilish smile. He lifted up his hand and ced a finger over her lips. Daisy''s mouth twitched. ''God damn it! Don''t try to lump me in with you!'' Daisy thought, quite ruffled. Without a second thought, she opened her mouth wide and bit Edward''s finger. "Ouch! It really hurts,dy! What are you? A dog or what? Hey, okay stop! Let go now, baby," Edward eximed, stamping his feet. But no matter how desperately he struggled, Daisy showed no intention of letting go. Daisy enjoyed his torment. She then proceeded to nibble on Edward''s finger, sucking and licking it like a lollipop. She looked at Edward suggestively, her eyes shining with excitement. "Did I say let go? I take it back, please continue. You have no idea what this looks like to me," Edward said with a smirk. He was very much aroused now at what Daisy was doing, even more so by the looks she threw at him. At first Daisy didn''t understand. She stopped and thought fast without letting go. But the moment she realized what he was thinking, she spat out his finger. To further express her disgust, she spat over the side beforeshing out at him, "You filthy pervert! I can''t believe that you think this way!" "It wasn''t my fault! You were the one acting all sexy!" Edward said defensively, bowing his head like a scolded child. ''Typical!'' hemented to himself. ''Women like her would always do this! I don''t understand why she has to lure me into a dead end. Ahh, this is driving me crazy!'' "Why won''t you just admit that you''re the one who has a dirty mind? It takes a vulgar person to talk and think dirty!" Daisy retorte Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ery eager to be reconciled to Rain. Duke wasn''t surprised. After all, it was quite normal if their rtionship went cold after so many years apart. "Shut up. Don''t be a wet nket, dude. Let''s talk about anything else but her," Rain said. He raised his ss in the air. "I propose a toast!" Rain cheered. But Duke''s words had gotten to him, especially when he heard Annie''s name. Her return was like a stab in the chest. While she was away, he could still dream about meeting her once again. But now that she was here, and seemingly with another man, he felt as if his heart had shattered into a million pieces. At this point, he hadpletely lost all hope. "You shouldn''t keep running away from your problems, Rain, I''m sure you''re aware that Fred is in S City. There''s no way he''d go out of his way to attend some small-time talent show. It''s pretty obvious what or who he''s really here for," Edward said. He took a sip from his ss, looking intently at Rain to see how he would react. "And so? Why should I care?" Rain forced a smile. ''Tch. Of course they''d side with Fred. He looks more of a family man than I''ll ever be, '' Rain thought, a wave of pain running through his chest. He filled up his ss and lifted it to his mouth, emptying it with one swift gulp. Chapter 1699 Anyone But Her (Part Three) "Stop acting like you don''t care, dude. You wouldn''t have asked us out if you didn''t feel upset about all this," Duke said, rolling his eyes at Rain. He had seen right through this friend, and he didn''t think that he could maintain the pretence for long. ''Let''s see you keep at it, '' he thought. "Why are you all ganging up on me? This isn''t the first time wee out here for a drink. I don''t need an excuse to get drunk. I''ll drink whenever I want!" Rain refuted. What he was doing was what people called "to be more nice than wise". The throbbing pain in his chest wouldn''t go away. Rain grunted, tightly gripping his ss. There was no chance that he would admit how he felt about Fred... how he felt about Annie. It would just hurt him even more. "You are really something, eh? If you never nned on telling us anything, you shouldn''t have dragged us out here to watch you sulk," Duke snapped at him. In truth, although Duke was getting angry at Rain, he was deeply concerned for his friend. ''Come on, Rain, '' he had wanted to say. ''Annie''s just a girl for crying out loud!'' "Calm down, Duke. Stop putting him down. Let''s just drink the night away," Edward interrupted. He had no idea what had happened between him and Annie. But right now, the best thing to do was to give him thepany he needed. "At least Edward gets me. Cheers to that!" Rain grinned. It was dim in the bar -- nobody had noticed that tears were already welling up in his eyes. Edward clinked his cup to Rain''s. He wondered what was going on in Annie''s mind. He knew for a fact that Annie was hopelessly in love with Rain at first. What else did she want now that she finally won his heart and had his children? What was behind all her hesitation? They no longer touched on that topic for the rest of already had his heart at the palm of your hand, and yet you still left him just because he didn''t love you right away," he said coldly, his gaze piercing through Annie. Edward might have sounded rude, a bit too harsh even. But he had always been like that. Edward was never the type to beat around the bush. "What? How drunk was he? Is he all right?" Annie burst out, meeting Edward''s eyes. Her face was full of surprise and worry. It was as if she didn''t hear everything else Edward had to say when she had learned that Rain wasn''t doing okay. "What do you think? How would you feel if you were the one who got rejected?" he asked. Edward had thought it would have been hopeless if Annie''s first instinct was to defend herself. But here she was, asking how Rain was doing. It was obvious enough that she still had feelings for Rain. "I''m so sorry. It seems that our rtionship has caused a lot of people so much trouble. I''m really sorry," she replied. She didn''t expect that she would be so transparent about her feelings towards Rain. She still loved him, but found it hard to bring herself to confront those emotions. And before she could, she found it hard to ept him frankly. Chapter 1700 Anyone But Her (Part Four) "You''re scared that Rain is still a womanizer, aren''t you? Speaking as someone who''s been down that road, I can assure you that he''s no longer that type of person. The looser and easier a man appears to be, the more serious he would be about love. Once he has found the girl he knows he wants to be with for the rest of his life, you can guarantee that he will unconditionally give you his loyalty and love. No matter how many temptations there are in this world, no matter how enchanting and attractive other women might be, his attention would only revolve around you," Edward said matter-of-factly. He was quite confident about that, for he himself was one of this kind of men, and was best qualified to pronounce on such a matter "That''s not what I''m worried about, honestly," Annie meekly said, feeling a little embarrassed. She wanted to speak out her true feelings, but she was worried that Edward might not understand. "What is it, then? Are you worried that he won''t marry you? I think he''d go marry you without any hesitation, if only you want him," Edward pressed on. He didn''t leave any room for Annie to defend herself. This was probably the only chance he was ever going to get. "I don''t want him to marry me just because of our children!" Annie shouted. Edward was taken aback. He had not expected that answer. Annie''s hands were balled up to fists on herp. "Yes, I''m a mother," she continued in a quieter tone. Her voice was shaking. "But don''t you think it''s wrong if he marries me solely because he''s the father of my children? I know it may sound a bit selfish, but I want to marry someone who loves me for who I am -- I do not want to marry someone just because he feels obliged to do so." Tears threatened to roll out of Annie''s eyes. Edward looked at her, his expression softening. "Annie, have you thought all this time that he only wante women might have, and never let her experience the sense of loss. Annie blinked. "Yeah, of course," she said. For a while, she hadpletely forgotten about the jewelry Edward requested to getmissioned. "I''ll let you know as soon as possible. I''ll get going. If you will excuse me..." Annie replied. She now thought it a must to take some time and think over Edward''s words, in case she failed to see important things "Alright, then. Please consider everything I have said. Be nice to Rain, he is your Mr. right, apanion worthy of you," Edward pressed. If everything he had said to her still wouldn''t change her mind, then god knows what would. If so, they had better make a clean break and call an end to the torment. Annie nodded, and walked unsteadily out of the door. Her head spun, her face looking pale. She was still unsure of Belinda''s advice to her, and now Edward''s words made her feel overwhelmed. When Annie had closed the door behind her, Edward gave a sigh of relief. ''The things you make me want to do for you Rain, you stupid brat!'' he thought to himself. ''You''d better not mess this up. I hope you know that you''ve made the president of a multinationalpany your own personal matchmaker. How annoying!'' ¡¤. Chapter 1701 Any Importance (Part One) Rain didn''t wake up until noon time came. His mind was still in a whirl since he had drunk too muchst night. His hand moved to blindly find his cellphone which seemed to be lost somewhere in his bed. However, he didn''t expect to see its battery drained. Frustrated, he threw it back onto the bed forcefully and staggered to the bathroom. His knees were wobbly when he reached the wash area. A few seconds after and he was already looking at the gaunt face that was staring back at him from the mirror. He couldn''t help but doubt if the man he was seeing was him. His reflection was just too far from the lively and high-spirited self he had always known. ''Annie, this is thest time that I''m allowing you to hurt me this much. From now on, I will go back to the life I had before you came. You have made me realize how worthless I am to you. Since you don''t value me, I will put myself higher than you could ever reach. You can''t hurt me anymore, Annie. I will not give you the chance to do it anymore, '' he thought. There had been a lot of changes with Rain''s perspective sincest night. He was eager to live together with his children but he knew clearly that they loved their mother more than him. He would not be so cruel as to take them away from Annie by force. However, he hoped to at least have ess to his kids. Thus, he called Annie right after he took a shower. "Hello, Rain?" asked Annie as soon as she picked the phone up. She was a bit surprised to receive a call from him this early. Edward had said that Rain had drunk too muchst night, thus, she thought that he was still asleep. "Yes, it''s me. Are you free today? I want to have a talk with you," Rain said in an unusually apathetic tone. He had controlled himself quite well that his voice came out cold and dry without any trace of emotions at all. "How about we meet after an hour?" Annie checked her wristwatch. Little did Rain know that she was dying to talk with him too. "I''m okay whenever you''re free. Decide which ce is most convenient to you," Rain said in a polite tone. However, the courteousness that he showed stung Annie''s e at you mean," Annie''s voice trembled upon hearing what he said. She wasn''t used to seeing him like this and his presence was making her anxious. "Huey and Joyce are my children regardless of whatever is between us. I won''t insist on making you live with me anymore since you refused it. However, I want to have the rights to see my kids anytime I want." A bitter smile cracked Rain''s lips as he stared at her. God knew that he was trying to be as reasonable as he could. He was only proposing his idea to her after all. As always, the final call would still depend on what Annie would say. Flustered, Annie wasn''t able to open her mouth and just gazed at him nkly. She thought, ''What does that mean? Is he giving up on us?'' "Is it that hard to respond to my conditions, Annie?" it was Rain who broke the sudden tension that suddenly filled the space between them. Her silence made him frown a bit. ''You can''t be this selfish to me, right?'' his mind silently sighed. "No, but can I give my opinion?" Annie was able to recover herself and evaded his stare. She had been told that he had fallen in love with her. Furthermore, she had also been told that this man had never experienced at least a day of happiness without her. It seemed that those were just empty rumors and nothing more. He shouldn''t be giving up this easy if those were true, right? She didn''t think that Rain''s reactions were making sense at all. Chapter 1702 Any Importance (Part Two) "Of course you can give yours. I only gave my opinion. You can contradict me anytime you want," Rain never stopped looking at her face since he sat there. She had be pale but he didn''t think too much about it. She probably didn''t like what he just said, thus, he had to get his chest ready for another blow. "It''s quite impractical to let you see them at any time you want. You see, we both often have some things to do. I think it would be better to define a regr schedule for the kids. Let''s say once a week?" Annie wet her lips unconsciously after she talked. ''That is it! Rain is only after the kids!'' she thought. "Okay. I''m taking what I said back. I''m not going to demand ''anytime I want'' anymore. However, don''t you think that once a week is too harsh for me? Let''s adjust it and make it twice a week. What do you think?" Rain said his words as if he was debating for a business proposal. He had already reached his rock bottom and was ready to let her go. It wouldn''t make sense to keep her into something she wouldn''t be happy about anyway. Regardless of how long he had been loving her, doing so would only be a waste of time. He just wanted to let her go as fast he could. "Fine if that''s what is convenient for you. However, I have to remind you that we will only stay here in S City for more or less three months. We will be back to living abroad after this. Are you sure that you can keep seeing them twice on that setup?" Annie''s words sounded a bit defiant. His casual retreat hit her heart really bad, thus, she felt a need to defend herself. What he had said made her as indifferent as he was since she didn''t want to look pitiful. "Please know that I will not give up any of my right to love my kids no matter what," Rain raised his chin with pride and looked down at her. His expression was still nk when he added, "By the way, thank you for introducing me to the kids as their father. Please forgive me for all the financial damages they have caused you since I didn''t know about them before. Anyway, I will be starting with my duties to them from this point and will be paying for the alimony." It was obvious that he had already nne ove her value if she really wanted to work together with him. "Eeeek! That... I haven''t finished it yet," Tiana stuck her tongue out and thought, ''Damn it. I kicked an iron te!'' "Then make yourself busy with it! You might as well do that rather than poke your nose on things that are not your business!" Rain didn''t want his private affairs to be known by the Ke Family, including Tiana. "Yeah! But Rain, is that kid actually your son?" Nevertheless, Tiana was unwilling to give up. She badly needed to hear what her brother got to say since she had been restraining her curiosity for a whole night and a whole morning now. "Aren''t you supposed to go now? Fine, Tiana! You are not allowed to work at KD Group anymore," Rain scolded her harshly. His stare on her went even colder than how it had been earlier. "No! Don''t say that! I''m going to do that market research now!" Tiana left the room unwillingly. Her disappointment was showing on her face since she hadn''t found anything. Meanwhile, a slight smile escaped from Rain''s lips the moment he was left alone. He rarely smiled because of his family. However, he felt different for Tiana as his sister was the only one in the Ke Family who could make him happy. He was aware of how Tiana had stood by him during the years that he was going against all the members of the Ke Family. He might be reluctant of sharing things with her but still, Tiana was someone he trusted most. Chapter 1703 Any Importance (Part Three) Annie didn''t leave the cafe until more than an hourter. She had been thinking the whole time since Rain left. She had meant to tell Rain that she had agreed to move into his house together with the kids in order to see how they would get along with one another. Never had she expected all his vicious blow though. She hadn''t even been given a chance to talk. She made a call to YS Group and advised that she would be absent for the afternoon. Her heart was aching too much and she didn''t think that she could work properly with how emotionally drained she was. Rather, she drove straight back home. "Mommy, you''re back. Why are you home so early today?" Both the kids were very happy to see her because she generally had only a little time to be with them. They had used to be together with the housekeeper for most of the time back when they had been in Phuket. "Because you''re going to kindergarten tomorrow! I want to y with you before you guys get busy," Annie answered. She had been working on making the kids familiar with S City. She believed that it was time for them to meet new friends. "Really? Yey! We can meet new teachers and new friends tomorrow!" Joyce was quite happy to hear what her mother said. She was so giggling and it was easy to see that she wasn''t even affected by all the things that had happened to them recently. "Hmm! Are you happy?" Annie stroked her daughter''s hair and forced a smile on her lips. "Of course I am! It''s boring at home," Joyce answered. Children always like being together with as many people as possible. "Mommy, are we staying here in S City for good?" However, Huey was not so happy as Joyce. He had always been maturer than his sister and could read through situations well. "No. We will probably go back to Phuket after the Spring Festival. Why? Do you want us to stay here?" Annie''s eyes went milder as she stared at Huey. Huey looked exactly like Rain and looking at her son usually gave Annie the feeling that she was looking at Rain. "I want it here because daddy is here!" Huey said. His sis e! What''s your real rtionship with Rain? Why does your son look so like him?" Eleanor asked vulgarly. The manner she pushed Annie verbally made her look far from the star she was. "I''m entitled of my own privacy and you don''t have any say with that," Annie said with a cold smile. She suddenly thought that letting Eleanor wear her designs would be a great insult to her art. "Why don''t I have the right? Rain is the one I want to marry. How could that have nothing to do with me?" Eleanor said and thought, ''Since you''re married, you should help your husband and bring up your children. Why are you even fighting for Rain?'' "It''s your life and that''s none of my business. If you feel that I''m stopping you, oh please stop worrying. As you can see, I have a happy family," Annie told a lie in order to escape from Eleanor''s inquiry. However, she should have chosen to be more domineering by telling her that Rain was indeed the father of her children. She was curious anyway of what Eleanor would say if ever she found out about that fact. "That couldn''t be better. You should know that Rain will finally be my man. Thus, you''d better not attempt to y any trick if you''re wise enough," said Eleanor. What Annie said made her feel relieved. Even if Annie had Rain''s children as she guessed, Annie was married to another man. Therefore, she wasn''t of any importance. Chapter 1704 Happy Hour For Dad And The Kids (Part One) "Sorry. I am busy and I have some important work to deal with." What Annie said could not be more obvious. She was implying that Eleanor should go away now. "Keep what you said today in mind. Humph!" Eleanor sneered at her with a disdainful look. Then she turned around and left arrogantly, being confident that her message was delivered and her warning was heard. After Eleanor left, Annie felt so upset that she threw her pen on the table. ''That bitch! How shameless she is! Rain has never admitted that she is his girlfriend. Even if he did, why would shee over and brag to me in my face? I have nothing to do with their business!'' Annie was simmering with rage. She took a deep breath to suppress her anger. Because of what happened, she felt like she lost her motivation to work hard. So she just kept sitting on the chair, staring nkly at the wall. Belinda knocked on the open door, trying to get Annie''s attention. However, thetter did note to herself, lost deep in her nk thoughts. So Belinda just walked in with a smiling face. "Annie, are you okay? Annie." Belinda frowned and couldn''t help wondering what she was thinking about. She seemed to be utterly lost in her mind. She had left work early yesterday. Was she bothered by something? "Oh! Belinda, it''s you! I''m sorry." Annie raised the corners of her mouth and a faint smile appeared on her face. "Was that Eleanor? What did shee here for? Jeez! Did shee to you just to pick up a fight again?!" Belinda could ascertain that Eleanor came to find fault with Annie as long as she appeared in thepany. "Oh, no. She was justining a bit. Nothing serious. I can handle it." Annie smiled bitterly. People would not cherish things until those things were taken away from them. That was exactly what was happening to her now. "You have to be strong and never back down when dealing with arrogant people like her. Otherwise, she would think that you are weak and she would keep bullying you. ''Bully the weak and fear the strong'' is one of their life mottos." Belinda hated these kinds of people the in the quickest and most efficient way possible. Wasting his time was just too costly to him. "Yes, you are right. That''s exactly why I feel sorry for Rain. I should have done nothing." Belinda felt that her strength was drained all of sudden. She leaned towards Duke naturally. "Then, don''t do that again." Duke reached out to hold her by her waist and led her towards the President''s office. "But I did it for their sake! Not for me. I''m really worried about them. Actually, they can end up with a happy marriage only if they have an honest heart-to-heart conversation. But theirmunications are always in a deadlock. No one is going to give in." Belinda had an impatient disposition. It was just such a pain seeing the two struggling without any sign of resolution. "That''s their business. And since they, themselves created this mess, they deserve it." In Duke''s opinion, a woman''s coquetry was eptable. But when she had gone too far, she would only annoy the hell out of people. "Haha! Are you sure you''re Rain''s friend?" Belinda giggled. Where did his strange theorye from? She seemed to be more on Rain''s side, though. "Oh wow, look at my wife, thinking about my friend''s private life all day. Do you think I would be happy with that?" Duke rolled his eyes at her helplessly. He felt like that his own wife had gotten too keen on the rtionship between Rain and Annie. Chapter 1705 Happy Hour For Dad And The Kids (Part Two) "Oh my god! Are you jealous of that? You are even more childish than Spencer. I thought he was the only baby in this family!" Standing opposite him, Belinda reached out to straighten his crooked tie. "Haven''t you heard of the saying? Love makes people childish," Duke said and lowered his head. There were only a few inches between their faces. He could steal a kiss on her lips if he bent forward a bit more. "Yeah, you''re right. You know something? Probably your IQ is even lower than Richard at this time." Belinda thought that her son Spencer was much smarterpared with Duke, Spencer''s father at the moment. When it came to mental age, Duke was behind by a mile, seemingly much naiver than the little cute Richard who was just a toddler. "Hey, honey. Don''t you think that your metaphor is a bit unpleasant and out of ce while we''re enjoying a tender moment here?" Duke felt a bit frustrated. The romantic atmosphere he had tried hard to create had immediately dissolved into thin air, thanks to her withering sarcasm. "The tender moment only applies to you, not to me. All right. Now that you are here, take the chair at the meeting for me, please. I''d like to go and see Leena so would you, please?" Belinda had grown more exhausted taking care of thepany''s affairs and activities. She especially hated those standard routines and time killers such as meetings. If she had her way, she would reduce the meetings to once a week. Duke''s arrival would free her from that burdensome daily affair. "I am so sorry but I am going to have to refuse that. There''s a brutal reality you have to face, that I just came here for a particr file, not to save your ass from a task that you hate. So, I''m afraid you need to take care of the meeting yourself," Duke said and walked directly to the desk. He bent over to check the file he had left here a few days ago. As a matter of fact, he could have sent Janice to fetch it for him. But he eventually decided toe here in person in order to see his beloved w time he was in his father''s arms. "Where''s your sister? I haven''t seen her." Rain craned his neck to see who else wasing out of the gate but did not find his little girl. "She has short legs, so she walks slowly," Huey said in a sympathetic tone. Actually, that was not the case. The truth was that Joyce had made a few friends when she became a member of the ss. She was saying goodbye to them now. "Hey, Huey. Can I talk to you about something?" Suddenly, Rain looked at Huey with serious eyes. "Sure, what''s that, Daddy?" Huey became a bit uneasy. It seemed that his father was about to tell him something that he wasn''t ready to talk about. "I need you to do me a favor. In the future, wherever you go, you need to wait for your sister and stay with her at all times. You are the man between you two, right? You have the responsibility to take care of her as the stronger one. Don''t you agree?" Rain exined gently and patiently, hoping that his son woulde to know the responsibility as a young man. "Yes, Daddy, you are right. I''ll keep it in mind. Hey look, it''s Joyce!" Huey felt it was a bit unfair that his father asked him to do that. He was a bit jealous of his sister because now, both their mom and dad told him to take care of her. He just didn''t feel it was his job to babysit his annoying twin sister. Chapter 1706 Happy Hour For Dad And The Kids (Part Three) "Joyce! Over here, my little princess!" Rain saw Joyce too. She indeed looked like a princess in the crowd when she came out with other kids. She was no doubt Rain''s daughter. Judging by the number of girls surrounding her as she walked out the gate, she had be so popr at such a young age. "Daddy." Joyce was also very happy to see Rain. She left her friends behind and ran towards her father excitedly, forgettingpletely what she had said yesterday. "Oh, oh, oh, slowly. Don''t fall down." Rain put Huey down and held out his hand to the little girl who had jumped to cling to him. "Where''s Mommy? I don''t see her anywhere. Didn''t shee with you?" The girl soon noticed it. She tilted her head and asked in a confused tone. "Mommy is still at work. So Daddy will y with you today, okay? Don''t you two want that? Just us three hanging out?" Rain lulled Joyce carefully. Somehow he felt that Joyce was more difficult to get along with than her brother Huey. "But, if we stay with you, won''t Mommy get mad and disappear forever? She won''t abandon us?" A child''s words sometimes hurt the most, because they were readily blunt and didn''t really know how to sugarcoat words. There was a moment when Rain paled. But soon he adjusted himself. "No, of course not. What are you talking about? I''ll drive you back to Mommy''s ce after dinner. So no, there is no way that Mommy will abandon you. I promise!" Rain thought that his baby girl might have said it subconsciously to hurt him, and he thought he was ready for that. But when he heard it in reality, he still couldn''t help feeling a pinch in his heart. "Really? That''s great! Huey, did you hear? We are having dinner with Daddy. Isn''t it great?" Joyce forgot things quickly. As soon as she heard Rain''s words of reassurance, she became rxed and delighted. "Yes! So, where are we going, Daddy?" No matter where Rain took them, Huey was happy as long as he could spend time with his father. "Let''s go to my ce, okay? Would you like that?" In order to amodate them in his house and make sure that they werefortable there, Rain had hired some servants such as a chef and a steward to look after Joyce and y for her mother waspletely gone now. They might have even forgotten about her at that moment. Rain was right. If he wanted them to ept him as their father from the bottom of their hearts, he had to try hard to wholeheartedly love them first. They yed happily in the garden before they could even enter the house. Hanging out with his children, Rain felt like he had returned to the good old days when he was young and innocent. Although he and his mother had not lived a wealthy life, he felt that every day was full of hopes and dreams. He knew that there was going to be sunshine as long as he stayed with his mother. Those were the good old days. Finally, they stopped after quite some time, feeling a bit tired. A big boy, a little boy and a little girly on the grass, looking at the faint glow of the sky as the sun had set somewhere far away. It just looked so beautiful, just like a painting. "Daddy, can wee here againter? And again, and again, and again?" Joyce hadpletely forgotten that she had once said Fred was her favorite but not her Daddy, Rain. "Of course you can. You cane here anytime you want." He had everything built for them and what he wanted the most was for them to visit all the time. If only they could already live here. "Really? Wow! Daddy, I like you so much," the little girl said happily. She sat up and kissed Rain at his face loudly. Then the garden echoed with a lovely peal ofughter. Chapter 1707 Confess Everything (Part One) Huey rolled his eyes at his little sister and thought, ''Didn''t Joyce once say that she loved Uncle Fred the most?'' It was just so typical of girls- they were capricious, no matter how young or old they were. Since Rain had missed most of their childhood, he didn''t know much about their eating habits. He had no idea what they liked, so he asked the chef to prepare all sorts of food for his kids to choose from. He honestly wished all kids were like Justin, who was such a foodie, and by no means, a fussy eater. Rain was nning to visit Daisy and ask her to share her experience of raising a kid. When Joyce saw the extravagant food, her eyes slowly filled with tears of disappointment. "Humph! These are all food that Huey likes. There is nothing that I want here!" The little girl cried as she looked at all the dishes and didn''t find any of her favorite food on the table. Rain''s eyes popped out when he saw her eyes fill with tears. He rushed to her side immediately and said, "Joyce! I''m sorry! I am so sorry! I didn''t know what your favorite foods were, so I asked the chef to prepare all kinds of food for you. But I didn''t think that you had different dishes in mind. And I didn''t mean to favor your brother either." Rain panicked when he saw that she wouldn''t stop crying. "No! That''s not true! You must be mad at me because I said I liked Uncle Fred more," she sniffed and wrinkled her tiny nose. Joyce was stubborn and spoiled because her mother and brother always put up with her. She was nothing like her brother, who was way too mature for his age. They hadpletely opposite characters. Rain''s heart ached to hear his beloved daughter use him of favoring her brother. Rain smiled bitterly and scooped his little girl up in his arms gently. "I don''t care if you like someone else more, Joyce. You will forever be my little princess, no matter n and get some rest?" "I''m okay. The kids are tired. Let them go to bed early tonight," Rain said, with a stolid face. It was hard to tell what kind of emotions he was going through at that moment. "Fine. Drive safe," said Annie. Disappointment wasced in her voice as she hadn''t expected that Rain would turn her down. "Thank you," he said to her and then smiled at his kids, "See you around, you little monkeys." He waved good-bye to them, and ignored Annie''s pale face. "Goodbye, Daddy!" they said together. Rain was reluctant about leaving. He had such a great day with the kids, it was pure bliss. He didn''t feel like going home without them. Kids had pure hearts - as long as you cherished them, they''d love you with all their heart. There was no ce for hatred and ego in them. Annie watched him turn around and leave. She had the urge to stop him, to ask him to stay. But as Rain closed the door behind him, Annie knew it was toote. Rain fought the urge to look back too and quickly walked away. No one knew how much Rain wanted to hold Annie in his arms when he saw her sad, pale face. But he was too proud to expose his soft side to others and so was Annie. That was the reason why they were at this point in life. Chapter 1708 Confess Everything (Part Two) Rain pressed the elevator button and waited. When the door opened, he frowned. Fred walked out of it, with a surprised look on his face. They weren''t expecting to see each other at Annie''s ce at such an hour. "Mr. Xia, what a coincidence. Are you also here to visit the kids?" Fred asked with a casual smile as if Rain was, by no means, a threat to him. Rain was in no mood to exchange pleasantries with him. "It''ste. What brings you here, Mr. Chen?" Compared to Fred''s enthusiasm, Rain''s voice sounded cold. "Well, it''s not thatte. We often meet at this time." Fred ignored Rain''s reproachful tone. He kept his voice cheerful, trying to show off how decent he was, unlike Rain, who seemed narrow-minded. "Oh, do you? I forgot that you guys were close. Well, have a nice time," Rain said with a bitter smile and walked into the elevator. He pressed the button and left without hesitation. Fred snorted in smug satisfaction and walked swiftly to Annie''s door and knocked. Annie had just asked the children to take a shower when she heard the knock on the door. She ran excitedly to open it. She assumed that Rain hade back. She threw the door open quickly, but her smile froze when she saw that it wasn''t Rain. "Why do you look so terrified after seeing me?" Fred noticed the smile on her face disappearing in a sh. He could tell that she was expecting someone else at the door instead of him. Annie wasn''t terrified. She was just disappointed. She forced a smile and said, "Come on in. What brings you here at this hour?" Fred walked in and asked, "Where are the kids? Have they slept already?" He was surprised that Joyce and Huey were not around. They usually got excited when they heard his voice. But today was somehow different. "Not yet. They are taking a shower. They just came back home." Annie poured him a ss of water and put it down on the table in front of him. She was feeli g Fred would stay at Annie''s. He snorted when Fred left only a few minutester. Rain drove away without a word as he already had the answer he was looking for. Time flew by and a whole week passed in an instant. It was Saturday, and just as Annie had expected, the kids were not interested in the show. So she turned down Fred''s offer. But the kids were into the idea of having a pic. So they took off to the countryside on Sunday morning. "Mommy, don''t we need to take a tent for the pic?" Joyce was a fun-loving kid and she had a keen interest in everything new. "No sweetie. We are having a pic, not a camp," Annie answered. She was looking out the window and enjoying thendscape alongside the road. "Oh... I thought we will be having a tent." The little girl pouted, her little lips turning upside down. "Joyce, do you want a tent? We can get er," Fredforted her when he saw her sad face in the rear view mirror. "Really, Uncle Fred?" Joyce''s eyes popped out in excitement once again. She felt like she was the happiest kid in the world at that moment. "Of course, I would never lie to you!" Fred said. He was relieved that he had already prepared a tent in advance. She would be surprised if he pulled out the tent at the pic spot. Chapter 1709 Confess Everything (Part Three0 "Great! Uncle Fred, you are the best. I love you the most!" Joyce was like a little chameleon. She unconditionally loved anyone who fulfilled her every request. Huey shook his head at his sister. "Huey, why the face? Aren''t you excited about the pic?" Annie asked when she noticed that her son had remained silent throughout the trip. She turned to look at him. "I am. I just miss Daddy." Three days had passed since they hadst met. Huey could tell that his Daddy was a busy man and that he didn''t have time to visit them. Annie didn''t know how tofort him. So she told him the truth, "Daddy is very busy with work, Huey. He doesn''t have time to meet us now." Belinda had said that Rain had gone out of town for some business purpose. It was odd that he hadn''t said when he woulde back or hadn''t even called the kids in the past three days. "I understand that he is busy. I am not ming him for ignoring us. I''m just worried about him. We live together and can take care of each other. But Daddy lives alone. What if he gets sick?" Huey asked with a concerned look. He was very mature and considerate, almost like an adult. "Umm..." Annie was at a loss of words. Even she hadn''t thought of such a thing, while her little son had. Fred frowned and began to worry as Huey''s words showed that the kids really loved their father. They had only been reunited a few days back and they were already so close. Was it because Rain was his biological father? Joyce looked confused by her brother''s words. "Huey, Daddy has a butler. Don''t you remember? We met him the other day," said a happy home together." Fred finally let it all out. He said what he had always been wanting to tell her for such a long time now. He couldn''t afford to wait anymore. If he did, he would lose the game. He seized the chance to confess his love to her and make sure that he had a fighting chance. "I''m sorry, Fred. I''m not ready for this yet," Annie bit her lower lip and lowered her head to avoid eye contact with him. She blushed under his gaze. His confession had taken her by surprise. "I won''t force you to give an answer right away. But I hope that you would take what I said seriously and think about it. I love you and I mean it," Fred said. He believed that Annie would choose him in the end as long as he didn''t give up. "Fred. I''m not a young girl anymore. I have two kids. I''m not good enough for you. You deserve someone better, not a single mother like me." She was already hurt by the failed rtionship between her and Rain, and hadn''t recovered from that pain yet. Besides, she still loved Rain and there was no space for others in her heart. Chapter 1710 An Engagement Ring (Part One) "Annie,e on. Please don''t be so hard on yourself. You''re beautiful, unique, really one of a kind." Fred looked at Annie straight in the eye. He held her hands in between his own. His hands even trembled a bit from all the emotion he was feeling. Without a doubt, Fred loved Annie with all his heart. He had also grown to love the twins. He''d treat them as if they were his own children -- if only Annie could find it in her heart to let him inside her life. "Fred, please stop. I''m already in love with somebody else. I''m so sorry." Annie lowered her eyes, feeling embarrassed. She couldn''t bare to look at Fred as he confessed. "Is it because of Mr. Xia?" Fred asked, his voice sad and low. ''If only I had met Annie before that bastard Rain did, '' Fred thought to himself. Annie flushed, her face got hotter. "I''m so sorry. I should have told you," Annie looked up at Fred through hershes. She gave him a weak smile as somefort at the very least. But right after she had finally told him the truth, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of relief. The weight of the burden she carried was finally lifted from her entirely. "But how can you even be sure that he''ll love you back! What if he bes unfaithful to you, Annie? Have you ever thought of that? That maybe he doesn''t love you as much as you love him?" he cried. He let go of Annie''s hands, and ruffled his hair in his frustration. ''Come on, Annie. Think! If he really loved you, he wouldn''t have left you and the kids!'' "I-I..." Annie stammered. Fred''s questions had her stumped. She herself did not know why she was still so drawn towards Rain. "See! You can''t even back him up. But you can count on me." Fred held on to her hands once again. "I can assure you that you will be the only woman I will ever need and want in my life. Please..." Fred was not about to give up. This was the first time he had been so vocal about his feelings; this, to him, was his chance to take the next y putting on his coat and had grabbed his car keys in one swift movement. In just seconds, he was already running out his apartment. "We''re at home. We don''t know what to do," Huey exined. Just like Justin, Huey was ahead of his years, a lot more mature than he should be for his age. "I''ll be right there soon. Wait for me." Rain hung up and got in his car. He started the engine, and in no time, was on his way to Annie''s house. He drove as fast as the traffic would allow him, intent on getting there as soon as possible. ''Daddy said he''ll be right here soon. Does it mean he''s in S City now?'' Huey thought as he ran towards his mother. "Mommy, Mommy! Daddy said he''ll be right here soon and asked us to wait for him," Huey eximed in a cheerful voice. "Really? He''s back?" Annie said, surprised. She let out a long sigh of relief. Although she wasn''t so sure why, she trusted Rain. She was confident that he would know what to do. "Yeah. I told him Joyce has a fever, and he said he is on his way." Huey was ted. From their short phone conversation, Huey could tell that Rain loved him and Joyce very much. Annie said nothing more, and continued to give Joyce the cool sponge bath. Although she didn''t want to bother Rain, she felt happy that he seemed to still care for them. Chapter 1711 An Engagement Ring (Part Two) Meanwhile, Rain was still on the road. He kept one hand on the wheel while he dialed Tom on his phone with the other. He put it on loud speaker and put it down on the passenger seat. It rang numerous times before Tom finally picked up. "You brat! Do you know what time it is right now? You better have a good reason or else you''re a dead man!" Tom roared. He had just fallen asleep, pissed at Rain''ste night call. Rain frowned. "Dude, rx. I''m driving. This is important. Joyce has a high fever and needs to be treated now. Can I bring her to your hospital or should I just bring her directly to your house?" Rain asked, his eyes glued on the road. "Oh, damn. I''m sorry. I don''t have a lot of medicines here. Send her to the hospital. I''ll be there soon. Don''t worry," he replied, his tone changing dramatically. Tom rubbed his eyes off from sleep and rolled off the bed. He knew there were a lot of well-equipped doctors at the hospital. A fever was rarely a cause for rm. But Rain was one of his best friends -- he wasn''t going to let him down. "All right. Thank you, Tom. See youter." Rain stepped down on the gas a bit harder, swerving sharply from left to right. Every second he wasn''t there was a second wasted, he thought. When he arrived at Annie''s house, he pulled over and ran to ring the doorbell. It was Huey who opened the door for him, which made Rain frown. He believed he had to talk with Annie on the security problem, as it was very dangerous to allow a kid to open the door. What if it was a bad guy outside the door? But now was not the right time, and he decided to talk to herter. The most important thing right now was to send Joyce to the hospital. "Daddy, you''re here so soon!" Huey was thrilled to see Rain stand outside the house. "Huey, w Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. Don''t worry. Daddy''s here to protect you." Rain consoled his daughter in a soft voice. His heart ached as he saw tears rolling down his daughter''s cheeks. At that moment, he wished so hard that he could suffer instead of Joyce. "Okay, it''s done. She needs to stay here for observation. When the feveres down, you can go home." Tom looked at Rain with awe. He didn''t expect a yboy like Rain to look so... father-like. "Thank you so much, Tom." Annie sighed in relief. She had met Tom before, but never knew that he worked as a doctor. "Don''t be so formal with me. Rain''s my best buddy. I''m going to my office now. Feel free to find me if there''s an emergency or if you need anything else." Tom left with a knowing smile. He looked at Rain suggestively, as if to say to him that now was his opportunity with Annie. Rain cradled Joyce in his arms. Soon enough, she was fast asleep once again. He carefullyid her on the hospital bed, and pulled up a chair to sit beside Annie. Silence stretched between Rain and Annie. "Belinda said you were on a business trip. When did youe back?" Annie started. She slowly nced at Rain, feeling that he was not really in a good mood. Chapter 1712 An Engagement Ring (Part Three) "I literally just arrived at home when Huey called me," Rain replied curtly. He kept his eyes on Joyce, not meeting Annie''s gaze. "Thank you for taking us here. I didn''t know what I''d do if you weren''t here." Then, Rain looked at Annie. She panicked all of a sudden -- what if he knew that another man had confessed his love to her? "Thank you? Are you kidding me? Joyce is my daughter. Don''t thank me as if I''m just some random guy who was kind enough to lend a helping hand," Rain snapped back at Annie. "No, please don''t get me wrong. I didn''t mean it that way." she defended. "Okay. Why don''t you tell me what you meant? And what happened to Joyce? Where did you go?" Rain held his stare on Annie, expecting a decent exnation. ''Why is she like this? The way she talks... it''s like I''m not even the father of her children!'' he thought to himself. Annie looked away, unable to handle his burning re. "I... well... Fred said it was nice in the countryside, so we took the children for a pic today." She stole a quick nce towards Rain. "It was all my fault, and had nothing to do with Fred." Thest sentence had Rain infuriated. ''Really? I was just asking where you went. You couldn''t wait to defend that brat. You really love him, huh?'' he thought. "Ha-ha! Really? If you wanted to go out on a date with that man, just go with him by yourself. Why did you have to bring my children there? What were you thinking? Do you want my children to call him dad and have a happy family dinner?" Rain spat sarcastically. "Did you even have any idea that it''s winter now and how much colder it is in the countryside?" Rain fired one question after another, his eyes glistening with anger. Annie looked down, her hands balling up to fists at her sides. "Rain Xia," she said, her voice trembling. "Why are you so mean to me? I was so scared just moments ago that I might lose Joyce. I''m in this strange city, with no one to turn to. I don''t know where the nearest hospital is. Eve Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hat he was on the verge of tears. Annie turned to him, suddenly full of worry. "Hey, Rain. Are you okay?" Annie bit her lower lip. ''Did he really get hurt from what I said?'' Rain convincingly acted like he was sad, but in reality, he was thrilled. He had just found out that Annie still loved him, and that was the best news he had ever heard in a long time. "Rain?" Annie called out as her hand reached to touch his back. ''Did he really believe what I said?'' she thought. "Shh!" Rain suddenly looked up at her. "Don''t talk. Let me take a close look at you." He cupped her face and gazed at her affectionately. All this time, he had thought that she didn''t love him anymore. But now, things were different. He didn''t know what he needed to do. Right now, all he wanted to do was to kiss her right then and there. His face inched closer to hers, his breath hot on her face. Annie was surprised, but she didn''t resist. Just when their lips were about to meet, Joyce groaned, waking up from her sleep. Annie and Rain straightened up right away. "Uh, I''m going check on Joyce." Annie stood and walked up to Joyce. Rain was a little disappointed, but a strong raging fire was starting to burn inside him. This was the chance he had waited so many years for. It was just a matter of time for them to get back together. Chapter 1713 The Proposal (Part One) "Mommy, I feel sick," Joyce cried out softly. The pain caused by the high fever was bing unbearable to her. "Don''t worry, Joyce, you will be fine soon. Just take a good rest. When you wake up, I promise you will feel better, sweetheart," Annie murmured gently as she patted Joyce on her back in an attempt to console her. Rain came over and put the back of his hand on Joyce''s forehead to gauge her temperature. It didn''t feel as hot as before. The fever seemed to have reduced. "She''ll sleep well. The fever is almost gone. We can go home after a while," Rain said as he smoothed down Annie''s messy hair. She had rushed over to the hospital in such a hurry that she didn''t have time to put on a coat orb her hair. Fortunately, the room was equipped with a heater, so Rain didn''t need to worry that she might catch a cold. "Okay." Annie turned her head to the side timidly, avoiding his touch. She was embarrassed by how she had lost control of her emotions and thrown a tantrum at him just moments ago. "Bring Joyce to my ceter. I will send someone to pick up Huey in the morning, all right?" Rain suggested, feeling uneasy. He feared that Annie would refuse his offer once again. "I¡­" Annie was caught in a dilemma. She didn''t want to agree, as she somehow felt that there was no valid reason for her to stay over at his ce. She was not his legal wife. If she refused, there would be little chance that they would be together again. It was a difficult and momentous choice that would decide their fate together. "Annie, I know what you are concerned about. You are not secure around me because I used to be a womanizer. But I''ve changed, Annie. I promise you, from now on, I will only love you and the kids. No one else holds a ce in my heart. Just give me a cha pouted, looking unhappy. She was the daughter of the British C Financial Group''s CEO and had always lived a luxurious life. If it were not for Rain, she would not have left herfortable home and traveled this far. She was a girl born with a silver spoon in her mouth and was easily hurt when someone talked to her harshly. That way, she could be very obstinate. "Okay, I promise." As long as she was willing to marry him, Rain would do whatever she wanted. Even if she asked him to p himself, he would relent! "Get up. You look so stupid down there." Annie didn''t think it was possible for her to forget Rain in this lifetime. She wanted to give their rtionship another chance. They might not have a perfect ending, but at the very least, they would make some beautiful memories together. She was just being realistic, not cynical. In these times, it was not umon for a marriage to break. Rain had always been a yboy. Today, he might feel as if he loved her so much that he couldn''t live without her. But tomorrow, he might feel the same about another woman. "Then it''s a yes?" Rain asked his idiotic question again. His IQ must have fallen to zero because he was so in love. Chapter 1714 The Proposal (Part Two) "If you keep asking me that question, I will probably change my mind." Annie was shy about saying a straightforward yes, but Rain wasn''t getting the hint. He kept trying to force an answer out of her. It was beyond annoying. "Really? Annie, I must be the happiest man in the world right now," Rain said loudly in excitement. Rain lifted her to his chest and spun her around. "Shush! Be quiet. Don''t wake Joyce up!" Annie shushed him with a forefinger to his lips, throwing a quick look at Joyce. She was satisfied to see that they hadn''t disturbed Joyce in her sleep. "Don''t worry. The fever just went down. She must be sound asleep." Rain lowered his head and leaned closer to Annie. She could feel the warm breathing from him. Only a second before Rain could taste her luscious lips, a perfunctory cough broke the silence. "Excuse me! Sorry, I didn''t barge in on purpose and disturb your private moment. I just wanted to check if Joyce''s fever is gone." Tom gulped as Rain red at him. He forced a smile and went to Joyce''s bedside. Rain gritted his teeth. Tom was shameless enough to say that interrupting them was not his intention, that jerk! He could have private moments with his wife whenever he wanted, but Rain was a single man. He finally got the chance to kiss his girl but lo and behold, Tom just popped out from nowhere at the critical moment! If he truly didn''t want to disturb them, he could have ignored them and quietly walked away. But instead, he made the sound just to startle the couple. Rain could tell from the sheer amusement on Tom''s face that he had been fibbing. He just wanted to annoy Rain. "She''s all right. The fever is down. I prescribed some medicines for her. You must remember to give them to her on time. I have also prescribed her an anti-pyretic. Give it to her when her temperature gets over 38.5. Clear?" Tom babbled on, dodging Rain''s pointed, burning gaze. It could havebusted him on spot. ''Huh, does he really need to be so elief. She could rest well now. "When did you prepare all this?" It never urred to Annie that he would have set up rooms for the kids. She was moved by his actions. "It was when I got to know they are my kids. I wanted us to reunite one day, so I asked the designer to n the kids'' rooms and decorate them. It was all very quick. All work was done within one week." Rain smiled intively. Unfortunately, he had been turned down by Anniest time. But his efforts weren''t in vain. The kids would live in their new rooms now that their family was reunited. It was a happy ending. "Thank you! Don''t say I shouldn''t be thankful. I mean it. I want to express my gratitude to you." Annie''s eyes reddened. Who didn''t want to be cherished like this? Rain had been so generous to them. "Silly girl. We''re family. Don''t say thank you to me ever again. I''ll forgive you for now, but just this once." Rain shushed her with his forefinger. He focused his eyes on her intently, his gaze full of affection. The deep love that had been kept locked up in his heart for so many years seemed to surge up. "You should go and take a shower. Take some rest. I can stay with Joyce." Annie assumed that he was exhausted after his journey in the flight. He had been beside Joyce, taking care of her in the hospital for so long too. Chapter 1715 The Proposal (Part Three) "I''m not tired. It''s a pleasure to take care of my kid. But I may need a good bath." Just like Edward, Rain too was a germophobe. He paid excessive attention to personal hygiene. "Okay, go then." Annie avoided meeting his passionate gaze. She was overwhelmed by his enthusiasm tonight. Rain lowered his head and nted a gentle kiss on Joyce''s forehead, before turning around and leaving the room. After he left, Annie nced around the room with curiosity. The room had pink sheets, pink curtains and pink furniture. Everything was pink. It was the kind of room that appeared in the fantasies of every little girl who wished she was a princess. Annie was struck by tangled feelings when she thought about starting their new life. Whether or not their life would be happy - Annie didn''t know yet. But she should at least give it a try, not just for her sake but for the kids. Rain finished with his shower and walked in Joyce''s room, seeing that Annie had already fallen asleep by Joyce''s side. Annie had been exhausted. She had been running around with the kids all day, and at night, Joyce had fallen ill. Annie''s energy was consumed up. Fatigue got the better of her and she dozed off. Rain picked her up in his arms silently and tucked her in beside Joyce. He sat on the chair beside the bed. Tom had said that Joyce would need extra attention during the night. Rain didn''t dare go to sleep, fearing that Joyce might get feverish once again. Next morning, Annie blinked open her eyes, feeling that something was amiss. Yes, it was the room that Joyce had stayed inst night. But where was Joyce? She was not beside her. Besides, why was she lying in bed? She didn''t remember having gone to bedst night. "Joyce! Joyce!" Annie got up and walked out of the room without even wearing her shoes. As she walked toward the stairs, she heard joyfulughtering from the dining room. The sound was familiar to her. It was indeed Joyce. Doubtful, Annie wal could step on the floor, however, Rain gripped her arm. "Put on the shoes first," Rain said as he stood up with her and picked up a pair of cotton-padded shoes from somewhere. "Thanks." Annie put on the shoes and pushed past his shoulder without turning around to look at him. She felt it would be dangerous if she stayed here for a second longer. "Daddy, what''s wrong with Mommy?" Joyce asked, her expression curious. "Nothing. Your Mommy is just being shy." Rain grinned, no longer looking like a yboy. Instead, he had transformed into a loving family man. "Oh! I see. Huh. Mommy is shy!" Joyce giggled, her shoulders hunched. Her mouth was covered by her hand in an attempt to be silent. "Don''t say it to her face. She would blush and get embarrassed." Rain was just learning how to get along with his daughter. He hoped that Joyce would ept him as her father in a short time. He recalled how Joyce had said once that she liked Fred more than him. Rain was determined to double up his efforts to win Joyce''s heart. After breakfast, Rain went to Annie''s house. Joyce had notpletely recovered and Annie had to stay back to look after her. Rain needed to pick up some essentials for them from Annie''s house. As for the rest of the stuff, Rain nned to move it all to his house some dayster. Chapter 1716 I Will Be With You As Long As You Want Me (Part One) Huey didn''t know that things could change so fast, almost overnight. When he opened his eyes, everything was different, like his life hadpletely changed in the blink of an eye. He was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness. So, when he saw Rain, he immediately ran towards him and threw himself into his father''s arms. It was the first time that he could act like a boy his age. Huey had always maintained a cool and collected facade. It was rare for him to show his true feelings. "Daddy, are we going to live with you forever from now on? We will not be apart again, right?" Huey''s small voice trembled with barely contained excitement, but also fear at his father''s answer. After years without a father, his joy was only marred by the threat of losing Rain again. "Yes! Does that make you happy?" Rain assured him with a huge hug and a sound kiss on his cheek. He was also thrilled that he finally had a family of his own, and he couldn''t wait to start the new chapter of his life with them. "Yes! I am really, really happy!" It was understandable why Huey was this happy. Because now, he was finally like other kids and had two parents. He finally had a mommy and a daddy. He finally had a whole family like he had always wanted. Being reunited with your family was a joy which couldn''t be articted to others. At the prospect of living happily together from now on, Huey''s little heart skipped a beat. Always a cautious child he was aware that there were people who could be jealous and petty and threaten their contentment. He had already decided in his young mind that he would fight for his new family. No one was going to steal their joy. Back at the FX International Group. "Congrattions! I heard that Annie ''actually'' said yes to your proposal," Edward said with a teasing grin. In fact, his heart was really happy for Rain, and it showed in his easy smile. He was d that Rain had found Annie and that they had been able to make up. Life was full of surprises and it had gifted them with two beautiful children. Now, Rain also had a family that he in a good mood recently. So, the price of borrowing bodyguards from him might be exorbitantly high." Edward shrugged helplessly. Recently, the atmosphere at their home was chilled with confrontations between his parents. "Why is that? Does it have something to do with your mom? Maybe she stared at some other handsome guy and made your dad jealous?" Rain asked, his curiosity piqued. In fact, things like that constantly happened with Edward''s parents. "Something like that," Edward grumbled, not knowing what to say about his parents. They were both over fifty, but sometimes, they still acted like children with endless bickering and squabbling. "Okay, fine. If that''s what it takes, then I will have to pay a lot," Rain said with a helpless sigh, pretending to be sad at spending extra money. But in fact, he was never short of money. He just hoped that Edward''s father would not give him a hard time, and make the arrangements swiftly. "Just pray to God to let the two of them make up soon." The corners of Edward''s lips lifted into a sardonic smirk. It was somewhat entertaining to watch his friend agonize about these minor details. "All right, all right. As long as he is happy and agrees to lend me some bodyguards, I don''t mind spending extra money." Rain was unconcerned about the money. Annie and his children were now his priority. He rose and prepared to leave. Chapter 1717 I Will Be With You As Long As You Want Me (Part Two) "So, if you''re fine with paying more, then I can tell my father to charge you even more." Edward said in a yful tone, though, he was just messing with Rain. Of course he wouldn''t do that. "What the hell, Edward? I am broke as fuck! Besides, now I have a wife and two kids to provide for! You just can''t do that to me!" Rain whined aloud. Had he known that Edward might do this, he wouldn''t have acted that he didn''t care about money at all. "Well, it''s out of my hands. You''ll have to discuss it with my father." Edward didn''t lend any credence to Rain''sints. He knew that Rain was a wealthy man. He earned more money at the FX International Group in a year, than most people earned in their whole life-time. He could easily afford to pay for professional bodyguards. "Well, I don''t dare toin to your father." He knew how frightening Edward''s father could be, and he would never seek to cross him. That would never happen. "Then there is nothing I can do about it." Edward just shrugged helplessly with an indifferent look on his face, acting like there was really nothing he could do to help Rain. "All right, all right, if that makes you happy. I have to go now. There are other matters that require my attention. And Edward, remember what I said." With these words and a small wave, Rain headed for the door and a mission of great importance to him. "Where are you going?" Edward asked him with a knowing glint in his eyes. "I''ll tell youter, don''t miss me too much." Rain replied over his shoulder without a backward nce, and then he was gone. "What a cheeky bastard," Edward mumbled under his breath, feeling amused. Rain had a new lease on life, it seemed, but to be honest, Edward was really happy for his friend. For a moment longer Edward studied the door which Rain had disappeared through, then he picked up some reports and continued working. Today they were filming themercial outdoors, so Annie was weighed down by a big backpack loaded with jewelry samples and anything else that she might need. Despite it still being winter, Annie had ayer of sweat beading her brow. Shooting outdoors was really tiring. "Miss An, r in ce with an angry,. stone cold re. Though he acted calm and collected, inside he fumed over Eleanor''s attitude and words. He wouldn''t stand for his wife-to-be being treated like dirt by some random and insignificant woman. Annie hadn''t expected Rain''s arrival either; so, she felt unsure of how to react now. It was embarrassing for her that Rain was seeing her being treated so disrespectfully by a model. It was humiliating that it appeared like she couldn''t deal with Eleanor herself, and needed Rain''s help. "Um. You... you misunderstood. It''s just us girls teasing and bantering. It was a joke, really. Am I right, Miss An?" Eleanor''s eyes pleaded with Annie for support and help out of this awful mess she was now in. But of course Annie wouldn''t help her after her appalling attitude towards her. She just ignored Eleanor and pretended not to notice her silent appeal. Instead, she lowered her head and started sorting out the contents of the backpack. "Well, it seems, Miss Xiao, that you really enjoy acting. If you like acting so much, then I have a golden opportunity for your skills. Ourpany just signed on the production of a new movie. There is a role in the flick that is quite suitable for you, in my opinion." Rain''s tone was businesslike, but there was a cold mirth flickering in his eyes. Of course he wouldn''t let this woman''s insulting treatment of his beloved go unpunished. She would surely pay for her actions. Chapter 1718 I Will Be With You As Long As You Want Me (Part Three) "Re... Really? You are not pulling my leg? Am I going to be the lead actress, Mr. Xia?" Eleanor stuttered, somewhat surprised. She had feared that Rain would be unhappy with her, after witnessing the interaction between Annie and her. What she would never have expected was that he would offer her the chance to appear on the big screen. She was so happy that her eyes were shining with excitement. Upon hearing Rain''s words, Annie felt utterly confused. She turned to look at Rain with a muddled stare. She had no idea what he was trying to do. Why would he reward Eleanor, the woman who just insulted his babies'' mother, with a chance to be on the big screen? She just couldn''t understand. "You are wrong, but not by much. You are not going to be the leading actress. You are ying her maid. I heard that it is a very difficult role. The main character likes to torture her maid. I was just wondering who I was going to choose to y that part, then I saw you! What a nice coincidence. Clearly, there is no one who is more suitable for that role than you. Besides, since you enjoy acting so much -- who am I to deny your desire to act? The role is yours. You are most wee." Rain''s tone was sarcastic and snarky. Eleanor really did overestimate her charms. Rain couldn''t possibly dislike her more than he did at that moment. Who was she to insult the woman he loved like that? She was surely too arrogant for her own good. "Ha ha!" Annie couldn''t help butugh out loud. She had thought that Rain was really giving Eleanor a chance to be famous. But it seemed that she was wrong. Rain was really something else. How did hee up with such a good idea to punish Eleanor so swiftly? Annie really couldn''t figure it out. Eleanor red apoplectically at Annie upon hearing herugh. If looks could kill, A are my family." Rain was never the type of man to hide his feelings. He was not afraid to show everyone that he was in love with Annie. It was the truth after all, and he shouldn''t want to hide it. That was why Rain was being honest, and didn''t mind others knowing about their rtionship. "Wh... what? What did you say? It... it can''t be real! It shouldn''t be! You are lying, right?" Eleanor was so shocked that she couldn''t even stand on her own legs. Her body was shaking and it seemed that she was about to faint. Luckily, a nearby crew-member gave her a hand and steadied her so she didn''t fall to the ground. "Of course, I wasn''t lying. Why can''t it be real? Anyway, what is it to do with you, Miss Xiao? Huh?" Rage had now filtered into Rain''s face and he smiled darkly, but the smile didn''t reach his stone cold eyes. Eleanor was an insect caught in the re of his hard stare. "I would have known about it, if you were really married! You must be lying!" Eleanor continued protesting dumbly, totally confused. She couldn''t believe her own ears. It was a huge mess. If Rain really was Annie''s husband, then who was the man she saw with Anniest time? Eleanor couldn''t think straight anymore. Chapter 1719 I Will Be With You As Long As You Want Me (Part Four) "Ha! You are really funny, Miss Xiao. Why would I lie about something like this? Besides, why should I tell you if I am married or not? It is none of your business! I have nothing to do with you. Even if I had, you would not have the right to know, let alone judge my decision! You are nothing to me." Ever since he found out about Eleanor''s designs on him, he had been keeping his distance from her. He didn''t want to cause any false rumors about the two of them at all. Now, it seemed that he had been wise to keep his distance. She was an arrogant and vicious woman. What? Did she really think that she could tame him and make him fall in love with her? That was just in ridiculous! It would never happen, not even in her wildest dreams. You could call Rain arrogant and self-absorbed all you wanted, but he had just known that Eleanor would never be good enough for him. "But why does it have to be her? Why Annie?" Eleanor was confused and furious at the same time. She could not understand what Rain saw in Annie. In her mind, she should be the one standing beside Rain and being loved and spoiled by him. Why did it have to be Annie? Why? After all, she had a hotter and nicer body than Annie. And she was younger than Annie, too. She was better than her in every possible way! Why couldn''t Rain see it? Was he blind? What did Annie have, that she didn''t? Sure, she was an elegant designer, Eleanor couldn''t deny that. But that was it. That was all Annie had going for her. ''She has nothing on me!'' Eleanor thought indignantly. "Why? Ha, you are really ridiculous, Miss Xiao! You don''t have the right to demand any answers from me. But tell you what, I will be generous and put you out of your misery. I chose her because she is the mother of my kids, and she is therefore the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I love her, and that will never chang Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ervous and hesitant. "Will you say no? If you want to refuse me, now is yourst chance." Rain stared into her eyes, serious as hell. He might have seemed to be calm and collected; but, inside he was so nervous that he felt he might ruin everything by retching. He held his breath, waiting for Annie''s answer. "And what about you? Must I give you the chance to say no, too?" Annie had been pondering all considerations for thest few days. And she had made up her mind. Instead of hesitating and waiting for the right time toe, she would rather seize every chance at happiness and face everything that was going to happen to her. She wasn''t afraid to face challenges with Rain, and she knew that they could do it. As long as they fought together, they would be happy in the end. "No, of course I won''t. I want you! Then, does it mean that you are ready to marry me?" Rain asked her for thest time, wanting to make sure that she was really ready to marry him. He didn''t want to waste more time, for they had wasted too much time already. Besides, he didn''t want anyone else to sweep her off her feet before he had a chance, especially not Fred. He was his biggestpetition. Rain just had to make Annie his as soon as possible. Chapter 1720 I Will Be With You As Long As You Want Me (Part Five) "Yes, I am ready! I will be with you as long as you want me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I am sure of it." Annie nodded firmly, looking at Rain with determination andrge affectionate eyes. She took Rain''s hand and walked into the building with him, finally having no regrets. And by the time the two of them left the building, she had already be Mrs. Xia legally. "Congrattions, Miss An. You are Mrs. Xia from now on. How do you feel right now?" Rain reached his hand out to shake hands with Annie, sealing their deal, and trying to keep a straight face at the same time. In fact, he just couldn''t contain his happy grin. He was finally married to the woman he loved! "Congrattions to you too, Mr. Xia. Now you finally have a wife. How do you feel right now?" Annie reached out and took Rain''s hand in hers. They were finally married after all these years'' suffering and waiting. She finally had the man she had been in love with, and chasing for years. Now, they were a legal couple, and they had their own little family. They couldn''t wait to start their married life. "I feel like kissing you. I really want to kiss you, right now!" Rain said in a fervent tone. And before Annie could react, he put his lips on hers and held her tightly in his arms. Though it was not the first time that the two of them kissed, it felt like the first time. Now, they kissed as a bona fide married couple, and their passionate kiss showed their deep love for each other. Kissing in public would surely make some heads turn, but they didn''t care at all. They just got married for God''s sake! They were happy and needed the kiss to celebrate their love and seal their promise. Besides, this was the local Civil Affairs Bureau after all, and they were not the only ones who were here to get married. People here would surely understand their feelings. It was a sacred ce, and it was also the ce where they became legal partners. Unfortunately, right as th Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ver be in love with Fred. So, no matter what, she owed it to him to rify things, and give him a proper exnation. After all, Fred had just confessed his feelings for her the other day. If not for that, she could have pretended that she was unaware of his feelings, and everything would have been fine. But now, she just couldn''t act like nothing happened between them. She would set things straight. It was just that today was really not the time. This was their day. The day that she and Rain got married, and it belonged to the man she would spend the rest of her life with. It was time for celebration and being with their family. "Oh, okay. I will wait for your call then." Fred''s heart had sunk into his stomach. He couldn''t help but fear the worst. She wouldn''t even tell him her new address for God''s sake! He felt sad and uneasy. It seemed that they were suddenly drifting apart, and it was not something that Fred wanted. He was in love with Annie, and he wanted to be with her. He knew he was pressuring her, but he just couldn''t help it. He had a bad feeling that he was about to lose her. Thinking of this dark possibility, Fred just couldn''t breathe. His heart throbbed painfully in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe properly. It felt like his whole world was crumbling in front of his eyes. Chapter 1721 Let Her Go (Part One) After hanging up the phone, Annie took a look at Rain, trying to gauge his mood. To her surprise, Rain grinned at her. "Let''s go!" he said. "Let''s go back home!" It was not like he wasn''t a little suspicious of Fred. He was, but he knew that Annie was right here. Right now. With him. He just learned to rx and let it go. Annie made an appointment to meet Fred the next day. Before she got to the meeting ce, she felt somewhat embarrassed. She had made this big decision all of a sudden, and everyone would be blown away if they knew. Sitting at a table beside the window and waiting for Fred, Annie looked out the window, staring at the passers-by outside hurrying about their business. It was for the first time in her life that she felt close to this city, because from now on she could live happily here, with her family. "Sorry I''mte," Fred said as soon as he arrived. He was decked out in a formal suit and a woolen overcoat. He looked like a dapper gentleman. "No, you''re notte. I got here early," Annie said. Since she was the one who suggested they meet, she had gone out quite early. She didn''t want to keep Fred waiting. "You''re in a good mood," Fred said, taking off his coat and putting it over the back of the chair. He observed her carefully this whole time. "Really? Thank you!" Annie touched her face with her hand in embarrassment. She could feel her blush. "Something to drink?" Fred felt dejected. Annie looked different today. She was strong and happy. It bubbled up from within her, and anyone close to her could feel it. "I already ordered," Annie said with a faint smile. "I got you your favorite coffee," she continued. She wore a faint smile on her face, which wouldn''t look offending to the eye. "Joyce and Huey all right? I hope they weren''t too pooped after the pic the other day," Fred beat about the bush. He was ufortable asking why she had moved. "They''re okay. Joyce had a high fever, but she''s good now," Annie kept her head low. She didn''t want to look him in the eye. "What? A fever? You must have been worried! Why didn''t you call?" Fred asked. He was annoyed. He med himself for forgetting that the wind at the countryside was a bit too cold for the kids. All he had wanted was to make them happy. "It waste, and I didn''t want to bother you. Besides, you don''t really know your way around here, huh?" Annie said, frowning. Really, she was ufortable as well. She was try nnie answered the phone. She liked Leena because she knew Rain cared about her very much. "You at home?" Leena asked. Since Rain had asked Leena to design a wedding dress for Annie, she had to get her measurements. After all, it was winter, and everyone was all bundled up, so you couldn''t just eyeball it. "Yeah. Youing over?" Annie responded to her with open arms though she had no idea why Leena was asking all this. "Hmm! I''ll be about a half-hour." Leena sprang to her feet when she heard Annie would be home. Thefort of the sofa could wait. "Okay, I''ll be here," Annie hung up. Remembering how she had misinterpreted Rain and Leena''s rtionship before, she broke into giggles. Leena appeared at Rain''s vi half an hourter, just like she had said. She still looked like a sweet middle school student though she was actually a mother now. "Leena,e in! You must be cold," Annie said. She opened the door and walked out to receive Leena as soon as she heard the sound of a car. When she came out, Leena was getting out of the car. "Naw, wind''s not too strong today," Leena jogged into the house,ughing. She got cold easily, so she was bundled up in severalyers. "Where''s Richard? Why didn''t you take him with you?" Annie asked out of curiosity. "He''s at home. It''s too cold outside. I didn''t want him to get sick," Leena answered. She came here to work. If she had taken him with her, she would be very likely to have left her work half-finished when they left. "Here... a cup of tea to warm you up," Annie poured a cup of steaming tea for the girl. She wondered why Leena came to see her. Chapter 1722 Let Her Go (Part Two) "Mmm! Thanks! Joyce and Huey are at school right now?" Leena raised her head to look around. Rain''s vi was not strange to her, but she found that many things were new this time. "Yeah! They''d raise a ruckus if they stayed home." Annie sat down opposite to Leena. They both were from well-off families, but Leena looked much quieter than Annie. "That''s right. I heard you registered for marriage. Congrattions! So when''s the ceremony?" Leena congratted Annie from the bottom of her heart. They were just like family. "Thanks! But we haven''t nned a wedding ceremony," Annie looked at her in confusion. "Maybe Rain wants to surprise you! He told me to design a unique wedding dress for you," Leena said. She had never worn a wedding dress. She wasn''t quite sure how she felt about that. Regret, maybe? But all her regrets could change into happiness as long as she was together with the person she loved. "Really? You''re a designer?" Annie asked. Still with a suspicious attitude, she could not believe what Leena had said. "Hmm! Yeah, I''ming here to measure you. Something wrong?" Leena could not help but burst intoughter. Then she opened the bag she took with her and took out a tape measure and a notebook. "No one told me," Annie said. She thought they were only registering for marriage. After all, they had already had two kids. She hadn''t expected that he would give her a spectacr wedding ceremony. She''d be lying if she said she wasn''t surprised. "That''s exactly why I said that it would be a surprise! Annie, I need to measure you now," Leena said, walking towards Annie, tape measure in hand. "Okay," Annie stood up to cooperate, with an expression of shyness on her face. She had thought that Leena was a full-time housewife, but she turned out to be a designer too. Same as her, only that they designed different things. "Hmm... you''re in good shape. Standard BWH ratios," Leena could not help but praise Annie after measuring her vital statistics to make sure to get the right fit. Even she herself didn''t have such nice proportions. "I think you''re in better shape," Annie replied. Standing side by side, Annie was shorter than Leena by about half a head. That was inevitable, because Leena was almost 5''6, while Annie was only a hair over 5''3. But Annie was taller than Michelle by about one or two inches. In other words, Michelle was the shortest one among them. "I''m only a little taller than you. But I think I''m getting fat," Leena said sadly. That was her sore spot. Since she had giv Duke when they got married! They were beautiful. So I decided to have her work her magic on us. We shouldn''t belittle her. After all, she is the brand designer of LN," Rain said, which he hadn''t known in the beginning. Leena had hid that from everyone for some time. "Really? She''s that high-up, huh?!" Annie was so surprised that she opened her mouth. It was really shocking news for her, because LN had branched out into various fields, and their new products had always sold out in the shortest time, creating a legendary fairy tale in the fashion circles. Annie had never imagined that she''d ever get to meet a big name designer, much less a nice one like Leena. "Yeah! She''s excellent! That''s why I asked her for help. She agreed to help because we know her. If someone else asked her to design a dress, she would probably blow them off. She''s good to her friends," Rain said proudly. Although she had to look after Richard recently, her prestige had risen step by step. So Leena was a role model: a sessful woman who neglected neither family nor career. "Oh wow! I need to get her autograph!" Annie was more than a little excited. "Come on! Are you kidding?!" Rain was left almost speechless, a rare event. "If you enter our field one day, you will know how much we worship a talented designer," Annie was not exaggerating. As a designer who hadn''t made it past the local scene, she was still inferior to a big brand like Leena''s. "Probably not, But it''s fine with me. You don''t understand my world, and I don''t understand yours, either." Rain said, shaking his head. Fortunately Leena was a female. If she were a man, Rain would be sure to envy her because of Annie''s admiration. Chapter 1723 Bad Guys Started Plotting Again (Part One) When Leena got to the army base, it was still early. She had thought of going to the militarypound to visit the wives of the soldiers, but she finally decided against it. She was worried that she might stay too long and get dyed. Every time she came to the army base, she could not help but respect the soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the country. She was very proud to meet them and get to know them. She was also proud that she, herself was also the wife of a soldier and thus felt some sort of affinity to them. That was why every time she came, she looked at everything and everyone with admiration. But she didn''t expect to immediately see Daisy. She ran into her even before she got to see her own husband. "Leena, what are you doing here?" Daisy called out as she spotted Leena. Asking Mark to stop the car, Daisy got out with a pleasantly surprised look on her face. She wasn''t expecting to see Leena here at the army base. "Hello, Daisy. Are you off work?" Leena couldn''t help but feel a bit embarrassed seeing Daisy. A faint but noticeable blush quickly appeared on her cheeks. Her ears also turned slightly red. She thought she coulde and find Kevin without anyone knowing. But to her surprise, Daisy saw her from the car. A beautiful girl like her would be visible even from afar. "Yeah. Why are you here? Are you here to pick Kevin up? It seems like you can''t wait for him toe home, huh!" Daisy teased Leena with an elbow nudge and a yful smirk on her face. She could tell from Leena''s sudden rosy cheeks that she was here to see Kevin, and that she must miss her husband that bad. That could be the only reason that she came here today. Leena just couldn''t wait still at home for Kevin to get off work. She wanted to see him so badly that she decided toe to the army base to pick him up herself. This way, she could see him sooner. "No! Of course not. I was just bored and had nothing else to do. Also, I am just out for a stroll. Nothing more." Daisy had seen through her but Leena still tried to exin defensively, the faint glow on her face bing redder and more sides, sometimes you just behave like one." Daisy couldn''t help but roll her eyes fondly at Leena. She was still the precious little sister that everyone loved and spoiled. This while she already had a kid of her own. Nobody could ever deny that. "Sis Daisy!" huffed Leena indignantly. She knew she was acting childish, but she just couldn''t help it. "All right, all right. I won''t tease you anymore. I should get going. And you wait here for your husband. Good-bye!" Daisy said seriously and stopped teasing. She waved her hand and turned around to get back inside the car. "Bye, Daisy! Be safe." Leena watched Daisy''s car drive away. Then she let out a weak sigh, d that the teasing was over. She then continued to patiently wait until her husband got off work. From that time, the wait took quite a bit. Just when Leena thought that Kevin wouldn''te out, there he was, walking fast to his car with Lee trailing behind him, like Daisy said. When she saw Kevin''s car drive out towards her, Leena was almost frozen to death. She didn''t wait in the car as Daisy advised. Because she wanted to see Kevin as soon as he came out, she just stood outside the car the whole time. She could miss seeing Kevin if she just stayed inside. "Major General, howe Leena is here?" Lee was surprised to see Leena there. He didn''t expect to see the Major General''s wife standing there waiting for her husband. . Chapter 1724 Bad Guys Started Plotting Again (Part Two) "Hmm, howe, indeed! Okay Lee, you can drive home by yourself. Obviously, I''m going with my wife." After these words, Kevin quickly got out of the car. Ever since they moved to the vi, Lee had been staying with them. The vi was big and had a few spacious guestrooms. Lee had been staying in one of them as it was convenient for both Lee and Kevin, as far as work was concerned. "Kevin! There you are!" The corners of Leena''s mouth lifted into a happy grin as soon as she saw him walking towards her. Her cheeks were unusually red standing in the cold for too long. The wind was blowing strongly that it must be hurting her face. "Hey you! What are you doing here? And why do you wait out in the cold. You should have given me a call, you silly girl! Look at you, all frozen and shivering!" Kevin reached out to touch her red cheek. As soon as he felt the coldness of it, he couldn''t help but furrow his eyebrows into a tight frown. Her warm breath was creating small clouds of mist and her lips were trembling. Concerned that his wife might fall ill, Kevin immediately helped her into the car and turned the heater on. "I ran into Daisy just a few minutes earlier. She told me that you were giving your report to themander. So I didn''t want to be a bother and interrupt your work. You were about to finish anyway. Besides, I don''t mind waiting for you. Not even in this cold weather." With these words, Leena put her cold hands in front of her mouth and blew on them to keep warm. Daisy told her that Kevin would be out soon, so she just waited and didn''t want to call him to inform him that she was here. But to her surprise, it took almost an hour for Kevin to get off work. And by the time he found out that she came, Leena was almost freezing. "Now you know that you should have waited in the car, right? Look at you! You are shivering!" Kevin said in a seriously concerned tone, but he still took her hands in his and tried to warm them too. He was afraid that she would catch a fever after staying out in this kind of weather. "I am fine. Don''t worry about me. You should worry about your own e. Love was really a mystery, something amazing to have and to give. Leena could see every little special thing about Kevin, and she would just fall in love with each one of them. Leena spent a whole week designing the dress for Annie. And while she was busy with it, Rain went back to the UK with Annie and their two kids. Though he was beaten up by his brother-inw, he still got the approval he always wanted. He deserved it anyway. Annie''s family had agreed to let him marry their own little princess and Rain couldn''t be happier. Annie was also thrilled when she heard the good news, and she was in a very good mood the next few days. But her good mood didn''tst too long when the perennially annoying,pany bitch came up to pester her. "Annie An, is Mr. Xia really married to you?" Eleanor just couldn''t bite her tongue. She felt so upset and jealous when she saw the big and beautiful wedding ring on Annie''s finger. She just couldn''t understand how she had lost to this ordinary designer in front of her. Why? Why wasn''t she, the beautiful Eleanor the one whom Rain chose to marry? "Yes. Hard to believe, right? He is my husband now and that makes me Mrs. Xia!" Annie raised her head and replied in a firm tone. She looked at her with calm eyes, unafraid to face an insecure woman like Eleanor. In her eyes, Eleanor was just a childish and spoiled model who needed to know her ce. Chapter 1725 Bad Guys Started Plotting Again (Part Three) "Is that so? I think you two are just pretending to be a couple. That ring isn''t real, right? Everyone here in S City knows that Mr. Xia is the most eligible bachelor here. You can''t fool me!" Eleanor was still in denial that a yboy like Rain would get married to someone like Annie. She had pondered and thought for a few days, and this was the exnation that she thought was the most believable. From what she had heard about Rain, he was never the type of man who would settle down. Besides, she didn''t think that a woman like Annie would catch his eye, let alone marry him. "He was the golden bachelor before. But not anymore. He is happily married now. Married to me. Certain people need to get over it and have some closure." Annie stared at Eleanor in the eye while saying it. If Eleanor made that assumption a week ago, she would have still been right. Because at that time, Annie and Rain weren''t married yet and Rain was still the famous golden bachelor in the city. Rain had legally be her husband and the father of her two kids now. "Ha ha ha! It looks like I truly underestimated you. You are something else, Annie An. You got Mr. Xia wrapped around your finger so easily," Eleanor snorted, jealousy evident in her voice. She just couldn''t make peace with the fact that Annie was the one Rain loved and married. Now, all her previous ns had be dreams that would nevere true. She felt frustrated that all her efforts had been in vain, but she just wouldn''t want to admit defeat. "Thank you." Annie didn''t get angry at Eleanor''s attitude. She just epted her words as a nicepliment. She knew that Eleanor was just angry that she couldn''t have Rain anymore. Besides, she was not in the mood to argue with such a vile and fake woman. She had better things to do. As far as she was concerned, Eleanor was a loser on so many levels. "But don''t be so sure of yourself, yet. Though Mr. Xia is married to you right now, it doesn''t mean that you can have him forever. Nowadays, getting a divorce is just asmon as getting a new pair of shoes. So be careful. He may fall in love with another woman one day and leave you like a wasted pile of leftovers, e person in that family with a good reputation. So Annie didn''t want anything to do with them. To be honest, she did not even want to be in this meeting now. "No. You are the one I wanted to see. Annie An, right? I heard that you got pregnant with that bastard, Rain''s kids and had two, before you even got married. Am I right?" Eugenia nced at Annie with disdain evident in her eyes. For her, Annie was just a small jewelry designer, nothing more. She had nothing to be afraid of. She wasn''t rich nor famous, and she only had Rain behind her, which didn''t amount to anything. That was the reason why she didn''t care about her manners and the way she chose her words. She hated Rain, and of course she didn''t like the woman who gave birth to Rain''s kids either. "Please be careful with your words. That''s my husband you are talking about," Annie said in a stone cold tone. She was furious at Eugenia''s attitude, but they were in a public ce right now, so she didn''t want to cause any drama. She hated it when anyone said any bad things about her husband or anyone she cared about. Who was this woman to call Rain a bastard? "Ha! Funny. A shameless bitch asking me to be careful of my words. That''s a first time." Eugenia kept saying these vicious and hurtful words to insult Annie and her family. Her behavior didn''t fit in with the way she dressed or her status. To be honest, she was way more like the shameless bitch between the two of them. Chapter 1726 Bad Guys Started Plotting Again (Part Four) "Excuse me! If you invited me to this meeting only to insult me and my family, then there is no reason for me to stay here any longer," Annie said while getting up from the chair. She was beyond furious right now. Had she known that Eugenia was such a mean and foul mouthed woman, she would never even have taken the effort to leave the house ande here in the first ce. She deeply regretted evering here. What was she thinking? Not only was it a waste of time, but now, some stranger had unnecessarily insulted her and her family. It would have been avoided if she had just stayed home. "Wait a minute. Why in a hurry to leave? I am not finished with my words yet. What? Are you afraid that I will do something to you?" Eugenia said slowly in an arrogant tone. She even picked up her cup of coffee and had a sip without looking at Annie, as if she was sure that Annie would not leave. She could bet that Annie was still curious about why she had asked her out here in the first ce. "I am not afraid of you. I just don''t have time to listen to your vicious words," Annie retorted back. She stopped in her tracks, but she didn''t sit down. She just looked down at Eugenia with a cold look on her face. She was nice, but it didn''t mean that she would let anyone insult her like that. "Hah! You are too arrogant and cocky for a small jewelry designer." As soon as Eugenia heard that there was a woman in Rain''s life, she immediately started looking into it. She had someone checking Annie''s background until she thought she knew enough about her. She was just a jewelry designer that caught Rain''s eyes only because she had his children. She was a nobody, and shouldn''t have that kind of confidence and arrogance. "Do you have something against jewelry designers? I make a living using my own talent." Annie gritted her teeth and gripped her hands into tight fists. She had never been this angry before. And to be honest, it was also her first time being treated so badly by someone she met for the first time. Eugenia was just too rabid and obnoxious that Annie''s face couldn''t help but flush with anger. "Well, I can''t say for sure. If you really Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. o kids and got back together with Rain. It was hard for Eugenia to believe that she was not back in Rain''s life for money and money only. "I don''t give a damn if you believe it or not. I didn''t get married with Rain for money. Only shallow people like you would think that money is everything. To be honest, I even feel sorry for you. That''s all you have in your life." Annie looked at Eugenia with disdain and pity in her eyes. She was being honest. She truly felt sorry for her. The bitch could only see money in her life and that was just sad. "Don''t make yourself sound that great. We will see. I am sure that you are after his money. It may not show now but everything will be revealed sooner orter. We all have our eyes on you, you fucking gold digger." Eugenia was so sure about her guess. She had seen way too many materially obessed girls like Annie. And she could never fool her. No matter what Annie said and imed to be, Eugenia knew better. "Well, then open your dog eyes and see. And don''t ever call me a gold digger ever again or I will lose the tiny respect I have for people like you and give you what you deserve." Annie couldn''t help but insult back. She was beyond furious after hearing Eugenia''s hurtful and condescending words. She was just ridiculous! Annie couldn''t believe that she had wasted so much time talking with this shameless woman. She was also a bit angry at herself for ever agreeing to meet her. Chapter 1727 Bad Guys Started Plotting Again (Part Five) "What are you talking about? Dog eyes? Ha! It seems that you are not as polite as you im to be, Annie An." Eugenia also got up from the chair with these words. She didn''t want Annie to look at her in such a condescending way. And she didn''t want to raise her head to look at Annie anymore. "Well, spoken from a certified vicious woman. You should be the expert on that! Excuse me. I have something better to do than this kind of shit." Annie didn''t think that she had anything else to say to Eugenia. And with that, she turned to leave. "I heard that you have a daughter and a son. I am wondering, do they like ying games like hide and seek with their lovely mommy?" In truth, Eugenia didn''t want to continue this conversation either. But she wasn''t the type who would easily let an opponent like Annie go like this. She was the type of woman who always wanted to have thest word. That was why she casually and mildly threatened Annie in an indifferent tone. "What do you mean?" Annie immediately turned around to look at Eugenia upon hearing her words? What did she mean? Was she threatening her with her kids? Did they send someone to do a close surveince on them? Annie had a bad feeling about this all of a sudden. "Nothing. It was just a friendly reminder. It is never easy to get into the Ke family and take our money, as you imagine." Eugenia tilted her head and looked at Annie with a smirk on her face. She felt happy when she saw a flicker of panic in Annie''s eyes. But much to her disappointment, Annie quickly shook herself back into being calm and indifferent. "I am not afraid to tell you this. I have no interest in your family''s money at all. But if you dare to do anything to my kids, then I won''t hesitate to make yourpany go bankrupt overnight, and I won''t leave you a single cent," Annie said in a cold tone, gritting her teeth to contain her anger. Eugenia could say anything and do anything she wanted to her, but she could never do anything, not eveny her eyes on the ones she cared deeply about. If she did anything to her kids or Rain, Annie would surely make sure that she and the entire KD Group would pay for it. "Keep bluffing. You can''t do anything bout their kids. Eugenia sounded serious about her threat and she became overly anxious and even paranoid at the possible things she could do to her family. Rain could tell that there was something bothering her. "Annie, what are you thinking right now. You look so serious. Are you nervous because of the uing wedding ceremony?" Rain asked in a soft voice, putting his arms around Annie''s waist from behind with his chin on her shoulder. He wondered what Annie was thinking right now. She couldn''t wipe the frown off her face. "No, I''m okay. Everything is fine. I am not nervous. You are a bitte tonight by the way," Annie scolded in a light tone to change the subject, turning around in his arms and looking at him with disapproving eyes. "I was out with a client. I have sent you a text message. Didn''t you see it?" There was a faint smell of alcoholing off his breath and his neck. It was clear that he had quite a few drinks with the said client. "I put my phone upstairs so I didn''t see your message. Did you drive home by yourself? Even after drinking?" Annie couldn''t help but furrow her eyebrows. She was never fond of the smell of alcohol, even if it was from her own husband. "No, of course not. William drove me back. Why? Are you worried about me?" Rain couldn''t help but put his forehead against hers and rubbed his nose with hers affectionately. He liked this. He liked that she was worried about him. He felt loved and cared about. Chapter 1728 Money Makes The Mare Go (Part One) "You should start drinking less¡­" Annie said worriedly, "I''m really worried about your health." Despite Rain calling for a driving service every time he was intoxicated, Annie couldn''t help but still be worried about Rain''s health. Alcohol does harm to your body. "Don''t worry. I won''t drink too much," Rain responded. He then tried to change the topic, "So, did you like the wedding dress? How was it?" Rain knew Annie had gone over to Leena''s ce to try on the wedding dress that was specifically designed for her by Leena. He looked forward to seeing his woman in a wedding dress. "I love it!" Annie smiled widely. "Leena really knows her stuff! The dress is in the trend and it looks absolutely stunning too! I just know she''d let me look beautiful!" Rain could see how Annie had taken so much interest for the dress. "I''m d you like it. I mean, she has no other redeeming qualities other than being gifted in fashion design, you know?" Rain jested. Though, Annie took it the wrong way. "Rain! Come on, don''t say that!" Annie pouted. "As far as I''m concerned, she has many good qualities and almost everyone likes her! It''s only Justin that would always pick on her every time they see each other!" Annie had admired Leena for a long time now, but her admiration for her grew when she learned that Leena was none other than LN FASHION''s designer. "Justin and Leena?" Rain repeated, as he pinched the bridge of his nose and heavily sighed. "Those two? They''re both such a headache. They can''t even see each other eye to eye." If ever they saw Leena and Justin pass a day without arguing, they''d all think that the end of the world wasing. Annie then fell silent for a moment before she spoke up again, "It''s actually really weird. I mean, they share a lot inmon. But, maybe that can be the reason why they don''t get along so well? Like, you know, chemistry? Do you get where I''m going?" "Maybe you''re right. But, let''s not talk about them for now." Rain turned to Annie, his focus all on her. He wanted to know what was wrong. "You don''t ye, she saw Rain right at the door of the study. She hurriedly put the phone down. She looked at Rain, as if to check whether he had heard the whole conversation. Rain opened the door and stepped in the study. Annie feigned calmness as she asked, "Have you taken a bath?" "Yes," Rain answered simply. "It''ste. Who were you talking to?" he steered the conversation elsewhere. Rain didn''t intend to pry something out of Annie''s personal life, but he couldn''t say that he wasn''t curious. "Oh, it''s one of my clients. They weren''t satisfied with the design I made," Annie lied. She couldn''t possibly tell Rain that it was none other than Eugenia who had called. Eugenia said that, Sheena, her mother-inw, wanted to meet her, but Annie had refused. Annie knew the story between Rain and the Ke family and she wanted nothing to do with them. "You know, you can just always quit if work gets too demanding," Rain remarked. "I can support our family." Rain always wished for Annie to have a simple life filled with happiness, wherein she didn''t have to worry about anything at all. "Don''t worry." Annie shed Rain a reassuring smile. "I''m used to it." She had been through so much hardships during the past four years, but she still managed to break even. She had herself and her children to support after all. She owed her strength of perseverance to her children. Chapter 1729 Money Makes The Mare Go (Part Two) "But, I feel sorry for you." Rain approached Annie and pulled her in his arms. He lifted up her chin and ced a tender kiss on her lips. As his husband, he wanted to provide for his wife and children with the best things. No husband would ever want for his wife to feel wronged. Annie''s eyes fluttered to a close and just melted in Rain''s kiss. Ever since they had tied the knot, she was ready to fight against the Ke family with him. She decided to visit Sheena to prove that not once was she afraid of them. Rain pulled away from the kiss and looked into Annie''s eyes deeply. He whispered huskily, "Your skin resembles an angel''s. It makes me want to ce my kisses on your skin." Annie felt heat shoot up to her cheeks. "Rain, you''re drunk¡­" Annie''s heart never failed to beat erratically whenever Rain would whisper sweet words into her ear. Rain then leaned in against Annie''s ear, "Drunk of you." Rain pulled back and looked at Annie''s profile. He knew that she had lied. He knew she had a reason why she had to keep it from him. He didn''t probe any further. "W-Would you please stop being so dirty?" Annie stuttered as she turned away from Rain''s strong gaze. "I''m only dirty for you, honey." Annie could feel Rain''s rising excitement. ''This is all because of that wine¡­'' She then pried Rain''s hands away from her body. Not long after, she started to switch off the lights, heading out of the study afterwards. "Don''t speak nonsense. It''ste already," Annie said as she began to walk ahead to the bedroom. "Let''s go to bed." Rain grinned. He stepped out of the study and lingered behind her. He started to tease her, "Oh? Looks like you couldn''t hold it in anymore, hmm?" Annie turned her head to look at Rain. "Geez, Rain. What in the world are you even thinking about? You''ve been so differenttely as well." Rain then caught up to Annie, ced a hand on her shoulder, and whispered in her ear as he grinned, "I''ve been thinking about you, honey." Annie couldn''t help but smile at Rain''s words. "Oh? Then, I''m d to hear that." A whole media that Rain was a bastard of a shameless mistress. "Hmph!" Sheena clicked her tongue. "You''re exactly like that snake who seduced my husband." Every time Sheena spoke of Rain''s mother. She would remember everything. There were times Sheena even considered digging up that woman''s grave and hitting her body despite already being six feet below. "Mrs. Ke!" Annie raised her voice. "Please just go straight to the point!" Sheena''s eyes widened at Annie''s tone. Annie couldn''t believe that a wealthy woman like her was boorish. "I''ll give you any amount of money you want," Sheena started. "Just leave that bastard." She then took out a check book and a pen from her bag. "Name your price." Annie''s eyes widened inplete shock. She felt stabbed each and every time Sheena had called Rain, her husband, a bastard. Annie could never imagine how Rain would feel if he had heard it. "Are you kidding me?" "To tell you the truth, it would be impossible for you to get married to that bastard. We''ll stop it no matter what. Don''t think we''d be so keen on giving that man a happy ending." Sheenaughed darkly. Sheena didn''t want Rain to marry Annie due to her doubts. If Annie was really from a wealthy and powerful family, it''d be possible that her family would support Rain after their marriage and it would be much more difficult to get him out of the KD Group. Chapter 1730 Money Makes The Mare Go (Part Three) "Mrs. Ke, the reason why I''m still being respectful to you is for the sake of Mr. Ke, not because I''m afraid of you." Annie looked at Sheena straight to the eye. "Our wedding will happen and it won''t be cancelled or dyed by anyone or anything. That I''m sure of." "Oh? Really?" Sheena had a wicked grin stered all over her face. "But what if there isn''t a bride, hmm?" "W-What are you saying?" Annie felt cold all of a sudden. "Do you think that there would still be a wedding if there is no bride?" Sheena resembled a witch in Annie''s eyes. Nevertheless, Annie was thankful that the children were still out of this. "I just want to remind you that we have thousands, no, millions of ways to stop the wedding." Annie''s head snapped to see who had said that and she saw Hannah who had been standing just a few meters behind her, observing her the whole time. Hannah guessed that Annie might be from a well-off family as she had this elegant aura surrounding her. Hannah began to sweat. ''What if she''s really the daughter of the CEO of the C Financial Group?'' Annie remained calm and poised as she stated, "Mind you that this is a society governed byw." ''Aah¡­ I felt like I shouldn''t have done this¡­'' Annie scolded herself, ''What if they try to kidnap me?'' "But, we''d like you to remember an old saying." Eugenia wore a smile of mockery. "Money makes the mare go." "Are you not allowing me to leave?" Annie asked, desperately hoping that they''d let her go. ''I shouldn''t havee here alone. If I were in trouble, would Rain rescue me?'' "We never said any of the sort," Hannah said as she yed with her diamond ring, amused by Annie''s reactions. "You''re overreacting." "Then I''d take my leave then." Annie quickly took her purse and stood up from her spot. Sheena shed Annie a crooked smile, "I hope to see you again. You even watching me¡­" "I have been protecting you for more than a week now, Mrs. Xia," the body guard answered. He offered his hand to Annie. "Let me help you stand. Mr. Xia will be here soon." Annie then took the bodyguard''s hand and was pulled back up to her feet. "How does he know I''m here?" "I sent Mr. Xia the address the moment you stepped in," the bodyguard answered. "You''ve been doing that for more than a week?" Annie was surprised. ''If it was for more than a week already then... this means that Rain must''ve known that I''ve met with Eugenia¡­'' Annie began to ponder. ''Why didn''t he ask me about it?'' Arriving at the scene was none other than a traffic officer. He began to page the other officers. "There''s been a severe car ident at the downtown area. No passerby was killed during the crash." He then saw Annie and her bodyguard and approached them. "Good day, ma''am. We''re d you''re safe. We''ll just conduct a small investigation as to who owns the car that caused the incident." He then walked up to the ck vehicle and looked at the driver''s seat. With one nce he knew that it would be difficult to identify whoever had done this as his body and face were mangled and crushed beyond recognition. Chapter 1731 Counterattack (Part One) "I''m sorry! I am the owner of the car." Annie was still in a state of shock. Her face remained pale. "Could you tell us what happened? Please start from as far back as you can remember." The police officer took out his book and prepared it for note taking. "Sure." Annie narrated the entirety of the incident ordingly as she remembered it. As for what would happen next, it could only be determined by the police. "Do you mean to say that the perpetrator did it on purpose?" The police officer looked at her. He just wondered that how could such a beautiful woman be hated by someone, not to mention someone who would act on that hate. "I''m not sure about that. So please do a more thorough investigation." Annie guessed that the people who came and tried to kill her might have had connections with the Ke family. That was what made sense for the time being. But since she had no solid evidence, she had no choice but to keep it to herself. "Well, Ma''am, we will need your full cooperation during this investigation. We will be in touch with you again at any time before the case is finalized. So please keep yourmunication lines open." After writing down Annie''s testimony, the police officer noted Annie''s name and phone number. Then he turned to continue the site investigation. And right at that moment, Annie heard a loud screeching of the brakes from behind. Her body shrank in fear. But when she saw that it was Rain, she heaved a sigh of relief and rxed. "Annie, are you all right?" Rain even did not have the time to close his car door. As soon as the car stopped moving, he quickly ran towards Annie and looked at her from head to toe to check that if she was okay. "I''m all right. I am just a little scared, that''s all," answered Annie. As it was winter, she was dressed inyers. Her thick clothing helped to soften the impact. So she was not seriously hurt when she fell to the ground. She did have a few minor scratches. "Don''t be afraid. It''s all right, I''m here now," Rain said. He gently pulled her to his arms and gave her a tight embrace tofort her. Unknown to her, he himself was also scared bloody cold after seeing the twisted and mangled metal of the two cars. If he did not arrange for people to protect her, he really dared not to i site of the ident. ''Damn it, how could she still be alive under such a circumstance, '' she grumbled in her heart. These people arrogantly left with their heads lifting high. They were confident to the core that Rain could not find any evidence against them. "Let''s go! We need to find Tom so that he can give you a thorough check up. You may look fine now but we don''t know if you are sustaining any internal injuries." Although Annie said she was okay, Rain couldn''t becent. He needed the final word from a reputable doctor like Tom to dere that she was indeed ok. He did not want to take any chances and risk the shock in the future that an illness would suddenly arise because of this ident. "But what about here? Are we free to go?" Annie looked around the scene of the ident with a bit of worry. "It''s okay. I''ve arranged someone toe and help deal with it," Rain said. He then helped Annie get into his car. Until he was finally in the driver''s seat, grasping the steering wheel, he realized how frightened he was because he could clearly see his hand still shaking. Inside the car, the noise from outside had been muffled. So he could hear his own blood pulsing in his head. "Rain, what''s wrong?" Seeing that Rain still did not start the car, Annie could not help but ask. "I am okay. Don''t forget to buckle your seat belt." Rain calmed himself down. He could not let her know that he was scared. After all, as the man of the house, he was expected to protect her and their children. Chapter 1732 Counterattack (Part Two) When they arrived at the hospital, Tom had just finished one surgery. After he heard what had happened today, he was also inexplicably shocked. Fear was written on his face. He merely thought that the people from the Ke family were too overbearing. He never thought that they would be this ruthless to even dare do such kind of thing. These people had no morals. "The left elbow has a tendency to fracture, so I have to have the nurse bandage it. You will not be able to use it for a while." Tom''s assessment of Annie''s condition wasn''t as serious as they had thought. There were no signs of internal bleeding nor any concussions. In addition to the hurt in the left hand, there was no massive injuries like they feared she would have. Considering that they were aiming for her to be no less than dead, it was a miracle that she was able to walk away with just a few cuts and bruises. "Well! Thank you very much!" Annie smiled lightly. She really cherished such a new lease in life after such a near-death disaster. And all this was owing to Rain''s foresight. If he did not ask people to secretly follow and protect her, she might have been dead today. The nurse was very gentle and caring as she applied the bandage around Annie''s cuts. Afterpleting a few other procedures to make sure that Annie wasfortable, she smiled and went out. "You''d better pay more attention to this in the future. It''s really horrible." From their narration, Tom imagined such a breathtaking sceneparable to the special effects action sequences in Hollywood blockbuster movies. "I hear you and yes I agree 100%! They almost got us once. Do we still not know how to protect ourselves against them? They need to be stopped!" Rain was d that he had thought of this in advance. If not, he could have lost his wife today. Then he would not really know how to go on in this life without her. "That was close. You might not be so lucky next time if they decide toe at you again. And next time they will leave nothing to chance and make sure that they seed. For now, you''d better take her home and have a ks to me. We are good brothers. But don''t just focus on the safety of your wife and children. There is a good chance that their next target would be you." Edward thought that there was indeed such a kind of possibility. Failing topletely hurt Annie, they would guess she was sure to take extra precautions from here on and it would be hard for them to even get close to Annie. Furthermore, Rain would certainly strengthen security around her, perhaps add more bodyguards. So it would be easier for them to approach Rain. "Thanks, I will also pay attention to this, so rest assured! I also want to live long enough to grow old together with my wife." Rain said firmly. In order to secure a peaceful life in the future and for him to give his family a safe and harmonious environment, he must do something about it. "I wish you the best of luck." For the first time, Edward talked sincerely with him. He was always a joker around Rain and never took him seriously. But in crucial times when there was a matter of life and death, he had reserved his gentlemanly character for such an asion. "Thank you!" Rain winked at him. In the following days, Rain took a series of personnel adjustments in KD Group. The key personnel from the Ke family were all dismissed with different reasons. For a period of time, the wholepany had be stirred up and muddled because of these drastic changes. Chapter 1733 Counterattack (Part Three) "Rain, what are you doing? Why are you driving me out of the KD Group? Don''t forget, that thispany belongs to the Ke family, not the Xia family." Vance rushed into the President''s office, angrily pointing his finger and shouting at Rain. "So what? May I remind you who is in charge of KD Group now? And I suggest that you never, ever forget." Even though boiling with anger inside, Rain just slightly retorted. He knew that many people woulde to him in protest. This was going to be a long day. "Well, are you finally willing to show what your intentions are in KD Group? You no longer need to pretend." Vance was the first one who was dismissed from thepany. So it was just natural for him to be furious about it. "What I did today was all because of what you all did first. You should have left my family out of this. If you hadn''t tried to hurt them, this would not have happened to you." Rain meant to let them stay in thepany. But they were ungrateful and went on to try and hurt Annie. As a husband, it was natural for him to react this way. "Who hurt your family? Have you produced any evidence? If you have not, then you have nothing to use against us. Stop being such a hypocrite." Vance said this with a little guilt. But he also thought that Rain would never find anything to link them to the ident. Because of this he was able to act arrogantly in front of Rain, while crossing his fingers behind him. "Well! Don''t you worry... or actually you should worry, because I am getting closer to it. And I will let you see it all and rub it in your faces, before taking you to court!" Rain then turned around. He did not want to argue with him further. As for the evidence, he had let the people in the Mayfly take care of it. He could not believe that the Ke Family could act so arrogant all the time. "I''m telling you that I''m not going to leave KD Group no matter what. So do you think that you could dismiss me so easily." Vance, after all, was the legal son of the Ke family. He would not ept such a kind of treatment. He was the future of the Ke famly and even by himself, he was the face of it. No one had the right to drive him away from thepany associated with his family for such a long time. He would not leave KD Group now. Rain would have to pry his hands away fro Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hold a candle to you. Who would have thought that you were capable of such an upset in thispany. But don''t be fooled. Sooner orter, you will be the one to pay for everything that you did today." Vance shrank in hopelessness. He just med himself forcking the foresight to see thising. Now he and his family had been beaten by a single man. It hurt to think that he had failed miserably. It seemed that none of them was as smart as Rain who had outwitted them, slowly but surely. Today he won this battle. "I will be waiting. But know this. You forced me to do what I have done today. If you had not challenged my threshold and hurt my family, all things would have been the same as they were. I have been the main share holder for a long time now. And I gave you face and let you continue to stay in the KD Group. But I didn''t expect that my kindness would encourage you to be more cruel and wicked! I think we are done here. There is nothing more for us to talk about. William, please escort these people out of my office, and then tell the security to make sure that they have all vacated thepany premises. Without my permission, they are not allowed to enter thispany." All this time, Rain did not use his anger to settle the matter. Instead, he was a gentleman all throughout. Once someone forced him down the end of his rope, no one could change his mind. He did not and would not mind what others said about him. Cruel? Arrogant? Whatever. For his family, he did not fear anything, no matter what they called him. Chapter 1734 CY Technology (Part One) The pointed tip of a ck stiletto tapped in a stato beat on the glossy marble floor. Tiana walked to her brother who sat on an ottoman swivel chair at his desk. "Rain, are you driving me out of thepany as well?" she asked. There was a heated discussion between him and her brothers and sisters-inw and she stood behind them by the door, waiting for them to finish. It was not until they left that she had a chance to talk to Rain. She didn''t know why Rain was mad and threw a fit at them. Rain stared at her and his cold heart softened. "If you want to stay, then stay in thepany." Actually, Rain was not all made of hardness and cruelty unlike people made him out to be. He had a heart and although Tiana was part of the Ke family, she was the only one who was nice to him. Because of that, he was willing to at least repay her in kind. "I want to know what you think. Do you want me to stay?" she asked hopefully. Tiana carefully watched his reaction. She knew how much he despised the Ke family, so she never dared to mention anything rted to her family before him. She didn''t want him to stay away from her and it was already hard enough to try to build a friendship with him. "Don''t push me. You know the answer would be hurtful," he answered coldly. If he was rational enough to really put thepany''s interests first, he would have driven her out of thepany along with the rest of her family. She was part of the Ke family after all, and might turn herself against him one day. "I think I know the answer now. Rain, take good care of yourself. Goodbye!" Tiana gave him a long, deep gaze before she turned to leave the office, tears pooling in her eyes and streaming down her cheeks. She had always treated him as her brother, but it seemed that he never liked her. Rain''s lips trembled as he watched her leave his office in tears. He wanted to stop her, but in the end he decided not to. Since he was resolute on taking revenge against the Ke family, it would be the best to draw a clear line with every member of the family. Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. anymore. You''ll still be a shareholder. I think I''ve been merciful enough to you." No matter what Sanford had done to him and his mother, he was his biological father. Rain would give him a peaceful and affluent life, and that was all he could offer. "A shareholder? Don''t you think I would appreciate that. It''s you who destroyed our family!" Sanford hit the floor hardly with the end of his mahogany cane and suddenly heaved. He then ced one hand on his chest. Apparently, he was not feeling well. "Really? I destroyed your family? I think you know best who destroyed your family. If thepany hadn''t been deep in crisis, you wouldn''t have asked me to manage thepany from the very beginning. You would have treated me as a stranger as you had already done!" Rain''s heart ached painfully as he spat out those words at his father. Sanford stared at his son, his eyes wide in disbelief. He was quite stunned as he didn''t expect him to be aware of his true intentions. When thepany had been in crisis, Sanford had gone to Rain, for thetter was the VP of FX International Group. Sanford had believed that Rain would be able to save thepany. To his credit, Rain did save thepany. However, all the members of the Ke family had been driven out except for Sanford. Moreover, the seniors and upper management of thepany all followed Rain''s lead now. Chapter 1735 CY Technology (Part Two) "Are you done talking now? If so, please take your leave. I still have work to finish," Rain said coldly. The overall renewal of the shareholders would definitely cause inconvenience to thepany. Rain needed to make sure that KD Group got back on track. "Rain, why don''t you let go of your hatred? Your brothers and sisters-inw have nothing to do with your mother''s death. Why did you have to turn yourself against them? You''re family," Sanford said as he sighed with profound resignation. He believed that Rain had made up his mind to destroy the Ke family, and he could do nothing but intercede for his sons and daughters-inw. "Hahaha! Family? Have you ever treated me as your family? Have they ever treated me as their family?" Rain shouted at Sanford once again. He hadpletely lost control of his emotions now. ''All that matters to him is his family, and he never ever cared about me once. I should''ve known it from the very beginning. Why is my heart still aching? I''m such a coward, '' he thought sadly to himself. "Please show mercy to your brothers and sisters-inw for my sake. They are nothing when they leave thepany. I know you would by no means keep them here. Why don''t you assign them to the branch offices? They won''t be a threat to you that way." This was Sanford''sst request. He knew Rain had made up his mind, and he could do nothing now. "I''ll consider it." Rain''s heart softened when he saw his father''s face. It was like he truly looked at him for the first time. His hair was greying and his pale skin wrinkled in many ces, particrly around his eyes. It was as if he felt his father''s aging. "I hope you''ll keep your word." Sanford gave him a long look before leaving the office. He had asked Rain toe back and save thepany. Now thepany was saved, but the Ke family members except for him were all driven out. Although he was still a shareholder, all the seniors weren''t on his side anymore. Now that thepany wasp Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. hoose to stay in thepany and remain by your side." Tiana felt that Rain had treated her better than her own brothers, so she was willing to stay around him. "Are you sure? I''m warning you, if you betray me, I would not spare you," Rain said seriously with a slight frown. To be honest, Tiana was a capable worker, and he thought highly of her. If she would be loyal to him, it would be a good idea to have her stay in thepany. "Yes, I''m sure." She sniffed. Before she decided to meet Rain, she had actually put a good word for him before her mother, but that only enraged her. Sheena had struck her violently across her cheek and even grounded her as punishment. She only got to thepany because she escaped the house through the window, but she wouldn''t tell Rain about that. "Follow me." Rain cast a nce at her before proceeding to his office without saying anything more. Tiana didn''t expect Rain to agree to her stay so easily. She was thrilled and followed him silently. ''I knew it! Although he looks cold, he still treats me as his sister, '' she thought to herself. "You''ll be responsible for the Marketing Department for now. If you need help, just go to William." Rain decided to give her a chance. If she was doing very well and was loyal to him, he would not mind her staying in thepany. Chapter 1736 CY Technology (Part Three) "Thank you, Rain. I will do my best." Although she was unfamiliar with the field of marketing, she would try her best to learn. "I must warn you, I don''t allow ipetent people to stay in thepany. You have to show me your best abilities," Rain said coldly. When he said this, he hoped that she would give up now if she had some ill will against him. "Rest assured." Tiana bit her lower lip. Her family was already scheming and plotting against Rain. She was afraid that they would use her as a tool to merge together with otherpanies. She previously heard Eugenia suggest to Sheena that Tiana marry the head of CM Company so that they could fight against Rain together. "You may go to work now." Rain lowered his head, not intending to speak to her again. Tiana secretly pumped her fist to encourage herself and then quietly left his office. It seemed that her efforts to get close to him in the past two years had finally paid off. Meanwhile, a heated fight ensued between two women at an office in YS Group. Eleanor and Annie weren''t in good terms. Annie was always pissed off every time she had to work with Eleanor as thetter had a talent for stirring up trouble. Eleanor even cut her own finger to frame Annie. She allegedly said that her finger was cut because of the jewelry Annie designed. Annie really didn''t know how to deal with the likes of Eleanor. "Annie An, did you do it on purpose? You dislike me, so you set up a trap for me, huh?" Eleanor asked, pointing at Annie. Her finger was bleeding, but it was actually sliced with a sharp cutting tool. Annie didn''t think the ring she made would cut a person''s finger. She knew it was all part of Eleanor''s plot. "Miss Xiao, why would I set up a trap for you? Your getting injured doesn''t do me any good. It wil Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. can''t be there all the time." Belinda thought she had to remind Annie. Otherwise, Eleanor would not only continue to belittle Annie, but also dy thepany schedule. She wondered why Annie was so soft. Annie was from a prominent family, and she shouldn''t have been acting like this. "I know, Belinda. I just thought that I should be lenient whenever it''s possible, so I always try to avoid arguing with people." Annie smiled sheepishly at Belinda. During the time when she had left home and lived alone, she didn''t have the life skills to support herself and thus, had a lot to learn. Because of this, she had always swallowed the insults and humiliation silently. After all the meekness and internalizing everything, she had gotten into the habit of being soft towards others. Even when she had made a name for herself as a famous designer now, she was still humble and modest. "Silly girl! How''s your arm? When can the sling be removed?" Belinda asked with a frown. She felt quite uneasy to see Annie''s arm in a sling, for it always reminded her of the scene she had seen in the CCTV cameras. If it hadn''t been for Rain who arranged bodyguards for Annie, she would have been killed by then. Chapter 1737 Not Your Moneymaking Tool (Part One) "Pretty soon. Oh, right," Annie said, a bit embarrassed. "Tom told me it''ll only be a few more days. Don''t worry!" Wearing the bandage to work had been rather inconvenient. Due to her hand being temporarily out ofmission, there were also instances where doing day to day activities felt rather tedious. "That will be great. I was worried that you would have to wear the bandage on your wedding day," Belinda said, heaving a sigh of relief. "Since it''s Tom taking care of your wound, I feel more at ease." ncing at the bandage, she offered a warm smile. Annie shouldn''t have to suffer the same pain as she did - the pain of struggling to put on her wedding dress. "It''s actually not as serious as it looks," assured Annie softly, fiddling with her long hair. "I just need to take some medicine, and I''ll be fine. But Tom - well, you know how serious he can be. He insisted that I wear the bandage like this." Since one of her hands was injured, she often had a hard time tying up her hair. And as much as she wanted to pull it up in a neat ponytail, she had no choice but to leave it hanging down her back nowadays. "I guess he thought that since your wedding wasing soon, he should help you recover as quickly as possible," Belinda said,ughing cheerfully. As a former patient of Tom''s professional services, she wasn''t new to his dedicated spirit. So Belinda fully understood what Annie had to deal with. "Yeah, maybe!" agreed Annie. Noticing the time, she prepared to leave in haste. "Belinda, I''m so sorry but I need to get back to my work now. I''ll see youter!" The shooting wasn''t finished yet, and she had to be back before they ever noticed she was gone. Besides, if she stayed longer, Eleanor might decide to create more trouble for her. "Okay!" said Belinda immediately. "You get back to your work. But I''ll see you at lunch!" These past few days at work had been rather dull since she had been having lunch alone, and she had gotten tired of the routine. Hopefully, Annie could apany herter. "All right," Annie said earnestly, "It''ll be my treat." Considering Belinda had always been helping her out of trouble, the least Annie could do was to buy her lunch to show her gratitude. Smiling, she responded, "I''ll dly ept that," Lunch wouldn''t cost a lot, so Belinda agreed to let Annie pay without hesita Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ." She had been knowing Rain all too well. If she gave him the money directly, he would refuse to ept it at once. For that reason, she had no choice but to bring it up as an investment proposal. Even though the money wasn''t a lot, it was sufficient for CY Technology to get through its most grueling period. "Leena, I know you too well," Rain said, unwilling to ept her money. "Your investment is clearly just a ruse. You''re just trying to help me out!" Frankly, he was quite moved that she thought of helping him out of his current financial difficulty. But it wasn''t like he had fallen into an inescapable financial situation where hispany couldn''t survive without her help. "It''s not what you think. I really want to invest. You see, Kevin''s a military officer, and he''s not allowed to do business outside. So, it''s my duty as a mother to make a long-term financial n for our son," Leena exined sincerely. "Just in case we don''t have anything to offer him when he''s all grown up." ''On the one hand, I really want to help you out. On the other hand, I also have a selfish motive - that is, a mother''s deep financial concerns for the future of my son.'' Leena wondered, waiting for him to respond. "Do you mean it?" asked Rain, still skeptical. Uncertain whether to ept her exnation, Rain folded his arms and looked at her in the eyes. "Of course, if it''s not for my son, do you really think I''d be that generous to you?" she asked in a nonchnt tone. Holding back a sigh of relief, Leena could see that he was starting to get convinced. Chapter 1738 Not Your Moneymaking Tool (Part Two) After what seemed like a long time, Rain finally said, "Well, if that''s the case, I''ll take your card. And since it''s money in exchange for shares in mypany,ter I''ll ask William to prepare a document showing your shares based on the money you put in." Even though she had her shares in the Group Company of the Leng Family, no one would assume that they were too wealthy to earn more. Not to mention, as she said, it was to create a better future for Richard. "Pfft! You really don''t need to be so formal about this!" Leena said in an uneasy tone. She didn''t realize he would be so serious about the legalities of the investment proposal. Her mouth twitched. If he was going to settle her shares ordingly with the money she provided, she wasn''tpletely providing support as she had nned to, but was instead robbing him when he was already in trouble. "There''s nothing to discuss. I insist we do it that way, or I won''t ept a single penny from you," Rain said firmly. Looking at her reaction, he frowned and realized that her ultimate purpose was to help him out of his financial trouble. But since she had the will to invest in hispany as a shareholder, he would definitely make her investment more valuable. "All right, then!" Leena said glumly, pouting her lips. As soon as he brought up his conditions, Leena was reluctant to agree as it might put him in a more difficult position in the future. But seeing it was the only way for her to help him at the moment, she decided to ept his proposal. "Well, I want to propose a toast," Rain said happily, raising a cup. "To our pleasant partnership." Clinking his cup with hers, he took a sip of his coffee. Perhaps on another day, somewhere in the brighter future, they would be sharing another toast but with wine instead. "Wow! I guess it''s official! Cheers to a happy partnership," Leena beamed, and took a sip as well. She, too, felt it was odd of them to be consuming coffee for the toast. Probably, only the two of them would do something as strange as that. When it was time for Leena to leave, Rain returned directly to hispany. As he reached the entrance of hispany, however, he saw Tiana and Sheena having a loud argument free for everyone to see. "Did you hear me? You need to go back home with me right now!" Sheena yelled, "Stop hanging out with that little ba ithout another thought, the older woman raised her hand, and gave Tiana another hard p in the face. "You..." Tiana was too stunned toplete her sentence. She never thought it would be possible to be pped twice on the same day. Meanwhile, Rain was stunned to witness the second p as well. Wasn''t Tiana supposed to be the favorite princess of the Ke family? It just didn''t add up. What he was seeing was totally different from what he had thought this entire time. "Tiana, you have to stop behaving this way right now. Or else, you''ll suffer so much more. So, let''s go. Come with Mom now," Sheena said gently. Once she found that tough approach wouldn''t work on Tiana, she decided to try a softer approach. "You know what? These two ps you so nicely gave me was thest straw. Now I''ve lost my attachment to the Ke family, and it''spletely impossible for me to go back with you." Tiana said firmly, wiping the blood out of the corner of her mouth. She waspletely heartbroken now. It wasn''t until that moment that she really doubted whether she was Sheena''s real daughter. "It''s not up to you. I''m not leaving until you agree to go back with me," said Sheena, starting to get irritated again. Although it wasn''t long enough, Sheena figured that the soft approach wasn''t going to work on Tiana as well. "I said it''s impossible unless you kill me first," said Tiana,pletely resolved. If her mother thought she was going to agree to marry that old man, then she must have gonepletely insane. Tiana would rather die than get married to him. Chapter 1739 Not Your Moneymaking Tool (Part Three) "You think you can threaten me with that? If you wish to die so badly, I''ll grant your wish with pleasure," Sheena sneered, raising her hand again. For more than two decades, she wore the image of a loving mother to Tiana. It was all destroyed in a single eye-opening argument where Sheena revealed her ws. This time, however, her hand was held back by another powerful hand. "If you want to teach your daughter a lesson, please teach her at home. It''s office time. Don''t get in the way of my staff''s productivity," said Rain tly. Granted, it was originally their family business. So it felt inconvenient for him, as an outsider, to interfere in their personal affairs. Nevertheless, he couldn''t take another minute of watching Tiana being bullied by her mother. "Rain," Tiana beckoned to him, looking helplessly sad. Aware of her pathetic situation, she lowered her eyes to hide her pain from Rain. "What does our family affair have to do with you, you son-of-a-bitch? What? Now that you''re the president of KD Group, do you really think that you''ve be noble now? Don''t forget that regardless of your status changing, it will never erase the fact that you''re still just an illegitimate child." Sheena said coldly towards him. Then, with great force, she pulled her hand back. If it hadn''t been for him taking over KD Group, she wouldn''t have be the viin shouting in public and humiliating her daughter. "So what? At least I took over KD Group by mypetence, not by selling out my daughter for power and wealth like someone," Rain said ironically. ncing at Tiana''s face, he saw the reddish marks on her face. She must be in great pain at the moment. "Hah! Did you say, by your ownpetence? That''s right. When ites to being brazen and sly as a fox, who''s better than you?" Rain bit back a response, and let her continue, "Did you think that after you putting my sons and daughters-inw in the branch office, I''d be grateful to you? Oh, on the contrary, I''ll curse you to die like a dog forever." Sheena snapped, gritting her teeth. She didn''t even attempt to conceal her hatred for him. "Whatever! If cursing actually worked, maybe you''d be dead several times now," Rain retorted, ring up at the insensitive woman. If she thought that her resentment towards him was bigger than the other way around, she had another thinging. "You stupid girl, did you hear what he said? He''s a man who wants us to die, and you''re stupid enough to stay here and work for him. Do you have any self- he was inevitably involved in it again. "I''m so sorry!" Tiana said, sensing his anger. His animosity must have been induced by her mother scolding him, and so naturally, she felt like she owed him an apology. "Don''t say sorry to me. Say sorry to your cheeks! You owe me nothing! And why didn''t you tell me that your family wanted to marry you off to the president of CM Company?" Rain questioned her. He was almost positive that the people of the Ke family had lost their minds. Otherwise, why on earth would they let such a beautiful youngdy marry a man who was so much older than her? Did it really mean that deep in their hearts, money was more important than family? "I was afraid you wouldn''t allow me to stay at yourpany, so I hid it from you," Tiana said, biting her lips anxiously. If she had told him the truth earlier, he wouldn''t have cared about her. With the fact that her beloved family could treat her that way, she could only assume that he would do the same since he had always regarded the other members of the Ke family as his enemies. "You''re really very aware of the whole situation," Rain remarked, honestly. As soon as they emerged from the elevator, Rain pulled her into the office of the president, raising people''s curiosity for a while. Soon enough, he walked out and ordered casually, "William, go get me some ice, and gauze," ''If Tiana''s face wasn''t treated immediately, it would swell up like a pig''s head, '' Rain thought to himself. "I''m on it, Sir," William said quickly, "I''ll bring them to you right away." Although William didn''t know what was happening, he didn''t bother to ask questions and preferred to follow his boss'' orders. Chapter 1740 Illegal Detention (Part One) "Why doesn''t your father do something if your mother keeps treating you like this?" Rain drew a piece of tissue from the desk and gave it to her. He was confused why Sanford would let Sheena treat their daughter like this. Something like this shouldn''t be happening, in his opinion. "My dad went abroad, right after you announced that KD... no, CY Technology was founded. He said that he felt too ashamed to stay in this city anymore. He has no idea what happened after he left. That is why he couldn''t do anything about it," Tiana replied in a small sobbing voice, taking the tissue from Rain''s hand and used it to wipe her tears away. Her action was gentle and cautious because her face was badly hurt. Even with her gentle hands, she could still feel her face throbbing, every movement creating ripples of sharp pain from the wounds. She felt so bitter and hurt right now. "By the way, where have you been staying these days?" Rain knew that she hadn''t been going home. In fact, it had been a few days since she had left home. That was why he asked out of curiosity. He hoped that she at least had a decent ce to sleep. "I have been staying at one of my friends'' house," Tiana answered honestly. She knew that it wasn''t a very good idea to keep staying with her friend. She couldn''t intrude for too long. But she just had no other choice right now. She just needed a few more days before she figured out what to do next. "You''ve been staying with your friend? I mean, don''t you have your own ce? Your family didn''t get you your own house or something?" Upon hearing Tiana''s words, Rain couldn''t help but feel a bit surprised. Howe Tiana didn''t have her own ce? Usually, rich parents would buy at least one piece of property for their children. So he couldn''t understand why Tiana didn''t have a ce where she could stay and had to stay at someone else''s house. She should have her own vi, or at least a small apartment. "No! Of course not. They only give me money to spend when I need it ould tell that the two of them were alike, having so many simrities. "Like home?" Rain had a confused look on his face. He didn''t know how to feel about her confession. He knew that she wasn''t lying at all. Did he really make her feel so much at ease and wee? Did she really feel like she was at home when she was around him? Did he really give off that kind of family vibe that she was looking for? If the answers to his questions were yes, then why hadn''t he ever felt it himself? "Yes, like home. What is it, Rain?" Tiana asked, looking at him with confused eyes. She didn''t know why he looked so serious all of a sudden. What happened? "Nothing. I have already asked William to bring an ice pack for you. He should be here in a minute. Gently ce it on your swollen cheek. I am sure that it will make you feel better." Rain avoided Tiana''s question, walking over to his desk and sat down on the chair. He turned his back to her, trying to hide what he had been really thinking just now. "Thank you so much, Rain." Tiana felt happy, that he seemed to care about her. Even if it was just a tiny bit of concern, she was already satisfied. Rain''s actions told her that she didn''t get pped for nothing. She defended Rain in front of her family, and in return, Rain was seriously concerned about her well being and safety. Chapter 1741 Illegal Detention (Part Two) "Mr. Xia. Here is the ice pack you asked for. Is this okay?" William walked in the office without even knocking on the door, because he was in a hurry. Rain had instructed him to bring it as soon as possible. "Yes, that''s just all right. Hand it over to Tiana," Rain said, nodding his head to Tiana. He thought it was really a good idea to take William with him to CY Technology. He was such a good employee who did everything that was asked of him to do, efficiently, perfectly and quickly. His job was impable. "Here you are, Miss Ke." William handed the ice pack to Tiana without saying anything else. Though he was curious why her face was all red and swollen, he didn''t say anything about it. After all, it was none of his business. He was not the big boss of CY Technology, and he understood his ce, knowing when he should keep his mouth shut. "Thank you, William." Tiana took the ice pack from William''s hand. She couldn''t help but lower her head, feeling quite embarrassed that he had to see her like this. "You are wee. I should go back to work now. If you need anything, just call me, Mr. Xia," William made a slight bow and said to Rain in a polite tone. "Go ahead." Rain waved his hand, gesturing for him to continue his work. But all of a sudden, he called after William, making him stop in his tracks and look back at him with confused eyes. "Wait. Please find me some ointment for her cheek too. Thank you, William." "No problem, Mr. Xia." Though William answered in an obedient tone, he was getting more and more confused inside. He had thought that Rain didn''t like Tiana and wasn''t in good terms with her. But why was he being so nice to her all of a sudden today? He couldn''t understand, but it was not in his position to question it and even say it out loud. He just had to do what Rain told him to do and ask no questions. Of course, Rain couldn''t know what William was thinking about. He just star sues. The truth was, she felt so lost, which was worse than the pain on her face. She was like a kid who suddenly lost everything she had and became homeless. But Rain saw through her. She was really a bad liar. "Here. This is the ointment that I asked William to get for you. It''s good for your face. Try putting some on," Rain said while handing the ointment to her. He could easily see through her lie, but he didn''t want to make a big deal out of it and embarrass her. He could understand how hard it must be for her to be treated like this by her own mother. He knew that she must feel betrayed and very disappointed. But he didn''t know how tofort her and he wasn''t sure if he should. So he just kept his mouth shut and pretended to believe that she was telling the truth. "Thank you." Tiana was really touched by his actions. He could have done nothing to help her and he did not have the obligation to do so. But he still tried to help despite the feud between him and her family. She almost cried again because of this. But she just tried her best to contain her emotions and calm herself down. She didn''t want Rain to see her cry any more. It just made her look weak and useless. So she just turned around and walked back into the bathroom with the ointment that Rain gave her. Chapter 1742 Illegal Detention (Part Three) As soon as she disappeared behind the bathroom door, Rain got lost in his thoughts again. He was considering how he should deal with this thing with Tiana. He really wanted to help her get through this problem. If her crazy old mother, Sheena found out where she was, she would surely be taken back and be forced to marry that old man. He just had to do something to stop it. Tiana shouldn''t have to be used as the sacrificialmb and marry the old man for the sake of her family! Rain wouldn''t let this happen to her. He didn''t know why he was so keen on helping Tiana, but his gut told him that it was the right thing to do. In the evening, Rain gave Edward a call, asking him for a favor. "What''s the matter?" Edward picked up the call and walked out on the balcony. Daisy just got out of the shower and was blowing her hair so it was a bit noisy in the room. He stepped out so that he could hear Rain better. "Yeah. Can you do me a favor? Can you talk to your father and ask him to check if Tiana is really Sheena''s biological daughter? I have a feeling that she might have been adopted." The more Rain thought about this, the more Rain believed that there was a big possibility of Tiana being an adopted child. He didn''t think that it was possible for a mother to do such a vile thing to her own daughter. Besides, he never thought that Sheena really cared about the young Tiana. Her motherly love always seemed a bit fake to him. "Are you serious? Why? What''s going on?" Rain''s words piqued Edward''s interest. He also wondered, since when did Rain start to care about anyone from the Ke family. Why did Rain care about Tiana so much? He just couldn''t make sense of it. "Yes, I am serious. Today, in front of thepany, I heard Sheena talking. She used a wrong word that made me suspicious about it. She must have slipped unintentionally," Rain answered in a serious tone. If Tiana was indeed not Sheena''s real daughter, then so many things would make sense. He really hoped that Edward''s father could help him find the truth about it. "Oka Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. t astonished him, suddenly not knowing what to say or do next. In Daisy''s mind, it was not a big deal to admit this to her husband from time to time, if this would make him shut up. She didn''t have to win the argument all the time. In fact, even if it appeared that she lost but she got what she wanted, then she was the one who would have won. "Umm..." Edward was at a loss for words all of a sudden. Never had he thought that Daisy would bluntly admit to him that yes, she was indeed afraid. It was not like her to admit fear and defeat without even putting up a good fight. Seeing his reaction, the corners of Daisy''s lips curled into a smug smile. She had made him tongue tied, not knowing what to say. She had stunned him! It was rare and this made Daisy very proud of herself. Well, it seemed that sometimes, one didn''t have to always struggle to get the upper hand and win. Sometimes, maybe just admitting defeat would turn out to be surprising results. But on the other hand, Edward wouldn''t be himself if he justpletely gave up that easily. He was stunned for a minute but he regained his thoughts and quickly grabbed Daisy right before she was about to walk out of the door. He gently pulled her towards him, and Daisy, who was not prepared for his sudden moves, fell into his tight arms with a startled look on her face. So she did not win after all. Chapter 1743 Illegal Detention (Part Four) "What are you doing? Let go of me, Edward!" Daisy tried to struggle and get away from his arms in a deadlock. But as soon as she looked into Edward''s charming eyes, she just lost her strength and couldn''t do anything about it. She wanted to bury herself in Edward''s loving arms and never leave. Her whole body quivered as if slowly melting under his gaze. "Don''t you think that, if Justin really wants a little sister, we should just give him a sister?" Edward smirked while saying these words. He looked at Daisy with intense eyes, trying to gauge her reaction. "Give him a sister? It''s not like we can make a daughter out of thin air. Do you think that it''s that easy? Oh yes of course, you do think it''s easy. Your job is done in the next five to ten minutes while I''m stuck with it for 9 freaking months. No thanks! Besides, we can no longer have another baby." Daisy rolled her eyes at Edward''s words in annoyance. Did he really think that it was that easy? Did he forget that he already had a vasectomy before? They couldn''t have any more kids. "You don''t understand. It is not asplicated as you think. Do you have any idea that with today''s technology, everything is possible? Besides, we still have the winning card," Edward said in an easy tone with a smile on his face. He knew what Daisy must be thinking right now. Yes, he did have a vasectomy. But he asked Jerry before the operation if this was reversible. He had promised him that yes, he could have a baby again if he changed his mind and wanted one. "A winning card? What are you talking about?" Daisy asked in confusion. She had no idea what he was talking about. And his smug smile annoyed her to no end. She didn''t like the feeling that Edward was hiding something from her with no intention of ever telling her. "You will know it soon, my dear Senior Colonel Ouyang." Edward couldn''t help but lower his head and kissed Daisy gently on her lips. In his mind, he considered this talk as a preemptive strike. He wanted another child, and he considered that Daisy already said yes. "Huh. Whatever. Let go of m Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. thing ridiculous. Meanwhile, back at Rain''s house, the atmosphere in the room was just too heavy. Both Rain and Annie had serious looks on their faces. "Oh my Rain, is it the truth, really? This is serious! Did Tiana really get pped by her own mother?" Annie just couldn''t believe her own ears. She was very confused. Though she had only met Tiana once or twice before, she felt that she was not that kind of girl, brave enough to go against her own parents. In her mind, Tiana was an obedient daughter who listened to everything her parents told her. So what excuse was there for her mother to eveny a finger on her? Every sane mother would protect her delicate child from even a mosquito bite, yet Tiana''s mother was treating her like a punching bag. Annie was at a loss trying to find any sense in it. "Yes, I''m telling the truth. It is exactly what happened. Sheena wants her to marry a guy who is much older than her. And of course she wouldn''t do it. That''s why she got pped. There''s no other exnation." Rain shook his head in frustration. He had a lot of things to deal with which required a lot of his time and energy. These things made him extremely busy and worried. However, he just couldn''t ignore Tiana and what she was going through. Adding this to his pile, he felt even more agitated and bothered. He couldn''t understand how a parent could hurt her own child. Chapter 1744 Illegal Detention (Part Five) "What the hell? Tiana is her own flesh and blood, that she carried in her own body for nine freaking months! She gave birth to her! Why is she so keen on marrying her off like that, sacrificing her daughter''s happiness like that? I just can''t believe it! What a monster that mother is!" Annie just couldn''t believe it. She thought that this kind of thing only happened in the old days. She had no idea that parents would still do this to their children in these modern times. Annie''s opinion of Sheena had sunk low and deep. How could these kinds of people still exist in this harmonious and supposedly civilized society? "Yeah, I am also confused. It is hard to figure out what is going on in that crazy woman''s head," Rain said in a tired voice. Just thinking of Tiana''s plight was indeed very exhausting. He reached out to pull Annie in his arms. He just wanted thefort of his dear wife''s embrace. He could only handle so much and could not save the whole world. He must make peace with it. "I understand. But you said that you didn''t want anything to do with the Ke family, didn''t you? So don''t worry about it too much." Annie held Rain tightly in her arms. She was aware of how pressured and tired he must be. She wished that she could help him, but what could she do? She let out a silent sigh, feeling a bit helpless. She gently patted his back, trying to give him thefort he deserved. Maybe in everyone else''s eyes, Rain was a tough man who was not afraid of anything and could achieve anything. But Annie knew better. Even the toughest man had his weak moments. And she should be there for him whenever he needed her. "Yeah. That''s what I think too." Rain closed his eyes, slowly falling asleep in her arms. As the wedding date approached and got closer, Rain started getting busier. He wanted to finish all his tasks in advance so he could focus on his wedding and finally and legitimately be with the woman of his dreams. While Rain was busy working his ass off, Tiana was not that lucky. Her family found where she had run off to and forced her to go bac at''s all. Just pity." Like Tiana said, she was really nice to Eugenia all the time. That was why Eugenia couldn''t help but feel a bit guilty about what they were doing, ganging up on the poor innocent girl. They might have really gone too far this time, but there was no turning back now. "Pity? That''s funny. When she gets married to the CEO, she will be the wife of a CEO. She will live a wealthy and happy life. I really don''t know what you are thinking right now, Eugenia. What, you don''t want your share of the money anymore?" Hannah didn''t care whom Tiana was going to marry, for she was not her real sister anyway. As long as her marriage was good for this family and benefited them, then she would agree to anything. "Of course I want my share of money! Don''t you dare think of keeping all the money to yourself!" When it came to money, Eugenia immediately forgot that Tiana, who had been really good to her, was suffering right now. She wanted money too, and she was going to get it. Nobody could stand between her and that money. "I am not nning to. Don''t worry," hummed Hannah in a mock tone. She thought that Eugenia was really fake sometimes. She even said that she pitied Tiana. How ridiculous was that? What a hypocrite! If she really pitied her, she wouldn''t have helped them bring Tiana back at all. Eugenia was just as guilty as every single one of them. Chapter 1745 Negotiation (Part One) "Everyone, shut up! Arguing like this is not helping! Why don''t we stop wasting spit and actually think of ways to get her to agree with our n. How are we going to send her there when she absolutely refuses to marry that old guy?" Sheena said loudly as she abruptly stood up and banged the table with both her hands. Tiana''s yelling was still going on. It ate at her already distressed mind. "I don''t see what the problem is. We could just knock her out," Cyrus blurted out, running out of patience. At first he didn''t want to contribute to the discussion, since hearing Tiana''s crying made him feel guilty. Tiana was his little sister, despite all their problems. At that moment, he just couldn''t ignore her miserable voice and act like he didn''t care about her at all. He wasn''t that evil of a brother. However, his heart was touched only for an instant. Reality sunk in and hardened his sympathetic heart. He desperately needed this exorbitant amount of money to recover his merciless losses from the stock market. In light of the imminent bankruptcy that loomed over, he no longer hesitated to join the n to set his sister up. "Easier said than done. The ring w in your solution is how the hell are you going to knock her out? Don''t tell me you''ll just do a karate chop down her neck. Such a heartless thing for a brother to do to his little sister! I, on the other hand, haven''t even considered such a method," Vance replied sarcastically, fully intent on getting on his brother''s nerves. Seeing his wife buckle under the weight of the embarrassment caused by Hannah''s words, Vance couldn''t help but avenge her by giving Cyrus a hard time. "Dumbass! There are other ways other than a karate chop, less stupid ones. Have you been isted all these years to not know of a sleeping pill?" Cyrus barked. He looked at his brother with scorn in his gaze. All of this was because of his stupid yo stupidity and ugliness. So it''s all my fault now?" Sheena asked, quivering with rage. Her voice was shrill and cold. At that moment all her blood went up her head and she was ice cold with anger. She always knew that she never looked as beautiful as Fiona Xia, and this had always been a painful scar in her heart. No one had dared broach it for so many years, not even her husband. She never expected this toe from her own son. How could he bring it up knowing full well how affected she was by it. He just tore the scar open and even deepened the wound. He just stabbed her with his sharp words. "No, Mum! You''re drifting off-topic again. Let''s just deal with Tiana right now," Cyrus immediately offered. He sensed theing onught from his mother and tried to save the situation. ''It''s better to go back to the task at hand. Otherwise, God knows how she would react if she is as furious as this, '' Cyrus thought to himself. Meanwhile, in the second floor of the Ke mansion, Tiana was prone beside her bed. She was agonizing over the fact that the family she grew up with and loved all her life were now discussing how to sell her to someone. She had no idea she had been a fish on their frying pan now, and they would never allow their paycheck to escape. Chapter 1746 Negotiation (Part Two) On the drive to the Ke Mansion, Rain was organizing his thoughts for theing confrontation. The drive was painfully dull. In order to save Tiana, Rain decided he needed toe back to the wretched ce which he had vowed never to step on in his entire life. Moreover, he had to face the disgusting "family members" of Tiana and him. When he first came about the news that his little sister had been taken back to the Ke mansion by her family, he stayed upte to think hard for a reasonable excuse to help her out, but even he failed. It was only with the unexpected help of the Mayfly did he obtain the damning evidence he needed. This was his smoking gun. So here he was in front of the Ke''s, waiting to pull the trigger. "Hmph! It''s you, Rain." Vance said his name in his most venomous tone. "If I remember correctly, didn''t you vow never to step into our house ever again? So why the hell are you here again? What brought you here, huh? And in case you still don''t know, that spot you''re standing on right now belongs to the Ke''s. It''s our ce, not yours," Vance scoffed at Rain as soon as he saw him. It annoyed Vance greatly that no matter when and where they met, Rain always had the aura of a real prince, whose noble features and elegance were so strong that they radiated around him, and anybody would always look twice. "Oh! You think I''m willing to stand in your house? If it weren''t for Tiana, I would never have allowed myself to be in such a filthy ce," Rain replied calmly but scornfully. He was no longer so easily irritated by these unimportant people and their lies. As he looked up around the huge living room, he realized the Ke''s ce had changed drastically over the years. The wallpapers had changed, and even the floorboards weren''t as polished as they used to be. One thing that had never changed, though, was that the people who called this ce home were still and always would be disgusting to him. "Well, w n. However, Rain dodged expertly without even breaking a swear, his face a mask of calm. "You said this wasn''t you, but why are you so defensive and nervous?" Rain asked casually with a menacing smile on his face. He had got her. He was so sure of it. No matter how hard and how clever she hid the truth, there would always be a sliver of evidence left behind. This allowed him to track her and catch her by the tail eventually. "What the hell are you talking about? I''m not nervous at all, you little bastard. If you think you can threaten me with one stupid recording, that''s where you''re wrong!" Sheena denied quickly, her voice quivering. All her bodynguage betrayed her true feelings though. Her erratic movements became more and more apparent. She was sweating like a pig by now. All her strikes on him were in vain so far, so she felt the urge to act more ferociously. She iled at Rain and attacked crazily with increased intensity. "Stop! You stand down if you don''t want the police involved! I will not hesitate for even a second to send you to the precinct if you continue to be violent," Rain''s voice boomed. Themand echoed around the chamber. He was losing patience because he got hit a few times. Seeing that Sheena was bing more and more unreasonable, he got mad too. Chapter 1747 Negotiation (Part Three) "Rain, even if you''ve got that recording, so what? You can''t prove anything with this. On the contrary, we can sue your ass for nder. ording to this rording, you synthesized my mum''s voice to incriminate her," Cyrus interjected slowly. As he just thought of the idea, he felt a slight tion knowing he could contribute to his mother''s defense. Nowadays, the technology had be so advanced to the point that it was actually pretty easy to find experts that could synthesize perfect emtions of other people''s real voices. If it was absolutely necessary, as long as you could pay the hefty fee the experts charged, the job could be done in a rtively short time and you could decide whoever''s voice you''d like to emte. Thus, in this society, holding merely a recording in one''s hand actually meant nothing in court. Cyrus was not frightened in the least by Rain''s recording. "Oh! Really? What if I tell you that I have in my possession a videotape that goes with this? Do you still think that would be nder?" Rain asked back, feeling quite rxed. A cold smile stered on his face. He was in no rush and had nothing to worry about. If he didn''t have a smoking gun, and wasn''t one hundred percent sure with what he had, he would never have stepped in this evil ce. He was more than prepared to face these demons. "Don''t even try to threaten us. We didn''t do this, so no matter how much evidence you think you''ve got, think again. This is just a minor nuisance to us," Vance spat back confidently. He didn''t believe that his mother had been so careless that she hadn''t even noticed she was being recorded both in audio and video. But on the slim chance that the recording was real, then the situation was really serious now. "Whether it''s useless and nonsense or not, let''s try and see. But before we get to that point, I feel like we should make a deal first. Once I send alled a criminal by everyone she knew. Deep in her heart, she had already decided. It was no question what to do. "Fine, but please be quick. I don''t have a lot of time to waste on you guys. I''m a very busy man," Rain said with a smug look on his face. He knew that he was so close to seeding. He wasn''t worried that they wouldn''t agree to his terms. Actually, he was pretty sure about the oue of this visit even at the beginning. It would have been so disgustingly easy to convict them based on the evidence he had in his hands. Prison was thest thing on their mind. The rest of them began to murmur in discussion. Their small voices resounded through the room. None of them was willing to give up arge amount of money so easily, while they didn''t want to take the risk of being sent to jail either. But they had to choose between money and freedom now since they just couldn''t get both, or Rain would not allow them to get both at the same time. Was the money more important, important enough for them to take the risk of being thrown in jail? Or was freedom more important? But if they could take the risk, could they get both? Was Rain just bluffing this whole time? Or did they really have topromise? Each one of them had conflicting ideas. Chapter 1748 Negotiation (Part Four) "Mum, I say we just ignore him. I don''t think he really has the real evidence he ims to possess," Vance suggested. He was blinded by greed, refusing to see anything but the money. "You shut up! Don''t talk nonsense if you don''t know anything," Sheena rebuked immediately as she red at him. Couldn''t he even tell if the voice yed by the recording pen was his mother''s? "How about this? Let''s actually try to think of a way to get the recording pen from him," Cyrus whispered this time. Just like his brother, he needed this money too, so he didn''t want to lose this chance either. "Do you honestly think he''s as stupid as you guys? He wouldn''t dare show up alone if he wasn''t prepared," Hannah replied, rolling her eyes, dumbfounded by her husband''s idiocy. She felt intense regret that she had been so blind that she chose such a stupid man to marry. "Alright. I''ve made my decision. Let Tiana out," Sheena said solemnly after moments of deliberation. She finally epted Rain''s offer. If that was what it took to get rid of the evidence, then they would give her to him. Besides, he didn''t say anything about denying them the opportunity of kidnapping Tiana again. "Mum, is that really what you decided? Are you sure you''re done thinking about it? She is worth a lot!" Vance said. He couldn''t believe what was happening. He was so close to getting the money, he was unwilling to give it up so easily. All he could do was to remind his mother of Tiana''s immense value. "What''s wrong? You don''t listen to me now?" Sheena spat angrily as she red at her son. Agreeing to her decision went against every fiber of his being. Was the money more important than following his mother? "Howe, Mum? Of course I''ll listen to you. I''ll run upstairs and," Vance sighed. "..let Tiana out," Vance continued. He then star now, with his sister in his arms, he felt bad not because they treated her harshly, but because they were about to lose the opportunity to exchange her for the money he needed. What a cruel irony it was for Tiana to learn! Vance replied with a faint smile. A hollow smile. He didn''t know what to say. So without any more verbalmunication with Tiana, he took her downstairs in silence. Tiana was surprised to see Rain downstairs. She never expected to see Rain in this house, so she thought she was seeing things since she was so weak and delirious. "Tiana, are you alright?" Rain asked anxiously. His eyes filled with concern when he saw her being carried by Vance. He felt that something terrible must have happened to her. Why was she brought down by her brother? Why couldn''t she walk by herself? ''This can''t be, '' Rain thought. Tiana was the little princess of this family. Was she abused? How could they treat her like this? "Rain? It''s you! It''s really you!" Tiana eximed in a burst of happiness when she realized this wasn''t an illusion. She was so happy that her eyes started welling up. Tears began to flow down her face. She didn''t even think why Rain would be here in the house he detested so much. Chapter 1749 Negotiation (Part Five) "There, we let her go. Now, give me the videotape and the recoding," Sheena smugly requested. She had seen everything about Tiana and Rain from her cold, brutal eyes. She didn''t mind showing Tiana how cunning and maniptive she actually had been to her all this time. Whether Tiana could ept this cruel truth was beyong Sheena''s responsibility now. All she cared about was the evidence in Rain''s possession that could destroy her life. "Don''t worry! I''ll definitely hand them over to you after we sign the contract," Rain replied. He wasn''t some stupid man who got lucky. He was a sophisticated businessman who worked with Edward for so many years. He learned a lot under his tutge. "Rain, what are you talking about?" Tiana asked in confusion. She waspletely disoriented now. She had no idea what was happening ever since she had been locked up. "Nothing that should concern you. Don''t worry," Rain replied gently. He believed that it would be best if Tiana knew as little as possible between their deal, considering her physical and mental states. She was too weak to take all of this in at once. "What contract are you talking about?'' Sheena asked, also confused. She didn''t know what Rain was up to. "Of course a contract that says, from now on, Tiana would have nothing to do with you people. Otherwise, who knows when you''ll attempt to kidnap her again after I turn over the evidence?" Rain replied matter-of-factly. He didn''t worry that they might cheat him after the deal, because the contract he prepared was full of contingencies and no loopholes. "What if we don''t sign this?" Sheena asked increduously. "That would be fine, too. I have more than one copy of the evidence," Rain replied passively. Trying to y tricks on him? He never knew they were that stupid to attempt this. His IQ was leagues higher than these people. "You shameless bastard!" Sheena cried angrily. It never came across Sheena''s panicked mind that Rain would make copies of the evidence. If that was true, then the n she came up with earlier would be useless. She couldn''t kidnap Tiana back anymore, which again would mean no mone hat truly cared about her. "But why did you save me?" Tiana asked again. She couldn''t understand him either. It seemed that he gave up something important in exchange just to help her out. "Maybe for my unborn sister who died before she could even see this ugly world," Rain answered, his voice lowering unconsciously. Everyone thought that he hated the Ke''s because of his mother''s death. But there was something more to it than that. The deeply buried wound was about his unborn sister, who died too early. This was also the reason why his mother became depressed all those years, which finally led to her death. "What did you just say?" Tiana asked. She hadn''t listened to him intently. As Rain spoke in an almost hushed whisper, Tiana couldn''t catch what he had said. "Nothing, let''s get out of the car now," Rain replied. He had decided early on to hide his pain deep inside his heart for the rest of his life. He wouldn''t easily tell anyone about his deepest secret. He didn''t even mention this to his best friends. "Well, okay then," Tiana replied, disappointed. She sensed that Rain wasn''t willing to expound on the subject further, so she stopped herself from prying too much. She opened the car door and stepped outside. As soon as she put her weight on her leg, her body began to tremble. Fortunately, Rain was swift to catch her, otherwise she would have fallen on the ground the moment she left the car. Chapter 1750 Not Daughter Of The Ke Family (Part One) "Careful," Rain said to Tiana as he helped her walk into the house. Annie rushed down the stairs as she heard themotion. She saw Rain supporting Tiana by the arm. "Tiana, what happened?" Annie said. "I''m fine. Just feeling a bit faint, that''s all," Tiana replied with an embarrassed smile. Rain sat her down on a chair. She slumped down, trying to catch her breath. "I''ll tell you what happened. But right now, she needs something to eat first," Rain quickly interjected. Although taking Tiana home was not Rain''s intention, he felt an exnation was in order. "Okay. Maybe Tiana would like to freshen up a bit first?" Annie offered. Tiana looked like a mess -- her hair was in disarray, and her clothes looked sweaty and wrinkled. Rain cast a sidelong nce at Tiana, and thought to himself that Annie had a point. "Okay, how about this? You take Tiana upstairs to freshen up while I go to the kitchen and ask them to prepare something for her to eat." "All right. Tiana, let''s go." Annie extended her hand to Annie, helping her up to her feet. "Thank you, Annie," Tiana said, her eyes starting to water. "Don''t mention it. We''re family," replied Annie with aforting smile. Tiana felt so many emotions going through her -- it was as if her whole world had turned upside down. The people whom she had thought were her family had tried to hurt her, and then someone she barely even knew was helping and being kind to her right now! "Huh." Tiana nodded absentmindedly. They walked over to Annie''s room with small, sure steps. "Okay, you sit over here for a while," Annie said as she guided Tiana towards the bed. "I''ll just run a bath for you." Tiana sat down. Her gaze was still far off. ''What could have happened to her?'' Annie thought worriedly. With a light sigh, Annie walked into the bathroom to fill the bath with warm water. Tiana was still in shock and pain. She couldn''t stop thinking about what happened. She couldn''t understand why the people she had loved and known her whole life were willing to sacrifice her for their own interest. Her very own family! What did all those years with them mean now? All theughter, affection, and priceless memories... was it just fake all along? "Hey, Tiana. The bath''s ready for you. I''ll put out some fresh clothes for you to wear." Annie had walked back into the bedroom. Tiana had not moved since Annie left. Annie couldn''t help but feel sorry for the p er the abusive treatment the Ke family had given her in the past few days, she no longer had a home. She didn''t want to have anything to do with that family anymore. She had just started to feel close to Rain. But now, it appeared as if that would change too. "No, you won''t lose me. I will always be like a brother to you as long as you like. I''m always here for you. Nothing will ever change that," Rain promised, smiling warmly at Tiana. He was in fact a sensitive man. It was one of his merits. However, his frivolity might have made people neglect that. "Really? You still want to be my brother?" Tiana''s face lit up, her mood greatly improving. Rain''s words offered her muchfort. "Yes, but don''t you feel sad that you''re no longer a member of the family?" Rain was surprised at her reaction. He could imagine that people would feel devastated at such news -- going hysterical, bursting into tears or something like that. But somehow Tiana seemed relieved. "Why should I feel sad? You don''t like the Ke family either, do you?" Tiana thought that since she was not a Ke anymore, Rain wouldn''t hate her as much as he used to. "My rtionship with them is much different from yours," Rain pointed out. As much as he hated that family, they were in his blood. That would never change. He envied Tiana, and wished that he could wake up one day to find out that his life had changed like Tiana''s had. "I understand. I''m sorry. They''re your real family." Tiana didn''t know what to do with her life yet. But she had high hopes that she would figure it out. Things always eventually worked themselves out in the end. Chapter 1751 Not Daughter Of The Ke Family (Part Two) "I''m d to hear that. Now, eat," Rain said, sliding a bowl of food towards her. He sighed. Seeing her being so understanding and calm made Rain think that he might have worried too much earlier. "Rain, can I ask you something?" "Sure, fire away." "What did you give them to make them agree to let me go?" Tiana''s heart ached a bit still. She had lived with them for more than twenty years after all. Her feelings and attachment towards them wouldn''t disappear overnight. "That''s a thing of the past. Don''t think about it anymore. Just rx. You''re always wee here," he replied, averting his gaze. "I don''t want to be a bother," she said faintly. Tiana heard that Rain and Annie were going to have a wedding. It would be inevitable that they would want to get some time alone. On top of that, she didn''t want to get in the way as they started their family "What are you talking about? You won''t be. This house is big enough for all of us. It would be a waste if no one upies any of these empty rooms," he reassured her. Just then, a car was pulling up in front of the driveway. ''That must be Annie, '' Rain thought. He stood up from his seat to meet her and the kids. "Thank you, Rain," Tiana said politely. The usual spoiled and haughty tone of hers was gone. It was as if she had matured overnight. "Don''t mention it," he replied. "Annie and the kids are back. I''ll just go meet them." He walked up to the front door with long, quick strides. He gave the knob a turn; Joyce and Huey were already there, waiting with big smiles on their faces. "Daddy!" "Hi dad!" The kids ran straight into Rain''s arms as soon as they saw him. An overwhelming warmth flooded through Rain. He beamed back at them, kneeling down to give them a tight hug. "Hey there! Did you miss daddy?" Rain gave them both a big kiss on the cheek. "We did. And daddy, Huey made a girl cry today," Joyce said, suppressing her giggles. "Oh, really now? Huey, why did you do that?" Rain asked seriously. He had high regard for the children''s education -- not only at school; it was important for him that they were taught the right value. "I didn''t! She wanted to y with me and I didn''t want to y with her, so she cried," Huey answered defensively. "Oh, I see... But she is your ssmate. Why didn''t you want to y with her?" Rain asked, his voice lighter. He suddenly understood Huey better after thinking it over. Huey rarely even talked with his sister, let alone other girls. In spite of that, Rain s n so, we could only help her for a while. What about next time? She''s still a member of the family after all," Annie was worried. ''The Kes are really horrible!'' she thought to herself. "Oh, speaking of which, I need to apologize to you -- I traded the evidence of the scheme against you for Tiana''s freedom," Rain said slowly. He looked at Annie, wondering how she would react. "What? You found evidence? Was it really the Ke family who did it?" Annie had always had doubts about that car ident. It couldn''t have been that simple and ordinary. "Yes. Sorry that I made the decision without counseling you." Rain felt bad. Since Annie was the victim, it just seemed wrong that he chose what to do with the evidence and not Annie. "Why are you apologizing?" Annie said with a smile. "I wasn''t badly injured in the ident anyway. Since the evidence could be traded for Tiana''s freedom, I think you made the right decision." Rain smiled back, sighing in relief. Either way, the car ident case had already been reported to the police. Right now, they just had to wait for the result. "Thank you for understanding." Rain wrapped his arms around Annie and hugged her tightly. "But..." he continued, "there''s one more thing." "What is it?" Annie asked anxiously. "Tiana is not daughter of the Ke family." Annie pulled away from Rain. She was more shocked by the news than Tiana had been. "What? No way! Are you serious?" Annie''s eyes widened, looking at Rain in disbelief. "It''s true. I have just found out about it," Rain didn''t tell her, however, that it was the Mayfly that had confirmed the information. The Mayfly''s existence was supposed to be confidential. Chapter 1752 Nothing Had Really Changed (Part One) "No wonder she looks so sad," Annie gazed around the garden, where Tiana and the kids were ying, brow furrowed with worry. She wondered whether Tiana would be able to survive the pain. "Don''t worry! Everything that happened is in the past, and she will be fine," Rain lowered his head to give Annie a slight kiss on her forehead. "I hope so!" Annie wasn''t so optimistic about that as Rain. Due to circumstances, Tiana hade to stay at Rain''s home as a temporary arrangement. In consideration of her low spirits, thepany granted her leave for several days to deal with her mental crisis. On the day of the wedding ceremony, Annie wore a wonderful wedding dress tailored specially by Leena, and she was surrounded by a halo of happiness. Compared with Belinda''s stunning wedding dress earlier, Leena had outdone herself with Annie''s. It was decorated exceptionally well, and Leena had carefully sketched the contours and seen to the creation of every stitch. It was a gorgeous realization of every little girl''s fairy tale dream. "Leena, wow, what a good job! Your wedding dress designs are bing increasingly beautiful," Belinda said trying to hide her envy. The wedding dress Annie was wearing was certainly much more beautiful and exquisite than her own wedding dress had been. "Belinda, if you ever get married again, I will design a new one for you," Leena blurted out without even thinking. She was, in that moment, unaware of the repercussions that her ill-considered words would have. "Leena,e say that again, to my face!" Duke''s cold voice cut through their chat suddenly, and he red at Leena with a frosted light in his eyes. He hadn''t imagined she would go so far as to instigate her elder brother''s wife to marry once again. Did she consider what kind of a situation her elder brother would be in then? "Yikes! Dear brother, I was just teasing. Please don''t let my silly words upset you. I''m just talking trash!" Leena quickly covered up, sticking her tongue out in jest. She thought, ''Gosh! I really sent myself to the gun now.'' "All right. Duke, Leena doesn''t mean anything by it. Please, don''t be angry with her," Kevin exined when he noticed Duke''s anger, and the tension of the situation. But he need not have worried, as Duke loved his sister very much, and could not remain angry with her. "Kevin, set your heart at rest! His dear sister is thest person he would remain angry with. So, let''s just rx and enjoy the ceremony!" Belinda had nothing more to say about the matter. She knew that no further words were required, as their flustering was due to them caring so much for each other. "You know me quite well. Better than I know myself, it seems," Duke sai e vision of her, but also cold at the same time, having known so little about her. It was said that his mother had always lived a rough life. So, when she had met Sanford, she had finally been pushed to the brink of abysmal destruction. She had died before she had enjoyed even one day of a happy life. From then on, he had been alone, separated from his mother forever. "What are you thinking about?" A pair of soft hands encircled his waist from behind, and her face snuggled up to his broad back. "Sorry. Did I wake you?" he asked while turning around to hold her in his arms. Then he carried her back into the room. It was cold outside, so he was afraid that she would catch a cold in her light bedclothes. "I couldn''t sleep without you by my side," Annie felt his genuine warmth andmitment in his concern for her well being. "I''m sorry for waking you up!" Rain transferred her directly back to bed, and slipped under the covers with her. "It''s all right. Were you thinking about your mother just now?" Annie knew that the early loss of his mother had always been a deep wound in his heart; so, it was natural for him to recall her on such an important day as his wedding. "Hmm! How about visiting her grave with me someday?" Rain suggested. He considered that he had been undutiful for not introducing Annie and their children to his mother yet. "Okay. She is my mother too, now. I heard that she was very pretty when she was young, right?" Annie asked in a soft voice while resting her head in the crook of his arm. "Yeah, but who told you that?" Rain was surprised, because he had never mentioned that to her before. "Leena told me. She said that she had seen mommy''s photos," she knew he was still mourning her, but from now on he would not be alone. He now had his wife by his side. Chapter 1753 Nothing Had Really Changed (Part Two) . "That girl...again" Rain smiled silently upon hearing of Leena''s involvement once again. In the past, Leena had been the only woman to know his sorrows, but now he had Annie to share his joys and sorrows with. "Yeah, it was she who told me. I feel that she is like a treasure trove, in which there are many wonderful gifts not yet known by others," Annie felt that she liked Leena more and more as time went by. Leena was ever optimistic and had a positive life outlook, which made her easy to get along with, and a good friend to Annie. "Yeah! That''s why we all treasure her so much," Rain sighed slightly. He thought that Kevin had won her heart so easily. If he had not acted without their knowledge, then they would not have let him marry Leena so easily. Since they cherished her so much, no one would ever be considered good enough for her. "I see," Annie realized that Leena was actually the link between Rain and hispanions, and she helped these men maintain their friendship. It seemed that they could get along with one another particrly harmoniously, as long as Leena was together with them. "Let''s go to sleep. It''ste," Rain gave her a lingering kiss on the lips before he closed his eyes, still cradling her in his arms. Tomorrow would be another day. Their wonderful life together had just begun. After the wedding, the Spring Festival would soon arrive. So, everyone, including Rain, became extremely busy with nning and business. Even so, Rain did not forget to help Tiana investigate the identity of her biological parents. When his cellphone rang, he had just concluded an executive meeting. He took the call while still walking. "Hello, boss. What''s up?" he asked while also taking a file from an employee that required his signature, and absently penning his name. "I need to see you, immediately. Come over, I have some questions for you," Edward said brusquely. In his office, Edward had perused the documents in front of him with widening eyes. He found it difficult to believe what he was reading. Therefore, he needed to ask Rain some questions right now and in person. "What happened? What is so urgent? Can Ie to you this afternoon?" Rain found himself in a pickle as he noticed the time on his wrist watch, and he still had many meetings ahead. "No, you can''t. Come here right away," Edward didn''t think he could wait until the afternoon with such dramatic news. "Okay! I''ll be there in half an hour," Rain said helplessly, hung up the phone, before dialing William and giving some instructions before leaving for Edward''s office. As soon as he arrived at the FX International Group, he immediately took the elevator to the top floor and Edward''s office. "Edward, what on earth is the matter? What is so urgent that I had to drop everything ande here right now?" Rain asked. Exhausted, he threw himself down You''re right. She treated Tiana quite well in the past, though she has been cruel to her recently," Rain was suddenly uplifted by Edward''s words. After all, it was he who benefited from the news. He had a sister now. "It''s good for you to think this calmly, but why didn''t you mention that your mother had a girl child before, to us?" Edward asked the question again, as he was surprised that Rain hadn''t said anything about having a sister before, and he was still struggling with its implications. "Do you think it is necessary that I mention everything from my past?" Rain''s mind was in a state of contradiction. He was both excited and sad. He felt excited because his younger sister turned out to still be alive; while he felt sad because his mother had died because of a vicious scheme that had broken her heart when she had still been so very young. "Yeah. Then, do you have any ns?" Edward didn''t think Rain would leave the matter at that. "What ns can I have? Tiana has broken off all rtions with the Ke Family; so, considering the fact that they have raised Tiana for more than twenty years, I won''t call them to ount, as long as they don''t make trouble for us, for the time being. But if they are not sensible, I will destroy thempletely," Rain spoke calmly about his options after a moment''s contemtion. "Wow! You''ve matured a lot, to be able to think so calmly and logically," Edward could not help but apud, liking Rain''s idea. After all, most often there was nothing more valuable than a family union. "That''s enough! Don''t make fun of me," Rain said. Since he had believed that Tiana was the daughter of the Ke Family, there was no real change in his affection for her, now that he knew she was actually his own sister. After all, the only difference was her mother, but her father was still Sanford Ke. It was easy for Rain to ept the fact, as nothing had really changed. Chapter 1754 My Own Sister (Part One) "I''m not making fun of you. You used to be such a jerk. You''ve changed a lot since you got married," Edward said as he picked up the papers from his desk. He was about to go to the army base in a little while, so he was in a bit of a hurry. "Well, thanks." Rain thought he could forego the modesty since Edward rarely praised him. He nodded and gave a little smile. "Hey, read these documents. I''m going to the base now." He handed the documents over, grabbed his keys and headed out the door. It looked like he would leave without even waiting for a response. "What? Are you serious? I have a lot on my te right now," Rain had to make a point to refuse him. "That''s your business, not mine. Don''t forget, you''re still vice president of FX International." His tone was firm, and it didn''t give Rain a chance to turn him down. Edward merely shrugged and left. Rain groaned. ''I just found my own sister, '' he thought to himself, ''I should be heading back and celebrating right now¡­but Edward left me with all these documents.'' With a resigned sigh, he had no choice but to read the papers he was left with. It was almost eight in the evening when he finished reading the documents. ''What a devil¡­'' he quietly cursed Edward for the workload. "What took you so long?" Tiana briskly walked down the steps as soon as she saw Rain. She missed him at thepany, and found out through William that he was out on business. "I had to do some overtime. Where''s Annie?" ''She looks so much like my mother, '' Rain thought as he stared at her. He used to hate her before, when he would mistake her for Sheena''s daughter. He hadn''t yet realized how much she looked like his mother. "She and the kids went to Leena''s house. They''ll be backter." Speaking of Leena, Tiana still felt guilty, thinking that Leena could''ve nearly had a miscarriage because of her. "And you? Have you eaten yet?" Rain figured that Kevin was out on a mission, or Leena wouldn''t have called Annie and the kids over to her ce. "Yeah, I''m good. You haven''t eaten yet though, have you?" She frowned. She thought it was a little odd, the way R "So if the results from the DNA tests match, that would prove I''m your sister?" She asked, still recovering from shock of the news. If she was his sister, she would have a family. Wasn''t that all she''d ever wanted? All she had ever hoped for? "Yes¡­ So, are you willing toe with me?" He looked at her expectantly, but he knew he wouldn''t push her if she didn''t actually want to. His eyes lit up when she replied, though. "Yes, I want to go." Her words were heavy, as if she had just voiced out a life changing decision. "Don''t worry. No matter what the results show, I''ll treat you as my own sister." Rain had no habit of making such promises to others, but he was sure to keep those he made. ''Strike while the iron is hot, '' he thought. The very next day, the two went to get the DNA test. The waiting period was a strange time. Both of them were in rather unstable moods, but they got along normally. When they saw the result, it was exactly what they wanted to see. Tiana and Rain''s DNA was a 99.9% match. She was his sister, his real sister. They shared blood. He didn''t know how to express his joy with words, so he enveloped Tiana in a sudden tight hug instead. "Oh my god! You''re my sister! I actually found you¡­finally!" It felt like a huge weight was off his heart. He had a strong feeling that finding his sister was the greatestfort he could ever imagine offering to histe mother. Chapter 1755 My Own Sister (Part Two) "Really? Am I really your sister?" She couldn''t believe it as she saw it on paper. It took her everything to pretend to be calm the past few days, but she was full of a weird mix of anxiety and excitement. If she was his sister, then she had been treating the one who killed her mother as a parent for the past twenty years. It broke her heart to realize that she had been living with her enemy for most of her life. "Yes. Are you happy?" He was smiling at her, and at the fact that he could finally bring his mother peace. "Yes. This means I''m not an orphan¡­ I have a real family." She always wanted Rain to be her brother. She would think about it often, knowing that it was undoubtedly a mere fantasy. It was still so unreal to think that her wish came true that way. "Silly girl, how could you be an orphan? You''ve always had us." He gently wiped her tears away. He never thought such a day woulde, and he was brimming with the same emotions, but was always just much better at keeping them from surfacing. "Yes, I have you, so I''m not an orphan," she repeated. With a brother like him beside her, she felt like she could get through anything. "We''re officially family now. You can ask anything you want from me. You never need to hesitate or be shy about anything ever again." The confirmation of their rtionship did change his attitude towards her a great deal. After the reveal of Tiana''s identity, pretty much everyone epted it happily, even if they were surprised at first. Their attitudes towards her also changed. After all, she was Rain''s sister now. Rain said he wanted his mother to meet Annie, so he took his family to the cemetery before the holiday. Annie made sure to get all dressed up. Even like this, it was her first meeting with Rain''s mother, and she wanted to make a good impression. "Mother, are you there? This is your daughter-inw. Your grandchildren are also here. I''m sorry I didn''t bring them to see you before today." He was doing well to make sure his voice didn''t crack, but he was getting quite emotional. It was the first time he was so happy in front of his mother. "And this¡­ is Tiana. Do you think she looks familiar?" He reached out to pull her closer. "Doesn''t she? This is my sister, mom. Your own daughter. Over twenty years ago, she didn''t pass away, s on who had nothing to do with him in his home. "Because she''s my sister! Do you understand now? The baby girl you brought back from the hospital is my mother''s child. Shouldn''t you at least act a little surprised? Do you really have no ounce of decency?" He appeared almost out of nowhere. As soon as he heard from the guard that Tiana had gone to meet Sheena at a nearby caf¨¦, he rushed over, worried that Sheena would harm his sister. "That''s impossible! I didn''t help that woman raise her baby! No¡­no, no! You''re lying!" She started shaking her head, almost hysterically. The words were all arrows to her heart. "I''m not lying. We''ve done the DNA testing. It''s official." Rain found himself particrly pleased to see Sheena out of control. Before, he said that he would act as if nothing had happened, so long as they didn''t do anything stupid to provoke him. Sheena, however, repeatedly walked the dangerous line of challenging him. "Don''t lie to me, asshole! You''re lying! I won''t believe you. Tiana was an unwanted baby girl! She''s not your mother''s bastard!" She felt sick at the thought. So she had been taking care of her rival''s child all that time? "Oh my god! You can''t do this to me," she muttered into the empty air. "Bastard? Look at your sons. They''re the bastards here! They''ll kick you straight out when you have no more use for them." He smiled a dangerously cold smile. He received word that her two sons were looking for someone to value their house, meaning they were going to sell it without any concern for their mother. Chapter 1756 A Pregnancy Test (Part One) "Don''t be ridiculous. Both of my sons are good boys. What you just described would never happen," Sheena said confidently. However, her quivering voice betrayed her guilty conscience. Her sons might treat her well, but her daughters-inw would definitely not. "Time will tell. It always does, be it right or wrong. Tiana, let''s go," Rain said coldly, not even sparing a second nce. He wondered how Sanford would react when he came back home to see the house was gone. Would he go crazy and lose himself? "Yeah. Let''s get out of here," Tiana replied in agreement. Tiana walked to him yfully, but her expression was worried; a stark contrast to her movements. Although Sheena had a terrible temper, her father liked her nheless. When she heard that their house would be sold to settle their debts, anxiety gripped her heart. "Stop. Wait a minute. Rain, isn''t true that I raised your sister? Can''t you show even a small amount of gratitude?" asked Sheena, stepping foward. She just couldn''t ept losing her daughter and fortune at the same time. "Haha! I should be grateful? Why should I do that? What do you want, Sheena? Money? That greed of yours drove my mother to her death and caused many more troubles. I fucking hate you," answered Rain, not even looking back. His teeth were grinding in anger. His fingers slowly came together and clenched into a fist, but he restrained himself to the best of his ability, just enough to keep him from punching her face. Sheena didn''t deserve any gratitude from him. "Why me me for your mother''s demise?" asked Sheena. She was quite taken aback. Her lips transformed from a vicious snarl to a pout that conveyed her annoyance. "Why shouldn''t I me you? Didn''t you do everything wrong? Do I have to list down all the crimes youmitted one by one?" Rain said solemnly. Finally he turned around, his eyes closed in deep t Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. sorry. I promise this won''t happen again," said Tiana apologetically. Her head was downcast. Tiana thought it was okay since Sheena only asked that they should get some coffee together. She never expected any danger from her. "Remember, we humans are dangerous and treacherous. Don''t trust anybody so easily, even Sheena. Are we clear?" Rain asked. He feared for Tiana''s safety. A cornered animal might do something desperate, such was the case for the Ke Family. "I won''t forget. You''re the boss, brother," replied Tiana. Tiana felt intense remorse for what she did. Rain looked really worried about her, and this wasn''t the first time she let him down. "Don''t ever forget. It''s your life we''re talking about." She had lived with the Ke Family her whole life, and she probably had never noticed their true nature. This didn''t guarantee her safety around them, either. "I will never meet them again. I promise." Tiana reaffirmed her brother. As long as he had his peace of mind, she would do everything he wanted. "Good girl. Now go home. I have dinner ns tonight. You can dine with my wife back at the house." The CY Technology Company was barely getting by. He needed to attend various parties to gather connections and sweeten rtionships. Chapter 1757 A Pregnancy Test (Part Two) "Okay. I got it. Don''t get drunk again," Tiana warned. She frowned when she knew that Rain''s wife would worry greatly about him if he failed toe back home on time. He got drunk two timesst week! "Trust me. I know what I''m doing. If I ever get drunk again, my wife would lock the door and throw away the key!" Rain said,ughing awkwardly. This was partly true. He didn''t want to rely solely on the huge power and reach of the FX International Group. He was working really hard these days. He had made strides, but he still needed to be alert. "Be cafeful, bro! I''m going home now. See youter, ''kay?" said Tiana with her sweet smile as she waved farewell. Then she opened the car door and smoothly climbed inside. "Okay. Drive safely!" Rain closed the car door for her and stood there until her car pulled away far enough that he couldn''t see it anymore. He then turned around and entered thepany''s main building. That night, Rain got home drunk again. William, his ever-faithful secretary, sent him home. When Annie saw her husband in a drunken stupor, she couldn''t help but worry. "Rain, why did you get drunk again?" Annie asked, her brows furrowed, hands on her waists. She knew she couldn''t trust Rain to hold his liquor. He got drunk anyway. He looked at his wife, smiling mischievously. "Oh, hey honey! Why are you still awake?" asked Rain slowly. Rain was still amazingly conscious, even when he drank tons of wine at the dinner. When he saw Annie, he got up and dragged himself to kiss her. "Here I am waiting for you toe home. You don''t need to work so hard. You''ve done enough!" pleaded Annie. She felt sorry for her husband. Rain had refused all outside help and was determined to start from scratch. He was so sure that he would seed in building his own new world. "I''m fine, okay? You know I''m doing all Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. er the Spring-Festival holiday, CY technology finally made some progress. Enough to give Rain a breather and he finally could spend some time with his family. Sheena''s house was sold for half its original price, just as Rain predicted. The Ke Family faded into obscurity. "Rain, is this what you wanted to see?" Sanford looked like he aged decades. When he came back home, he found that his ancestral home wasn''t his anymore. "I have no idea what you''re talking about," Rain said innocently. He sat on his chair with his legs crossed. He took a sip of coffee andughed without any emotion. "My family has been ruinedpletely, you brat. Ever since you entered our lives, it was doomed from that moment." Sanford looked tired. He was resigned to the fact that he had no house to live in even after spending his entire life toiling and struggling. "Don''t you dare me me for that. You know the reasons more clearly than the rest of them. You med me because you''re too much of a coward to ept the truth. That''s why you just decided it was much easier to me me for your faults and miserable fate." Rainughed at his father. He knew Sanford would never choose to help him. He was used to this kind of betrayal. Chapter 1758 A Pregnancy Test (Part Three) "What about Tiana? She is your sister, born of your mother?" asked Sanford. This fact was a great shock to him. "Haven''t you known all this ever since? Why would you ask again?" Although Rain knew he was adept in coping with new problems and unique challenges, he still was sad whenever something like this happened. "Why didn''t you tell me this before? I would have done things differently had I known," answered Sanford sadly. He was a pitiful sight. Sanford was a failure all his life. He never admitted this, since he was too much of a coward. He''d rather me it all on other people and consider himself a victim. "Do you really think that would have changed anything? Forget it. I won''t mention anything about the past anymore. Don''t even utter a word about the Ke Family anymore. I refuse to hear it. Goodbye!" Rain abruptly stood up, visibly annoyed. He felt it was too suffocating to talk to Sanford. He then turned around and walked out the door. If he remained even a minute longer, he would have lost his temper. Sanford suddenly clutched his stomach and took deep breaths. He winced in pain and felt lightheaded. "Sir! Are you okay? Where''s your medicine? Just take your medicine and stop stressing yourself out." Lawrence hurried by his master''s side to assist him. He wondered when would the timee when his master could clear up those misunderstandings with Rain. "I''m fine, Lawrence. God, I must have done something terrible in my past life for being punished like this." Sanford took off his thick prescription sses and rubbed his eyes. "Mr. Ke, one day Rain will see the truth and understand you. I''m sure of it." He sighed deeply knowing that he had no idea what to make of the rtionship between his master and Rain. "I hope so. Let''s go." Their old house had been sold by his sons. Luckily, Sanford secretly bought a vi a few years ago. If he hadn''t, he would be homeless now. "Don''t worry, Sir. Everything will be okay." ple of days. He had been trying really hard for their second baby. "Tell me what happened." Daisy bent down and picked up the pregnancy test. She showed it to her husband. She was ring furiously. "What''s this?" asked Edward innocently. One part of the pregnancy test stick showed two lines. He wasn''t Tom who was an excellent doctor. So he was naturally confused. "It''s a pregnancy test, you jerk!" Daisy shouted. Her eyes welled up. She thought Edward was ying dumb. "Pregnancy test?" Edward looked even more confused. Then, it hit him. He felt a surge of excitement and asked loudly, "Are you pregnant?" "Edward, did you do this on purpose?" Daisy bit her lips as she desperately held her tears back, to no avail. Tears streamed down her face. How could she get pregnant at such a crucial time? A military exercise was fast approaching and she needed to be there. "Honey, why are you crying?" All throughout their marriage, Daisy had always been the tough one. He couldn''t stand seeing his wife cry. It always came as a shock to him to see his soldier wife crying so helplessly. He panicked and thought whether he had overdone it or not. If he told her that he really wanted another child right now, Daisy would absolutely refuse him. So he had to take that chance. Unexpectedly, Daisy cried. Chapter 1759 Sweet Scene (Part One) "Whatever, Edward. You should resolve the problem you''ve created," Daisy said. It would have been fine if Edward hadn''t asked the question. But now that he did, she felt more aggrieved -- this year was going to be the busiest time for her, and there would be a big moveing in. "Yes! Leave it up to me. Don''t worry! I''ll take care of our new baby." Edward assured. He waspletely immersed in the happiness of Daisy''s pregnancy and noticing nothing unusual. "You''ll take care of it? Then why don''t you conceive a baby?!" Daisy yelled. She wasn''t amanding Senior Colonel at this moment, but a reckless shrew. "If I could do that for you, I would do it," Edward said, trying to console her. He badly wanted a little cutie as pretty as his wife. "Easy for you to say..." Daisy said. She didn''t take it to heart because she thought he was just saying it for show. She never expected that Edward would take any real action. She was not prepared for this. "I know. What if we just sit on it for a while? That way, we would reach somepromise," Edward said. As long as he could get her to say yes, he might do everything she told him to do -- even if she asked him to bark like a dog. "You, you¡­¡­" Daisy was choked up with anger and was unable to say anything else. All she could do was stare at him with burning eyes as she ground her teeth. "All right. Honey, don''t be mad. Just think about it! How wonderful it would be if we have a daughter as beautiful as you are," Edward said, wiping the tears that were forming at the corners of Daisy''s eyes. He understood how serious the situation was. Making her cry was thest thing he wanted. "How do you know our baby''s a girl? What if it''s a boy?" Daisy said, knocking his hand away from her face. ''Who does he think he is? He thinks he can decide the gender of the baby for himself just like that? No, why should I even be affected by him?'' Daisy thought. "No way. It must be a girl..." Edward said. He was dumbfounded as he had never thought until then that that was a real possibility. Either way, he still stuck to his own credence. "I''m tired of arguing with you. No matter what happens, you must give me an eptable solution when I get back from work," she sniffed. If she could, she would have beaten up this self-righteous man who was in front of her. "Hold up! Let''s go to see Tom and ask him to check if you really are pregnant," he quickly said. Edward couldn''t wait to get a definitive answer. "Humph! Do you think I have time for ly wanted. But whenever he questioned himself, the answer was always yes. "I won''t stay even you want me to," Edward said and then left, frivolously and mboyantly. "Humph!" Tom said, pouting. He always used self hypnosis to tell himself that nothing happened whenever he faced such an arrogant boss. If he didn''t, he might have died with anger. Compared with Edward''s fairly positive mood, Daisy was prone to emotional outbursts. She didn''t think it was good timing to have another baby. This year, she would be busy with not only the national parade, but also severalrge-scale live-fire exercises. She couldn''t be absent from any of them. So she was wondering if she should keep this new baby. What should she do if she decided to keep it? "Daisy, what''s the matter with you today? Why do you look anxious? Do you know what a big mistake you''ve made?" Kevin said, frowning. Although he was reluctant to say this, he had to criticize her for the sake of safety. "Sorry! Major General, I need a break." Daisy said, pursing her lips, and then rushed out of the training field. "Mark, what''s wrong with your Senior Colonel?" Kevin asked, frowning. ''Did I talk to her too harshly?'' he thought. "I don''t know, Major General. She has been like this since this morning," Mark replied. He felt very aggrieved at being named because he knew nothing about this. "Okay. Follow her to check what''s happening!" Kevin ordered, sighing slightly and thoughtfully. "Yes, Major General," Mark said, saluting before going after Daisy. Daisy took off her feldmutze and fanned herself with it. Summer was approaching, so the weather of S City was getting very hot and dry. Chapter 1760 Sweet Scene (Part Two) "Senior Colonel, here is some water," Mark showed up in front of Daisy at the right time. He passed his water bottle to her. As a guard, it was his responsibility to keep an eye on her and know what she needed. "Mark, the whole troop will head to the exercise base this afternoon. Are you ready for this?" Daisy asked, taking several gulps of water. She wiped the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. "Senior Colonel, I''m ready." Mark reported. He felt Daisy was acting a little weird today, so he behaved more cautiously. "Good job. You can go now! I want to be alone for a while," Daisy said, giving back the water bottle to him. She thought it was necessary for her to think about how to deal with her pregnancy issue. "Yes, Senior Colonel!" Mark said, looking at Daisy worriedly. Without much of a choice, he followed Daisy''s order and left. Daisy sat down on the grass, looking up at the blue sky and white clouds above the army base. She didn''t notice anything unusual, but for some reason, she felt sadder than before. She knew Edward wanted a daughter and that Justin wanted a sister. She would definitely have considered it if only they had talked it through first and made proper preparations. But never like this -- like she was forced and a passive participant. She sighed slightly, wondering what Edward would say to her if she decided to get rid of the baby. She always subconsciously tended to put the country first before family or anyone else. Some people might say she was cruel. Truthfully, she was the one who would suffer the most when it came to this kind of thing. After all, no mother would ever dislike her own child. Even though the new baby wasn''t fully formed yet, it was already a life inside her. In the afternoon, the troops were ready to ship out. Even though it was only a warm-up for the formal military exercise, nobody took it lightly. As a brilliant soldier, he or she should be ready to serve the country anytime. Daisy didn''t tell Edward about her attending the military exercise. She wanted to tell him about it this morning, but she was so annoyed with the whole pregnancy ordeal that she forgot about it. Edward had been waiting at the door of the army base for more than an hour. Eventually, he figured that something was wrong. No matter how many times he called Daisy, she wouldn''t pick up. He decided to call Mark and Kevin, only to find out that their phones were turned off. In desperation, he called Leena, hoping that she might know what was going on. "Hi Edward, what''s the matter?" Leena ans you know it?" Justin replied, looking scornfully at Edward. ''It''s so simple! Why can''t he understand?'' he thought. "All right! It was kind of my fault. But did your mom say when she''lle back?" Edward asked, his voice masked with a hint of agitation. He walked up to the living room and slumped back onto the couch. He suddenly felt weak and burned out. "She didn''t say when. But, daddy, why do you care so much?" ''He always cares about mommy whenever she goes out for a mission. But why does he look so nervous this time?'' Justin thought. "She''s my wife. Of course I care about her!" Edward said, staring at Justin angrily. He felt his son had be more difficult to deal with recently. "Oh! Okay. You just rx here, Daddy. I go upstairs." Justin said with a sly smile. He didn''t want to waste his precious time on hearing his daddy''s rants. "Wait. One more question," Edward stopped Justin who was already at the foot of the stairs. He couldn''t be alone there! Edward felt that he needed someone to be with right now. "What is it? Come on. I can tell you all," Justin said, sitting on the couch next to Edward. He was just a little kid, but he behaved like an arrogant king. "If I tell you your mommy is having a baby, do you want it to be a sister or a brother?" Edward said expectantly, his eyes shining with curiosity. "I never do baseless assumptions. But if mommy is having a baby, I hope it''s a sister. It will be okay too if it''s a brother. In that case, I wouldn''t be too tired when I take over the FX International Group," Justin said. He would have definitely said he wanted a sister if he was asked years before. But he didn''t want a sister so much ever since Joyce showed up. Chapter 1761 Looking For An Ally (Part One) "You''re so cunning!" Edward eximed. It seemed that his n to look for an ally was not very smooth. "As the saying goes, like father, like son. You must be very proud to have a son like me," said Justin with a proud smile. He was now standing 150 cm tall. His face had well-defined angles that highlighted his best features, his forehead, cheeks, and jawline. "You may leave now." Edward rolled his eyes at the boy and gave up the attempt to make Justin his ally. "No, I''m not leaving. You must tell me why you asked me that question," Justin said while looking at Edward. His father had already stirred his curiosity, thus, he decided not to leave without knowing the truth. "Well, the reason is simple. Your mommy might be pregnant." Edward didn''t n to keep it a secret, so he told Justin honestly. "Really? Wow, I''ll have a sister or a brother." Thrilled about the news, Justin couldn''t help but jump in excitement. "Why are you so excited?" Honestly, Edward could have done the same as Justin upon hearing the news earlier. However, Daisy''s reaction frustrated him as she seemed very unhappy about it. "Why? Aren''t you happy about it?" asked Justin in confusion. "Your mommy seemed very angry this morning." Edward sighed with obvious resignation. He was so used to talking with Justin like he was already an adult. Justin was much more clever than kids of his age after all. "Daddy, did you do something behind mommy''s back?" Justin''s jaw dropped. He knew that his father would get in trouble if his mother got angry with him. "I didn''t! I told her before that I want to have another baby with her." Edward felt that he was wronged. He had been telling her about this for several months now but she hadn''t given much thought to it. Now she believed that he had done something without informing her. "But she didn''t say yes back then, did she? Daddy, you''re screwed!" Justin chuckled at Edward''s uneasiness. He could just guess how Daisy would deal with his father this time. "Come on. Help me figure out a way to make her happy." The reason why Edward chose to tell everything to his son was that he wanted Justin to help him find a way to cool Daisy''s head down. However, he really didn''t expect his son''s sarcastic remark just about everything. "Well, to be honest, I am willing to help. It is just that I can''t. Have you tried praying to God? Maybe you should try that a sarcastic chuckle and looked at Edward in the eyes. "By the way, when will Daisye back?" He had beening back and forth abroad recently. His father had been suffering from poor health and he had to help him manage Ouyang Foreign Trade. "How am I supposed to know that?" retorted Edward. Brian''s question reminded him that Daisy was still angry at him, thus, he felt annoyed. "She''s your wife, isn''t she? If you don''t know, then who else would know?" Brian finally understood why Edward was in a bad mood. He might have had a row with Daisy. "I''m a generous husband. I would not meddle with my wife''s personal affairs," Edward snapped back as he couldn''t help but be angry at what his brother-inw said. "It''s not that you wouldn''t meddle with her affairs. It''s that she wouldn''t allow you to do that. Am I right?" Brian gave Edward a scornful smile. He was always mean to Edward and that was why Edward disliked him. "You may leave now. I still have work to finish," said Edward through gritted teeth. "Hey! Since I''m already here, why don''t you invite me to dinner?" Brian pretended to not see his angry face and looked at him with innocent eyes. "Do you have no money? Why do I have to buy you dinner?" However, Edward rolled his eyes at Brian. Couldn''t Brian understand that his presence alone was enough to kill his appetite? "Come on! You are my brother-inw. Do you want me to speak ill of you before Daisy?" Brian cast a challenging look at the man who was now raising his eyebrows at him. They were suddenly engaged into a staring war until Edward finally gave in. Chapter 1762 Looking For An Ally (Part Two) "Fine! You win!" Edward said. He then picked his phone up as he decided to call someone else to have dinner with them together. He really didn''t want to face Brian alone. He needed people to be around them just to make sure that he wouldn''t be able to do anything bad to himter. He needed some referee. Seeing Edward make phone calls, Brian shrugged and didn''t stop him. The more the merrier after all. Moreover, it wasn''t him who would pay for the meal. "Hi, Edward! Why are you calling?" Rain''s voice came from the other end of the line. He had been really busy recently. He was worried about Edward''s calls as thetter would always assign tasks to him. "Do you want to have dinner with me? I refuse to ept no as an answer." Edward was always bossy before Rain, and Rain was already used to it. "Why did you even ask for my opinion if you''re not epting ''no''?" Rain rolled his eyes and dropped his pen on the table. He still had to eat anyway regardless of how busy he was. "Hurry up! I''ll see you in Westin." After saying that, Edward hung the phone up. He had been nning to talk to Rain for the past few days. Having him eat dinner with him was like killing two birds with one stone. On the other hand, Rain sighed defeatedly upon hearing the call ended. ''He''s my boss. What else can I do?'' he thought helplessly before grabbing his coat and car keys. "Why are you still sitting here? Come with me." Edward grabbed his car keys and walked out of his office. "I''m so d to see your long face. Haha!" provoked Brian. He was intentionally making Edward angry as he knew that Edward wouldn''t dare to take revenge. He had Daisy in his side, thus, he was not afraid of Edward at all. "It sounds like you are simply not in your right mind." Edward tried his best to suppress his anger. He kept telling himself, ''Calm down, Edward. You must not lose your temper. Otherwise, Daisy will get angrier.'' He could still remember how Daisy looked while telling him of what she would do in case someone bullied her brother. "How can you say those hurtful words to me? I''ll tell Daisy about it." Brian pretended to be hurt by Edward''s words. "Don''t try to anger me, man. I won''t buy it." As a reaction, Edward cast a burning nce at Brian before he opened his car door. "Oh, no. That''s not funny." A cunning smile spread across Brian''s face as he opened the door for the passenger seat. "Just shut your mouth," said Edward as he got into the driver''s seat and ignored his brother-inw. That made Brian chuckle as he joined hi ny years, thus, he knew Edward well enough. "That''s impossible! Daisy would by no means say yes." Brian turned him down without any hesitation. "You do know her well." Frustratedly, Edward looked at Brian in dismay as his n failed. "Of course! She''s my sister!" Brian cast a scornful nce at Edward. It was not even long ago that Daisy called him to say that she had been really busy recently. He was pretty sure that Daisy would not consider having another baby in this period. "I know she''s your sister. No one is denying that!" Edward snapped back. ''She''s your sister. So what? She''s my wife!'' he thought. "Well, Rain, you know what. Someone is so jealous here that he would cut in whenever I have a talk with Daisy." Brian rolled his eyes at Edward. He was getting curious about how Edward would look once his temper burst. Rain was clever though and chose to remain quiet. He just pretended that he was not here. He got no ns of involving himself with whatever fight these two got. "Rain, I heard the new dishes here are pretty good. Why not give them a try?" Edward turned to ask Rain as if he didn''t hear what Brian had said. "Oh, okay." Secretly, Rain was crying. ''Why do you have to drag me in. I''m really not interested in your fight. God, please save me.'' Meanwhile, Brian curled his lips and said no more. Edward didn''t enjoy this meal at all. His n to make Brian his ally failed and he was mad at Brian because of his attitude. On the contrary, Rain and Brian had a good meal. As the saying goes, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." They ate and talked to each other happily. It was such a good bonding moment for two people who shared the same nemesis. Chapter 1763 You Asked For It (Part One) If Rain had been told what a mammoth task awaited him at the FX International Group, he wouldn''t have volunteered to go to thepany for the document. But there was no way anyone could predict the future. Rain had no other choice but to stay and deal with the problem, while the guy who called him was nowhere to be seen. "Dear little Aaron, I heard that Anna just had a baby. That''s good news! Congrattions!" Rain teased Aaron for fun and to while away the time. Finding someone to make fun of helped relieve the boredom of having to deal with loads of files. "Thanks. I am still waiting for your gift. I hope it''s a fancy one." Aaron was too excited at having be a father, that he didn''t notice Rain was teasing him by calling him ''dear little Aaron''. "Humph! You only care about a gift!" Rain pouted. He wondered when Aaron became obsessed with money and gifts. "I have no other choice! I have a family to raise," Aaron teased, shrugging. It was easy to tell he was really happy now. "Stop showing off! I also have a wife and kids to raise, you know." Besides, Rain had two kids. "I am nothing like you. Your kids have already been raised somewhat when you met them. But my girl is still a baby, and it will cost me a fortune to raise her." Aaron just blurted it out to argue with Rain, not intending to remind him of the fact that he had been absent during much of his children''s lives. He didn''t notice there was something wrong with what he had just said, until he noticed Rain''s face fell. "Well, I didn''t mean to hurt you. It just came out." ''I am screwed, it really hurt him, '' Aaron thought to himself. "It''s okay. I am going to work on these files." Rain walked away in frustration. It was the biggest regret in his life that he missed most of his kids'' childhood. And it hurt every time someone reminded him of how bad a father he was. As Rain began to deal with the files, his phone rang and he left in a rush after answering it. Rain thought he was done with the Ke family, but deep down, he didn''t expect he could totally cut all ties to them. So he left after Lawrence called him. "Mr. Xia." Lawrence rushed to Rain as he arrived. "What happened? Why did he ck out?" Rain frowned as the whole house was filled with the smell of disinfectant water. "Well. Cyrus and Vance said something awful to enrage him," Lawrence sighed. Mr. Ke was not a happy man, despite h gate. "Well, don''t you want to be picked up by me?" Rain reached out to take her bag and led her by the hand along the concrete path, instead of picking her up. "No! I love to be picked up by you, daddy." Because then, she could show off her very attractive father to her ssmates. "Where is your brother? Is he still in ss?" Rain looked around for his son, but the little guy was nowhere to be seen. "He was surrounded by girls. They wanted to offer him some snacks to impress him," Joyce pouted. At the previous kindergarten she was the popr one, followed by all her ssmates, but the situation had changed at the new school. Huey, due to his mysterious brooding face, became the most popr kid in school. That was typical of human beings - they always chased the unattainable, what was out of their league. "Really? Is he that popr?" Rain stared at Joyce in amazement. He couldn''t believe his son already had so many followers at this young age. "Who knows," the little girl pouted some more. Even though she was jealous of his brother''s poprity, Joyce was still d to see her brother was this popr. After all, he shared all the snacks he received with her. "Is our little princess jealous of him?" Rain picked her up and kissed her on one of her cheeks. Joyce was so adorable when she became angry at being teased. "No, I am not! I have many boys chasing after me." Even though she kept exining she was not jealous, Joyce defended herself with a cutting acidity in her voice. Rain couldn''t help chuckling as his little princess didn''t realize how cute she was. Chapter 1764 You Asked For It (Part Two) "Oh! Do you? That must be true. How could our beautiful little princess not have any followers?" Rain waved at Huey toe to him, as the popr kid emerged surrounded by girls. Actually, Rain was tall enough to easily be spotted among the crowd and there was no need for him to wave, but he was afraid his son would not see him. "Daddy." Huey smiled seeing his father. He didn''t appear as excited as his sister was. Huey had resumed his old habitual behavior of being cold and aloof, as always. "Okay. Let''s go!" Rain held his hand and waved at the other kids who had begun noticing his celebrity presence. It was a natural move, but it was enough to show off Rain''s attractiveness and impress them. The kids'' mothers began toin why such a charming man was not their partner. "Daddy, could we visit Aunt Leena''s home tomorrow? It''s Saturday tomorrow." Huey asked him carefully after they got into the car. "Why do you want to visit her home?" Rain asked, amused, buckling his kids into their child seats. "Because Richard is there!" Huey stole a nce at his father and hoped Rain wouldn''t see through his scheme. "Oh? So Richard is the reason you want to go to Leena''s, not her delicious home-made snacks, right?" Rain slid behind the wheel with a sly smile, turned to check his kids'' seats onest time, and then he turned the key in the ignition. "Well, that''s part of the reason," Huey smiled in embarrassment. Rain certainly read his mind. "Huey is a foodie, right?" Joyce grinned, seeing her brother was awkward. "You are a foodie!" Huey gave his sister a stern look. Joyce was definitely a foodie, as all the snacks from Huey''s followers died in Joyce''s mouth. At this moment, Rain had no other choice but to remain silent. He didn''t want to show favoritism to either, so he waited for them to sort it out themselves. While the three of them were on their way home, Annie phoned Rain unexpectedly, saying that she got a t tire for no reason. She asked Rain toe pick her up. Annie had endured a long day. First, her water was drugged with something, and then Eleanor picked at her all day. But none of that really fazed her. However Annie really blew her top when she ended up with a t tire, just as she was about to go home. She had no other choice but to phone Rain for help. While waiting for her life saver, Eleanor approached her again, evidently not done with her ruthless campaign against Annie. "Annie, have you changed your tire? How about I give you a ride?" Eleanor smirked at Annie, taking a dark pleasure at her difort. "No, thanks!" The weasel goes to pay his respects to the hen, not with the best of nd she waspletely at a loss for action in the moment. Eleanor attacked her viciously with nails, pushing and shoving her up against the car. Fortunately, Rain arrived just in time and saw what was happening. He rushed from his car immediately and ran to the two of them. "Stop it! What are you doing?" Rain roared above Eleanor''s screaming, his face livid. He was shocked by the unexpected scene that greeted him. Rain quickly dragged Eleanor away from Annie. "Mr. Xia, I..." Eleanor stammered, still holding her hand to cover her now swollen face, evidence of Annie''s hard p. "Annie, are you okay?" Rain ignored Eleanor, his only care was for Annie, and if she was okay. Gently he helped Annie to fix her hair and checked if she was hurt. "I am okay," Annie answered, biting her lip. She was embarrassed that Rain found her fighting with someone, she had been raised better than this. Annie was flushed and afraid to look into his concerned eyes. "Tell me what''s going on." Rain red fiercely at Eleanor as he spoke. He couldn''t believe that this crazy woman was messing with his wife again. It seemed that he wasn''t up to date with what happened inside FXtely. Otherwise he would never have allowed his wife to work with Eleanor again. "I... She attacked me first!" Eleanor''s voice trembled, on the verge of tears. Rain was as cold as Mr. Mu, they both cared nothing for women that they were not involved with. "But I''m guessing that you messed with her first." Rain knew Annie as someone who didn''t like rocking the boat in any way. She always ignored other people''s unkindness as much as she could and never fought back, unless they went too far. That she struck Eleanor proved one thing: that the crazy woman had gone too far, and was way out of line. Chapter 1765 At Odds (Part One) Eleanor bit her lips, not knowing how to defend herself. She knew that she was in the wrong in this matter. "Rain, don''t be angry. I am also partly to me. Miss Xiao kindly invited me to ride her car at first. I must have said something wrong that offended her, thus, we got here." Annie pulled Rain''s sleeve to prevent him from making further actions. She looked embarrassed with her facepletely turning red. However, her natural charisma didn''t waver and she remained as beautiful as always. "Really?" Rain asked, unconvinced. He knew Annie like the back of his hand. She was a mild person and would not offend others simply because of a word or two. "Huh! Don''t you believe me?" Annie frowned as she felt her scalp tingle a bit. She just realized how much Eleanor hated her. She could just imagine how much force Eleanor exerted when she pulled her hair. Nevertheless, Annie didn''t want Rain to know that she was hurt. Thus, she just pretended that nothing happened. Eleanor shot Annie a confused stare. She had thought that Annie would take the chance to nder before Rain. It surprised her that Annie didn''t make a big deal of the whole chaos. It weirded her out that the woman even med herself for what she did. "I believe you, okay? It''s just that I don''t trust the other person here," Rain said as he cast a sharp nce at Eleanor. She should feel lucky that she was a woman, otherwise, he would definitely give her ck eyes upon seeing her bullying his wife like that. "Miss Xiao, you''d better leave now," Annie reminded the actress. She feared that Rain might lose his temper and beat her in public. That would be really barbaric. "Okay." Eleanor suddenly became submissive. She hurriedly got into her car without saying a word and drove away in full speed. She wouldn''t forget how Rain looked while staring at her moments ago. He looked like he was about to grab her and m her on her car''s hood. "She was never get tired of waiting for Daisy since he loved her so much. Time ticked by fast. It was already a quarter past seven in the evening but he still hadn''t seen Daisy''s care out. Did he get here on the wrong date? Was it even possible for him to read his calendar wrong? Edward wondered. Meanwhile, Daisy was looking at Kevin apologetically. She was very sorry for his injury. She didn''t really mean to hurt him due to her carelessness. Although the wound wasn''t that bad, Kevin would still need to endure the pain of it for the next few days. "This will make Leena really sad." Daisy couldn''t help but tease him after the military surgeon bandaged up his wound. "Don''t worry. She is very busy with Richard right now. She won''t notice this wound at all. Moreover, this is nothing serious," replied Kevin in a jealous tone. Daisy could sense that Leena''s attention had shifted from Kevin to the child and that made Kevin somewhat unhappy. "How could it be possible? You''re everything to Leena. How could she not care about you and miss such an important thing?" Daisy asked curiously. It was spring now and they were all just wearing shirts and trousers. Although Kevin could cover the wound with his clothes, it was still possible that Leena would sense the subtle changes in him. Chapter 1766 At Odds (Part Two) "Did she tell you that I''m everything to her?" Kevin''s eyes lit up upon hearing Daisy. Her words just rekindled his hope. "Did she have to say it? Everyone could see that she cares so much about you," Daisy snapped and stared at him. Why did men have the tendency to think too much? It was said that women had the tendency to have cranky thoughts. However, most of the men Daisy knew turned the tide. They were always the ones with strange thoughts. "Fine, Major General Gu. Be careful with the wound and keep it from getting wet. Moreover, don''t eat spicy foods." The military surgeon also prepared some medicines and gauze bandages for him. "Okay. I know, thank you!" Kevin rxed his elbow. His elbow was wrapped with the bandage too tight and he could barely move. He still felt a little pain whenever he tried to move his arm though. "Let''s go! I''ll drive you home," said Daisy. She was not in the mood the whole day. If it wasn''t for that, she wouldn''t have zoned out and scratched him by mistake. "No need. Lee is here. He can send me home. It''ste. You''d better go home now. Edward would be worried." Kevin had noticed the changes in Daisy in the past few days. She seemed to be unusual though she looked the same. He was a very keen observer, thus, nothing could escape his eyes. He clearly sensed that she had something on mind. However, he didn''t want to bug Daisy by asking about it. "Don''t mention him to me." Just the mention of Edward''s name annoyed Daisy. It was all because of him that she didn''t perform well in the military drill. Worse, she almost made a terrible mistake by hurting Kevin. "What happened? Did he make you angry?" Kevin raised his eyebrows. No wonder that she became really irritable these few days. She looked so grumpy the whole time that all the other soldiers had been avoiding her. "s! It''s a long story. I don''t want to talk about it now. Since you don''t need me e they doing? One is escaping and the other is chasing. Are they ying the officer-catch-the-thief game? But isn''t Daisy the officer? They must have exchanged the roles by mistake, '' thought Luke. "Senior Colonel, Mr. Mu is catching up. What should we do?" Mark asked worriedly. It was lucky that they were driving on the army base road and there were a few cars on the way. However, it would be too dangerous to keep on with the chase once they reached the main road leading to the downtown. "What? Is he crazy?" Daisy knitted her brows. She had qualms about ordering Mark to drive faster because she knew that Edward would also elerate to catch up. Things might get out of control if they would continue like this. Mark''s mouth twitched. He actually didn''t know what to say. It was a tough question and he didn''t think that he would make a good bet by answering yes or no. Therefore, he chose the best for the situation and shut his mouth up. Staying silent was the best solution to avoid drawing fire against himself. A sinister smile appeared on Edward''s face as he focused on the car ahead of him. He pressed the pedal to its limit and smiled even more. His eyes were deep and unfathomable. His stern look could intimidate anyone who wanted to screw around with him. Chapter 1767 At Odds (Part Three) "Mark, pull the car over." Daisy sighed defeatedly. She finally caved in and admitted that she lost to the man she loved the most. "Okay, Senior Colonel." Mark slowed down and pulled the car over to the side of the road. He was very slow and cautious because he didn''t want to be bumped by the speedy car just right behind them. The moment their carpletely stopped, Daisy jumped off the car and leaned against the door. She looked at the crazy man with cold eyes as she wondered about what he was up to. On the other hand, a yful smile cracked Edward''s lips as he turned his car''s steering wheel. His tires made a screeching sound against the asphalt before his car stopped precisely behind hers. He quickly got off his car too. "Huh! Senior Colonel Ouyang, just keep running. Why you suddenly stopped? Edward''s eyes were burning in anger as he walked towards her. He was trying his best to look calm even though he was actually furious to the hilt. "If a crazy man is chasing after you in hot pursuit, will you still keep running?" Daisy was also enraged. She wondered if Edward even cared about how dangerous the situation was just now. "I have no choice. My wife ran away and I can''t sit by and just watch her leave," said Edward as he stood before her. Although he was angry, he still cast worried nces at her from head to toes to check if she was hurt during the military drill. "Mark, you may go back first." Daisy didn''t want to argue with Edward while Mark was there, so she asked his bodyguard to leave. "Okay, Senior Colonel." Much as Mark was worried about the two, military orders could not be vited. Thus, he followed Daisy''s order again without any resistance at all. Meanwhile, Edward folded his arms across his chest as he emotionlessly watched the two. He waved at Luke after Mark left to order him to leave too. He would like to see how Daisy would throw a tantrum at him. Luke was a little hesitant to leave but then he followed d sat down on the passenger seat. It was only then that she noticed that something was wrong. She saw Edward flexibly bent down when he followed her inside the car. She couldn''t believe that she was tricked! However, Edward acted fast upon seeing how her expression changed and quickly locked all the doors with a single click. There was nowhere for her to escape now. "Edward, you cunning man!" used Daisy angrily. She regretted being careless and falling into his trap. "Yes, I am cunning. Actually, I am also shameless." Edward didn''t mind her mad rebuttal. He had always been a maverick who did things his own way. He really didn''t care about manners or morals. What he said made Daisy pissed off again. It took all her willpower to suppress her urge to shoot him and stop his proud smile. "You don''t feel ashamed at all." In all honesty, Daisy couldn''t do anything to this brazen man anymore. Thus, she could only re at him as she imagined slicing him with her stare. "There is nothing to be ashamed of when I''m with my wife. Why? Do you hate me?" Edward tried to lighten the atmosphere. He suddenly felt so pathetic. He had waited for her outside the army base for two hours and was not even weed properly after. Worse, he even had to put down his dignity and pride in order to make her happy. Chapter 1768 Daisy Changed Her Mind (Part One) "Yes, you''re exactly right. I have had enough of you. Hmph!" Daisy felt defeated as Edward knew her so well that he always found ways to soften her up. She just couldn''t stay mad at him. "I know how women think even better than you know. You''re saying yes but you mean no. I won''t take your words to heart." Edward smirked and smugly crossed his arms in front of him. He was confident that she really didn''t mean what she said, and it infuriated her. "That''s because you men like to hear those fake words," Daisy snapped back. She knew that she would always lose in their arguments, but admitting defeat so easily was thest thing on her mind. "I understand youpletely. Why not? It makes perfect sense. But here''s the thing. I''m not like most men; I''m the exception." Edward rubbed his chin after he said this, betraying no doubt in his face. Inwardly, he thought, ''I''m rich as hell, devilishly handsome and loyal to a fault to my wife. How can she evenpare me with other men?'' "You are so shameless!" It was like Daisy heard his thoughts as she spat the words. She knew Edward was a narcissist, but it never ceased to stun her whenever he patted himself on the back. "But hey, I''m only shameless in front of you," Edward said as he smiled mischievously and looked at Daisy straight in her eyes. "Stop it!" Daisy immediately stopped him. She knew where this was headed. She knew how relentless and tireless he could be when it came to sex. "Alright, fine," Edward said as he raised his hands in mock surrender, his expression smug as ever. "But I have one more question. Are you still really mad at me?" As long as the answer was no, he would begin to persuade her for their baby''s eptance. "What do you think?" Daisy asked with one eyebrow raised. In truth, she was actually much calmer nowpared to moments ago. "How am I supposed to know? That''s why I''m asking you." Edward looke mocking him, he still felt incredibly happy as long as she dreamt about him. "I haven''t finished yet! I also beat you up." Daisyughed. Edward made a mocking face in response. She just rolled her eyes at him as she opened the car door and got out on the hard pavement. Edward couldn''t help but feel a cold chill creep down his spine. ''What a scary woman!'' he thought. It felt weird for the couple to arrive at home and not find Justin running out to wee them. The servant hastily went out and informed them that Justin''s grandparents had taken him to their old house to spend the weekend. Edward felt relief rush to his cheeks as he heard that. Now he had the space and time to convince his wife. The odds were with him. Edward was an aloof andmanding man in front of others, but a caring and considerate husband before Daisy. They went about eating a delicious supper in silence. When they were both finished, he asked her to take a warm bath first. All throughout dinner, Daisy kept thinking about her problem. She knew deep inside that running away from reality wouldn''t solve anything. She then went to take that warm bath. When she was satisfied, she went to their wardrobe, dressed in a frilly nightfown, went downstairs and sat beside her husband. Chapter 1769 Daisy Changed Her Mind (Part Two) "Well, anytime now," she said in a calm voice. She gave him a couple days to think things over and she believed he had made a decision already. "I will respect your choice. No matter what decision you''ve made, I''ll ept it. I won''t force you to do anything you don''t want to do," Edward said seriously, with an intense look in his eyes. He turned to her and just looked at her. The firece''s cackling and spitting were the only sounds during that moment. He didn''t have any right to force her to keep the baby. Hell, if she wanted to have an abortion, he couldn''t lift a finger. Daisy shifted ufortably under her husband''s intense gaze. "If I... choose to give up on the baby, will you think I''m a cruel woman?" Daisy knew how badly he wanted to have a daughter, but she just wasn''t ready yet. It was an extremely hard decision for her to make. "Yes. I will. It''s the ultimate culmination of our love," Edward admitted without hesitation albeit with a pained expression. Sure, they already had Justin. Although Edward loved him very much, he was still an ident. They weren''t in love back then. Edward hadn''t even known of Justin''s existence until the day Daisy brought him to Edward. This baby was different, and he really wanted to keep it. "But we already have Justin," Daisy said as she stared at him, careful not to miss a single change of expression on his face. "But this baby is different and you know it." It didn''t mean that he didn''t love Justin. On the contrary, he owed a lot of time to Justin. He hadn''t been at his side for at least a couple of years. "Okay, I guess I know your answer now. I have to think about it more," Daisy said as she nted both of her feet on the carpet and walked towards the balcony, le sacrifices they would have to make. Otherwise, he would just take it for granted. "Why?" Edward asked in a hurt tone. He was frowning like a little boy who didn''t get what he wanted. "Because it''s not good for a baby." At that moment, a lightbulb appeared in Daisy''s mind. She could turn this thing around. If ever he made her angry, she could just turn him down with the excuse of harming the baby whenever he wanted to have sex. A fitting punishment, Daisy thought. "Damn it!" Edward rolled to the other half of the bed and stared nkly at the ornate ceiling. The thought of harming the baby through sex hadn''t crossed his mind. ''It seems as though I''ll be living a bachelor''s life in theing months, '' he thought. Daisy felt ted. She chuckled to herself after her brilliant n. But her happiness was short-lived. She knew what wasing in the next nine months. She had to juggle her pregnancy and her work, hardly an easy task. When Kevin opened the door to their house, it was already in the wee hours of the morning. Apparently, Leena didn''t know when the military exercise would end, so she just went to bed early with their son, Richard. Chapter 1770 Daisy Changed Her Mind (Part Three) When Kevin stealthily went up the stairs and slowly opened the bedroom door, he turned on the night light and saw his beautiful wife and cute son sound asleep. Happiness flooded his chest, and he felt reinvigorated. He walked over to the bedside quietly, careful not to wake his family up. He skillfully dodged the various toys strewn about. When he reached the bedside, he kissed both Leena and Richard on the forehead. Richard didn''t wake from this, while Leena murmured something and turned, her eyes still closed. Kevin smiled at this and walked towards the bathroom. His arm was still injured, so he made sure not to get the affected area wet. So it took more time to shower than usual. After being satisfied, he washed away all the dirt and grime, turned the valve off and stepped out the shower to dry his hair. A smiling face weed him. Leena was standing by the door. "Did I wake you up?" Kevin stopped drying his hair immediately and skillfully put the towel on his arm in an attempt to cover the wound up. As the gauze and towel were both white, it was difficult to notice the gauze under the dim bathroom lights. "No, you didn''t actually. I''m just so thirsty, so I got up to drink water." Leena was still groggy, talking with her eyes still half open. She still had trouble adjusting to the light. "Alright, you stay put. I''ll get you a ss of water," he offered. He had originally thought she was still sound asleep, so he hadn''t brought his pajamas into the bathroom with him. He could only send her away with an excuse so that he could wear long pajamas to cover his wound. "Hey, it''s okay. I''ll go grab it myself. When did you get back? Have you eaten?" Leena slowly went back to normal. When she and Kevin were newlyweds, she would feel shy seeing his half-naked body. But now, she was already used to it. "I just arrived, actually and just took a bath. Also, I ate already." Kevin wanted to take his beautiful said it was only a flesh wound. You are thirsty, aren''t you? Let''s go downstairs, okay? Let''s get that water. I need a drink too." Kevin put on his dark blue pajamas quickly. The silk material clung softly to his body. He grabbed her hand and they walked out of the room quietly. Richard was still sound asleep. "Don''t get your wound wet, okay? It''ll get infected if you do. You just took a shower, didn''t you? Quick, let me check the gauze." While they were walking towards the stairs, Leena kept nagging Kevin. It didn''t annoy Kevin at all; he was actually happy that his wife cared about him so much even if it was just a flesh wound. Maybe this was the true meaning of family. Although you wouldn''t hear the end of it if you did something wrong, you wouldn''t get angry because you knew deep in your heart that they were only saying this for your own good. If they didn''t care, they wouldn''t even say a word, let alone get mad at you. As they got their water and went back to the bedroom to sleep, the night went on. Leena cuddled up against her husband and was fast asleep. Tomorrow is a new day, and anything could happen. But even if they might argue with each other, they would make up real fast because of their deep love for each other. That was the only thing that mattered to Kevin. Chapter 1771 A Second Child For Daisy (Part One) Daisy had made an appointment to see Tom. Since she and Edward decided in the end to keep the baby, she needed a prenatal exam. Besides, the pregnancy still needed to be confirmed. "Wee to my hospital, Daisy," Tom said impishly when he saw the two. He made all the preparations for the examination and had been waiting for them. Although Daisy''s belly was still t, Tom squinted at it with a smile fraught with meaning. "Stop teasing!" Edward said exasperatedly, ring at the grinning doctor and preventing him from saying anything else that might embarrass his wife. "Sorry about the surprise." Daisyughed it off. Being with Edward for all this time, she found that she had grown a thick skin, and got quite used to this kind of banter. It would take a lot to embarrass her now. "No need to apologize, really. You should be happy," Tom replied in a mock serious manner. Having been scolded by the bossy Edward, he tried to behave himself and mind his words. After all, loose lips really could cause trouble, especially under the very nose of a guy like Edward. He''d joked around before, and gotten ck eyes and bloody lips for his trouble. Tom knew that Edward could go as far as skinning him alive if he continued messing around. "Everything ready?" Edward asked sharply. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he would act like a mighty king, who didn''t like to be kept waiting. "Of course. Who do you think I am, anyway?" Tom was grinning from ear to ear. "Follow me, Daisy." He then gestured politely, inviting Daisy to go with him. He led her all the way to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, had a few words with the department director, and checked in with Edward before making sure she''d have the best care. "Why do I have to wait outside? Can''t I go with her?" Edwardined sulkily seeing Tome back. "Why? Who''s the doctor here, anyway? And who''s the patient? You don''t fit in either category," Tom responded in a teasing tone. Although he s nthia. She, too, was tickled pink to know that she was going to have another grandchild. She was sad that she didn''t have the opportunity to watch Justin grow up. Now when she was told that she still had a chance, she just couldn''t wait toe home and hear it from Daisy. "Mommy, mommy! Is it true? So daddy wasn''t just making an assumptionst time, he was telling the truth, right? I''m really going to have a sister?" Justin asked expectantly before Daisy could ever answer Cynthia''s question. He quickly ran over to Daisy and hugged her, as if trying to embrace his future sister. Daisy stood there, not knowing what to do or say. "Well.." she stuttered. At this point, she was torn betweenughing and crying. She was a senior colonel, and she had no problem giving orders or even dressing down a soldier. But now she found herself lost for words for the first time, and could only give an embarrassed smile instead. Jonathan had been watching from nearby. Though his attitude had softened a lot over the years, he still wore a poker face. So unlike Cynthia or Justin, he had only given Daisy a thoughtful look without saying a word. "Come down here and let me take a good look at you, Daisy," Cynthia said, smiling kindly. She was almost as excited as Edward, and couldn''t take her eyes off her daughter-inw. Chapter 1772 A Second Child For Daisy (Part Two) "Why are you back early?" Daisy asked while continuing down the stairs slowly, her face blushing a little. "We couldn''t wait to get back here and see you when we heard the news!" Cynthia chuckled. Before Daisy finished thest few steps, she came up and stretched out her hands to help her. "Yeah! And grandma''s been champing at the bit to see you!" Justin echoed. After the initial excitement wore off, Justin no longer clung to his mother. Instead, he stood by her like a steady young man, and looked at her belly with curious eyes. He was amazed that his mother''s tummy contained another life, and was surprised by the?magic power?of the?Creator''s hands. "Who started carrying on first, imp?" Cynthia pretended to be angry. After living together with Justin all these years, she got to know just how tricky this little guy could be. Like father, like son. You couldn''t expect him to be a normal, obedient child when Edward was such a mischievous man. "Grandma''s going to spank me! Grandpa! Help!" Justin begged. He wouldn''t back down so easily in front of others, but when it came to his grandparents... "Behave, Justin," Daisy said sternly, scowling. She had no idea whether Justin was respectful 24/7, because she wasn''t always home. But she was a bit angry to hear what he said just now. "Just ignore them. You hungry? Need something to eat?" Cynthia asked with a look of pleasant expectancy. It was now clear that she was really giddy. She couldn''t cook to save her life, but she forgot that in all the excitement. "Save it, mom. If I wanted to be poisoned I''d find some chemical in the cupboards." Just then, Edward''s voice came from behind Daisy. They looked up and saw him walking down unhurriedly. Though he wasining, he could feel a gust of happiness sweep through him when seeing them talking andughing. There was nothing better than a happy family. "You''re home?" Cynthia asked in surprise. She wasn''t too happy about his joke. But honestly, he reminded her of her bad cooking, which she was too happy to remember just now. She felt a bit down when is family had deep ideological roots. She wasn''t surprised that he took a tough stand in this matter. "You said it. So to help ire be happy, Leena went all-out," Kevin said, allowing himself a wry smile. Speaking of which, it was just amazing that Leena and ire had be close friends who could tell each other anything and everything, when before that, ire gave her a hard time. Apparently, they had gone through a lot together. "Seems that ire has a lot to thank her for," Daisy chuckled. She had met ire several times before, and thought that she had a sweet, lively personality. She wondered how the girl had been doingtely. Would she be so different after living abroad for all those years? "Yeah. Oh, I nearly forgot! Themander''s looking for you," said Kevin, remembering suddenly. No prize for guessing why themander would summon her, Kevin thought. "Themander? Did he say why?" Daisy asked with surprise. "Maybe it''s about Justin''s little brother or sister in your tummy!" Kevin said and shrugged, hinting that he wasn''t sure about it. "Don''t tell me you told him." Daisy raised her voice and looked him in the eye. Bute to think of it, she didn''t think he had a big mouth. He wasn''t one to spread rumors. "No, ma''am! I thought you''d have told him yourself," Kevin said. Daisy was right about him, he minded his own business. Chapter 1773 A Second Child For Daisy (Part Three) "Alright then," Daisy sighed. "I''ll find out eventually. Dismissed." Daisy turned on her heel. She had nned to keep the news from themander for a while, but it now seemed impossible. "See you," Kevin replied. "It''s probably nothing serious," heforted her, trying to stay positive. ''If she didn''t let themander know, then who told him?'' he thought secretly. "I hope so. See you soon," Daisy said, walking powerfully yet numbly away, as if she was heading off to war. It amused Kevin to see how nervous she became and he couldn''t helpughing behind her back. After she disappeared from sight, he went back to his office and got down to work. His schedule needed to be reshuffled since Daisy was pregnant. "Good morning, Commander. You wanted to see me?" Daisy entered themander''s office and greeted him with a smile. Not knowing what themander wanted from her, she was quite on her guard, as much as she tried to hide it. "Oh, Daisy! Come in and grab a seat," themander said, a beaming smile on his face, just like every other time he saw Daisy. "Thanks, Commander. I''d better stand and receive orders," Daisy replied. She thought it a must to mind her manners before figuring out why themander had asked her toe. "Ugh. So polite! You''d probably get tired standing there. You don''t want to wear yourself out, especially now," themander insisted. Now it was clear that he did know something about her pregnancy, and Daisy had read between the lines. "Don''t worry,mander," she said. "So what do you need?" Daisy went straight to the point. She wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, rather than continue to beat around the bush. "Patience, patience," themander replied, still with his kind smile. If Edward hadn''t called and told him about the news, he wouldn''t have known that she was pregnant even now. "I''m always like this, you know," Daisy mumbled. "So is it true? You''re pregnant?" themander asked. He wasn''t in the mood to keep her guessing anymore. For all he knew, she might very well lose her temper if he didn''t ask her straight up. "Wow, you''re really well-informed, Commander," Daisy said with a mysterious smile. "Mind tellin od news," Edward flinched, holding the phone a bit further away from his ear, in case he would lose his hearing in another rain of curses. "Ugh! You -- You -- Tell him the good news, huh? You got themander to do everything you want simply by sharing the good news? You''re really something, Edward," she said crossly. She was so angry not because she wanted any glory, but because she had put hours and hours of work in the preparation for both the military exercise and the National Day parade. Now she felt so bad, knowing she had to quit those events halfway through. "Calm down, honey. Remember the baby," Edward said imploringly. He knew she wouldn''t take it well. That was why he reminded themander repeatedly not to say anything about how he knew about her pregnancy. He didn''t expect her to find out about it so soon. "Stop preaching. And don''t you dare mention the baby!" Edward hadmitted the cardinal sin of trying to calm someone down -- don''t tell them to calm down. Daisy hung up the phone as soon as she finished speaking. She wanted to dash the phone to the floor but fortunately retained enough sense to settle for forcibly throwing it onto the sofa. Luckily, she didn''t lose her head in anger like others. "Wait, honey! Honey?" Edward was stunned when silence greeted him at the other end. He knew that he was doomed this time, stirring up a ho''s nest. Rubbing his eyebrows, he tried to think of a way to make it up to her before going home today. Chapter 1774 Jessicas Passing (Part One) Daisy''s eyes reddened and tears welled up behind her tightly closed eyelids. Her anger at his actions overwhelmed her, for she had always trusted him and believed in his support of her. Feeling deeply wronged, everything now seemed out of control. She could not believe what he had done to her! With trembling hands she wiped at her nose in frustration. She sobbed, trying desperately to find a way out of the anguish which had trapped her, for she hated to seem weak and vulnerable. As Daisy buried her face in her wavering hands, she considered that her pregnancy might be influencing her mood. The moment she chose a career as a soldier, she knew that it would be hard for her to bnce her work and private life. She foresaw that conflicts were inevitable, and that she would face some hard choices. As a woman, mother and soldier she had high expectations of herself. She hoped that things would work out as she always meticulously nned them in advance. asionally, when her ns did not work out, it choked her like a fish bone in the throat. "Madame!" A soldierly voice abruptly sounded outside of the door, pulling Daisy back from her deste thoughts. She quickly blinked her eyes harshly, trying to rid herself of tears and emotions. She made sure that she had regained someposure and erased all traces of the drama that affected her from her face, before answering loudly, "Come in, please." "Senior Colonel, there is someone requesting to see you at the perimeter gate of the base." The young solider reported as he stepped into the room and respectfully saluted her. "Noted with thanks." She nodded to him, dismissing him with a slight smile. Daisy was confused as to who on earth woulde to the army base to see her without an appointment, or calling first. Arriving at the gate, she gasped in surprise at the sight of the visitor. It was none other than Coco! Daisy was utterly surprised to see her here, right outside the army base. ''What is she doing here?'' Daisy thought to herself. She noticed her elegant dress and wondered at her increasing grace, for time had not left its mark on her at all. "Mrs. Mu, my apologies for bothering you today. I didn''t know how else I could reach you. Please excuse my abrupt visit." Coco gave her a courtly smile,pleting the sophisticated look which she projected. Daisy was quite surprised at the graceful tone of her voice. "How can I help you?" Daisy inclined her head slightly out of respect, but she really didn''t know Coco very well. She didn''t feel enthusiastic about being visited by Coco here at the base, this was her ce of work. "I am here on behalf of my cousin. For her sake, I would like to apologize to you for Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. arably painful that eventually Jessica decided to end her own life. "Why are you here, telling me all this?" Daisy shook her head vigorously as if trying to rid herself of the negativity of the sad tale. She didn''t know Coco or Jessica that well, so why did Coco decide to share this horrible news with her? They were never close, she had never wanted to hear anything about Jessica. Certainly not something so grim! "As I said, I came here today for the sake of my cousin. I want to apologize to you on her behalf. Here, she left a letter for you, please take it." Saying so, Coco pulled a small envelope from her bag and held it out to Daisy. Daisy raised an eyebrow in surprise. She never expected to receive anything from the bted Jessica. The small envelope seemed heavy in her hands as she epted it. What could be inside? Did Jessica repent to her before she closed her eyes for good? After she bid Coco goodbye, Daisy took a walk along the forest path on the army base. She was not in a hurry to return to her office. Her thoughts were heavy and gloomy. As she stepped slowly along the path, Daisy''s mood worsened with each stride. She clutched the envelope tightly, but suddenlycked the courage to open it, or to read the letter inside. Eventually she found a quiet bench in the forest, where she seated herself and drew in some calm with a few deep breaths. She stared at the envelope for a long time, before summoning up the fortitude to open it. She almost gasped as Jessica''s letter appeared in her hand. ''Her handwriting was as elegant as she'', Daisy thought as she started to read the letter. Soon she noticed that some of the words were fuzzy as if the ink had been wet and smudged. Daisy bitterly curled up her lips, Jessica must have been crying when she wrote this letter! Chapter 1775 Jessicas Passing (Part Two) "Daisy: I bet you must be surprised to receive my letter! We were so hostile towards each other. It is only natural that you are confused why I would write to you like this." Her handwriting was determined. Every stroke seemed to shout out loud to her from the paper. Daisy could tell when Jessica wrote these sentences she did so with a sense of finality. "First of all, I am sincerely sorry for what I did to you years ago. My actions were inconsiderate and radical, and they caused you tremendous harm. For this, I am terribly sorry and wish I could apologize to you in person, but I don''t expect you to forgive me for my behavior. However, please bear in mind that I am truly sorry and regret the harm I caused you." Jessica''s words hurt her eyes, and Daisy''s hands trembled uncontrobly as she read the sentences. She took a deep breath and continued reading. "Perhaps, you viewed me as a family-wrecker all these years. You no doubt thought I came into your life to try and ruin your marriage. However, you are wrong. In terms of love, you are the one who stepped into my rtionship with Edward. You came after me. When I started dating him, he didn''t even have a ce for you in his heart. I am sure you are aware of this obvious fact. You should know this better than anyone else. However, these things have be less important as time passed. I shouldn''t talk about such things anymore. Let bygones be bygones!" The ink seemed paler from this sentence onwards. Daisy raised her eyebrow as she carefully studied Jessica''s handwriting, it was no longer so assured, and the lines were in ces so faint as to be almost unreadable. It seemed that she stopped for quite a long time before carrying on to finish the whole letter. Perhaps her illness ounted for the difference in script. "I need to tell you that my love towards Mu is as deep as yours if not more so. Your love is profound whilst mine is crazy. The only difference is you have a piece of paper to prove your love, the marriage certificate. That is the only thing Icked. However, I think we are of equal soul, as we both started from the same humble beginning, in the face of love itself. When we speak of our feelings for him, neither of us is superior." Daisy''s eyes moistened and she swallowed heavily as emotions flooded her. She raised her eyes from the letter and stared off at the horizon. Jessica''s words held truth. Her lips twisted bitterly as she considered her own feelings towards Edward. Little did Jessica know that Daisy''s love was also difficult and crazy. She came into his life early and sudden. They had such a long journey to reach this point. However, Jessica Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. ers worse, Daisy had blocked him on her phone, and he was genuinely worried about her, but could not reach her. "Not now. I am really exhausted. We can talk tomorrow." Daisy stared ahead unseeing, as if Edward was made of ss. Her mind was still upied with Jessica''s letter. Given her current emotional mood, she knew she couldn''t handle a serious discussion now. "You know this is not a fair way to deal with things. As a professionally trained solider, you should know better." Edward''s face was dark. Her distant behavior really angered him. "I am no longer on duty, this is my leisure time. So, stop pulling the solider trick on me!" Daisy quickly snapped back. She had her own stupid pride, and would never back down first in a fight. "Well, if this is how you roll, we definitely need to talk about the issue at hand. Your attitude is uneptable!" With these words, he pulled her in close and immediately dragged her to the bedroom by the wrist. "Let me go! What are you doing? I still need to do some work!" She shouted at him, trying to free her wrist. However, her effort was in vain. His grip was so tight that she almost hurt herself. Daisy rolled her eyes as she was unwillingly led to the bedroom. "You said you are tired. There you go! Rest in bed. Why would you even bother with your stupid work when you are tired?" He was serious as hell, his dark eyes fixed with an angry scowl. Daisy pouted as she noticed the anger in his eyes. Edward was somewhat amused by her reaction. She was the one shouting that she was off-duty and now she wanted to do some work? He didn''t know how to argue with her when she became illogical. She said she was no longer a soldier during her leisure time, so maybe she shouldn''t have mentioned her work at all. Chapter 1776 Jessicas Passing (Part Three) "My stupid work? Finally! Your tongue betrays your heart. You said you would not interfere with my work. But you are now eating your own words. You want to criticize my work? Then whatever you said earlier clearly doesn''t count at all!" Hormonal changes during her pregnancy had wrought havoc on Daisy''s moods. Edward''sment about her job greatly infuriated her. She could no longer control her temper and began shouting in his face at the top of her lungs. "Daisy, how dare you say such horrible things to me? Do you even understand what you are using me of? For years, I have been standing by your side and supporting your work in every way possible! Have I ever caused you any trouble or hindrance? I only stepped in and called themander this time for the sake of your safety. Because you are pregnant with our child, I have to be more cautious and will take all possible measures to look after you. I just don''t want you to be involved in any high-risk assignments. I did all this out of good intent." Her false usations really hurt his feelings. Edward lowered his eyes and turned away. It never urred to him that his beloved wife would take his care as admonishment. For years, he had been devoting himself to her, and yet she viewed his love as shackles. "I remember we had a conversation before regarding the child, and I told you that I will take care of our unborn child the best way I can. You have my promise on that. I want my child to be strong, but thest thing I want is for my child to interfere with my work." Daisy''s voice was still loud. She was so stubborn, andtely, whenever she ended up in an argument, she refused to use logic. "If bearing a child really bothers you, then you can do whatever you want with it. I give up! Suit yourself! This is not my concern anymore!" Really exhausted by the argument, he couldn''t deal with her ridiculous justifications anymore. Edward gave her a bitter, despondent smile, then he walked out of the bedroom. "Hey, where are you going?" She was shocked to see his sudden change of attitude. Her voice became nervous. "Why would you even care where I am going? Do you really even care about me?" He whispered, pausing briefly at the door, before leaving without a backward nce at her panicked face. Daisy painfully bit into her bottom lip as she watched him walk away. He looked truly mad. Perhaps her behavior had been unreasonable, she considered. They had been together for so many years, but this was the first time she saw him so sad. As a bad thought came to her mind, she sprang to her feet and chased after him desperately. n the wrong myself. I know you had a long day, and you must be tired. Why don''t you freshen up and go to bed early?" He gave her a soothing smile. As her man, he was ustomed to hiding his true feelings so that their conflicts could be resolved faster. Deep down, he was heavy-hearted but he chose to present the appearance of having let go of his resentments. "What about you? Are you still heading out?" She looked up at him with big wet eyes. He could read her sad uncertainty on her face. "I was not nning on going out. I was about to fetch a document I had forgotten in the car." It was quite rare for Daisy to actively admit her wrong doings. Edward was pleased by the fact that his proud wife now acknowledged her fault, therefore he gradually calmed down himself. However, he was careful not to reveal any of this to her. He still looked calm as he spoke. "I see. Go ahead then." Daisy shyly rubbed her nose as she peered at his emotionless face. "Would you like toe with me?" He extended his hand to her, his eyes sparkled with relief. It was time for them to amend their rtionship. A walk together might be a good start. "Sure thing. I need a good walk anyway." She dly held his palm closer to her chest. The warmth radiating from his big hand touched something soft in her heart. They never mentioned the stupid fight regarding the baby again. Silently but harmoniously, they walked downstairs hand in hand. It was unwise to linger in the past. They both knew it was time for them to move forward. Their baffling argument finally came to an end. Both Edward and Daisy were by nature reasonable people. Thest thing they wanted was to ruin their marriage over something insignificant and rooted in the past. Chapter 1777 Pregnancy Syndrome (Part One) The days slipped by so fast. In the blink of an eye, it was summer again. In the meantime, CY Technology slowly but surely got on the right track and Rain''s life was now almostplete. However, there was still one small unpleasant thing that yed on his mind. He was concerned about his father, Sanford. He worried that his father might be ill due to the uneptable behavior of his other two ignorant and ipetent sons and might end up in the hospital again. Unfortunately, his fears hade to light. Lawrence had just called and informed him that Sanford was indeed sent to the hospital again. Rain stood outside of the hospital where Lawrence asked to meet with him. "Mr. Rain," Lawrence greeted him respectfully without hesitation. He had no one else to turn to for help except for Rain. "What is it this time? What is the reason?" asked Rain with a hint of sarcasm and frustration in his voice. He seemed to be the one who always cleaned up the messy situations for his father. "Mrs. Ke stole Mr. Ke''s house title certificate and gave it to their oldest son. So Mr. Ke has no ce to live now," said Lawrence with a big sigh. He wondered What was Mrs. Ke thinking when she stole the certificate. Without a house where did she think the two of them would live? Surely she wasn''t that naive to think that her two spendthrift sons would take her in? "Ha! Ha! I guess this is the so-called karma," said Rain cynically. He was unable to tell what he was feeling at that moment. He didn''t know whether tough or to cry. "Mr. Rain, I''ll leave Mr. Ke to you now," said Lawrence, feeling a little bit of guilt as he turned to leave. Even though he felt that he shouldn''t be leaving his old sick master so quickly, he really didn''t have another choice, as he too needed to find a way out for himself and to support his family. "Wait! It''s not my responsibility to look after him," said Rain shocked. He was still angry at his father. In the past, his careful! Keep in touch with me. See you, Lawrence." Rain said, showing no interest in going into the hospital to visit his father. "Thank you! See you, Mr. Rain," Lawrence replied. He didn''t ask his young master to go and see his father because he knew that he was unable to persuade him to do anything that he didn''t want to do. In the face of adversity, Sanford, although once a high-profile businessman had to ept his son''s offer and arrangement. Yet, he wasn''t discouraged because he felt that his rtionship with Rain was slowly getting better. Although Rain didn''t like his father very much, he did call Lawrence regrly to ask about his physical condition. As far as Rain was concerned, he had done all that he could for him. Sheena turned up at Sanford''s new house and begged him for forgiveness. But he didn''t want anything to do with her and drove her out of his house by beating her with his crutch. After all, it was because of her that he was reduced to such a degrading position. He could never forgive her. Seeing that her husband had turned his back on her and not ept her into his home, she went to Tiana to ask for help. "Tiana, for all the years I have been raising you, you must help me. You can''t be that cruel to see me live on the streets," said Sheena, pleading with her. Chapter 1778 Pregnancy Syndrome (Part Two) "You asked for all of this! If you hadn''t stolen the certificate and given it to your son, then you wouldn''t be homeless now! Don''t you think it would be better to go cry to your two good sons rather than cry to me?" It was not that Tiana wasn''t grateful and didn''t want to repay Sheena. She knew her all too well. Once Sheena got what she wanted she wouldn''t stop asking for more. If Tiana helped her now then she would most certainly ask for more help in the future. So she couldn''t show any mercy to Sheena, otherwise, it would only bring trouble to her older brother Rain again. "Well! You ungrateful bad girl! How dare you bite the hand that fed you? All my efforts in taking care of you for all of these years have all been in vain. Now that you have grown up, you have stronger wings to fly away from me. But you won''t repay my hard efforts. You have an ungrateful soul!" she yelled at her angrily. Sheena was hoping that she would show her some mercy due to their long rtionship. But she didn''t expect Tiana to turn her down without a second thought. "What exactly, is it that you think you have done for me?" she said ring angrily back at Sheena. "You just used me as a pawn to get to my father-that''s what you did! Apart from that I really don''t know what else you have done for me. Don''t give me your sob story about how you cared for me as a daughter. For me, I never felt that love from you because it never existed! All you did was acting like that you cared me only to put on a show in front of my father. So don''t feel grieved and hurt for what I am doing to you now!" Tiana poured out what she had bottled up in her heart for all those years and she felt greatly relieved. These days she had been getting along really well with her brother Rain, she felt what real kinship was. She felt loyalty towards him and didn''t want to risk their r "Ah! How did you know I was hungry?" Daisy said pleasantly surprised. Daisy took a quick bite out of the cupcake and found that it was her favorite vor. "Well, I think I know what you like by now. You have a wonderful and considerate husband who dotes on his wife 24/7," he said smiling. Daisy felt that Edward was bing a real softy, but she wasn''t about to stop him. She appreciated his kind gestures recently, including the cupcake he was offering now. "Has Justin returned from summer camp?" Daisy asked. She really missed her son. He was all grown up now and was less attached to her. "Yes, he arrived earlier today. Mom and dad went to pick him up at the airport. They''re probably on their way back home right now," Edward replied. Edward''s feelings for Justin were opposite to Daisy''s. Of course, he loved his son dearly, but he preferred that his son was exposed to the outside world so he could learn from experience and be more self-reliant. These skills woulde in very handy when he eventually took over FX International Group in the future. "I wonder if he got a tan," Daisy said with concern in her voice. It wasn''t a problem if he got a slight tan, she was more concerned that he didn''t get sunburn. Chapter 1779 Pregnancy Syndrome (Part Three) "What''s the matter with being tanned? It''s healthy to get some vitamin D," Edward replied. He handed her a bottle of water while he started the car and drove out of the army base. "I know that you are right. But I can''t help but worry about him. What if he was bullied or had some altercation with someone," she said with growing concern. Daisy had be extremely sensitive ofte. Maybe it was due to her pregnancy. "He will be fine, stop worrying! You know how clever he is and besides, he is my son. Who would dare bully him," said Edward with confidence. His confidence, after all, wasn''t just based on idle gossip. He had his own qualification and strength. "It''s because you always fill his mind with such talk and I fear that he may start to be over-confident," said Daisy frowning. Daisy''s concerns were justified. Justin was entering puberty and if he wasn''t properly guided, he could be like one of those cocky second-generation rich kids, with nopassion for others or skills of his own. "Well mydy, don''t you think that you are over worrying? I mean, if you don''t believe in Justin, you should believe in yourself. After all, it was your strict guidance that has set the boundary for him," said Edward trying to calm her worries. Edward felt helpless. Ever since Daisy had be pregnant, her demeanor had greatly changed. Instead of being the confident, secure and positive person that she used to be, she seemed to be gued with second-guessing herself and unnecessary insecurities and just worrying about everything all the time. "Well, I don''t believe in you. It''s you that is corrupting our son," said Daisy. Like many women in the pregnancy, she was experiencing a lot of mood swings and body changes. Although, being a soldier she thought that she would''ve been able to cope with the changes much better than she was, she could see that she was losing her agility and that all had been adding to her low self-confidence. "Me? What about me? I not only listen to every order that you give me, but also take over the driver''s job to pick you up every day," Edward said a little th. He was shocked at his mother''s unusual behavior. He was used to her being solemn and stern. "What are you two talking about behind my back? Are you talking about me?" asked Daisy eyeing them suspiciously. Daisy knew that they were concerned about her odd behavior. She was doing it all deliberately to punish them for putting so much pressure on her to have another baby. "No, absolutely not!" The two of them answered spontaneously. However, that only deepened Daisy''s suspicion about them. "Really?" asked Daisy skeptically. Daisy was actually ying them for a fool. Now that they were all fussing around her because she was pregnant, she decided that she was going to enjoy all of the attention. After the baby was born, she could no longer fool them and use pregnancy syndrome as an excuse. "Really! We are not talking about you. Justin, Come on and take out the gift you bought for mom," Edward suddenly blurted out. That was really sneaky of dad to throw Justin into the firing line, just so he could escape from Daisy''s inquiry. "Really! That''s so nice of you Justin," said Daisy looking at Justin pleased. When he saw how happy his mother was, Justin didn''t have the heart to tell her that he didn''t buy anything. He gave his father a disappointed look. He wondered how his father could do such a thing to him - trapped him and put him in an awkward position like this. He had enough of that! Chapter 1780 Jasmine Ouyang (Part One) The three members of the Mu family were gathered in the spacious living room. The two adults sat on the long sectional chesterfield sofa as young Justin ufortably faced his parents. He shifted his feet from side to side. "Um... I''m sorry Mummy. I have been in the summer camp all these days and didn''t have time to buy a gift, as you know it." An awkward smile was stered on Justin''s face as his hands absentmindedly fiddled with his hair, but his steely eyes nced sideways at Edward in an annoyed fashion. ''All these troubles are because of him, '' Justin thought to himself. "It is only an excuse," said Daisy. She pouted and crossed her arms like a little girl who didn''t get the toy she wanted. When Edward saw her acting like a cute little child, he couldn''t help but internally squeal at her adorable actions even if it was theplete opposite of his strong-willed persona. "No, it''s not. I''m telling the truth, Mummy! If you really want it, I can make up for it next time. What do you think of my idea?" Justin almost yelled out his words in a flurry to defend himself. ''Is she really my mummy? Why do I feel more scared after she changed?'' "You mean I let you go this time? Hmm¡­ I''ll think about that." Daisy relented, and decided to act kind this time. Her folded arms rxed themselves to her sides. "That''s great! Mummy is always the best!" Justin almost cried in relief. He released a deep sigh he''d been holding for quite a while. He felt so grateful to escape that it was as if the world was so beautiful again--as long as his mother didn''t speak about the gift thing, that was. Edward looked at his son and his wife andughed softly, a bemused but peaceful expression on his face. He hadn''t expected to have a happy life in this world they lived in, but fate had been kind enough and given him far more than he could think of. However, Daisy suddenly stopped acting cute at the same time. If she kept doing that, she believed that something unpleasant might happen. ''A woman should know when to stop. It is not a good idea if I act too much.'' Daisy knew that clearly as she ceased her actions. The next days passed by idly and quietly. Daisy attended the maneuver on the bat joy on his sleeve and made no effort to hide it. And why not indeed, he could be at peace and his heart was fine now after all the constant worrying for thest ten months. "No, never. I don''t want Patricia to trod her neck on me once again," Tom said. He still had the jitters. ''All the women will be the same when they are pregnant. They cannot get annoyed a little bit at all, or the consequences will be severe, '' Tom told himself. "As you said, Patricia is bad tempered, isn''t she?" Edward asked. Edward said this intentionally when he saw Patricia enter the room and close the door with a soft click. "Don''t you think so?" asked Tom. Tom felt a little shiver run down his spine when he thought of Patricia''s behavior when she was pregnant. He couldn''t help but feel a little scared and wouldn''t want to experience that again. "How would I know that?" Edward said. Edward would never speak ill of Patricia to her face, so he smartly said nothing about Tom''s question. "Oh, I will never think of that again! I feel too miserable whenever I think of that time. Patricia was like a tigress!" Tom shook his head woefully. It was evident that it was a really unhappy time. "Tom, did I scare you that much?" Patricia happily came to visit but when she heard her husband''s words just now, her good mood was immediately spoiled. "What? When did youe in? Oh my, you truly surprised me!" Tom almost cried out. He was being weird. What was wrong with him? Chapter 1781 Jasmine Ouyang (Part Two) "It doesn''t matter when I came in. You just know that I''ve heard every word you said just now." Patricia hissed and it was obvious that she was mad at Tom. ''How could Tom say that? He actually said I was like a tigress? Was I that frightening?'' The more Patricia thought about it, the angrier she became. "Please, never think of that. I just walked into Edward''s trap!" Tom exined frantically to Patricia, desperate to keep his wife calm. Tom looked at Edward with pleading eyes. How much he wished that Edward could speak nice things about him, but he totally forgot that Edward was actually a merciless person who would do no such kind things. However, it would be useful to remember that Edward showed mercy by not hitting when someone was down. It was just impossible for him to say nice things about someone. "If you didn''t think so, how could you walk into his trap? What Edward did is just your excuse," Patricia replied to Tom. Patricia gave Tom a sour look but soon enough, the cute baby in Justin''s arms caught her attention. "Edward, please say something," Tom almost cried as he asked the man for help. Tom really flopped this time. It mattered as it determined whether he would sleep in bed or on the couch tonight. "I have nothing to say." Edward simply shrugged. ''What Tom has done is really meaningless. If I am willing to speak nice things about him, I would have reminded him of hering.'' Edward chuckled to himself amusingly. "Justin, there''s your sister! How adorable she is! Would you let me hold the baby for a while?" Patricia asked Justin kindly. Patricia was itching to stretch her arms out and hold the baby, excitement evident in her twinkling eyes. "Of course I would. But you must be careful!" said Justin. Justin''s arms still felt stiff as he dared not to move when he held the baby for such a long time, so he had a little difficulty when he gave the baby to Patricia. Finally, the stifling weight was gone and he could stretch his rigid limbs. "I know that. You know I held Eden a lot when he was a baby," said Patricia. Patricia held the baby with great ca quickly scurried away to the door as he gave his father a meaningful nce. "Justin has always been in a hurry. Why does he not slow down. The floor is very slippery." Daisy murmured and then flushed into a deep shade of red when she caught Edward staring hard at her swollen breasts. "Sweetheart, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You did a lot for me." Edward said in a gentle voice as he looked up at her eyes. Edward ran his fingers through her soft hair. Her hair was cut shorter to make it easier for her pregnancy. "So, you must be very nice to us from now on." Daisy said. Daisy was never the cutesy type of person, although sometimes she yed the sultry coquette. Most of the time however, she was open and expressed herself in a straightforward manner. "Of course I will be nice to all of you from now on till the end of my life! Actually, that''s not enough. I will be nice to all of you even in my next life as you are all my life," Edward said solemnly and made a promise. He thought he would have felt ecstatic after the baby was born, but it was quite the opposite when their baby arrived. He felt more guilty and heartbroken. He had missed many days of being with his wife and family while she had patiently waited for him all along. Although she loved him so much, she never begged him to return until he truly found his love for her, and finally came back to her atst. Chapter 1782 Jasmine Ouyang (Part Three) Leena loaded her car with the gifts and closed the door. When she deemed everything ready, she got into the driver''s seat and drove to Daisy''s ce. She was busy with preparations for her fashion week abroadst week so when she flew back, Daisy was already released from the hospital and now stayed at home. She soon arrived at her destination and parked her car. The gates of the house opened and she carefully stepped inside. "Daisy, I miss you so much," eximed Leena. She brought a lot of presents with her, in an effort to make up for her absence in thest few days. "How''s your work going? Is everything going well?" Daisy asked. She looked at Leena softly, a gentle smile on her face. Unlike other birth moms who usuallyy in bed, Daisy preferred to stay in the garden doing a lot of sunbathing. "Yes! We sessfully signed many new contracts this year so we will make a great profit." Leena replied with a big smile. The brand LN Fashion was getting more and more popr these years and of course, Leena got much busier. However, Leena did well to bnce her family and career. For her, her family was more important than her job and that would alwayse first. "Congrats! That''s great!" Daisy felt genuinely happy for her. ''It seems that Richard will have enough money secured in the future, '' Daisy thought to herself. Daisy congratted Leena heartily. Leena was a girl who was born into a rich family but she worked the hardest. Daisy spoke highly of such behaviors. "I should be the one saying congrattions to you. Where is the baby?" Leena said. She looked around, but no one else was there. "Inside the room?" Leena guessed. "Yes. Her grandma is taking care of her. She''s too young to be carried outside," Daisy replied. "I''m just staying outside for a while, but her grandmother worries about me a lot. She believes that all new birth mummies should keep on the tradition of staying inside the room for a whole month because that will be good for my health--but I can''t stand it. Staying in my room for a whole month will drive me crazy," Daisy said apologetically. "Alright then, I''ll go see the baby inside," said Leena. Leena rushed into the room excitedly and quickly opened the door to the house. She was happy like a little girl and no one could Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. out her love now? Is it a bit too early to think of that?" Leenaughed at Daisy. "You are a really good mother!" Despite joking with Daisy, Leena envied her at the same time. She understood that she would never have such a happy time of bringing a baby into the world in her life again. It was very fortunate for her to have Richard and she knew she had gotten enough. "On the contrary, I''m not the one caring for her too much. You can see how much her daddy spoils her. He takes her as the apple of his eye," Daisy said. Daisy found herself a little jealous of her daughter when she thought of that. It was said that a daughter was her father''s lover in his another life. Now, that saying had proven itself true because Edward focused all his attention on Jasmine and had seemed to forget about his wife Daisy, his current lover. "I can imagine it. But the one who loves Jasmine the most should be Justin," Leena said. Leena said so because she knew how much Justin wanted a younger sister for quite a while, and now that his baby sister was born, he must be thrilled. "I think he would be another Mr. Cold, who spoils his younger sister too much," said Daisy. She didn''t doubt it at all. Her little daughter would be spoiled rotten by the two most important men in her life. "Yes, of course! Duke has a sessor now," Leena said. "I really look forward to seeing that." She got excited whenever she thought about it as it meant that she got a good excuse to tease Duke, the ever serious and overbearing businessman. Chapter 1783 A Tough Princess (Part One) Justin had no idea he had just been made fun of. He still had a way to go with the various social nuances of the time. He shuddered as a gust of cold wind blew his way in the office. His eyes went to the direction of the frigid air. "Uncle Aaron, is the air-conditioning malfunctioning? I''m pretty sure I felt a cold breeze wash over me just now," he asked as he met eyes with Aaron. Today was a holiday. As per his father''s directive, he was required to be at the FX International Group for practice whenever school was out. Justin liked to think this was part of his father''s grooming him to be the next head of thepany. So as usual, he was at the office right now. "No. I don''t think so. Anyway, focus. You''d better take a look at these documents thoroughly first. The CEO mentioned he''ll be giving out random examinations," Aaron reminded the young protege. Justin had been exposed to the cutthroat world of business in the FX International Group at the tender young age of eight. Now, much more grown up, he had no problems handling simple documents. "I can''t see him in his office. Where''s my daddy now?" Justin asked while already looking at the stack of documentsid out before him. He sighed inwardly. Whenever the thought of his future as the heir of this massivepany, Justin couldn''t help but feel stressed. "The CEO went home, apparently. He said that we can only call him if it is absolutely necessary," Aaron answered passively. He didn''t even need to guess as to why Edward rushed to get home this early. He definitely went home for his little daughter. Aaron smirked at the thought. "Really, now? Isn''t he going too far by going back home to see my younger sister by himself while he leaves me at thepany to sort out all these documents?" Justin said with a pained expression. Frustration washed over him and he couldn''t help but bend over the desk. He shifted ufortably. He was a genius and he knew that. Such was the fate of people like him. If he was any other kid, he would''ve been ying with no care in the world like a normal kid hi al Ouyang is bullying me again," Jasmine pleaded as she turned to his father in an attempt to charm him. This was her usual tactic whenever she realized she was losing to her mother. "Major General Ouyang, please exin why you''re bullying my little princess," Edward had no choice but to y along and question Daisy with the title his daughter had addressed her mother, now that he was dragged into the little war. "Why, the reason''s quite simple! It''s because she is fighting against me for my own husband," Daisy answered as she raised her chin proudly, while staring intently at the man she loved so dearly. She would never admit defeat. The very notion made her cringe inside. All these years they were together, he had treated her with love and kindness without ever hindering her work. That was why she was able to work harder and attain the position of Major General. Hence, she was quite grateful for her husband. "There is no fight. Daddy is always mine," Jasmine cried out all of a sudden with her voice breaking up, she was visibly tearing up now. "Now, look at what you''ve done. She''s crying again," Justin walked into the living room in strides. He had grown up to be a handsome kid of fifteen years old. As soon as he heard his sister''s wails, he appeared almost instantly in front of them. He then bent down and carried Jasmine in his arms tofort her. Chapter 1784 A Tough Princess (Part Two) "Justin, Major General Ouyang fought against me for daddy," the little girlined in between sobs. Her nose was red and her eyes were still wet with tears. She looked adorable. Since her most prominent backer had arrived, she cried even harder. Moreover, she wiped her tears and snot with his white shirt. That kind of privilege only belonged to Jasmine. Anyone else who did that to Justin would be very likely toe to regret their decisions quickly as they were beaten ck and blue. "Let''s give daddy to her for now. Let me y with you instead, okay?" Justin asked in a soothing voice while wiping her tears away. Just as Leena had observed, Justin loved his sister even more than Duke loved Leena. "Hmm! Jasmine wants to go horseback riding with you, brother!" the little girl smiled even when her eyes were still moist and red after her brother''s offer. After all, she was only a kid. "Ah! "Why on earth would you want to y that again!" Justin felt helpless before his supreme little sister. Being a gentle and sophisticated individual, he had to satisfy his sister by ying her favorite game - horseback riding. Only in her version, Justin was the horse. He had to lie prone with a hunched back and let her ride on his back. Edward secretly took pleasure in Justin''s misfortune, because the little girl didn''t want anybody else to y the horse. Daisy tried suppressing herugh with her hand over her mouth to no avail. The scene unfolding before her was too funny. Her regal and sophisticated son, a prodigy and genius, on his knees on the ground ying horseback with a little girl whose smile could reach the heavens. As long as nobody fought her for her husband, she didn''t care whom the little girl brought disaster to. When years went by the time came for Jasmine to attend primary school, she grew up to be even prettier. She was lively and outgoing, and devilishly charming as well. She made friends in droves in her ss and other sections in her grade. Her poprity was mainly due to how Daisy educated and disciplined her daughter. Although Jasmine was a girl, Dai rned out to have as many as five. She was the envy of the group to the extreme. "Of course I am. Not only are they handsome, they''re all really studious as well," Jasmine said in a mysterious tone. Since all of her elder brothers had outstanding school records and had various honors, she often felt inadequate with her average grades. It was a good thing Major General Ouyang didn''t care much for high grades, otherwise she would be trained by her hard. Jasmine thought that the reason her mother was so strict with her was because she had fought against her mother for her daddy back when she was just a small child. "Wow! Really? Then can you introduce them to us?" the girls all came forward asking for an introduction, effectively surrounding Jasmine. "No. Well, let''s go. I have to get home now. Sorry to disappoint you girls, but the person who''ll pick me up isn''t anyone of my elder brothers, but my daddy," Jasmine said with a happy smile that could have reached the heavens. She waved goodbye to her ssmates as she saw Edward''s ultra-luxury car pull up the school driveway. She ran to her daddy happily. Edward had been waiting for his beloved daughter in the car. When he saw her running towards him, he quickly opened the door and stepped out. A number of years had passed, but his face was almost untouched by time and hardship. He was now more mature and reserved than ever before. Chapter 1785 A Tough Princess (Part Three) "Daddy, how did you manage toe here?" Jasmine asked as she reached her daddy. She jumped at him in joy and hugged his muscr waist with her short arms. "I was on the way back after negotiating some business, honey. Since your school is on the way, I decided to pick you up on the way home," Edward reached with his hand and began to smooth her disheveled hair from all the running and jumping. He then lowered his head and gave her forehead a light kiss. "Then let''s hurry! Before mommy finds out that you picked me up," Jasmine hastily opened the door on the passenger side and got into the car. She dreaded her mother''s punishments, especially the long distance running. "Woah, take it easy! Your mommy went to a subordinatepany and won''t be back tonight," Edward said as he shook his head with a wry smile on the corners of his mouth. He wondered why his daughter feared only her mother and no one else. "Really? Daddy, that''s great news!" Jasmine went wild as soon as she heard Daisy was absent. Since she was the only person in the family who could suppress her, she could y as much as she wanted. "My little angel, is your mother that scary?" Edward asked the question after he saw the relief in Jasmine''s face. He hadn''t been able to understand why she feared Daisy so much. He had also scolded her at times, but she didn''t fear him like she feared her mother. "Of course! One look from her turns my blood to ice," Jasmine couldn''t help but shiver at the memory, as if Daisy was looking at her right now. "Aren''t you exaggerating a bit?" Edward frowned upon learning how her daughter felt. He didn''t have the same feeling. "I''m telling the truth. You''re not me, how can you possibly understand?!" Jasmine pouted, trying her hardest to be cute. "You''d better never say that to your mommy, or she''ll be upset," Edward reminded his daughter. He knew Daisy quite well. Despite her position of Major General, whichmanded respect and fear, she was still a woman. She wouldn''t feel okay knowing her own daughter feared her that much. strong and magnificent. A whole mountain was hollowed out and aplicated cave was carved within. Anybody who didn''t know this would see the ce as an ordinary mountain. In fact, there were often only a few people in the Mayfly, because their agents had to perform tasks in the outside world most of the time. They would get together only to discuss important mission parameters. Jasmine spent half of her childhood there, where she was trained in advancedbat skills, escape routes and various advanced weaponry. In the beginning, she had aspired to be a military officer like her mother, butter she realized that she only loved the righteous passion of the military, but not the rigid structure it was built upon. She thought it was severely limiting of one''s freedom. In light of this, she chose the Mayfly without hesitation. When Jasmine reached the age of sixteen, she had be an agent of iparable expertise; A master of disguise and skill. She learned many practical skills and knowledge, though her school grades remained average at best. After all these years, her school record showed no improvement. Even Daisy, who hadn''t paid much attention to her daughter''s grades, started to worry. Jasmine would be taking college application exams in two years time. How could she ever be admitted to a good university with such an average school record? Chapter 1786 The Young Generation (Part One) Jasmine was the little princess of the Mu Family, and she had inherited all of her parents'' best attributes, growing into a beautiful girl. She was both beautiful and wise, though she chose not to apply herself to serious studies due to her whimsical nature. She had long and curly eyshes, which looked so delicate as to be mistaken for fake. Though only sixteen years old, she had already shaped into a ssical hourss figure. She was an object of desire to most men with her supermodel figure and divine features, but she was a perfect example of self-willed innocence. Jasmine came and went freely at the FX International Group with attentive looks upon each visit. This time she drew much notice from all corners, as she wore a white smock, draped beautifully from her shoulders, and hot pants, which showed off more than they concealed. Her long silky hair was parted and ited into two thick braids, which looked a bit tousled yet attractive. Her delicate oval face with big bright eyes added to her youthful appearance, and hinted at a lovable and approachable nature. "Justin, who''s that beautifuldy out there? Is she your new secretary?" She asked as she walked into the CEO''s office. With an easy spring, she jumped up quite unceremoniously to sit on her brother''s desk. "Yes, she is. Anna applied for her early retirement, so I had to appoint a new secretary. But what are you doing here?" Justin asked as he briefly raised his head from the files which he was reading over. He frowned at her revealing outfit, butcked the heart to criticize her for it. "I heard that Eden is returning from abroad today. Is it true?" Jasmine asked curiously as she absently yed with her braids. "Yes, it is. Why don''t you go pick him up at the airport?" Even during their conversation, Justin didn''t stop his work and continued to make notes in the files on the de "Let''s go out now! I''ll treat you to lunch," Justin offered. He stood up from behind his desk and stretched hisnky frame. At roughly 1.9-meters-tall, he would tower over most, and Jasmine stood about a head shorter than him. "Great! Why don''t we invite Richard to go along with us?" Jasmine suggested happily. She and Richard got along well, perhaps due to their simr ages. Aside from that, his taste in clothing was always fashion-forward - which might be influenced by his mother, Leena - and he always looked cool. "He''s probably still in school now. I wonder if he can go with us," Justin said. Richard was attending a military school, and the strict discipline there offered him little freedom to socialize with friends. "I''ll call him to find out," Jasmine said. Taking out her phone, she started dialing his number. "Okay! I''ll hand some work over to my new secretary while you talk," Justin replied with a soft smile before leaving the office. After issuing his instructions, he turned around and was confronted by a downcast Jasmineing out of the office. "What happened? Can''t he make it?" Justin asked. He felt sorry when he saw his sister in low spirits. Every time Jasmine was down, he would feel terrible as well. Chapter 1787 The Young Generation (Part Two) "His phone is turned off, so I can''t even talk to him," Jasmine said, sighing. She was down in the dumps. Since Richard began attending the military school, she hardly saw him these days. "Maybe he''s in a training ss now. Well, let him be. Let us go then, just you and me!" Justin took her hand and strode towards the elevator. They had usually gathered together in a young group because of their parents'' friendships. But now, most of them had gone abroad for further study, and Justin had started work. He could understand Jasmine''s feeling lonely. "Okay, let''s go!" Jasmine agreed, then stopped suddenly as her brain flirted upon another thought, "Wait a minute. I just remembered that Joyce returned several days ago. Let me find out if she wants to join us!" She took out her phone again, beaming with pleasure. Joyce was a total goddess in Jasmine''s eyes. During the years, the girl of the Xia family''s twins had grown into a beautifuldy. She had cultivated an air of nobility and elegance, but she also did well in her studies. "Oh, you''re right! I almost forgot that. She must be on her summer vacation now," Justin said pping his forehead. Joyce had be a quiet and gentledy, and it was difficult for those who knew her as a child to recall that she had been a rude and unreasonable child. Her ethereal beauty made her look like a fairy. And as if with a magic wand, she had them all enthralled to her. Joyce was still in her bed when Jasmine called. She had stayed up writing an essay the night before. Stretching out her hand to take her phone from the night table she put it near her ear. "Hi. Who''s that?" "Hello, Jasmine here! Joyce, you sound sleepy. Are you still in bed? Oh,e on! It''s almost noon!" Jasmine teased. She could tell that Joyce hadn''t yet risen from her vague voice. "Good morning, Jasmine. Is something the matter?" Joyce asked, yawning. She sat up in her bed and nced at the rm clock on the night table. It was already eleven o''cl erested in, to match her sublime beauty. "Not really. Most men there don''t like my type of woman," Joyce answered honestly. She knew that she was too quiet for most men, who preferred a more gregarious type of girlfriend. "What? Those assholes must have a terrible standard then! You''re such a perfect beauty, how could they dislike you? Are they looking for a witch to be their girlfriend?" Jasmine spat angrily, feeling indignant for Joyce. "Jasmine, we''re in public! Please be polite." Justin reminded his sister in a low voice. He let out a helpless sigh. Every time Jasmine became emotional, she wouldn''t care about what words came from her mouth. He hoped that one day his sister could be as demure as Joyce. "Okay, I know. Be polite and elegant as ady... But, Justin, do you really think that I can ever be an elegantdy?" Jasmine asked impishly. She felt it would never be possible for her to act politely and obediently. Perhaps that would happen only in her next life? "You won''t know whether that''s possible if you don''t give it a try!" Justin tried to encourage her. He considered his sister reproachfully, but he believed their mother was the one to me for his sister''s wildness. He and Edward both wished Jasmine to be a gentle princess, but Daisy had nurtured her into a freewheeling hoyden. Chapter 1788 The Young Generation (Part Three) "Actually, I used to believe that I had the possibility of bing like that. But now, there''s no turning back," Jasmine said with relief. She was quite satisfied with her own personality. On the contrary, she would feel overwhelmed with pressure if she had to constantly act so primly like Joyce did. "There''s no turning back for what? What were you talking about?" Leena asked as she walked towards their table. She happened to be inspecting her restaurant when she saw the three of them. "Aunt Leena! I didn''t expect to see you here!" Jasmine greeted her delightedly. She jumped up with joy when she saw Leena, and weed her with a warm embrace. "Hey, Jasmine! You''ve grown into a youngdy now, but you still lose yourposure so easily like an eternal child! Do you want to break my old bones by hugging me so tightly?" Leena pretended to be angry with her overreaction, but she was ddened with seeing the youngsters. Jasmine pouted at being criticized. "Aunt Leena, you don''t look that old at all! Will anyone in the street believe you are over 40 years old? No! They will regard you as my elder sister, instead of my aunt!" she remarked mischievously. "Well, if only I were really that young! What an apple polisher you are! Although I know you are ttering me, I have to admit that I really enjoy it," Leena said with a smile. In fact, Leena appeared much younger than her actual age. Though well over 40, she looked to be a youngdy in her 20s, thanks to her special skin-care regiment. "Aunt Leena, don''t you know how eloquent she is? Her words are able to resurrect the dead." Joyce shook her head, teasing Jasmine intentionally. "Ha! I guess you''re right. So, when did you return to S City, Joyce? Your mother and I were talking about youst week!" Leena turned her eyes to Joyce. She took Jasmine''s hand and slid into the seat next to Joyce. "Just a few days ago. I was thinking about visiting you, but my mother dragged me about window shopping in the city for two consecutive days..." Joyce shrugged with resignation. The twins both attended university in other cities, while their father was tin asked alertly. He unconsciously moved his body backwards from her, feeling threatened by her unreadable stare. "Nothing. I was just wondering if you have a girlfriend or not," Leena said curiously. She watched his reaction with some doubt. Although there were many rumors about him, it seemed that he had never been closely associated with any particr girl. "Why should I tell you about that, even if I have one?" Justin scoffed angrily. He had a very high standard when it came to girlfriends, and he was quite confident of his self-control. No matter how beautiful a girl was, he wouldn''t show any interest in her if she wasn''t the type he liked. "Well, you don''t have to. I''m just curious about it. Aren''t you also, girls?" Leena became even more intrigued when she saw him losing his temper. This was just what she wanted to see because she couldn''t continue with her game if Justin was indifferent to her. "Yes, I want to know about that as well! Justin, who is your girlfriend? Is it that female star in the news report several days ago?" Jasmine joined Leena''s inquisition, because she was also interested in her brother''s love life. "How could that be true?" Justin denied in a tired tone. Many times the media liked to fabricate facts. He had just conversed with the girl at a party for a few minutes. Now, there was a media hype starting about their alleged rtionship. It was agony to be famous! Chapter 1789 No Longer Young (Part One) "Oh? You mean..." she paused to think. "Is the actress not your girlfriend? Then, is your girlfriend Miss Chen?" Jasmine probed. She continued guessing and was not about to let Justin off the hook easily. Before her brother could respond, Leena butted in, "What? Miss Chen? No, no, no! That girl is so rude. And I don''t think she deserves to be with Justin." She might not get along well with Justin, but she felt she had to jump in and speak on the young man''s behalf. She knew this so-called Miss Chen and her assessment of the girl was that she was ill-bred. "Are you serious?" Jasmine asked in disbelief. She had seen Miss Chen before and thought she was a pretty girl. But she had no idea what kind of person she was. "Well, you''ll know if you spend some time with her. I heard she is determined, but has a bad character," Leena offered. She quickly shook her head after saying this. She was not fond of gossiping, but several of her friends hadined to her before that this Miss Chen was very rude. "Are you here for the food or the gossip?" an impatient Justin asked. He was fed up with all the gossiping, and he didn''t even know who this Miss Chen was, so the guy decided to interrupt the discussion. "Of course we''re here for food. But what''s wrong if I chat with Auntie Leena?" Jasmine fluttered her innocent doe eyes while looking at her brother. She was perplexed by Justin''s behavior. Usually, her brother was calm and gentle, but Jasmine noticed that whenever Leena was around, he was easily pissed off. "Let''s leave him out of the conversation," Leena suggested. "I had a manicure yesterday. What do you think of it?" She held out her hands to show Jasmine her newly-painted nails. There were countless topics that women could talk about when they hung out together. Blowing out a breath, Justin didn''t know whether tough or cry in exasperation. Surrounded by three women, he was no match for them. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to rx. Then he decided to keep his mouth shut. Jasmine had nned to hang out with Joyce after lunch, but her grandfather called and asked her toe home right after. She had no choice but to bid everyone goodbye. Meanwhile, Leena and Justin still had work that afternoon, so Joyce was left alone. She didn''t want to go back home yet to avoid her mother''s nagging. The youngdy decided to head straight to CY Technology instead. After years of hard work, Rain sessfully turned CY Technology into a well-known multinational corporation, whose worth and prestige was many times more than what it was before. Rain had faced a lot of challenges in the past few years; he had had to manage thepany and deal with the Ke family. His father, Sanford, had died two years ago, and eventually, the Ke family mem Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e was in her twenties, and she could have a boyfriend if she wanted to. Rain didn''t think he had to interfere in his daughter''s life. "Well, is it because your daughter is too picky? She does have a mind of her own," Edward remarked while sipping coffee and staring at Rain. He sped his hands in front of him before speaking again. "She resembles me in that aspect. We''re both responsible people when in love. Once we give our heart to someone, we will be the most faithful partner. So, it''s not easy for us to fall for a person that easily," Rain said. It made him realize that he had to talk with Joyce. Edward broke intoughter. "Are you kidding me? You were a yboy before you met Annie, okay?" he said with a scornful nce at Rain. He always thought Rain was shameless for talking about being a faithful partner. Rain coughed at his friend''s remarks. "Edward, Edward. You and I used to bedy-killers. But now, we''re all focused on our families." He bowed his head momentarily to think. When his son and daughter were younger, Rain used to worry about their safety. Now that they were grown up, he had something else to worry about -- their love lives. Things were different now, but he had to let his children lead the lives they wanted. Edward had a different outlook. "In my opinion, we should enjoy life here and now. We''re no longer young. What if one day we don''t wake up?" He had witnessed the death of many people around him, so he was somewhat a pessimist when it came to the future. "What you said makes sense. Our kids have their own lives, and it''s better if we don''t interfere," Rain said. Nodding his agreement, Rain thought of how satisfied he was with his life now. He had a beautiful wife and incredible twins. Before Annie came back into his life, he had originally thought he would be alone for the rest of his life. Chapter 1790 No Longer Young (Part Two) "Anyway, I heard Eden is due back today. Why don''t we take this opportunity to have dinner together? I haven''t seen him in a long time," Edward said, taking another sip of coffee. Initially, he only nned to have a drink with his buddies tonight, but quickly changed his mind. Having dinner together was going to be better. After all, the more, the merrier. "Sounds good. I''ll inform Annie about itter. But you call Leena and Duke, okay? Between the two of us, you have more time. You handle the invitation." Rain stood up and got ready to head back to his office. There was a ton of work waiting for him. "Who told you I had plenty of time? Justin''s assigned more tasks for me than before. I don''t know what he''s thinking about," Edwardined. Although Justin was now the CEO of the FX International Group, Edward decided to help his son in managing thepany. If he didn''t, Justin would be exhausted. "Don''t be ridiculous!" Rain chided Edward. "I suspect you haven''t been to thepany today, huh? It''s already afternoon!" Rain scoffed. He knew Edward so well that he could tell when he was lying. "Well, I got upte this morning. Then my father asked me to y chess with him. So, you know..." It was a perfect excuse, and most people would probably buy it if they didn''t know Edward as well as Rain did. "Stop talking nonsense. I really have to go now, because unlike you, I really am busy," Rain dered. If Rain didn''t leave, he knew the whole afternoon would be a waste. So, he fished out his car keys and turned to leave. Breathing deeply, Edward stood up as well. He was nning to y golf with his daughter, but Jasmine left the house early that morning, so he ended up hanging out with Rain. "All right. I''ll head out to the office, too. Otherwise, Justin would get mad at me. Can you imagine that? My son mad at me because I''m not working?" he sneered. When Rain returned to his office, he was surprised to see Joyce sleeping on the couch. She hadn''t slept wellst night, so she quickly fell asleep not long after slumping on Rain''s office couch. "Joyce," Rain called her name softly and shook her on the shoulders. "What are you doing here? Have you been waiting here for a long time?" he asked. He was aware that Joyce had slept verytest night. When he got up to get a drink of water in the wee hours of the morning, the light in Joyce''s room was still on. Rubbing her eyes, Joyce recognized her father''s voice and sat up. "Dad! Finally, you''re back," she yawned and fingerbed her hair. Grumbling a little, she rubbed her eyes again to focus on her father''s face. "Why are you sleeping here? You might catch a c oyce and thought, ''Even if you decide to be alone and never marry, I will always be here for you.'' She looked at her father and was pleased with his words. "Don''t worry, Dad. I''m a tough girl and no one is going to hurt me." Joyce smiled at her father reassuringly. "That''''ll be great! Hey, will you be home soon? If you are, please tell your mother that Edward has invited us to have dinner together this evening. I''ll pick you both up after work," Rain rted the ns. He was going to call Annie, but since his daughter was here, she could inform her mother for him. "Okay, no problem," Joyce said. "I''m leaving now. If I don''t, Mom would be worried about me," she told her father. Surprisingly, she calmed down considerably after her talk with Rain. She even felt a little guilty for her mother. "I understand. Please keep your Mompany for me," he requested. "And thank you, Joyce, for dropping by." Father and daughter both stood up, and Rain smoothed Joyce''s messy hair. He was so proud to have a daughter like her, one who was pretty and with great character. Eyes twinkling, Joyce said, "I don''t think I''d be able to keep herpany for you. Don''t you know that no one can rece you in her heart?" Shrugging her shoulders, Joyce grabbed her backpack and put it on. Rainughed before he said, "That is so true! Let me tell you, I am the one and only in your mother''s heart." He raised his chin proudly as a smile lit his eyes. "Don''t bet on it! Bye, Dad!" Joyce called out. She walked out of his office, waved her hand without a backward nce and disappeared. "What? Wait! What did you mean by that?" Rain yelled. He watched his daughter''s departing back, but Joyce ignored him and hastened her steps. Rain shook his head and went back to work. Chapter 1791 The Big Party (Part One) At the lobby of S City International airport, Patricia paced restlessly whilst waiting for the arrival of her son Eden. As his flight had been dyed, she could not help but be nervous. What if something bad had happened? After all, ne crash rates had an immense increase recently. The justification of her worries, she realized, psyched her out more than she already was. Ever since Eden went abroad to study, his return became a once in a blue moon kind of urrence. Therefore, as soon as Patricia got wind of the news that Eden wasing back, she was quick to roll out the red carpet and redecorated his room at once to make him feel at home. The young man was still a little kid when he was sent abroad to receive a quality education. Although Patricia and her husband would go for a visit when they had the time, it still made a huge difference to have him back in their own home. It was due to growing up away from his parents'' side that a sense of detachment could be felt whenever they lived under the same roof. As time passed by, Patricia grew more anxious and helpless. Just as she was about to start pacing again, a broadcast announced that her son''s flight hadnded safely. As a result, her heart responded to the news by thumping a normal rhythm once again. When twenty-year-old Eden came into view, he undoubtedly looked radiant and handsome, carrying an aura of sophistication which he probably developed from immersing in foreign lifestyle and education. He appeared a bit bohemian, arrogant, and possessed a hint of rebellion in those yful eyes. "Eden, Mommy is here," Patricia said loudly, waving at her son. Upon seeing her, the young man cracked a smile and approached her. It had been a long time since they saw each other. "Mommy, you look more beautiful than ever," said Eden enthusiastically. Reaching his mother, Eden gave her a big, affectionate hug enough to smother her. "Well, my boy, isn''t that sweet of you?" Patricia said with a smile on her face. "But I''m telling you. At my age, I can''t be called beautiful anymore." The proud mother observed her son with eagerness. ame shing in her mind. But one look at her handsome son who was the ripe age of twenty, and she knew that time had long passed. "Did everyone get toe back as well?" Eden asked curiously. Although he rarely stayed in China, his concern for his childhood friends didn''t diminish one bit. All of them managed to have a special ce in his heart. Stealing a nce at him, Patricia said gently, "No, just Joyce. I didn''t get to hear any news about Spencer and Hueying back." With Owen and Richard both attending universities in S City, they were permitted toe back as they pleased. Richard, however, was enrolled in military school. So due to its strict nature, he was less prone to asking for time off. "I see! So does that mean the two guys won''t be at the party?" Eden asked, feeling a bit dejected. Huey''s cold manner had the tendency to make people around him feel chilly, like staying in the Arctic Ocean, so Eden often felt intimidated by him. Compared to Huey, it was easier to get along with Spencer. Although thetter could be arrogant at times, with Huey around, he could still bebeled as a warm guy. "Don''t worry, dear. Theye back every year, and this year will be no different. They might just return a bitter than the usual. You young kids can still have the chance to hang out," Patricia assured him. Although she drove fast, it didn''t affect how smoothly the ride was. Chapter 1792 The Big Party (Part Two) "You''re right, Mom," Eden said, closing his eyes lightly. A feeling of uncertainty over the future stirred his insides. As medical staff, he learned the hard way that sometimes, he was just a weak and small dot in the grand scheme of things. Despite the long hours of learning how to serve the public, there were still instances when he had no choice but to watch a young man die in front of him. When Patricia noticed him resting, she thought he was simply tired because of the long flight he had. So she didn''t bother him anymore with questions, and slowed down on purpose to lull him to sleep. Meanwhile, on the army base, was Daisy hanging up the phone. She then got up from her seat, and walked to the Commander''s office. Knocking on the door, she pushed it open after hearing the permission from inside. "Commander Gu, are you busy right now?" Daisy asked in a humorous tone. "Should Ie backter?" Given that Kevin Gu didn''t even bother to look up at her, she couldn''t help but yank his chain a little. "Oh! It''s you. What''s the matter?" Kevin asked gently, glimpsing up from his papers. When Commander Ye retired, there wasn''t a better person than Kevin Gu to take over his esteemed position. And when he did, no one in the army was dissatisfied with it. "What? I can''te to you without a motive now?" Daisy teased deliberately, taking a seat on the couch. "Come on," Kevin said pointedly, putting down his pen. "You know that''s not what I meant. Would you like me to make us a cup of tea?" Although his tea-making skills were nothingpared to hers, the tea brewed by him wasn''t so bad. It was decent enough to genuinely offer it to her. "No, thank you," declined Daisy politely. "I''m just here to tell you that Edward said we will have a dinner party tonight at our home. So, as soon as you''re off work, be sure to drive straight to our home." With tomorrow being the weekend, it seemed like a great opportunity for them to take a breather from work, and hold a party. "What about Leena? Does she know about the party?" Kevin asked earnestly. For the longest time, his loving wife always came at the top of his mind. It just felt natural to him. Her happiness andfort always took precedence over anything else. "Oh rx! It''s impossible to forget anyone. L Uncle Mu''s house for dinner today." The original n was to have dinner outside. But considering that a lot of people might be dining outdoors because it was the weekend the next day, they changed the n, and decided to have the party at Edward Mu''s house whilst opting for Kate Hotel''s door-to-door food service. "Okay! I heard that the dinner party was for Eden since he''s back," Richard said happily. The boys'' closepanionship was evident to their parents. However, Justin was much older than the rest of the boys, so they would show him some respect asionally. Nodding, Leena said, "You''re right, yes, but the main reason is that everybody just wants to have a get-together," Over the years, everyone had be so busy with taking care of their own family. So as a result, fewer opportunities had been presented for them to get together. "Duly noted. What about Dad? Will he be there, too?" Leena couldn''t help but smile a bit as they entered the car. The young man inherited Leena''s striking appearance, yet possessed Kevin''s upright and stern attitude. Maybe that was why he looked mature, but it might have also had a lot to do with his military uniform. "Yes! But he might arrive a little bitter than us. He did say we should go ahead first," Leena replied while driving. "Mom, can I ask you a serious question? Do you really have noints at all about Dad?" Richard asked curiously. With his hands in his pockets, Richard kept ncing at Leena carefully, trying to read her facial expression. Chapter 1793 The Big Party (Part Three) Smiling, Leena didn''t answer him, but instead, asked another question in return. "What do you think?" "I think you''ve had some, but you never say anything," Richard said honestly. He furrowed his brows, skeptical that she didn''t have any protests when his father rarely stayed at home because of his work. "My dear son!" eximed Leena. "My feelings towards your father are not something that you can understand at your age right now. You may want to know if I''ve ever had anyints about being with him, but I prefer not to tell you directly." She threw a meaningful nce at him. "You''ll just have to find out when you get married in the future." Spousal rtionships were challenging to exin to those who hadn''t experienced it yet. So no matter how hard she could try to exin it to him, Richard would only end up being confused about it. For that matter, she preferred to let him experience it himself. "I know, you two went through a lot of gunfire," Richard said, shrugging. Although he had a hard time understanding their feelings, the one thing he definitely knew was that his mother loved his father so much, that she was willing to endure so much for him. "Pfft! What are you talking about? Gunfire? Do you think we''re in a time of war?" Leena joked, amused by his words. ''Sons be raised in frugality, and daughters in abundance'' was a famous proverb for parenting strategies on raising kids. Parents who believed in it thought that a son would grow up into a responsible and solid man, while a daughter would turn into an elegantdy who could resist being materialistic. Their son, however, was strictly raised and had no other choice. As Richard''s father was a Commander, he had to follow in his footsteps and be influenced by his morals. "I think it''s pretty much the same thing. I heard from uncles that dad and you experienced a lot of hardships back then," Richard said solemnly. Despite being clueless about his parents'' love, he always believed in the truth. That true love was powerful. "All of those things happened in the past. So let''s not mention them anymore. Oh, no," Leena said abruptly. "Have you fallen in love?" An instinctive feeling told her that her son might be in love. That would exin the young man''s curiosity. So she threw him a strange look, waiting expectantly for an answer. "Hey! Mom, that''s a funny thing to say. Don''t you remember what school I go to?" Richard said, shaking his head. As someone who was attending military school, he rarely had the chance to meet the right girl for him. How could he fall in love when he hadn''t met her though, as they thought it was merely tonic. "Little Jasmine, you''re at home! I thought you were busy hanging out with others," Richard said cheerfully. He always saw Jasmine Ouyang as his little sister, and so he never noticed that she was looking at her in a different way. "Why did you turn off the phone at noon today? I tried calling you but it never got through," Jasmine said, pouting her lips as she was a bit upset. "Oh! At noon, was it? Let me think," said Richard, appearing to think. "Oh right. My cell phone must have run out of battery. Why, what''s going on? Were you trying to find me?" The young man seemed distracted in their conversation, as he was also looking for the legendary Eden. "I asked Joyce to have dinner with my brother Justin. I wanted you to join us, but who knew you won''t even give me the opportunity to ask?" Jasmine said, still upset. When Jasmine became a teenager, she bloomed like a beautiful flower, and so everyone doted on her. She was pampered like a princess, much like she was the Leena of their generation. "What? I''ve made you upset? I am so sorry!" Richard said earnestly. "To show my sincere apology, how about I treat you another day?" The moment he noticed that Jasmine was upset, he withdrew his attempt at finding Eden, and concentrated on her. "Okay, that''s a deal! Richard, you need to keep your promise, okay?" Jasmine said, a smile lighting up her face and a sense of happiness filling her heart. Leena had left them, and sought for Belinda. "In the name of a soldier, I make my promise to you. You can totally trust me that I will keep it, okay?" Richard said seriously, smiling at the youngdy. As soon as he saw Owene out, he waved at the guy at once. Chapter 1794 The Reunion (Part One) "Richard, I haven''t seen you for ages. You are taller and bigger now," Owen said. At university, he majored in finance which was not his favorite. He was jealous of Richard because unlike him, Richard could study what he liked at his favorite university. Owen had to do as his fathermanded even though he had no interest in his major. He knew his dad forced him to major in finance because he wanted Owen to help in his brother''s work in the future. But Owen really hated to do something he wasn''t passionate about. Working in the financing industry wasn''t his dream. His dream was to be an astronaut. "Are you kidding? I thought I had stopped growing," Richard said surprised. Richard straightened his back and approached Owen, he found that after all these years, he had indeed grown much. They were almost the same height. "No kidding. Uncle Kevin and aunt Leena are both very tall. You inherited all the tall genes passed on from your parents, so you wouldn''t be a short guy," Owen said. Besides Jasmine, Owen also liked to talk with Richard because he was full of youthful spirit which Owen himselfcked. He had achieved what Owen hadn''t. Whatever he saw in Richard, he wanted for himself. He had great admiration for him. "Joyce,e over here," said Jasmine waiving her arm at Joyce. She wasn''t expecting her at the party and was excited to see her. "Richard and Owen are all back. But I heard that their holidays are supposed to start in a couple days," Joyce wondered. Catching the hems of her full-length gown, Joyce walked towards Jasmine. Joyce was a beautiful girl with long ck hair and dark eyes. She liked to wear gowns along with diamond nes and she looked fabulous and graceful when she wore them. "Joyce, I haven''t seen you in a while. You look gorgeous tonight," said Richard not taking his eyes off her. He was totally obsessed with her. Owen on the other hand was more reserved, he wasn''t vocal with his feelings. He was too shy to give a girl apliment so he just smiled at Joyce and didn''t say anything. "Really? Well, thank you. You are so sweet. I''m ttered. But I bet you say that to every girl that you meet," Joyce teased crossing her arms. She didn''t buy it at all. "I can''t believe you Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. were afraid to approach and chase girls like her, because she was too perfect and they would get stressed to be with her. "So you mean I was not beautiful enough when I was younger?" asked Joyce acting as though she was angry. She knew he didn''t mean it that way, but she wanted to tease him. She found that Eden and Rain had simr personalities. Although Eden was not his son, they were both easy going and liked to joke. "No! No! No! Don''t get me wrong. I mean, when you were younger, you were a cute little girl. Now you have grown up, so I think it''s more appropriate to describe you as a beautiful youngdy. Of course you were beautiful all the time. I think you are more than beautiful. You are perfect," Eden defended himself eloquently. He should have been awyer instead of a doctor. "Eden, I think you are jumping a fence and taking my job. Who did you learn that from?" Richard said. He was good at praising girls which was one of his unique skills. But now he found that Eden did a way better job than he did when it came toplementing girls. Eden''s presence posed a huge threat to Richard. "You''re not jealous of me, are you, Richard?" Eden joked raising an eyebrow mischievously. He was still a junior high school student when Edenst saw him a couple of years ago. Time really passed quickly. He used to be a shy boy, but now he was outgoing and popr among the girls. He even made jokes to please girls. He had already grown up into a mature man and looked handsome. Chapter 1795 The Reunion (Part Two) "No. I''m not jealous of you. We don''t know each other well enough for you to judge me. Don''t you agree, Owen?" Richard asked him. Obviously he wanted to invite Owen to join him in making fun of Eden. Owen was conflicted. He didn''t want to get involved in their fight so he stayed silent. "So you are Owen. I''ve heard so much about you from my dad. He always told me that you are a calm and wise person. He wanted me to be a person who has some great qualities like you. You are a role model to me," Eden said. Since he was young, he had been a naughty boy. His dad always thought he wasn''t mature enough. He always emphasized the importance of being calm and steady to Eden. Now all of them had grown up, and everyone had changed a lot. After all these years, he finally met Owen. "Uncle Tom was joking. I''m ttered. Actually I''m not that good. You see, we are peers. There is nothing different between us," Owen smiled. The look on his face was still calm. As Eden said, he was a calm man, you couldn''t tell his feelings from his expression. "Owen, don''t be so modest. I do think you are way more calm and steady than some egotistical narcissist. You are a good role model," Richard felt angry that Eden wasn''t feeding his ego. He wanted to say something harsh to irritate him. Joyceughed quietly. She found that Richard was still very childish even though he studied at the military school and went through extensive training. He looked mature but still acted like a careless young boy. "Hey, Richard, watch your tone and your sarcasm. Remember I am older than you, show some respect," Eden said jokingly. "Although you are older than me, we are the same height. We are both adults, but I don''t see you acting more mature than me," Richard was a little bit angry, Eden''s words had irritated him. He felt that Eden made him look bad in front of people. He was embarrassed now. The atmosphere between them got intense. As a military cadet, Richard was still a little bit childish and irritable, he still needed to be trained mentally. "What''s going on? Y Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. e Patricia happened to be a great example of one of those women. Sometimes he was perturbed by her capricious behavior like posing a random question to him without exining it. He seemed to never know her intention when she asked some weird questions. He felt as he got older, the less he understood women. "They told me that Eden is back. But I don''t see him here. Where is him? It''s been a while since thest time I saw him," Kevin diverged around their topic. He had nothing toin about, he was just looking around for Leena so he didn''t want to talk about it too much. "They''re over there. He''s talking with Justin," Tom said with a smile. Looking at Eden, there were mixed emotions for his son. On the one hand, he was proud of him because he was good doctor material. He was gifted because he learned things quickly. Also, he learned through experience with patients from his own interaction in the practice of medicine. On the other hand, as Eden''s dad, he was also a little worried about him because he thought he wasn''t calm and steady enough to be a doctor. Everyday his responsibility was to save people''s lives, so he needed to take everything seriously. "Just let the kids have some fun. We''ll meet them at the dinner," Duke said to him. At first he didn''t like Kevin and had been always pushing him away, but now they became friends and got along well. Chapter 1796 The Reunion (Part Three) "They remind me of when we were young. Time really passes quickly. Now they''ve grown up. We are all getting old now," Edward said. He seemed to be overwhelmed with sorrow. "Of course we are old now. That''s nature''s order. No one can stay young forever like your parents. Seems like you want to have eternal youth," Rain joked. It was true that Edward''s parents looked much younger than their peers because they had a healthy lifestyle but they were inevitably still getting old. Like Rain said, no one could beat mother nature. "No. Don''t get me wrong. In fact, nothing counts, and death ising for us all. If I wanted to change the order of nature, I''ll be damned," Edward said. His parents looked younger than their peers because they kept a positive mind. And they loved each other so much so they didn''t fight. They were always in a good mood. But these days he found that they both looked a little bit older. He thought they must have concerns now. He was worried about their physical health. "But you look younger than us. Are you keeping some secret from us? Actually you didn''t tell us who you really are. Are you a descendant of some immortal creature?" Tom joked with a smile. Like Edward, he also missed the old days when they were young and free. "What did you say? How dare you? I can''t believe you regard his parents as immortal creatures. I''ll tell them what you said about them," Rain joked. He was the most fun one out of all of them. He always made themugh by making fun of somebody''s way of dressing or telling an amusing story. "Go ahead. Tell them what he said," Edward said with a smile. As their son, he had a great admiration for his parents. They had been through a lot and at this age, their love for each other was still strong. Their lovemenced with a casual attraction but bloomed into a mature love and rich life. "When we grow old and grey, I hope we can still put our wife first like we do now. Then I can say that my love remains the same until death do us apart," Duke said. As he hit middle age, he started to feel that love was precious. Love was also fragile, so lovers needed to be as intentional with love as they were with work. He seldom envied people, but Jonathan Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. thinking I coulde and help you out. I was just about to go and you showed up here. You know I''m a gentleman. A gentleman won''t leave the work for his woman to do on her own," Kevin said. His ttering words aroused the other men''s contempt. They all despised the way he talked to Leena. His bragging made them feel embarrassed. Although he was an eminentmander, he acted totally different when he was at home. He loved Leena so he always showed his love by praising her. What was more, he was soft-spoken and very submissive to his wife. "Okay. Since you''d like to offer us some help, I''ll leave the most important job to you. When we have the barbecue, your job is to keep the coals burning," Leena said with a sly smile. "That''s good. You can handle that," the other men said mocking him. They were happy to see that Kevin fell into the trap Leena set for him. "You guys don''t get too excited. Your job is to grill the meat and vegetables for us," Leena warned them. She liked to see their reaction after ying a trick on them. "You know what, Leena. That''s a brilliant idea," Kevin praised Leena. He thought he was luckier than the other guys because all he needed to do was to keep the coals burning. It was really a stress-free job to do, but they had to serve thedies all the time. "Shut up!" they all shouted at Kevin and stared at him. They were so jealous of him because he was the luckiest of them all and got the easiest job by ttering Leena. Chapter 1797 Joyce’s Unrequited Love (Part One) The most beautiful sign that shows a party is full of joy and fun-filled activities is the sound ofughter. The moon was in full bloom, casting its rays onto the partygoers. The heat only served to spur the people''s excitement like gasoline to a me. Justin was the bona fide leader of the kids. He was charming and respected. He could be decisive if need be, and was always dignified in his actions; sometimes, he was also caring, a key aspect on how a leader should be. People tended to forget that leaders needed to care about the ones they were leading. The kids loved him for that. "Hey, Justin. When are you going to get married?" Eden, whose nosiness was a match even for Rain, asked while grilling some chicken wings over the glowing coals. As a medical student, he wasn''t very tactful and was often blunt with his words. "Don''t be absurd. It''s way too early for that kind of thing. I''m still really young." Justin, for all his genius, actually believed in fate. If he was ever going to get married, it would be with someone he loved deeply, and of course, fate should give him signs that she was the one. He set the girlfriend bar pretty high. As the boss of the FX International group, he just wouldn''t fall for any girl he saw. "You''re not that young. You''re almost thirty for God''s sake," Eden quipped. Some of the hot embers drifted onto his hand. He recoiled in pain and started waving his hand up and down. He then backed away from the barbeque. "What''s this almost nonsense? Thirty is still a ways to go," Justin protested. He wasn''t really against marriage. What he was totally averse to was the idea of a loveless marriage. Also, he absolutely did not want to turn into his father, whose private and personal life was preyed upon by the media. Even the birth of Jasmine hit headlines back then. The reporters loved to spread gossip like wildfire, particrly about his private life, but nothing they said in the news was true. Hearing his protests to Eden''s question, Joyce turned to look at Justin. Sooner orter, he would have to choose someone to marry and be a father of his own. The days of them being together like this were getting fewer and fewer, Joyce thought. "Joyce, what''s wrong?" Jasmine asked in concern when she saw her troubled expression. "Oh, It''s nothing. I''m just really full. I''m going to take a walk over there." Joyce forced an apologetic smile and stood up. From her worries she didn''t notice her troubles were already manifesting themselves on her expression. "I''ll go with you," Jasmine said and stood up as well. The glow of the mes illuminated her already beautiful face. Her perfectly chiseled features were only made more apparent by the light. "It''s okay. I''d like to be alone, to be honest. Stay here and eat some more barbeque," Joyce quickly said, her hands gesturing Jas inful lesson she learned all those years ago. She let out a sigh when she realized the kid wouldn''t back down. She saw so much of herself in Joyce back when she was young, confused and struggling in love, so she understood exactly what Joyce might''ve been feeling. It pained Daisy, but she also knew this was exactly why Joyce had to face this all by herself. Daisy couldn''t interfere by telling Justin how she felt and nor could she force him into reciprocating Joyce''s feelings. "I''m fine. I might look delicate but I''m tough. Aunt Daisy, please don''t tell Justin that I like him. I''m afraid that once he knows, he''ll try to avoid me," Joyce pleaded. Even if it was unrequited love, she treasured every minute with Justin. She didn''t want to ruin that. "Of course. I won''t tell him. Please don''t beat yourself up about this. If he doesn''t love you back, it only proves he''s still a silly boy; you deserve better then." Since she had also been in a simr situation with Edward in the past, Daisy felt that it wouldn''t hurt to give Joyce some advice. No one had ever offered her such advice when she was faced with this problem. So, she had to wait for Edward for a long time. She was lucky because they ended up together. Otherwise, she couldn''t even begin to imagine how her life would be right now if they didn''t. However, she didn''t want Joyce to wait for Justin hopelessly. They were different people with different circumstances. What worked for her might not work for Joyce. "I understand." Her eyes started to get blurry and wet, but Joyce managed to fight back the tears as she looked up at the sky. The coals were extinguished, and everybody cleaned up. The party was over. Everyone made their way to their rooms to rest. Daisy decided to have a serious talk with Justin. She barged into his bedroom without even knocking to announce herself, a bad habit she picked up from her husband. Chapter 1798 Joyce’s Unrequited Love (Part Two) "Mom! Geez!" Justin cried. Daisy caught him in a particrly naked moment. Justin quickly grabbed the bath towel he had just dumped on the bed and wrapped it around his waist again to cover up his sensitive parts. "So what? I''m your mom. I''ve seen you naked hundreds of times," Daisy responded calmly, her face passive. Her thoughts were anything but. ''What a coincidence! I never expected him to be just out of the shower the minute I walked in. He was wearing briefs though, so why the over-the-top embarrassment?'' "Could you please, please knock first next time? You''re just like dad." ''Every frigging time, '' Justinined inwardly, rolling his eyes. He had already moved to the upstairs bedroom to stop her from just barging in, but it didn''t seem to be effective. "Never," Daisy bluntly refused. Justin gracefully walked in front of the mirror. "Well, you''re upte. Why hasn''t dade and picked you up?" Justin said with a sidelong nce at his mother as he just started drying his hair "You know as well as I do how drunk he is. You saw him at the party downing shot after shot. How about you and I have a little talk?" Daisy offered. If Edward hadn''t been drunk. she wouldn''t have gotten this rare chance to talk with her son right now. "Okay, what''s up? Wait, just to be clear, not a word about getting married," Justin said abruptly while styling his hair in front of the mirror. "It''s not about getting married. It''s about Joyce," Daisy replied. She then studied his face for the slightest reaction. She got nothing. "Joyce? What about her? Does she have a boyfriend now?" Justin wondered out loud. He hadn''t noticed anything particrly different about her at the party just awhile ago. "No. I just wanted to ask... what do you think about her?" The moment the words left her mouth, Daisy winced and started to regret why she was the one having this talk with her son. She should have left it to Edward, who was a smooth talker and had thick skin. He was perfect for this, he wouldn''t even break a swear. "She''s great. Elegant and beautiful," Justin answered almost automatically. "So do you like her?" Could she be wrong? Was there a chance that Justin was into Joyce too? "Of course! She''s like my sister. How can I not like her?" Justin blurted out, chuckling as well. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed. He realized something was off. Why in the hell was his mom in his room thiste at night, asking all these weird questions? "Oh, so you only see her as a sister." Needless to say, Daisy was disappointed. "And so? Mom, why are you in my room in the middle of the night? Asking all these questions? Is there something I should know about?" Justin started walking towards Daisy and leaned forward. He drew his face close to his mother''s, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Nothing. ugh she would never admit it, her reactions gave away the fact that she wanted to see Leo too. He was still her father after all. "You can go with them if you want to. I''ll pass as always." She had already allowed the kids to visit him. For her, she''d done enough. She didn''t and wouldn''t go see him herself. "Is this really necessary? He''s still your father. And, he''s been having issues with his health recently. How many years will he be around before you regret it?" He had been trying his hardest to get her to reconcile with her father, but she never wavered. "That''s not my problem and it doesn''t concern me at all," she retorted, her face betraying her concern. Thest time Leo fell and was hospitalized, she had been so nervous. Still, despite this, she was still too stubborn to show her emotions. It must weigh heavily on her sometimes. "Honey, sometimes we all need to learn to let go. If we don''t, the things we have to let go will consume us and control our lives eventually. You think your mother would have liked this? To see this never ending grudge between you and your father?" Daisy''s mother died because of Leo. It was his biggest mistake. It haunted him all his life. His agony and pain drove everyone away and he ended up alone. "If you want to talk about that thing, I''ll have to leave. Stay here and talk to yourself." Daisy stood up, pretending to leave. "Fine. I''ll stop bringing it up. It''s your day off today. Let me take you out, okay?" He decided to yield on that topic, for now. "I really don''t feel like going out today. I walk and march in the military base everyday. Today''s my day off, so there''s no way I''m going out to walk again. I''ll just have a nice rest here at home." She had already visited all the worthwhile spots in the city. Nothing would interest her anymore. Besides, the matter with Leo gave her more things to think over. Chapter 1799 He Is Just Her Slave (Part One) Edward frowned when Daisy turned him down. He had originally nned to take her out for rxation. However, she said that she''d rather stay at home. "Dad? Mom? Are you sure you don''t want toe with us?" Jasmine asked while adjusting her one-piece dress. She decided to wear girlish clothes today since her grandfather, Leo, called her a tomboy thest time. What a bad decision though because she was feeling so ufortable with it now. "We''re not going. Just go there with your brother." Daisy gently smoothed a wisp of hair from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. She still looked beautiful despite her age and it was obvious how the years that had passed treated her so well. "Not again! Grandpa would be so disappointed. I heard him murmur that he hadn''t gotten much time left thest time we were there. I felt sad upon hearing that,"ined Jasmine while pouting her lips. She discreetly stole a nce at her mother to see her reaction. However, Daisy remained cold and didn''t even show any emotion at all. She just bit her lower lip as she pretended to hear nothing at all. "Jasmine, hurry up! We''rete!" It was Justin''s loud voice that broke the ufortable silence between the two. He was already waiting for her in the car for minutes and Jasmine''s dy was already annoying him to the hilt. "For God''s sake shut up!" Jasmine shouted back and trotted out of their door. Her face was still sour when she opened the passenger seat door forcefully and dumped herself into the car. Daisy saw everything and she couldn''t help but frown at Jasmine''s attitude. She had always wanted her daughter to be an independent girl. She couldn''t be happier that Jasmine was indeed independent now. However, her little child had grown up to be rude and that troubled Daisy a lot. "Edward, do you think I''ve gone too far on Jasmine? She doesn''t act like a girl at all." Daisy turned to Edward who was just silent the whole time while reading the newspaper. He might have aged but it was obvious how perfect his face still was. "Well..." he started hesitantly. The question instantly put him in a dilemma if he should tell his wife the truth or not. Making Daisy angry was not really part of his ns today. "Loosen up! I won''t me you for that," urged Daisy impatiently. "Well, she has a positive mentality and I think that''s great. Nevertheless, I''m afraid that she might get beaten up one day. Her attitude is beyond decorum." Although Edward was a powerful man, he really couldn''t assure that he and Daisy could protect their little princess round the clock. Jasmine had already grown up and frankly, his daughter''s wild demeanor was something that worried him too. "I don''t think so. Look at her! She has a heart of round of their backyard. "Justin, Jasmine, why are you sote?" Leo threw his hoe aside and walked towards the youngsters happily. He was wobbling with every step he made and yet looked so energetic. "Grandpa, I heard that you were acting naughty again?" Jasmine teased and held Leo''s arm instantly to assist him. "Only two of you? Where''s Daisy?" said Leo in disappointment as he looked back and forth between Justin and Jasmine. How he wished to see his daughter too. "You should feel lucky that we''re here." It was Justin who answered the old man in a freezing tone. Although Leo was now a pathetic and lonely old man, Justin believed that he deserved it. There was really no one to me about what happened to their grandpa but himself. "Justin!" That was when Brian called him to signal him to stop talking. Leo had been in poor health recently and Brian didn''t want Justin to trigger the old man. "I know, I know. I''m d you are here." Sadness flooded Leo''s eyes while he still looked at the two. It seemed that Daisy would not forgive him in this life. "Grandpa, don''t be sad. Mom is busy working today, thus, she can''t make it. Butst night, she asked me to say hello to you." Jasmine consoled her grandfather quickly. She then cast a disappointed nce at her brother and thought, ''What is wrong with Justin? Why is he so angry at Grandpa?'' "Is that so?" In reaction with what Jasmine said, Leo''s face beamed with pure happiness. He was suddenly smiling like a child again and it was easy to tell that something was really beginning to be wrong with him. "Of course. How could I even lie to you, grandpa?" Jasmine shed her grandfather a wide grin. Leo was very old now and could pass away at any time. She thought that her mother should forgive him. Otherwise, she would regret not doing so one day. Chapter 1800 He Is Just Her Slave (Part Two) "Brian, did you hear that? Does that mean your sister is about to forgive me?" Leo turned to his son who was now picking up the hoe he had thrown on the ground. He badly needed a confirmation. "Yes, Dad. Look, Justin and Jasmine are here. Why don''t we stop digging the ground and get inside?" Brian suggested politely while putting the gardening materials aside. He had given up his own career overseas since Leo''s health started declining. He decided to just take over Ouyang Foreign Trade and focused on his family. "Forget about the vegetables. Go to the kitchen and see if the dishes are ready. It''s almost lunchtime. My grandchildren must be hungry." Leo didn''t insist on digging the ground anymore. All he cared about now was his grandchildren. "Grandpa, let''s get in," Jasmine sweetly said as she began to walk Leo carefully across the backyard. No matter how her mother treated Leo, she loved him very much because Leo had treated her very well since she was a baby. There was no way that her mother''s attitude would affect how much she adored the old man. "Justin, wait. Was Jasmine telling the truth? Did Daisy really say that?" Brian stopped Justin by the shoulder just before the young man walked away. He had to confirm what he heard. If what Jasmine said was true, it meant that Daisy had finally changed her mind. They would be aplete family again! "What do you think? Do you think that my mom will ever change her mind? You know how stubborn she is. She would not forgive grandpa unless a miracle happens," Justin snorted as he decided to remain neutral. "Tsk! I should''ve known it. Your mom can be very obstinate when she wants to be." Brian didn''t understand why Daisy just couldn''t let go. His mother, who had caused miseries to Daisy, had already died in prison. He thought that Daisy should be relieved after that. "I think my dad spoiled my mom a bit too much." Justin shrugged as he had no idea of what to do. He had tried to persuade his mother before, but she would get emotional every time. The next thing he knew was how his dad usually butted in between them just to scold him all the time. Edward would always take Daisy''s side regardless of anything. As a result, Justin had given up persuading his mother. "Speaking of your dad, did he not try to persuade her?" Brian didn''t think that Edward was as emotional as Daisy. "Come on! The two are inseparable. You already know whose side he is with. He would do whatever my mom says. He is just her ve!" Justin pursed his lips as he was a little angry. He could still remember how many times his dad scolded him because of his mom. "Haha! You better not say that in front of Edward. Otherwise, you''ll be screwed." Brian knew Edward so well. Although he wouldn''t admit this before anyone, he really felt lucky for his sister to have such an incredible husband. "Do you think I''m a fool?" Justin rolled his eyes at his uncle and walked t nd pouted her lips frustratedly. It seemed like she still needed to wait for another two years to have a car. "Are you giving up that easily? Are you not nning to persuade me again?" Justin asked with a teasing smile. He knew his sister like the back of his hand. Jasmine was never the patient type of person. "What else can I do? Forget it." Jasmine turned her head and stared out the window. All of a sudden, a familiar figure caught her attention. "Justin, pull over! I saw Joyce," she said. Justin looked into her direction and saw Joyce standing by the pavement. Thus, he steered the wheel immediately and pulled over. "Joyce!" Jasmine was already screaming even before their car stopped. On the other hand, Joyce was waiting for someone when she heard her name being called. She looked around to check who it was and instantly shed a wide grin upon seeing Jasmine. However, her sweet smile melted as quickly as it appeared when she caught a nce of who the driver was. "Where are you going?" Joyce asked and forced a tiny smile. "We just left our grandpa''s house. Joyce, are you waiting for someone?" Jasmine looked around but didn''t see any familiar face. "Oh... I-I just passed by..." Joyce made an excuse. Actually she was waiting for a male ssmate. She didn''t want Justin to misunderstand their rtionship, so she lied. "I see. Why don''t you hang out with us?" Jasmine offered. She really liked Joyce a lot. "Uh, I''m good. I just visited you guysst night. Why don''t you just go home? It''s really hot outside," said Joyce anxiously. Her ssmate was about to arrive. "Uh, okay. We''re leaving now. Let''s hang out next time." Jasmine had to go to The Mayflyter, thus, she didn''t force Joyce to hang out with them. "Okay. See you." Joyce waved her hand and heaved a long sigh of relief when the car started. However, the fact that Justin didn''t even care to talk to her nor ask anything made her sad. Chapter 1801 There Was Louisa Again (Part One) "Justin, how do you feel about Joyce?" Jasmine had considered that it would be wonderful if Joyce could be her sister-inw one day. "Why do you suddenly ask such a strange question?" Justin was reluctant to answer any questions about women, especially about Joyce, whom he didn''t want to consider romantically. "You see, I like Joyce. She''s really beautiful, and if she marries you, wouldn''t that be wonderful for both of us?" Jasmine beamed with joy as she exined her reasoning to Justin. She really thought this was a good idea. "No way!" Justin directly and vehemently vetoed her proposal. "But why? She''s single, and you''re single too. I think that you are a perfect match." Jasmine pouted, very upset by his reaction. How could he disagree? It was such a wonderful notion in her eyes. "It is very simple - I just don''t love her! She is just like a sister to me, the same as you are to me. You''re both my sisters. That''s it," Justin said very seriously, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. He was not going to entertain such wild ideas. "But love can develop over time. I heard that Mommy and Daddy were also in an arranged marriage. But everyone can see how much they love each other now." To reach her goal, Jasmine was trying her best to persuade Justin. "Jasmine, you only see their happiness at present. But you don''t know how miserable Mommy was before. Anyway, I don''t approve of a marriage which isn''t built on love from the beginning." Justin was a little annoyed. They were always trying to fix him up with Joyce recently. "Okay. It''s fine, if you don''t like her. But did you have to shout it out so loudly? You scared me!" Jasmine ced a trembling hand over her chest. She was really frightened by his raised voice. "I don''t want to hear nonsense like that anymore. If you really want a sister-inw, I will try my best t But aren''t you quarreling with me right now?" Daisy stared back calmly and set the tea service on the table. She didn''t want to talk about this anymore. "It is all because of them that I lost my temper." Edward''s voice trailed off, as he realized that his arbitrary argument was no longer up for discussion. "Oh! So, since you can''t do anything to them, you decided to vent your anger on me instead." Daisy was exasperated. The trouble had started with his free-range-education methods. He did not enjoy his children''s respect, because he had oftenughed off their inappropriate behavior, thus losing his authority over them. "Sorry, honey. I was just so mad at them! I didn''t mean to take it out on you with a temper tantrum. I''m sorry," Edward hurriedly apologized, seeking her favor and forgiveness. He could offend anyone but his wife in this house. It was important to respect this unspokenw, because it would decide whether he would sleep in the study, or in the master bedroom tonight. "Really?" While making the tea, Daisy maintained her air of inequity with an intimidating tone. "Of course! I have never lied to you." Since he had given his promise to her, he would always act with fealty, and love her till death. Chapter 1802 There Was Louisa Again (Part Two) Since he had given his promise to her, he would always act with fealty, and love her till death. "Okay, I will forgive you since you apologized so sincerely. Try the Pu''er tea I just made and tell me if you like it." Unlike many other women who tended to take certain things too seriously, Daisy was a woman who knew where to stop. She would not sulk, or make things too difficult for Edward. "Thank you for your benevolence," Edward said with a yful half-bow. Then he took a sip from the dainty tea cup and savored the delicately vored brew. Truthfully, life was, just like the tea ceremony, an order of priorities. When making the tea, we had to consider the amount of leaves, and more importantly, the water temperature and tools to make the tea. Likewise, in our life, we needed to manage good interpersonal skills. And more importantly, we needed to learn about forgiveness and gratitude. On most days, Leena was an exemry wife and mother, but at times she withdrew into her solitude, just like today. She didn''t want to do anything, except for reclining on the sofa, staring nkly through the window. "Mom, you have been lying there for almost three hours. Could you please make me some food? I am starving!" Richard finally interrupted her reverie, and reached out his hand, trying to pull her up. "Go ask the housekeeper to make you some food. I don''t want to serve anyone today." Leena still rested motionlessly on the sofa, gazing at the breathtaking sunset framed in the panoramic window. "But Mom, I don''te home every day, and now that I am here, you just ignore me. You can''t treat me like this!" Richard sat beside her and studied her with some concern. ''Did she quarrel with my father? Or, is she perhaps ill?'' Richard wondered. "How would you like me to treat you? Do you want me to worship you, like the Bodhisattva?" Leena turned her head to him and fixed a cold eye on him. Then she resum your mother was?" Leena was clearly disquieted today, otherwise she wouldn''t be so cynical. "There may be exceptions. Nothing is impossible. Probably those one or two exceptions may happen to like me." Richard was quite optimistic. He had never considered his marriage would be a tough task in life. "Then good luck!" Leena smiled with genuine admiration of his carefree life-view. His calming attitude meant that he and Leena were more like friends than mother and son, and his sanguine attitude lifted her from despair. Soon, they teased each other andughed happily while buying the groceries. It was a harmonious scene. Many people who saw them mistook them as a couple, not mother and son, due to Leena''s glowing skin. She always retained her youthful appearance due to her careful beauty routines. "Leena, it really is you! What a surprise!" Louisa cried out. She was pushing a shopping cart. A teenage girl of around 13 or 14 years old stood beside her. The girl could barely cover her surprise at noticing Leena who was so young and beautiful. "Miss Ye, it''s you! It has been a long time since I saw youst." Leena held back her smile and examined Louisa carefully. She looked more haggardly than before. Obvious she had suffered a hard life. "And who is this?" Chapter 1803 There Was Louisa Again (Part Three) Louisa''s eyes rested on Richard. The young man and Kevin were so much alike! "Oh, this is my son. Richard, say hello to Aunt Louisa," Leena said gently. If it was fate that they met again, she didn''t want to dwell on the old unpleasant things that happened between them in the past. "Hello, Aunt Louisa!" Richard said politely, but frowned at this woman whom he didn''t know. "Oh! Hi! You resemble your father so much!" Louisa sighed sadly. She thought that she had forgotten Kevin. But when faced with anything connected to him, the blurred memories deep inside her suddenly became clear and brought fresh pain. "Does Aunt Louisa know my father?" Richard looked at her doubtfully. He felt that the way she looked at him was a little strange and diforting. "Miss Ye, is this your daughter?" Upon hearing Richard''s question, Leena immediately steered the conversation away from the topic. She feared that Louisa would say something that should stay in their past. "Oh! Yes. Connie, say hello to Aunt Leena and Richard," Louisa ordered harshly, as she suddenly remembered her daughter next to her. She didn''t seem like a kind mother. "Hi, Aunt Leena! Hi, Richard! Nice to meet you!" The girl greeted timidly, with lowered eyes. Then she shuffled back a few steps to stand behind her mother. "Hi, nice to meet you too. What a nice girl!" Leena smiled gracefully. She noticed that the girl didn''t take much after her mother, probably she inherited her appearance more from her father. She absently wondered what kind of man Louisa had married. "You haven''t changed much." Louisa felt a little upset. It seemed that Leena had been well cared for, and she still looked very young, just like a girl. Looking at herself, Louisa considered that she was getting old and had already lost her youthful looks. "You''re ttering me. I''m already the mother of a teenage boy. I''m bing old." Leenaughed lightly. It was the truth, but Louisa didn''t think so. She felt that there was an ulterior motive behind her words, and that Leena had said this intentionally to insult her. "Leena, I do the princess in all his uncles'' eyes. He had to acquiesce to his mother''s behavior, or face a broken leg for offending his uncles by acting against her. Despite his mother being in the wrong, he would have to yield. "Yes, that''s my good boy! Let''s go! Let''s go to check out. I''m hungry now." Leena behaved like a little girl when she was with her son, but it didn''t mean that she had no authority over her son. Her amiable nature made Richard love her all the more, and he respected his mother greatly. "Okay, dearest Mother. Let''s go!" Richard shook his head and sighed. ''Commander Gu, it''s all your fault! What exactly did you do that has made her so angry? You know what? Now she''s venting her anger on me ¨C her only son!'' Richardined in his heart. Sometimes, life became a soap opera! When they arrived at the cashier, there was Louisa again! Worse, they arrived at the exact same time, and queued for the same payment line. Surprisingly, Leena backed a few steps and let Louisa pay first. Louisa didn''t say a word. However, she nced at them with a frosty countenance, her chin arrogantly raised. She had walked forward as if expecting Leena to make way for her to go in the line first. Louisa''s attitude made Richard very ufortable, and her insolent manner left a bad impression on him. He couldn''t help but wonder why his mother was so timid towards this menacing woman. Chapter 1804 Life Was Hard To Predict (Part One) Leena smiled indifferently to Louisa who entered the cue before her. She was generous and outperformed Louisa in both appearance and temperament. By not caring about trifles such as this momentary insult by Louisa, she was far outshining her. She won on personality and charm. Richard seemed to have figured the situation out now. It turned out that in many cases, people were just pretending that they were getting along well with each other, while actually, they were secretlypeting. "Damn it! Where''s my wallet? I can''t find it." When it was Louisa''s turn to pay, she suddenly became flustered and began digging frantically through her purse. "Was there anybody suspicious approaching you just now, perhaps?" The cashier reminded her, trying to be helpful. "No. I keep my wallet in my bag all the time." Louisa kept searching for her wallet, but she still couldn''t find it. "Then think calmly about it again. Maybe you forgot your wallet when you left home?" The cashier tried to calm her down by offering her possibilities for where her wallet was. "What''s wrong? Have you lost your wallet?" Leena had been lost in her own thoughts, but when she heard the noise at the checkout, she went over to see if she could help. "I don''t know if I lost my wallet, or if I forgot to bring it." Louisa was very worried. At this point, the people behind her in the queue began to urge her to hurry up. "What about your items? Will you take them or not? If you are not going to take them, then could you please give the other customers a chance to pay first? We don''t want to hold up the cue. Please don''t affect everyone with your crisis!" The cashier looked at the packaged things and spoke to Louisa with a tone full of disrespect. The customers behind her were already getting impatient. "We''ll take them! Swipe my card." Leena handed over her bank card to the cashier as she said this. She didn''t mean to insult Louisa in this way, but wanted to help her out and save face for Commander Ye. After all, the people behind her were bing agitated because of the hold-up. "No problem." The cashier happily received the bank card. In this way, she did not have to cancel the transaction, which would have taken even more time. "Well, give me your banking detailster. I''ll transfer the money back." Louisa felt very embarrassed now, but she could not be so foolish as to refuse Leena''s help at this time. Compared with the disdain of the other customers, she would be more willing to ept Leena''s help. "That''s a inner. Just wait a moment. Why don''t you take the things to the car first? I''ll be there very soon." Due to Louisa''s presence, she didn''t mention that she was waiting for her husband, as she didn''t want to further embarrass Louisa again. "All right! I''ll meet you at the car. But please hurry up!" "Women are too troublesome!" Richard murmured, and then struggled with his burdens to the distant parked car. "Let''s go! We''re all going to the parking lot, aren''t we? I''m sure that he''ll be there by the time we arrive." Louisa was really embarrassed because she sensed Richard was getting impatient over the dy to his evening ns. They set off after Richard. "Well, you really don''t need to be so polite." Now Leena felt embarrassed, because of Louisa''s angst over paying her back swiftly. Leena was shocked when she saw Louisa''s husband. She looked at Louisa''s husband with her mouth wide open in surprise until Richard touched her in concern. "Summer, is that you?" Leena felt that today was just too surreal. How did Summer marry Louisa? She was a few years older than him, wasn''t she? "Leena, long time no see." Summer was also surprised to see Leena. They had been on a blind date once. "Long time no see! You look so grown up now." Leena hadn''t heard anything about Summer since Patricia married Tom. She did not expect to meet him in such a way. "You are still so young and beautiful." Summer delivered his charming school boy smile. "Thank you. But no, I''m already old." Leena shook her head,ughing helplessly. "Do you know each other?" Louisa frowned at the two of them, and a dark thought urred to her. Doubt began to worm its way into her mind. Chapter 1805 Life Was Hard To Predict (Part Two) "Well. Louisa, this is Leena, my college ssmate''s girlfriend. We''ve met before, but I haven''t seen her since I left S City." In his second year after meeting Leena, Summer left S City. It was not until a few yearster that he returned because of a work opportunity. "Louisa and I have known each other for a long time, so you don''t have to introduce us to each other at all," Leena whispered. It turned out that he had left S City, which was why she lost contact with him. "Oh, I see. I didn''t know that. Your husband is a soldier, right? Then he should know my father-inw." Summer suddenly pped his forehead. How could he have forgotten that? "That''s right. It''s how I got to know Louisa." Leena chose her words very carefully, fearing that there could be a misunderstanding, as Louisa had liked Kevin once. "Well, why don''t you give me my wallet first?" Louisa suddenly became gentler in front of Summer. "OK. I almost forgot about it. You are always forgetting it at home." Summer pulled out his purse as he spoke. He seemed to me Louisa, but Leena noticed that it was the way in which he showed his love for Louisa. It seemed that Louisa''s life was not as bad as Leena believed before. Since they insisted on giving her back the money, she had to ept it. If she didn''t, they might think that she didn''t respect them. "Mom. Dad is phoning you. Do you want to answer it?" Just then, Richard suddenly joined them from the car, with Leena''s phone in his hand. "No." Leena was still mad at Kevin, so she refused without hesitation,pletely forgetting the existence of Summer and Louisa. When she saw their quizzical looks, she smiled awkwardly and said, "We just had a little fight, so..." "It turns out you guys also have fights?" It was unclear whether Louisa said this out of ridicule, spite or schadenfreude. Her face was a mask, not giving any hint as to her true feelings. "No matter how good a couple''s rtionship is, they will definitely fight with each other. You guys must know this, right?" Leena did not want to think of what Louisa meant. She just sighed. "You''re right. Well. Thank you for your help today, Mrs. Gu. Good-bye!" Louisa was secretly relieved to know that there could be arguments between them too. It turned out that the man she used to love was not above quarreling with his wife. "If you have time, we talk again at some point. See you." Leena considered that everyone now had families and children, so there was no need to dwell on what happened before. "If possible, I''ll phone you." Louisa found it doubtful that she was ever going to be friends with Leena. However, life was hard to predict. Therefore, she did not reject her directly. "I will invite yo The faint smile remained on his face, as he truly loved these games of intrigue with his wife. By the time he got to the Westin, Leena had already ordered a meal, so he had something to snack on as soon as he got there. "Daddy, what exactly is your agreement with mama?" Richard asked in a low voice, leaning sideways. "You really want to know?" Kevin looked at him and thought, ''This kid''s curiosity is going to get him into trouble some day. Doesn''t he know curiosity kills the cat?'' "Yes. Tell me." Richard really wanted to know what could possibly have made his mother angry for so long, and why he had to suffer the whole afternoon! "Sorry, noment." Kevin continued eating calmly, not giving any credence to Richard''s outraged expression upon hearing this. "What? Is it necessary to keep it a secret?" At times like these, Richard was confronted by the divide between adulthood and childhood and he railed against that barrier, as all young adults did. He felt that his father was being spiteful and he momentarily sulked. "Nana, try some of this." Kevindled some of the dishes into Leena''s bowl,pletely ignoring Richard''s distress. "I don''t like it." Leena refused with a frown, shaking her head slightly. "This is good for your health, go ahead, try it." The oyster that Kevin offered her was not only an aphrodisiac, but also rich in zinc and other minerals. "Here, eat this, Richard. You are growing." Leena transferred the oyster into Richard''s bowl. She didn''t want to eat it at all. Kevin nced at Richard suspiciously as he saw Leena''s move. "Dad, don''t look at me like that. I didn''t ask for this. Mom put it into my bowl." Richard said innocently, thinking, ''I''m your son. Why are you looking at me like that? It''s only an oyster, isn''t it? Why are you being so mean?'' Chapter 1806 The Ending (Part One) "Exactly! Why are you staring in such a manner?! Does it mean that you wish to harass our son just because I gave the oyster to him?" Leena said, pretending to be serious. At moments such as this, Leena, as a mother, would definitely take her son''s side. "Do you think he''s going to obey me unhesitatingly despite being an independent young adult?" Kevin asked helplessly, rolling his eyes. Looking at his wife and his son voicing support for each other?aroused both rage and amusement in Kevin. However, he had grown ustomed to it recently and even had begun enjoying them. As long as he got to see the reciprocation of love between the mother-son duo, he''d remain happy and content. "Of course he won''t," Leena said softly, beaming. Although the times were changing quickly, their love toward each other had stood the test of time and was as rigid as ever. "Or should we arrange a mountain life experience for him during his summer vacation?" Kevin proposed deliberately, with his shiny eyes. "Well, I think that''s a good proposal," said Leena, without much hesitation. She waspletely in favor of Kevin''s idea. As he was still too young and had been showing an invincible vigor recently, she thought that exposing him to the harsh realities of life was necessary to blunt his dash and render him a novel perspective of life. "Well, you guys are going to decide my vacation ns without consulting me? Have I turned transparent yet again?" Richard asked desperately, being annoyed by their behaviour. As a matter of fact, Richard knew his protests would hit on deaf ears and he''d have to eventually ept their proposal, because their n always seemed to be better than the counter proposals he could raise. As a result, he had gotten used to his apparently unscrupulous parents, discussing how to "punish" him right in front of him ignoring his very existence. As time swept by, Kevin did what he had promised and fulfilled Leena''s longheld dream of shooting wedding photos, and during that time, Spencer and Huey had returned to S City. So the young adults, including Owen, got together at apartment of KTV and held a discussion on their future ns. Compared to other talkative boys, Owen had much less words to yield. "Owen, you are bound to gra Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. guys have fun! I need rush," Justin said as he got up and began to leave. Instinctively, the entire room stood up in unison when he got up to leave, as a mark of respect for him. "Please don''t leave, Justin! Our party has only just begun. It will not be fun if you leave right now," one of them said, seemingly upset with his abruptly intended departure. ''If Justin leaves, the party will be devoid of any fun!'' they all thought. "Justin, where are you rushing to? Can''t you wait for me toe home with you?" Jasmine Ouyang asked, pouting her lips. If her brother Justin stepped inside home first, her protective father Edward would definitely keep pestering her to return home as soon as possible. "You return with Owenter. I urgently need to visit a friend now," Justin said gently. He was a man who wasn''tpletely understood by anyone. Hence, his presence often ended up being overwhelming to others. He never had to exhibit his decisive trait deliberately, but it always followed him obediently like his shadow. What was more, he always looked handsome and dignified, which made him even more appealing. "All right, then! But you can''t go home by yourself without taking me!" Jasmine said happily. In order to be free from the annoying clutches of her overprotective father, Jasmine Ouyang had no other option but to earn such a promise from her brother. "I see. You go have fun!" Justin said, pinching her face, and then went on to say, "You guys get along with your party. The bill is on me" Chapter 1807 The Ending (Part Two) "Thank you, Justin!" the cheering crowd yelled, except for Joyce, whose expression remained somewhat dignified. Acknowledging their appreciation, Justin shook his head, with a mixed feeling of envy for their vibrancy and being amused by their naive character. Perhaps because he was not their age anymore, he felt some difficulty in blending in with the kids. Someone had said that a generation gap could be created by a gap of merely three years. By that forme, there were two generation gaps between him and them. Walking out of the noisy KTV, Justin felt the night breeze softly caressing his cheeks. He feltforted and cared. Yet, while noticing his inevitable shadow erged by the streetmp, he felt lonely. "Justin, wait a minute!" Joyce called out loudly. She trotted to keep up with him as she had kept a thought hidden in the deepestyers of her heart to confess. It was a thought she''d regret for the rest of her life if she failed to convey to him today. "What''s the matter, Joyce?" Justin asked as though he was concerned. He stopped walking all at once and rendered all his attention to her. "Well, can I talk to you for a second?" Joyce finally asked after a significant tussle inside her head. Justin checked the time on his watch and then replied, "Yes dear, what do you want to talk about?" "I don''t like the atmosphere around here. Can we talk inside your car?" Joyce suggested. As people passed by the street, the current location didn''t really suit her purpose. "Alright then, let''s go!" Justin said without much hesitation. Then, he strode towards his own car. Joyce had to jog to keep up with his walking pace which appeared to be ironically simr to the situation of her love story. The only difference was that she managed to catch up with him eventually but she didn''t know if a ce in his heart remained vacant for her to upy. Although she had made up her mind to confess her secret crush on him tonight with much brain storming, she felt grossly uneasy when the moment had finally arrived. She carefully walked beside him thinking of an opening line for the grand speech she had prepared mentally. Meanwhile, her cheeks blushed to the brightest shade of red. "What do you want to talk to me about? You c Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again.But life brought her back to him a few yearster, to his astonishment. d up of all feelings except remorse and sadness. "No, let me drive you home!" Justin said gently. Seeing her in this devastated state, he desperately wanted to do something to make up for it. "No, let me join them at the party. Perhaps that will give me a break from thinking about you," Joyce said, refusing his offer. Since she had lost all hopes on him, she didn''t wish to be alone with him any longer. "Okay, take care and be careful," Justin said earnestly. After watching her get off his car and walk towards the KTV, Justin couldn''t bring the engine to a start. He was still worried about her, or rather partly guilty. As a result, he kept waiting in his car, watching the entrance of the KTV until he noticed Joyce walking out with a couple of guys. He then felt relieved and turned the ignition of the car. However, by that time, the fancy dial of his watch striked twelve indicating that a new day had just been born, and his n to meet his friend had been grounded. Tonight, it was Joyce''s debut in drinking alcohol. Others might not know what happened to her, but Huey knew very well. After all, as her twin brother, he couldn''t be more aware of her secret crush towards Justin. In this world, people might be able to coerce others to do something for them but they could never force others to love someone without it erupting by itself from their hearts. He held her and walked her to her room. After cautiously adjusting her room temperature, he was about to leave when she stopped him. Chapter 1808 The Ending (Part Three) "Justin, please don''t go¡­ stay with me for a while¡­ I promise¡­ Just a little while¡­" Joyce murmured softly, her breath smelling of alcohol. Huey''s heart twitched, watching his twin sister in enormous emotional pain. He wondered if there was anything he could do to ameliorate the situation. "Joyce, wake up, I am your brother Huey, not Justin," Huey said rather loudly. He hadn''t fallen in love with anyone so far, and hence, he didn''t know much about love. But if falling in love was anything as painful as what his sister was experiencing right now, he decided he''d rather stay away from it. "Brother, please tell me, why can''t Justin fall in love with me?" Joyce asked, tear drops flowing down her cheeks. She was undoubtedly drunk but Huey figured out that she still hadn''t lost consciousness. "It''s very simple, because he doesn''t love you. But you are in denial of the truth," Huey said slowly and calmly so that the truth could pierce her heart which was now floating in a sea of intoxicating alcohol. He wore a cool expression and his eyes were grim and deep, depicting a maturity that was meant for people far ahead of him in age. "Oh! That''s right, because he doesn''t love me so he can hurt me without feeling liable for it," Joyce said with a heartbroken smile. "If he doesn''t hurt you now ande out clean with you, he will only end up hurting you much more in the future. It may even end up jeopardizing both your lives," Huey said earnestly. At this point, Huey was very much in favor of Justin''s approach. Since a rtionship was impossible, it was obviously advisable for her to experience all the pain at once. Although it might seem a little cruel at the outset, it was indeed the kindest thing he could have done. "But I am so sad! I can''t just stop loving him in a moment''s notice. What should I do?" Joyce asked in a whisper. If love was perhaps an entity to be taken and withdrawn by will, would it be qualified to be described as true love? "Joyce, just give it some time. Time heals all wounds, regardless of how deep the wounds are," Hueyforted her gently. Even if she was deeply in love with him as of now, he believed that once the circumstances altered, it would be possible for her to forget himpletely and f e someone who had arrived earlier than him. "Uncle Rain, what brings you here?" Justin asked in surprise. Seeing his uncle Rain sitting on the sofa quietly, Justin grimaced. If his assumption was right, his uncle hade to talk to him about Joyce. "Well! I''vee to talk to you about what happened between you and Joyce." Rain said tly. He did not hide his intention and bypassed the initial talk. "Joyce, is she all right?" Justin asked, his face depicting concern. ''Yesterday she seemed sad and hurt, '' Justin recalled. "What do you think, you brat? Even if you had to reject her, couldn''t you try to be a little kinder, rather than be selfish and ruthless?" Rain asked, his eyes burning with rage. He presumed that if his daughter was so sad, it was because Justin had rejected her without any concern for her feelings. "I''m sorry, Uncle Rain! I didn''t mean to be cruel, but I really couldn''t think of any other way," Justin justified himself, apologetically. Justin walked to his desk, sat down and turned his gaze towards Rain. He raised his eyebrows as if he was meaning to ask Rain whether he had a better way to suggest. "I didn''t say your approach was ineffective. I am just trying to say, wouldn''t it have been nicer if you had notified me earlier about this? If I was notified earlier, I''d have been well prepared tofort her." Rainined directly. Now, without a notification, he was clueless regarding what he was supposed to do tofort his crestfallen daughter. Chapter 1809 The Ending (Part Four) "Uncle Rain, this is not something I could control or inform you beforehand, because Joyce caught me off guard yesterday and revealed her love for me. I took a spontaneous decision to break her fantasies once and for all," Justin said honestly. Justin too had realized that his rejection was perhaps a little harsh to Joyce, whom he regarded as his sister. In his defense, he believed that beating around the bush could only worsen the situation and would never make the dilemma easier to handle. "You were undoubtedly very rude to her this time. I guess it will take a long time for my little girl to recover, but I still have you to thank for not giving her any hopeless fantasies, which would have ruined her life," Rain said sincerely. Rain was not here to reproach Justin today. There was nothing wrong with the approach of Justin from a man''s point of view, but as Joyce''s father, he couldn''t help but me Justin for her misery. To sum it up, he wasn''t sure where his allegiance was. "Uncle Rain, in fact, Joyce is a very lovely and cheerful girl," Justin paused for a while and continued, "Although I don''t have any romantic feelings for her, I certainly believe that she deserves a better man than me." He stared at Rain''s cold eyes, fearlessly. He honestly believed that he did what was right and that he had hurt none intentionally. Joyce would always be his beloved sister. "I think so too", said Rain, a little relieved. "The reason I came here today is to tell you that even if Joyce begs you to reconsider your decision, you should not budge an inch from your present decision. Any hope on you that she might have will only end up harming her." Rain was worried that if Joyce came to plead before Justin, he might consider shedding his toughness. It was duty to avoid any more of such incidents. "Uncle Rain, you can be assured, I will not alter my decision!" Justin said, perhaps a little annoyed. "I have my own integrity and I shall keep my decisions firmly." Justin threw an ufortable look at Rain and thought, ''Unlike you, Uncle Rain, I would never be so unprincipled.'' "It''s settled then. I need to go now," Rain said, standing up. "As for whatever happened with Joyce, sorry for all the trouble she has brought to you. But remember, don''t you dare think about reconsidering your decision", Rain r he had everything a man would wish to have. "Yes! Also, I promise to be your wife even in your next life. Are you happy with that?" Daisy said, looking content. The life she had spent with him was wonderful and she cherished each and every moment. If there would be a second life, she would happily spend it with him again. "I am more than happy to hear that. Now you can''t change your mind. And wait, not only your next life, I want you to be my wife even in the life after that." Edward said while his eyes glimmered with joy. He nced at her to watch her reaction. "Well, then I will promise you that," Daisy promptly replied without giving it a second thought. Wherever he was, it would be a dream for her to follow him. Through their journey of life, although they had experienced some setbacks, eventually they reaped their own fair share of happiness from this world. As for their children, they had their own lives and had moved on to create their own niche of happiness. They could not and would not meddle in it. Happiness, sometimes is a simple thing. Perhaps, its sources are neglected by the society. But if they search for it earnestly, they would find it hidden at the eyebrows of their beloved or between their own fingers. All it takes to achieve true happiness in life is to render importance to the little events of life. Tomorrow is another day. It opens the doors to new memories, new possibilities and new sources of happiness. The list remains endless, and it is only avable for people who keep looking for it. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 1810 Thanks you note Hi?guys. Thanks for staying with us the whole time. Happy ending! Time to say goodbye. I will miss you guys! I will stay here on MoboReader and bring you more interesting stories. All these stories are first released on MoboReader. You guys can download it now at https://www.moboreader.net Here, I would like to highly recommend some interesting stories to you. 1, Trapped with the CEO Drugged one night by her ex-boyfriend, a mysterious man took advantage of her in an ecstatic night filled with sex. To take her revenge, she married the man, and used him. "As long as I''m alive, I''m still his legal wife, while all of you are just his mistresses." She remained adamant even when he was involved in scandals with other women. Eventually she stormed off after she learned that he had betrayed her again. But life brought her back to him a few years later, to his astonishment. The man had already got what he wanted from her, but she couldn''t understand why he still wanted to torture and haunt her. -------------- 2, Rebirth of Martial God Traversing back to the ancient Prime Martial World from modern age, Austin finds himself in a younger body as he wakes up. Yet, the young man he possesses was a miserable dimwit, what a bummer! But it doesn''t matter as his mind is sound and clear. Possessing this younger and stronger body, he will fight his way to become the God of martial arts, and rule the whole Martial World! -------------- 3, Vengeful Girl with Her CEO Separated from her family since the day she was born, Linda vowed to come back and take revenge on those who had done injustice to her. Brought up in a noble clan, Charles was taking reins and conquering the business world but got beaten up by a woman he had never met before. Stuck with an unexpected betrothal at first, love eventually brought the two hearts together. Pregnant, kidnapped, injured, poor Linda was tossed into a roaring river. Who did it to her? What did they want? Who was the other ''Linda'' around Charles? -------------- 4, Cold CEO Vs. Sweet Wife Growing up without a mother can be hard. For Jean Wen, life became worse when her father, Henry, brings home his mistress. With two half-siblings intent on causing trouble, Jean is shunned by Henry. Desperate to earn his love, she agrees to be sacrificed for familial interests. She marries a rich CEO in exchange for a land her father wants. However, her failure and added complications with her family mean that everyone abandons her. To find out the truth about her mother''s death, she even risks her life. Is it an accident? Or a murder? When her stepmother turns her back on her father, she chooses to stand by Henry''s side and save his company from bankruptcy. Alone in the world ng my bed? In my own house?" "Fine, then come to my place and share my bed. How''s that, huh?" People always say what the An Family is capable of is beyond imagination. However, Carla Ji has no idea it''s a nightmare only dressed like a daydream until it''s too late to change anything... -------------- 13, Happy Together "We''ll be married for only a month. After that, we''ll get divorced immediately." Even though their marriage had been arranged by their great-grandfathers before they were born, he believed that such a rude and noisy woman like her didn''t deserve to be his wife. Little did they know then that they were destined to be together. Hiram, the handsome young CEO who could never be turned on by a woman, and Rachel, the beauty who somehow brought bad luck onto all the men she went on a date with, were getting married, against all odds. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 14.Unbreak My Heart "A cheater and a bitch. They are perfect for each other," Ashley scoffed in her heart, a faint smile climbing up the corners of her lips. Her smile was so dazzling that no one could look away from her. With one swift swig, she emptied the glass of wine down her throat. Never had she imagined that this glass of wine, drugged by her own mother, would bring her to an unbelievably wealthy and handsome man and change her whole life. It had been a night of madness. She lost her virginity to the man she never met before. It felt like a dream that was not real, yet that very dream came to life, and was standing right in front of her when she woke up the next day. "Kiss me!" he demanded. --------------------------------------------------------------------- What would happen next? Right, time to wrap it up. I will still be waiting for you here. See you around guys!